Josie's Miracle (White River Wolves Series, #1) (7 page)

“Are they fated mates?” Chase asked curiously.

“No,” Chloe told him, shaking her head.  “My mom has never met her fated mate.  She became pregnant with me when she was 17 by a boy she thought loved her.  Once he heard she was pregnant, he ran.  We were barely scraping by when she met Gentry.  I think that is part of the reason he held so much appeal.  At the time, he offered a roof over our heads, food on our plates.”

“Why didn’t you go to your Alpha?” Chase asked.  “As your Alpha it is his job to take care of both you and your mother.  If your mother and Gentry aren’t fated mates, your Alpha should have stepped in and removed you from that home.” 

Chloe looked at her feet for a moment.  Taking a deep breath, she raised her head, her eyes connecting with Chase’s.  “Gentry is the Alpha,” she explained.  “We don’t live in a large pack like wolves.  There is only Gentry, Mom and I, and two other families.  There is no one else to turn to.  Gentry is too strong.  No one will challenge him.  They are too afraid.”

“Where are you from?” Chase questioned.

“Near Alexandria, Minnesota. We live about five miles south of town,” Chloe replied.  “There are three houses, all in Gentry’s name.  As Alpha, he controls all of the money and assets.”

“I still don’t understand why Gentry would have bothered going to the council to ask them to track you down.  It doesn’t make sense.  Then he would be caught in his own lie,” Ryker said.

“The pack was supposed to kidnap me, take me a couple of states away, and kill me.  That’s why Gentry had you look for me.  He thought I was dead.  Gentry took out a life insurance policy on both myself and my mother a few years ago.  I guess he thought it was time to cash it in.”  Her jaw clenched tightly, Chloe said, “I can’t go back.  I won’t.  But I need to find a way to get my mother out of there.  When Gentry finds out I am alive, he might kill her.”

Leaning back against his desk, Chase crossed his arms over his wide chest.  Narrowing his eyes he asked, “Do you want to be a part of my pack, Chloe?”

Her eyes widened, “But I’m not a wolf.  I’m a fox.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Chase told her gently.  “I don’t discriminate in my pack.  I will give you a place to live, protection, food, and I will help you find a job.  You will have nothing to fear in my pack, Chloe.  No one here will hurt you.”

Her eyes alight with hope, Chloe asked, “What about my mother?  I can’t leave her there alone.”

“You let me worry about your mother,” Chase said.  “I’m your Alpha now.  It’s my job to take care of you.  That includes helping your mother.”

Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, tears flowing unchecked down her cheeks, Chloe whispered, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” 

Pushing away from his desk, Chase closed the distance between them.  Settling a hand gently on her shoulder, he let some of his power flow from himself to her, slowly easing the tension in her body and calming her.  “You need to go get some food and rest, Chloe.  I have some phone calls to make.”

“I can’t rest right now,” Chloe whispered.  “We need to get back to the hospital.  We have to check on Storm.”

“Storm?  What happened to Storm?” Chase growled. 

Ryker filled him in on the situation, starting with the tip that was called in and ending with Storm being taken to surgery.  “Tell me you got them all,” Chase demanded. 

“Yes,” Ryker nodded, a dangerous glint in his eyes.  “They are all dead.”

“Good.”  Chase pointed toward his bathroom, “You really need to put on different clothes before you go anywhere.”

With a snarl, Ryker entered the bathroom and quickly changed clothes.  When he was finished, he threw the offensive clothes in the trash before heading back to the hospital with Chloe.

*****

S
itting at his desk, Chase contemplated the situation, trying to decide his best course of action.  There was no way he was going to allow Chloe to go back to her stepfather.  And he needed to get her mother away from Gentry, too.  If there was one thing Chase could not stand, it was the abuse of women and children.  He would not willingly stand by and allow the abuse to continue.

Taking out his cell phone, Chase found the number he needed.  One he had only called a handful of times.  Closing his eyes, he raked a hand through his thick, dark black hair.  His hand tightened on the arm of his chair when he heard Angel’s voice.  “I have a job for you,” he told her.

“What do you need?” she inquired.  Chase could hear the faint sound of the television in the background before Angel shut it off.  He closed his eyes picturing her in bed resting against the headboard.  Silently telling himself to get a grip he began.

“Ryker and Storm were sent to Denver to track down a female fox shifter that was kidnapped.  They rescued her tonight, but it would seem the story that was told to the council was a lie.  The woman’s stepfather actually sold her to a pack of rogue wolves with the intention of having her taken and killed so he could collect some insurance money.  Chloe, the fox, told us her stepfather has been abusing both Chloe and her mother for years.  He is not her mother’s fated mate, which means he has no permanent ties to her.  I need you to go in and get Chloe’s mother out of there before he kills her.  Chloe is now a part of my pack.  She is under my protection.  Her mother will be too.”  Standing up and walking over to the window, Chase peered out into the darkness.  “Also, Storm was hurt tonight.  She is in the hospital in critical condition.  We don’t know if she is going to make it.”

“Shit,” Angel swore.  “Text me the details on Chloe and her mother.  We will leave right away.  Take care of Storm, Chase.  I will come to the hospital as soon as I can.”

“Josie has her in surgery right now.  I am going over there as soon as I talk to the council.”  Lightly resting a hand on the cool glass in front of him, Chase said, “I will pay whatever your normal fee is for an extraction.”

There was complete silence on the other end of the line, then Angel growled, “The hell you will,” before hanging up.  Sliding the phone back into his pocket, Chase groaned.  Once again he had somehow managed to piss his mate off.

J
osie stripped off her latex gloves throwing them in the trashcan by the door.  She was exhausted.  The surgery had lasted five hours, and she had almost lost Storm twice.  But Josie refused to let her go.  She had heard the fear and pain in Ryker’s voice earlier and knew Storm was important to him.  She was not going to allow her to die.  Storm had a long road to recovery ahead of her, but she would make it.

Josie pushed open the door and made her way to the waiting room where she found Ryker and Chloe.  Chloe was curled up on a chair in the corner, her long hair covering her face.  Dark bruises covered every exposed piece of skin Josie could see.  The woman had obviously been to hell and back.   

Walking over to where Ryker stood gazing out the window on the far wall, Josie slipped an arm around his waist, leaning into his side.  They stood like that for several minutes watching the sunrise.

“She’s going to make it,” Josie told him burrowing closer into his side.  “It was touch and go for a while, but she’s a fighter, Ryker.  She is going to make it.”

“She wanted to give up,” Ryker whispered in a tormented voice.  “She begged me to leave her there to die.  She is lonely, Josie.  I’m all that she has.”

“We aren’t going to let her give up,” Josie promised.  “I will be with her every day, Ryker.  Together, we will help her get through this.”

Turning her to face him, Ryker slipped his fingers in her hair and pulled her close for a soft kiss.  “Thank you, Josie.  Thank you for everything.”  Resting his forehead on hers he said, “I have to go meet with the council.  They want me to give them a full report.  I need to leave now.”

Reaching up, Josie trailed her fingers across his strong jawline.  “I understand. I will take care of Storm while you are gone.”

“And Chloe,” Ryker said.  “Chloe needs you too, Josie.”

“Chloe?” Josie asked in confusion.  “Isn’t she going back to her family?”

“No.  She needs to stay here with you, Josie.  She needs your help.  Her stepfather has abused Chloe and her mother for years.  There is no way in hell she is going back there.  Chase is working on freeing her mother now.  He has offered them both a place in the pack.”

“I will take care of her, Ryker,” Josie told him.  Raising her hand, she slid her fingers through his soft curls.  “She can stay with me.  I have room.”

Kissing her gently on the top of the head Ryker vowed, “I will be back.  I don’t know when, but I promise you, I will be back as soon as I can.”

“I will be waiting,” Josie whispered as she pulled him down for another kiss.  “I will always wait for you.”

Rubbing his cheek against hers, Ryker chuffed softly.  Squeezing her tightly to him he whispered, “I love you, mate.”

Josie felt a tremor flow through her body at Ryker’s words.  He loved her.  He was coming back and he loved her. 

Leaning back, Josie palmed his cheek.  “I love you, too,” she whispered.  “Hurry home, Ryker.”

With one last kiss, Ryker left the room.  Josie watched out the window as he strolled to his truck.  Opening the driver side door, he paused.  Looking back at the hospital, his eyes searched the windows until he found Josie.  Raising his hand he smiled before sliding in behind the wheel and shutting the door.

Josie watched with a heavy heart as Ryker left the compound.  It was hard to watch him go; even knowing he would be back.  Sighing deeply, Josie made herself turn away from the window and walk over to Chloe.  Kneeling down beside her, Josie gently touched her shoulder.  Jumping in fear, Chloe sprang off the chair and rushed to the opposite side of the room.  Falling to her knees, Chloe crawled the last few steps and huddled in a corner.  She wrapped her arms tightly around her legs, and buried her head in her knees, her sobs loud and full of pain.  For the first time, Josie caught sight of the dried blood that had soaked through the back of Chloe’s ripped shirt. 

“Chloe, it’s just me,” Josie reassured her quickly, standing up and holding her hands out to her sides in a nonthreatening way.  “It is okay, Chloe.  I’m Doc Josie, remember?  You are at the hospital.  You came in last night with Ryker and Storm.”  Moving slowly across the room, Josie stopped a few feet from her.  “You are safe, Chloe.  No one is going to hurt you here.  I promise.” 

Moving closer, Josie settled on the floor beside Chloe.  Crooning to her softly, Josie reached out and gently stroked her hair.  “You are okay, Chloe.  You are at the hospital with me and you are safe.”

Hesitantly raising her head, Chloe looked at Josie through bright amber eyes.  “I will never be safe as long as Gentry Samson is alive.  Never.”

Tucking a strand of stunning auburn hair behind Chloe’s ear, Josie smiled gently.  “You are part of our pack now, Chloe.  We will all keep you safe.  You do not have to worry about your stepfather anymore.”  Opening her arms, Josie tugged Chloe into them, careful of the wounds on her back.  Rocking slowly, Josie held Chloe for several minutes.  When she was sure Chloe was ready, she coaxed, “Let’s get you looked at, Chloe.  I want to clean your wounds and then I need to check on Storm.  Afterwards, I would like you to come home with me so we can both get some rest.  I have an extra room you can use until your mom arrives.”

“Your Alpha is really going to free my Mom?” Chloe asked, obviously afraid to hope.  “He is going to bring her here?”

“
Our
Alpha is going to bring your mom home, Chloe,” Josie corrected.  “He is your Alpha now, too.  You can trust him.”

Swallowing hard, Chloe nodded.  “Okay.  I will try.”

“That’s all I can ask,” Josie responded.  “You will see over time that he can be trusted and that you are safe.”  Rising, Josie held out a hand to Chloe. “Come on, let me bandage your wounds.  Then I will check on Storm and we will get out of here.”  After a few moments, Chloe placed her hand in Josie’s.  It was a start, Josie thought with a smile.  It was a start.

U
nder the cover of darkness, RARE stealthily canvased the area inhabited by Gentry Samson’s small pack.  Jaxson had easily found the three houses titled in Gentry’s name that Chloe had mentioned to Chase.  All were in very poor condition; nothing but small rundown shacks.  Leaving the families asleep in the first two houses, RARE surrounded the last one. 
Two people inside, boss
, Nico relayed. 
A woman sitting on the floor in the corner of the bedroom.  A man passed out in the living room. 
Everyone on the team had the ability to speak telepathically.  It was one of Angel’s requirements to be a part of the team, one that could make the difference between life or death on a mission. 

I’m in position
Rikki told the team.  She had found a tree to hide out in and her sniper rifle was trained on the man who sat in a chair in the living room, a beer can resting against his ample stomach.

That fucker moves, you take him out,
Angel ordered.  She was not messing around with Chloe’s mother’s life.  G
ot it,
Rikki responded.

Jaxson and Nico, keep an eye on the other houses.  Flame, you are with me. 
Flame followed Angel as she slipped silently around to the north side of the house.  Angel tested the bedroom window first.  Finding it nailed shut from the outside, she moved on to the next window.  Swearing softly when she realized they were all nailed shut she growled,
Change of plans.  The bastard has nailed all of the windows shut.  There is no way we are getting in through one without waking him up.  That woman has been traumatized enough.  I don’t want her to watch her husband die, no matter how much of a jackass he is.  It will just cause more nightmares.  We are going to try going through the front door.  Nico, I need you with us. 

Meeting Nico at the front of the house, Flame and Angel waited while he reached out and turned the doorknob, quietly pushing the door open.  The only sound that could be heard was the loud snoring from the man in front of the fire.  Shutting the door behind them, they silently moved through the house to the bedroom.  The woman gasped, crying out softly in fear when Nico opened the bedroom door.  She cowered in the corner, her arms covering her head.