Alpha’s Challenge

  “I can’t believe Cade didn’t tell me that. But enough for now on that. What’s going on?”

  “I think Ben smelled something. Hiroshi too. They’ll change at the lab and we’ll hear then. It felt different when we went down that last block.”

  Jack looked at Tegan and nodded. “It did. We may have been watched.” They pulled up at the lab and Hiroshi and Ben jumped in.

  “Go,” Ben barked and they sped away.

  “What the hell is going on?” Grace demanded.

  “You’re going back to Seattle right now. There are Pellini wolves in that neighborhood. I don’t know if we’ve been made or not but I need to run him to ground and you need to be out of the fucking state when I do it or Cade will personally kill me.” Ben got on the phone and began to order people around on the other end. Benoit did the same and Grace sighed.

  “This is stupid. I can help.” Grace said it knowing it was useless.

  “Don’t cross your arms over your chest and look stubborn. You have helped. We wouldn’t have walked through every neighborhood in a fifteen-mile radius just sniffing the air. Who’d have thought your brother would be holed up in some blue-collar neighborhood? I’d have pegged him for a mansion like your parents lived in,” Tegan said. “You did your part, Grace. Now it’s our turn. Heavily armed, specially trained people need to do this.”

  “No arguments, Grace. I’m taking you back like I promised.” Jack ignored her pout and they headed straight for the airport where they shoved her on a plane, she ordered them to stay safe and they took off.

  “Are you hungry, Grace?” Dave asked as they reached safe altitude to move around.

  “Yes. Yes I am. Shall I help you make something?”

  “Sit and let me help for a change. The galley should be well stocked. Cade called ahead yesterday.” Dave went to the back of the jet and Grace slid her shoes off and tucked her feet beneath her.

  “Are you all right?” Jack asked.

  “Worried about them. My brother is unstable. Dangerous. If something happens to any of them—” She broke off, unable to even contemplate how Cade and the others would react.

  “It’s our job. It’s what an Enforcer does, Grace. Ben is specially trained as a cop, Tegan has been in the Enforcer corps since she was barely out of her teens. All those wolves back there know their shit. Your brother has to be taken out, there’s simply no other way at this point. Benoit said a human was caught in the crossfire between wolves. That sort of thing puts us all in even more danger. If humans get involved, we’re in big trouble.”

  Dave brought back a big tray filled with food and they all tucked in and ate. She was tired and worried but she knew to eat or Cade would be upset and it wouldn’t do her any good to let herself get worn down.

  Afterward, Jack had put a blanket over her and pulled her against him. “Rest now. We’ve got hours to go yet.”

  It wasn’t as hard as she’d thought to fall asleep surrounded by Dave’s and Jack’s scent.

  * * *

  Lex paced at the private airfield. Anxiety rode his nerves and he wasn’t sure what it was. His people had gone over the field an hour before and all was clear. It was probably Nina. She’d been pissed off that he’d made her stay back at the house. Could be his brother too. Cade was livid but Lex had refused to let his brother come to get Grace. Two Alphas at the airfield in a time of war? Absurd. And there was the little fact of hello, Lex Warden, big bad Enforcer?

  “Megan, you there?” he asked into the wrist mic.

  “I’m here.” He’d stationed her at the other end of the field to keep an eye on things. She had a good eye, one of the very few people he trusted totally.

  “Something feel off to you?”

  “Yes. But I’ve checked in with everyone and so far so good. I’m sure it’s just the stress of not hearing back from Tee yet.”

  The control tower let them know the plane would be landing momentarily and they moved back as the sleek, small jet taxied down the runway and came to a halt.

  He saw Dave come down the steps followed by Jack and then a glimpse of Grace and Hiroshi after her. Breathing a sigh of relief, he motioned to have the car brought close and walked to greet them.

  He wasn’t able to stop his grin at the sight of his sister-in-law. So serious, intellectual and compassionate, but she had a quirky sense of humor and God knew she adored Cade. On top of that, she kept Nina in line, which he had to admire in a big way.

  “Okay, everyone can let me go now.” She tried to get around them to move toward the car but looked up to see Lex and smiled. “Hey, any news?”

  He put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Nothing. But they had to plan and get ready. Lots of humans in the area so they’re probably just watching and waiting for dark.”

  He opened the door and that’s when he heard it.

  Jack had too and shoved her down, landing on top of her. A helicopter had dropped three wolves carrying automatic weapons onto the tarmac and as they ran toward the car, they shot.

  “Get her in the car, now!” Lex screamed and Jack moved faster than any wolf Lex had ever seen. In one deft toss, Grace landed in the car and Jack slammed the door, staying just outside.

  Megan came running and in a moment of utter unreality, Lex watched a bloom of red cover her chest. She looked down and then fell. Lex transformed and charged their attackers as his own people came from all corners of the airfield, shooting, growling, transforming.

  “Oh my God!” Grace shoved at Jack to get out but he held her there as she watched Megan get shot. She realized it was their normal car and she riffled under the seat until she found her traveling bag. Just a basic medical bag but she thanked the heavens she’d been compulsive enough to carry it everywhere before going out the other door and running around the back of the car toward Megan.

  Dave saw her and moved to grab her as Jack growled her name and charged. But she was an Alpha, damn it, she was fast and powerful and she would not let anyone but her brother’s people die out there that day. She jumped around Dave who knocked into the last standing attacker. The wet sounds of teeth meeting flesh and strangled cries sounded in her ears right as the white-hot pain of a bullet ripped through her chest.

  But she kept moving until she reached Megan.

  “Megan, honey, you have to change. You have to. I can’t help you. Not like this.” She leaned down and spoke in her sister-in-law’s ear. “The wound is too much. You can’t heal as a human. Come on, I order you to change, damn it. Bring your wolf, Megan. Come on!”

  Her fingers were slick with blood as she grabbed Megan to hold her close. She realized it was her own as her left arm began to go numb.

  “Grace! Fuck, fuck. You’ve been shot. Damn it, why didn’t you stay put?” Jack reached her and fell to his knees. “Come on. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  She turned to him and snarled. “I’m not going anyfuckingwhere! This is my sister, she’s my wolf and she has to change or she will die. You will help me bring her wolf and you’ll do it now. Lex!” she screamed and Lex approached, naked from his shift back to human form. Grief on his face when he saw Megan.

  “Shit, Grace, you’re... No, not both of you. Get in the car or I will put you in the trunk.”

  “We’re wasting time! Bring her wolf! She can be healed if we bring her wolf. Now. Damn it, now.”

  And the whip crack of authority in her voice finally made them hear her. Both men looked to Megan who barely breathed and began to chant at her, put their hands on her, ordered her wolf to emerge.

  And then in a shower of power, weak and warm but there nonetheless, Megan found her wolf.

  “Get her into the car and back to the house now.” Grace stood and fell to her knees.

  “Hospital.” Jack picked her up and Lex his sister and they jumped into the c
ar.

  “No. Not the hospital. They’ll have to make a police report. We can’t risk any more exposure. Take me home. I have medical supplies there, I’ve stored them just in case. Let me transform once I know Megan is all right. For now—” she paused as more blood pulsed from the hole just inches above her heart “—the bullet passed through. Silver. Tear strips from your shirt and pack the wound. I’m losing blood.” The Pack doctor had headed to the haven as there were several pregnant women who needed her care. Grace had to stay human until she knew all was well.

  Dave drove the car faster than was totally safe but Hiroshi kept an eye out for anyone following and called ahead to the house.

  Grace slumped back into Jack, feeling his anxiety and worry for her. “Grace, you have to be all right. Change now.”

  She shook her head. “Can’t. If I do, I may be too weak to change right back. If Megan needs me...”

  She lapsed in and out of consciousness. A normal bullet and her metabolism would already be healing but the silver, even just passing through was poisoning her, impeding healing.

  “Cade is going to rip my head off.” Lex brushed the hair away from her face. “You were hell on wheels out there today, Grace. You saved Megan’s life. But if you ever disobey like that again, I’m gonna kick that tiny little ass.”

  “And whose army?”

  “You shouldn’t let her hang around Nina so much,” Dave called from the front seat. “We’re here. Hold on, they’re opening the gates for us now.”

  “Megan on the low table in the living room. Bring my supplies.” Grace had to do that one last thing and then she could transform.

  She heard Hiroshi relay the order and allowed herself to rest again. It began to hurt to breathe and she figured there was internal bleeding to deal with as well.

  They skidded to a stop and the doors yanked open. Cade. The scent of Cade rushed through her system as Jack got out, still holding her.

  “What the fuck? Whose blood is that?” Cade demanded in the background. They apparently hadn’t told him, which was wise. Hiroshi began to explain as Jack followed Lex and took them into the living room. She heard Cade’s bellow of anger in the background.

  People rushed around Megan but Grace pushed them back until she could ascertain Megan was all right. Her breathing was normal as was her blood pressure. Grace turned in slow motion to see Cade, throwing aside the wolves who’d been trying to hold him back while she did her check. She coughed and wiped a hand over her lips, staining her skin scarlet. Lovely.

  “Okay,” she whispered and fell to her knees. Cade surrounded her, crying out her name as she let her wolf take over.

  * * *

  Cade saw her as the car door opened and Jack stepped out, holding her. Her entire left side was covered in blood. He remembered thinking Megan must have lost a lot of blood. He’d felt pain through the link and weakness but he hadn’t figured... Hers, the blood was hers.

  He found himself surrounded by wolves as they rushed past him into the house. Dave explained what had happened, told him he needed to hold back until they knew Megan was all right so Grace would allow her wolf to take over so she could heal.

  He’d run to follow, screaming her name, feeling her through their link weaker and weaker. They held him as she checked Megan, his family anxious, wanting her to finish up for Megan’s and Grace’s sake. He’d tossed off five wolves and finally reached her just as she wiped her hand over her face, smearing blood over her terribly pale skin.

  Terror like he’d never felt took hold of him and they were surrounded, surrounded by Pack as they lent love and touch, and she’d changed. He’d found himself cradling her wolf, the small, honey-gold wolf that held his mate’s heart and soul.

  He’d put his face to her fur and wept.

  Chapter Twelve

  Grace woke up, naked and wrapped up in hard, male werewolf. Another hard, male werewolf opened his eyes and looked at her. Blue as the summer sky.

  Behind her, Cade startled awake and sat up. Jack looked to him. “Our girl is awake.” She turned to Cade and watched as the worry etched his forehead. “Honey? Are you all right? How are you feeling?” He ran his hands all over her body and despite her state of health, she responded quite resoundingly.

  “Well, um, you’re going to embarrass me if you don’t stop that,” she said, reaching up to take his hand and bring it to her lips.

  “You do smell much better aroused than at death’s door, Grace. And don’t be embarrassed on my account.” Jack spoke in the background. “I’m going to go and let everyone know you’re awake. I’ll do my best to stop a stampede.”

  She heard the door close and looked back to Cade. “I’m all right.”

  “You nearly died, Grace. You disobeyed your Enforcer and put yourself right in harm’s way and today you are going to the haven. Period.”

  She sat up and put pillows at her back. “I will do no such thing. And I don’t take orders not to save my wolves so fuck right off.”

  His eyes widened. “Did you just say fuck?”

  “I’m not a precious little princess, Cade Warden. I can say the big bad words when they’re called for and being told to sit by when one of my wolves is bleeding to death on the asphalt just ten feet away from me is one of those occasions. Oh and I’m not going to the haven so forget that right now.”

  “You would have died if you hadn’t changed into a wolf right when you did.” His widened eyes then narrowed with frustration.

  “So used to being obeyed, aren’t you?” She kissed the hand she still held. “Well, tough. I’m the doctor here. I had about three more minutes before I would have lost consciousness and most likely died either from my lungs, which were pretty messed up, or blood loss. But I didn’t die. Now, how is Megan and have you heard anything from Chicago?”

  He got off the bed and brought back a shirt, which he put on over her head. “People are going to be in here any second and I don’t want them to see your beautiful breasts. They’re all mine.” He tucked the blankets around her and as he got back onto the bed next to her, Megan opened the door and rushed inside, tears in her eyes.

  “Thank God you’re all right. You saved my life, Grace. You risked your own to save me. I can’t even...” She lost her words on tears.

  “You’re my wolf. My family. I love you and I’d die for you. You have to know that. Not that I planned to get shot in the chest, let’s be clear, I wasn’t showing off or anything. How are you?” Grace took her pulse and looked into her eyes until Cade cleared his throat.

  “Sit your pretty little butt back down. She’s fine. It’s been a day. She went for a run earlier this morning and was able to transform back a few hours ago. You transformed back into human form last night but stayed asleep. I spoke with the Pack doctor and she said to leave you that way so we did.” Cade pulled her against his body and she let herself melt into him.

  “Chicago?”

  “Pushy. They found your brother’s house, their Pack house. He was gone. They did apprehend several wolves though and Ben is questioning them. They also found the viral stores, Grace. They’re destroyed now and the data is being couriered here by hand. I figured it would be helpful.”

  She tried to sit again and Cade merely tightened his arms to keep her in place. “What? You can’t tell me you have all this info on the way and then not let me get to the lab to make ready for it.”

  “Oh but I can. That’s what’s so cool about being Alpha and all. The best thing is that you’re still too weak to fight me on it just yet. I’ll get you to the lab when the time is right. But for now, keep that pretty little ass right here in bed.”

  “Enough of that, you two. Let’s get you fed. You need to get your strength back up.” Tracy pushed into the room holding a tray and put it over her legs. “Thank you, Grace.” Tracy kissed her cheek. “You saved my s
ister’s life. You were a true Alpha out there.”

  “You honor me. Anyway, no harm. I’m all right. Megan let me examine her and I feel much better. What’s the status of all the Great Lakes wolves?” She bit into the warm meatloaf and instantly began to feel better.

  Cade sighed. “Two of Ben and Tegan’s Enforcers were injured, one severely. But no deaths. No sign of your parents either. Now eat, damn it. You don’t have a single ounce extra on you to fritter away. Everyone else needs to get out so you can rest.”

  “I’d like to speak to Jack and Lex please,” she said around a mouthful of potatoes au gratin. “Who made this? It’s really good.”

  “Thank you, pretty. It’s an old bachelor recipe.” Gabe smiled at her, kissed the top of her head and nodded to Cade. “Shall I take up with the meetings?”

  “You’ve delayed them all this time? Cade, go on. I’m fine.”

  Cade looked to Gabe. “I’ll be there in about an hour. Can you send Lex and Jack this way in about half an hour please?”

  Once everyone had filed out and Grace’s belly was full and round like a melon, she sat back with a sigh.

  “Don’t you ever, ever fucking do that again.” Cade’s wolf flashed in his eyes. “Do you know what it felt like? Seeing you there? Watching you die? Because I won’t do it again. Ever. Damn you for getting out of that car. Damn you for not changing on the way back once Megan had transformed. Why did you wait?”

  She turned and straddled his lap, curling into him like a kitten. “In the first place, I’m sorry. I am. I can’t imagine but the idea of seeing you that way makes me sick to my stomach. I didn’t do it on purpose. It wasn’t like I planned it but she was out there all alone. Bleeding out. Your sister was dying because she tried to protect me and I’m a doctor! I’m her Alpha and it was my duty and one I did without hesitation. And I’d do it again. I waited because I wanted to be sure she survived the transformation. I knew once I changed I’d be out and if she needed me once we got here to the house and I was a wolf, how could I help? You’d have done it. I didn’t do it to be heroic or anything like that. I did it because it’s what I needed to do. I’d be pissed if you did it too, I’ll say that up front. I’m into equal opportunity hypocrisy. But I want you to understand I didn’t do it to be flip and I did it knowing I was taking a chance. But I couldn’t not act.”