Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Barrett

I'm almost chewing my nails with frustration when morning arrives. By the time I'd reached my belongings, my damn phone had gone flat, and I spent several hours finding a place to charge up. I'm sitting in a little diner, eyeballing a cooling cup of coffee with distaste.

Goddammit!

I feel so damned powerless! Without thinking, I thump the diner table with my fist, making the cutlery rattle. The other patrons shoot me dirty looks, but I don't care. My mind is a whirlwind after last night's events in the woods.

That massive golden wolf blazes into my thoughts again, setting my pulse racing. The force of her stare had punched through me, leaving me breathless and unsettled in a way I can't explain. And then she'd turned tail and fled, leaving me with more questions than answers.

And I have even more questions about what I'd seen in that facility. I scrub a hand over my face, feeling the rasp of stubble.

What the hell is going on at Whispering Pines?

Whatever it is, it can't be good. And most disturbing of all is that there are humans involved. Controlling their captives. It's unheard of. At least, I've never heard of it.

But what does that make the golden she-wolf – friend or foe?

Everything within me is telling me I can trust her. And that she needs help.

My eyes narrow as I recall shifting into my own wolf form and loping through the forest with her at my side. The thrill of running had sung in my blood, instincts taking over. This time, she hadn't fled but held her ground, studying me with those uncanny eyes.

A clatter makes me look up. It's the waitress, phone in hand. "All charged up for you, sugar."

I grunt a thanks, powering it on impatiently. Before I can call back to base, the damn thing starts ringing.

Jagger. I punch the answer button. "Yeah?"

"Alpen's on his way back," his clipped tones inform me. "Got any updates to share?"

I hesitate, something holding me back from spilling everything. What happens if our team charges in and spooks them before we know where they all are? I only saw one. They spoke of others, but there's no guarantee they're in there. They'd spoken about transporting them from Leadmills. Should we be aiming our efforts in that direction? If Jagger brings all our people here, will we be abandoning anyone still left at the rogue hangout? One thing's for sure: if I tell Jagger what's on my mind, he's going to come in guns blazing, and all hell will break loose.

Shit.

"Place seems hinky," I settle on saying. "Definite signs of shifter activity. Need to get a closer look, but I can't do it alone."

There's a pregnant pause before Jagger speaks again. "He's a few hours out. Can it wait that long?"

I pause, considering. Nothing has happened in that place during the daylight hours. "Yeah," I say.

"Where's a good place for him to meet you? Same as last time?"

"No. Closer this time. There's a bar in town. Biker hangout called the Greased Nipple. He'll know the place." As I say the words, my mind starts to work.

"Good." There's a slight delay; he's speaking to someone in the background. Probably Edirn. "He'll be there round midday."

"I'll be waiting."

The line goes dead. I stare at the phone for a long moment, then pocket it and toss some bills on the table.

???

Barrett

My nerves are on edge as I wait for Edirn to arrive. Even though it's barely noon, the bar is already smoky, bustling with drinkers.

I drum my fingers impatiently on the scarred wooden table, my gaze flicking around the dimly lit bar. The Greased Nipple is a dive, but it's one of the few places I can reliably find Edirn. Seasoned drinkers line the bar, nursing their beers, while a rowdy group of bikers in leather cuts talks loudly in the corner.

I try to appear casual, but I can't quite suppress the nervous energy buzzing through me. There's too much at stake – the wolves trapped in that cursed sanctuary, and then her… I need Edirn's steady presence to help me figure out the best way to get those shifters to safety.

My mind races, considering the options. We could try a frontal assault, but the place is sure to be well-guarded. A more stealthy approach might work, but we'd need to scout the layout thoroughly first.

Or you could just wait for Jagger, you fool.

My impatience ramps up. I can't simply attack the place, even with Edirn. But there isn't enough to go on yet to get Jagger involved. We need more info.

Just then, the door swings open, and Edirn strides in, his sharp gaze sweeping the room. Our eyes meet, and he gives a slight nod before making his way over to my table and sitting down.

"What have you got?" His voice is clipped.

I move closer, lowering my voice. "Like I told you yesterday, I've been watching the sanctuary. During the day, it looks like a regular operation. Conservation officers going about their business, taking care of the wolves. Ferrying visitors around the place. It's something of a tourist destination. Which is how they seem to be getting away with what they're doing. They're operating in full view – nobody would question them about moving wolves in and out of the place, right?"

"Makes sense." He nods.

"But at night, things change." My jaw clenches. "I've had my suspicions, but last night, it was unmistakable."

"Change? In what way? Have you seen-?"

A server moves up to our table, and Edirn stops speaking,

"Get you something to eat?" the kid asks.

Edirn doesn't look tempted. I can't say I blame him. I'm pretty sure the meal of the day is most likely smoked salmonella.

"Just a beer," Edirn responds, waiting as the greasy blond teen strolls away. He turns back to me. "Have you seen anything specific?" he asks me.

"I sure have. The regular wolves disappear. Last night, I started seeing shifter activity. Shifter wolves, heavily guarded. From a distance, it's hard to tell what they really are – and the place is locked down to visitors by then, so anyone passing wouldn't know any better."

"Not to mention that they'd hardly believe it," he says.

"There's that," I agree. "And I'm guessing that's how these fuckers have been able to operate for so long. No one thinks twice about keeping a wolf in captivity."

Edirn's expression turns sour, and I suspect that he finds the notion as offensive as I do.

"One thing's for certain," I say. "Those shifters are not there by choice." His jaw clenches.

"And last night was the first time you had actual sight of them? You haven't been able to get closer?" Edirn asks.

"That's all I've got for you so far." I keep my face neutral as I consider what I need to tell him. If I say too much, I might let slip that there's a wolf loose near the sanctuary. What if they immediately assume she's a threat?

"So the reason I'm back so soon," he gets to the crux of the matter, "is that Jagger wants to know if it's time to go in."

"I think the timing couldn't be better, actually," I tell him. "I overheard some of the guards talking." I lower my voice further, resisting the urge to steal a look around us. "They mentioned setting a trap for a wolf they'd spotted earlier this today."

"A wolf? Here?" Edirn's brows pull together. "You mean they're not just hitting packs like Wildview?"

"No idea." I shrug. "Until we know what their plans are, who knows how they source their stock."

"Maybe they're happy to take what they can get wherever they find it."

"In which case, none of us is safe either. They could be scoping out Steel Lakes as we speak." The thought chills me.

"They wouldn't dare!" Edirn's face grows thunderous. "Besides, we're too well-defended for that. They'd never get past the perimeter."

"Yeah…but anyone who ventures outside is fair game." It's a thought that's been percolating in the past few hours. We've been assuming that the Wildview wolves have been the only victims. But from what I overheard, it seems to me that this thing runs a lot deeper than that.

"Fuck." He runs a hand through his hair. "We have to stop them."

"Yeah. And I'd say we need to start by figuring out what we're dealing with. How many? Who's in charge? Where they're taking them."

Edirn purses his lips. "No good going in and disrupting things before we've got more answers. We might never find the rest of them."

"We should get back to the sanctuary as soon as possible," I say, tapping my fingers on the scarred table. "Get a closer look at what's happening there."

Edirn nods. "Agreed. I can shift into my wolf form once we're close. I'll be able to get nearer to the facility without being spotted as easily."

"Good idea. I'll stick to my human form, see if I can pass as a hiker who wandered off the trail or something. Maybe I can chat up any guards or workers I run across."

"Just be careful," Edirn warns. "We don't want to tip our hand too soon."

The corners of my mouth twitch up. "Don't worry, I know how to play dumb tourist."

We settle our tab and head out of Sweetwaters in the direction of Whispering Pines. Soon, we're making our way through the trees toward the sanctuary grounds. As we near the perimeter, Edirn turns to me.

"I'm going to shift now and scout ahead. You take the trail, see what you can find out."

"Sounds good. Be careful out there."

Edirn gives me a look that says he doesn't need the reminder, then closes his eyes. A shudder runs through his body, and suddenly, his large, steel-gray wolf is standing before me. He turns and slinks off into the trees without a sound.

I watch him disappear into the underbrush. Then, I adjust the brim of my cap and head for the trail, putting a slight hitch in my step to sell the clueless hiker act. My senses are on high alert as I keep walking, thinking about my next move.

Should I go to the visitor's facility?

It would be risky, but it might be the best way of getting a closer look at the place. I slow my steps as I consider my options. If I veer off the narrow path now, I can make my way to the road that leads to the entrance. Once I do that, there'll be no turning back. They'll know I'm around, and if I don't play my role carefully, I'll blow my cover.

I mull this over, almost coming to a halt. I stop completely when I hear something.

There's a crackling in the bushes alongside me. Not far from the trail, something is moving. I go totally still, quieting my breathing as my senses heighten. My muscles tighten as I pick up the unmistakable sound of bones crunching.

Fuck.

My nostrils flare as I turn to face the direction the noise is coming from.

Wolf.

Her!

Without thinking, I stride off the path and shove my way through the thicket. Brambles and branches hook onto my clothing and tear at my arms, but I push forward regardless.

Find her. I have to find her!

Images of our run through the forest come flooding back to me. The thought of her at my side…wild…so beautiful…

I burst out of the dense shrubbery and stop short. A few feet away, the she-wolf is crouched over the fresh carcass of a hare. The golden fur around her jaw is stained red as her head swivels up, and she stares at me.

"I came back," I say breathlessly.

There's no response, just a flicker in her amber eyes.

"I told you I would," I add. "I just… I had something important to do." I still do, actually. But I can't turn away from her now. I take a step forward. A guttural growl comes up from deep in her chest.

"Easy," I say soothingly, extending a hand. She narrows her eyes on it, then fixes them on mine. The golden glow there is pure animal.

But I can't turn away from her wild, untamed beauty. Every instinct screams at me to back away from this creature, but something deeper compels me forward.

Her eyes blaze with a primitive ferocity as I take another step closer. A deep growl rumbles from her throat, jaws dripping scarlet from her fresh kill.

"Easy, beautiful," I soothe, my hands raised toward her. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Her lips peel back, fangs glistening as she snarls a warning. I should retreat, let her be, but I can't. I'm mesmerized by her power and grace.

Keeping my movements slow and steady, I edge nearer. A flicker of confusion ghosts across her eyes as I continue my advance, undeterred by her threats.

"I'm not going to leave you," I say. "I'm here to—" My words are cut off as, with a ferocious roar, she lunges. "Fuck!" I choke out as her weight slams into me, knocking me backward. I crash to the forest floor with her on top of me, those wicked fangs bared inches from my face.

Shit…this was a bad idea.

A slavering sound vibrates through her as her teeth snap together, her breath warm as it rushes against my skin. A strange feeling shudders through me, a visceral ripple that has my breath catching.

"Stop…please…" I manage to get out. I have my arms braced against her as I hold her away, but she snaps at my throat, barely aware of my efforts. I could easily shift, overpower her with my own wolf's strength, disable her with a single powerful blow.

I don't.

Even as her jaws clamp down, piercing my flesh, I can't bring myself to fight back. White-hot pain lances through me, but it's drowned out by another sensation entirely. A strange feeling of…rightness washes over me. Like this is exactly where I'm meant to be.

Her growls fade into the distance as blackness closes in. The last thing I'm aware of is the weight of her powerful body against mine and the metallic tang of my own blood on my tongue.

Then, everything goes dark.