Always

  Robbie straightened until his legs dangled off the bed. He wasn’t going to respond to his brother’s command. They both knew Robbie would fixate on whatever he damn felt like and Auggie could kiss his ass if he thought otherwise. With a flick of his finger, he tapped the end of his nose sure his brother would remember the signal they’d developed when they were children for shut the fuck up.

  Auggie’s eyebrows sloped downwards and an alertness lacking most of the time reappeared in his brother’s gaze. Good. They were on the same page. Presumably, his twin had no idea where they were or how they got there. Robbie would have to play along as if he was in the same situation. Already, he worked to formulate a plan.

  Tatyana wouldn’t be getting rid of him so easily, and she’d be bringing her human tech with her.

  “How’d we get here?”

  Auggie shrugged and took another sip of water before he answered. “Damned if I know. We were in a dragon fight. It all gets kind of vague afterwards.”

  “Right.” He stood on fortunately steady legs. “Where are the others? Everyone here?”

  “Jack and Trevor are. They woke a little bit ago, and I sent them to procure some food. I haven’t seen the others, doubt they’re here. Although, they did find us the last time we had memory loss, didn’t they?”

  Was that a shrewd response or was his brother simply stating a fact? He’d ask him, later, when they weren’t under the cameras. “Tell Trevor to shift. I need him to run an errand for me. Have him locate the others and bring them to the following coordinates.”

  Robbie leaned over and tapped a set of numbers on Auggie’s knee. His brother nodded and displayed trust, not even a flicker of reaction to the orders sending their men into the middle of dragon territory. Robbie would always be grateful for his brother’s faith and for the way the rest of his men seemed to follow suit.

  “Robbie.” Auggie spoke low. “You know I’ll always have your back.”

  “Don’t make such a promise until you’ve had time to evaluate my next move. Be there, too. Two days. The whole group.”

  Auggie’s nod was all Robbie needed. He left the room, scooting by a medic who yelped when he looked at her. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he could see why she reacted the way she did. He really looked...rough.

  His hair was everywhere, his pupils huge, and the beard he needed to tend to made him seem more severe. Robbie usually had a five o’clock shadow. Who had time to shave all the time in the middle of a war? Yet, his disheveled appearance pushed it, even for him. Soon he’d resemble a lone wolf, hiding out in the woods talking to himself all day.

  He was about to break every kind of rule and, when command found out, they’d likely court-martial him. Yet, if he could end the war, he’d do so regardless of any personal cost. His men would be safe, and he’d see Tatyana again.

  His cock pulsed at the thought. When he’d kissed her back in the human city, he learned the secret behind his formerly vanishing libido. He’d found his mate a long time ago; she’d simply erased herself from his memory.

  No more.

  As far as he knew, no wolves ever mated with humans before. Then again, since he was the first person he knew to actually ever see—check that, remember seeing—a human, he certainly didn’t possess any expertise on the subject. It didn’t matter. She belonged to him. With her planning to leave his world, he’d take whatever time he could get.

  When he’d been fifteen, he asked his father how he would know when he’d found his mate. His old man had laughed and shook his head. Robbie, he’d said, walking over to pat him on the back. Not being with her will be so adverse to you, you’d slit your own stupid throat to sniff her again.

  He was getting ready to slit his proverbial throat, and he wanted to wring his mate’s neck for being so wrapped in danger. After he kissed her, stroked her, and got lost in her rose scented perfection again.

  Hell. He was royally screwed.

  ****

  It had been seventeen years since he’d visited what counted as his old pack’s territory. With packs dissolved, thanks to the war, they called these places towns. Although, if everyone was the same as him, they’d forever think of it as the pack it had been before the war. Unlike the ruins and the wilds where he spent most of his service, houses and buildings still stood. Those who had not fled west to seek refuge could still walk the streets relatively unmolested.

  He knew, through intel, the dragons left the area untouched thanks to a werewolf traitor who had been feeding the winged beasts secrets for so long. His brother, Dougal, had been responsible for getting the traitor killed. He was immensely proud of his younger siblings and the challenges they overcame on the front line. They were both home, and he wished he could leave them alone to enjoy their wives and children. Dougal had a son and Devon’s mate was, reportedly, pregnant.

  The trip home took almost a full day, which included him hitching a ride via one of the still functioning SUVs. Gas, like everything else, could be found on the black market. He had hours left to ruin his brothers’ night and convince them alter their lives for him. They might very well tell him to go screw off, and he wouldn’t blame them. Though he needed their help, he would be somewhat relieved to leave without them.

  Annoyed to find the door unlocked, he pushed it open. Two sets of footsteps hit the ground below. His brothers had heard him. Good boys, good ears. He smiled. They weren’t boys. They were grown men, nearly two decades older than the last time he’d laid eyes on them.

  Robbie walked into the kitchen and, using the knowledge he’d picked up at the human compound, he spotted the small camera. He planned to ask Tatyana how they’d all gotten into the houses to install the things. Dougal and Devon arrived as he ripped it from the wall.

  “I didn’t believe my nose.” Devon spoke first. The baby of the family had spent five years in a dragon prison until Auggie got word of his imprisonment. His twin had acted immediately. Although Devon didn’t know it, he’d been nearly dead at the time. Auggie had led a team in to rip him out. Robbie had been across the country with binoculars watching the dragon Queen at the time. It still pained him he hadn’t been there to help.

  “Robbie.” Dougal’s voice shook. His middle brother had lost an arm protecting his mate, who could dragon-speak, from the Queen and he was a father. Weird.

  “Well, obviously, I’m not dead.” He didn’t know how to bullshit anymore. Leading with the truth and going from there would have to do.

  “Auggie...?” Dougal’s voice drifted off in the unasked question.

  “Also not dead.”

  Silence fell and Robbie let it sit for a while. They’d never been a huggy family, and he didn’t really want to start. To do so would feel false and might shatter him. Things were so horrifically bad, he refused make it worse by losing his grip.

  “Why?” A muscle ticked in Devon’s jaw. Yes, the baby always had the worst temper. Dougal’s reaction would be different, more considered, before he exploded.

  Dougal answered before Robbie could. “They’re elite. I’d heard rumors—operatives fighting the war who pretend to be dead. I thought it was all made up. I should have realized, if such a thing existed, you and Auggie would be part of it. The best of the best, always.”

  “We can’t have any ties except the ones we make to each other, anything which might stop us from risking it all had to be gotten rid of. We needed to be ghosts, myths, so no one who would ask questions about what happened to us.” At the time, he’d been so gung ho to win the war and save them all, he’d agreed. Years had passed since he experienced any of that youthful exuberance.

  Devon took a loud breath. “Then what are you doing here? You’re not here to announce the war has ended and you can come back, are you? That would be too good to be true, I think.”

  “No.” Robbie held out the camera in his hand. “I’m afraid I’ve come back to ask for help.”

  If need be, he could play the ‘hey we rescued you two’ card, although he’d choke
on the words before he said them. He’d always considered keeping his brothers alive a duty based on the fact he’d let them think he was dead. Well, his obligation and because he loved the little bastards.

  “What do you have there?” Dougal nodded toward the camera.

  “I have a lot to explain and after I’m done if you want to throw me out on my ass you can. I wouldn’t hold it against you. I certainly don’t deserve your consideration. However, when life imploded two days ago, I couldn’t think of anyone to ask for help except my family. My men and my family. If I bring command in on what I now know...”

  He let what he didn’t say fill the room. With losses piling on losses, central command had grown corrupt and morally bankrupt. Despite the win they’d achieved, thanks to Dougal’s mate burning the eggs the year before, they were still far from defeating the dragons. Desperate men did desperate, unaccountable things—as could be evidenced by his presence.

  “Robbie.” Devon’s voice broke and he looked away for a second. When he spoke, he seemed in control. His scent fluctuated from sad to anxious to fine in a matter of seconds. For Robbie to be able to pick out an emotion from Devon at all spoke to how intense the moment was for all of them. “I thought I saw Auggie once. When they pulled me out. I’ve always accounted for the hallucination by assuming I was near death. Did I really see him?”

  “You did. He was there. When he heard you being held, he planned and led the mission to rescue you. We’re both sorry it took so long to hear of your imprisonment.”

  “And me? Did you have anything to do with mine?” Dougal stepped closer to Devon and placed his hand on his shoulder. Robbie liked seeing them close. Their relationship reaffirmed what he hoped. Good existed in the world beyond the front lines. They still had something to save.

  “I had hoped not to address the ins and outs of all of the who did what right off the bat, but since we’ve gone there and you’re going to see him if you agree to help, then I might as well tell you. Homer, who helped you when you got out of the prison, worked, well still does, for me.”

  Without another word, Dougal crossed the room and embraced him tightly with his single remaining arm. Robbie stood stiff. Shit, what was he supposed to do? It had been so long since anyone had hugged him and, except for kissing Tatyana, he’d had no physical contact outside of fighting in years.

  “Of course we’ll help you, asshat. You’re our big brother. Thanks for saving us, and fuck you for letting us think you were dead.” Dougal stepped back. “What do you need?”

  “Your mate.”

  Tatyana had made some really good points. One of which resonated with him beyond all the others. Women could be doing a lot more than they let them in the war effort. He wouldn’t put Caitlyn at risk and would never be okay with her dragon speaking any more than Dougal would allow it. However, his current mission? She was clearly the best person for the job.

  “Explain.”

  So he did.

  ****

  Taty lay in her bed watching the ceiling fan, the only source of cool air in the room since they’d had to shut off the air conditioning, spin in a slow rhythm. When she was a girl, they’d lived on the surface, protected from the werewolves by screens her father had helped design. No one to see them; no one could scent them. At night, she’d slept with the constant buzzing of the air conditioning as a white noise to distract her.

  She missed having something to lull her into sleep. Giving up any pretense , she pushed the covers away and sat. She could be packing. The shuttle would take off in five days, whether she had her stuff together or not.

  After rising, she paced the room, looking at the various knick-knacks she‘d acquired over the years. Although she’d moved into the single adult housing when she reached maturity, she’d never gone to the stars. What would it be like in space?

  Unlike some of her group, she had no interest whatsoever in finding out. When they left, and the werewolves found the compound, assuming they did before the dragons, all of her stuff would be examined. What would they make of it?

  She wished she had given Robert some kind of instructions or helpful advice for his future battles. Them—of course she meant them. Though, when she had the painting created and the old dragon books strewn around, she had been thinking of Robert. Everything she did for the werewolves had always been for him.

  Admitting that strange truth made her feel more pathetic and stalkerish.

  Her com beeped and she sighed. She supposed she should be thankful she hadn’t gone to bed. Who the hell was contacting her in the middle of the night? Taty pulled a sweatshirt over her pajama top.

  The com beeped again as she ran her hand through her hair to try to calm it. Without a tremendous amount of work, she always appeared bedraggled whenever she first got out of bed.

  Finally ready, she answered her receiver. A face appeared on the screen and she was glad she’d plastered her serene expression in place. Her sister started back at her. Jocelyn Knox had been elected chancellor two days after Taty’s thirtieth birthday. It had been a real coup. With over a decade since the last woman held the position, Jocey had been a real win for females everywhere.

  Only Jocey hadn’t turned out to be at all the kind of leader anyone—including Taty—had expected. Despite being raised by a father with a PhD and having a sister who held a medical degree, Jocey wasn’t pro-education or research.

  No, she was all about resource grabbing and space travel for the purpose of colonizing places where they could suck the planets dry and move on. Jocey didn’t seem to care in the least that by doing so, she left humanity without a homeland to return to.

  She was in charge and so, as Taty had done when they were in children, she went out of her way to try not to piss Jocey off. Their father, from what little contact she had with the man, seemed to avoid Jocey at all costs.

  “It took you a long time to answer. I didn’t expect you to be asleep considering you live in a constant state of insomnia. Did I wake you?”

  Insomniacs needed to be left alone at night to try to rest, but she wasn’t going to argue. “Sorry. I didn’t know who phoned. I wanted to be somewhat presentable.”

  “Well, I suppose I should appreciate your effort.” She and Jocey, like Gordon and the rest of the family, shared the Knox platinum blonde hair. Her blue eyes were cold, ruthless, and distant. The detachment in her sister’s gaze wasn’t anything new. Jocey had been a remote, emotionless child with singular goals by the age of eight. The fact that she managed to hide her true nature from the public during elections was a real feat for the team she employed for publicity.

  “Did you need something?” Taty would follow their father’s example. As soon as she no longer had to speak to the woman, she would find a way to avoid communication. She doubted Jocey would notice.

  “I wanted to make sure everything was set for you to leave in five days. I’m doing budgeting. After Friday I expect to have all funds allocated to something other than running the dump you won’t leave.”

  Internally, Taty sighed. Her sister wasn’t called the ice queen for nothing. “We’ll be ready to go.”

  “Great. You’ll be glad we closed the project once you move past your obsession with those animals.”

  Years ago, in her medical studies, Taty had seen a young surgeon turn around and throw her scalpel at an instructor who had been riding her for days. Apparently what triggered the response was an offhanded, offensive remark about the doctor’s late father. Those statements had been the straw which broke the camel’s back.

  Jocey’s remark had the same effect on Taty. “The animals?” She knew she should shut up but she wasn’t going to be able to. “They’re not animals. They have a beautiful, high functioning, artistic, loving society until monsters we are responsible for, as much as we are for the werewolves, attacked them with no warning. Oh wait, that’s right, we knew the dragons would attack again, which is why we abandoned the planet, leaving them to face monsters which had lived underground for years w
ithout...”

  “Taty.” Jocey hissed her name. “Shut up. I am not interested in your pro-werewolf whining. We made them. I understand. You feel badly for them. Well, guess what, sister? They’re going to be dead soon. You can write a paper no one will read on the natural birth and death of canines for all I care. Just get on that shuttle and stop costing us money.”

  Her sister disconnected the feed, leaving Taty shaking. She hadn’t gotten to finish what she wanted to say, yet she shouldn’t be surprised. Jocey never let her get a word in edgewise. A beeping sounded in her room and Taty moaned.

  What now? She marched over to the computer and stared at the signal. The proximity alarm was going off.

  “Cameras, zoom,” she instructed them before hitting the code on her computer to wake Gordon. Whenever any kind of security concern happened, the protocol stated two of them were to be aware of the situation. The idea was to prevent panic.

  Too furious with her sister to freak out over any small bump in the security shield, she obeyed protocol. The problem was immediately evident. She took a deep breath to steady her hands. The dragons had gotten too close. They were flying in nearby. She watched their movements for a moment. Taty had never been a dragon expert. Others devoted their lives to such knowledge, although they’d all left during the first exodus.

  She drummed her fingers and watched for another minute. They didn’t seem to be circling, simply flying a random pattern in what looked like a search for food.

  A knock sounded on her door. Before she called out enter, Gordon let himself in. When she got off the planet, she lock her door wherever she found herself assigned.

  “They’re feeding. Not threat. They don’t know we’re here. All the equipment is at one hundred percent. They can’t smell us or see us. The barrier gives them the willies. They don’t want to be anywhere near it and they don’t know why.” With any luck, things would stay calm for five days.

  He nodded slowly. “All right, I’ll stand down the alert.”

  She pushed buttons to stop the alert. “I owe you an apology.”