When the earth shook, Serena gasped. Giselle looked as startled as she did and both women jumped to their feet as small pebbles rained down from the ceiling of the cave.

“Inside a cave probably isn’t a good place to be during an earthquake,” Serena said as they joined the rest of the wolves heading for the exit.

To Serena’s shock, there were children and mothers with babies running from the deeper recesses of the cave complex. They had been hiding back there, keeping quiet. Things were much worse for this Pack of wolves than Serena had thought if they had taken what looked like most of the Pack on the run.

She bent to pick up a toddler who had fallen over. The child’s mother was nearby, holding an even smaller baby as they moved toward the exit. Giselle helped the woman while Serena kept close with the toddler, knowing the mother would want to keep her eye on her baby, especially when held by a stranger.

They got out of the cave and away from the entrance to clear ground. Rocks rolled down the side of the hill, piling up on the lower slope. By the time they reached the open area, the ground had stopped shaking.

A few brave souls went back into the caves to bring out their supplies and packs, but all the mothers and children stayed well clear. Serena let the toddler down onto the ground and the mother took hold of her child’s hand while carrying her baby with the other. They nodded to each other in acknowledgment, but Serena knew the wolves would be hard-pressed to trust a bobcat. Her people had done savage things to the wolves in the past. Things that wouldn’t easily be forgotten…or forgiven.

Serena was getting nervous when she caught sight of Bob and John walking toward them. Everybody else seemed to still, watching their leader and the newcomer as well.

“Cascade Pack,” John raised his voice and everyone listened. “I welcome Bob Redstone of the Redstone Clan and his mate, Serena, among us.” That settled that question, Serena thought. The Pack now knew they were the good guys as John went on. “I’ve just heard upsetting news about the enemy who would try to summon the power of Koma Kulshan, the great mountain, to use for evil deeds. It’s the same enemy that drove us from our homes. The same enemy the bobcat leadership serves.”

“How do you know we can trust this man and his words?” one of the older males asked.

John held up his sat phone. “Because I just had a conversation with my uncle, who lives among the Redstone Clan. He vouched for him. I’ve also spoken with Bob’s brother Steve, who some of you probably remember from your Army days. He’s working the intel on this and what he told me wasn’t good.”

Murmurs went through the crowd and Serena realized that quite a few of the wolves had the look of soldiers. They were older than the Alpha and more careworn, but they deferred to John. Either the older men had chosen not to lead, or John had a lot more power than she guessed. He was young to be leading the Pack, and the men he led didn’t look like the type to suffer young fools gladly.

“Judging by the earthquake we just felt, I think we ought to evacuate the caves. Gather your families and settle them in the open for now, in case there are more tremors. Then I want all the soldiers to join me by Bob’s vehicle. You need to hear what we’ve learned.”

 

A few minutes later, an impromptu strategy session was being held next to Bob’s SUV. This day had already taken more twists and turns than he could have guessed. Now he found himself aligned with a ragtag group of wolf shifter refugees. He was surprised to find a full platoon of older men who were ex-military. A few came up to him and said they were friends and former colleagues of his brothers, Steve and Grif.

Bob laid out the situation as he knew it, explaining what had happened in Montana and throughout the world. He also talked about the theories they had arrived at concerning the volcano. The vets weren’t happy with the report, but they were men of action. They began formulating plans.

Bob also mentioned the tracker that had been shot onto his SUV and a small man toward the back of the group of soldiers came forward. He introduced himself as Chico, a comms specialist and everybody stood back to watch as he did a thorough inspection of the SUV. Everybody waited while Chico did his thing, even climbing under the vehicle to check the chassis.

When he popped up, he shook his head. “Looks clean. I can tell you for sure though, if you want to take the chance and drop the jammer signal.” He pulled a little box from one of his many pockets. “I can detect and stop any tracker with this, but there might be a split second where a signal could get through.” He turned to John. “Your call Alpha, but we need to clear the vehicle so we can use comms.”

John nodded, his expression grim. “All right. Let’s do this the right way. Lewis, split up your men as you think best,” John addressed the oldest of the vets. “I won’t leave what’s left of the Pack without a few protectors. See how many you can fit into the vehicles we have. We’ll need to find a safe place.”

“I might be able to help there,” Bob put in. “We have building projects all over and I know for a fact there’s a new housing development going up in eastern Oregon. If you have adequate transportation, you can send your people there for the time being. The places aren’t completely finished, but it’s got to be better than a cave, right? Plus, the crews are all shifters. Might even be some wolves there, though I don’t know for sure.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer,” John said decisively. “How far away is the site?”

Bob thought about it. “Probably a four or five hour drive. I can call ahead and have the crew ready to meet your people. Maybe escort them in from the highway?”

“Sounds good. Let’s organize the Pack into their vehicles. I want them ready to roll when you drop the jamming signal just in case.”

What followed was a few minutes of organized chaos as a small parade of cars, pickups and minivans rolled quietly out of well-hidden caves. The Pack hadn’t traveled here on foot. They had cobbled together a small fleet of vehicles of every shape and size. Family cars and hatchbacks. SUVs and small trucks. Even a few luxury sedans. It looked like everybody had pitched in with whatever vehicle they had.

Bob thought that was a good thing. They would look less conspicuous on the road, as long as they drove sensibly and didn’t bunch up or form long lines like a convoy. He trusted to the military guys to know what to do, though. None of them looked like greenhorns at their first rodeo.

While the Pack was getting organized, Bob took a little walk to make some calls, Serena by his side. Before long he had the directions and contact information for the foreman at the construction site and Grif’s agreement to take in the refugee wolf Pack while they were in need. He walked back and gave the information to John, who disseminated it to Lewis and a few of the others, who in turn gave the driving directions to those who would be going on the long journey to safety.

It wasn’t long before Lewis came back to report in. “Everybody’s mounted and ready to roll,” he told John.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’d like you to go with them,” John said to the older man in a strong, quiet voice. “You’re the most experienced man we have. If anything happens to me, you’re the best choice to lead the Pack. I’m trusting you to keep them all safe on the road and well hidden once they get to their destination. Are you willing to take on that responsibility?”

“You know I’d rather fight than hide, but protecting civilians has always been my thing,” Lewis smiled ruefully. He walked up to John and stuck out his hand. John took it, pulling the older man into a back-pounding hug. “You be careful out there, son.”

“You too, old man,” John said with clear affection for the powerful older wolf.

“I’m leaving you Joe and his lot. They’re used to working as a team and their skills are sharper than the rest of us. Goddess go with you, and good hunting,” he said, making room for the man he’d indicated.

Joe was younger than Lewis, and Bob recognized him as one of the guys who’d claimed to know Grif and Steve. Chico, the comms guy, stood at his side as he faced the Alpha wolf.

“My platoon is at your disposal, Alpha,” Joe said respectfully, his hand resting on the butt of a large weapon that he wore with casual familiarity. He was also dressed in desert fatigues that looked well-worn. The small group of guys behind him was dressed in various bits of similar camo gear and all were armed, Bob was pleased to note.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” John said as he turned with the other man toward where Bob waited with Serena. She’d been quietly watching everything, probably trying to avoid drawing attention to herself among the Pack. “Joe and his friends were visiting Lewis when this all went down,” John explained. “If not for them, a lot more of my Pack would be dust.”

“Right place, right time,” Joe tilted his head, nodding, as if taking no credit for the feats of bravery that had no doubt been involved in the Pack’s escape.

“Lieutenant Joe Merchant has relatives among my Pack, but he lives in Wyoming and is one of Jesse Moore’s officers.” John dropped the little bombshell on them and Bob couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. The Goddess was indeed smiling on them today.

“Moore’s guys were a big help to my family a while back,” Bob said to Joe. “Were you part of that action?”

“Sadly, no. My platoon was on another job, but I heard about some of it. The new ladies in your family are very impressive, and of course, I served with Grif and Steve for a while. So did a few of my guys.” Joe motioned toward the small group of men who stood a short distance away, watching everything that transpired.

“You travel as a platoon at all times?” Bob was only half-joking when he asked the question.

“I’ve got kin here in the Cascade Pack and we all just came off a job, so I invited them along. They’re part of my family too.” Joe shrugged.

Bob knew from his brothers that comrades-in-arms were sometimes closer than blood relations. Sometimes Bob regretted that he hadn’t followed his brothers’ footsteps into the service, but that particular ship had sailed a long time ago.

The first of the civilian vehicles were getting underway and Bob knew time was ticking down. They needed to finalize their plan of action and get moving as well.

First things first. “Do you want to try that electronics sweep?” Bob asked Chico, the comms guy. He stepped forward while Bob reached into the SUV. “I’m switching it off in three…two…one. It’s off.”

Chico was busy watching his equipment and after only a moment he gave a thumbs up. “You’re clear. Looks like the tracker you found was the only one. We’re good to go.” Chico turned off his little black box and stowed it back in one of the many pockets on his cargo pants. Bob thanked the man as he stepped back to stand with his cohorts.

“Chico, bring our truck around,” Joe ordered quietly. “Get everyone mounted up. We leave in ten.”

The rest of the men trotted off to the remaining vehicle—one of the largest SUVs currently on the market. The rest of the guys would fit in that if John and Joe rode with Bob and Serena. Bob checked his watch and realized it was nearing time for the evening check-in with Steve.

Bob paused to watch the last of the civilian cars drive away, and for a moment he wished he could’ve sent Serena with them to safety. But he knew she belonged with him. He wasn’t ready to trust her care to the hands of others he had only just met. It might be dangerous for her to be with him, but it felt like the entire world was dangerous for shifters right now. At least Bob and the small group with him were going to try to do something about it.

For now, it was better for his concentration and his heart to have her by his side. Plus, she knew this part of the mountains better than anyone else—even the wolves. This was her home range. The wolves were interlopers here who only knew the land as visitors, not as residents.

Bob’s phone rang and he turned on the ignition so the call would be routed through the speakers and mic inside the cabin of his SUV. It was Steve. Bob figured the others would want to hear whatever he had to report.

“Hola, bro,” Bob said as everybody piled into the vehicle. “I’ve got Serena, John Lightfoot and a wolf guy called Lieutenant Joe Merchant with me,” Bob reported, so Steve would know who was listening.

“Son of a bitch, Joe,” Steve sounded happy, though his words were harsh. “What the hell are you doing there?”

“Lucky accident. I was visiting kin and the rest of my guys came with,” Joe answered easily. “How you doin’ Red?”

“Better now that I know my little brother’s got some skilled backup. Thank the Goddess you’re there.” Steve finished the small talk and got into the facts he had been able to uncover. “I’ve spoken with the tiger king. Hell of a nice guy. Former Royal Guard. Good with strategy and tactics. He told me a little bit about the volcano magic. He was non-magical until he was poisoned and ended up almost dying. Then the Mother of All started messing with his life in a big way. The long and short of it is, you’re going to need someone magical because it’s almost a certainty the Venifucus have a mage working on the mountain.”

“Jezza,” Serena breathed, speaking for the first time. “He’s a holy man. If anyone’s got magic, it’s him.”

“He is a spooky son of a bitch,” Joe confirmed, “but magic? I’m not really sure—”

“He’s the closest thing we’ve got,” John put in. “Plus we can’t leave him to the Venifucus. Regardless of what he can or can’t do, we have to rescue him.”

“The fact that they took him prisoner in the first place has to mean he poses some kind of threat to their plans,” Steve said. “But your lady is right. He does have magical inclinations. I saw it for a fact back in our Army days.”

“And I’ve got a talisman that allows me to see certain kinds of magic,” Bob offered. Everybody looked at him, as he knew they would.

“Since when?” Steve wanted to know.

“Since Italy, apparently. I discovered this morning that when Father Vincenzo’s cross touches my skin, it allows me to see those Venifucus tattoos. The Border Patrol agent had one on his left hand.”

Bob pulled the chain out from under his shirt and showed the cross to the men in the car. They needed to know he had a means of identifying the bad guys before they went in, even if he still couldn’t quite believe it himself.

They went on to discuss logistics while Bob moved the SUV back onto the main road. He wasn’t quite sure where they were going just yet, but getting away from the caves seemed like a good idea. They couldn’t stay inside the rocky structures while earthquakes were a very real possibility.

“Jezza’s being held in the old mine. I did the recon myself early this morning,” Joe reported. “They don’t have a huge force with him. Just a couple of guys that I could see. The extraction should be pretty straight forward except that one of the men questioning him had to be a mage.”

“Why do you say that?” Serena asked.

“Well, he wasn’t a shifter. He looked human, but the others—all bobcats—deferred to him, and he was the one doing the interrogating. Jezza was fighting some kind of compulsion. At least that’s what it looked like. And it seemed to be coming from the human guy.”

Bob didn’t like the sound of that. “That sure sounds like a mage to me. Serena, your people were involved with a human drug cartel, right? What was the attitude toward the humans your leaders worked with?”

“They made fun of them. Jack thought the human cartel boss was a weakling, but he was willing to work with him if it kept bringing in the money. Jack and Lizzy both liked their little comforts, but they liked the power it gave them even more.”

“So the deferential treatment of a human doesn’t sound like normal behavior for these bobcats?” Bob insisted, looking deeper into the possibilities.

Serena seemed to think about it. “No. I’d say not. Nobody respected the humans, but they were willing to put up with them for the money.”

That clinched it then. The human Joe had seen was almost certainly a mage if the bobcats deferred to him. Bob didn’t like it, but at least they knew a bit more about what they were up against.

They spent a few minutes discussing the specifics of the mine and planning their assault. Steve listened and put in a few words here and there, mostly leaving the planning to the on-site guys. Bob was glad his big brother didn’t try to take over. He had worked long and hard to earn his brothers’ respect and it was a good feeling to still have it. Even though Bob hadn’t served in the military, his brothers had taught him well. Before too long, they had a workable plan.

“We need a place to hole up for a few hours,” Bob said when the planning session was winding down. He had almost reached the main road and they would have to make a decision soon about which way to turn.

“I think I know a place,” Serena offered. “There’s an old house out near the bluff not too far from the mine, but not visible from the mine road or entrance. Humans built it back in the 1920’s, but a shifter family bought it about forty years ago. An old man and his wife. They were old even back then and last I heard, they were still there—too old to put up much of a fight when the Clan turned bad, and too stuck in their ways to move out. For the most part, the Clan left them alone. I know for certain Jack didn’t like the old guy, but saw him as no threat. His name is Jeremiah and his mate is Betty. I think they’ll put us up if we ask. If they’re still there. If they’ve been run off, it’s doubtful anybody would want to live there. It’s not the most ideal location, but for our purposes, it’ll keep us close to where we need to be, but not in too obvious a place.”

“And even if they object, we can always talk them around,” Joe said with only a small hint of an evil grin. Bob knew the soldiers could take the place by force—and would, if necessary.

“Let’s try to talk to them first, if they’re there.” Bob tried to be the voice of reason.

The other men nodded, though the two wolves had grim expressions on their faces. They would do whatever they had to do, Bob knew. He set out, following Serena’s directions, the other vehicle filled with Joe’s men, following behind.

 

The old homestead was as Serena remembered it. Rundown and deceptively decrepit on the outside. She knew for a fact the old couple kept the inside of the place neat as a pin and in good repair. She had sought refuge here a time or two when things got too bad at home. Not often. No, she hadn’t wanted to bring the wrath of Jack and Lizzy down on these nice people, but a few very memorable times, she had been taken in by Jeremiah and Betty, given a good meal and a place to rest for a few hours before she had to go back to the hell that was her home. They were good people.

The four of them approached in Bob’s vehicle, leaving the rest of the guys in their truck, back up the lane, out of sight for the moment. Serena and Bob would go up to the door first and get the lay of the land. The old couple knew Serena. They would recognize Bob as a cat and an Alpha, even if he wasn’t of their Clan. If Betty and Jeremiah were still there, they would at least listen to what Serena had to say—she hoped.

She didn’t know what they would make of the group of wolves she had brought along. But times were desperate and she hoped they would help out of the goodness of their hearts. She wasn’t really sure how they would react, but she was hoping they would be reasonable. They had always struck her as people who would have stood up to Jack, if they had been a little younger…and a little more dominant. Jeremiah was a beta through and through. He hadn’t been born to lead, but he had taken care of his mate and done what he could for the Clan, while its leadership had still been on the right side of the law and the Lady. Once the drugs moved in, Jeremiah had made himself scarce, claiming to be too old to be involved with Clan politics anymore.

Bob took Serena’s hand, offering comfort as they walked up the dusty pathway toward the house. They’d decided to try the direct approach first, in case the couple was still in residence. If they got no answer to their knock on the door, they would nose around a bit and see if anybody else was there. If they ran into trouble, Joe and John were their backup, as well as the truck full of soldiers just down the road.

As it turned out, nobody was home. The place was deserted, and there were no signs of recent occupation. All of Jeremiah and Betty’s furniture was still there, including plates in the cupboard, and towels and sheets stacked neatly in the linen closet. It looked as though the couple had left the place closed up, like they’d gone on vacation or something, intending to return.

“Maybe they headed for safety,” Serena thought out loud as they prowled through the house. Bob had jimmied the lock while Serena called softly for the older couple. When nobody answered her, they moved farther into the house.

From there, Joe had come in, doing a quick recon with Bob while Serena checked out the living room and kitchen. Bob had gone upstairs and Joe had gone into the basement. They met up again in the hallway on the ground floor a few minutes later.

“Looks safe enough,” Joe kept looking around, on guard. “I’ll call my guys in.” He jogged out the front door, leaving Bob and Serena alone in the hallway.

He pulled her into his arms and she was glad to feel the safety of his embrace, even if it was only a temporary sort of safety. She was exhausted. Adrenaline only lasted so long and she had been running on it since yesterday. There was a fine tremor of fatigue running through her limbs as Bob stroked his hands over her arms.

“I saw a comfy-looking bed upstairs. I think you should spend a few hours in it. Preferably with me, but we might get sidetracked from sleep if I do that,” he teased. She smiled up at him.

“I wouldn’t mind.” He seemed pleased with her open invitation.

“I’d like it too, but honey, you’re exhausted. This might be our only chance for a real rest before we have to run again. I think we should make use of it as best we can.” He kissed her sweetly, then pulled back. “Why don’t you go upstairs and nap while we secure the place. I’ll be up to join you shortly, I promise. We both need sleep if we’re going to be at our peak for the op.”

“Op?” She shook her head. “You’re talking like one of those military guys.” She liked it.

He had sounded not only comfortable but impressively adept when he had been talking strategy with the other men. Who knew her hottie was also a badass soldier? Every little thing she learned about him made her admire and love him more.

“Wait ‘til you meet my brothers. You’ve heard how Steve talks. When he and Grif start reminiscing over their Army days, it’s definitely something worth listening to.” He smiled and leaned down to kiss her again as the front door opened.

“Don’t mind us.” Chico’s voice held suppressed humor as he waltzed past them, some sort of electronic gizmos in his hand. Another guy was following him, more of the little gadgets in his arms. “We’re just setting up a perimeter,” Chico explained as he and his helper moved through the hall, toward the back door.

Serena realized they were putting the devices around the house. It was probably some sort of electronic surveillance system that would help keep the place secure while they were here. She stepped out of Bob’s arms and headed for the staircase. She didn’t think Jeremiah and his mate would mind them using their house as a resting place in this crisis. She sent a little prayer up to the Lady, hoping the older couple was safe wherever they were.