Chapter 3

Chapter

Three

CONNOR

No one warned Connor about how a sprite smelled.

Like sweet water and crushed summer grass and the wild spaces hidden deep within a forest. It made Connor's wolf sit up and take notice. That the scent came from the feral little creature currently slouched over in apparent defeat only stirred up more interest. Connor watched in the rear mirror as clever, forest-green eyes darted from wolf to wolf.

Ben was biding his time.

The practiced submission warned Connor that Ben had gone through this before. The sprite knew how to use that innocent, big-eyed face to lull enemies into false confidence. He was slim and fine-boned like many fae creatures, his green eyes almost too big for his delicate face. Connor took him to be in his early twenties, though Ben's dark hair hung loose about his face and made him look even younger.

Thankfully, none of Connor's wolves believed Ben's apparent surrender. The evidence lay on the floor of the van, with Craven's body covered in bruises and cuts from wild, desperate hits. Connor suspected the wolf had a fractured skull, too, which explained his slow healing.

The sprite sure knew how to keep a wolf down—which was disturbingly attractive to Connor's wolf.

Connor cracked open the window slightly to breathe in fresh air and studiously ignored the amused huff from Jake in the driver's seat.

He didn't have time for this.

When intel came through that Vaughn had left his territory for the first time in years, Connor had quickly rounded up his enforcers and travelled to this dry, nasty little strip of dirt. Very few things lured Vaughn away from the safety of his pack.

Except maybe a luckbringer.

Most shifters knew Vaughn had stolen from the Old Lands to create the Westplains Pack over a decade ago, forcing out all non-human folk from his forest territory. Rumor was he'd paid a witch to contaminate the water, killing most of the inhabitants and driving out the rest. When Vaughn discovered the last clan of sprites were now dead on his lands, he'd screamed his fury and set about finding the few who survived.

Ben would have been a kid at the time, maybe twelve or thirteen. He shouldn't have left the grotto for decades.

It was unfair that sprites could gift luck to others but weren't particularly lucky themselves. Now they were all but extinct, and the urge to protect Ben found a home deep in Connor's chest. Ben fought like a trapped animal, all instinct and no skill. Connor wondered what Ben would be like if given the chance to stop being prey.

Connor's phone lit up briefly, and he glanced at Jake. "Grayson's enforcers will meet us at the rendezvous. You good to drive that far, Jake?"

Jake nodded. "Of course. What about Vaughn's second?"

"Let's see what he has to say when he wakes up."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "He's a dead wolf, letting a sprite get the drop on him like that. We might be able to use it."

"We're not recruiting Craven," Connor muttered. The wolf was as deceitful and murderous as the alpha he followed.

"I'd be checking you for a head injury if that's what you were suggesting," Jake said quietly, his hands momentarily clenching the steering wheel until it creaked. "Vaughn must be worried if he's sending out his second to do the dirty work."

"Or greedy," Connor muttered. Truly, Vaughn's greed knew no bounds. He regularly sent his wolves to hunt outside his borders, never satisfied with his territory. In a few years, his territory could rival Connor's.

Connor shuddered to think what atrocities Vaughn would commit with a luckbringer under his fist.

Connor found himself glancing again in the rear mirror. Ben sat on the bench, hugging his belly and looking small and overwhelmed. His injured ankle was untouched, and Connor suspected it was because the sprite didn't want to show any physical vulnerability when surrounded by wolves.

Cursing under his breath, Connor fished out the med kit from under his seat and tossed it back to Kris, who sat opposite the sprite. "Get his ankle sorted, Kris."

Ben looked at him in surprise, then gave an indignant squawk when Kris grabbed him by the calf and lifted his injured leg. The space between them was wide enough that the sprite slid off the bench onto Craven's bare legs as Kris put Ben's ankle on his thigh. The unconscious wolf didn't stir.

"Kick me in the dick, kid, I dare you," Kris said as he began working loose Ben's shoe.

The sprite looked like he seriously considered taking on the massive wolf before sullenly quietening down. He looked like a ruffled kitten on the van floor but didn't complain when Kris pulled off his sneaker and quickly inspected the swelling.

"It's not that bad," Ben pointed out. "Barely even a sprain."

"Don't upset our alpha with your fussing," Kris said as he wrapped a bandage around his swollen ankle. He lowered the sprite's leg off his thigh and squinted critically. "You hurting anywhere else?"

Ben's jaw tightened. "No," he said, the sullenness rearing once again as he pulled on his sneaker.

Kris snatched one of the sprite's wrists, checking the bruised and raw skin.

Ben yanked his arm free. "I said I'm fine."

"What about your head? Looks like the bleeding stopped a while ago but that's a decent lump."

Ben glared at him. "It's fine . Sprites heal almost as quickly as wolves."

Kris raised his hands good-naturedly and leaned back. "Your funeral, kid."

The sprite pulled himself back onto the bench, purposely grinding his good foot into Craven's shins as he went.

Connor resisted a snort. No one warned him sprites were more feral than a wolf during a full moon.

Wild mate , his wolf noted.

Connor froze. There was no way he'd found a potential mate in a shitty motel at the ass-end of the country. But his wolf was smug and insistent, and Connor felt a powerful urge to grab Ben and nuzzle against the sensitive skin just behind his ear. Ben would probably headbutt him for the insult.

Ours , his wolf said proudly.

With an effort, Connor turned around and noted the sign that said the next town was forty-five miles out. They'd reach it after sunrise and meet up with Grayson and the Granier Pack enforcers soon after.

He took the drive as an opportunity to soothe his wolf. The tension that had kicked in when he first laid his eyes on Ben refused to ease. His wolf thrummed beneath the skin, wanting to get out and press against the sprite to inhale his sweet, sunlight-on-water scent. Connor needed to lock down the urge to let his wolf take over, as he suspected Ben had experienced plenty of non-consensual sniffing in his life.

By the moon, but Ben was pretty. Connor liked the contrast of that delicate, fine-boned face and the violence simmering underneath.

Craven obligingly woke up ten miles out.

Seamus held him around the neck, claws scraping his throat before Craven could orient himself. The wolf bucked, and Anders, who sat beside Ben and blocked Craven's view of the sprite, planted his foot on Craven's chest.

Connor climbed into the back of the van and squatted beside Vaughn's second. He looked over the wolf, feeling satisfaction flare at the scent of fear rising off Craven as recognition showed in his eyes.

"The fucking Oakford Pack," Craven snarled with false bravado. "Here's everyone thinking you're so pure and mighty, and you're stealing a luckbringer for yourselves."

Ben stiffened beside Anders, edging forward like he was winding himself up for a fight.

Connor threw Ben a warning look before turning his full attention to Craven. "Let's start with the most important question, Craven," he said mildly. "Why the fuck are you naked?"

Craven bared his teeth. "Worried I ruined him for you? Calm down, Stone, the sprite's still good to pass around."

A blur of small limbs shot across the van before Ben punched Craven square in the mouth. Craven's head snapped back, banging against Seamus who grunted softly before grinning his approval. It was a cheap shot considering the wolf was cuffed and held down, but Connor wouldn't deny the sprite the right for vengeance.

Anders pushed Ben back onto the bench.

"He didn't touch me," Ben muttered, though a haunted look darkened his forest-green eyes.

"Got your taste on my tongue, you little shit," Craven spat with a bloodied grin. "Like strawberries and cold hard cash." He licked his lips as he stared at Ben.

Without thinking about it, Connor's claws emerged as he swiped Craven across the chest, leaving deep cuts that quickly welled with blood.

Craven only cackled. "He's already got to you, too, Stone! You alphas sure know how to lose your minds around a luckbringer!"

Connor took deep, calming breaths, though that only made things worse when it meant sucking in the delicious, summery scent rising off the distressed sprite. Pressing his claws into his palms, Connor made himself focus.

"Where's the meet-up with Vaughn?" he growled.

Craven sneered. "Suck my cock, Stone. Vaughn will gut you when he finds out you've got his sprite. He's not going to let all his effort go to waste."

"Sending you out on a hunt is hardly an effort," Kris muttered, his claws on display. The enforcer usually preferred his knives but readily returned to the classics when the situation called for it.

But Craven ignored Kris, a cruel grin on his face as he stared at Ben. "Your alpha's got a nice surprise waiting for you once we're back, sprite."

Ben bared his teeth. "Vaughn's not my alpha."

"Keep mouthing off at me. I'm keeping score," Craven said. "All the shit you've caused me—I'm going to make you watch when I piss into that pond of yours."

Ben launched again with a snarl, but Anders grabbed the sprite before he could land the next hit and dumped him back on the bench seat.

"Leave some fun for the rest of us, pretty boy," Seamus said with a mean grin. His big hands remained around Craven's throat, bent slightly with claws extended.

Craven sneered, though his expression lost some of its bite when he seemed to fully absorb that he was surrounded by five wolves and a sprite all in a killing mood.

Connor inspected his own bloodied claws. "I know Vaughn's on his way. He's lost faith in you, Craven, and now you've lost the luckbringer. It isn't going to end well once he finds out."

Craven curled his lip. "It doesn't matter. There's plenty more to replace me. Vaughn's done waiting."

"You mean he's desperate," Anders muttered, his golden eyes glowing. Out of all of them, his wolf lived closest to the surface.

Kris grunted in agreement, leaning forward so that more weight pressed down on Craven's chest. "Vaughn's been pushing out his territory for so long, he must have finally pissed off the wrong people. Or he's promised something he can't deliver, and now he's trying to cover his ass before everything falls apart."

Connor looked consideringly at the enforcer. Vaughn had been a thorn in their side for years, though the distance between their territories made any threat remote. But looking at Ben, Connor realized he'd been wrong to let things be. So many had suffered because of Vaughn, with so many lives ruined because Connor didn't act. This was his opportunity to set things right.

"My bet is Vaughn's expecting to meet back at the motel," Connor said. "This coward wouldn't dare to stop until he was exactly where Vaughn wanted him to be."

Craven grinned, looking at Ben like they shared a secret.

Ben glanced away, his teeth clenched.

"Then why are we heading in the opposite direction?" Seamus growled.

Connor glanced over his shoulder at Jake, who looked briefly in the rear mirror but kept driving. "Because we're not giving Vaughn a chance to get any closer to Ben."

Ben's gaze snapped to Connor, his expression angry before becoming carefully blank.

Decision made, Connor rapped Craven behind the ear, knocking the useless wolf unconscious. Seamus let the wolf thunk back onto the floor of the van.

Connor turned his full attention to the sprite. Ben needed to be far from the fight if Vaughn was on his way. "You got somewhere safe to go? Somewhere away from here?"

Hesitating a moment, Ben said, "I have some friends on the east coast near?—"

Connor raised a hand. "Don't tell us where you're going. We don't need to know."

Ben blinked at him.

"Anders, is there a bus stop in town?"

Anders pulled out his phone and did a quick search. "Yeah, boss," he said, sounding a little put-out. "It goes straight to the transit station in Redland."

From there, the sprite could go in any direction.

Connor felt his wolf shift in agitation but shoved it down. "Everyone, empty your wallets," he ordered.

His enforcers shared surprised looks.

"You know I'm good for it. Give the money to Ben."

Now it was Ben's turn to look surprised.

Ignoring the growl of his wolf, Connor said to Ben, "We'll wait with you for the bus to come, and then you're going to disappear. Do you understand?"

Ben stared as if he spoke another language. "You're letting me go."

Connor resisted a scowl. "You're not a prisoner, Ben. We might have shown up a little late, but we always planned to get you safely away from Craven and Vaughn."

Ben rubbed his chest as if uncomfortable. Judging by the distrust in his green eyes, very few people had treated him right.

Connor's heart ached, and a tremendous urge to pull Ben close tugged within him. Instead, he handed Ben the wad of cash. "Get on the bus to Redland. From there, you can disappear in any direction. There's enough money to get you where you need to go if you're smart. I'm sure luck will go your way."

Ben snorted, then gave a wry smirk. "That's not how it works, wolf, but I get your meaning." He tucked the cash into his back pocket. He swallowed. "Um, thanks."

Connor nodded and pushed down his wolf telling him to keep the sprite close. That was his selfishness talking.

"He's got nothing else on him," Seamus muttered with a low growl.

Connor grimaced as the other enforcers similarly growled their displeasure. The sprite affected them all, but nothing could be done about it. The less any of them were seen in town, the better. He didn't want one of Vaughn's scouts inadvertently spotting one of his enforcers buying toiletries and clothing that were far too small.

"It's fine," Ben said with a shrug. "I know how to travel light."

And didn't that set off Connor's wolf. The sprite should be cosseted and kept safe rather than having intimate knowledge about traveling with only the clothes on his back.

Connor climbed back into the front passenger seat to stop himself from doing something stupid like changing his mind. The less he looked, touched, and breathed in the luckbringer, the better. It didn't help that his enforcers radiated protectiveness towards Ben.

They traveled in silence into the town before Jake pulled up in the lot beside the bus stop.

There was a quiet pause in the back as if his enforcers waited for Connor to change his mind. Connor stubbornly stared out the windshield. Then with a bit of swearing, Kris opened the van door just wide enough for Ben to slip through.

The sprite climbed out, limping slightly as he stepped back. "So, um, thanks again."

"Stay out of trouble, kid," Kris said.

Ben glanced briefly at Connor. "Sure."

Connor motioned for the door to slide closed. He lowered his side window and handed over a bottle of water and a wipe Ben. "Clean your face before you draw more attention to yourself," he said a bit more gruffly than intended.

Ben scowled but quickly wiped his face, using the side mirror and bringing his amazing scent closer to Connor. He handed the water bottle back.

Teeth clenched, Connor said, "We'll stay until you're on the bus."

Ben tucked his hands into his pockets, a frown on his pale face. "Right, well, you do whatever you need to do."

Connor nodded, then forced himself to look away. He felt the sprite watch him for a few heartbeats, radiating confusion before Ben turned and awkwardly limped in front of the van to the bus stop. He flopped onto the seat, his back to the van.

Connor's wolf internally whined. He clenched his fists against his thighs. Letting Ben go was a mistake but Vaughn was too close, and his fucking second had already put his hands all over Ben.

"Hell, Connor, you doing okay there?" Jake said lowly.

Connor gave him a dark look. "What?"

"You might want to reel your wolf in."

Connor glanced in the mirror, seeing the golden glow in his eyes. He sucked in an annoyed breath. "We did what we came to do and helped the luckbringer. Keep your focus on Craven."

He thanked the ancestors when the bus arrived soon after. Connor wasn't sure he could have fought the urge to grab Ben and return him to the van for much longer. He didn't look when the bus pulled up. Ben hobbled up the steps without a backward glance. There was a pause as the sprite paid for his ticket, and then the bus slowly peeled away.

Connor's wolf howled mournfully.