Natalie
“You idiots!”
At the sound of the infuriated yell, Natalie slowly blinked her way back into consciousness. Her head felt heavy and strange – like she was seeing and hearing everything through a wrapping of cotton. Blinking, she shook her head, trying to clear her senses. But the only thing that achieved was to make the world reel sickeningly around her.
Taking a deep breath, Natalie tried to steady herself, and lift her hands up to support her aching head.
It was only then that she realized her hands were bound in front of her, tied together with some kind of cable.
Snapping suddenly into full lucidity, Natalie gazed around her, horror creeping into her chest.
Now that she could see clearly, she realized she was in the back seat of Casey’s truck. It was parked in some kind of large building – maybe an abandoned barn of some kind? – and there was a large group of men and women standing at the far side. Some had their arms crossed over their chests. Others had their fists clenched by their sides. Natalie could tell at a glance that the atmosphere between them was far from friendly.
What’s happening? Where’s Casey? Where’s Micah?
Panic tore its way through her chest as she thought of her son. But a quick look around the cabin of the truck told her that he wasn’t here. Inching forward, desperate not to draw attention to herself, she scanned the crowd in front of her, but again, he was nowhere in sight.
Please. Please let him be safe.
As she sat there, trying to piece together the fragments of her memory, she recalled what Ken and his companion had been arguing about as they stood in the driveway of the ranch house: The boy’s got shifter blood, no matter how weak. We can’t touch him. But she’s human. She’s fair game.
Natalie closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to whatever might be out there and listening that this meant that Micah was safe at home, and hopefully with no idea what was happening.
Please, at least, let him be safe. And Casey…
Natalie swallowed, her heart clutching. Would Casey come for her? Would he know how to find her?
Oh God. Please… Casey, please find me.
He had told her that he would protect her no matter what, and she believed him. She had seen how he’d reacted when Pritchard had threatened her at the school. She couldn’t believe Casey wouldn’t be twice as angry now that he and his gang had taken her away to… to wherever this was.
Sitting up a little straighter on the truck’s seat, Natalie cautiously looked around her. She recalled now the furious yell that had awoken her, and the angry group of people standing a short distance away.
Leaning forward, she tried to catch a little more of what was going on – and what they were talking about.
“It wasn’t my fault – how was I supposed to know?”
Natalie couldn’t help but sneer – she’d recognize Ken’s wheedling, pathetic tone anywhere. He loved to pretend he was a big man, but he’d only ever threaten people he considered weaker than himself. The minute someone tougher came along, all his bravado collapsed and he became a sycophantic whiner.
Clearly, that was what was happening now.
Moving her head a little, Natalie caught a glimpse of Pritchard’s tall, muscular form, still dressed in his impeccable suit, standing at the center of the crowd.
“You told me you could get the boy,” he yelled, his face livid with anger. “I said nothing about taking the woman!”
“But Pritchard,” Ken said, his voice coming out high and frightened. “I just thought – I didn’t want to come back with nothing –”
“Then you never should have said you could do it!” Pritchard thundered, so loud that Natalie jumped. “Do you know what you’ve done, you idiotic fool?”
Ken’s eyes were on the floor. He looked half terrified, half enraged. “I told you, I didn’t know. How could I have known?”
“It wasn’t your place to know! I didn’t think I’d have to spell it out – but clearly I underestimated your stupidity! I give you a chance to make up for your transgressions, and this is what you do! You bring an angry shifter here, looking for his mate!”
“I didn’t know she was his mate,” Ken said, finally raising his eyes from the floor. “If I had, I wouldn’t have –”
“I’d hope not, but given how few brains you’ve shown, I wouldn’t have been surprised,” Pritchard snarled. “As it is, I still don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation.”
Ken’s lip curled. “What situation? So he comes back to get his mate – who cares? There’s one of him, and how many of you?” He looked around the watching crowd. “You saying the lot of you can’t take one guy?”
Natalie caught her lip between her teeth, sucking in a quick breath.
She wanted to feel relieved – from the way Pritchard was talking, it seemed that it was fully expected that Casey would come for her. We’re mates. Of course he’ll come for me. He promised.
But even if she wished he were here at this very moment, she realized that Ken was right. If he came, he’d be badly outnumbered. Even if he brought Mason, Joe and Lincoln too, there’d still be far more of Pritchard’s gang than there were of them.
They couldn’t fight all of them.
Oh, Casey…
Icy fingers squeezed her heart. He had told her he wouldn’t fight unless he absolutely had to, but what if he had no choice? She couldn’t stand the thought of him getting hurt, or maybe even killed, because of her. Because she had made the silly mistake of stepping outside the house. Because she had gotten involved with a bastard like Kenneth Walker in the first place.
Pritchard was shaking his head. “You really have no idea, do you?” He spat, disgusted. “I don’t know what I was thinking, giving you a second chance. I should have just put you to work and taken your wages until your debt was paid back – never mind that it would have taken twenty years!”
Ken tried to stare him down, but eventually he dropped his eyes. “I still think –”
“No one cares what you think!” Pritchard roared. “You’ve brought disrepute to my pack! You’re lucky I don’t kill you where you stand! When I found you, you promised you’d make this right, but the only thing you’ve done is make it worse. You’ve made me into a mate-stealer!”
A mate-stealer.
Natalie blinked. She supposed that was exactly what it sounded like – and it seemed like Pritchard wasn’t happy about it at all.
But it made sense, she thought. The mated bond seemed to be all-important to shifters. Even as a human, she hadn’t been able to believe how strong her connection to Casey had been. Perhaps getting between a mated pair was considered an especially heinous crime by shifter society.
And perhaps Pritchard did care about shifter law after all, then, if he was this upset about it. The contract he had shown her might have been barbaric, but Casey had explained that it was part of shifter law – or at least, it had been, once.
“You know nothing of shifter law,” Pritchard growled, pacing. “Do you think I’d sully my reputation by ambushing a man who has come to rescue his mate – as is his right? You’re a criminal as well as stupid.”
“I’m a criminal?” Ken yelled, showing a bit of backbone for once. “You’re the one who runs a crime empire!”
Pritchard sneered. “No one cares about human laws. But now you’ve broken shifter laws. And I’m responsible for it, because as alpha, I’m responsible for you. However much I regret it now.”
Natalie realized she’d been holding her breath. She didn’t know what any of this meant – or what would happen when Casey arrived. Did this mean Pritchard intended to just let Casey take her away from here? He had said that it was his right to come to claim his mate. Surely, then –
But even as she thought it, Natalie couldn’t quite let herself believe that things would be that easy.
“Pritchard!”
Natalie turned at the sound of the voice behind her, coming from over by the barn door. After a moment, a small man dashed in, looking harried.
“Pritchard, he’s here. He’s come.”
Pritchard turned, his expression grimly determined.
“Then I will deal with him.” He turned, pointing at Ken. “But remember – when this is finished, I’ll deal with you, too.”
Pritchard turned away then, and so he missed the expression of pure terror that crossed Ken’s face at his words.
But Natalie, looking directly at him, saw it clearly.
In the next moment, all heads turned toward the door, as a mighty, infuriated roar suddenly filled the entire barn.
Natalie’s heart was in her throat: standing there, the afternoon sunlight blazing on his golden coat, was Casey, his lion form huge and magnificent, eyes blazing and teeth bared.
The muscles of his shoulders rippled as he stalked into the barn, his tail swishing, black mane spiked in fury.
If it had been anyone else, Natalie would have been frozen in terror.
But Natalie knew that all of this power, all of this strength, would only ever be used to protect her – to keep her safe from any harm that might threaten her.
All his strength and beauty was for her.
With her, he had only ever been kind – and with Micah, he had been more caring and gentle than she knew how to describe.
He would never hurt her. Even though he could turn into a lion, the king of the beasts, she would always be safe with him.
She just hoped that they would be away from here soon, and she could show him all the ways in which she adored him.
Casey’s eyes ranged across the group of people before him, and he growled low in his throat. He turned his head, and when his eyes finally found hers, he hesitated, pausing in his stride. Intuitively, Natalie realized that he was seeking reassurance that she was okay – that Pritchard and Ken hadn’t hurt her.
She gave him a quick, sharp nod – and hoped he understood. Right now, she didn’t want him to take his eyes off Pritchard, or any other member of his gang, for a second.
Casey’s golden eyes stared into hers a moment longer, before finally he seemed reassured. He turned his massive head, fringed with its shaggy black mane, back to where Pritchard stood just a short distance away.
Pritchard, who was now striding across the floor, his arms held out to his sides.
“Shift,” he said, his voice low and angry. “Come. We have matters to discuss.”
Casey hesitated, his hackles rising, clearly wondering if he was being led into some kind of trap. But after a moment, he reared back, transforming, his mane becoming Casey’s sun-bleached brown hair, his massive paws becoming hands again, his eyes turning from gold to brown.
But all the while, he never lost his ferocious look of anger.
He stood, tall, broad and muscular, every sinew of his body on clear display, straining against his skin. It was clearly taking every ounce of self-control he had not to throw himself at Pritchard and separate his head from his body.
“Mate-stealer,” Casey snarled once he was fully human again. “You dare to take another shifter’s mate?”
Pritchard sneered. “I never gave any such order. Kenneth was told to go and get the boy. That’s it. I didn’t ask him for this.”
Pritchard gestured dismissively in Natalie’s direction without so much as glancing at her. His eyes were locked on Casey.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s my mate – and that means her cub is my responsibility too. You had no right.”
“I had every right!” Pritchard growled, his nostrils flaring. “The boy’s father signed a contract! I came to her in good faith to explain her debts, and she lied! She told me she knew nothing – but the second I took my eye off her, she ran off and sought the protection of a lion pride.”
“That’s not what happened,” Casey argued, his eyes alight with anger. “Natalie had no idea who or what we were until later. We offered her a job – that’s it. Everything else came later.”
Pritchard scoffed. “More lies!”
“Don’t you dare call me a liar.” Casey’s eyes narrowed, and he pulled back his lips to bare his teeth. “And don’t even pretend like you have any honor. You’re nothing but a pack of criminals – all of you. The ability to shift is a gift – and what the fuck do you use it for? To hurt humans and kidnap them when they won’t do what you want!” He snarled. “Or are you trying to tell me that sending your humans to grab Natalie while I wasn’t looking was honorable?”
“It was thought,” Pritchard said, obviously trying to rein in his fury, “that if Kenneth could talk to the woman without you present, she would see sense, and hand the child over voluntarily.”
“You mean you hoped you could scare her,” Casey growled, his lion’s hackles rising. “Don’t try to pretty this up. You might be technically within the letter of shifter law, but you’re not following the spirit at all.”
“That is a serious accusation,” Pritchard said, lowering his brows and glowering.
Casey laughed. “Look, I don’t give a shit. Shifter laws are there to protect us and make our lives better – and if they don’t do that, they need to be changed or gotten rid of. No one makes contracts for their heirs anymore – no one with any sense, anyway, and no one with any heart at all would ask for that kind of thing. It belongs in the past – and that’s where it should stay.”
Pritchard laughed – low and deep. “That’s where you’re wrong. We shifters have lived by these laws for centuries. You think we should just forget about them, and let humans dictate to us?”
“Shifters and humans have to live in harmony,” Casey replied. “Maybe once I felt the same way you did – but I was wrong, and you are too.”
Natalie felt tears welling in her eyes. She wanted so much to simply rush across to where Casey stood and take him in her arms – but she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t do anything that might distract him during this critical moment.
Pritchard sneered. “Fine, then – let’s settle this. You love human laws so much, I’m guessing you’ve already called the police.”
Casey shook his head. “No. I’ve come alone. Natalie is my mate. Mine. And I will be the one to bring her back to my pridelands.”
Natalie felt her heart swelling within her, even as she felt fearful. Casey had kept his promise to protect her. But did this mean he would have to fight?
Pritchard raised an eyebrow. “Amazing. Something I can respect. All right, then – we will do this the lawful way. The shifter way.”
What does that mean? Natalie thought, the question making her catch her breath. But even as she thought it, she realized that she already understood.
He wants to fight. He’s going to force Casey to fight him.
Suddenly, she recalled their conversation of earlier, about how Casey wouldn’t know what Pritchard shifted into until he did it.
If ever Pritchard was going to turn into a poodle, please let him do it now!
“Fine, then. Nominate your champion,” Casey snarled.
Pritchard shook his head, lips twitching in rage. “I’m alpha – I fight my own battles.”
“Then let’s stop wasting time,” Casey shouted, all his muscles straining, his dark eyes blazing. “Let me take my mate back!”
In the next second, his voice became a mighty roar that shook the barn to its foundations. Casey shifted, his human body once more becoming the huge golden lion. The muscles of his shoulders and haunches quivered, his muzzle curled in a vicious snarl that revealed massive white teeth.
Surely, nothing and no one could stand up to Casey in this form, Natalie thought – it wasn’t possible. What could Pritchard possibly shift into that could hope to beat such a magnificent creature as Casey’s lion?
In the next moment, however, she had her answer.
Pritchard threw back his head, his arms thrown wide – and then his body was changing, growing larger, thicker. Horns sprouted from his head, and his hands and feet became heavy cloven hooves.
A… a bull?!
Natalie could only stare in horror at the massive, wild creature that Pritchard had become, his fine, expensive suit lying in tatters on the floor around him.
The bull roared, raising its massive head on its thick neck.
Bulls might have been herbivores, but Natalie could see that this one was pulsing with strength and power – muscles rippled over its shoulders, and through its massive chest. Its horns were pointed and deadly.
Casey – oh, Casey!
Natalie had to stop herself from calling his name out loud. Certainly, the lion had its claws and fangs, but the bull was larger, more muscled, and it had those terrible horns. One wrong move from Casey, and she was sure the points could wound him badly. Not to mention if he happened to fall beneath Pritchard’s stamping hooves…
Natalie didn’t know much about lions, except what she had learned from nature documentaries. But she did know they usually hunted in packs, and ambushed their prey so as to have the element of surprise. She wasn’t sure how a lion might perform in a head-to-head fight.
Looking at Casey again, though, as he and Pritchard warily circled each other, she couldn’t allow herself to believe he might lose. Not with those claws, those teeth, those powerful shoulders and haunches.
But Natalie couldn’t stop the shudder of fear that ran through her body as she watched the mighty bull that Pritchard had become pawing the ground, snorting threateningly.
Could even Casey’s claws make a dent in that thick layer of muscle?
I feel so helpless, Natalie thought with anguish. She hated feeling this way – even if she could get free, she’d be of no earthly use to Casey in this fight. What could she do against a raging bull?
Casey and the bull circled each other warily, occasionally letting out warning growls and roars. It was clear to Natalie that they were sizing each other up, watching each other closely, and seeing how the other moved. Pritchard’s pack still circled them, eyes trained on their alpha as he prepared to battle the beautiful golden lion.
At last tiring of their slow circles, Pritchard let out a bellow, before charging forward, head lowered, horns pointed with deadly precision.
Casey snarled, leaping aside, before swiping with his massive paws – only to hit empty air. The charge had been a feint, and the bull had pulled back at the last moment, hooves clattering against the floor of the empty barn.
Growling, Casey turned – but the bull was surprisingly quick to maneuver, turning its huge body around before charging again while Casey was still slightly off balance.
Roaring, Casey only just managed to dodge the toss of the bull’s head, its horns tearing through the space Casey had been in only moments before. This time, the bull wasn’t so quick to pull up, clearly having expected its goring motion to find Casey’s side. Casey took advantage of the slip, leaping forward with his claws extended, and leaving deep furrows in the sleekness of the bull’s side.
Pritchard roared in response, the sound echoing throughout the barn. There was a mix of pain and fury in the sound, as again he turned swiftly – but this time, he didn’t come after Casey with his horns. Instead, he threw his massive body sideways, knocking into Casey with such force that even the muscular form of the lion was bowled over.
Natalie gasped, raising her bound hands to her lips in horror as she watched: Casey scrabbled to regain his footing, but not before the bull was upon him, bringing his huge hooves down against Casey’s side. She heard the sickening crack of a breaking bone as Pritchard trampled him, hooves rising and falling almost as if he were dancing.
Casey roared in pain, swiping up at the bull with his claws, before finally managing to scramble to his feet. As he rose, he raised one mighty paw and raked it down across the bull’s neck.
Blood spattered onto the floor of the barn as both animals backed away from each other – both wounded, both breathing heavily.
Would the wound to the bull’s neck be enough to slow it down, Natalie wondered – before realizing that she had no idea what the terms of this fight even were. Was it to the death? Would Casey have to kill Pritchard in order to set her free?
She swallowed, cold terror seeping through her veins.
And, more importantly, will Pritchard kill Casey?
What would become of Micah if Casey lost? Would they be forced to hand him over?
She shuddered. Before, she had been too shocked to fully contemplate the stakes of what Casey was fighting for.
But now, she felt her heart hammering in her chest.
Oh God, Casey. If only I could help you…
Again, the two massive beasts charged at each other, Casey leaping forward at the last moment to grip the bull’s sides with his forepaws, his teeth buried in his neck. Blood was beginning to mar the beauty of his golden coat, and Natalie could see that his right foreleg was clearly injured. When Pritchard at last managed to shake him off, Casey’s limp was obvious – he couldn’t rest any weight on his right front leg at all. It must have been broken as Pritchard had trampled him, Natalie thought, as she felt tears well in her eyes.
There must be something I can do…
But even as she thought it, she wondered if interfering might not be against shifter law. As much as Casey had said he didn’t care for any law that didn’t help and protect them, he seemed to be taking this one seriously.
There was so much she felt she didn’t understand.
But nonetheless, she knew she couldn’t just sit here like a lump, waiting for Casey to rescue her.
She had never been that sort of woman – she had always been able to rely on herself, no matter what. When she had been young and forced to work to make ends meet, and again after Ken had left her flat. She had always found her way through whatever life had thrown at her.
This would be no different, shifter law or not.
She would not let the man she loved be beaten to a pulp by some self-important bull.
Swinging her legs up, she pulled herself forward into the front seat of the truck. It was awkward with her hands tied, but she managed to scrabble her way over the gearstick and cupholder, squeezing her way between the two front seats until she sat behind the steering wheel. The keys were still in the ignition.
Reaching down, Natalie tried to grab them with her fingers – but it was difficult with her wrists bound.
“Come on, come on,” she muttered to herself, as she tried to twist them and get the truck going.
“And what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Natalie looked up in shock as the door of the truck was yanked open. Ken hovered above her, face screwed up into an expression of fury.
“Get away from me, Ken,” she said, voice low. “I’m warning you –”
Ken let out a short, quick bark of laughter. “Don’t threaten me, Nat. We both know you haven’t got it in you. Now shove over – I’m getting in.”
Natalie blinked at him, uncomprehending. “What?”
Ken laughed again, but this time, he glanced up nervously to where the fight between Pritchard and Casey was still raging.
“You think I’m going to wait around here for Pritchard to do whatever he’s going to do once he’s finished off your little boyfriend? No fucking way! I’m getting out of here.”
“You can’t be serious,” Natalie said, not moving. “They’ve already caught you once – what do you think they’ll do when they catch you again?”
“Don’t lecture me, Nat,” Ken hissed. “Now move over – we’re leaving.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Natalie said, planting her feet on the floor of the cab.
“Well, you don’t have a choice, sweetheart,” Ken replied. “I need some insurance – and you’re it.”
“You’re an absolute moron,” Natalie said. “What do you think is going to happen? You think Casey – or Pritchard – is just going to let you leave?”
She looked desperately over to where Pritchard and Casey were still fighting. Blood slicked Casey’s sides, but the bull didn’t seem to be any better off. Pritchard had a deep wound in his shoulder and another cut above his eye. As Natalie watched, he shook his head, sending blood spattering across the floor.
He can’t see, Natalie realized with a jolt. Casey had clearly scored a good hit, and it was making it hard for Pritchard to keep the blood out of his eyes so he could focus on the threat.
In her moment of distraction, Ken moved forward, grabbing her bound wrists. “I told you to move,” he snarled, trying to push her across the truck’s cabin and into the passenger seat.
“And I told you no,” Natalie replied, struggling against him.
“I don’t care what you said.” Ken’s face was livid with anger. “You’re leaving with me – one way or another.”
Natalie raised her arms, shoving him back. If she didn’t stop him, he’d take the truck and drive out of here – with her as a hostage. But in any case, with both Casey and Pritchard injured, how would they follow him?
He was going to escape.
But he can’t – not if I stop him.
“Get your hands off me!” Natalie bellowed. Then, gritting her teeth, she raised her bound hands above her head, before slamming them down on the horn in the middle of the steering wheel.
The blaring noise filled the barn, louder even than she expected – it rattled her teeth in her head, her ears ringing.
Holy hell!
But it had had the desired effect – the pack of shifters who’d been watching the fight intently had now turned to stare at the truck, while Pritchard and Casey, locked in a struggle, had halted as if someone had hit pause on a nature documentary.
There was silence.
“Fucking hell,” Ken muttered, before he began shuffling to try to get out of the cab.
“No you don’t,” Natalie muttered, bringing her bound wrists up once more to give Ken a solid knock under the chin.
She doubted it was enough to hurt him – but it was enough to make him stumble and fall as he got out of the truck. Scrambling to his feet, he began to run – but not before a furious roar echoed through the barn.
In the next moment, Ken was lying flat on his back on the floor, with Casey’s bloody muzzle hovering directly over his terrified face.