Saved by Her Wolves Read online

  As he followed the men into the building, an older female shifter stood and moved out from behind her desk to welcome them. He couldn’t help but notice the hungry look upon the woman’s face as her eyes ate up the sight of first Hank and then him. Jason introduced her as Kat, his dispatcher and Levi held back a chuckle at her name for, even as she was a wolf-shifter, she was certainly also a cougar. Escaping from her ravenous look while he could, he closely followed Jason into his office. When all four men were within it, Ryder closed the door as Jason leaned against his desk to address the group.

  “We’ll leave for Saskatoon tomorrow morning. Ryder wanted to update the two of you on all we’ve done so far and you can stay at his place tonight, or stay at the B&B here in town if you prefer.”

  Levi didn’t know which option sounded worse to him and didn’t respond. Hank however, seemed in his element in this teeny town and smiled warmly at Ryder. “Thanks, that’s an awesome offer. Staying at your place will enable us to get even more work done. As long as Wayne isn’t in charge of meals, of course.”

  As Hank laughed and Ryder grinned slightly, Levi observed the closeness between the men. He knew, of course, that the pair had worked together for years, but he’d never seen Hank as affable as he was with Ryder. While Hank had assured him that Ryder and Wayne were trustworthy, Levi couldn’t help but think Hank had also trusted Mark, the fourth member of their previous SASS unit and clearly shouldn’t have. Looking over Ryder, he drew two quick conclusions about the auburn-haired shifter. First, that he was professional and seemed to possess great respect for protocol, traits Levi admired. His second conclusion was far less favourable. Ryder also seemed overwhelmed with the kidnapping of his mate and that distraction could prove fatal to him or others when they took down the rogue pack.

  ***

  Ryan opened the door when the bell rang, knowing his expected cousins had arrived. While he was eager to see them again as he hadn’t in some time, and was appreciative of more help to protect the pack, he couldn’t rid his mind of the constant agonizing worry for Emily, Ashlynn, and Nathan. Fear for them crushed his brain slowly, and had already destroyed his heart, presently a small lump in his chest, one that kept beating somehow even as he knew it was dead.

  Inviting them in, he looked them over as they passed him, thinking they looked the same as they had the last time he’d seen them, even as he was sure Dustin sported new tattoos, certain he hadn’t had any on his neck before. Their faces told him he looked vastly different. As they removed their coats and boots, they exchanged worried expressions and Ryan knew his appearance spawned them. He hadn’t bothered to look in a mirror today, knowing his reflection would be as it was yesterday, if not worse now. Lines he’d never before seen outlined the corners of his lips and eyes and deeper ones ran across his forehead.

  Zack was the first to speak and, while the more talkative of the twins, he seemed hesitant to do so. “It’s good to see you, Ryan, you know, despite the circumstances.”

  “Thanks,” Ryan mumbled in response. “It’s good to see you two as well. It’s been a long time.”

  “Where’s Scott?”

  “Showering, he’ll be done soon. Oh yeah, you guys are staying here. I mean you could stay with Mom and Dad but we thought it best you be here. That way, in case we hear something we can mobilize quickly.”

  “Sounds good,” Zack conceded with a small nod. “We’ll go visit Uncle Jack and Aunt Sylvia later. How’s she doing? Any better?”

  “Physically, yes. Luckily she wasn’t hurt too badly but she’s a mess, you know, with Nathan and ...” When his voice cracked, he averted his eyes, struggling to keep a lid on his raging emotions. The feel of Zack’s hand on his shoulder caused him to look back to his cousin.

  “I still can’t believe they could do that, hit an older woman. I mean, I guess it’s not that shocking considering what they do to women but ...” His eyes widened. “Oh, um, shit. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “It’s okay,” Ryan responded and then released a deep sigh, forcing down a fresh wave of terror for his mate and sister. “We all know what they do.”

  “Maybe we’ll find them before anything like that happens.”

  He sounded about as hopeful as Ryan felt. Trying to drive away the subsequent horrid images that flooded his mind, Ryan pulled his cellphone from his pocket, eager to change subjects. Quickly finding a photo of Emily, he held the phone out to Dustin as Zack shifted his position to peer over his brother’s shoulder.

  “That’s Emily.”

  “She’s so pretty,” Zack said quickly.

  “Gorgeous,” Dustin concurred, adding a small smile as he handed the phone back.

  Ryan released another heavy sigh as he pocketed the phone. “That was dumb of me, wasn’t it? Nathan must’ve shown you guys a picture of her when he was there.”

  “He did,” Zack confirmed, “but it’s okay. We know you’re upset and you need to talk about her, Ashlynn, and Nathan.”

  “I do, but it hurts to.”

  Stinging tears flooded his eyes and he looked away again. Zack embraced him and he tried to pull back but his cousin tightened his hold. “She’s your mate, and they’re your siblings,” Zack said softly, his voice filled with sympathy. “Of course you’re upset, and it’s okay to show it.”

  As a sob escaped his lips, Ryan stopped fighting. He’d tried to be as strong as Scott, but he couldn’t do it any longer. Emily and Ashlynn could possibly be enduring rape this minute and Nathan was probably dead. Tears flowed from his eyes as his throat closed, making the sobs he released sound choked. Weeping, he clung to Zack as he howled in anguish for his mate and siblings.

  ***

  Hannah smiled at the departing men as they left and then closed the front door. Wayne, Kyle, and Alex had been patient with her as she struggled to develop a security roster with them. She’d had the names of all the Moon Valley pack members who’d volunteered for patrolling duties but found organizing them an arduous task. Thankfully, the law enforcement officers had helped and now, with a secure roster in place, she breathed a bit easier. She hated all this, even as she knew how necessary it was, but she’d never wanted the responsibility of being an Alpha in the past and hated these duties now, only taking them on to help her father who appeared overwhelmed by recent happenings.

  Returning to her room, she pulled out her cellphone to make the call she dreaded. She had to inform her fiancé, Adam, she’d be staying in Moon Valley for an indefinite period of time, and not the few days she’d planned. Listening to the call ringing, she sighed. This would cause yet another argument and the couple had had too many recently. So many that she’d begun questioning if she wanted to remain engaged to him. As neither had come across their intended mate and their relationship had deepened through the years of medical school they attended together, and then continued after, they’d thought remaining together to be a good idea. Dedicated to their careers, the likelihood of their intended mates showing up at the hospitals they worked in seemed nominal and neither had the time or desire to travel. It had seemed a good arrangement at the time, but long work hours and the resulting constant increase in responsibility took its toll on their union. Where Adam had once been loving, understanding, indeed almost doting, he was now short with her often, and annoyed when she wanted to discuss their relationship or plan their wedding.

  “Yeah?” came Adam’s impatient voice and she resisted an urge to unload on him. What kind of way was that to address his fiancée, especially when she was out of town?

  “I’m not coming back for awhile. So much is going on here. Ashlynn’s been taken by the rogue pack, along with a few others from the Willow Creek pack. I want to help get her back in any way I can, so I’m staying here to help my dad.”

  A harsh snort met her words. “Seriously? Hannah, I’m not keen on you staying there. They were taken from there, it’s not safe for you. Let SASS deal with the kidnappings, and your father can deal with the pack. He’s been Alph
a long enough to be able to handle this. You should come back. Besides, you could jeopardize your career by missing so much work.”

  Fuming, she could hardly believe what he’d said. Was work all he cared about? He knew how close she and Ashlynn were and that was his response? Forget the situation and come back home to him? His disinterest in the situation pissed her off.

  “It’s Ashlynn. I have to help. In fact, you should be heading here, to help too. This is my family, Adam, my friends, my pack.”

  “I don’t have time to discuss this now,” he shot back angrily. “I’m due in surgery. We’ll talk about it later, but if you were smart, you’d be heading back this way.”

  He disconnected the call and she pulled the phone from her ear to stare at it incredulously, hardly believing he’d just blown her off. While she’d called him to inform him of her intentions, she’d also wanted some support. In fact, she’d needed his support, unsure of how to deal with what was transpiring, and even more uncertain of what she was doing, unclear as to how much she was actually helping. How much longer are you going to stay with a man who doesn’t care about you? Not much longer, she couldn’t. She’d had enough. It was time to end things with Adam but not over the phone. She had to return home to her job, one she loved and had worked hard for, and she’d end her relationship with him then. Until she could see him face to face though, she had to concentrate on doing all she could to help here. With a resigned sigh, she tapped her phone screen, intent on calling the hospital to inform them that she needed more time off. Ashlynn needed her help, so did her father, and work and Adam could wait.

  Chapter 2

  Logan walked into the room housing the pack’s newest captives, having left them alone for some time, knowing the effects of doing so. Worried about what would happen to them, they’d be so anxious they’d most likely comply with anything he demanded. Although it didn’t matter if they didn’t for then he’d have what he wanted beaten out of them. Either way they were his to do with as he pleased and, his mind swirling with the delicious possibilities of how he could torture them, he readied himself for his first glimpse of his recovered mate. Naomi was his, stolen by those SASS assholes but he’d gotten her back as he knew he would. While he had zero belief in destiny, he wholeheartedly believed in his abilities to accomplish his goals.

  Stopping before the cell that held the women, ignoring Nathan Tremblay in the adjoining cell for the moment, his eyes roved over first Ashlynn Tremblay and then Emily Dunne. He focused on the fear in her eyes and a small part of him wanted to tell her the truth to alleviate her anxiety, to assure her she would never face the fate of the others here. He couldn’t though, it would ruin any progress he’d made, or would make, with her fellow captives, and so he refrained from conversing with her. For now.

  As his eyes took in Naomi, he could smell her fear and frowned inwardly. He’d wanted her to worry about what he’d do to her, but she’d never been this afraid of him. While he did want her submission, he couldn’t deny he loved how she resisted him but doubted she would now. He was fairly certain she’d even kneel before him if he requested it. Not liking that any more than the new claim mark he saw on her throat, his anger reared. His spy had informed him of her mate, that fucking RCMP prick, and he’d been furious hearing of it. Seeing it wasn’t helping. He’d left a message for Gagnon in the form of perfume, informing him he knew exactly who he was, knowing well full the corporal hadn’t a clue as to his identity. Known only as Bossman to SASS, he was relatively certain the organization had no knowledge of his actual name nor his present location. Mark could have revealed much about Logan to SASS but hadn’t for Logan knew just how much was at stake for Mark if he did. No, he was certain Mark would remain silent. It truly was the best course of action for his own good.

  While he’d wanted to taunt Naomi, her present state confounded him and, not sure how to deal with her now, he decided to ignore her for longer. As his eyes returned to Emily, he bemoaned the fact Corey Peterson had fucked up the arrangement Logan had carefully planned. Having Emily as a human would have been easier to deal with and she would have been more receptive to his plans for her. He knew she’d fight him on it now if he told her what he wanted of her and so he decided a little psychological warfare was in order. While he’d never lay a finger on her or allow his men to, it was time to break her will to facilitate him taking control of her. His gaze drifted to Nathan again. He debated slaying the shifter, but worried Emily would never bend to him if he killed her mate. However, he could still use Nathan.

  Nodding to John, or ‘Fucktard’ as Naomi had amusingly dubbed him, Logan observed Emily carefully as his peripheral vision caught John and a few other men enter Nathan’s cell. As sounds of fists on skin reached his ears, Emily wailed and clutched at Ashlynn who cried for her brother. None of it affected Logan. Nathan and Ashlynn were disposable in his eyes and Emily’s emotions were irrelevant. He only wanted her allegiance, her willing compliance, and he would have it. When Emily’s streaming eyes turned on him and begged him to stop, he held her terrified gaze as he issued his men a command.

  “Enough.”

  The beating ceased and, in his side vision, Nathan sank to the floor as the men released him. Weeping, Emily looked to her mate and then back to Logan.

  “Why are you doing this?” she demanded in a shaky, horrified voice.

  “He hasn’t told me what I want to know,” he replied simply.

  “That’s because he doesn’t know anything. Please, just leave him alone!” she screeched, the fear for her mate soaking her desperate plea.

  “I don’t believe that,” he returned. “His sister has SASS agents for mates. She knows something, she’d have to, and if she knows, then he does. Probably you too, being his mate. While I really don’t have a problem with my men beating women, I’d rather see how far I can get with your mate first. Consider it a courtesy extended toward you and Ashlynn, for now. Naomi knows full well what a beating feels like. I’m sure you’d like to spare yourself and your pregnant sister-in-law such treatment, so talk. Tell me what I want to know.”

  “We don’t know anything!”

  With how they reacted to the beating on Nathan, he believed they didn’t know anything for they surely would’ve stopped the abuse if they could have. He couldn’t be as sure about Nathan though, and needed to know if the shifter had any information about Logan or his pack’s whereabouts. Relocating the pack would be a huge problem and if he needed to, he’d have to start preparations now. Unable to stop the smile that took hold of his lips, he knew exactly how to loosen Nathan’s tongue. Turning to his men, he nodded and a few left the room, returning in a moment’s time with a large metal box. As they placed it before the women’s cell, Logan observed Nathan’s reaction. His swollen eyes widened and the scent of his fear, even from the distance between them, invigorated Logan.

  “A little birdie told me you don’t like confined spaces,” he informed Nathan, “so I figured a few hours in the box might make you more compliant.”

  As the men told hold of Nathan, Logan watched, unaffected by Emily’s pleading. Held tightly by several men as one unshackled him from the wall, brown fur surfaced on Nathan’s arms and he snapped his jaws at the man closest to him.

  “You are scared, aren’t you?” Logan chortled. “This should prove quite entertaining.”

  The men carried Nathan, swearing, squirming, and sweating profusely, out of the cell and past Logan who could clearly hear the terrified staccato beating of the shifter’s heart. Logan sucked up the sight, never tiring of it. Fear was exhilarating, truly a drug to savour, and he was addicted. As Emily and Ashlynn begged the men not to, they lowered Nathan’s wriggling and protesting form into the box, roughly the size of a coffin. Even unshackled he wouldn’t have had room to move in it. Deeply breathing in the scent of Nathan’s terror, Logan smiled again as the shifter pleaded for release. He’d never been big on mercy. Soon, Nathan was secured in the box, the box was chained shut, and, his ears filled wi
th the horrified howls of Nathan and the anguished pleading of Emily and Ashlynn, Logan left the room, the knowledge of how the shifters behind him suffered filling his steely heart with glee. Fuck did he love this shit!

  ***

  “Nathan! Nathan, please answer me,” Emily pleaded.

  His terrified cries rang in her ears, and she couldn’t stand his suffering. Cruelly, the shifters had left the metal box just out of her reach, her fingertips a mere centimeter from touching it.

  “I’m here,” she assured him, speaking loudly so he’d hear her over his cries. “I’m right here, Nathan. You’re safe. Nothing’s going to happen to you. Just, please, try to calm down. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

  Nothing but a choking sound answered her and then he wailed again, louder than before. As his crying descended into the sounds of him sucking in breaths harshly, her fear mounted. He was hyperventilating and she could do nothing to help him.

  A sharp gasp from Ashlynn caused her to turn her head. “His heart rate is scary fast,” Ashlynn informed her.

  She and Ashlynn both loudly told Nathan they were right there, that he was safe, and they begged him to try to calm somewhat. After several minutes, he seemed to quiet, at least she couldn’t hear him hyperventilating any longer. Ashlynn nodded to her, informing her his heart rate had improved. As she continued her litany of calming phrases, Emily glanced at Naomi who’d been silent through the entire ordeal. Her friend sat with her back to the wall, staring straight ahead as if nothing was going on.

  ***

  Dreading this encounter, but knowing it had to transpire, Jason knocked on the door of Jack and Sylvia Tremblay’s house, Levi, Hank, and Ryder with him. With plans to head to Saskatoon tomorrow morning to take another crack at Mark, the group had agreed it was time to address unanswered questions, in particular the ones surrounding Jack’s hiring of Emily. Levi and Hank had been extremely interested when Ryder related the information, and while Jason still believed adamantly that there was a reasonable explanation for Jack’s actions, insisting he couldn’t be involved with the rogue pack, especially considering his son and daughter were in peril from them, he agreed it was high time those questions were answered.