The Alpha's Fight: Huntsville Pack Book 3 (13 page)

"Well, let's freak out about it later. Right now, we've got to get out of here and find my grandmother." His senses all on full alert, he scanned both in front and behind him, looking for any signs of danger. The parking lot was empty, with only a few parked cars. Nothing appeared to be a threat, so he relaxed a fraction.

"Why would he take Tillie?" Lia asked.

"Because he's the kind of alpha who likes to hurt people, that's why. When he couldn't find me, he went for someone close enough to me to force me to cooperate with him." He tugged Lia's hand, bringing her with him onto the sidewalk that ran around the mall. His bike was on the other side of the building. The faster they were on it and speeding away, the better.

"What does he want you to do?"

"Mostly he wants me to die," he said.

She gave him a startled look. "Die? Why?"

"Because I'm a challenge to his authority." He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "He doesn't see me starting a new pack as anything other than a threat."

"What are you going to do?"

"Whatever Mason wants. For now. And also this." He pulled her against him and kissed her. It was a last minute decision, but he couldn't resist. The image of her in the dressing room danced in his head, riling his wolf until desire clouded his mind.

"Mmph," Lia muttered into his lips.

Ryder ignored her and deepened their kiss, one hand going to cradle the back of her head and pushing her even closer to him. He explored her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Her curves were so soft, he wanted to sink into them. She had a body a man could lose himself in and his cock ached to do just that.

Lia melted into him, mewling with satisfaction as he bit her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth. What he wouldn't give to take her someplace quiet and rip off her clothes...for all the right reasons this time.

Finally, he broke the kiss, not daring to take it any further. There wasn't time. Things were about to get rough, though, and he wanted a kiss to remember Lia by. 

His wolf huffed at him and gave a pointed stare that suggested, if he'd been in charge, they would already be rutting like wild animals.

We're more civilized than that, right?

The wolf raised his eyebrows at Ryder.

Okay. Well, I'm more civilized at least. Good luck with your approach, buddy.
Ryder gave a silent prayer of thanks that his human side was the one in control. Not by much, but enough to keep him from dragging Lia naked across the pavement to satisfy his baser urges. The moon only knew what kind of trouble he'd be in if his wolf ran the show. 

"What, wh-what was that about?" Lia touched her lips.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not." He didn't tell her how bad he thought things were about to get and how he wanted the taste of her on his lips when he dealt with whatever Mason was going to throw at him. That would just scare her and he needed her to be brave.

"Me either." She panted as if she couldn't catch her breath. "What is it about us? I feel like you've just set me on fire."

"Whatever it is, we'll have to figure it out later."

"I might already have a mate, Ryder. Did you ever think of that?" She frowned. "I might be cheating on someone."

"You? Cheat? I don't think so, but if you do have a mate, don't worry, I'll step aside."

"And if I don't? Have a mate that is?"

"Then you have me." He locked his gaze with hers. "Okay?"

She nodded and gave him a nervous smile that made him want to bring her into his arms so he could show her she had nothing to worry about. No matter what, he would take care of her. He wouldn't like it if she had a mate, but he'd see her home safely if that was the case.

With a sigh, Ryder pulled out his phone. He hated to do it, but they needed to shift gears. "I've got to call Talon and tell him what's going on."

Before the call could go through, tires squealed as a black SUV rounded the corner of the mall and barreled down on them.

"Shit." Ryder grabbed her elbow and pulled her back behind one of the sculpted pine bushes that lined the walk way. Something was about to go down and Lia was going to be caught in the middle. "Stay here," he said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think they know about you. Let's keep it that way. Just stay here and don't come out no matter what. Okay?"

Her eyes wide, she nodded and hunkered down.

Ryder considered running and leading what had to be Mason's men away so at least Lia would be safe, but they cut him off before he could pick a direction. The SUV screeched to a stop in front of Ryder and a group of men poured out, big and smelling like sweaty fur. They were so focused on Ryder, they didn't seem to notice Lia, which was good news. Now all he had to do was keep it that way.

Preferably by smashing their faces into the asphalt.

"Heya, Trent," he said with a growl.

Trent ignored him. "Get him, boys."

***

L
ia dropped her bags and covered her mouth with her hands. The men that came out of the SUV were big and wide and their eyes glittered with menace. Ryder didn't stand a chance. Not against that many guys.

That didn't stop him, though. He went in swinging and snarling. He dropped several guys with just one punch and seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. For a second, Lia thought maybe Ryder could pull it off, but then two more men came from the back of the car and threw a silver net over him.

She knew silver was bad for shifters. Her stomach dropped, hurtling as if it had been cast off the top of a skyscraper. Her understanding of exactly how bad was foggy, but a primal dread of it filled her.

Lia swallowed back a scream as Ryder dropped to the ground. The men circled round and took turns kicking him, howling with laughter as they did so.

"So much for being an MMA fighter," snarled one as he took the time to spit on Ryder.

Ryder said nothing and lay so still on the ground that Lia feared he might be hurt or worse...dead. Narrowing her eyes, she watched him closely, the relief palpable when she saw his chest rise and fall. He'd just been knocked out, which still wasn't ideal but he would be okay.

One of the shifters leaned down and scooped Ryder up into his arms as if the unconscious man weighed nothing. The rest of the men headed back for the car.

Lia's stomach dropped. They were leaving and she couldn't do anything to stop them. "Shit, shit, shit," she muttered to herself.

Just then, Ryder's head lifted and he looked straight at her. Once their gazes locked, he moved his hand in a little wave followed by something falling to the ground. His phone. Ryder was giving her his phone. He wasn't unconscious at all, just playing along.

"Oh thank the moon," she breathed.

He gave a curt nod as he was carried off. No words had been exchanged, but she knew what he wanted her to do. Get his phone and call for help.

She nodded back, but he'd already disappeared into the back of the SUV, stuffed inside like sausage.

Lia waited until the SUV had driven off to retrieve the phone. Hitting the green button, she completed his call to the sheriff. Just her luck, though as no one picked up. She left a voicemail explaining everything that had happened.

Then, tucking Ryder's phone into her back pocket, she returned to the mall. She had no idea what to do, but in all the hullabaloo she'd forgotten to pick up her new phone. Leaving it behind was just not going to happen. It was the only link she had to her past.

***

L
ia's hands shook as she left the Cellxis store and pulled out her new phone. She thumbed through her contacts. None of the numbers or names looked familiar. The pictures were just faces she would swear she'd never seen before in her life. It wasn't until she started scrolling through the texts that she found a clue.

Someone named Petra, had sent a message a few days ago.

Hey. I haven't heard from you in a while. I'm going through BFF withdrawals. Give me a call, a smiley face...something! Let me know you're okay out there.

Their text history showed a lot of banter displaying a strong friendship with Petra, but it held no meaning for her because she couldn't remember any of it. So what should she do? She tried calling the sheriff from Ryder's phone again, hanging up when it rolled right to voicemail. Scrolling through Ryder's contacts, she looked for anyone else she could call, but none of the names were familiar.

Lia tucked his phone into her jean pocket and paced the mall as she reviewed her options. She had no place to go. She knew no one, least of all herself. She was going to have to take a risk and hope for the best. Taking a deep breath, she hit the call button on Petra's number.

I feel like I'm calling a stranger.

A woman's smooth voice answered the first ring."Hello? Lia? Is that you?"

"Is this Petra?"

"Yes. Are you okay? You sound weird."

"I-I-I..." Lia couldn't come up with the words to explain things. She drifted over to a bench in the middle of the mall's hallway and sat down.

"Lia? Are you there? Lia?" Petra's voice carried a note of worry. "I haven't heard from you in days."

"Yeah. Sorry. Something happened out here."

"Did you find Adele?"

"No, but it's worse than that." Lia took a deep breath, and forced herself to say it. "I was injured in some kind of bar fight."

"You? In a bar fight?"

"Yeah, but there's more. I-I can't remember who I am." Tears rushed her eyes as she told Petra what had happened. "I read my texts and you sounded like a friend, so I thought I would call and ask you. Who am I? Why is my sister out here?"

Petra fell silent for a moment. "Oh, wow. You know your name right?"

"Yes. It was on my driver's license."

"Okay. Well, we are friends. We go back to pre-school and we went to college together."

"I have a college degree?"

"Yep. You're a kindergarten teacher."

Lia blinked, trying to picture herself in a classroom with a bunch of kids. Given the violence and suspense of the last few days, she couldn't have been more surprised.

"You love it, by the way. And the kids hang on your every word. You're like the Pied Piper of kindergarten. Does that ring any bells?"

Lia shook her head. "No. Nothing. I'm having a hard time believing it, actually."

"Okay, well let's discuss Adele."

"Do you know why she came out here?"

"Yeah. She's an addict, Lia. A low down, no good, dirty, lyin', thievin' addict." Petra's words carried a fierce anger. "She's dragged you into more trouble than you deserve."

"So she came here looking for drugs?"

"No. She wanted to get clean, but it sounds like she just caused more trouble for you." Petra snorted. "I am not surprised."

"But we're twins, right?"

"Yep, but you're different as the moon and the sun."

"Why did she want to come here to get clean?"

"I don't know. From what you said, she'd found some alternative treatment program. Adele was excited, you were concerned. That's all I know. Where are you?"

"I'm in a town called Hudson, out in Tennessee. They stashed me in a nursing home called Crescent Pines."

"A nursing home?" Petra laughed. "Whatever did you do to deserve that?"

"I forgot
what
I was, not just who I was," Lia said. "I guess they were worried about me causing trouble."

Petra gave a low whistle. "You got hurt that bad?"

"Yeah. It was bad." She didn't recall the injury at all, but its aftermath had been pretty horrific so far.

"What about your wolf?"

"Knocked clean out of me."

"You lost your shift?"

"It would appear so."

"All right, that settles it. I'm packing my best ass kicking shoes and coming out there. We're going to figure this out together."

Lia flushed. She found the idea of not being alone reassuring, while at the same time being terrified of meeting a friend she couldn't remember. What if she didn't like Petra anymore? "Oh, Petra, that's kind of you but I don't want to bother you. The things you've told me have been a huge help. You have no idea."

"I'm still coming. You did the same for me when I was caught up with that asshole I thought was my fated mate. You came and got me out of a bad situation. I owe you and you shouldn't be alone."

"I'm not alone," Lia protested, even though it was a lie.

"Good. I'll be just one more to add to the party. I'll book a flight and be there tomorrow."

"Hey, Petra?" Lia asked.

"Yeah?"

"Speaking of fated mates, am I, do I—" She trailed off and bit her lip, remembering the scorching heat of Ryder's kiss.

"Have a mate? No. You're single. You and me both."

"Oh." The guilt riding Lia at her attraction to Ryder disappeared. "Good to know."

"Why? Have you met someone?" Petra's tone sharpened with suspicion.

"No," she said as nonchalantly as she could. " I just had no idea if there was anyone home waiting for me."

"It's just you and your sister. Your parents passed about ten years ago in a freak car accident. There was a storm and a big oak tree landed on their car as they were driving. It just...fell out of nowhere. They were gone instantly."

Lia put a hand to her chest. She kept saying 'oh' over and over again, trying to take in the news.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to make this easier for you."

Regaining some measure of control, she said, "That's okay. I'm just glad someone knows these things. I think I have to learn who I am all over again. I'm not sure my memory will ever come back." Gah. She was a teacher. What if she never remembered how to teach? And what about her parents? Would she ever know who they were, or would they just be a story someone told her?

"I'll do everything I can to help. You're not alone."

Lia sniffed back tears, touched by the support of a friend she didn't even know anymore. "Thank you, Petra."

"Anytime, babe. I'll see you at Crescent Pines tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah. That sounds great." Lia smiled into the phone, and for just a second, she felt more anchored in herself than she had in days.