Wolf Quest (11 page)

While he talked, Jesse gestured for Maria to give him her cell phone. She handed it over with a raised eyebrow but didn’t comment. He added a few numbers to her contacts list, set up some speed-dial options and then handed it back.

“My brother is speed-dial number one. My team leader is on number two. Use them if you need them, okay?” Jesse figured Maria was smart enough to know when the shit hit the fan she’d need help. She didn’t disappoint him, nodding readily, even though her expression was troubled.

She followed his instructions, scooting under the steering wheel when he opened the driver’s side door and got out. She touched his arm, drawing his attention, which he didn’t like given their present vulnerability, but he couldn’t deny her.

“Be careful, Jesse,” she whispered.

For a moment—just a moment—he couldn’t breathe. The worry on her face took his breath away. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, just because he had to. His feet refused to move before he showed her how much he appreciated her care and concern over his welfare.

He didn’t know what to say to alleviate her anxiety, so he drew back and closed the door, holding her gaze. He hoped she’d understand the reassurance he didn’t know how to put into words. He waited until she locked the doors and then melted into the shadows.

He had a job to do.

Thankfully, Jesse didn’t find any threats either outside or inside the motel room. He went back to the vehicle four minutes and forty-five seconds later to find Maria nervously gripping the steering wheel, her eyes wide as she scanned the area. She was on her guard, which was good. But he still hated the reason for her wariness.

The danger was real, and it was Jesse’s duty and fondest desire to end it, once and for all.

“The coast is clear for now,” he reported as Maria opened the door. She tumbled out of the high vehicle while Jesse unloaded a few things they’d need that night, keeping one wary eye on their surroundings.

There were lots of trees to either side of the parking lot that provided some cover, but the lawn leading to the road left them very visible. By the same token, he’d be able to run over to the fast-food joint while still keeping the motel in sight. It was a risk, but he’d take this one, this time. His spidey sense—that indefinable thing in his makeup that always seemed to warn him when danger was imminent—was quiet for now. He figured it would be safe enough to get the kid some comfort food. Zach had been through a lot.

The least Jesse could do was give him a hot meal. And the werebear’s healing body could use all the calories it could get. Healing burned fuel among all weres. Jesse understood that more than most. The kid would need a lot of food in the next days to help him get back to full strength.

They got settled in the motel and Jesse was able to get a dozen burgers and assorted other items for them to all share for dinner. He got fried chicken, salads, the ubiquitous French fries and drinks, carting it all back across the street in a couple of shopping bags. They’d be set for the night between that haul and the stuff they still had from Maria’s house.

Jesse had claimed the bed closest to the door, taking the outside position should anyone try to enter through the door or the unit’s single window, which was in front. The bathroom was in back and had no window, only a tiny vent to the outside up near the light fixture.

Zach got the other double bed, closest to the bathroom. There was no question in Jesse’s mind that Maria would sleep with him, and he was glad when she didn’t appear to question it either. The two double beds in the small room made for cramped accommodations, but it was the best they could do for now.

With another full night of bed rest, Zach would probably be much better in the morning as the poison slowly worked its way out of his system. He’d already been able to walk well on his own, having slept most of the day while they drove. Jesse had questioned the kid a few times about where they were headed, getting small details about the abduction and the location of his mad flight from the enemy out of Zach as gently as possible. Zach was proving to be stronger than Jesse would have guessed based on his age.

“I’d like to clean up if it’s safe enough to shower,” Maria said, breaking into his thoughts.

“Sure, go ahead.”

She’d eaten a salad and some chicken for dinner, but both Zach and Jesse were still working on a few last cheeseburgers and fries. She looked tired and stressed, but she was holding up well, Jesse thought, proud of the way she’d been dealing with all the unexpected twists that had hit her in the last couple of hours. She was strong. Resilient like a willow bending with the wind. He really liked that about her.

She slipped into the small bathroom and he heard the shower go on. Zach ate steadily, as did Jesse. Both of them knew food was important to fuel a shifter’s strength and stamina. They had naturally high metabolisms, necessary to power their special abilities.

“Are you thinking of mating her?” Zach asked, sounding more like a judgmental adult than the young teen he still was. “She’s only human. Not a good match, my parents would say.”

“Your parents—and you—are wrong, Zach.” Jesse had to stand up to the boy’s derisive comment. The kid had to know who was Alpha here. Sure, the bear might be more magical, and in time, Zach might grow into an Alpha to be rivaled, but for now he was still just a hurt kid, bear or not. The wolf was in charge of this little mission and it was time the kid understood that once and for all.

Zach bristled, but Jesse went on. “The doc descends from a magic even more powerful than yours or mine. She is the granddaughter of the dryad Leonora. I was sent to bring her back to Wyoming, to meet her grandmother.” Zach didn’t need to know the details of Leonora’s injury or the need for them to gather all her relatives so she could be freed from the tree that kept her body safe and healed. “In fact, my brother just mated another of Leonora’s granddaughters, a former police detective named Sally. Turns out, she’s also descended from Rothgar the Great and Neveril the Mighty. You’ve heard of them, haven’t you?”

Zach nodded grudgingly. “But their legend is ancient. I heard your brother’s mate can’t even shift.”

“Maybe not, but the forest speaks to her. She is a true daughter of the dryad, with a little bit of famous wolf blood and the courage to match. I’ve seen her in action, Zach. She’s Alpha through and through. The Pack loves her already, and I think you probably know enough about wolves to realize that we don’t usually accept outsiders easily or well. Especially as mate to the Alpha.”

Zach looked suspicious but thoughtful as he polished off another cheeseburger, but he held his tongue. Good. He was learning. Thinking. Not mouthing off anymore. It was a step in the right direction.

“There’s something else you should know,” Jesse said in a quiet voice. He was about to tell something to the youngster that wasn’t general knowledge except among certain Alphas and the Lords of all
Were
. “Have you heard anything about a group of ex-military shifters banding together and hiring out to do special jobs for other
were
Tribes, Packs and Clans?”

“The Wraiths, you mean?” Zach’s eyes lit up.

Jesse had to smile. “Is that what they’re calling us?”

“You mean you…?” Suspicion and dawning understanding lit Zach’s expression.

“I was a Green Beret, son. During the last war, after my human counterparts lost the trail in the mountains of Afghanistan, they finally sent my unit in. There were a few of us shifters in the mix. We picked up the trail again.” Jesse didn’t have to say any more. Everyone knew how that had turned out. But only a very few in the shifter community knew some of their folk had been involved.

Shifters didn’t normally go out into human society in such a visible way, but Jesse had always been a daredevil. It had been a game to hide his superior abilities from his human comrades. It had also been his honor to help the men of his unit—normal humans he’d come to respect and admire and call friend—when the need arose. Working with them had taught Jesse not to underestimate humanity. They could be just as noble, dedicated, courageous and strong as a shifter when pressed. He’d learned to respect their strong hearts and the simple ability to fight evil without all the advantages of a shifter heritage.

The men he’d served with had fought on the side of Light in that foreign war, and he would never forget his comrades in arms. Every one of Jesse’s current group of ex-military shifters felt the same. They’d learned important lessons that all shifters should know about humanity in those years they’d walked among humans.

“You’re one of the Wraiths?” Zach asked in a quiet voice.

“I lead them, Zach. I’m Alpha of the small group of ex-Spec Ops soldiers who have found a home within my brother’s Pack, though slightly separate from it. We’re still adjusting to being out of the service and some of us have had a harder time with that than others.” Damn. He hadn’t meant to reveal so much, but for some reason, the rocky adjustment to Pack life had been on his mind more often lately. “I tell you this because you need to know that we’re definitely going to find your parents, and I can and will keep you safe. And if push comes to shove, you need to follow my directives without question. I’ve trained most of my life for situations like this. You need to know not to question my decisions, my commands or my authority.”

Zach sat back and stopped eating for a moment while he thought. Jesse was glad he was taking this so seriously. It could mean life or death if they found themselves in a bad situation.

“Uncle Rocky trusts you.” Zach paused deliberately. “I believe you.” That was some concession coming from a kid who’d been through hell. “Are the Wraiths going to help us?” An eager sort of hope lit Zach’s eyes.

“You bet they are.” Jesse had talked to his brother and some of his guys throughout the day while they’d been traveling. “They’re coming, but they’re on the other side of this storm.” Jesse nodded toward the TV they’d tuned to the weather station but had kept mute. The image on the screen right now was of a massive circular storm system swirling on the radar just to their west.

The storm seemed centered over eastern Nebraska, with the bands of heavier weather expanding toward where they were now. In fact, while they’d eaten, rain had begun to fall outside. Jesse suspected it would only get worse from here.

“Uncle Rocky’s coming too.” Zach seemed to need to reassure himself.

“He is. He’s en route, but he has to come overland. So do my men. Planes and choppers are grounded in and around the storm because of the high and unpredictable winds. Zach, you do realize there’s nothing natural about that storm, right?”

“Yeah, I know. It doesn’t feel right.” Zach shivered.

“The weather forecasters are stymied. With no large source of open water, the storm system shouldn’t be expanding like it is. And it’s not moving. Wind should be carrying it across the country. This storm is stationary. We believe it’s being generated by dark magic.” Jesse and Maria had discussed some of this while Zach had been sleeping in the back of the SUV. Every phone call Jesse made or received that day only seemed to confirm their suspicions.

“Something to do with my parents?” Zach’s expression was bleak for a moment before his mask of maturity came back into play.

“We think so. The Lords and their mate are working on it from their end. She is a priestess of the Lady and her mates protect her while she tries to penetrate the storm magically. So far, I haven’t heard any positive results from that quarter. I just wanted to catch you up so you’re not blindsided when we video chat—if that’s still possible with all the electrical interference the storm is producing—with everyone in an hour. We set up a conference for eight o’clock. I want you to be part of it.”

It would be much better, Jesse decided, to make the teen feel as if he was an integral part of the team working to find and free his parents. It wouldn’t be good to have him feel like an outsider in something that affected him so deeply. He was a grizzly shifter with all the magic and brute strength that implied, even if he was still just a kid. If they didn’t include him in the planning, Jesse was pretty certain the kid would go off on his own and it might be at just the wrong moment. Better to have him in on the plan from the beginning, playing with the rest of the team.

Zach nodded once, his chin wobbling a bit as he went back to eating his fries. Jesse pretended not to notice. Zach was trying to be strong for his family. That was all that mattered. He was maturing well beyond his years, and Jesse didn’t want to do anything to impede that process right now. Zach could go back to being a kid when they got his parents out safely. Not before.

It was harsh, but that was the way of the shifter world. The human world too, when war and petty dictators screwed with people’s lives. Jesse had seen that firsthand. The same thing happened among magic folk. It was time to give the kid a history lesson.

“You’ve heard of the
Venifucus
, right?” Jesse asked.

At just that moment, the bathroom door opened, releasing a torrent of woman-scented steam that made Jesse’s wolf stand up and growl in appreciation.

Down boy.

“That’s the group who sent those guys to my house,” Maria commented as she came out of the bathroom. “The ones with the tattoos.”

Damn. She looked good in fresh clothes—a shorts set that made Jesse’s mouth water. But he had to keep his mind on business for now. Play could come later.