Chapter 9

 

 

“Morning.” Kane sat shotgun next to Becks, while Gaby slept a bit longer. He stared out the window, not sure where they would end up or who chased them. As long as Gaby was with him, he’d go anywhere and fight anyone. Holding her in his arms while they slept, he realized, though he’d only known her for a short period, it felt like he’d known her all his life. Her familiar aroma, rich brown hair, kick ass body and green eyes that reminded him of a verdant forest. Mine. Damn, it took all his control not to make love to her. His prying wolf desired her, but reminded him taking a human mate was forbidden. Another arcane law. He hadn’t slept much, but when he did, the beta female called Lunara appeared. All he remembered of his dream was her distant figure near a compound, not the castle. Before he could speak to her, she vanished.

“Help yourself to coffee.” Becky pointed her chin. “In the thermos.”

“Thanks.”

“Girlfriend still asleep?”

Kane quirked a smile. He liked the idea of Gaby as his girlfriend. Sure sounded better than ally or frenemy. “Like a babe.” He cocked his head. “Aren’t you going to pull over to get some sleep?”

“Nah, I have to finish listening to my book. I figured we are an hour from Oklahoma City, I’ll pull over then.”

“Sounds good.” He listened to the ending. The woman chose her vampire lover over the werewolf and ended up turning vampire. Talk about depressing.

Gaby walked in. Her hair ruffled like a kitten who just woke up, not aware of her surroundings. Actually, she would look that way after he had his way with her. “Is that coffee I smell?”

“Grab a mug from the cabinet and pour some from the thermos,” said Becks.

Gaby took out a red mug and poured herself a cup.

Becks turned on the radio. “Time to check traffic conditions.”

The weather report called for clear skies and warm temperatures. After the traffic, the news came on. “Breaking news. It appears a terrorist group bombed a private animal lab in northern Wisconsin. The explosion happened around three a.m. Authorities are calling it an act of domestic terrorism. Possibly an animal rights group. One night watchman was killed in the bombing and large predators escaped. Most were recaptured but a few were euthanized. No one else was in the building at the time of the explosion. The public is being asked to stay away from the scene for their safety.”

He looked at Gaby who gave him a questioning stare. They must have hidden Giles’ and the other corpses. They set the bomb to erase evidence. A spin story to cover Project Sabertooth’s clandestine asses.

Becks shook her head. “Can you believe that? We were about one hundred miles away from that area.”

“I bet they’ll catch them soon,” said Kane.

Becks nodded. “Hope so. You can’t go around killing innocent people and letting dangerous animals loose.”

Gaby stared out the window. “No. You can’t.”

She shouldn’t blame herself. They forced her to manipulate animals to kill on command. No one spoke until they reached Oklahoma City.

Becks pulled into a truck stop on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Close enough to find transportation. “Here we are. I’m going to pull in and sleep for six. I take it you are calling someone to pick you up.”

He winked. “Yes.”

“All right then.” The door opened.

Gaby smiled. “Thanks.”

After she stepped down, Kane met Becks’ eyes. “You will forget you ever picked us up. The entire time you drove alone.”

“Yes, alone.”

He closed the door and joined Gaby.

Becks drove away and pulled in behind other semis.

Kane turned to Gaby. “Now what?”

“Now we find a rental?”

He raised a brow. “I thought we were going to buy.”

“I don’t have that much.”

“How about a used car?”

“Reliable used cars are still expensive.”

Odd, he had no idea about the cost of mundane things. Had he really been some rich prince with servants to drive him around? “Okay, then. We’ll steal one.”

Gaby shook her head. “Are you kidding? Cops will be searching for a stolen vehicle.”

“Not if I ask the owner for his keys and compel him to remember donating it to a charity.”

“If it works, why not?” She glanced at a local restaurant. “Let’s get a bite to eat first.”

Kane scanned the area for trouble. No one had followed them. His wolf snorted. We are good at covering our tracks. He smiled. Yes, we are. This was not the first time he’d outwitted hunters. The question was who had been the hunters? The Keep as Avery mentioned, or enemy werewolves out to execute him?

Gaby smiled. “Pancake special. Just try not to wolf down your meals.”

Very funny. “I’m not a fan of pancakes, but I smell the bacon from here.”

They entered the restaurant and asked the waitress to take them to the back, away from the other customers. They quickly ordered a stack of pancakes for her and a ranch meal of eggs and bacon for him. The waitress placed a pitcher of coffee on their table.

“How did you sleep?”

“Despite the danger and uncertainty, I slept really well.”

In my arms, of course you did. Kane put down his mug and grabbed her hand. “Gaby, right or wrong, we were meant to meet.” He brushed his lips against her tender fingers. “You feel it, too.”

Gaby licked her lips and her green eyes moistened. “Yes, but we shouldn’t act on these feelings.” Her shoulders drooped. “What if you have…a wife or even children?”

Guilt bit his heart. A mate? Family? He released her hand, but couldn’t imagine anyone else by his side. His wolf snarled. I don’t sense a mate, but you can’t take a human. He shook his head. “No. My wolf would know if I’d mated. Just like he knows I was brain wiped and it was my fault.” He sneered. “Avery called it a werewolf lobotomy, yet, it failed since I never stayed in wolf form without a human memory.”

“Unless, it was a drug meant to keep you only human, but failed.”

“Now there’s a thought. Although, I don’t follow the logic.”

“Maybe your kind has the option of going human and forgetting your wolf nature.”

He chuckled. “If that’s the case, the drug failed miserably.”

“Then again, your retrograde amnesia might be due to the brain injury you suffered.”

“Who knows?” He returned to his meal and they ate in silent torment. He wanted her, and he knew she wanted him. Stalemate until he got his memory back.

Gaby sliced a pancake but before she popped the piece in her mouth, she perked up. “There must be a way to find out.”

“What?”

“If we head to wolf country, we can find a werewolf pack.”

He frowned. “I prefer to find out who I am, especially with my wolf reminding me the mind wipe was my fault.”

“I say, you trust your wolf then.”

Not when my wolf warns me against making you mine. Not to mention the edict to kill wolf charmers meant he shouldn’t bring her around any pack. He changed the subject. “What about you? Now that you are free, have any plans after our road trip?” Not that I’m letting you go. His wolf groaned, but agreed. Even if he made a promise to a potential mate, she would need to accept Gaby or let him go.

“I don’t know. Maybe work as a dog handler and devote the rest of my time to painting.” She sipped coffee and then stared at the cup. “Won’t be easy since I don’t have people skills.”

“Of course you do.”

“Trust me. I’ve tried.”

“How could you while collared by Giles?”

She snorted. “Actually, he encouraged me to hang out with people my age. Said it would make me a better operative.”

He had to know. “No boyfriends?”

“Outside the compound, no. I dated mostly other handlers. Men like me, more comfortable around animals than people. Nothing serious, except for one, Frank.”

“You loved him?”

“Yes. Only he turned out to be married with kids. When I found out…” She shook her head. “A bear I worked with almost mauled him. Lucky for him, he ran into a cage and locked himself in.”

Good. Ass deserved it. “I bet he quit.”

“Giles fired him. Not because he lied to me about being married, but because he thought I’d end up having an animal attack and kill him.”

The jealous type. They had that in common. “Would you?”

“That’s part of the reason I never tried to escape again. I feared my emotions would get the better of me and someone might end up dead.”

“Just as I can control my wolf, you can learn to control your charm.”

“I have gotten better as I’ve gotten older, but two years ago with Frank, I felt like I was back to square one.” She sighed. “When I’m upset, every creature around me picks up on it. That’s when I quit dating.”

Kane regarded her over the rim of his coffee cup. Gaby’s biggest fear appeared to be having her heart broken. No wonder she wanted to keep romance out of the picture. Not until she made sure he didn’t have a mate or family waiting for him god knows where. His wolf could be wrong about him being single. He couldn’t imagine hurting her like that. “Frank sounds like a real son of a bitch.”

“That he was.”

“I never told you about the dream I had after Avery drugged me.”

“Oh?”

“I dreamt of a castle, hunters chasing me and then a female beta who called herself Lunara, showed up. She seemed surprised I was alive.”

“A mate?”

“No. She said we knew each other in passing.”

“Could mean your pack thought you were dead.”

“Or that I’m supposed to be dead? Or mind wiped.”

“Is that all you remember?”

“No. I heard you call for help. Lunara told me to wait, but I took off after you and then woke up.”

“After the way they drugged and caged you, it makes sense you thought I was in trouble.”

“Possibly.”

“Did you dream last night?”

He sipped coffee and regarded her. “I mostly slept, but just as I woke up, the same wolf named Lunara appeared.”

“Did she say anything?”

“No. She just stood there and then vanished.”

“Maybe it was a symbolic farewell.”

He furrowed his brow. “Interesting.” He snorted. “Washing their paws of me.”

“How would that make you feel?”

“Free.” Although he liked the idea of him and Gaby starting anew, sudden heaviness overcame him. As if turning his back on something important. His pack? Duties? Yet, what was more important than being with Gaby?

They returned to eating, in silence like an old married couple with thoughts of what the future might bring. “I’d take care of the check except…” He dug into his pockets for a wallet that wasn’t there.

“I’ve got it.”

 

Gaby sat in the passenger seat of their stolen SUV. She had never driven, but Kane was quite comfortable driving as he sped on the freeway. Before leaving the city, they bought new clothes, toiletries, food and sleeping bags for their road trip. Shocking how quickly they’d gone through her cash. None for buying a new tablet. Gaby missed access to the internet. Over the years, she’d enjoyed watching premium channels, and other online news and social sites. The little cash left over they’d use for gas and food. Once they reached California who knew what they would do? “Where should we stay tonight?”

Kane glanced at the GPS. “I prefer camping at a national park. I need to shift for at least the night.”

“What happens if you stay in human form for too long?”

“Probably a mental breakdown. I feel anxious and fur is already lining my back.”

“Yikes. I can drive so you can shift.”

“I’m still under control.”

“What, you don’t trust female drivers?”

He laughed. “Only ones with driver’s licenses.”

“I’m a quick learner.”

“How about I give you lessons when we get to the West Coast?”

“Sure.” Gaby stared out the window. “Once we’re safe, you can try relaxation techniques to get your memories back.”

“What if I decide I don’t want to remember?”

She turned and gave him a sidelong glance. “Now you might like being free, but after a while, not knowing will bug you.”

“Maybe my amnesia is a gift. A do-over. If my mind was wiped, there had to be a reason. I could have done bad things best not remembered.” He gazed at her with his feral amber eyes. “Besides, I like your company.”

She laughed. “I do have experience with man-eaters.”

“Werewolves are not cannibals, so we can safely say that’s out of the picture.”

“We will need to find work. Besides being a super soldier, you must have practical skills.”

“How about I work as your assistant dog trainer?”

The thought of them working together moved her on many levels. A partner and a lover was the answer to all her dreams. “Now there’s an idea.” She smiled. “You would make the perfect security guard.”

“Our job possibilities are very limited without ID.”

“True. I had all sorts of IDs back at headquarters. Although, they’d be useless, since they could trace my location through them.”

“Better to stay off of everyone’s radar.”

Gaby opened the map. “How about we stop and camp at Carson National Forest?”

“Sounds good.”

“According to the map, the elevation is nine thousand feet. Elk, bear, bighorn.”

“You are making me hungry again.”

“Hey, no eating wildlife at national forests.”

He rolled his eyes and quirked a smile. “Talk about taking the bite out of a fun night in the wilderness.”

“Ha. Ha.”

They drove until the late afternoon and then arranged to camp. Just in time. She sensed his wolf begging for release. His wolf appeared to dominate Kane’s soul. His facial hair darkened and when he spoke, there was no hiding his sharp canines. Fortunately, they were isolated from other campers. A weekday in the middle of autumn guaranteed sufficient privacy. She glanced around to make sure they truly were alone. “I think you can shift.”

He sniffed the air and nodded. “Yep, nearest person is a mile away.”

“I’ll put out dinner in an hour. I take it you can eat human food?”

“Elk is so much better, but don’t worry, I’ll eat what we bought.” He took off his shoes and then his clothes.

Gaby turned. “Sleeping as a wolf might trigger more memories. Maybe even about the beta she-wolf.”

“We’ll see.”

She stared at a tree. The idea of seeing him naked tempted her to jump his bones. Then again, if he woke up remembering a mate, she’d feel bad for wanting what didn’t belong to her. His idea of a do-over gladdened her heart, but best to wait.

The wolf whined.

Gaby twisted and smiled. “I still can’t get used to you going from man to wolf.”

He cocked his head as if confused.

“What now? Do you go on a wolf run or something?”

He yowled. “Yah.”

“Got it. I’ll make sandwiches.”

He stretched, turned and then ran up a trail.

Her heart skipped a beat. What if he didn’t return? Living as a wolf might help him recover his memories. She sighed and went to the trunk to get their food. No matter. She’d make him a sandwich and leave it in the car. If need be, she’d use her charm to discourage any bears from breaking into their vehicle for food.

She sat to eat her turkey sandwich alone when the wolf trotted toward her. “There you are.”

The wolf sat and she handed him a sandwich. He ate the entire sandwich in three bites. He went to the trunk and stood over it.

“More?”

He pawed the trunk.

“Got it.” She opened it and took out more turkey and bread from the cooler. She spread a towel and prepared to make another sandwich for him, when he snapped the entire bag of turkey from her hand and stepped back with it. “Hey, if you eat all of it now, tomorrow we’ll be stuck with peanut butter and jelly.”

He ignored her and ripped the bag open before devouring the slices.

Gaby couldn’t blame him. The wolf was a predator after all.

As if to make amends, the wolf picked up the plastic from the ground and handed it to her.

“Good wolf.” She took the remnants and put it in the garbage bag.

Gray bodies nosed from the bramble.

Kane growled, but only in warning as a pack of five coyotes stared at them.

She patted the wolf on the head. “Looks like you have friends.”