Phoenix Reborn: An Alpha Pack Novella

Also by J. D. Tyler

Chase the Darkness

Wolf’s Fall

Cole’s Redemption

Hunter’s Heart

Black Moon

Black Magic
(novella)

Savage Awakening

Primal Law

Phoenix Reborn

J. D. Tyler

InterMix Books, New York

AN IMPRINT OF PENGUI
N RANDOM HOUSE LLC

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PHOENIX REBORN

An InterMix Book / published by arrangement with the author

Copyright © 2016 by J. D. Tyler.

Excerpt from
Chase the Darkness
copyright © 2015 by J. D. Tyler.

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eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-40757-2

PUBLISHING HISTORY

InterMix eBook edition / March 2016

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Noah Brooks strolled to work at a leisurely pace, humming a love song he’d heard Steven Tyler crooning on the radio. Something about being someone’s angel, getting saved, being loved forever.

With everything in him, he wanted to believe in love. To
be
in love with a man who loved and cherished him in return and would never let him go. But so far, his fated Bondmate had no problem watching Noah walk away. Every. Single. Time.

Nix doesn’t love me. Biology will eventually force his wolf to mate with me, but there will never be anything more.

The pain that squeezed Noah’s heart was becoming all too familiar, and he blinked back the tears that stung his eyes. Willing them away, he reminded himself he had a home here, at the Alpha Pack’s compound in the heart of the Shoshone National Forest, where he was finally accepted. He no longer had to run. Within the compound, he had a job he loved as the head nurse at Sanctuary, the new hospital and rehabilitation center for sick and injured paranormal beings. Since he’d arrived in Wyoming almost two years ago, he’d made some good friends.

No matter how hard life seemed determined to smack him down, he’d always managed to remain positive. He was one of those people who never met a stranger, who’d been blessed with a sunny disposition and bubbly personality. But lately?

Being constantly rejected by his true mate was slowly wearing him down, draining the life out of his smile.

“Phoenix Monroe, you’re gonna be the death of me,” he murmured, and wondered how true that might prove to be as he turned toward Sanctuary.

Nix. Tall and runway-model gorgeous, with long, dark honey-blond hair and jade green eyes fringed by thick, dusky lashes. Eyes that had smoldered with barely concealed desire more than once when gazing at Noah.

Despite how Nix fought their attraction, his reaction gave Noah hope and a bit of gratification. At least part of Nix wasn’t as opposed to taking a male for a mate as he’d have Noah believe, which meant the barrier between them could be broken down. Right?

If only he’d give in once and see how great it could be for us, he’d finally claim me. Maybe even fall in love with me.

A tendril of need and longing curled through Noah’s gut and spread south. Groaning, he clamped down on the wayward feelings, which would make his day miserable if he let them. He had to put his reluctant mate out of his mind. At least for a while.

Noah took some deep breaths of the bracing fall air, just what he needed to clear his head before work. Or so he told himself. In truth, it was a good thing the patients were quiet and settled as he arrived at work and went about his rounds that morning. He’d never risk harm to a patient by being distracted while checking charts, dispensing meds, and giving other care, but his problems with Nix weighed on his mood.

Unfortunately, his malaise didn’t go unnoticed.

“What’s wrong with you today? Or do I even need to ask?”

Turning, he faced Dr. Melina Mallory and gave her a rueful smile. “Probably not.”

“Are you all right?”

The softness of the question surprised him. Melina was a tough, no-nonsense woman and a damn fine doctor. She’d gone to bat for Noah, giving him a job when he had nowhere else to turn, and yet he couldn’t exactly call her a close friend. Truthfully, though, he wasn’t sure Melina was very close to anyone.

Small-boned, and a bit taller than Noah’s own five-seven, the doc had an angular face surrounded by dark hair. After her mate’s death in ambush several years before, she’d cut the tresses ruthlessly short. Only recently had she let her hair grow out, so it now reached her collar and thankfully softened her features. Her harsh attitude seemed to have taken a turn for the better, as well.

“Noah?” She frowned at him, waiting for a response.

“Sorry. I’m fine, Doc.”

“You’re very quiet today,” she observed. “I’m used to you chattering like a squirrel on crack, and to see you walking around with your lips zipped, just doing your job, is a bit disconcerting.”

A genuine smile bloomed across his face. “Aww, there
is
a heart lurking under there somewhere,” he said, pointing at her chest. “I’m touched.”

Melina snorted. “Don’t be too sure about that. I just wanted to check on you, that’s all.”

“Well, you can stop worrying. I’m not about to jump off the roof of the building. Not yet, anyway.” He winked. “Ain’t
no
man worth that, honey.”

She laughed quietly, the return to his usual teasing apparently putting her concerns to rest. Somewhat. “How right you are. Seriously, if you ever need to talk, my door is always open. I mean that, Noah.”

“Thanks.” He was touched, and a warm glow spread through him as she turned to go. Maybe she was more of a friend than he’d believed.

Continuing his rounds with renewed energy, he noted it was time to check on their wounded tiger shifter. Now
there
was a poor bastard who was in pitiful shape. Leonidis had been brought to Sanctuary several weeks ago, and they’d been unsure if the bodyguard would survive the grave injuries he’d sustained while on a case in the area. His sister and brothers, all big cat shifters, owned and operated a private security firm in St. Louis, and had been rotating through the hospital constantly since the attack. Noah couldn’t fathom how they were getting much work done at their place of business.

As Noah walked into Leo’s room, he saw it was empty for a change. The family was probably resting, worn out as they must be. Nick Westfall, the Alpha Pack’s commander, had offered them the use of a couple of rooms at the compound to save them from driving back and forth from town any longer, and they’d gratefully accepted.

The big shifter was sleeping, breathing on his own now, heartbeat steady and strong. He looked good today, and might awaken for a while, as he’d been doing more and more each day. Noah busied himself checking vital signs and recording them on the man’s chart. All routine.

Checking his notes one last time, Noah placed the chart on the rolling table and walked around the bed to change Leo’s IV bag. Working efficiently, he removed the used one, replaced it with a full bag, and connected the tubing to initiate the drip.

“Poison,” a deep voice growled from the bed. “Traitor.”

Noah froze, the hair prickling on the back of his neck. Slowly, he lowered his arms and turned to face the man. Leonidis was awake, sitting up, watching him with a predatory gaze, pupils slitted vertically. Not a good sign. Alarm spiked through Noah as he spotted razor-sharp claws emerging from the fingertips of the man’s huge hands.

“I’m your nurse,” he began, heart clenching in fear. “My name is Noah—”

“Liar!” With a roar, the man shifted into his tiger form faster than Noah ever could’ve imagined he was capable—and launched his massive body from the bed, straight at him.

“Shit!”

Noah threw himself to the side just in time to avoid being slammed by the huge beast, but his foot caught on the bottom of the IV stand, sending him and the unit crashing to the floor. Rolling to the side, he frantically fumbled for the emergency alert button hooked to the waistband of his scrubs and depressed it. Then he scrambled to his hands and knees and dove forward, trying to get underneath the bed.

A huge paw came down on one thigh, and a searing pain tore through his leg as the claws ripped into his muscle. A ragged scream ripped from his throat as he was dragged backward to what would be certain death if he couldn’t get away.

“Leo!” Noah yelled, grabbing for a hold to stop his backward slide, and finding none. “You’re in the hospital! You’re safe, I’m not going to hurt you!”

His pleas fell on deaf ears. The tiger was in complete control, out of his mind with rage. Noah twisted his body, trying to kick the beast in the face with his free leg, but only managed to piss off his attacker more. Then came a break. The tiger roared, retracted his claws and lunged again, presumably for a better hold.

For one split-second, he was free.

Throwing himself under the bed, he kept himself as far out of range as possible. In tiger form, Leonidis was much, much bigger than the bed and couldn’t push all of himself underneath the frame. Even so, the furniture offered scant protection from the sweeping claws that plunged toward him again and again.

Propelled by the assault, the bed shot backward into the wall with a loud bang. Noah pushed himself as far against the wall as he could, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Feral eyes regarded him from a broad, orange and white face striped with black, and the beast’s lips peeled back, revealing long fangs that would rip him to shreds.

Then the big cat lunged again, rattling the bed. The claws caught Noah once more, slashing him from shoulder to hip. He screamed again and curled up on the floor, his mind shutting down against the horror of dying this way. Agony laid him open once more, and he drifted.

Distantly, he became aware of pounding boots. Shouts. A big cat screeching in anger, then a brief silence.

And then a voice, so dear to him, calling his name.

Begging him to hold on.

* * * 

Washing the Pack’s Escalades sure beat the hell out of fighting demons.

Problem was, the menial task gave Nix way too much time to think. Too many hours to daydream about an adorable nurse with shaggy blond hair that constantly flopped into his big sky-blue eyes. Eyes set in the face of an angel with a killer smile and infectious laugh, and a tight little body that—

“Earth to Nix,” a voice rumbled with an amused laugh. “You gonna soap up that SUV or make love to it?”

Blinking, Nix realized he was standing motionless, holding the sponge just above the hood, suds running down his arm. He glanced across the vehicle to see Aric Savage smirking at him, one fiery eyebrow raised.

“Just thinking, that’s all,” Nix mumbled, resuming his task.

“Do I even need to ask what you’re thinking about? Or
who
?”

“Shut up, man.”

Of course, that meant his friend wasn’t about to let the subject drop.

“Seriously, what is your damage? Noah’s a great guy, and a blind man could see that you two are crazy about each other.”

Aric sounded so genuinely baffled, Nix made an effort to give his friend a pass for prying into his business. “Don’t worry about it, okay? This is my problem and I have to deal with it.”

“
What
problem?” Aric’s brows drew together, and he looked more baffled than ever.

Leaning on the hood of the SUV, Nix glared at his friend. “I’m not gay, goddammit!
That’s
the problem! I’m
fucking straight
, and my wolf is about to tear me apart because he’s so pissed off at me!”

Not gay.
Even as the words left his mouth, he winced inwardly at the lie and wondered if his friend heard it.

Apparently not, judging by his next words; the redhead wasn’t fazed by his outburst. “That makes
no
sense, you being straight. First of all, how could your Bondmate be so wrong for you? And second of all, I’ve
seen
you together, and I know you like him. A lot. And I don’t mean as buddies who watch football and drink beers together.”

A chill washed over Nix’s skin as he stared at Aric. All these years, he’d fought so hard to stamp out that side of himself—the part that his father saw as an abomination.

“I—”

Whatever Nix had been about to say was interrupted by a loud tone over the intercom system. A red light flashed from a corner of the hangar, signaling an emergency somewhere within the compound. Immediately Nix dropped the sponge and wiped his hands on his shirt, listening as the automated voice announced where help was needed.

“Personal emergency alert device activated. Sanctuary, level four. Nearest Alpha Pack team members please respond.
Repeat, personal—”

Nix was running before the voice finished repeating the information, Aric right on his heels. It didn’t matter that he was wearing nothing but wet, loose cargo shorts, that he had no weapon. Nothing mattered except getting there and making sure his mate wasn’t the one in danger.

Never in his twenty-eight years had he moved so fast. He crossed the distance between the hangar and Sanctuary in record time, bounding up the front steps, throwing open the doors, and dashing into the lobby. A wide-eyed receptionist was standing behind the front desk, panic etched on her features.

“Room 412 is on lockdown,” she called. “That’s Leonidis, our tiger shifter’s room.”

“Who’s in there with him?” Nix demanded.

The woman shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Shit.”

Nix took off for the closest stairwell, aware of more pounding bootsteps behind him. Ever since Sanctuary had been breached by a monster trying to kill Micah Chase, one of their Pack brothers, they’d implemented and practiced new emergency measures in every building. The elevators were shut down to prevent easy access to escape routes, as well as every stairwell but one. Everyone was on lockdown, nobody in or out of the building except Alpha Pack team members unless their commander said so, or until the situation was contained. Period.

Nix and Aric took the stairs two at a time, Nix barely aware of the burn in his thigh muscles as he reached the fourth floor. As soon as they emerged into the hallway, an alarmed orderly pointed them toward the correct room. The racket from the tiger throwing himself against the heavy hospital door, snarling and scratching, could be heard all through the corridors.

Sprinting again, he rounded a corner to see Melina pacing with a tranquilizer gun in her hand. Several nurses hovered anxiously behind the desk at the nurses’ station—none of them were Noah. Nix’s gut clenched in dread.

“Thank God you’re here,” she said sharply. “I can’t open the door to tranq him until he’s distracted or subdued.”

“Who’s in there with the tiger?”

“I can’t say for sure.” Her gaze slid away from his.

“But you have an idea.”

The beast slammed the door again, with such force that Nix feared the frame would splinter and give way. If the tiger escaped the room, things could get messy real fast.