Taming Travis [Wolves of Climax 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (4 page)

“But if the Rockfords aren’t the enemy, what do we have to worry about?” asked Matthew.

There was still much to tell his pack mate. He’d essentially returned in the midst of their ongoing problems. Some of the mysteries were solved—the wolf killings, the Rockford involvement in the disappearance, and who took Matthew. But there was still that note on Cassidy’s door, a new war with the loggers, and a suspicious half brother who suddenly disappeared.

“She stays with us.”

* * * *

Travis shifted into his skin to join Garret and Evan by the freshwater river cutting across the land. They’d been hunting the Rockfords for over twenty-four hours, rarely stopping to rest. He wanted to collapse, but continued to follow Garret’s lead. His alpha was obsessed, determined to get his retribution and hopefully answers. In honesty, Travis had secretly given up hope of finding Matthew alive. He wanted Garret to move on rather than let his grief and obsession take control of him.

Evan bent over the water’s edge and splashed water over his face. “We need food,” he said. “I feel weak.”

“We have to keep going,” said Garret, pacing the grassy bank. The snow-peaked mountains loomed in the distance, acres of forest carpeting the valleys ahead. How would they find the Rockfords in this natural maze?

Travis gripped his alpha’s shoulder. “Get it together, Garret. If we don’t refuel, we’ll be no good in a fight. I saw plenty of game along the last mile.”

“Fine. Go.”

Travis didn’t wait for him to change his mind. He shifted back into his fur and darted into the underbrush. He’d seen a group of three female white-tailed deer about half a mile back. One of them would be more than enough for the three of them to get their fill. He’d make the kill, and then shift so he could carry the prize back to the river.

As he crept through the unfamiliar terrain, he couldn’t help but wonder how Cassidy and Patrick were doing. If any of the Rockford wolves had stayed behind, Patrick would have to defend her on his own. He knew the red wolf would die protecting her, even if he didn’t admit to loving her. When men were as close to each other as they were—living, working, and playing together—it was easy to gauge their emotions. Patrick loved the human girl as much as Garret and Evan, but refused to show it. Perhaps he was terrified of rejection, or scared of his own feelings. Travis could understand somewhat. Most of the Gregor Pack consisted of misfit shifters coming together in search of a sense of belonging. They’d found it in each other, but adding a mate would further bond them as a single unit.

Travis had to let go of his own fears. He’d come from the southern US, running from certain extinction and in search of a new beginning. His life experiences had hardened him somewhat, so when he came to Climax, he fit right in with the Gregor miners. They were all badass shifters with a chip on their shoulders. Together they were a new kind of family.

The wind shifted, and Travis stopped to test the air. He could scent the deer he hunted, but something more. In a sensory overload, he knew the Rockford wolves were near. So was Cassidy. What the fuck was the little filly doing way out here? Was it his imagination? Travis’s tracking skills were well honed. If he could smell her unique fragrance, she was near. A whirlwind of conflicting choices filled his head. The game would have to wait, despite his hunger. The Rockford wolves could be closing in on his woman. Should he go in search of her immediately, or return to the river half a mile back to collect Evan and Garret? On his own he may not be able to handle several enemy wolves, but he also couldn’t risk stalling by getting reinforcements.

Travis summoned his inner strength, shook out his coat, and dashed toward the scent of the human girl who’d already captured his heart.

* * * *

Cassidy was glad she’d listened to Patrick and Matthew about wearing multiple layers. The further north they traveled, the more the temperature dropped. They also traveled uphill, higher into the mountains. Both men wore blue jeans and padded checkered jackets. They looked like regular Canadian hunters, Patrick complete with a toque over his red hair. She found it odd that neither of them carried a rifle. If they ran into a threat, they’d have no way to protect themselves. These forests were dense, and the overcast day allowed little light through the thick weaving of leafy branches above. Cassidy had a thing against forests since coming to Climax. She usually ran into trouble, or wolves, once she traveled deep enough. It was probably why she continually checked to see that Matthew and Patrick were near.

“I’m tired,” she said. They men may be able to move through the forest like tireless animals, but she wasn’t cut out for so much legwork. Every muscle cried out for reprieve, especially her thighs and feet. Once they’d traveled as far as they could by truck, they had to get out and hike.

“You wanted to come, little one. You have to keep up if we’re to find Garret before sundown,” said Patrick.

She didn’t like the idea of being out here in the open elements after dark. They had no tent and no food. She wanted to find the men as much as Patrick to put an end to this nightmare, but they were ill-prepared, and her doubts grew more the deeper they hiked. Maybe she should have stayed alone at the cabin. They’d have a better chance of finding the others without her slowing them down.

“I can’t.” Cassidy felt terrible for giving up, but her body could only take so much punishment. Not only was she hungry and thirsty, her body slick from perspiration, but she had to rest.

“Give her a few minutes. She’s not like us,” said Matthew. He crouched down to where she rested on a downed log, placing his hand on her thigh. His shoulders were so broad, his green eyes penetrating, even in the dim lighting. “Does this feel better?” he asked as he began to massage the aching muscles in her legs. His hands were so strong, kneading her in just the right places.

She closed her eyes and exhaled. “Yes, thank you.”

Matthew’s hands shifted slowly up her legs. The world went away for the few minutes before his grip tightened enough to make her gasp.

“Wolves.”

“Fuck,” said Patrick. “Protect the girl.”

“Red!” Matthew called out after him, but he ran off into the forest.

“What’s going on? What wolves?” Her heart began to accelerate. She’d zoned out slightly as Matthew had massaged her, but not enough that she wouldn’t hear a wild animal approaching. If Matthew and Patrick had heard something, why hadn’t she?

“Shhh.” He held a finger to his lips.

They stayed frozen in suspended animation until a scuffle ensued in the direction Patrick had taken. “Matthew…”

He shook his head. “Don’t talk. Just head back the way we came. No matter what you hear, don’t come looking for us,” he whispered.

“But—”

Matthew stood up and pulled her to her feet, giving her a little shove. “I’ll find you.”

Then he raced off to join Patrick. What were they thinking? They’d fight wolves with their bare hands? This was getting crazier by the minute, and she was left in a familiar and most unwelcome predicament again. At least she could see, but the forest was still foreboding, and she could scarcely recall which way they’d traveled. It all looked the same, each tree no different than the last.

If Matthew told her to get far from their current location, she had no choice but to trust him. She began to clop through the thick vegetation, trying to listen for any sounds out of the ordinary. It was so quiet, it was deafening. Was that a good sign? At least she didn’t hear screams of pain or calls for help.

“Gotcha.” Strong arms jutted out from the left, wrapping around her torso. Her arms were pinned to her sides as she was lifted up and pulled off the makeshift trail.

When she was released, she whirled around, coming face-to-face with Travis. “Travis!” She wrapped her arms around his neck, sinking into his familiar scent. He felt like home after being so uprooted the last couple days.

“I knew you were here. But why?”

“We came to find you. Matthew and Patrick are just up ahead. At least they were a few minutes ago.”

“Matthew? What are you talking about, darlin’?”

She recalled that Garret, Evan, and Travis knew nothing about Matthew’s return. The missing crewman was the main reason they were off in search of the Rockford miners in the first place. “Matthew. He’s back. He’s home.”

He shook his head, his brow lowered. “That’s not possible.”

“It’s true. He was held captive by some crazed loggers, not the Rockford miners. We have to find Garret and tell him the truth.”

Travis nodded slowly. A clap of thunder sounded overhead, capturing his attention. He stared up at the sky through the network of space between the leaves above. “Rain. We have to find shelter.”

“But, Garret, Matthew…”

“They’ll find each other. Right now I have to get you to safety. A storm out here isn’t like anything you’re used to in the lower mainland, baby doll.”

She didn’t want to leave the immediate area without the other four men, but Travis was insistent. He looked tired, his blond hair in disarray. She wouldn’t argue with him. Cassidy lightly touched his jawline, which garnered his full attention. His blue eyes seemed to glow brighter for a moment, but he said nothing.

“I’m scared,” she admitted. Too much was happening at once. She’d come to Climax to enjoy her grandfather’s legacy and start a new career as dispatcher for Gregor Mining. But she’d barely worked since arriving, involved in one goose chase after another. Even though she hadn’t been in town long, Travis was familiar, a comfort in such uncertain times. She wanted to hold on and never let go.

“No need for that.” He kissed her forehead, before prodding her deeper into the brushwood. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”

If only she could believe that, but he was just a flesh-and-blood man, and they were far from civilization. “Wait a minute. Where are your clothes?” She realized the strong shoulders she held were bare, and when she looked down, he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing.

“Long story.”

“Inside,” Travis said. The storm he’d felt in the air for hours had arrived. It warned the world below of what was to come with a great rumbling, which shook the core of the earth.

There was an old weather station he knew of. It was the perfect place to bunker down until the worst of the storm eased. When humans got cold and drenched this far in the wilderness, they often became seriously ill. He couldn’t risk anything happening to Cassidy.

The door was locked, so he kicked it open, no time to worry about what Cassidy would think. Not only was rain imminent, but the Rockford wolves weren’t far off. The door crashed against the inside wall creating a hollow echo in the empty room. He quickly secured the door shut and then leaned against it to catch his breath.

“And why are you naked, again?”

He smirked. She was adorable. Even under the most trying circumstances, she could brighten his mood. He needed to eat, rest, fuck—in no particular order—but all he could think about now was her sweet smile.

“Well, I was tracking down some bad guys and I thought, maybe, just maybe, Cassidy would come along. So I concluded it would be best to be ready.”

“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes and began to explore the small room. There were two windows, an old wooden table, one chair, and a nearly empty bookshelf. She blew the dust off one of the books. “You expect me to believe that story, Travis?”

He shrugged, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around the small of her waist. “You should know by now we’re anything but ordinary in Climax.”

“You’re telling me…”

“At least you’re dressed nice and warm. Patrick make you wear all these layers?”

She twisted in his arms, resting against his chest. Her trust soothed his wolf. It wasn’t often outsiders didn’t look at him with fear in their eyes. But he supposed he’d given up on being civil over a decade ago, so he deserved his reputation.

“Patrick
and
Matthew.”

He still couldn’t believe it was true. Matthew was back, home from the dead. He felt guilty because Garret had been right to keep searching when he’d been close to giving up entirely.

“You saw him? With your own eyes?”

She ran the pad of her thumb over his lower lip. Was that adoration in her gaze? He was a washed-out cowboy, certainly not deserving of Cassidy’s love. “I did more than just see him. We spent two nights together before coming out here. He’s just as Garret described him.”

“A pain in the ass?” He chuckled. Matthew was full of life, and the pack was lacking since his disappearance. There may have been more space in their little cabin, but he’d much rather his friend back where he belonged. He wondered if Matthew felt the same pull from Cassidy that the rest of them had.

“He’s been through a lot. Some crazy loggers actually had him locked up like a prisoner. They starved him and God knows what else. As soon as we get back to the mine, we have to call the police. They can’t get away with this.”

“Loggers took him, not the Rockfords?”

“I told you. It was all a big misunderstanding. That’s what we came out here to tell you. One of the Rockford miners was kidnapped, too. He let Matthew free.”

Travis had had blood on his mind for their rivals. It was a good thing Cassidy showed up with the news when she did. The gods knew Garret wouldn’t have stopped until not a single Rockford breathed. They still weren’t off the hook. Corbin had put his filthy paws on Cassidy, and that wouldn’t go unpunished. Although part of the blame lay with Garret for not marking her properly, they still knew she was Gregor property. Their scent was all over her, inside and out.

“Interesting.” He brushed her hair back, captivated by everything about the little human. What was happening to him? Should he give in to his desires or continue to fight them? Sex was one thing, but love? Travis wasn’t sure he was capable of giving himself over completely. As soon as intimacy entered the picture, he usually retreated behind his virtual walls. Even a kiss was often too much to handle.