Taken by the Wolf: Collection (17 page)

Nobody could know about the pack, nobody.

Chapter 23

Eva opened her eyes, trying to remember how she had ended up on the ground. It had all happened so fast; the nice deputy was coming towards her and then she felt a powerful sting in her neck and everything went black.

She rubbed the base of her neck where it met her shoulder, feeling blood and crusty skin. She shuddered and pulled her hand away, looking around. She was lying in the back of Rowan's Chevy, commotion all around her.

Where's Rowan?
she thought. All she wanted at this moment was for her mate to hold her, but he wasn't anywhere close by. Instead she saw other wolves, in human form, bustling about. She sat up in the bed, looking for her mate, but she immediately felt woozy, having to settle onto the wheel well.

She didn't recognize these wolves; they were all combing the area looking for something. Finally her eyes rested on two objects covered by a blanket beside another pickup truck—bodies.

Oh my God,
she thought, the reality of the situation dawning on her.
Rowan killed both of them.

She looked in front of the truck, finally finding Rowan standing in the distance, talking furiously with Aster. They were standing closer to the forest than the vehicles, both of them animated in their conversation.

"Hey, you okay?" an excited voice asked from the foot of the truck bed.

Eva turned to see Rain standing down there, looking stunning with her black hair pulled into a ponytail on top of her head. She wore a black tank top with no stomach, revealing her flat midsection.

"Yeah," Eva responded, rubbing her neck. "The fucker tased me or something."

"Yeah, he did," Rain said, climbing into the truck bed and plopping down on the bed rail beside Eva.

"What the hell is going on?" Eva asked, glancing around at the commotion. She immediately felt at ease with the familiar Rain sitting next to her, even if they'd only hung out once. Rowan seemed a million miles away while he had it out with his alpha.

"Rowan's wolf couldn't stand you being harmed," Rain said. "He lost his cool and killed both of them while he was shifted."

"So he did kill them," Eva said to herself, feeling a little sick to her stomach. Was killing so easy for an enforcer like Rowan? Or were all wolves able to kill so easily?

"So here we go again," a sarcastic voice said from the cab of the truck. Eva turned to see Eden walking from the front of the truck, a look of disgust on her arrogant face. Eva shot the older female a death look as she continued to drone on. "Rowan has lost his mind and killed someone he shouldn't have, again, because of you."

The way she said those words were so accusing, so biting. Eva recoiled, feeling like she had been slapped in the face by the older wolf. She heard a low growl and turned to see Rain with her eyes fixed on Eden.

"This doesn't concern you," Rain said, her voice growing deeper and throatier.

"Oh, it doesn't?" Eden said, laughing. She had made her way to the tailgate now, looking up at the two younger women. "Our top enforcer just killed the sheriff and first deputy from the next county over. You don't think that concerns all of us? They're going to wonder where he went, and they'll come looking."

"Aster will know what to do," Rain said, standing up and shielding Eva.

"He will?" Eden asked. This time she laughed a deep belly laugh. "You're killing me here, child. He hasn't known what to do the entire time he's been in control."

"I haven't had any complaints," Rain said.

"You were just a pup when he took control," Eden said. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Why did you come over here, old woman?" Rain said, her words sounding deadly sharp. "Did you just come to bother us?"

"Watch your words, kid," Eden said, her eyes narrowing. "If this human bitch hadn't come in and poisoned Rowan's mind, then we wouldn't have these problems. She keeps putting herself in danger and he comes to the rescue, putting us all in jeopardy."

"It's not her fault," Rain said, stepping forward. "You should leave."

"Make me," Eden said, crossing her arms.

"With pleasure," Rain said, moving forward.

"No, stop!" Eva shouted, rushing forward and putting her arms around Rain's waist. "It's not worth it!"

Eva felt herself getting dragged through the bed. Rain had an inhuman strength and Eva was doing nothing to hold her back.

"Please!" Eva shouted again.

"I've had enough of this decrepit old hag!" Rain shouted. "I'm done with her."

Eva felt helpless. She didn't want there to be any more violence on her account. Rain was right: there had already been enough bloodshed because of her.

"What is going on here?" a voice boomed through the air.

All three women snapped their heads around, seeing Aster and Rowan walking up to the truck. The look on Aster's face immediately cowered Eva. He was not in the mood to be messed with. Rowan had a similar look of absolute anger on his face.

"I was just letting the human know what kind of trouble she's caused our pack," Eden said, crossing her arms defiantly.

"She is my mate and she has a name," Rowan said, getting about two inches from Eva's face. "You will address her as such."

"You are not my alpha," Eden said, putting her hand into Rowan's face and shoving him away.

He turned back, looking like he could barely restrain himself. Eva stood up, unsure of what to do. If any man had touched her like that, Rowan would have killed him. He had already done it three times. Should she react the same way and attack Eden? It would be suicide if she did so, because the she-wolf would tear Eva to pieces.

Fortunately, Aster was already on the case. With blinding speed, much faster than Eva had ever seen Rowan move, he was in between Rowan and Eden.

"Calm down, brother," Aster said to Rowan.

"Listen to your alpha," Eden said, a sneer appearing on her face.

Aster spun around to face her quickly, his hand shooting out and grabbing her by the throat, lifting her at least two feet off the ground.

"Whoa, hey! Aster!" Rain yelled, forgetting her previous quarrel with Eden and moving to defend her fellow female.

Eva felt a huge knot form in the pit of her stomach, nearly doubling her over. There was so much violence, she didn't know if she could handle it anymore.

Rowan put his hand on Aster's shoulder, trying to pull his beefy arm down.

"Brother, this is the old way," Rowan said. "We don't observe that way anymore. Let her go. We don't put our hands on females."

Aster lowered Eden to the ground, his body tight like a wolf ready to pounce. Eden grabbed at her throat and looked up at Aster, hurt in her eyes.

"I will not suffer such insolence," Aster said, still fuming. "Rowan is top enforcer and top beta. You will respect him and his mate."

Eden looked back and forth between Rowan and Aster like she was trying to decide who to address first. Finally she turned to Aster first and bowed her head. "Yes, alpha. As you command."

Then she turned to Rowan, the sneer returning to her face. "I deserve any punishment my alpha deems fit. If he wants to physically punish me, then that is his prerogative."

"Why you little…" Aster said, starting to move forward again before Rowan's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder.

Eden gave them all one more snotty look before turning and strutting away, her hips swaying confidently as she walked.

"What is happening to this pack?" Aster asked Rowan after Eden was gone. "We have never had this much infighting."

"She's jealous," Rowan said. "Pure and simple."

"She can be jealous somewhere else," Rain said, interjecting herself into the conversation. Both men turned to look at her, shocked that she was interrupting their conversation. "I like Eva and I want her to stay. She's a better mate for Rowan anyhow!"

A smile formed at the corner of Rowan's mouth as he looked at the younger female. "Don't worry, Rain, she's not going anywhere. I've grown rather attached to her."

Eva smiled back at Rowan. She felt the same way. She also didn't have any choice anymore now that the neural link had been formed. She didn't know if it could ever be broken; from what she had gathered from the way Rowan had spoken about wolf relationships, it couldn't.

"Good!" Rain said, sitting down on the back of the tailgate. "Do you need me for anything?"

"Can you take Eva home?" Rowan asked. "I have business to attend to with Aster."

Eva stood up now, feeling a bit of anger. It was obvious Rowan felt it because he looked up at her, a look of sadness in his eyes. "You can't just shuffle me away. I'm a part of this now, too! They attacked me."

"I understand, beautiful," Rowan said, trying to sweet-talk her. "We have to talk pack business and you've been around too much violence. I can't take the stress anymore."

Eva recoiled in shock. He even felt her desire to escape all the violence of the situation?

"You can't take the stress?" Aster asked, looking back and forth between them. "Have you established a bond?"

"We have," Rowan said, smiling up at Eva. "It is very strong."

"For him," Eva said. She could feel Rowan, but not as strongly as he felt her. His emotions were distant in the back of her mind—while hers were apparently setting up shop in the forefront of Rowan's mind.

"Fascinating," Aster said. "I have never had the bond."

"You've never claimed anyone and mated yourself to them," Rowan said.

"I would have," Aster said, a look of sadness briefly sweeping across his face. "I agree with Rowan, though, Eva. I need him sharp, and if you're stressed out then we need to remove you from this situation. Go home, watch TV, read a book, take a bath, something."

"Wait for me for the bath part," Rowan said, winking at her.

"I don't think we'd fit in the tub together," Eva said, laughing.

Rain turned to her, looking embarrassed by the candid conversation. Aster looked like he couldn't give a damn what was being said.

"Will you let me take you home?" Rain asked.

"I will," Eva said, still smiling. Rowan was better than anyone else she'd ever met at calming her down. But she still wanted to talk about the violence with him later; it bothered her how easily he was able to kill. If this had been normal society he'd be a murderer and she would be avoiding him at all costs, but here in Bucklin it just seemed like the order of the day.

Chapter 24

Rowan watched Rain's Mustang pull away with Eva waving out the passenger window. He returned her wave, unable to hide the somber look on his face.

What a mess,
he thought, looking at the cleanup crew. They were loading the bodies into a van to be disposed of while another wolf was climbing behind the wheel of Jerry's truck, taking it to be stripped down and disposed of as well. Nobody would ever know what happened out here. Plenty of humans had been killed around Bucklin and nobody was the wiser.

Eva didn't like me killing them,
he thought. He felt her disapproval through their bond, knowing she was unhappy and stressed out with the violent nature of the wolves. She might have had a nervous breakdown if Rain and Eden had come to blows.
Eden. What a bitch.

"This is a mess," Aster said, as if he was reading Rowan's mind.

"I don't think too many people will miss The Bull," Rowan said.

"I meant the whole situation," Aster muttered, shaking his head. "First someone kidnaps Leena, then you bring the girl to Bucklin and now there's something in the forest, something dangerous."

"What could it be?" Rowan asked. "It was really scaring Eva."

"Maybe it's nothing bad at all," Aster said.

"How do you figure?" Rowan asked.

"Hear me out on this one, brother," Aster said, taking a seat on the tailgate. Rowan hopped up beside him. "What if it's just the normal stuff that's already there? You know, wolves, bears, ghosts and so on. She's not used to feeling anything supernatural. She's not used to that world being here, so even a little bit of evil can send her over the deep end. Humans don't have the same senses we do; they can't feel the supernatural when they're around. Now that she's been exposed to it via your bond she's going insane."

"Insane?" Rowan said, his face twisting into a look of incredulity. "I hope not!"

"It's just a theory," Aster said, putting his hand up on Rowan's shoulder. "Just a theory, don't freak."

"If that's the case, then why haven't any of the other human women in town experienced a similar shock after they make their bond?" Rowan asked.

Aster put his hand on his chin, thinking hard. Finally he laughed and looked up. "I guess I hadn't thought that far into it."

"You may very well be right," Rowan said, hopping off the tailgate. "Still, we can't take that risk. We have to be cautious about this area now."

"You didn't feel it until you started leaving?" Aster asked.

"She didn't feel it until we were leaving," Rowan said. "I don't think the bond was established until we had sex in the clearing, though."

"Did you not have sex last night?" Aster asked.

Rowan rolled his eyes and gave Aster a funny look. "Brother, you know better than anyone else that just sex doesn't lead to a bond. It has to be right; you have to feel one another. You have to truly be a mated pair."

"True," Aster said. "So you established the link in the forest and then she felt it?"

"I think so," Rowan said.

"We can't send Hawk in there alone," Aster said, changing the subject.

"We have no choice," Rowan said, walking to the front of the truck and climbing in. Aster stood for a second, looking defeated before climbing into the passenger seat.

"We're going to let this bear scare us?" Aster said, puffing his chest out.

"You know he'd kill Hawk and anyone he brings with him," Rowan said.

"So we send an army in with him," Aster said. "He can't kill twenty wolves at once."

"That's not right, brother," Rowan said, backing out of his parking spot and squealing his tires as they pulled away from the scene. "He has every right to live there. It's his domain. We have no right to kill him."