SWAT Team One and the Social Worker (11 page)

phone was ringing, but she didn’t answer it as men in red bandannas

shot guns from their vehicles and at the police. It was a war zone. The
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police cars were barricading both sides of the street. There were

civilians running from apartments and past the patrol car.

Sam saw Brandy and the kids.

“There! Oh, my God, that’s Brandy. She needs help.” Sam

jumped out of the car along with Eric and David.

Shots whizzed past them as they each grabbed for someone. David

grabbed Jimelle, Eric grabbed Brandy and the baby, while Sam

grabbed Sienna. Sienna’s shoulder was bleeding a lot, and she was

crying.

“Oh, Sam, they tried to kill us.” Sienna was hysterical as Sam

tried to help her across the street and out of the line of gunfire. Ahead of her Eric and David were putting the others in the patrol car when

suddenly there was an explosion.

Both Sam and Sienna fell to the street, covering their heads as

debris fell around them.

It was complete chaos as multiple gang members headed toward

her and Sienna.

“Run, Sienna, run!” Sam yelled just as someone grabbed her from

behind, yanking her backwards. She screamed then started swinging.

As her fists made contact with flesh, she saw that there were two

guys coming at her.

She continued to fight them, swinging her arms, kicking her legs.

Some hits missed, and others hit the target until she got slammed into from the side. She heard the sounds of sirens blaring and vehicles

skidding to a halt, but all she saw was red covering her body.

Her arm skidded across the pavement, and she felt the flesh tear

then a growl echo around her. The bodies flew through the air as

someone tossed them like rag dolls.

She fought for freedom until she realized the danger was no

longer surrounding her.

“I’ve got you, Sammy.” She heard the voice, and she was

shocked.
Alex
, she whispered to herself, but when she looked up, she saw Ted.

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He lifted her to his lap as he looked over her fresh wounds.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, shocked at his presence.

He was supposed to be in Texas. She’d spoken to him this morning,

and there was no way he would have arrived here so soon or known

where she was.

She held his gaze, and her heart pounded faster in her chest. The

tears filled her eyes because all she could see was Alex. They shared

the same facial features, brown-colored eyes, and strong, firm jaw.

When Ted looked at her, it was as if he knew she was seeing Alex.

“You’re bleeding,” he whispered as he touched her wrist and

turned her arm, so he could evaluate the damage.

She looked down and saw the blood and nasty cut from shoulder

to elbow.

“You didn’t answer my question,” she stated as she looked at him,

feeling angry that he came here to New York despite the fact that he

just saved her life.

Ted touched her cheek and smiled.

“I had to, Sammy. I care about you, and I was worried.”

He pulled her to him and held her close as the paramedics pulled

onto the scene.

The sound of a large vehicle skidding to a halt caught their

attention.

Instantly, they saw the black SUV then five men jumping out of it

and dressed as SWAT team officers. They immediately caught sight

of her, and she held on to Ted.

“I take it you know those wolves, Sammy,” he asked, but she

didn’t look at him, she locked gazes with Dustin, and he looked

angry.

* * * *

“Who the fuck is that?” Dustin stated as he and his brothers

caught sight of Sam and practically ran to her.

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Some guy they’d never seen before was holding her, and as they

approached, Dustin smelled her scent and her blood. He growled low

and menacingly.

Adam grabbed his arm to stop him from reaching for the guy

holding Sam.

“Who are you?” he asked in a growl.

“Dustin, please calm down.”

“What the hell were you thinking coming out here again, Sam?”

“Hey, she’s injured, so maybe you can keep the reprimanding for

later. Besides, there’s a line,” Ted responded as he rose from the

ground, taking Sam along with him. He lifted her into his arms and

began walking toward the ambulance.

“Sam, are you okay?” Trey asked as he looked at her shoulder and

arm.

“I’m fine. This is Ted. He’s a friend from Texas,” she stated then

looked at Ted.

“A good friend. A real good friend,” he replied then eyed Trey

and Dustin. The wolves sniffed the air and knew that Ted was one of

them. How did Sam know him?

They watched as the paramedics helped to clean Sam’s cut and

bandage her up. Of course she refused to go to the hospital for follow-up treatment. Kyle remained by her side, along with Ted, as Dustin

and his brothers communicated telepathically to figure out who this

Ted wolf was.

“You sure you don’t want to go to the hospital, miss?” the

technician asked again as Sam signed the release waiver.

“I’m a medic, and she’s coming home with me. I’ll take care of

her,” Kyle answered then he stroked Sam’s cheek.

They all walked over to the men’s SUV.

Ted took Sam’s hand to make her stop walking, so he could look

at her.

He touched her cheek with his hand and looked over the damage

on her eye and cheekbone.

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81

“It looks worse in person than in the picture you sent me, Sammy.

Why did you lie to me?”

Sam ignored his question and shyly lowered her head so that Ted

had to remove his hand.

“How did you get here, Ted?” she asked him.

He knew she was changing the subject. He smirked at her then

went along.

“I didn’t bring a car. It was faster on all fours,” he replied then

winked at her.

“I’m sure one of the patrol officers can bring you back to

wherever you’re staying,” Adam replied, not hiding his anger or

jealousy.

“No need. I’m fine on my own.” Ted looked at Sam and took her

hand again. She glanced over her shoulder as Ted led her a few feet

away from the men.

He put his hand on her shoulder and caressed her cheek.

“I’ll let your men take care of you. They’re worried, and they

need to be with you tonight. How about I stop by your place around

noontime? Then we can catch up.”

“How do you know what they feel? I don’t know why you’re here,

I have so many questions for you, Ted.”

He smirked as he caressed her cheek.

“I have a lot of questions for you, too, but right now you need to

be with your mates.”

“Mates?” she asked, uncertain what that word meant.

“Your wolves, doll. Those five alpha males are your mates. Your

life partners. I don’t want to interfere, but I do want to visit with you.”

Sam looked back at the five angry faces. They were her mates, her

life partners? How the hell did Ted know something like that? Again

she thought about Alex, and her heart ached.

“Sam, don’t look so scared and so sad. It’s okay to move on and

to open your heart up again.”

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She shook her head and stepped away from him. Ted crinkled his

eyebrows then looked concerned.

“Sam!” Sam turned toward the sound of Sienna’s voice. Brandy

was holding Benny while Jimelle and Sienna practically ran to her.

It was Sienna who hugged Sam first. Then Jimelle joined in, along

with Brandy.

“We’re so glad you’re okay, Sam. I can’t believe you showed up

again. You’re our guardian angel,” Brandy stated as she cried.

Sam held them tight.

“I was so scared for you guys. I couldn’t believe it when I heard

what was going on over the police scanner. Thank God I went for a

ride with Eric and David.”

Sam looked over Brandy’s shoulder at Dustin. He heard her every

word, and she knew he would reprimand her for going along in the

patrol car. A quick glance to her right and she saw Adam and Kyle

talking with Eric and David. The two officers did not look happy.

Sam talked to Brandy about her options for protection. The kids

were scared, but they trusted Sam. They wouldn’t talk with any other

social worker or any of the police.

“I have a place that you can stay tonight and at least until we can

make some concrete arrangements. Can you give me a couple of

minutes to make some calls?” Sam asked, and of course Brandy

agreed as she held the sleeping infant in her arms.

Sam walked over to a small clearing away from people and cars.

Ted only stood a few feet away and in the opposite direction of

Dustin, Donny, and Trey. He leaned against a police cruiser as Sam

made the arrangements for Brandy and the kids.

* * * *

Ted listened in as Sam got the person on the other end to help

Brandy and the kids with shelter and food for a few days. He had to

admit that he was pretty impressed with her ability to negotiate, as

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83

well as her wealth of compassion. She didn’t beg, she just reminded

the person on the other end about what she had done for her and her

own family not too long ago. Apparently Samantha had saved the

woman on the phone from domestic violence. He wasn’t the only one

with impeccable hearing. A glance toward Dustin told Ted that the

wolf was listening in as well. He obviously cared a lot for Sam. It was his scent that Ted smelled on Sam. It was faint, but he still sensed it.

Sam hung up the phone and took a deep breath. When she turned,

her eyes were glistening, but she also looked like a woman on a

mission.

“Okay Brandy. Get everyone together.”

“Um, where do you think you’re going?” Kyle asked.

“I know you heard my call, so don’t play dumb with me. Let’s

go,” Sam stated then headed toward the SUV with Brandy and the

kids.

Ted chuckled as he watched the five large men follow her.

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Chapter 6

It had been a long two hours. The ride to what Sam called a safe

house was thirty minutes outside the city limits and in New Jersey.

The men were certain to make sure they weren’t followed, despite the

fact that they were crammed in an SUV with kids on their laps. Sam

gave Brandy instructions and told her about a bag and a few suitcases

filled with clothes that Carla would get for her. Inside the bag was

money, and the suitcases had clothes for all the kids in every size.

Luckily, Carla had a bunch of baby supplies as well as a crib for

Benny. By the time they arrived in the secluded neighborhood, they

were relieved and fairly impressed. It was a quiet community with

decent size houses and a park right around the corner.

Sam got out of the car and asked the men to stay put.

“What if you need us?” Kyle asked, voicing the same concern that

the others had.

“You’ll know it, and you’ll hear me. Please stay here. Carla has a

fear, and you guys might upset her.” With that Sam walked the family

up to the front door.

Twenty minutes later she emerged. Not smiling, not crying, just

emotionless. They were all concerned.

* * * *

When Sam got into the SUV, she sat between Kyle and Donny.

Trey was beside Kyle near the window in the backseat. Adam and

Dustin were in the front seat. They were another thirty minutes or so

from home. She couldn’t lean back against the seat because her

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shoulder and arm were beginning to hurt. The cut was pretty deep and

would require some first aid from Kyle when they got to her place. It

was Donny who started talking.

“Lean against me, Sam, so you’re not in pain.” The sound of his

voice, deep and concerned, played on her heartstrings. She really

wanted to lean on him. She suddenly felt the overload of testosterone

in the confined space. Her gut told her they were all upset with her for being in such a life-threatening situation again. She was finally

coming down from her adrenaline rush as the reality of what took

place began to sink in. But she couldn’t lean on Donny. She just

couldn’t.

“I’m fine,” she replied, afraid to move. Afraid that if he touched

her, she would explode with desire. His warm thigh was only slightly

touching her skin, and it was torture. She wanted his touch

everywhere.

Her legs were crossed, and Donny covered her knee with his hand.

She stirred beneath his touch. He leaned closer to her.

“I need you close to me, Sam.”

She heard the desire in his voice. She felt the intensity of the

moment as the others looked at her, waiting for her response to

Donny’s statement.

She saw Dustin’s eyes glowing in the rearview mirror then focus

back onto the roadway. She was confused by her response of fear at

seeing his wolf’s eyes and the need burning inside of her. Dustin had

been the first one to make her lose control and break her promise to