Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Amanda

T he aftermath of their heated encounter left them standing somewhat awkwardly in the ranger station—their bodies still humming from the intensity of their connection. Amanda knew she had to speak before the warmth of their shared moment lulled her into complacency.

"That," she began, her voice a little rough from the exertion, "doesn't prove anything."

Rance's eyes opened fully, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked at her. "You're wrong. It proves everything. I'm not saying that everything is settled. This is new to me, as well."

Amanda nodded. "I get that, but I'm not just going to fall into line and let you make decisions for me. I don't even know if what you feel is what you want. Is it just because you feel responsible because you saved my life and turned me? I don't want you to feel that way. I'm grateful that you saved me, and I can cope with the results that came with it, but I am not going to go around feeling beholden to you all my life, and I don't want you to feel like you're stuck with me."

Rance sat up, his expression hardening. "Amanda, that's not what I?—"

"Don't," she cut him off, shaking her head. "You don't get to control me, Rance. I'm not some precious little thing that you need to protect by locking me away to take on Albright on your own. I'm my own person, and you need to get over yourself if you think otherwise."

Rance's jaw clenched, the tension between them crackling in the air. "I'm trying to keep you safe."

Amanda snorted. "Safe? Is that what you call it? Treating me like I'm incapable of making my own decisions? You need to decide whether you respect me enough to let me stand on my own, or if you're going to keep treating me like some fragile thing that can't handle the truth." She glanced at his keys sitting on the nearby table. Without hesitation, she snatched them up, slipping them into her pocket. "I'm taking your truck."

"Amanda," Rance warned, his voice low.

"No," she snapped, turning on him with fire in her eyes. "I need space. Figure out what you want, Rance. Because if you can't respect me, then we have a bigger problem than Donald Albright."

Without waiting for a response, Amanda stormed out, leaving Rance where he was, his fists clenched and frustration simmering in his eyes.

The drive back to her clinic was short, but it did little to cool her anger. She parked Rance's truck in her usual spot and stalked inside, the familiar scent of antiseptic and the soft sounds of animals settling her nerves slightly.

But as she entered the clinic, she was met with an unexpected visitor. A tall, lean, formidable-looking man with a cold, calculating demeanor. He was dressed in camouflage gear and had a muscular build, his weathered skin and sharp, predatory eyes reflecting a life as a predator. His hair was short and gray, and his face was marked with scars from past encounters with dangerous prey.

Donald Albright. It had to be. He was standing in the middle of her reception area, his eyes devoid of any kind of life or compassion as they fixed on her.

Amanda was taken aback and wished she had something in her hands with which she could defend herself, but she quickly masked her shock with steely resolve. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Albright's lips curled into a slow, predatory smile. "Just thought I'd pay a visit to the local vet. Heard you were good with animals—all kinds of animals."

The implication behind his words was clear, and Amanda's blood ran cold. She stepped closer, keeping her posture strong, refusing to show fear. "You're not welcome here, Albright. Leave. Now."

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he assessed her. "Or what?"

Amanda's hand went to the drawer behind the counter, where she kept a gun for emergencies. It was a tranquilizer gun and it wasn't even loaded, but Albright wouldn't necessarily know that. Her fingers wrapped around the grip, and she leveled it at Albright, her aim steady. "Or I'll make you."

Albright's smile didn't falter, but there was a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He raised his hands slightly, a mockery of surrender. "Easy, doc. I'm just here for a friendly chat."

"Get out," Amanda repeated, her voice hard as steel. "Last warning."

Albright's gaze darkened, but he didn't push further. "I'm going. But remember, Amanda, this isn't over."

As he turned to leave, the front door opened, and Eva stepped inside, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Albright. Before Amanda could react, Albright moved with lightning speed, grabbing Eva and pulling her in front of him, his arm locking around her throat.

"Eva!" Amanda cried, her heart racing.

Albright's eyes gleamed with malice as he pulled out a small device from his pocket, quickly zip-tying Eva's hands together and fastening a collar around her neck. "Before you get any ideas, Doc, you should know that this pretty little gizmo is designed to prevent shifters from shifting. I've bagged plenty of lynxes, and I'm after bigger prey. So, this is how this is going to work. I'm going to give you a choice: your friend or your lover. I'll give you three hours to decide."

"Don't you dare—" Amanda began, but Albright cut her off with a vicious yank on Eva's collar, making Eva wince in pain.

"Three hours," Albright repeated, backing out of the clinic and shoving Eva into his SUV. He tossed a GPS device to the ground in front of Amanda, the screen already displaying coordinates. "Meet me there. Alone."

Amanda's hand tightened around the gun, but before she could fire, Albright had already slammed the door shut and sped off, leaving her standing there, the GPS device glowing ominously at her feet.

Panic surged through her, but Amanda forced herself to stay calm. She needed to think, to act quickly. She pulled out her phone and dialed Rance's number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Damn it, Rance," she muttered, her voice shaking with urgency. She left a quick message, detailing what had happened and the coordinates Albright had given her. "I'm going after him. I don't have a choice."

Next, she called the sheriff in Mystic River. She didn't know the man, but apparently, he was a shifter. Hopefully, he could send some kind of backup.

"Miller," came the curt answer over the phone.

"Sheriff Miller, my name is Amanda Adams. Donald Albright has just abducted a friend of mine and has demanded I meet him…"

"That's not happening," growled Miller.

Amanda rolled her eyes. Apparently, Eva's description of over-the-top alpha males was not exaggerated. "Save it. I'm going. I called Rance but got his voicemail. I'm supposed to meet Albright in three hours and would really appreciate backup. I'm sending you the GPS coordinates. What's you're ETA?"

"You're going to need to stand down. We can't get there that fast. Keep trying to get to Rance or the other rangers on Kodiak. I'll see if I can find a way to get to you sooner. Where are you now?"

"I'm at my clinic, but I'm not waiting for anybody. If they're here when I'm ready to leave, great. If not, I'm going after my friend." Before Miller could respond, Amanda ended the call. She grabbed the tranquilizer pistol, checked the darts, and loaded it quickly. The plan formed in her mind—she would face Albright, but she wouldn't play by his rules.

She waited until it was time to leave. She phoned Rance, Randy, and anyone else she could think of before driving to the coordinates Albright had provided, her heart pounding with every passing second. The secluded spot deep in the forest was perfect for an ambush, and she knew Albright would be ready for her. But she couldn't let that stop her.

When she arrived, Amanda was forced to park the truck a short distance away as she must have driven over something buried in the snow. She heard the tire pop, and when she stopped to see the damage, saw it rapidly losing air. She had no choice but to approach on foot, the tranquilizer pistol held tightly in one hand, shoved in the pocket of her parka. She moved quietly, her senses heightened, the forest around her eerily silent.

She spotted Albright's SUV parked in a small clearing, and her heart sank when she saw Eva inside, her hands still bound, the collar preventing her from shifting. Albright stood beside the vehicle, his expression one of smug satisfaction as he watched Amanda approach.

"You're early," Albright said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Amanda ignored his taunt, her focus entirely on Eva. "Let her go, Albright. This doesn't have to end badly."

Albright chuckled darkly. "Oh, I think it does. But not for me."

Before he could make another move, Amanda acted. She pulled the tranquilizer pistol from her pocket, raised it, and fired, the dart hitting Albright square in the chest. He staggered back, surprise flashing in his eyes before the powerful sedative began to take effect.

Amanda rushed to Eva, fumbling with the collar's lock, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn it!" she cursed, her fingers trembling as she tried to force it open.

"It's no use," Eva said, her voice strained but steady. "He's got the key to this damn thing in an inside pocket of his parka."

Amanda looked around frantically, her mind racing. Albright was still conscious, though barely, and she knew they didn't have much time. "We have to go. Now."

Eva nodded, her movements hindered by her bound hands, but she managed to climb out of the SUV with Amanda's help. Together, they made their way into the forest, moving as quickly as they could.

Behind them, Amanda heard Albright's groggy voice, his anger clear even through the effects of the tranquilizer. "You think this is over? I'll find you!"

Amanda didn't look back. She kept her grip on Eva's arm, pulling her deeper into the woods. The sound of Albright's footsteps grew louder as he gave chase, and Amanda's heart pounded in her chest. How had he recovered so quickly? That dose of sedative should have put him on his ass for an hour or more, and yet, he was already chasing them.

The forest was a blur of shadows and dappled sunlight as Amanda and Eva raced through the underbrush, their breaths ragged, their hearts pounding in sync with the rapid thud of their footsteps. The trees loomed overhead, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, but Amanda barely noticed them. Her focus was on the terrain ahead, the uneven ground beneath her feet, and the sounds of pursuit behind them.

Eva stumbled beside her, her movements hampered by the zip ties around her wrists and the collar that prevented her from shifting. Amanda tightened her grip on Eva's arm, urging her to keep going. "We're almost there," Amanda panted, though she wasn't sure where they were or how much farther they might have to run.

The ground sloped upward, and Amanda's heart sank as she saw the steep rock face ahead of them. It was the only way forward, a sheer cliff that towered above the forest floor. They had no choice but to climb.

"Can you make it?" Amanda asked, finally reaching into her pocket for a small pen knife with which she cut the zip ties that bound Eva's wrists. Eva nodded; determination etched on her face despite the exhaustion.

"We have to," Eva replied, her voice tight with emotion.

Amanda didn't waste another second. She scrambled up the rock face, her fingers searching for holds in the rough surface. The climb was steep, and every muscle in her body screamed in protest, but she pushed through the pain. Behind her, Eva followed, slower, but just as determined.

Halfway up, Amanda chanced a glance over her shoulder and saw Albright emerging from the shadows of the trees below. How the hell had he recovered so quickly? His eyes were wild with fury, the effects of the tranquilizer seemingly wearing off. He spotted them on the rock face, and a vicious grin spread across his face.

"You can't run forever!" Albright shouted, his voice echoing off the cliffs. "You're only making this harder on yourself!"

Amanda gritted her teeth, refusing to be intimidated. "Keep climbing, Eva," she urged, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

They reached the top of the rock face, their hands raw and scraped from the climb. Amanda helped Eva over the edge, both of them gasping for breath as they looked down at Albright, who was already beginning his ascent.

"Go!" Amanda hissed, pulling Eva along the narrow ledge that edged the cliff. There was no clear path, but Amanda knew they had to keep moving. Albright was relentless, and if he caught them, there would be no mercy.

They moved along the rockface, their backs pressed against the cold cliff, the drop below them dizzying. The ledge narrowed, forcing them to move slower, but Albright was gaining on them, his movements fueled by rage.

Amanda's mind raced, searching for an escape. Ahead, the ledge widened slightly, offering them a brief reprieve. She knew they couldn't keep running forever, and they were running out of options.

Albright finally reached the top, his eyes locking onto them with predatory intent. "There's nowhere left to go!" he taunted, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "If you and your little friend there had been willing to play the game, I'd have just hunted you down and shot you—a relatively easy death all things considered. But now, now I want you to suffer.

They ran along the ledge, the path ahead uncertain, but they didn't stop. Behind them, Albright continued to chase them. He was relentless in his pursuit, and it was only a matter of time before he caught up to them. They had bought themselves some precious time, but the danger was far from over.