Sanctuary (A Hunted Novel Book 1) (25 page)

Tess gasped as the leopards chartreuse eyes met hers.
Thomas.
Despite the situation, a smile spread across her face. Her big brother was alive, and so were other members of their pride. Cats mewled and hissed around them as they attacked the enemy.

Thomas leapt toward her, nuzzling his head against her cheek before working his way to her bound wrists. He meowed, and she froze recognizing the warning. She grimaced as the thick plastic bit into her wrists as Thomas split the bindings with his sharpened claws. Her hands sprang free, and she groaned as the action jolted her shoulder.

“We have to help the wolves too. They are friends,” she insisted as she carefully moved her arm in a circular motion.
Come on don’t be difficult
, she encouraged her dislocated joint. The shoulder popped back into place. She let out a relieved breath as the ache finally began to ebb away.

Thomas gave her one more glance before darting off to join the fighting. Tess stood up, searching for Nate. He’d somehow gotten out of his restraints and was in a heated fistfight with Ray. Her eyes drifted to Patrice. The elder wolf was crouched down on the ground, her back against the wooden porch as she watched the fighting.

A hunter stalked toward the unsuspecting wolf, a knife in his hand. Tess sprinted forward. Patrice may never like her, but she was still Nate’s mother.

Tess covered the space between her and Patrice in a few seconds and launched herself at the hunter. The man careened to the ground with her on top of him. Her enemy clasped the knife in his hand, trying to jab the end into her. She caught his hand with both of hers and forced the blade down into his chest. The man choked out a pained cry as his eyes widened. Tess pressed the knife deeper. Her enemy’s eyes went dark as his head lolled to the side.

Tess crawled off of him and ambled toward Patrice.

“What are you doing?” Patrice asked, shuffling away from Tess. The woman’s eyes narrowed with suspicion as she curled into herself.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Tess stammered. Was she really that afraid of werecats?
Or is it me she’s frightened of?

Patrice regarded her a long moment before shifting so her bound hands were exposed. Tess sighed as she shifted one hand. Flexing her long claws, she curled her nail around the thick cord and worked at the binding. Patrice’s hands popped free, and she turned around, backing away from Tess.

The wolf’s eyes shrunk to tiny scrutinizing slits.
I don’t have time for this talk right now. Nate and my family are in danger.
 “Stay here and stay down,” Tess commanded, jumping back to her feet.

***

N
ate blinked as cats charged the area, their lithe bodies leapt in the air, attacking the unsuspecting hunters. Where did they come from?
It doesn’t matter they are friendlies and Ray is distracted.
Nate punched Ray’s jaw, causing the other wolf’s head to snap back. Blood poured from Ray’s mouth, and he used the back of his hand to wipe it away.

“Where are Eden, Xander, and Callum?” Nate growled as Ray staggered toward him.

“Like I’d ever tell you,” Ray laughed hollowly.

Nate growled low in his throat. Ray probably wouldn’t tell them. That was the bad thing about hunters. They never talked—ever. Every man they’d tried to question had succumbed to death before uttering a helpful word. He shuddered, wondering what kind of training they had to endure to be able to handle that much pain.

“You are one of us, Ray,” he said, attempting a different approach. “Help us out.”

“I’m not one of you,” Ray snarled as he swung.

Nate ducked out of the way and caught Ray by the arm. He drove his knee up into the other man’s chest. Ray coughed, gasping to catch his breath.

“Where did they take Eden?” Nate urged. He hauled Ray to him, gripping his collar tightly. “She’s my baby sister. She’s always been kind to you. You know her, she doesn’t deserve whatever it is they are going to do to her.”

“She’s part wolf,” Ray groaned, shoving Nate away.

Nate stumbled back, balling his hands into tight fists, ready to fight again if need be. “So are you, but Eden doesn’t have the ability to shift,” he pointed out.

“Which makes her all the more interesting to them,” Ray grinned.

Nate charged forward, wrapping his arms around Ray’s torso as he tackled the other wolf to the ground. Straddling Ray, he threw punch after punch, repeatedly hitting the man in his face. Eden wasn’t some science experiment. She was a bright, bubbly human being, who deserved respect. He let rage consume him. Ray had betrayed them. Put his family in danger. He’d hurt Tess too.

Nate howled as a jolt of energy surged through him. Damn tasers. He groaned as he pitched forward. Darkness clouded his vision. He blinked rapidly trying to get the spots to disappear.
I can’t pass out now.
Two arms yanked him to his feet and Ray stood up, spitting blood on the ground.

Ray rubbed the back of his hand across his face, smearing blood from his chin to his ear. “I’m going to make sure she suffers because of this. I’ll make her pay in
every
way possible.”

Nate wrenched his arm free of his captor. He spun, punching the man square in the nose. Blood spurted out, coating the man’s face in crimson. Nate struck again, this time in the abs, causing the hunter to double over. Reaching out, Nate grasped the man’s head and wrung it violently, letting him fall lifelessly to the ground.

Nate twisted back to attack Ray, but the wolf was gone. Fear bubbled inside him. Where did he go?
Tess and Mom.
His eyes found Tess first, she was fighting hand-to-hand combat with a male hunter at least twice her size. She was faster than the man, and easily ducked under his advances, getting a shot in when she could. He fought the urge to run to her aide.
Tess can take care of herself. It’s your mom who’s in danger.
He shifted his gaze, searching for his mom. She sat on the ground, hunched down by the porch.

I bet she agrees to teach women how to fight now
, he thought offhandedly. It bothered him that someone of his mother’s stature couldn’t defend herself if needed. She was an alpha werewolf for crying out loud. Basic self-defense should be mandatory.

A male form stepped into his line of vision. Ray stomped toward Patrice. Nate dashed forward, pushing his way through the fighting. There was no doubt in his mind that Ray would harm his mother. He growled as he charged ahead.
I have to get to my mom.

Ray reached Patrice first. The other wolf tugged Patrice to her feet and slapped her across the face.

Rage consumed Nate’s vision. How dare Ray hit her? Lunging forward, he triggered a shift, instantly taking on his alternate form. He dashed at Ray, his lips curled up in a snarl. Reaching out, he sunk his teeth into the other wolf’s leg, biting down until he met bone. Coppery warmth flooded his mouth.
Good. I hope that hurts.
Typically he didn’t revel in others agony, but for Ray, he might make an exception.

Ray howled in pain. Nate gripped Ray’s ankle tighter, dragging him backwards, and away from his mother. Ray stumbled and fell to the ground, clasping at his leg as he screamed for mercy. Ray didn’t deserve a second chance. He’d gone too far and hurt too many people Nate cared about. Nate released his hold and gnashed his teeth into Ray’s arm. Ray punched Nate’s side with his other hand in a vain attempt to get free.

Nate refused to let up, the strike absorbed mostly by his muscular torso. Ray wasn’t going to hurt anyone else again. He flexed his sharp claws and pressed down onto Ray’s abdomen, letting his elongated nails sink into the tender flesh. He dragged his paw down Ray, tearing him open.

Ray gurgled as blood flooded his mouth. He coughed, sending up a spray of red. The wolf stopped thrashing, and the light left his eyes. It was over. Nate stood up, searching around. Most of the hunters lay on the ground dead or dying. Werecats jogged around the perimeter. One hissed as he made eye contact with it. A large black cat meowed loudly, and the cats followed after him, disappearing down a hill.

Where were they going?

“They’ll be back in a minute.  They’re shifting,” Tess spoke up.

Nate took Tess in. Mud caked her hair and blood was smeared across her cheek. A few cuts and bruises, but nothing that wouldn’t heal. Tess would be okay. He let out a relieved breath, letting the muscles in his body relax.

His mother indicated the house. “I saw spare clothes in there.”

Nate bobbed his head up and down and trotted into the cabin.

***

T
ess wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Nate disappear into the cottage. She let out a relieved breath. He was okay, and she didn’t see any werecats amongst the dead. They’d done well.

She peered down over the hill, eagerly anticipating her brother’s return. Thomas was alive. She hadn’t gotten a chance to see who else was with him, but it warmed her heart knowing there were other survivors. A sliver of hope chorused through. Could her parents be alive too?

The stairs behind her creaked, and she spun around, meeting Nate’s gaze.

She took a step forward, but his mother was faster, launching herself into her son’s arms first.

Nate hugged his mother, but maintained eye contact with her. “Are you okay?” he mouthed to her.

She smiled and nodded. They’d both made it.

“Tess?” Thomas called from behind her.

Tess whirled around. Tears pooled in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. “Thomas,” she whispered, darting towards her brother.

Her older brother caught her in his arms, picked her up, and swung her around.

“I’m so glad you are okay, baby sis,” he murmured, squeezing her tightly.

“Stop hogging her,” Theodore jested, wrapping his arms around them.

“Theodore,” Tess gasped, surprised to see her other brother. She hadn’t seen him earlier. She pulled back and took in the rest of the pride that was making their way up the hill. “Mom, Dad, Terrence?” she whispered.

“Mom and Dad didn’t make it, and we don’t know where Terrence is,” Thomas replied softly. He cupped her cheeks in his hand. “I’m sorry.”

Tess’ bottom lip trembled as reality set in. Her parents were gone, and her other brother was still missing. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. “Hey, it’s okay,” Theodore soothed quietly, hugging her again. “It was quick. They didn’t suffer. Mom and Dad died together.”

Tess nodded, letting a few stray tears fall. Her parents were gone.
I never got to say goodbye. I wish I could hold them one more time. Tell them I love them one last time.

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Thomas cooed, smoothing a hand through her hair. “We’ll mourn them later.” He tipped her head up and wiped away her tears. “It’s not safe here.”

Tess nodded and swiped away the remaining tears. He was right. More men could be on their way. They needed to leave.

“Have you seen Audrey?” Thomas asked quietly. “We picked up your scent in Ohio. I could smell Audrey’s blood all over the woods. We were about to make contact with you the other day when hunters showed up. We saw them attack, but were too far away to help. We’ve been tracking you for a few days now. I’m glad we got here in time.”

“She was shot,” Tess croaked out. She squeezed Thomas’ hand. “But we took her back to Sanctuary, and the doctor’s there patched her up. She’s going to be okay.”

Thomas closed his eyes. A stray tear trickled down his cheek. “Thea?”

“She’s there too. Her and the baby are fine. Dustin too,” Tess assured.

“And who are they?” Theodore asked nodding at Nate and Patrice.

The pair stood alone by the cabin taking in the scene around them.
Poor Patrice, she’s probably never seen this many cats before.

Tess stepped out of their arms, and walked to Nate, her two brothers following closely behind her. Patrice sneered at her as Tess took Nate’s hand in her own. “This is Nate. He saved my life. And this is his mother Patrice.”

“Thank you, for taking care of my sister,” Thomas said, offering his hand to Nate.

Nate slid his hand into Thomas’, giving it a firm shake. “You’re welcome. It was my pleasure.”

Patrice grumbled behind them and Thomas narrowed his eyes.

Tess swallowed. Thea had been accepting of Nate, Thomas and Theodore should be too. At least that’s what she hoped. She drew in a deep breath. “Nate’s my mate. We are bonded,” she admitted out loud.

Thomas’ eyes widened, and he took a step back as a frown settled over his face.

Theodore clapped his hands together. “We leave you alone for a week and you turn up mated to a wolf. Tess,” he shook his head, but a smile splayed across his face.

Thomas quickly composed himself. “Congratulations, Tess,” he added, pulling her into another hug.

“Well as sweet as this is,” Patrice began. “We should get out of here before reinforcements come.”

“She’s right,” Nate replied. “We need to head home. I’m sure you’ll want to see your mate,” he said, looking at Thomas.

“Then we better be on our way,” Patrice spoke up. She drew in a deep breath as she took in the werecats. Indecision swirled in her eyes as her lips moved, counting each and every cat in sight. “Let’s get them to Sanctuary. There are a few vans on a private drive over this way,” she said pointing over her shoulder. “We should all be able to fit into them.”

T
ess slumped back into the seat, resting her head on the hard headrest. These large vans could carry a large quantity of people, but they weren’t built for comfort. Hopefully, the drive back to Sanctuary wouldn’t be too much longer.

There were two large cargo vans. The same vans Callum and Ray had driven with their teams. Only now, seventeen werecats and two wolves occupied them instead of ten wolves. Nate drove the van she rode in and Heath, a member of her pride, drove the other.

They’d hastily wrapped Jax’s body in plastic and were transporting him back to the compound for a proper burial. Even though Ray had claimed to kill the rest of the team, except for Callum, no other bodies had been found.