Unchained (Wolf in Exile Part 2): Werewolf Shifter/Vampire Paranormal Romance (3 page)

It took awhile for his glow to dim and finally fade away. She knew it was gone because his body temperature began to return to normal.

He kissed her on the forehead and placed a quilt over their bodies. With the light from the fire, she saw him lift something round from a miniature box.

“What’s that?”

“Your ticket out of here.”

Her heart dropped. Out of here meant away from him. He’d explained why he couldn’t leave before. Why did she feel this way, like a hole was opening up inside of her? She should have felt ecstatic at the notion of breaking free of the shifter prison.

“I’m a threat to your life. I can extend your time tenfold by offering you as much of my DNA as you will take, and ensure that you have access to more in the future, but your life will never be the same again if I physically stay in it.”

“But I want you in—”

“—Kalena! Don’t make this harder than it already is. Push the button, and tomorrow we will meet the choppers by the lake we visited today. If something happens to me, you will go to the ravine and get on the helicopter.”

“But—”

“—You will tell them that their Alpha sent you. They will know you’re telling the truth with my DNA fresh in your system.”

“Alpha?”

“Yes, I’m an Alpha. Leader of my Pack.” He handed her the round device. “Push the button.”

She hesitated. “Are you ever gonna get out of here?”

“Yes. If I have to serve a small amount of time in exile while my followers obtain what they need from Silex, I will do that. And if I never get out of here, then my life will be the price paid for a problem my family caused in the first place. Before I die, or anyone else dies…I want to resolve the problem. Understood?”

She nodded. “I understand.”

He stroked the cleft on her chin. “I care about you deeply, but my responsibilities are tenfold, just like my life expectancy. My world is a world of trouble, and it has always been that way. I can’t bring you into it. When you marry a man, he should treat you like you are the only thing that matters in his world.”

“I will never marry a man, Thane,” she said, defiantly.

“Why not?”

“Because when you get out of this hell-hole, I will owe my life to you because you saved it.” She pushed the button firmly. “When you’re not under so much stress, then you can tell me if you never want to see me again. Don’t make me wait too long though. Especially now that you’ve just extended my life.”

“I had a feeling you were stubborn.” He hugged her close. “Lay next to me for a couple more hours, and then we’ll head out.”

Kalena smiled and laid her head right next to his heart. She didn’t want to let go, but sooner or later, she’d have to.

T
he sound
of pounding rain beating against the door of the hut tore Thane from his slumber. He rose from the cot at the same moment that Kalena sprang awake next to him. They couldn’t have been asleep for more than an hour. The rumbling of the storm outside couldn’t have caused the physical beating on the doorframe.

He growled and got up, not even bothering to jump into his jeans. If he needed to shift, he didn’t need them in his way.

“Thane?”

“Stay there. I’m going to check the door.”

As he got closer to the door, he heard what sounded like David calling out to him. He rushed to the entrance and yanked it open.

“Goddamn it to hell, Thane!” David’s clothes were raggedy, and he was doubled over, panting for air.

“What the fuck!” Thane grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his bottom half.

“I know ya told me never to cross this line, but two wolves are runnin’ around tearin’ through everyone’s shelters. They done killed three of Nolan’s runners. I seen them layin’ dead in a ravine.”

“Get inside!” Thane shoved David inside, then stepped outside and turned his nose up to the air. Rain pelted his face, and he couldn’t hear anything else or see a damned thing more than two feet in front of him.

He bolted the door closed and turned to David, who was ogling Kalena on the bed.

“Well, damn…it sure didn’t take long.”

“David, look away.” Thane gathered up Kalena’s clothes and handed them to her. “Get dressed. We’ll probably have to move sooner than I thought. I’m going to check the area, but I need you two to stay put.”

“Thane, what’s going on? And who is this man?”

“There are intruders in Area S2. David is a friend.” Thane turned to David, who’d forced his line of sight at the wall rather than at Kalena.

“Are you sure they were wolves? Did you cover your tracks coming here?”

“Yes,” David spoke, sternly. “They were wolves, I tell ya.”

“Tracks,” Thane urged. “Did you leave your tracks?”

“What tracks? It’s pourin’ down watermelons and coconuts out there. Do you really think my scent stuck anywhere?”

David was right. Scent was harder to pick up in a storm.

“We pushed the button not too long ago. I didn’t expect anything to interfere with Kalena’s escape out of here.”

“These can’t be regular prisoners. They sounded like a pack of dogs just tearin’ through the forest. I heard the howlin’ and cries and broke outta my hut to catch them guttin’ a runner. I jumped in a tree, escapin’ them by seconds,
literally
. Had it not been rainin’, they woulda caught and killed me.” David paced back and forth. “Do you think the heads of Area S2 sent out these two to clean up and…murder us all?”

Kalena gasped.

“Try and keep calm, David,” Thane urged and went to Kalena’s side. “I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

“Oh, no,” Kalena whispered.

“Do you remember the lake…at the North gate?” he asked David.

“Yeah. That’s where we first crossed paths months ago,” David replied.

“That is where the choppers are cleared to land. If I’m not back, will you help Kalena get there?”

“You have my word.” David nodded.

“Be careful of the traps,” he warned.

“Thane?” Kalena’s voice shook with panic.

“This is the only way. I don’t know who’s slaughtering wolves, but I have to keep them at bay until you’re safe on the chopper.” He took her face gently in his hands and kissed her lips. “You agreed to let me help you. My Pack brothers will keep you safe. You have my word, and you will soon have theirs. I promise.”

“Oh, my God…okay. I just thought you’d see me off.”

“There’s no time. I’m sorry.”

She swallowed visibly and stiffened her back. “Right. You have your responsibilities. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done. I’ll do what I can to help your Pack brothers with Silex.”

She knelt on the bed until she was almost on the same level as Thane. She was still a couple inches shy, but before he could make a remark about her height, she pressed her delicate lips against his. His imprints immediately glowed as their tongues meshed together. He deepened the kiss, reveling in the taste of her. He didn’t want it to be the last time he touched her or that she touched him, but he was afraid that was the case.

Kalena finally pulled back, and he walked to the door, letting the blanket fall to the floor. David pulled the door open for him and sheets of rain billowed inside with the wind.

With the imprints still glowing hotly on his back, Thane shifted from man to wolf.

This time, Kalena’s gasp was one of admiration. As he stood there in wolf form, it dawned on Thane that she’d never seen his wolf up close. Her surprise showed in her eyes and with the parting of her lips. He’d also never seen Kalena up close while in his wolf form.

She was absolutely breathtaking as she stood there wearing his oversized clothes. He could see the rise and fall of her chest as she studied him intently.

Finally, Thane processed what his wolf had been trying to tell him all along. The wolf had already accepted Kalena as his mate.

It was too late…Thane’s plan now was to get her out of harm’s way.

He turned, crossed the threshold to his hut and lifted his snout to the clouds, letting the rain drench him.

Thane let out an earth-shattering howl, sending a warning out to the threat.

T
hane raced
to the other end of the forest in the direction of David’s territory. The two murdering wolves couldn’t have gotten far, especially if they had no knowledge of the terrain. Were they new prisoners of Area S2, or were they sent to slaughter everyone here as David had mentioned?

Whether or not that was the case, Thane still had a duty and responsibilities. Gavril had grown weak and callous. He didn’t want any other innocent’s suffering the same fate as his parents at the hands of his brother. He’d ensure that Kalena made it out of this place alive as he’d promised her, and he’d ensure that the Pack he left behind in the real world continued on in the event of his demise.

He wanted freedom, but he wasn’t foolish enough to leap for it at the expense of other lives. If Gavril had custody of Danika in any shape or form, any news of his escape could be detrimental to the girl’s life. He’d stay put until they were certain she was safe, and guarantee that they had all the evidence they needed against Gavril to take him down without attracting public scrutiny.

On his last dying breath, his father had asked him to keep the family name alive and clean. And he’d promised…

It was hard to trek the rocky terrain in the mud. His paws slipped against stone and got bogged down in mud more than a few times. Despite the difficult journey, he pushed on, fleeing through territory he had no business being on. But he didn’t care.

More than a few times, he passed freshly killed wolves in the mud. It was all the evidence he needed to confirm that Area S2 had turned into a slaughter ground.

Something told him to move further along the borders near the cargo drop area—Nolan’s territory. And sure enough, it was the center of the action.

He heard the growls and the sound of teeth tearing into flesh before he reached the borderline. Just as he’d done the night that Kalena was brought here, he barged forward. Nolan and one of his runners were fighting with two black wolves.

It took Thane less than five seconds to identify the intruders as members of his Pack.
Ulrick and Zeff.

Thane’s wolf rushed forward into danger without hesitation and without fully processing the situation.

Blood and guts from other dead wolves were lying around in the wake of the fighting, and the carnage filled his senses. Nolan’s runner didn’t hesitate when he saw Thane charging for his leader. He bucked forward, clawing Thane in the side. Thane yelped and clawed the runner across the snout. Zeff caught the offending wolf by the throat and bit down, delivering instant death. Blood sprayed out in all directions, showering Thane in the face.

Thane shook his body, ridding himself of the other wolf’s blood. He could see that Ulrick was in trouble keeping Nolan at bay. They struggled for power, aiming directly for each other’s throats. This was no innocent game where someone would tap out. Someone would die here tonight, and it would not be his Pack mates, those he was bound to protect.

He rushed forward, tumbling Nolan to the ground. They fought viciously, clawing and tearing at the other’s flesh.

Thane didn’t feel the pain because it was clouded with the thoughts of what would happen to him and his people if he failed to take the reins. He pinned Nolan, holding the other wolf captive on the ground.

Nolan ceased snapping his canines and brought his paws up to his face. It was a sign of submission. It appeared that Nolan wanted to shift back, but with Thane pinning him to the ground and bearing all of his power down on him, he was restricted from doing so.

Thane let up slightly, but that was a mistake.

The tables were turned with Nolan gaining the upper hand. He didn’t keep it, however. Both wolves ascended to their hind legs, pawing and biting. They traded blows until finally, Thane mauled Nolan full force across the snout, slamming the other wolf to the ground.

Thane pounced in for the kill, digging his canines deep into tendons and thick arteries. Blood pulsed into his mouth as he ended the other wolf’s life.

There was radio silence as he stepped back to recognize the kill, but when he looked around him, about two dozen wolves came out of the clearing of the forest. All of them kneeled. It was tradition, and a display of their acceptance that he was now in charge.

Thane shifted back into human form, wincing as the blood dripped from the bites all over his body. His imprints blazed brightly on his skin as rage rushed through him. At this point, he didn’t give a shit about his ranking as Alpha being exposed.

Both Ulrick and Zeff shifted, as well. Twins by birth, both brothers had been born with the ability to shift. Usually, only one twin got the shifting gene as with him and Gavril, but that wasn’t the case with Ulrick and Zeff. They stood stark naked, just as covered in blood as Thane was.

The two unknown wolves racing through the forest had been identified, but what the fuck were they doing in Area S2?

Both men kneeled in front of Thane, as was customary when greeting their Alpha.

“Get up and explain yourselves,” Thane ordered.

“You called.”

Thane was puzzled at first, and then realized what they had meant. “I thought a chopper would be sent. How did you get in, and how do you expect to get out?”

“Three wolves and a truck left here a few nights ago,” Zeff replied. “They wouldn’t comply and hand over the truck. They began to call for more backup, so we killed them.”

Zeff’s smile was just a little too pleasant, but then again, the twin brothers were always into fighting.

“Were any of the alarms triggered when you two broke in here?” Thane asked.

Zeff shook his head. “We cut off the hand of one of the men in the truck and used it on the access pad to open the gate, but Ulrick seems to have lost the hand somewhere along the way.”

“Snitch,” Ulrick muttered under his breath.

“Did they have foreign accents?” Thane asked, already knowing the answer to that.

Ulrick nodded. “It didn't sound like they were natives to America, that's for sure.”

“What were you doing out here anyway?” Thane inquired.

“We were sent to bring you some news, but then we got word that you pushed the button. The chopper is already on the way.” Zeff replied.

A chill crept up along Thane’s spine. Any news brought to him in this manner would’ve been deemed critical. “What news?”

“Danika is safe. We’ve secured her location.”

Thane sighed in relief.

“But Gavril is nowhere to be found. It seems that he went into hiding.”

Thane ground his teeth together in aggravation. He didn’t know what Gavril had up his sleeve, but whatever it was, he was certain that Gavril would refuse to go down willingly.

“Your Pack awaits your return and your orders regarding Gavril.” Ulrick held up what look like a heavy-duty metal cutter. “We came to unchain you. This is no place for an Alpha.”

T
hank you for reading UNCHAINED
, the second installment in the serial,
Wolf in Exile
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