Uncle Shane! Lexi’s voice screamed in my mind, using the Pack bonds. Talk to Holden! Mama Holden, Uncle Shane is on his way to you. Wait for him. Tell her, Uncle Shane!
I froze. We had already dropped off Shaz, Terry and Mac to rendezvous with Splinter and Boomer in a park a little way from the coffee shop. Shaz would direct them to a tunnel to the east of the one that Mark and Erin would enter.
Somehow, Lexi had connected with Holden.
“Holden.” Wonder filled my voice. Holden? I continued via the Pack bonds.
Baron gave me a sharp glance and then tapped into my mind via a private pathway. He watched me and Lexi talk with Holden somehow.
When I finished, I stared at my Alpha.
“Holden must be wolf.” Baron stated the obvious.
I nodded and then my face tightened. “Which is even more reason to get her away from that son of a bitch.”
“Agreed.”
We pulled up at the lab and parked the SUV, hurrying towards the front door of the lab. We were going in the front, since we knew Edward would expect us.
Entering the door, we stopped short. There were two men, both dressed in black, and armed to the hilt. Tessa was standing in front of them, her arms crossed over her chest, her hip popped out on one side. Her smile when she saw us was spine-chilling and smug.
Dragged in? This didn’t look like she was here under duress.
Baron ignored the men and looked at her. “Why, Tessa?”
I knew her sister would be very disappointed in her. Miranda had sponsored Tessa, so that the woman could join the Pack. She had sheltered her sister since her parents had passed away. Yet, here she was, violating the most important law — betraying the Pack.
The men behind her had semi-automatic guns pointed at the floor. They exuded a confidence that they could shoot us first. They probably were using silver bullets, but these guns themselves shouted to me that these men either were ex-Navy Seals or mercenaries. Or want-to-be mercenaries, which could be worse.
“I was always lesser than everyone else, Baron.” The woman sneered at us. “Miranda is your mate, second only to you in the Pack. But I wasn’t good enough for anyone else. Not even you, Shane! Not even after you came back broken from the war. Heck, you even treat Maggie better than you do me, and she is so submissive she would pee if you looked at her wrong!”
I shot out a thought on a personal bond line, hoping it would get to Shaz. Tessa’s here. Working with Edward.
I had noticed that one man had pointed a device at Baron, that looked like a remote of some sort. Tessa had a similar device in her pocket. Perhaps this was how she was invisible in the Pack bonds. Which meant they knew Baron was the Alpha and could communicate with his Pack via the Pack bonds. They were making sure he wouldn’t be able to reach anyone. They got that information from Tessa.
Neither she nor they knew that I could take over as Alpha able to communicate with both Baron’s Pack and my fledgling one.
Shaz replied, Roger.
I had noticed that there were steam or wire shafts above the tunnels. I hoped that Shaz would redirect the rest to use those, since I couldn’t trust that Tessa hadn’t heard some of what we had said before we had locked down the Pack communication. We had done that so that Miranda couldn’t learn how involved in this mess her sister was. Shutting down, though, also shut out Tessa from learning what the full plan was. Which was the only thing in our favor right now.
Tessa was still venting at Baron.
“Edward promised me I could now rise in the Pack, perhaps even become Alpha. He promised that I could breed the next super soldiers for him. That I would be greater than you all.” She spit this out at us, her hatred obvious. “I heard you, Baron. There are men waiting for your Pack in the tunnels. We will capture them, just as we have you, and cage you all like the dogs you are. You will have to fuck me if you want anything. You will want to fuck me after Edward gives you the aphrodisiac. You won’t even know it is not Miranda. And I will take pictures to show her how her precious Alpha has cheated on her.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. Tessa didn’t know how mate bonds worked. Baron wouldn’t be able to mate with anyone other than Miranda. Someone could force an artificial attraction to another female, but when he went to mate, his wolf wouldn’t allow it to happen.
A hissing sound came from over near one man and he picked up a communicator, listening to it. I strained to listen in but couldn’t hear anything because Tessa was still screaming at Baron.
“I will have your Pack. I will have your Pack bonds. And you will be a whored-out dog in a cage!”
Baron listened, a tired look crossing his face. “Is that what you think will happen, Tessa? Do you think you can trust Edward, a man who killed his own brother, just to forward his own agenda?”
Tessa stopped; her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide. “H-h-he didn’t…”
Baron nodded. “He did. He wanted Holden, whom you gave him on a platter. We don’t know why he wanted her, but I can guarantee you won’t mean as much to him now. He probably will put you into a cage along with us.”
One man next to her sighed and then slipped a syringe out of a chest pocket. He struck Tessa’s neck, pushing in the plunger with one movement. He caught her as she dropped, her eyes wide with surprise.
“I hoped that she could have just walked down to the lab before we had to do this, but you had to tell her now.” He shook his head in disgust as he threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. Two more men came out of a nearby door, both with their weapons drawn. “She is a pain in the ass, you know. If I were you, I would have gotten rid of her a long time ago. She was – and is – a liability. Unfortunately, she was a necessary one, in order for us to get you. We will make bank with both of your captures, let alone the extra we get for your team.”
He turned and left via the door the other two men had come out of.
One of the two men waved his gun at us. “Please follow him, gentlemen.”
Baron glanced at me, grimacing. I shrugged and walked after the mercenary with Baron following. We both heard the door lock after we all had entered the hallway, following the lead man to the elevator which was waiting and ready. Once we were all on board, the doors closed and the car slid down the shaft, heading for a lower floor.
My eyes traveled over the men, assessing them. The well-trained, and highly paid, mercenaries knew their stuff. I had worked with men like these. Unfortunately, these were now working for Edward. Which meant that if I had my way, they would all die.
The elevator stopped, and the doors opened silently. This hallway was like the one above. It was hard to see anything except closed doors. The man carrying Tessa walked down the hall, stopping in front of a random door and entering it. The men that were surrounding us passed that one and entered the next one down.
It was a lab, and I saw Holden on a table, hooked up to several pieces of equipment. My heart jumped. Then Holden turned her head and met my eyes.
Holden. I reached out to her. Her eyes went wide and then narrowed.
Shane, Edward is crazy. He thinks I am a hybrid lycanthrope – werewolf and human! He wants to breed me with another lycanthrope that he has in a cage…
I wasn’t even sure if she knew she was talking to me via a mental bond, but I was glad that Edward could not hear what she said.
She glanced over to the wall where the cage was and gasped. I turned and looked. The mercenary who had led us here was placing Tessa into a glass cage next to the one holding a naked man, who was crouched in the corner. Then the mercenary left, leaving her a prisoner.
“Who is that?” Holden croaked; her voice hoarse.
I tensed until Baron touched my arm. I forced myself to relax, but I wanted to go over to my mate.
Another man, one that I hadn’t noticed before, moved. He chortled, watching us and glancing at the glass cages.
“Welcome to my lab. You must be Baron, the Alpha. See, Holden? The Alpha werewolf has come for you. I see he brought one of his wolves. I suspect it is one of his Betas. I am waiting to hear when my team has captured the others, which should be soon, but having an Alpha and Beta werewolf here in my lab right now is something I didn’t think I would get without breeding them myself.”
“What?” Holden looked back at me. I couldn’t look at her, though. I didn’t want to take my eyes off Edward, who was the biggest danger.
She snorted in frustration, though. “Those are not werewolves, you crazy ass! They are people that I know! Shane is one of my employers, in fact!”
“Oh, no. No, no, no. You have that wrong, sister-in-law. These men turn into wolves. These men are not human at all.” Edward stalked closer, keeping Holden between him and us.
Tessa woke then, screaming. The noise didn’t penetrate much, but it was enough that we all turned our heads to look at the woman. She threw herself at the glass, pounding on it. The man next to her just crouched down smaller, trying to disappear. His eyes glinted, though, and he raised his nose a little to sniff in her direction.
Edward exhaled, watching her.
“Shut up, you stupid bitch.” The calm tone of his voice made my skin crawl. I didn’t like the woman, but I didn’t want to see what Edward would do to her either.
“That one, Holden. Wasn’t she with them?” Edward pointed at the woman, turning to look at her.
“Edward.” Her voice was soft as if she was trying to placate him. “I have never seen her in my life. I have only been with Shane and Max. I have met Baron once, but no one else. The rest were just natural wolves. Because that is what I am – what I do. I am a wolf researcher. I was working with wolves.”
There was a sadness in her tone that pulled at my heart, even as I felt guilty for lying to her. Holden cared that Edward was bat-shit crazy. I huffed. She didn’t realize that even though we were all speaking English, everyone — except her — were communicating in a different language. One where we understood the words but she didn’t.
“You have never seen her before?” Edward sounded confused.
Holden shook her head.
“But they are like Mercer, Holden. Like you. She can change into a wolf.” Edward pointed at Tessa in the cage who had now sunk to the floor crying, finally realizing that Edward would not treat her like the princess she thought she was. “And him and him.” He pointed at Baron and me, before walking closer to Holden and studying her. “And you.” He added.
Holden shook her head. “I cannot change, Edward. I don’t know what you saw in my DNA, but I am human. If I was a werewolf, or lycanthrope, wouldn’t I have changed before this? I am almost thirty. I haven’t changed. I won’t ever change.”
Edward’s eyes took on a gleam. “Not unless you have a catalyst of some sort. Perhaps if I force you into heat. These male wolves would want you then. Perhaps they will force you to change for them.” His voice was almost a mumble as he pulled out a syringe and plunged it into one line going into Holden’s veins.
I took a step forward, my growl silent, but Baron touched my arm to hold me back. This was not the time to attack the man. He was too close to Holden. But I felt the need to protect my mate. This man was hurting her for a stupid reason. Holden was human. There had never been a human-lycanthrope hybrid.
I sent a pulse down the bond towards Shaz, acting as an inquiry. A few minutes passed and five pulses came back from him. Five minutes away. Another two came from Splinter and one from Erin. The team was almost in place. I just wasn’t sure what the mercenaries’ instructions were and if any of them or Edward would hurt Holden, but I needed to do something soon.
I shifted my body, trying to get into a position where it would be harder for someone to shoot me and hit something vital.
Holden twisted on the table and screamed, her voice sounding like a mix between human and wolf. I hesitated, my breath hitching. What had that mad man given her?
I sniffed, my nose catching her rising pheromones. Damn it! Was some of what Edward said true? Was Holden a lycanthrope?
Mercer uncoiled from the corner of his cage, growling as he moved closer to the glass. He was sniffing the air, his nostrils flaring. It appeared he was trying to contain his shift, but wasn’t successful as the hairs kept coming and receding on his arms and torso.
Even Baron was turning towards her, his face tilted up to catch her scent. Edward chortled, not noticing a ceiling tile move above him. Erin plummeted, bringing Edward down with her. Mark was right behind her, although he froze once he got to the floor.
Secure him. Work with Erin. I commanded, hoping that the male could resist Holden, given he was more interested in males. In fact, Mark turned and looked at Mercer, his grin wide while he put one foot on Edward’s arm, holding it there.
Baron had turned back as soon as Erin had dropped, attacking the mercenary behind him. I moved towards Holden as an explosion rocked another lab door.
Splinter came in, his weapon pointed at the other mercenary. Both him, and Boomer behind him, groaned, almost losing their focus. Thank god we had trained for scenarios like this, where pheromones may be high and impacting the men on the mission. I knew that they could work through this. I was more worried about the others coming in. Shaz, Mac and Terry hadn’t had this training and wouldn’t be able to resist her right now.
Shaz! Wait a few minutes before entering the lab. They pumped Holden full of hormones and she is in heat! I started pulling the tubes and needles from her as she squirmed on the table.
The man’s voice was just a growl down the Pack bonds. Damn it! Edward had installed a powerful ventilation system in this lab.
I looked around. There was a door on the far side, which I suspected was an office, but there might not be another way out of there. Not when there were male wolves in rut. I was sure that Edward had a bullet-hole escape route, but it worried me I might not find it before the wolves broke down the door.
There was only one thing to do. I snatched up Holden, threw her over my shoulder, and turned and ran for the door to the hallway. I danced around Mac and hit Shaz in the shoulder with my free hand, spinning the man around. Terry was standing just outside in the hallway, and he growled, his eyes on Holden’s ass.
I growled louder, extending my power to those still around me. I heard yelps as some lesser wolves dropped to their knees, including Terry in front of me. I heard Baron’s answering growl, him still in his human form, but close to turning.
“Get Edward!” I yelled over my shoulder at my Alpha while I ran for the stairs. I didn’t want to get enclosed in the elevator with another one of my Pack and have to fight my way out. I hoped that Baron would take care of the real enemy, but I couldn’t stay and ensure it. Safeguarding Holden was more important right now.
I reached the top of the stairs and extended my senses. There was someone scrabbling into the stairwell below me, but I couldn’t hear or smell anyone on the other side of the door. I opened the stairwell door and then ducked, dodging the gun shot that then ricocheted down the stairs. I heard a yelp. I hoped that the bullet had only grazed whoever was behind me. At least not if they were Pack.
Perfectly okay if it was one of the mercenaries.
I stood, my gun in my hand and shot once, twirling and shooting twice more. I hit both men that were guarding the door but didn’t think any were kill shots. Lucky for me, they had unlocked the door to the lobby, so I ran, making for the outside door. I swerved, missing the shot that had come at me from the side. I had hoped that they wouldn’t try to kill Holden, but the mercenaries didn’t seem to pull their shots. A second bullet missed me by inches.
Bursting through the front door, I leaped to my left and ducked behind a large bush, panting. I felt a hand caress my ass, and I groaned softly.
“Holden! Please, not now.”
“Shane!” Holden’s voice was seductive. She reached for me with one hand while running the other down my back.
Nice she hadn’t tried this earlier, but I didn’t want to fight her off while dodging bullets.
Three men burst through the door, stopping just feet away from us, their heads swiveling. Not lycanthropes. Otherwise, they would have smelled her.
Quiet. I pushed the command down my mate bond connection to Holden, hoping that she heard me. She stilled, so I took it as the gift it was. I lowered her to the ground, keeping a hand on her shoulder to hold her down.
Pulling out my gun, I realized I had one chance. There were three of them, and as soon as I shot the first, the other two could take me out.
Shit on a brick.
I checked the Pack bonds. Mac and Terry were running up the stairs, almost to the top. Both were in their wolf form and were hunting Holden. I could make use of that.
Mercenaries! I shouted at the two of them, down their personal connections. I sent a visual of the men. The wolves bounded up the last of the stairs and burst through the door into the lobby, heading for the three men.
Two of them turned to look at the attacking wolves, their eyes wide as they started shooting. I took aim on the third, an older man who ignored the commotion behind him.
I shot him, hitting his right shoulder, twirling the man around. The guy was a professional and shifted his gun to his left hand, shooting back. The bullet grazed my cheek, leaving a trail of fire. I couldn’t think of that, though, and shot the man again, as the two wolves exploded out the front door, attacking the other two mercenaries.
This time, I had gone with a head shot. The man fell to the ground, surprise covering his face. I picked up Holden, realizing I was almost out of time, and threw her again over my shoulder, running straight for Baron’s truck. I hoped that it would take time for Mac and Terry to take down the two mercenaries. Then they would not try to get into Holden’s pants. Fucking aphrodisiac!
I opened the passenger side door, shoving her in.
Worry filled me. She was quiet because she was unconscious. I just hoped no one had shot her. I couldn’t check, though, so I pulled the seat belt over her, clicking it shut, and closed the door.
Mac must have already dispatched his target since he was charging towards me. I leaped up onto the hood of the truck and slid over it, coming down on the driver’s side. Getting in, I had just slammed the door shut when Mac hit the side of the truck with a thunk.
“Keys. Keys.” Mumbling, I reached over and opened the glove compartment. There they were.
Another thump sounded and I looked up. Terry was on the hood, staring down at me, his teeth bared. I shoved the keys into the ignition and started the truck up, slamming it into reverse. I heard a yelp, but Terry was still somehow hanging onto the hood, so it had to have been Mac.
I hoped that Baron wouldn’t be mad about the claw marks on his truck. Putting it into drive, I started forward, before swerving. Terry’s claws scratched the hood’s paint as he slid off it, falling to the road. He yipped in pain.
Wolves poured out of the building, with Baron in their midst, still in his human shape standing among them.
Watching in my rear-view mirror as I peeled down the street, I saw Baron salute me and then put his hands on his hips. I could feel the Alpha pull the Pack back to him, struggling to get his wolves back under control now that Holden and her pheromones were leaving the vicinity. I hoped that they also had secured Edward, but I couldn’t worry about that. Holden came first.
I drove, taking turns and speeding through towns, hoping there was no one following us. I was glad that Holden was out, her body exhausted from whatever Edward had done to her. As dusk fell, I circled around and headed into the woods not too far from the compound. I entered them from the east, finding the right gravel road. I traveled it for about twenty minutes before pulling up beside a lone cabin.
Stopping, I inhaled. Whatever had been in that syringe Edward had given her was wearing off. Glancing over, I noticed her breathing was even and soft. I sighed, wiping sweat from my face. Grimacing, I noticed I was still bleeding from the facial graze. I wiped my bloody hand on my pants and then got out, suddenly light-headed.
Fuck! I only knew of the one bullet grazing my cheek, but I wasn’t sure if someone had hit me somewhere else. It didn’t matter. I had to get Holden inside. Leaning against the car, I staggered to the passenger side door and opened it. I would make it inside. I had to.
Unbuckling her seat belt, I then pulled her into my embrace. She felt heavy to me. I walked towards the cabin, but every step felt like it was harder than the one before. I stumbled up the steps and put a palm against a panel next to the door.
I was glad I had installed the Biometric Lock the last time I had gotten hurt. It’s a real bitch to search for the damn key with a severe injury. I keyed this lock to let me in, either in wolf or human form. The only other person who had access was Max, since when I came here, I needed a doctor. In fact, Max would get a text that the lock had opened as soon as I unlocked it. Which meant he would come here and save my ass. I wasn’t sure where I was hit, but I was losing blood.
Darn silver bullets.
I heard the click as the lock disengaged and shoved the door open. I made it to the couch, laying Holden down on it before I collapsed to the floor.
