Caged Wolf (Wolves of Willow Bend Book 2) (4 page)

“Where’s Linc?”

She shook her head, and a thunderous expression filled her eyes. “He’ll be here soon.” Evasion. His mother didn’t lie to them—most wolves didn’t bother. Scenting lies was second nature, though he didn’t need his broken nose to tell him his mother hadn’t been truthful about Linc. The worry in her eyes betrayed her. She didn’t know where he was.

Something creaked awake in his soul, an old habit. He was the eldest. It was his job to look out for his brothers.

“A.J.” Tyler appeared at the top of the stairs. “Get your ass up here and shower. Mom’s been holding dinner hostage and made us clean the place twice waiting for you to get here.” Like Tyler gave a damn about cleaning. Of all of them, he was more of a neat freak than their mother. Not to mention, Ranae had gone for the food.

Unable to dredge up an argument, he pressed a kiss to his mother’s cheek. She touched his face and he stilled under the contact. “Shower, dress, and come straight down. I need to see my boy for a while.”

He hadn’t been her “boy” in years, but soaking in the scent of home, he nodded. “Yes, Mother.”

Tyler radiated impatience as A.J. navigated the stairs. His brother followed him up to the third floor where their bedrooms were. They’d had one large one until they were teens. At that point, their father divided them into three separate bedrooms, declaring no matter how close they were, they each needed their own space. It had helped curb their natural aggressions.

His brother continued his pursuit all the way into the bedroom. A.J. stopped as soon as he’d crossed the threshold.  A large bed occupied one wall, covered by the deep blue quilt his mother had made for him. On the nightstand sat three books, each with a bookmark in a different spot. Posters and photos were scattered across the walls. One showed a band he’d liked in high school, a few others were of actresses and models he’d liked to look at. The bookshelf in the corner sagged under the weight of books stacked three and four rows deep.

Nothing had changed.

It looked exactly as it had the last time he’d been home.

“Mother wouldn’t let anyone change it—or be in here.” Tyler said, nudging him further inside before he closed the door to give them a modicum of privacy. Houses in Willow Bend were built with double thick walls and oversized doors to prevent sharp ears from hearing every sound. “A.J.—Andrew—how broken are you?”

Tyler prowled right into his space, his gaze sharp and assessing.

He wanted to sigh, but held the response in check. “What has Linc done?”

“Answer me first.” His younger brother stayed in his space, a low level of menace filling the air. “How
broken
are you?”

A.J. courted patience. In the prison, he’d contended with his fair share of aggressors. Strangely, the humans had a hierarchal system of dominance, perhaps enhanced by the close quarters. He’d refrained from responding to their physical attacks. Forced himself to endure. In the beginning, he’d stared them down and they withdrew. Later, he simply didn’t care and their epithets and physical blows rolled off him.

“Tyler, I’m not playing this game with you.”

His brother grabbed his shirt. “This isn’t a—” A.J. choked off the rest of his threat by gripping his throat and slamming him into the wall.

“Not. Playing.” Dispassion flattened his aggression, he simply wanted to get to the point.

“Neither am I,” Tyler said, sobering. After A.J. released him, he rubbed his throat. “Linc’s gone to protect Vivian.”

Awareness pierced the fog and it drew back like a curtain. “Why?” She was safe. He’d seen her. She was out of prison, and she had to be safe.

“Mom won’t say anything and neither will Dad. You have a couple of days and then we have to present your case to the Alpha.”

His case? “Brother, this is not a time to be cryptic.”

“Not trying to be cryptic. You went to prison for killing a human for another human. They know something is off and, though you’ve been cleared by the human courts, you haven’t been cleared here.”

A.J. frowned. “Trial.”

“Yes, and Mason ordered Vivian’s presence. He thinks she did something to you and if she’s the reason you went to prison...she has to testify. If she lies, they’ll know.”

“Vivian didn’t do anything wrong. They need to leave her alone.”  If they tried to force her to tell the truth, if they made her talk…

“Linc’s gone to hide her. Hopefully he got there in time, but I haven’t heard from him all day.”

“Neither of you said anything.” It wasn’t a question. No matter how irritating his younger brothers could be, they would never betray him.

Tyler shook his head slowly. “No. We only found out because Mason came to speak to Mom and Dad. We received this package of evidence. I’m pretty sure it came from Vivian.”

“Evidence?” He rubbed a hand over his face.

A quick knock sounded on the door and then it opened before his mother glanced inside. “I don’t hear a shower, A.J.”

“My fault, Mom,” Tyler said. “We were talking.”

“Talk to him after he showers.” Her nose wrinkled and A.J. realized the problem. He stunk.  Order delivered, she closed the door and they waited until they couldn’t hear her on the stairs.

“What evidence?” he asked, while stripping off the ill-fitting suit.

“The evidence Ryan used to free you.” Tyler gathered up the clothes and stuffed them into a laundry basket. “Records, statements, details—most of it didn’t make sense to us, but Ryan said it was enough. Mason came and said he’d asked Ryan to take care of it, to bring you home. But pack law demands…”

“I killed a human.”

“You didn’t, but they think you did—and they think Vivian was the cause or the instigator.” Humans who’d hunted them or caused them harm faced one fate and one fate only.

His wolf roused, as though one eye cracked open. “I will not let them kill her.”

Chapter Three

Vivian’s head thundered and her tongue seemed glued to her teeth. The taste in her mouth didn’t bear considering. Slowly resurfacing into the world turned out to be an unpleasant experience. After forcing her eyes open, one at a time, she stared through a blurry sheen toward—what the hell was she staring at? Elbows braced, she sat, then scrubbed at her eyes.

Tree trunks fitted so closely together…not trunks—a log cabin. Rough-hewn, so the bark still kept its natural look. Not her apartment in St. Louis or the facility in Arizona. Fabric rustled and she jerked around in time to see a petite blonde with skin the color of caramel and perfectly toned and tan enter the room with a tray. Barefoot, she wore jeans and a colorful off the shoulder blouse. If she’d been anywhere else, Vivian would have thought ‘college student’ the moment she spotted her.

Or dismissed her as too young and a college student then done my best to forget about the memories the word college drums up.
 Vivian’s pulse spiked and she opened her mouth to say something. A croak escaped, then she coughed.

“Oh, you’re awake. Easy,” College-Aged Barbie rushed over with the tray perfectly balanced. “I brought you some water and aspirin.”

Gratitude for the drink evaporated when a second figure stepped into the open doorway. The man Linc called Owen—he’d held Linc by his throat and the woman had grabbed Vivian. Touching a hand to her face, Vivian winced. Her mouth wasn’t only dry, it was swollen.

“Easy, it’s pretty bruised.”

“Keep your distance—” Owen ordered, but the young woman set the tray down, then whirled to give him a look.

“Out. She’s recuperating and she wouldn’t even be in this state if you’d done your job.” Petite girl had some fire.

Owen’s eyes narrowed and his jaw flexed. Inscrutable didn’t begin to cover his expression, but Vivian had no desire to meet his fierce gaze. When he glanced at her, she looked at the glass of water. Maybe if she cooperated, they would all go away and she could get the hell out of here.

“Leave her alone, Owen.” The girl reached for Vivian’s wrist. At first, she thought she was checking her pulse, but warmth crept up her arm and chased away some of the cobwebs cluttering her brain.

Uncertain of what the hell it meant, Vivian pulled free. The warmth evaporated and she rubbed her wrist. “Water, please?”

Frogs sounded better than she did, but her caretaker didn’t seem to take offense. She passed the glass to her. The first drop past her parched lips awoke a fresh set of aches and pains. The corners of her mouth had split. She tasted blood in her mouth and her throat hurt, period.

A knock drew dark, and broody Owen from the door, but Barbie stayed put. The girl had a perfect complexion and not even one line marred the smoothness of her forehead. “Drink slower. We have plenty, but I think we should ease you into fluids. Are you sure I can’t help you with the bruises?”

Bruises?

“Not right now, Gillian.” Another man entered, as tall as Owen, but with darker hair and a rakish expression. Thick-bodied—did they make them any other way? Linc, Owen, and this guy all had it in common.

“Be nice to her, Mason. She just woke up and I don’t think she feels as good as she’s pretending.” Instead of leaving, however, the pixie retreated to the tray and Mason walked to the center of her little room and swung a chair out. He sat and stared at her.

Vivian didn’t think she’d been pretending anything. The thud of her heart was so loud, she wouldn’t have found it surprising if they could hear it. With all three of them watching her, she had no chance of escaping. Maybe if she threatened them with the FBI or the cops—
who am I kidding?
Owen had put Linc down like he didn’t matter and she’d seen what he and his brothers could do.
A.J.?
Was this about him? Her breath came in shallow pants.

“Miss Knox?” The question in Mason’s tone seemed to be an afterthought. Wanting to look anywhere but at him, she cleared her throat.

“I was brought here against my will. If you would be so kind as to let me go, I’ll forget this happened and not call the police.”

Her statement had very little effect. He didn’t even raise his eyebrows. “I will apologize for Margo’s heavy handedness. I asked her to escort you here, not to knock you unconscious.” He wasn’t done, however. “You sent us a file a few weeks ago.”

It is about A.J..
Suddenly thirsty all over again, she wanted another drink, but her glass was empty. A quick glance at the tray revealed a pitcher. Judging herself steady enough to handle it, she reached over to grasp the handle. Gillian interceded, pouring more water for her.

“Thank you,” Vivian said, her voice still rough and raw.

“Miss Knox?”

“What?” It came out snappier than she’d intended, but really, she owed them no politeness after they’d dragged her here.

If her tone bothered Mason, he didn’t show it. Course, what did she know? These three were all strangers.  

“Where is Linc?”
And A.J.? He’s free, right? It worked. I know it did, I was there.
 

“He’s not your concern.”

The hell it wasn’t. “He was trying to help me.”

“He interfered and made a bad situation worse. Miss Knox, we can clear this up quickly or you can keep fighting us, it’s up to you.”

Outrage flooded her. “You show up at my apartment, kidnap me, drag me to God knows where, and now you’re questioning me on why the hell I would fight you?” She managed to meet his gaze despite the crushing urge to look away. “Fuck. You.”

Owen’s expression turned forbidding, but not Mason’s. If anything, his mouth softened as though he were about to smile. “My mate wouldn’t approve, but I think she’d like you. You’re correct, Miss Knox, we did bring you here. It will go better for all of us if you simply cooperate.”

She wanted to give him her middle finger, but her earlier argument had taken every ounce of her courage. “I sent you a file. It held everything I could find on his case. I
helped
him. Why are you doing this?”

“Because, the issue isn’t settled or over.”

Her heart stuttered.
What?
“But he’s free. I was there. The judge released him.” What had happened in the…however long it had been since she’d seen him in the courtroom?

“Yes, from the human prison system.” Had his voice gentled?

So the human system—the one that had failed him then released him. But his people would, what? “Is he in trouble with your people?” She didn’t say his kind, although she thought it. They weren’t people.
They’re more, and I can’t really deal with those facts right now.
 

Mason closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“No,” she said, startling herself with the off-pitched note riding the single syllable. “You don’t get to look tired. Your people—your…whatever the hell you call yourselves? You abandoned him.” A.J. and his brothers could never be called something so simple as ‘people.’ It had taken her years to reconcile what she’d witnessed, but she refused to flee the truth. “You abandoned him, left him to rot. I didn’t. I fought for him.”

“I’m glad,” Mason said, his voice too soft and too even to mean anything good. “Because you may have to fight for him again.”

Whatever explanation he may have offered for his cryptic remark was lost to the clatter of feet hitting a porch. A door beyond the room she sat in burst open. Owen turned and Mason was on his feet. The girl—Gillian, Mason had called her—rushed to her side to take a position between Vivian and the door.

“Where is she?” A harsh, guttural sound roughed his voice, but she recognized it anyway.

A.J..

“Enough Andrew.” Unlike when he’d spoken to her, Mason said the words in a whip crack tone, demanding attention. Owen had disappeared from the doorway and the distinct sounds of scuffling—boots scraping on wood—reached her ears.

“Where. Is. She?” A.J. surged into the door and shrugged off Owen as though the man hadn’t put his brother down. Still drawn, nearly as haggard as he’d seemed in the courtroom, the sight of him threatened to undo her. His eyes, pitch black and not remotely human, locked on her. “Vivian.”

“I’m all right.” Lying probably wasn’t the way to begin their reunion, but she wanted to soothe the desperation clinging to him. “A.J.…”
It’s been so long.
“I’m okay.”