Strength of the Pack (11 page)

Captain Stanley ordered Lucas to advise him when they were clear and once again oscar-mike, because Lucas obviously couldn’t think to do that on his own.

When Lucas turned, he nearly collided with Noah’s broad chest. He looked up into blue eyes, filled with concern.

“Talking to him always upsets you,” Noah said quietly, his voice laced with frustration.

Lucas rolled his shoulders to ease the tension. He thought he hid it better than apparently he did.

“I can feel it,” Noah continued, surprising Lucas. “You just
feel
different to me when you’re talking to him.” He lifted a finger to his own temple. “You feel different to me here,” Noah placed his palm flat on Lucas’ chest. “And here.”

“You shouldn’t be worrying about me,” Lucas said quickly. “I don’t want to be a distraction that could cause you to get injured.”

“No choice,” replied Noah, one corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile. His expression warmed, and Lucas felt that heat snake its way into his belly. “It’s the way things are now.”

Lucas was going to ask Noah what he meant by that vague statement when he was startled by Noah reaching out to unfasten his Kevlar and remove it. Unfastening his own helmet, Noah set them both on the hood of the Humvee. When Noah’s free hand wrapped around the back of his neck and tugged him closer, alarm spiked through Lucas, and he drew a breath to warn Noah against inappropriate contact.

The scent of Noah filled Lucas’ senses and immediately stopped his protest. Against his better judgment, Lucas leaned into Noah’s body, feeling unexpectedly comforted by the heat of him. None of them had showered in days, and yet Noah smelled warm and spicy. Pleasure curled through Lucas, and all tension fled his body. He closed his eyes, pressed his face to the side of Noah’s neck and just breathed.

Noah’s cheek brushed against his own and then along his temple. Lucas sighed in pleasure when Noah’s cheek skimmed over the top of his head. He felt Noah begin to pull back, and Lucas reached out his free hand. He gripped Noah’s armor, using it to hold him in place just a while longer.

Noah didn’t resist. Lucas pressed his lips to Noah’s warm throat one more time and took a final, deep breath. Noah gave a low growl, deep in his throat. It was a soothing sound.

Lucas finally released Noah and stepped back. He hadn’t felt this relaxed and peaceful since…before they had deployed. He looked up into Noah’s face.

“That’s amazing,” Lucas breathed. “Why does that even work?”

“Touch can be a powerful tool for healing,” Noah said enigmatically.

“Does it work both ways?” he asked. “Do you get the same benefit when you touch someone?”

Noah’s smile held tolerant affection. “Yes, Lucas, it works both ways. But not when I touch
someone
. When I touch
you
.”

Lucas’ reply was forgotten when Grant and Hubbard sprinted back into their lines. The wolves climbed into the Humvee, emerging several minutes later as uniformed Marines.

“The road is clear, Lieutenant,” Hubbard reported. “Alternate route confirmed.”

“Thank you, Corporal,” Lucas replied. He turned to Noah. “Looks like we have a detonation to set.” He handed Noah his Kevlar and settled his own on his head as they all got back to work.

The controlled detonation went off without a hitch. They watched from a safe distance as the plume of smoke and dirt billowed up. The line of Humvees raced off-road toward the alternate route, bouncing violently. On a particularly hard jolt, Lucas nearly bit his tongue. He was glad they didn’t have far to go.

When they finally turned onto the alternate road, the ride smoothed out blessedly, and the noise level dropped.

After several long moments of quiet, Vince asked, “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me how it is you always know what Hammond is warning us about, when all he ever says is ‘LT’?”

Lucas paused, wondering how to answer. It might be easier if he
had
an answer. “I would if I knew. It’s nothing I can explain. I just
know
.”

Vince glanced at him askance. “Next you’re gonna tell me the two of you know what the other is feeling.”

Lucas stared out his window and didn’t answer.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Vince muttered. “Does command know about this?”

Lucas looked at Vince in confusion. “No. Why would they?”

Gunny glanced repeatedly from the road to Lucas and back again. “The Marine Corps’ True Alpha willingly submits to his
human
platoon commander; that’s a weapon they’d like to have.”

An icy chill swept through Lucas. “Weapon? I don’t understand.”

This time Vince shrugged. “I don’t know the ins and outs of it. Have Hammond explain it; it’s werewolf mythology.”

They lapsed into silence as Vince negotiated the rough, rutted road. Lucas tried to shake off the dark feeling the conversation had left him with.

His thoughts were interrupted by Noah’s voice in his ear. The low timbre of it swirled through Lucas and warmed him.

“Fox-two-actual; Fox-two-one.”

“Go for two-actual,” Lucas quickly replied.

“We’re approaching the end of the road,” Noah said. “Looks like it’s dumping us out above our target village.”

“Solid copy,” Lucas replied. “Halt out of view, and we’ll take up an over-watch.”

“Roger that.”

Noah’s driver brought the Humvee to a stop. Lucas ordered the rest of the platoon into a staggered formation behind it. When he climbed out of his victor and started forward, Lucas saw that Noah was already headed down the line toward him. Again, they were totally in sync.

“Tell me what you want to do,” Lucas ordered.

Noah responded just as Lucas knew he would. He stood at his full height, made direct eye contact and quickly spelled out his plan for gathering intel. “Two teams, each with a couple of weres, to get eyes on the village. One will circle around the valley to get eyes on the front. Another will take the high ground and observe the rear. The shifters will get as close as possible to see what additional information they can see, hear and smell.”

Lucas nodded his agreement, once again impressed with Noah’s strategic thinking. “Do you have recommendations on the teams?” He knew the answer even as he asked the question.

“I do, sir.” Noah held Lucas’ gaze steadily.

“I thought you might.” He couldn’t help giving Noah a small grin. “I want everyone back with their sitreps by zero-three-hundred. If we’re going to hit the village, I want to do it while it’s still dark.”

“Understood, sir. That’s a solid plan.” Noah tightened the strap of his Kevlar and adjusted his battle sling as he prepared to execute Lucas’ orders.

“Go assemble your teams, and check in with me before you step off. I assume you’ll be leading one of them.” Lucas inclined his head to indicate Noah’s adjustments to his gear.

“Of course, sir.” Noah’s expression was implacable, but his eyes sparkled with humor.

A thrill ran the length of Lucas’ spine. “Of course. You have your orders, Sergeant. Dismissed.” He hoped he didn’t sound as out of breath as he felt.

The hours it took Noah and his teams to get into position, gather their intel and make it back to the platoon were excruciating. Lucas stood watch and walked the perimeter, checking in with his men. This was his job, but he still wanted to be out in the dark, doing recon with one of his teams.

Lucas was in the front seat of his Humvee, red penlight cradled between neck and shoulder, making notes about the day’s events. He gasped as a wave of adrenaline-fueled anxiety spiked through his system. He jumped from his victor, holding his M16 in a white-knuckled grip.

“What’s up, Lieutenant?” Vince asked, coming to stand beside him. His presence was welcome but not nearly as comforting as Noah’s usually was.

“I don’t know; I can’t explain it,” Lucas answered, squinting as he scanned the dark horizon. His heart hammered, and his fingers curled tight around his weapon.

Vince squinted in the same direction Lucas stared. “Did you hear something? See something?”

“No…it’s just a feeling…” The feeling was waning, even as he stood there, trying to identify its source. Lucas’ heart was slowing, his fear and anxiety easing.

“You need to stay calm, sir,” Vince said quietly. “Let him know you’re okay, and just try to think calm and reassuring thoughts.”

“Who?” Lucas asked, turning to Vince in confusion. “Let who know I’m okay?”

“Sergeant Hammond,” Vince replied as if it was obvious. “He’s dealing with something out there, and it’ll help if you just give him a calm presence to reach out to.”

Lucas looked back into the darkness, trying to feel for more information, some idea of what had distressed Noah. He took several deep breaths. He had no idea how this worked, but what Vince said made sense. Lucas steadied his breathing and tried to will his heart rate to slow even farther.

I’m all right.
He thought.
Things here are just fine. Stay focused, do your job and come back to me.

Immediately, the anxiety ebbed. Lucas still felt keyed up, agitated, but it was nothing like it had been. This too, would probably pass as his adrenaline burned away.

He couldn’t help but smile when he was flooded with a warm sense of relief and renewed determination. Whatever Noah had encountered, it had passed, and he and his team were oscar-mike once again.

“I take it all is well out there?” Vince asked.

“It feels that way,” Lucas sighed. He turned to face Vince. “How did you know that would work?”

“Not sure,” Vince said with a shake of his head. “Think I read it somewhere. Noah can explain it. See if Captain Madison has anything to say about it.”

“I will, thanks.” Lucas remembered Madison’s offer of help and decided it was worth taking him up on. Strange things were happening, and he needed to understand.

Lucas decided to try to sleep. He climbed into his seat in the Humvee and managed to doze but stirred at the slightest sound or any radio transmission.

He knew the teams were on their way back thirty minutes before they actually arrived. It gave him a head start. By the time Noah led both teams back into their lines, Lucas had the remainder of the platoon gathered and maps spread out on the hood of his Humvee.

Noah gave a subtle nod of his head, and Sergeant Rodriguez delivered a succinct report.

“They’re hiding three, maybe four Taliban fighters,” he concluded.

“How can you be sure of the number?” Lucas asked.

Rodriguez looked at Noah.

Noah lowered the bottle of water from which he was drinking. “I smelled at least that many, sir.”

“You smelled…” Lucas began dubiously before he remembered just how acute werewolf senses were. “Is there any way to verify this info?”

“We all verified Sergeant Hammond’s intel, sir,” Corporal Hubbard interjected. “There are three, possibly four scent signatures that don’t match the rest of the families living there.”

The werewolves were all in agreement. Lucas realized he’d never get any better intel. “How did you determine they’re Taliban and not insurgents?”

“Anyone who enters from another region, let alone another country, carries smells from the entire journey,” Noah replied. “None of us smelled anything that came from outside of Afghanistan.”

Lucas stared hard at Noah’s inscrutable expression. After several long moments he asked, “Is it really that easy?”

“For us it is, sir,” answered Noah.

“All right, lay out a plan,” Lucas ordered. “I want to go in just before first light, and our objective is live capture and no civilian casualties.”

Inside of an hour, they had their strategy. It was time for Vince and Lucas to pick it apart, find the weaknesses and holes. Noah coached the platoon through shoring it up until it was as solid as it was going to get.

“All right, gents, this is it,” Lucas said, tucking the map into his armor vest. “We’re oscar-mike.”

“A word, Lieutenant,” Noah said, as Marines began to head for their vehicles.

“Certainly, Sergeant.” Lucas moved several yards away, trying for some modicum of privacy.

“I know I startled you earlier,” Noah said, voice low, head lowered right into Lucas’ space. “I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

At first, Lucas had no idea what Noah meant. When he remembered the inexplicable emotions that had overwhelmed him earlier, he understood. “Obviously, you handled whatever that was, for which I’m thankful. I think not understanding what was happening was the worst part.”

“We thought we were about to encounter a hostile patrol,” explained Noah. “Turned out to be nothing. For not understanding what was happening, you did an admirable job of calming me down.”

“I did?” Lucas was embarrassingly happy he’d been of help to Noah. “I had no idea what I was doing.”

“Looks like you’re a natural,” Noah said with a smile.