Taken: True Mates Book 2 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) (3 page)

Wheels finally started to turn in my brain.

“Your sister’s name?” I asked.

“Luisa.”

Right. No wonder they looked so alike. I conjured up an image of Lisa, which was not difficult since she seemed lodged in my mind.

“She’s tiny, about 5’3” — unless she’s wearing those skyscraper heels she seems to love. Brown, almond-shaped eyes, heart shaped face with cute little dimples, wide smile,” —
luscious lips
— “mad, crazy hair, her skin’s lightly tanned, lighter than mine — more gold like yours.”
Looks like satin, with curves that just won’t quit,
I added silently. “She’s filled with an unstoppable kind of energy, always moving, always having fun. A spark…” I trailed off, remembering how it had felt when that spark had been aimed at me.

“Sounds like Luisa.” Shock was clear in the other man’s voice. Shock and worry. “But what’s she doing mixed up with a pack of wolves? And, why is she calling herself Lisa?” He muttered to himself. Then with a jolt, he looked at me, pinning me with his gaze. “And, why the hell did you let her get kidnapped?” he growled, striding toward me.

A growl spilled from my lips at the challenge, even if he was Lisa’s brother, I couldn’t let it go. I strode forward, meeting him halfway, letting my beast bleed gold in my eyes. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to, feline?”

“A wolf that let my sister get kidnapped, by the sounds of it!”

“I’m the Beta of the Colstone Pack, so back the fuck down. And, we didn’t
let
your sister get kidnapped; she was in the packhouse. It’s meant to be a safe place,” I added as an afterthought, the truth of his words hitting home — we had — no,
I
had…

“Sure sounds like a
safe
place.”

Clamping down on the urge wipe the sneer off his face, I leaned closer, crowding the smaller man. “If you don’t know where she is then I have no need of you.” Then I grinned, the smile of someone who didn’t give a shit. Okay, the smile might have a touch of manic in it, but relaxing the tight rein I kept on my temper felt real good. A little
too
good. Walking a fine line, I reminded myself.

Seeing something in my eyes, he nodded, wary respect reflected in his own. “I’m going with you—”

“No, you’re not.” I shut him down and strode off.

“You’re going to need me—”

“I don’t need anyone.”

“I’m her twin! We have a bond!” he shouted after me.

Well, fuck
.

He had more than me, then. I took a deep breath. Resigning myself, I jerked my head in assent.

“Better catch up then, we’re up against a ticking clock.”

CHAPTER THREE

Sean

“Who took her?” the guy — Luis — asked, pushing aside thick foliage as we trudged deeper into the forest.

“Smithrock Pack—”

“Those fucking rabid—”

I cut him off with a wave of my hand. “Not the whole pack. Eric, the Alpha’s son is — was — a sick, twisted bastard. He was poisoning the pack, trying to take over. He killed his own mother. He had a
thing
for Kara—”

“Kara? Luisa’s friend?”

“She told you about her?”

“Yeah. Said she had found a stray, someone who needed help. That was Luisa — always with the big heart. Got her in all kinds of trouble when we were kids.” He shrugged, chuckling to himself.

“She’s Lisa, now. And yeah, she helped Kara, got mixed up in it all, and Eric took her as leverage.”

“But Eric is dead now? You said ‘was’.”

“James, my Alpha, challenged him — and won. From what I hear, Eric didn’t play fair and deserved what was coming to him. He killed his own Alpha, in front of the Council. His own goddamn father! Now James is acting Alpha of the Smithrock Pack, much to his bemusement. ”

“I’ve heard of the Council,” Luis said casually, flicking a leaf off his shoulder. “The jaguar member is one of my uncles,” he added as explanation. He shrugged, continuing, “It’s a small world. So, what’s your interest in my sister?”

My defenses immediately slammed up tight. “No interest, except that she was taken on our land…and is the best friend of the Alpha’s new mate.”

“Ah, Kara. So, that’s how she plays into this.”

I grunted, pushing ahead. We didn’t have a clue where we were headed, just following some sort of internal radar that Luis
claimed
to have.

“So…she’s nothing to you?” he pressed, catching up.

I gave another grunt. Jeez, I sounded like a caveman! But, I couldn’t force the words out. She
should
mean nothing to me. I had decided that she didn’t. But, my beast didn’t like that one bit — snapping and snarling at me.

Calm the fuck down!

He was driving me crazy! Pushing to have his way.

Luis seemed to accept my answer, changing direction and pushing ahead. “She’s this way.”

“How do you know — for sure?” My words were clipped, but I was bone tired. Tired of fighting my beast, tired of having to be in control all the time…tired of being scared to death that I wasn’t going to find her in time. That was the worst. With every passing minute I couldn’t stop the horrifying visions that crammed into my brain. Lisa being tortured, Lisa being beaten, Lisa being— I shuddered, my chest tight. No way, not while I was still breathing.

Luis looked at me, brows raised at my strangled breathing. “The bond. I know when she’s close, and that way—” he pointed to the right, “—is closer to Luisa.”

“Lisa,” I corrected automatically. “Why did she change her name?”

“Hell if I know, man. I didn’t even know anything was up with her. She checked in, as usual, a few days ago — told me she was taking a trip from the pride to see Kara, and that I shouldn’t worry. She always called or texted, didn’t like me visiting. It must be over a year since I last saw her. Shit! I should have known something was up, and trusted my instincts. But, for the last year she’s kept her half of the bond shut down tight. No emotions. I can track her, but I can’t
feel
her! If she hadn’t shut me out…I could have
done
something!” He kicked a broken tree stump in frustration.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it. Even only knowing her a short while, I do know that she’s a force to be reckoned with. Regular little spitfire, your sister.”

Luis huffed, obviously still blaming himself. “Sure is, world wouldn’t be the same if she wasn’t around.”

He was right. The world needed someone like Lisa, she made it a more…
interesting
place. Fun, exciting. Life with her would be a rollercoaster. Just thinking about her made my blood quicken and my cock twitch. Wildcat, she had said — yeah, I could imagine that. I smirked at my beast’s immediate enthusiasm.

Nope, I’m not budging on this one,
I warned him
. Control — remember? I have to have it — and she makes me lose it.

My smirk dimmed, as regret filled me. My temper, my uncontrollable rage, it was my cross to bear — my inheritance, you could say. It had to be controlled. And, that was that.

“She’s this way,” Luis said, the urgency in his tone snapping me out of the mental flagellation I had been indulging in.

We were far beyond Smithrock land now, crossed over the border and into neutral territory, as far as I could tell.

“Down here.” The smaller man crept ahead, his lithe form making quick work of the difficult terrain, his footsteps barely making a sound. Though light-footed myself, I felt like a bolder crashing through the forest next to him.

“Stop,” he hissed, hand held up in the universal halt signal. Dropping to his stomach, he wiggled forward through the thick undergrowth, his movements careful and silent.

Quickly, I did the same, sniffing the air. The musky stench of male wolves reached my nose, along with the sweet smell of feline — the tang of oranges laced with orchids…
Lisa!
Which reminded me… “Why the hell can’t I smell you?” I hissed, careful to keep my voice down.

“Later, man.” He waved off the question, all his focus ahead. “She’s here. Look.” He nodded toward a small stone building, barely still standing — its walls crumbling and roof sagging.

Smoke curled from the chimney, a sure sign of inhabitants. I flicked my eyes over the building, quickly cataloguing all entrances and exits. Noting the bars on one window, I stifled a growl. Those bastards were keeping her caged, like an animal.

“So, what now?” Luis whispered, a matching fury in his eyes.

What I wanted to do was storm the building, claws flying and teeth ripping. I clamped down hard on my beast, wrestling for control, as he snarled and lurched at my skin. I couldn’t lose control. They could kill her before we reached her. Finally getting him to submit, I blinked, the haze of red fading once again. We needed intel…and a plan.

“For now, we watch, and we wait.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Lisa

I sat slouched in the same corner as earlier, staring at my hands while my foot tapped out a staccato rhythm, willing a plan to come to mind. There had to be something I could do, I was a jaguar, after all — and I had been taught how to fight. Last resort, I could shift and try to fight my way out of here.

They were either gonna just kill me, or rape and kill me, or — even worse — rape and keep me. My stomach clenched at the thought, icy fear shooting through me. I wouldn’t let that happen. No way. Nope.

I jumped to my feet, finally ditching my heels, though I immediately mourned the certain loss of my favorite pair of skyscrapers. Flexing my hands, I rolled my shoulders, trying to work myself up. I had to do
something
. All this sitting around and waiting for the sky to fall just wasn’t
me
. I was an action kinda girl, take charge and screw the consequences.
The exact opposite of my twin
, mom always used to say, fondness on her face. I charged toward things rather than waiting for a more natural progression.
Always going one hundred miles an hour
, another of her favorite ways of describing me.

Bouncing from the ball of one foot to the other, I wracked my brain.

Think, Lisa, think!

Distract one, take him out, then use him as a shield—? Nah, not gonna work. They’re bigger and stronger, and outnumber me. But, are they faster? And, can they climb?

I strode over to the door, pulling up short as male voices filtered through the wood, much louder this time. They were arguing, heated, and extremely pissed off.

Arguing about going to find out what the hell was keeping Eric.

“Like fuck, you will,” Gary snarled — I’d recognize his voice anywhere now, “I’ll go, you stay here and watch the prisoner…and don’t fucking touch her, or I’ll kill you myself. She’s
mine
. The designation from the Sunclaw Pack will be here soon with the merchandise and further instructions, so don’t fuck up.”

Sunclaw Pack? I wracked my brain. Nope, never heard of them. But if Gary was leaving, now was my best chance. My pulse thundered out of control, adrenaline flooding me. Time was running out. I had to make a break for it soon — before this other pack showed up, or Eric got back. Then, my chances would rapidly go from slim to none.

Wiping my clammy hands on my filthy dress, I backed away from the door. My best chance was to shift, at least that way I had weapons. Lethal, sharp weapons.

I wiggled out of the dress, immediately feeling more vulnerable as the cool air chilled my skin. Pulling the shift to me, I dropped to the floor, fur sprouting and fangs elongating, as my bones curled then snapped into their feline shape. My jaguar raced to the front, purring and rubbing herself inside my mind with gratitude. She wanted to teach these stinkin’ wolves a lesson they wouldn’t forget.

I’m with you there, girl,
I sent back, stretching my strong legs and scoring the hard floor with sharp claws. I opened my powerful jaws in a silent roar of scared bravado, then settled in to a crouch, listening for Gary to leave.

A twinge of awareness, a lurching tug in my chest. Luis! My ears pricked forward, eyes closing as I concentrated on the twin bond. He was near…somewhere. But, why? How did he know? Who could have? Hope bloomed in my chest — Sean! Then fizzled, as I remembered his last words to me. He wouldn’t be looking for me — I didn’t matter enough. And, he certainly wouldn’t have tracked down my family. No one knew ‘Lisa’ as ‘Luisa’, I had made sure of that, by covering my tracks and keeping on the down low, as per the agreement.

Until I had met Kara, that is. And, the damn Colstone Pack. And, Sean. I swatted the side of my head with a large paw. There he was again, invading my thoughts. But sheesh, what a man to have invade. My tail lifted, ears twitching. Hmm, my cat agreed…she thought he smelled tasty enough to lick…and paw…and—

Shocked, I accidentally let out a low purr, the sound rumbling up through my chest. She liked him, my jaguar
liked
his wolf — in a
likey
like way. Nah, he couldn’t be? Could he? But, I had been so closed off, living in and for the moment ever since…had I missed the signs? Sure, I thought he was hot — screw that — steaming hot. Like, want-to-lick-melted-ice-cream-off-his-chest kinda
hot
, but I’d always had a healthy appreciation for a good-looking male specimen. Especially bad boys. And sugar, you could tell Sean was all kinds of bad. His attitude, his swagger, his fuck-you-I-don’t-care view of the world — yup, panty melting hot.