Rescued by the Wolf Read online

  Maybe he had jumpy nerves after being caged and shot.

  He descended the stairs, two at a time. At the bottom, his nose twitched and he followed the familiar scent into the kitchen.

  The door to the garage opened.

  “Clay, what are you doing here?”

  “Your father should learn to lock the front door.” Clay’s grip tightened around Doc’s Marlin 336W rifle, usually kept in a metal storage cabinet in the garage. “And you should’ve listened when I told you to move your filthy blood-kin out of my daughter’s house.” He shoved three cartridges into the side chamber.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Rafe stepped forward, his heart pumping harder, faster.

  “Purging the taint that’s been infecting the pack for too long.” He lifted the gun, pointing the barrel at the dead center of Rafe’s chest. “If Gavin hadn’t brought Doc here, if Doc hadn’t brought you here, my daughter would be alive and well.” He advanced and Rafe stepped back. “Instead, she’s dead and you’re carrying on as if she never existed. Curs are living in her home and you’ve taken a human whore to your bed as if Alexis meant nothing to you!”

  A righteous rage welled inside Rafe. “I loved her! With every bit of my soul I loved her! And the man I came to be with her died alongside her.”

  “You look damn healthy for a dead man.”

  Rafe’s ears rang with the explosive bang. Clay had never smiled at him before. Rafe was glad to have been spared the maniacal flash of white, straight teeth in tandem with the spiteful, cold, dark eyes laughing at him.

  Pain, molten and breath-stealing, flowed from his chest, into his left shoulder and down his arm. Blood soaked through his T-shirt and coveralls. He dropped to his knees.

  “That’s more like it.” Clay clutched Rafe’s throat.

  His strength rushing out as fast as his blood, Rafe couldn’t lift his left arm. With his right, he only managed to claw at Clay’s hand.

  The man’s stale breath licked Rafe’s face like the arid heat of a humid summer day. “I could make this quick, but I want you to suffer. I hope you last until I get back. I need to sanitize the stain your human whore has made on your mateship to my daughter. She’ll be at the R&L soon, won’t she?”

  “Stay...away...from her,” Rafe panted over halting, painful breaths.

  “Like you stayed away from my daughter?” Clay fished the cell phone out of Rafe’s pocked, then shoved Rafe to the ground. “I’ll be back. Wouldn’t want Doc to be alone when he finds your cold, lifeless body on his kitchen floor.”

  After stomping on the phone, Clay stepped away. “For everything Doc has cost me, he’ll suffer, too.”

  * * *

  Grace hated routines and schedules. They gave her flashbacks of her regimented childhood and made her claustrophobic.

  Today, however, her pattern of going to the R&L in the afternoons felt safe and normal, and she needed both. Especially since she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling she’d had ever since Cassie had dropped her off.

  Since Alex returned to school today, she planned to help him with the mountain of homework he would have for missing yesterday. She would also show him how to video chat so he could reach her anytime he needed help with his homework.

  Grace set Alex’s favorite cookies on a tray and carried them out of the kitchen to the customer service area. Rafe had moved the table so she could see out the window while tutoring Alex. Customers didn’t use the storefront door, preferring to walk into the service bays to see him. He’d sealed the glass front door closed a long time ago, so the temporary study area didn’t impede Rafe’s business.

  The side glass door to the work area swung open. She sat the snack tray on the table. “Rafe is on an errand. He’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “I seriously doubt it.” The starkness in the chilling, masculine voice gave her the willies.

  Grace turned around. Clay Reinhardt peered down his long, broad nose at her. His hair was mussed and his cold, fathomless black eyes flickered with something that made her skin crawl.

  “Why? What’s happened?”

  Clay’s stark, sinister laugh slithered down her spine and coiled in the pit of her stomach. “He’s dead.”

  The blood in Grace’s veins froze. “Is this a joke?”

  “Do I look like someone with a sense of humor?”

  Uh, no. He looked like a man touched by madness.

  Grace clutched the top of one of the table chairs to use in a self-defense move if he came any closer.

  Rafe couldn’t be dead. She’d know it.

  Grace didn’t know how she would know, only that she would. Or should.

  “Rafe is coming!” She had to believe that he was. She just needed to buy time until he arrived.

  “He’ll be here any minute. You need to wait for him in the garage.” Grace pointed toward the door to the service bays.

  “Rafe is dead. I killed him. And because he couldn’t keep his paws off you and his cock in his pants, you have to die, too.” Clay lunged.

  Desperation, fear and fury feeding her adrenaline, Grace jerked up the chair, blocked his attack with the chrome legs and rammed the seat bottom against his torso.

  He toppled to the floor. Pinning him down with the chair legs, she stomped his ankle.

  Clay’s painful yells turned into string of obscenities. “You bitch! I’m gonna kill you and everyone else he loves.”

  Grace bolted to the closest door—the one leading to the apartment, and locked it behind her.

  Her heart felt cold, brittle, lifeless. Her lungs seized from the ice crystals forming along her bronchial tubes. Her ears rang with the clamor of cubes dropping into ice buckets.

  Rafe wasn’t dead, he couldn’t be.

  She ran into the kitchen for her phone, screaming at the voice dial operation: “Call Rafe! Call Rafe!”

  The phone rang and rang and went to voice mail. There was no voice message, only silence.

  She called 911.

  “What is your emergency?”

  Unable to control her hysterical screams, she yelled into the phone. “Rafe’s been shot at Doc’s house. I don’t know the address.”

  “Dr. Habersham’s residence?”

  “Yes.”

  “He’s a member of the Walker’s Run Cooperative. Hold for their emergency service.”

  Grace heard a beep and thought the call dropped until a familiar voice came on the line.

  “This is Tristan. Leave a message. I’ll be in touch.”

  “What kind of emergency line is this? Rafe’s been shot. At Doc’s house. Please, Tristan, please. Help him.”

  Grace hung up and called Rafe. Her hands shook so badly she almost dropped the phone. “Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up.”

  She got his silent voice mail again.

  She hung up to dial again but her phone rang. “Rafe!”

  “Grace?”

  Her heart sank at Tristan’s voice. “Go to Doc’s. Go now!”

  “I’m on my way. What’s happening?”

  “Clay said he killed Rafe!” She sobbed as pure, unadulterated sorrow shredded her heart.

  “Grace, are you safe?”

  “I’m in the apartment. I bolted the door. He can’t get in.”

  “Stay on the line with me. No matter what, don’t hang up.” How could he sound so calm when her entire world had just exploded?

  Tears slicked her face. Her throat was raw and she wanted to throw up.

  “Grace? Everything will be all right.”

  Lies, lies, lies. Would the lies ever stop?

  “It’s not okay.”

  Rafe was dead and she’d never told him she loved him.

  Chapter 39

  Blowing through a red light, Rafe sped toward the R&L. Sheer force of will had helped
him get to his feet, and then into the tow truck.

  “Grace!”

  Her panicked emotions flooded him through the mate-bond. Near hysteria, she wouldn’t be able to sense him if she didn’t calm down.

  “Grace, sweetheart. I’m all right.”

  Blistering pain throbbed in Rafe’s left shoulder. When he moved, molten agony flowed down his useless left arm. The pungent, metallic scent of blood made him nauseous.

  Not exactly all right, but he was alive.

  He gathered his strength and put all his effort into sending Grace his essence.

  A burst of energy erupted from his heart, fanned through his body and mind.

  Thank God! He wasn’t too late.

  “Rafe! He said you were dead!”

  “Not yet.” He breathed slightly easier. “Where are you?”

  “Locked in the apartment. He’s still out there.”

  “Stay put. I’m here.”

  The tow truck skidded into the back lot of the garage. Rafe didn’t take the time to shut off the engine. He merely jumped out and ran.

  Hyped on pure adrenaline, Rafe burst through the back door. The overwhelming smell of antifreeze and motor oil burned his nostrils.

  “Get out, Clay. All of this will go away if you leave now.”

  Clay shook his head. “She has to die, Rafe. I warned you not to whore with her. You didn’t listen. Just like you didn’t listen when I ordered you to keep your nasty paws away from my daughter.”

  A feral gleam lit his eyes. “Alexis is dead because of you. Soon you will be, too. You have to run out of lives sometime.”

  Leaning against the glass door to the office, Clay struck a match and tossed it inside. Fire vined the walls and raced toward the ceiling. Clay’s chilling laughter twisted Rafe’s stomach. “I’m finally going to put you down like the filthy dog you are.”

  Rafe darted to the fire extinguisher on the opposite wall, popped open the fastener and yanked the canister free. Stabbing pain exploded in his left shoulder and traveled down his arm. His hands trembled so badly that he wouldn’t be able to hold it for long. He spun around.

  Holding its twisted, right hind foot off the ground, a large sable wolf snarled and bared his sharp, white teeth.

  “Don’t do it, Clay. Just get out.”

  The wolf launched into the air and slammed into Rafe’s chest.

  Rafe hit the floor. The fire extinguisher rolled away. Smoke rolled into the garage and was likely filling the apartment.

  Grace had no windows to climb out of and the fire in the office would cut off her only escape.

  He had to get her out. If it was the last thing he ever did, he had to get her out.

  The sable wolf swiped a paw across Rafe’s face. He barely registered the nails slicing through his skin. Every instinct, every ounce of energy and strength focused on saving Grace. He punched the animal’s throat and shoved him aside.

  Rafe snatched the fire extinguisher from the floor, hit the big red buttons on the wall to open the service bays and darted into the office, sweeping fire retardant over the flames. Ashy, sulfuric smoke burned his eyes and throat. “Grace! I’m coming!”

  Sharp teeth stabbed his leg. Rafe slammed the extinguisher against the wolf’s muzzle. He managed one more sweep before the wolf dragged him down, knocking the canister out of his reach.

  Grace’s screams rose above the voracious roar and crackle of the fire. A dark and primal fear began to pulse in Rafe’s veins.

  He had to get to Grace. Had to get her out. He had to, or they’d both die.

  The wolf stalked toward him and he would keep coming, would keep Rafe from saving Grace. Unless Rafe killed him.

  Rafe shifted.

  A sickening grin twisted the sable wolf’s snout. “You took my only child from me. She’s dead because of you. You desecrate her home, her possessions and the mate-claim. Now I will destroy you, your blood-kin, and your filthy human whore.”

  Rafe launched into Clay. Both wolves skidded across the floor. Regaining his balance, Rafe dove for Clay’s throat and caught a mouthful of fur. Clay jerked free before Rafe could clamp his jaws.

  “You set the fire at the house, didn’t you? Goddamn it. Lexi loved that house.”

  “That’s why I burned it. It was her house. No one else has the right to live in it.”

  Clay whirled around, gnashing Rafe’s injured leg. Past the point of registering pain, Rafe rammed him into the upright tool chest, causing it to tip over and scatter its contents. Rafe pinned Clay beneath his weight, shifted into his human form, grabbed a wrench off the floor and slammed the tool against Clay’s skull. There was a loud crack and a wet, squishy sound.

  The wolf’s head lolled harshly to the side, his vacant eyes glazed. Clay’s body returned to human form.

  Rafe’s left arm felt like a dead weight. The slightest movement shot crippling pain through his body.

  Rafe’s heart pounded so fast that he could barely feel it beating. The raging fire was engulfing the service area. Once it reached the supply shelves, the building could explode.

  He bolted through the flames into the office. The thick smoke nearly blinded him. He crawled on the floor until he found the fire extinguisher.

  “Rafe!” Grace screamed between sobs. “I can’t get out!”

  “I’m coming, sweetheart.” He sprayed a path of fire retardant toward the door.

  Beads of sweat turned into boiling pellets and blistered his skin. The heated air scalded his nose, his throat, his lungs.

  “Grace! I’m at the door!” He jerked the handle. The hot metal seared his palm and fingers. “Goddamn it!”

  Something exploded in the service bay. The percussion knocked Rafe into the door and down to the floor. Shattered glass rained over his bare body.

  Pain banded around his ribs. He gulped for air, only to cough up blood.

  Grace’s sobs tore through Rafe’s soul and his inner wolf’s nerve-grating whine filled his ears.

  “Grace, listen to me,” he said as the tethers of his humanity weakened. “I will get you out of here.”

  “No, Rafe!” Hysteria shrilled Grace’s voice. “You have to leave me. Please, please go. While you can.”

  Sirens sounded in the distance. Too distant for the rescue workers to be of any help.

  “I won’t lose you, Grace.” He’d rather die with Grace than suffer her loss. “I need to shift. But it won’t be my wolf.” The wolf couldn’t save her. Only the beast could and Rafe felt the creature stirring. “Don’t be afraid of me, okay?”

  A sharp, electric current fired down his spine, ignited his nerves and juiced every neuron. His muscles burned nearly as hot as the fire around him.

  “Grace?” He doubled over in excruciating pain. His fingers and toes elongated, and his face twisted.

  “I love you.” Grace’s voice whispered through Rafe’s mind as he fell into darkness.

  * * *

  Grace lay flat on the floor, a damp cloth over her nose and mouth. Thick, black smoke billowed from the ceiling.

  The emergency drills for disaster preparedness her father had insisted upon when he was home were useless because she had absolutely no avenue of escape.

  Her heart pounded and ached to the point of bursting. Her throat was raw from the tears she’d swallowed and the scorching, acrid air she inhaled.

  Rafe’s pained cries felt like whips striking her soul. She would likely die from smoke inhalation, but Rafe was trapped in a maelstrom of flames.

  Above her, the treacherous fire disintegrated the ceiling tiles, its fiery tendrils reaching like octopus tentacles down the concrete block walls, devouring the peels of paint, bubbled and curled from the wicked heat.

  A vicious roar, something like an injured animal crazed from confusion and pain, sounded behind the warped door. Forceful pounding
was followed by a horrible wrenching, twisting noise.

  “Rafe? What’s going on?” But in her heart, she knew it was much too late for him to answer.

  Tears streamed like blistery lava down her face. She choked on a cough. Rafe, if he hadn’t escaped, had likely succumbed to the fire by now. Sorrow broke up her heart, the searing heat evaporating her essence.

  In a final act of self-preservation, though it would likely not be enough, Grace began scooting backward down the corridor. She fully expected a search and recovery team to find her body in the farthest corner of Rafe’s tiny apartment.

  How ironic. The place where she’d felt most at home would be her final resting place. Except her last moments would be terror-filled, rather than peaceful.

  She’d barely made it a few feet from the door when bits of debris exploded around the frame. Pounding, wrenching, twisting sounds competed with the roar of the hellish blaze. More debris scattered. Showers of bright orange flames seared the darkness.

  A terrifying howl drowned all other sound. The door frame shattered as the metal door was ripped from its hinges. A rush of heat singed Grace’s face and hair.

  Loud, heavy footfalls thundered toward her. She glanced up through the smoke and her blood iced.

  Eyes so piercingly blue they almost glowed stared down at her from a creature at least seven and half feet tall. Thin black lips curled back from a blunt snout filled with huge, razor-like teeth.

  Thick, matted fur covered most of its body, thinning over the lower belly and groin. Its gangly arms and legs were more freak show wolf than man, and its paw-like feet spread into four individual toes with long black nails.

  The beast stepped forward, narrowing its large, luminescent eyes. A heart-wrenching wail twisted from its lips.

  Slender, pointed ears, seemingly positioned too low on its large head, flattened. The creature’s hands were oddly-shaped, like a fusion of human fingers and a wolf’s paw.

  “Grr...aayy...sss...”

  A rush of emotion filled her. Competing emotions she had no time to decipher. Beneath the wave was a steadfast presence she knew to the depths of her being.

  “Rafe?” His name formed on her lips but the heat stole her voice.

  He lifted her in his arms and cradled her against his chest, his soft mewls grazed her ear.