Once Upon a Shifter (33 page)

“You keep telling yourself that. Now, tell me you won’t try and escape again.”

“I won’t escape again.”

“
Liar
. Just like your uncle, just like your entire forked tongue family. This is what happens when you lie to me!”

His claws slashed Corey’s left cheek.

Corey bit back a scream, knowing that was exactly what the bastard wanted. He held perfectly still, the side of his face on fire, blood dripping off his jaw. Another minute and he was afraid he’d faint from the pain.

The wolf snarled, and finally let him go. “Get back in the corner with the rest of them. Come near the entrance again and I’ll gut you.”

Corey stumbled away from him, using the wall to keep himself upright. Laura, one of the human girls, caught him when his knees gave out.

“I’ve got you, Corey.” She lowered him to the ground, and tore a piece off the hem of her shirt. “Who still has some water?” A bottle appeared, and she wet down the cloth, leaning in to examine his cheek. “Oh, Corey.”

“How—bad?”

“They’ll heal. You’ll be fine.” She gave him a shaky smile, and gently dabbed at the open slashes. He sucked in his breath, fresh fire roaring across his face. “Please, Corey—I have to clean them out.” She lowered her voice. “You know how filthy most wolf claws are.”

He swallowed, and nodded, closing his eyes. The pain left him lightheaded, Laura’s careful touch still ignited his cheek every time she touched it.

If he could shift, he’d be able to heal fast. But even if he did, he was still only a half-grown cub against a wolf shifter. One who didn’t care if he hurt his own captives.

Six

Roman was bent over, tying the laces of his boot when the pain lashed through him.

“No—damn him—” He roared and sprinted across the living room, nearly tearing the door off its hinges as he yanked it open. “Corey—”

“Roman?” Jenna appeared in the bedroom doorway, her low, husky voice like a balm on his rage. “What’s happened?”

“The bastard hurt Corey. I have to go.”

“We have to go.”

“No, Jenna.” He stalked to her, grabbing both arms. “He hurt a little boy. If he realized what you mean to me, he’d—” Just the thought left him shaken. “I can’t take that chance.”

“And I can’t let you go in there alone. Besides, if your nephew is injured, he’ll need medical attention.”

“Damn you.” He pulled her into his arms. She felt so right there, fit against him so perfectly. He couldn’t lose her, not when he just found her. “I hate it when you’re practical.”

“You’d better get used to it.” She leaned back, met his eyes. “Practical is my middle name.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him, escaping his embrace before he could stop her. “I’ll get my kit. Meet me by my truck—it’s small enough that we can take it on the wider trail, now that I can actually see the trail.”

Roman watched her stride to the doorway leading to her clinic, her worn jeans hugging that beautiful ass, and her strong, sexy legs. God, he loved her. Making love to her only proved to him how much. His bear rumbled in agreement.

He picked up the pack he’d already filled with supplies and headed outside. Paul had made two mistakes. The first was hurting Corey—he’d pay for that with his life.

The second mistake was in hurting Corey, he revealed his hiding place. Unlike the wolves, blood called to blood with his kind, especially when they were in trouble.

“Got you, Paul.” He stared at the forest, every muscle clenched, ready to do violence. “You don’t walk away this time.”

***

Jenna let Roman drive, since he knew these trails far better. She studied him, worried about the anger that she saw flashing in his eyes, his absolute focus. He drove far too fast on such a narrow road, but she couldn’t fault that, not knowing that his nephew was injured, and that the man responsible still held him.

She was falling hard and fast for the man at her side, but she was about to see his other side, the part of him he’d only shown her once, when he was injured and she was terrified of him. Would she be again, when he shifted into his bear? The thought of seeing that happen scared her, when she knew he planned to fight an old enemy.

His voice startled her out of her thoughts. “I want you to stay with the truck, Jenna.”

“And I told you I’m going in. Corey will need my help.”

“Damn it—you’ll do as I say.”

“Oh, no—you did
not
just order me around like a caveman.”

“Jenna—”

“Just because I slept with you does not give you exclusive rights over what I do. I have my own life, Roman, and a profession I’m damn good at. I’m not giving up any of it.”

“I didn’t—” He let out his breath. “I want you safe, and I can’t guarantee that, not this time. Not when I’ll be hunting another shifter.”

“I don’t expect that.”

“You should. It’s my duty to keep you safe, to protect you.”

She laid her hand on his arm, the muscles under her fingers like corded steel. “I love that about you, but it’s not always going to be possible.” He cursed under his breath, and Jenna laughed. “I know—I’m impossible. You’re not the first man to point it out.”

“I will never say that—and I’ll rip out the throat of anyone who does.”

“That’s so sweet—Neanderthal, but sweet.” He glanced over at her, eyebrows raised. “I’ve spent most of my adult life on my own, Roman. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

“I want to do that now.”

“Okay. But we’re going to have a talk about boundaries. I don’t know how female shifters do it, but as a human female, my independence doesn’t go away when I fall in love.”

His hands gripped the steering wheel—so hard she thought he would break it in half.

“You’re in love?”

“With you, yes.” She slid across the seat and kissed his cheek. “I was a goner the first time you looked at me, like I was dessert and you were an addict.” He swallowed, his grip tightening. “We didn’t use a condom last night, and there’s a damn good chance we made a baby, since I’m in the ovulating stage of my cycle. Yes, we humans keep track of that. I thought you’d be able to smell it on me, with that magic nose.”

“I—was distracted. Shit,” he whispered. “I wanted to marry you before I knocked you up.”

“You’re such a romantic, Roman. You’ll have my head spinning in a second.”

“I’m serious.”

She stilled. “About what?”

“All of it, Jenna.” He slammed on the brakes, shoved the truck into park and cradled her face. “I want to spend the rest of our lives figuring you out.” He kissed her, hot and fast, then slipped out of the truck, leaving her dazed and breathless. “Coming? We’re as far as we can go in the truck.”

“Right.”

She grabbed her kit and followed him, closing the driver’s side door. He stood in front of the truck, sniffing the air, his eyes closed. He looked powerful, and primal, and she’d never seen a man so grounded, so in touch with everything around him. It was an incredible turn on.

He opened his eyes and held out his hand to her. “This way.”

They moved into the trees, the dense undergrowth immediately giving Jenna’s shorter legs trouble. “Damn—”

“There’s a trail just ahead. It’ll be the one Paul took to the cave.”

“They’re in a cave? How do you—”

Roman pressed a finger to her lips, then backed her toward the nearest tree, putting himself between her and whatever he sensed. His low growl vibrated through her. She was starting to recognize the differences—this one was menacing, a warning to whatever headed toward them.

It halted a second later, and she understood when she saw the man step out of the trees. Leo’s father, Jedidiah.

Roman growled again, in frustration this time. “Damn it, Jed—I could have killed you. I don’t know your scent as well as the rest of the family.”

“Not if I saw you first.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I picked up the wolf scent from Leo and Chrissy. It took most of the night to track it here.”

“You always were a lousy tracker, Jed.”

He smiled, that same transforming smile he gave his son. “I had to filter out a lot of other scents. How did you end up here?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

The big man nodded and joined him, Jenna forgotten as she followed after them. She had to double time to keep up with them, and was panting when they finally decided to check on her.

Jedidiah frowned. “Okay, Dr. Morgan?”

“Jenna,” she gasped. “I’m good.”

“Stay with her, Jed. I have to get to Corey.” Roman moved to her and hauled her up against his chest, kissing her like it was his last chance. “Stay with him. I’ll see you there.”

“You better, Roman Black. I’ll never forgive you if you get yourself killed.”

He kissed her again, then set her on her feet. “Not a chance, Jenna Morgan.” He leaned in, whispering against her lips. “I’m going to marry you.”

“Yes, you are.” She clutched her kit as she watched him sprint through the trees.

“I didn’t know he’d claimed you.” Jedidiah studied her, his dark brown eyes thoughtful. “I didn’t—”

“Smell it on me?” She softened the question with a smile. “It happened after you left. How’s Leo?”

“Exhausted, scared, and sound asleep right now. He’s with my stepmother.”

“Lindy.”

“You met her?”

“She hired me to be the town vet.”

“Ah.”

He started moving before she could ask him what the hell he meant by that.

***

Roman ran, fast and silent, his bear growling at him to shift.

Not yet. I want to face Paul as a man.

He slowed when he reached the small clearing in front of the cave. It was part of a system of caves in this area, snaking through what had probably been the top of one of the Bear Haven Mountains to his left, broken off millions of years ago. It had always been a forbidden place, where he and his brothers played as cubs, getting caught by Mom more often than not.

Every muscle stiffened as he smelled fresh blood, and the fear of children. The bastard would pay for every minute of that fear before he died.

“Paul. I’m here.”

He stepped out of the cave before Roman finished talking, Corey in front of him, a knife at his throat. The cub did his best not to look terrified. Roman’s heart ached at the sight of the jagged claw marks on his left cheek. Healing without the help of his bear, they’d scar, a constant reminder of today.

Rage burned through him, barely controlled by the man. The bear wanted to revel in it as he tore their enemy from limb to limb.

“I thought you’d play coward, Roman, and hide behind your mama’s skirts. She’s not here?”

“Only me. Let him go, Paul. This is between us.”

“I do, you kill me.”

Roman smiled. “That’s the plan.”

“You ruined my life! I wanted—I had to—”

“What, Paul? Terrorize a group of kids?”

“They weren’t supposed to be there! I was going to—”

“Ambush me in the middle of the forest.”

Paul let out a breath. “Yes. I wanted you to suffer, Roman, like I’ve suffered the last ten years. No pack, no protection. I couldn’t even stay in Pine Heart, because everyone knew—” He cut himself off, pressed the knife under Corey’s jaw. Roman fought his bear for control. Just a little longer—he had to wait until Corey was safe. “I spent the last few years with a pack in California, who believed I was stabbed during an attack. I learned from them, how to fight, how to use what I could do to my advantage.” He lifted his left hand, and Roman watched it change, the claws replacing the knife at Corey’s throat. “One move, and I’ll tear his throat out. Not even his almighty bear could heal that.”

“Tell me what you want, Paul.”

“A fair fight. I want the chance to hurt you, like you hurt me.”

Roman cocked his head. “Is that what you really want?”

“I really wanted to kill you in your sleep, along with any bitch you might have been fucking, but you moved back to Pine Heart before I could find you, and I couldn’t take the chance that one of your brothers might find me.”

The rage shook him. He would lose control soon, like he did when one of his own was threatened. “Get out of here, Paul, before I shift. Once I do, you’re a dead man. This is your last chance.”

Paul’s claws dug into Corey’s throat, drawing blood. Corey tried to jerk away, and Paul pulled him off his feet. “He’ll die before you can even finish—”

Roman set his bear free and leaped, shifting as he flew forward. Paul’s eyes widened in shock—just before the bear slammed into him, one paw tearing the wolf’s claw away from Corey’s throat. Corey tumbled, out of harm’s way. Paul wrenched free and scrambled across the clearing, knife in his hand again.

“I’m going to gut you, Roman, like I should have I caught you and the girl I loved going at each other like animals. I’ve been waiting ten long years to do this.”

He rushed Roman, knife raised, and the fight was on.

***

Jenna heard the furious roar echo through the trees, and she started running.

Jed took her hand, kept himself between her and the battle ahead.

“Never run into the middle of a shifter battle,” he said, his deep voice edged with fury. Jenna knew, instinctively, that it wasn’t aimed at her. “We will always scent our own, but an enemy will take you down before you can blink.”

She nodded—and understood that she had been yanked into a world with a whole different set of rules.

Jed halted at the edge of the clearing, the growl rumbling in his throat deep and threatening. “Go see to Corey. Use the trees as cover until you reach him, and get him out of the clearing.”

She didn’t argue, like she normally would have when a man presumed to give her orders. Real life didn’t apply here. She spotted a boy on the far side of the clearing, who looked about twelve. He was huddled against a tree, blood on his face, and his throat. Jenna moved as fast and quietly as she could, but he was already turned around when she approached.