CHAPTER 12

“This is pretty good,” “I’ve been missing my sisters cooking,” Alex said, “Cynthia just burns everything when she cooks. I end up having to make everything myself.”

Connor nodded, savoring every bite of the food he brought along for the ride. Their destination was a ways off, according to Crunch’s map. The small basket of barbecue still steamed between the three of them on Samantha’s lap.

“Sometimes I wonder if she does it on purpose,” Alex added.

Connor chuckled while tossing a chicken bone out the window. Tess was an amazing cook no matter what she made.

They followed the twisted road around the mountain. The trees were just beginning to gain back their spring coats and Samantha marveled at the beauty.

The roads were mostly washed out and getting around the mountain was tricky at best. They’d had to backtrack more than couple times and Connor was growing frustrated. It didn’t help that Alex was full of questions and Samantha was full of words.

“What are you going to do when we get there?” Alex wondered. “It’s not like we can just show up to the front door and ask to see this guy.”

“I’m going to ask them a few questions,” he replied.

“They usually aren’t the talking type, according to Crunch,” Alex said.

“They’ll answer my questions,” Connor said.

“Look at that one!” Samantha said, pointing at a nearby tree, silhouetted by the light of the early morning dawn. They’d driven all night. The sun hadn’t quite crested over the horizon, but it would soon.

“I thought we could just sneak our way in, we might get lucky and catch him by surprise,” Connor replied. Connor wasn’t concerned even if a fight broke out. The only thing on his mind was the mission in front of him. That’s how he was raised by his father, nothing else matters but the success of the mission.

He thought back to those years where his father would give him a task and wouldn’t allow him home until it was complete. He remembered the nights he would spend laying under a hastily made shelter to block out the rain, or the nights where the rain stopped bothering him because it had become his only friend.

He laughed at his youth. His father was dead; nothing he could do would bring him back. The lessons he’d taught Connor seemed to do almost nothing to prepare him to lead.

“Catch him by surprise?” Alex laughed.

“I don’t see you coming up with any brilliant ideas,” Connor snapped.

“Do either of you even know what this guy looks like?” Samantha wondered.

Alex looked to Connor and they both shook their heads.

“That’s what I thought,” she said, “Maybe you should just prowl in and try to figure out which one is Torque first before coming up with a game plan.”

Connor was sad to admit it but she was right.

“This is it!” Alex said, “The lake cabins are just through this small patch of forest. We better ditch the truck.” They double checked the map, to make sure this was their destination. It was.

Connor screeched the truck to a halt on the loose gravel then pulled over, but not before making sure the vehicle was pointing back where they came.

“In case we need to make a hasty getaway,” he said, “Samantha, you should probably watch the truck.”

“I’ll be ready for you,” She nodded, she seemed glad to have a task that didn’t involve suicide.

Connor and Alex stripped off their clothing while Samantha watched, not even trying to hide her curiosity. Connor tossed his shirt into her face before sliding off his jeans.

He inhaled deeply; this was what wolves lived for. His muscles stretched and tore as the wolf took over, only to knit themselves back together as he fell to all fours. His sense of smell heightened and he could make out the dense musk of the other shifters nearby. He could also smell salt; they were near a salt water lake, they were definitely here.

Connor shot through the forest toward the smell of the lake, Alex nipped at his heels, keeping pace with ease. Connor marveled at the ability of what he’d come to know as a primal. Part of him wished that he could have had that power. He could have put it to good use, instead of it being wasted on a lone wolf like Alex.

Jealousy aside, Connor had one purpose on his mind. The scent of the shifters grew ever closer to them as they sped through the brush and over fallen trees.

They slowed when the lake was in sight. The sky reflected off its sheen surface. On the opposite side of the shore was a single large campfire that was recently lit with cabins dotted around. They were larger than the ones in the forest clearing; these cabins looked like they could fit eight people comfortably. However, age had taken its toll and more than a few had roofs nearly collapsed with tarps hastily thrown over.

Near the road that edged into the group of cabins stood a row of motorcycles carefully stowed. Aside from a couple bikers sitting around a steaming pot it was noticeably empty. They must still be asleep. Perfect. The largest of the cabins sat highest on the hill. At two stories in height it even had its own balcony that overlooked the lake.

The door to the balcony of the largest cabin swung wide. A single man stepped out and stretched tired muscles before leaning on the railing. He pulled out his watch, to check the time. It looked antsy, as though expecting something. Or someone.

Almost as if on cue, the silence was broken by the echo of motorcycle engines. A dark delivery van started pulling its way into the space, flanked by a more bikers. Connor instantly recognized Mutt with his powerful build. Bad luck. Alex nudged up against Connor, tilting his head to the side to motion toward the van.

The man from the railing disappeared only to exit the cabin at ground level. The driver’s side door to the van cracked open for Eli to step out. This was bad and getting worse by the second. Mutt followed closely behind him as the man from the balcony stepped from the small door downstairs. That must be Torque. Crunch told them that he was the one in charge of the biker gang now.

Connor expected the shooting to start but was somehow not surprised when it didn’t. Instead, Torque greeted the hunter as a friend.

Alex and Connor locked eyes. Words didn’t need to be spoken, they both knew that this was becoming a bigger mess than either of them had thought.

Connor was still trying to completely come to terms with what he was seeing. Every wolf feared the hunters, and Torque should be no different. By shaking the hunter’s hand, Toque sent shockwaves through Connor’s body.

They had somehow become allies.

Torque let out a loud, high-pitched whistle. Cabin doors were kicked open for the rest of the pack to file out and join their alpha. Connor wanted to get in closer to hear but he dismissed the idea as foolish. They watched as the bikers began to unload the van. A few plastic crates came out and were piled against the wall of the large cabin. Connor narrowed his wolf eyes for a better look.

Torque pried a crate open to check the contents. What he pulled out was a brand new rifle. Connor had never known wolves to use rifles, there was never any real point since your jaw could do more damage than a gun could any day. Besides, it was a cowardly way to fight.

Eli clapped a hand around Torque’s shoulder as they walked away from camp to chat business. The pair was heading around the lip of the lake, right towards Alex and Connor.

As they grew closer, Connor and Alex could finally hear them.

“There’s enough firepower there to end all of them,” Torque said, “We can ride out tomorrow.”

The hunter held up his hand to silence Torque.

“You’ll do no such thing,” he said, “I wanna watch ‘em suffer.”

Torque looked frustrated.

“Why the hell did you bring this stuff to us now? If all we’re goin’ to do is sit on it?” Torque wondered.

“Consider it a gift,” Eli said.

Connor prowled closer to the pair with Alex in tow. At his distance they were well out of earshot of the men in the camp, who were too distracted anyway. Connor waited and listened.

“Crunch has been coming around,” Torque said, “should we cut him in?”

“No,” the hunter replied, “He could screw everything up for the both of us.”

“I heard he’s got some new muscle,” Torque added, “Probably better just to get rid of him.” Eli nodded as Torque looked at his watch. “One hour.”

Eli perked up, holding a hand to silence Torque.

“Something’s here,” he said, “I can smell ‘em. Wolves.”

Connor leapt from the bushes, from this distance there was no way he could miss his prey. He tackled the hunter to the ground with his powerful alpha body, holding Eli firmly against the sandy embankment. Alex leapt at Torque shifting back into his human form mid-jump. His hand hooked under Torque’s collar as the fur brushed away from his fingers. His muzzle pulled back into his face as he slid his body behind Toque, grabbing his arm. By the time Alex was human, Torque was on the ground with his arm locked and his neck under tight hold.

Connor was so close to the hunter. He could finish this right now if he wanted to. All he had to do was lean down and bite hard and the hunter would be finished. He fought against the rage, this time he needed answers, they were the only thing keeping the hunter alive for the time being. However, if Connor was to talk, he needed to shift. His foot held the hunter in place as his bones cracked and his sinewy muscle snapped back into human, he noticed that the hunter wasn’t bothering to fight back.

“Giving up already?” Connor asked confidently.

“Oh, it hurts. The proud alpha tackling the elderly hunter to the ground,” laughed Eli sarcastically, “You picked the wrong man to fight, but you’ll find out soon enough.”

Torque looked at his comrade and wondered what he meant. Alex held him tightly to the ground despite his attempts to wiggle free.

“We want answers,” Alex said, “And you’re going to give them to us.”

“Did you kill the bear shifter and start this fight?” Connor asked.

Torque still continued to struggle while the hunter just laughed.

“I could make a sound and half that pack over there would be on you in a second,” Torque said.

“And, I could bite your head off before they got close,” Connor replied.

“Just tell them, Torque,” the hunter said, placing his hands behind his head for comfort, “I don’t want this to take all morning.”

Torque stopped struggling.

“It was him,” Torque admitted, “I watched him kill the bear woman.”

Connor cocked an eye.

“What?” Connor asked, “but that would mean that he’s a…”

Connor was surprised he hadn’t noticed sooner.

“I tried to scare her off. He told me that if I got rid of her I could take over as alpha of the pack. He would help me get rid of Crunch,” Torque said.

“So you killed her?” Alex asked, “I’m confused.”

“I was ready to do it, but he came in and beat me to the punch.”

“You see? I’m your killer. Call the police!” The hunter added sarcastically.

“You shut up,” Connor yelled at the hunter, pressing his foot harder into his chest. The hunter threw his hands up but continued to lie in the sand smiling. Connor pushed his leg further up the hunter’s chest until he had his foot on the man’s throat. He was ready to kick down hard at a moment’s notice.

“Don’t do it,” Alex said, “We need him to get the bears off us.”

Dammit.

“So, you took over for the gang because this piece of shit needed someone in charge that he could control?” Connor asked Torque. He nodded, reluctantly. He’d sold out his pack for power.

Connor remembered when he was younger and wanted to take over for his dad. His dad was always so upset all the time, he always rubbed people the wrong way, but in the end they listened to him because he was usually right. Every time Connor would be thrown into the forest to fend for himself, he would picture his father sitting at home, laughing. Before his father died, he was making himself tough so he could challenge his father for control. But, it didn’t matter anymore.

Torque was an echo of everything that Connor wanted to be as a child. After his father died he wanted nothing more than to have his father back.

“You’re both coming with us,” Connor said, “Crunch will have some fun with you, and I have a feeling the bears will have a few words for the hunter.”

He nodded to Alex who stood Torque upright.

“You won’t get far,” the hunter replied struggling under Connor’s foot. He picked up the hunter with a single arm and held him overhead.

“You deserve worse for everything you’ve done,” Connor said. He grabbed the hunter by the neck and squeezed hard. The hunter was quick, a flash of metal reflected against the morning sun, stabbing Connor in his side. It must have been silver because it stung just as his ear had the other day.

“There’s a lot you need to learn, young pup,” The hunter said.

For a brief second, Connor thought he saw something trying to escape the hunter, only to be silenced. Eli was a wolf and there was no doubt. But, it seemed he didn’t want to embrace that part.

Connor dropped the hunter, clutching at the knife in his side, before doubling over from the pain. He wanted to remove the knife but it would take time to heal, time Connor didn’t have.

“Now, give him back,” the hunter said calmly, “And I’ll let you live till tomorrow.” The hunter drew a handgun from his jacket, whether it had silver bullets or not, Connor didn’t want to stick around to find out.

“Run,” Connor said to Alex who was still in possession of Torque.

Alex took off through the forest toward the truck with Torque over his shoulder. Connor stood between Eli and Alex. The gun leveled at his chest.

“Get out of my way, boy,” the hunter said, “I need that piece of shit.”

Connor was shaky from the blood loss; his body wouldn’t listen to him. He sifted through the ground for a weapon and the only thing he could find was a large chunk of driftwood.

“You’re strong,” the hunter said, “do you have any runts in your pack? You ever make fun of the smaller guys who just want to be the alpha someday?”

Connor swiped the large chunk of wood at the hunter who dodged out of the way with ease.

“Well, you used to be strong, but now you’re weak. Brains are worth more than muscle, and even a runt can take down an alpha if he works hard enough,” he continued his taunting.

Connor threw the piece of wood at the hunter. He sidestepped it as it splashed loudly into the lake.

“It’s time you learn what real strength is,” Eli said.

The hunter cocked his gun. Connor feared for his life, searching for anywhere he could run or hide. His body seized in place, he felt a creeping darkness at the corner of his vision, the knife in his side still flowed freely.

A large rock flew from the forest, catching the hunter off guard. He stumbled backward and fell splashing into the water, firing off a round from his gun as it went into the lake. Connor breathed a sigh of relief but could already see Eli scrambling back to his feet.

The sounds of howls resonated from the camp. The gunshot must have alerted them. The bikers were already starting to give chase into the woods, shifting as they ran.

“Run!” Alex shouted from the bushes.

Connor didn’t give it a second thought and sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him through the thick brush. His feet were torn by rocks and he stumbled over roots but still, the beating in his chest surged his body with adrenaline, telling him he was still alive. For the moment.

Samantha sat beside the truck, just ahead, scribbling in the dirt with a twig.

“Start the truck!” shouted Connor from the woods, still clutching at his bloody side. She dropped her stick and skittered into the truck cab, starting the ignition as fast as her hands would allow.

The truck thumped its loud call in the morning dew. Before Alex and Connor even arrived at the truck, she was already beginning to drive down the road.

“Come on!” she shouted.

The wolves barked loudly down the road. Alex tossed Torque into the bed of the truck, quickly joining him while still firmly holding him against the cold steel. The truck rolled down the road; Connor sprinted as fast as possible to catch up.

Alex reached out his free hand to help, stretching his arm as far as he physically could. Their fingertips kissed briefly before finding a solid hold. Alex wrenched Connor into the bed of the Truck while Samantha sped off down the road.

Connor sat panting heavily in the bed. He dug the thick chunk of metal from his side, breathing sharply with the pain. It was worse than being struck by the claw of a bear and sunk deeper than any wolves tooth. His whole body shook while he held his side.

Alex sat beside him while he examined the wound; it was deep and Connor was lucky it hadn’t hit anything major. Connor laughed at their dumb luck and Alex joined in.

“You guys are idiots,” Samantha shouted.

“And dead men,” Torque added.

Connor balled up his fist and planted it square in Torque’s face with every ounce of strength he could muster. The force of the blow knocked the man clean out.

“You beat me by one second,” Alex said.