Opening the Cage (2 page)

“Shit.” He’d known Granite for twenty years—he’d never seen the man gray, not even at the end of their Guardian trials. “Granite?” He needed to know the man was still with them, mentally if not physically.

One dark eye cracked open. “He killed her.”

“Killed who?”

“My Jewel.”

Shit, he knew that Granite and Jewel hadn't formed the mating bond, but the man had loved her, had been engaged to her. The bond would have come. “Fuck. Markus?”

“Yes. He’s lost it. He and that little bitch Alicia he got from you; they’re trying to breed. They wanted Jewel to be their third.”

“Your girl?”

Granite whined softly. “My girl.”

But life didn’t work that way.

“I’m sorry.” He was, but he was also grateful that Granite was with them, alive if not well.

“They have the Pair. We tried to get to them, but…”

Canyon heard Mesa’s deep, rumbling growl. Every wolf knew about the story of the Pair—two white wolves, sired by different fathers but born at the same time from different mothers. They were the sign of unrest, war, then a generation of peace. They were supposed to change the ground they stood upon. No one had seen a Pair that had survived in generations, at least not that he'd heard. Hell, Canyon figured most Clans would separate any white puppies, keep the chaos from their group.

“Where?” If Granite couldn’t go after them, it would fall to Canyon.

“No one knows. Markus took them. The female was April’s kin, the male Beryl found. They…they made Markus insane. A monster. Someone has to kill them before they let him kill us all.” An incredibly pregnant woman with tear-streaked cheeks stared Mesa down. “Please. Let us in. Give us sanctuary. We have children.”

“Of course we will. Boys, get your asses out of the way.” Samantha, Mesa’s mate, and quite possibly the toughest broad Canyon’d ever met, shouldered her way through, handing over four thermoses before scooping up two of the smaller pups. “Let’s go, folks. There’s food, help, warm fires.” She winked at one of the women. “Baths.”

Mesa growled again, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t look happy. He backed off, though, and Canyon fought the urge to smile.

Samantha rumbled softly at Mesa, then nuzzled one of the pups. “Let’s go, beauties.”

He looked at Mesa. “Wow.”

“Fuck off.” Mesa stomped off after Sammy, leaving him and the boys to clear their back trail, making sure their scent covered anything else.

Jesse’s soft chuff made him grin. “She’s something else.”

“She’s a rampaging bitch. I’ll miss her.”

Don looked over. “You’re going after them? That Alicia bitch, she’s crazy, man.”

“I don’t have a choice.” He didn’t. Granite was down, and this kind of trouble could shine a pretty bright spotlight on the Clans, which no one wanted at any time.

“They’re all here, though. Just a couple of them left.”

“I have to make sure.” Not to mention the fact that Granite had mentioned the Pair. If there was even a chance that they were real, he had to get them. A crazy monster with the Pair could be the death of all of them.

Don sighed, all of them trudging down toward the houses. “The Pair isn’t real, Canyon. No way.”

“Maybe not. But if Markus thinks he has a Pair, that means there are two weres up there in trouble, Donnie.” He set his jaw, daring Don to argue anymore.

The other male nodded, sighed. “I know.”

And Canyon could hear the unspoken, “But we need you here.”

He hated it, but Granite would recover. He’d lost his intended, but she hadn’t been his mate. If she had been, the man would be comatose. He’d recover fast enough to take Canyon’s place for the time being.

The entire village was in a tizzy when they got in, everyone out and helping, Granny and Junie around Granite, one of Granny’s potions already in hand. He left the man in her capable paws and went to stand next to Mesa.

“When do you want me to go?”

“I don’t want you to go at all.” Mesa growled, and socked him in the arm. “But the sooner you do, the sooner you’ll come home.”

“I’ll wait until nightfall. I can travel faster on all fours.” He might get Granite to say a few more words by then, too.

“You’ll need to find out what you’re walking into. They’re killing each other. It’s fucking insane.” Mesa rumbled. “Did you see these people?”

Beaten and bitten and starving.

“I can see them now, butthead.” Canyon rolled his eyes. “I can’t just leave it alone, though. Not if there are any left alive and unwilling.”

“I know. Go sooner than nightfall. Take a vehicle that you can supply. I don’t want you stranded.”

Mesa’s Beta, sweet Kody, walked by with a pair of young ones. “Sammy said we’re taking the younger families, Mesa, in the big house until we build permanent homes.”

“Okay, babe.” Mesa gave Kody a smile, but Canyon could see the strain. If it would make the man feel better, he’d take a vehicle instead of going solo with no baggage.

Kody nodded, whistling for more of the pups. The man had blossomed, looking so healthy and happy.

That was why Canyon had to go. If he could save anyone else from losing everything, like Kody had thought he had back when…

“Canyon.” He heard Granite’s growl, the sound almost a howl.

“I’ll be back,” he told Mesa, heading over to see what his friend needed. His torn-up, beat-to-hell friend.

“They killed her.” Granite’s eyes were wild, frantic. “My girl.”

“I know, man. I know. I’m so sorry.” What the hell else could he say? He gripped Granite’s shoulder hard.

“He has them. I saw them in cages. Pure white. Feral. When April told Jewel about the female, I thought she was just trying to protect a wounded animal. Markus was so reasonable; he said that April was crazed because she was the female's sister, but April convinced Jewel to help her set them free. He tore them apart before I could get to them.”

Canyon raised a brow. “The Two? Are you sure?”

Granite’s mouth set in a hard line. “I saw them. The she-wolf was trying to save her sister. He's got them in a pit. Both of them, caged. I—it’s my fault. All this time and I never knew. No wonder they needed me to be their new Guardian. The other one, Russet, he must have found out; they killed him, too. This whole thing, and the stray bitch, Alicia, she’s gunning for your Clan, friend. They’re coming to kill the Alpha female. They tore my Jewel in two.” Granite began to shake, voice torn and raw.

Mesa’s Sammy? God. That made shit way more complicated. “I leave today. Which direction did he go?” That way he would waste less time on cold trails.

“They were clearing out, heading into the mountains. We didn’t stay. I had to get what was left of the Clan to safety. It all blew up at once.”

“I know, man. I know.” He squeezed that poor shoulder again, sighing. Damn. “I’ll find them.”

“Kill him. Make the fucker scream.” A wild howl split the air, the women and children beginning to sob.

“I will, Granite. I promise.” Canyon never backed down on a promise. Ever.

Junie’s hands landed on Granite, Granny’s right behind and they started doing their witchy wolf thing. Healing him. Canyon didn’t interfere in that shit, so he drifted away.

He didn’t get it; he was just damn glad it shut that sound off.

Fucking crazy assholes. Pack life didn’t have to be hard. People just had to pick the right Alpha. Like Mesa. He nodded at said Alpha before going to pick out a vehicle.

It was Samantha who came up to him, carrying a huge pack, a radio, and cash. She’d changed so much, in a short period of time, the uncomfortable city girl becoming the fiercest woman he’d ever seen. “I know you’ll be on all fours, so hide this when you ditch the truck.”

“I will.” She understood so much for someone who’d never even known she was a wolf. Even more than the others sometimes.

“You bring whoever you can trust home. I’ll find a place for them.” She took his hand. “Kody’s been having nightmares, Canyon, about this asshole. You don’t dawdle.”

“No, I’ll go fast and light.” He would take the truck until he was somewhere he could stash it, and then he’d run. He’d get there damned quick.

“Good.” She met his eyes. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on, Canyon, but I know everyone’s worried.”

“It’s a mess, hon.” He hugged her tight for just a moment, to let her know how much he appreciated her. “Mesa’s lucky to have you.”

“Absolutely.” She winked at him, trying to play. “What else do you need?”

“I just need for everyone to be busy so I can slip out. Otherwise Mesa will have a million things he wants me to take or do.” It would be dark soon. Time was freakin’ flying.

“With the hurt guy—is he going to die? I mean, because his mate did?”

“No, honey. If that was actually his mate, he’d be gone.” He’d have gone crazy and killed himself somehow. “He’ll be sad as hell, and he might take some time if they’d bonded a little, but she wasn’t his mate.”

“Oh.” Sometimes everyone forgot how new everything was for Sammy. “Okay. I’ll go distract your brother. You call me.” She hugged him, tight. “I’ll make sure your soaps record.”

“Thanks, baby girl.” He kissed her temple before patting her butt. “If something happens, you tell him and Junie I said sappy shit.”

“I will, but it won’t.” She sounded sure.

“Thanks.” He hugged her again before leaving without a backward glance. He needed to get on it.

Chapter Two

Wend focused on changing, using Riana's soft snores in the crate beside him as a way to center himself. He’d been practicing when the Alpha was out fucking the new female, Alicia, making her howl. He’d seen others do it, and the Dead One, April, she’d told him he could too, maybe Riana, too. So he’d been practicing, using the light that seeped into the cave to help him focus on the wires of the cage. It was colder in here than in the old cave, but lighter, not so deep.

He’d learn to change and let himself out of the cage, then figure how to get Riana out of this cave. His sweet lady.

He knew it, like he knew her name.

Riana.

He shivered, tongue lolling. No. No, focus. Fingers.

Fingers.

Not paws.

His body tried to howl, but he didn’t let any sound escape. He had to do this.

Fingers.

Fingers.

Slowly he began to shift, to change. Hurt. God, it hurt. It felt like his bones were bending, breaking, stretching. His head felt swollen, splitting.

Then he was cold.

It worked. Oh, god. It worked. He scrabbled across the cage, limbs flailing. Everything looked so different, smelled so wrong. His arms and legs felt weak, awkward.

His fingers opened and closed. Opened, closed. He could learn to do this. He could.

Riana started whimpering, crying in her sleep, yipping for him.

Yes. Yes, that’s it. Focus on her. On getting her to safety. He clung to the door of the cage, pulling himself up.

He could do this. He could. Riana. Mate.

The light at the front of the cage changed, shifted, and he heard the low growl, heard something slam into Riana’s cage. “Shut the fuck up, bitch.”

Wend lost it, teeth baring as his wolf surged back to the fore. Damn it.

No.

No, not yet.

It was too late. His bones popped, his ears rang, and he was back on all fours.

He panted, shaking a little. Still. He knew. He knew now.

He could do it.

It wasn’t a lie.

He could change.

* * * *

Canyon abandoned the truck about twenty miles into the North Peak Clan territory. His skin had been buzzing from the moment he left the lands he’d been born to protect. He hid the vehicle on an abandoned stretch of road so he’d have provisions later on. Then he struck out on all fours, his wolf senses so much better.

It took him four or five miles to get past the scent of the group that had come to them, the blood and fear and pain like ammonia on the air. God, he hated this part of his job. He had to push it all away and focus on finding the ones who were still lost.

He reached the clan holdings by dark, the place burning his nostrils with death. There was no light, no life, no movement.

Nothing.

Canyon bit back the urge to tip his nose up and howl. Granite would have been the one to answer, and he was miles away and hurt bad. Safe, though.

He sniffed around, going from house to house—they still had food there, clothing, things.

This was panicked escape, not moving to a new location. The Alpha house smelled like piss, like blood, and a lot like crazy. Jesus. How had this all come to a head so fast?

He found Granite’s girl, torn and left like garbage, dumped at the head of a set of stairs leading down into the ground.