Werewolf Rage Book #2 in the Taming The Wolf Series (18 page)

Ava gritted her teeth at the pain his words were causing.
It felt like he was taking a chisel to her cold heart. And it hurt.

“No! Now get out!” she screamed at him as her breath started coming faster and faster.

Cole growled low in his throat and narrowed his eyes at her.  “Find your strength Ava.  It’s there inside of you.”

“
Where do you get off preaching to me about being strong? You have no idea.”

“Ava…
,” Cole began and then held up his hands as she kept talking.

“Cyrus
chose
to die. He chose revenge and he chose death over me. He wants this Cole. If he hadn’t, he would have stayed with me. I’m just surprised it took this long. Suicide by Braxton Mayhew,” she said bitterly. “I’ll come back for his funeral,” she said tiredly and motioned with her arm to the door way. “I want you to leave now. Don’t ever come back,” she said feeling as cold as the words.

Cole stood up and looked at her with disgust in his eyes.
“I thought you were strong. Looks like I was wrong. Cyrus was right, he’s better off without you,” he threw his jacket over his shoulder as he walked out of her bedroom, leaving little drops of red blood in his wake.

Ava followed him silently down the stairs and to the front door.
She opened it for him and watched as he walked down the porch stairs to the sidewalk. He turned around to look at her one more time and she flipped him off.  She slammed the door hard, turning to lock it. She’d have to have the locks changed tomorrow and a new security system installed. Cole had gotten in. If he had, then anyone could really.

She walked into her bathroom and turned on the shower. She stood there staring at the water pouring down into her tub and finally forced herself to pull off her
clothes and step into the hot flow.

Everything Cole had said swam through her mind over and over and over.
She finally leaned against the warm tile wall and closed her eyes.
Cyrus
. She whispered his name for the first time in months and tried to ignore the bitter sweet shocks that tripped down her spine and arms and legs.

Alive
. She tried to stop her heart from speeding up, but she couldn’t help it. She had assumed that she would feel
something
if he had died, but since she’d been through withdrawals, there was no bond between them anymore. It had been hell not really knowing.

She turned off the water and grabbed a large white towel before stepping out. She toweled off and got dressed in a pair of silky pajama bottoms she’d bought herself the week before and a simple white tank top.
She walked in to the kitchen and stared into the fully stocked fridge. None of it looked good. She grabbed an apple off the counter and walked into her family room. She flopped down on to the couch and threw her arm over her eyes.

Could she really just ignore the fact that Braxton would be executing the man she used to love with her heart
, body and soul?

Yes
. He’d dumped her and thrown her into withdrawals knowing the agony she’d go through. All so he could have his revenge. She never wanted to see him again. Ever.
But
. . .

Ava turned over on her side and grabbed the TV remote.
She was too uptight to do homework. She’d zone out with a reality show or a law drama. It didn’t matter as long as it got her mind off of Cyrus.

She fell into a troubled asleep a few hours later and was pulled under into a dream. She was standing in a forest and running toward her was a hybrid.
His jaw was open and his teeth were shiny and red. He was running right for her and the blood that dripped off its teeth wasn’t hers. It was Cyrus’s. 

Ava woke up in the middle of the night, gasping for breath and panting.
She turned over on her stomach and opened her eyes. She still heard echoes of a scream that must have come from her lips. She glanced at the clock beside her bed and groaned. It was three in the morning and she was wide awake. She threw off her sheets and stood up, still breathing fast, her chest moving up and down as if she’d been sprinting full out.

She walked over to her window and pulled up the blinds, she pushed open her window and leaned out, gulping in cool air and relishing the soft breeze on her face.
She’d been dreaming of Cyrus.
And Braxton Mayhew
. Cyrus was being eaten alive by hybrids while Braxton stood back smiling and laughing.

Ava closed her eyes, wishing the images would fade and disappear.
But they wouldn’t. And she knew they never would. She had to do something.

S
he had to go
.

She leaned on the window sill, running her hands through her hair before letting her head drop.
She let a long shaky breath out and then stood up, closing the window. She walked to her closet and grabbed a duffle bag. She threw it on the bed and began throwing clothes in haphazardly. She hurried to her office and unlocked her gun case. She pulled out a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver, Mossberg 12ga, AR chambered in .308 and sporting an expensive scope, and a lever action 45-70 in case she came across any bears or pissed off hybrids. Next she scooped up all the ammo, shotgun shells and spare magazines for her Beretta and AR. She hurried back to her suitcase and put them on top of her clothes. She went into the bathroom and grabbed some necessities and then changed into all black. She grabbed a pair of loose, black cargo pants and a black t-shirt. Next she grabbed her favorite running shoes and slipped them on and pulled her long hair back in a ponytail. She strapped her gun belt around her waist, slipped the Beretta into the holster and grabbed her duffle bag and keys and hurried down to the kitchen. She grabbed her back pack she used for hiking and filled it with water bottles, granola bars and beef jerky and then she sat down at her computer and Googled Tanner’s Landing.

She stared at the map zooming in and out and studied the roads in and the surrounding territory.
She printed out a few copies of the images she wanted and then stood up. It was time to go get Cyrus. She slipped her back pack on, grabbed her phone and purse, and the suitcase with one hand and left through the front door. She locked up and then hurried to her jeep, throwing the suitcase in the back and hopping in.

She screamed as a hand cam
e out of nowhere and took her back pack from her. Her hand went to the pistol but she stopped herself when she saw who it was.

Cole.

She reared back her fist and let it fly toward his face, snarling in fury. He caught it right before it slammed into his nose and scooted back.

“
Geeze Ava! Calm down! It’s just me. I’ve been waiting for hours for you to come to your senses.”

Ava stared in irritation at the large werewolf in her passenger seat and slowly put her hand on her gun.
“
Get out
. I’ll give you five seconds and then I’ll shoot you again,” she warned icily slipping the gun out of the holster.

Cole grinned at her and shook his head, his bright green eyes sparkling.
“I actually believe you. Dang Ava, you’re like some wicked biker chick now with a chip on your shoulder. You’re every dream I’ve ever had come true,” he said with an appreciative smile.

Ava didn’t even blink as she cocked her gun and aimed it at his good shoulder.
Cole’s smile slipped and he sat up, holding his hands out. “You need me. I know you’re going to Tanner’s Landing. You need a guide. There’s more than one way into town and I know the best ways in. Let’s work together. We’ll be twice as effective and we can watch each other’s backs.”

Ava smiled.
“I don’t need you. I have Google. Get out,” she said, motioning toward the door with her gun.

Cole’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her gun.
“Put your pride away and let’s get going Ava. We need each other. Now knock it off and start driving. Or let me drive. I’ve got a guy I know an hour from here who will let me use his Cessna. We can make it to Tanner’s Landing in four hours.”

Ava licked her lips and considered.
She stared at Cole’s huge shoulders and massive arms and had to admit that if she needed back up, he’d be a good pick. That and he had a plane. She slipped her gun back in her holster and started the jeep, pulling out of the parking lot and heading onto the street.

“Which way?”

An hour later she pulled onto a dirt road that led to a small farm. It was only 4:30 in the morning and there were no lights on in the house. She glanced at Cole with a raised eyebrow and he pointed to the barn a few hundred feet to the side.

“It’s behind the barn.
Just pull into the barn and park the jeep. He’ll watch it for us.”

Ava did as Cole
directed and hopped out, grabbing her back pack and her duffle bag. Cole moved to take the bag from her and she growled low in her throat. “Back off.”

Cole stared at her grimly.
“Is it just me or is it everybody Ava?”

Ava walked away and shrugged.
“Who cares? Just don’t touch me or get close to me,” she warned. “I can’t handle it.”

Cole sighed and followed her closely, opening the door to the Cessna for her.
She threw her stuff in the plane and climbed into the co-pilot’s seat.

“I’m assuming you know how to fly?”

Cole laughed. “Something you should have probably asked before you agreed to tagging along with me, huh?” he said teasing her.

Ava rolled her eyes and buckled her seatbelt as Cole started flipping switches like an expert.
She relaxed slightly and closed her eyes as the plane began to move. The last time she’d flown in a Cessna had been when Cyrus had come for her. And now she was going back.

She was silent the entire flight to Tanner’s Landing, concentrating on her deep breathing and meditation.
She couldn’t afford to be sick and weak when she reached their destination. She wanted to get in and get out like a razor. When Cole landed the plane in the soft light of morning, she let out a breath and opened her eyes. She was good. She felt strong, centered and ready for what lay ahead.

“Answer me something,” Cole said as she reached for her buckle.
“Did you come for Cyrus or did you come for Braxton?”

Ava stood up and glanced down at Cole who was staring at her
specutively. “Braxton of course. Let’s go,” she threw over her shoulder and unlatched the door, jumping out easily.

Cole groaned as he joined her a few seconds later.
“I feel like I’ve been on a roller coaster for three hours and you look as fresh as if you’ve been sleeping like a baby. What’s your secret?”

Ava grabbed her suitcase and back pack and smiled.
“Yoga. If you’re centered on the inside, then nothing on the outside matters.”

Cole snorted and pointed to a large black Dodge truck, partially hidden by trees.
“Over there. That’s my baby,” he said with obvious love in his voice. It was Ava’s turn to snort. Men and their toys.

Before putting her duffle
bag in the back of the truck, she opened the zipper and took out a leg holster and the AR-10. She replaced her concealable holster with the leg holster. She wasn’t hiding. Ava glanced at her choices and then picked a kukri and a bottle of bear spray. If it could take down a bear, it could take down a few hybrids if the occasion called for it.

Cole watched her silently and then gestured to her shotgun
“Mind if I borrow this one?”

Ava looked at him doubtfully.
“Do you even know how to shoot a gun?” she asked looking him up and down. Werewolf men were so sure they could handle anything physically that they sneered at the thought of having to lower themselves to use a gun. Her dad was the only exception she’d come across.

Cole shrugged.
“My dad used to take me out for target practice with his old shot gun when I was younger. I won’t shoot myself in the foot,” he promised, smiling at her.

Ava rolled her eyes and handed him the gun.
“You know what a safety is, right?”

Cole ignored her and walked to her side door, unlocking it and acting as if he were going to help her inside.
Ava sighed and waited for him to step backward before she jumped up. They were on the road within seconds.

“So now that it’s daylight, what’s your plan?
According to my map, we could go in from the north road. It’s more like a path really, but goes between a few farms. Braxton’s house is more like a compound on the edge of town. I looked it up on Google Earth and he’s got some kind of wired fence. It could be electrical. I’m sure he’s keeping Cyrus close,” she added taking out her map of Braxton’s house and studying it in the light from the window.

Cole blinked in surprise.
“How did you get his address? How did you get all this?” he demanded, snatching the map out of her hands and turning it sideways.

Ava looked at him in pity.
“I wasn’t raised in Paskell. I was raised in the real world. I can find anything on Google. Even Braxton.”

Cole nodded his head in approval and handed her back the map.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Ava, you are quite the woman.”

Ava sneered at him, ignoring the comment and went back to studying the map.
“We have to assume he’ll have a patrol of hybrids circling the compound. I doubt he’ll have cameras though, but you never know. He’s a werewolf so he’s probably old school,” she said softly.

Cole nodded.
“You’re right. He’ll have a few men and a bunch of hybrids. He won’t be expecting us, that’s for sure,” he added softly.

Ava raised her head and studied Cole as he drove silently.
His strong features and hard jaw combined with his black hair made him a lethally attractive man. She couldn’t have cared less.

“You said my dad wanted you go up with a group of men to save Cyrus.
And now here we are, just you and me. What’s the deal Cole? Did you lie to me?” she asked, not really caring. She was here to do what she needed to do. Cole’s honesty was just a side curiosity.

Cole glanced at her and then looked back at the road.
“Your dad does have a group of men going up in a few days to save Cyrus. They won’t be successful though. They’re just normal dads, lumber mill workers and farmers. They have families who depend on them. They have wives who love them. I’m tired of seeing families torn apart because of Braxton. I was planning on going up just myself to see if I could bring an end to this situation myself before anyone else gets hurt. And I thought to myself, who would be really fun to hang out with on the way? Who’s sparkling personality and sense of humor will keep us laughing the entire time? Ava of course,” he said with a sardonic smile.

Ava almost smiled.
“
Idiot
.”

Cole pulled onto a dirt road and slowed down as he came to an empty looking house.
She could see the barren and abandoned fields behind the house and sensed the emptiness of the place.

“Is this your home?” she asked softly.

Cole nodded once. “It used to be. We’ll park the truck here. I was planning on us going the rest of the way as wolves. Do you want to ditch the guns and go with my original plan, or do you have your heart set on doing this Kill Bill style?”

Ava had watched the Kill Bill movies just a couple months ago for the first time and grinned at the reference.
“Kill Bill all the way. I haven’t been a wolf since I left Paskell,” she admitted, checking her straps and grabbing her back pack with water and food.

“Let’s eat something before we get going. You feel slightly off to me,” she said looking at him closely.
Either the plane ride had been harder on him than she thought, or the bullet wound she’d give him the night before had caused a lot of damage.

Cole shrugged and moved his shoulders up and down.
“I changed into a wolf after I dug the bullet out. I’m fine. I’m just hungry. Let’s see what you have,” he said grabbing her back pack and scanning its contents. They both sat down on his front porch as they ate everything she’d brought, emptying a few water bottles too.

“That’s better,” Cole said with a sigh and then stood up, stretching his large powerful body in a sinuous and obvious way meant to impress.

She looked him up and down and shook her head. “Save it for someone who’s interested,” she said and smiled at his grumpy expression.

He lowered his hands to his hips and tilted his head as he studied her. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through Ava, but my feelings for you are still the same.
When you’re ready to start really living again and loving again, I’m the first in line.”

Ava frowned and stood up, grabbing their empty rappers and shoving them back in the back pack.
“There is no line Cole. You’ve got to let the idea of you and me ever being together go,” she said in a kind voice that was five times more cruel than a shout would have been. “I’m not for you. You’ve never felt that bonding that binds you to another person’s soul.
You will
. Just not with me.”