• CHAPTER 9 •

Cassie managed to talk to Ashley and several of the other agents she’d been working with and updated them as to her new status, or lack thereof. She hadn’t met with Jonas, but each time she considered it, she rejected the idea just as quickly. Some instinct warned her that now wasn’t the time.

Her mother had arrived several hours after her father and Rhyzan left, clearly upset. Cassie had refused to discuss the earlier meeting with her, despite the fact that her mother obviously knew what had happened. Just as she knew Cassie had been given notice to leave.

Finally, that evening, there was nothing left to do but pack. Not that she had a lot to pack. Her clothes and shoes for the most part. She hadn’t brought much else besides a few pieces of jewelry when she’d come to Window Rock.

Dog had left and returned several times, his expression forbidding each time he’d come back to the room. What his plans were when they left, she had no idea. What his plans were while he’d been in the Bureau’s residence with her, she still didn’t know. All she knew was that whatever he was working on, he was determined to keep it to himself.

Council business? she wondered, but something in that thought simply didn’t feel right. That, or she was just trying to fool herself.

Aware of him moving around in the other room, she placed her luggage on the bed and began packing. She had her apartment; they could always go there. Or that was where she intended to go. Someplace reasonably safe while she and her mate battled out a few choices he needed to make quickly.

“How confident are you that you can block the Petition for Reconsideration?” Dog asked her from the bedroom doorway as she pulled clothes from her closet and carried them to the bed.

Placing the hangers of clothing on the bed, she straightened and stared back at him, her stomach sinking at the hard expression on his face and the brooding anger in his eyes.

“I can’t block it. I’d have to be able to access the articles of Mating Law. My security access was rescinded, as well any ability to file the proper paperwork without going through the Breed Tribunal to gain permission to access it.” She frowned as she considered the options she had. “All I can do is refuse to see him until the BRC agrees to hear my arguments. But they can still force me away from you until that time.”

Could she bear that? Even now, the need for him was a heated ache in her core, distracting at best, but she knew it could be much worse. Mating Heat and the need for one’s mate were an ever-present hunger until the hormonal changes that occurred in both the male and female ran their course or pregnancy occurred. According to Dr. Sobolova, the injection she administered would halt conception, but nothing could halt the Heat itself. It was unknown until recently that the Coyote Breed’s DNA hadn’t been coded with the mutation to block conception. That mutation was one of the reasons Wolf and feline Breed female mates experienced such extremes in their arousal and needs.

“You have five minutes to change and grab your pack.” He stepped into the bedroom, his glance taking in her clothes. “Brannigan filed his petition and I’d prefer not to give that bastard a chance to die today.”

Cassie could feel the blood draining from her face.

She could feel the knowledge that such a move would turn into a war. If Rhyzan actually managed to separate her and Dog, blood would spill. And that blood would stain the Breeds and Mating Heat forever.

She couldn’t allow this to happen.

If Dog killed Rhyzan for attempting to separate them, it would tear the Breed community apart, no matter the law that allowed it. Mating Law was filled with addendums, statutes and, in some places, vague language to allow for later clarifications on a case-by-case basis. Such as this one. But it firmly established the fact that mates couldn’t be separated by order or decree.

There wasn’t a Breed alive who was aware of Mating Law who would stand for even Dog to be separated from his mate. It was unthinkable. It would divide the Breeds as nothing else ever had.

“We can’t leave without being seen …”

“Let me take care of that. Four minutes, Cassie.” His expression hardened further. “The second he has confirmation that he can separate us, he’ll head up here with enough Enforcers to fill this suite. And trust me, I will die to keep my mate, and I’ll make damned sure I take a hell of a lot of them with me.”

It was his tone, the strength in it, the faint growl that rose from his throat, the wave of possession and determination that suddenly filled the room.

If he would die to keep Rhyzan from taking her, then he’d never allow the Council to take her either. The fear of that had been one she hadn’t been able to push aside, until now. That preternatural sense of coming events or possibilities woke inside her long enough that she knew whatever he was, whoever he worked for, he wasn’t loyal enough to them to turn her over.

Grabbing the clothes she needed, she quickly removed her slacks and silk blouse before redressing. Jeans, a dark T-shirt and overshirt and hiking boots.

Damn Rhyzan. What the hell was he trying to do? One thing was for certain: His blood was going to spill if he kept on this course.

As she hurriedly braided her hair, Dog strapped his weapon to his thigh. While she was securing the braid he was lifting the pack and looping one of the straps over his shoulder.

“It won’t take long for him to receive an answer.” She kept her voice low as she took the hand he held out to her.

“Then let’s not waste time. Stay behind me, stay quiet.” He led her through the suite, but rather than going to the exit, he pulled her into the spare room behind the small kitchen.

She watched in amazement as they entered the small walk-in closet there. Pausing at the back of the closet, she watched as the wall slowly slid back, revealing a narrow corridor.

God bless Jonas’s heart, but how in the hell had Dog known about the hidden access?

Following silently, she was aware of the access door closing behind them as her night vision kicked in, allowing her to see her way through the dark corridor.

It took only minutes to find a stairwell. Dog moved quickly, silently, despite his size, down the sound-absorbing steps until they reached another long corridor. Pausing, listening for long seconds, he then led her to the door at the far end.

The exit led to a cement tunnel that came out several blocks away from the Bureau into a parking garage. There, she watched as two Coyote Breeds separated themselves from the shadows to meet him.

She knew the two Breeds. His partners, Mutt and Mongrel. God, she was going to have to discuss names with them.

“Brannigan just received confirmation of receipt of the petition and was given the go-ahead to have your mate taken to the doctors until the Breed Ruling Cabinet could convene,” Mutt reported as Dog opened the back of the Desert Dragoon and threw his pack inside. “The order was given for retesting alone, but I doubt Rhyzan will pay much attention to it.”

“Why the labs?” Cassie questioned them. “There’s no reason that I’d be kept there.”

“He gave Sobolova and Armani orders to come up with a hormone that would counteract what he called your infection,” Mutt said, sneering. “He wants to give whatever hormone he carries a chance to ensure a mating.”

Disbelief filled her. That wasn’t possible. In all the years of mating, nothing had been found that could counteract Mating Heat.

“He’s insane,” she hissed, her gaze going to Dog as he watched her quietly. “That’s not possible.”

“Not with Wolves or felines,” Mongrel drawled. “Seems they think it might be possible for a short amount of time with Coyote DNA. Though it seems Sobolova and Armani are currently threatening Rule Breaker and Jonas Wyatt with formal protests for attempting it.”

“Let’s go.” Dog jerked open the passenger door of the four-seat armored desert all-terrain vehicle and all but pushed her inside.

The other two climbed into the back while Dog strode around to the driver’s side and slid inside. Within seconds, the Dragoon was pulling out of the garage and heading away from Window Rock.

“Where are we going?” God, she prayed she wasn’t making a mistake.

She was alone with three of the most notorious Council Breeds she knew of. She was a mate as well as the one Breed the Genetics Council had been attempting to snatch since she was nine years old.

“Where Rhyzan can’t touch you,” Dog said with a grunt, watching the night as the Dragoon’s lights cut a swath through the darkness.

“And where would that be?” she asked, staring at him, trying to hold on to his earlier declaration that he would die before being separated from her.

A chuckle from the back seemed to mock her fear.

“She thinks you’re going to turn her over to the Council, Dog,” Mutt announced, far too amused.

“She knows better,” Dog muttered, but she saw the narrow-eyed look he shot her. “She’d be with Rhyzan if that’s what she thought. Wouldn’t you?”

She tried to swallow past the uncertainty tightening her throat.

“I would,” she answered him firmly, rather than giving voice to that uncertainty. “That doesn’t mean I don’t expect to know what the hell you’re going to do. I’m not a child or a simpleton and I’m fully capable of contributing to whatever you have planned if I know what the plan is.”

Being kept in the dark just make her crazy now. Before, the answers she’d needed had always been available, and if not the answers, at least an assurance of safety or danger. Those ghostly forms no longer came to her, though, and the uncertainty of what was coming was about to break her control.

“Well, it’s not exactly a plan.” He flashed her a grin, leaned back in his seat and extracted a cigar from his shirt pocket and lit it. “You could say we’re flying by our asses here.”

The scent of the tobacco wasn’t harsh or acrid, and if she wasn’t mistaken it was the same type of cigar and tobacco that Dane Vanderale smoked. And Dane exclusively smoked the slender rolled tobacco that one of the Vanderale companies made in Africa.

He was smoking Vanderale cigars. How the hell did he get them? She knew for a fact that particular brand of tobacco was made for Dane exclusively. It wasn’t imported and couldn’t be bought. And Dane didn’t supply just anyone with them, especially Council Breeds.

“It’s not exactly a plan,” she repeated quietly. “Do you exactly know where we’re going?”

“Pretty much,” he drawled, that amusement in his tone becoming irritating.

“Is this a guessing game?” she snapped, reaching out and snagging the cigar long enough to take a draw herself to confirm her suspicions about where it had come from.

It was smooth; the hint of cherry mixed with a flavor that reminded her of cognac flowed over her senses. Holding the cylinder between two fingers, she placed it between his lips once again, ignoring the surprise that had obviously rendered the three men silent.

Lifting his hand, he pulled the cigar free long enough to glance at it, then suddenly grinned again before returning it between his lips and increasing the speed of the Dragoon.

“Did you guess?” He shot her a knowing look.

The two Breeds behind them were completely silent, completely intent on what was going on in front of them.

He shouldn’t have those cigars, just as he shouldn’t have known about Jonas’s escape route.

“Will Jonas be there, or Dane?” she asked, narrowing her gaze on him as he exhaled, the smoky scent wrapping around her senses.

“Jonas is going to be rather busy for a while,” he said, grunting. “I warned him Rhyzan was a sneaky bastard; he didn’t want to listen. Though what makes him think he can take my mate, I have yet to figure out.”

Yeah, that one was damned confusing.

“Rhyzan is playing some game.” She exhaled roughly, able to think more clearly now that they were away from the Bureau and the threat of Rhyzan’s interference behind them. “But I think he’s aware of the fact that I’m not his mate.”

That had bothered her, why she and the other Breed had tested compatible. It didn’t make sense and it shouldn’t have happened.

Rhyzan was incredibly hard to read, though. He kept his thoughts to himself and rarely shared his opinions. During the time she’d spent with him over the past months, she’d had the impression that she actually bored him.

“Well, I’ll just make certain it’s nothing personal when I kill his ass,” Dog assured her. “Because I will kill him, Cassie, if he continues on this course.”

She shook her head at the promise. “Receiving permission from the Breed Tribunal to separate mates is just the first step. Even in Coyote mates it’s been established that after that time the mating hormones begin mutating and then mates begin bonding on the genetic level. The idea that Mating Heat can be counteracted before that is just a supposition at this point. But even with that done, the final decision is with the Breed Ruling Cabinet, not a Tribunal.”

“So, it takes how long for that to happen?” He shot her a quick look.

“Three to seven days,” she sighed heavily. “It varies.”

“They’ve discovered the two of you are gone. Rhyzan’s ordered the heli-jet in the air,” Mutt broke in. “This bastard is going to piss me off, Dog, ya know?”

“What direction?” Dog growled as Cassie felt her heart begin racing.

“No word yet. I doubt we have much time. We need to hurry. We’re still several miles from the second Dragoon.” The tension in the Coyote’s voice deepened. “I told you we should have killed him when Jonas refused to back down on placing him in the Bureau.”

“We’re not far from Graeme and Cat’s.” The Bengal Breed was crazier than hell, but she knew he would help them if he knew what was going on.

“I got this, mate.” Sheer confidence filled Dog’s voice. “Hang on, this will be a fast stop.” He glanced over his shoulder at the two Breeds behind him. “Get ready to bail.”

Literally. A minute later Dog swung the Dragoon off the road alongside a deserted building. Before the vehicle rocked to a stop, the two Coyotes were jumping from the vehicle, doors slamming behind them.

Dog then hit the gas again, pulling back onto the road, and within seconds a second Dragoon was racing behind them.

“Where are we going?” She hardened her voice as she stared at him demandingly. “Don’t keep me in the dark. You won’t like how well I don’t deal with it.”

A low, playful chuckle whispered over her senses as he looked at her. The look was approving, challenging.

“I have a place about ten miles from here,” he answered as the other vehicle shot past them. “Mutt and Mongrel will make certain it’s still secure before we arrive. With any luck, we’ll be there safe and sound before Rhyzan turns his heli-jet this way.”

“And if we aren’t lucky?” Her fists clenched in her lap at the thought of having yet another choice taken away from her.

“Then things go from sugar to shit real fast,” he growled. “Because if that stupid bastard keeps fucking with me, Cassie, I’ll kill him. There’s a reason why Jonas and I didn’t reveal exactly what I’ve been doing over the years or who I am. And if just one of my people ends up dead because of Rhyzan’s ignorance, then I promise you, he won’t survive my rage.”

He was a double agent, a plant within the Council’s ranks. She’d known Jonas had several within the Breed ranks the Genetics Council still controlled, but this was hell of a coup for the director.

“Who are you, then?” At least her genetics hadn’t led her completely astray, she thought wearily. He wasn’t the scourge everyone thought he was, but he’d still lied to her for years, and he was still a Coyote.

“That’s a discussion for a later time.” He sighed before taking another draw on the cigar. “When we’re safe. When my people are safe. Until then, I’m just what everyone thinks I am. A Council war dog with a dumb-ass sense of humor and the Breed princess for a mate.” He shot her another mocking grin. “I haven’t changed, Cassie.”

“I never imagined you had. So why couldn’t you tell me all this after we mated? Why wait until now?” It would have been easier for her if she’d known at least part of what she was dealing with.

He was silent for long moments, his gaze thoughtful, before he glanced over at her.

“You didn’t hesitate when I told you Rhyzan had filed those papers. You didn’t ask how I knew or demand proof. You followed me. You trusted me. Why?”

“You could have betrayed me at any time over the past six years,” she admitted to herself as well as to him. “You’ve known we were mates, yet you still waited to claim me. You wouldn’t have done that if you were loyal to the Council. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“I wanted your trust, simply because I’m your mate,” he finally answered her quietly. “I didn’t want it because I was suddenly more than I seemed. I wanted it, the same way I gave it.”

The same way he gave it.

And he had given it. Any other Breed would have been enraged with her father when he overheard that conversation, but Dog had known a strike against Cassie’s father would have destroyed her. And a strike against Rhyzan would have forced her father to defend the other man.

For six years, Dog had done everything she’d asked of him, no matter how difficult, and often the payment was such a blatant effort to draw her interest that she couldn’t help but agree to it.

Sunbathing in a bikini that had her parents scolding her for weeks when they caught her on the roof of the house in it. A scarf she had worn to a party left behind. Once he’d demanded that she merely talk to him for several hours on a secure sat phone he’d left for her. She’d been up half the night on that damned sat phone, listening to his voice, laughing at his often ribald humor.

“If I hadn’t trusted you, I wouldn’t have played that asinine game with you for six years and I damned sure wouldn’t have met you at the hotel,” she told him quietly as the Dragoon took a fast turn from the highway onto private land. “But that doesn’t mean I trust you with anything other than my life, Dog. And keeping more secrets, keeping me in the dark about what’s going on now, will only make it harder for me.”

He slowed as a sprawling ranch house materialized from the darkness and the wide door of a garage slowly opened. The Dragoon shot inside and shut off.

“Come on, in the house. That heli-jet is only a minute or so away working in a sweep pattern, and Mutt and Mongrel need to cool the vehicles down in a hurry.” She scooted across the console and took his hand, jumping from the vehicle and hurrying behind him as the two Coyotes worked to quickly pull the heat-masking covers over the Dragoons.

Damn Rhyzan.

Whatever his problem was, it was beginning to piss her off. God help him if she got access to the secure Mating Statutes again. Because if she wasn’t mistaken, there was definitely a way to turn the tables on him and ensure the Breed Ruling Cabinet clarified that little Reconsideration Petition.

Then she was going to make his life hell.

 • • • 

Dog couldn’t explain exactly what he was feeling, or what the hell it was that softened in his chest the moment Cassie had followed him without question. She hadn’t hesitated, hadn’t balked once. She hadn’t demanded to call her father or Jonas; she’d trusted her mate.

She’d had no reason to trust him, not really. Six years of messages and infrequent calls whenever she needed something wasn’t a friendship; it wasn’t a relationship. It was all that had kept him sane, though. From the moment his lips had brushed hers in that damned hospital after he’d been forced to wound her on Seth Lawrence’s island, no more than a whisper against petal-soft lips, he’d lived in hell.

Whoever thought Coyotes had it easier with Mating Heat had obviously not been talking to the males. It was ice in his gut, a chill that went to the bone, a need for his mate’s warmth that felt like talons raking beneath his flesh. Until he was close to her.

The simplest touch, his hand against her back, the warmth of her sinking into his palm through her clothes, and he was warm. Being near her would have been enough, but touching her, sharing her kiss, her lips on his flesh, his against hers … it was like life itself.

As he showed her through the single-story home, then led her to the master bedroom, he could see the weariness in her pale features, the worry in her pretty blue eyes. And the hunger. The scent of her need was like a drug hitting his senses and spurring his own.

“I need to check with Mutt and Mongrel before we turn in for the night.” He cleared his throat as she turned to look at him, her expression somber. “I won’t be long.”

Dammit, emotions weren’t his strong suit, and he was damned if he knew how to handle them.

“That works.” She nodded as she sat down in the chair positioned close to the bed and began unlacing her boots. “I didn’t pack anything to sleep in.”

“Grab a shirt from my pack. I have extras in there,” he told her. “I shouldn’t be too long, but I need to keep up with Rhyzan’s movements for a while.”

“I just want to go back to sleep anyway.” She sighed. “Rhyzan’s little meeting woke me up.”

The sexual excess earlier with her mate had exhausted her. Dragging her ass out of the bed when the chime of the doorbell sounded had been almost impossible. Now that she was coming down from the adrenaline caused her by her anger and then their flight, that weariness was washing over her once again.

She undressed quickly after he left the room, then pulled a T-shirt free of Dog’s pack as he’d offered. It almost swallowed her smaller frame, but it beat being naked.

She brushed her teeth, washed her face and, taking a deep breath, returned to the bedroom. A silent, empty bedroom. Pulling down the blankets, she slid into the bed and turned off the lamp next to the bed.

She wished there was an electric blanket. She was cold and alone. And far too uncertain about the Breed she had accepted as her mate. Or the future awaiting them now.