She felt as though she was laying her own soul bare, but she continued anyway. You’re the reason I built the refuge in Savage Territory and where I placed it. I wanted to be near the man who had saved a warlock.
He frowned slightly. What warlock?
He would need reminding. For him, it had been all in a night’s work. But she’d seen her kind slaughtered for less by wolves from Savage.
You were about to leave a crime scene in Elegance where a wolf had been assaulted by a drugged-out warlock. It was maybe two-and-a-half years ago now. You’d already sent the wolf back to Savage to recover. You were just getting into your SUV to take the warlock to the Elegance station to have him locked up, when several wolves flew in from Savage wanting revenge for the attack.
I remember now, he said. But I don’t recall you being there.
I was a few yards away, inside my shield. I’d been trying to get that same warlock into rehab. The wolves were going to kill him, but you didn’t let them. You actually talked them down and in doing so you saved a warlock’s life. That’s why I’m here. I thought, maybe, if that kind of compassion resided in one of the most powerful alphas in Savage, then there might be hope for Five Bridges. That’s when I started my rescue work. You were the reason. I’ve been trying to emulate you all this time.
~ ~ ~
Warren stared down at Kiara knowing full well what she’d just told him had broken something inside him yet again. He’d never thought of himself as a role model for anyone. He lived a brutal life in Savage whether she saw it or not. A week didn’t go by when he killed another alter being in the line of duty, some idiot so high on drugs he was a danger to those around him, or a drug runner trying to make it to the border between Five Bridges and the US, or some exchange of gunfire with the local cartel.
He might not agree with her perceptions of him, but he was glad if it had inspired the creation of her refuge.
She continued, For the longest time, after I arrived in Five Bridges, I fought who I was and the latent power I knew I possessed. Dark covens tried to recruit me repeatedly and Veyda abducted me in an attempt to turn me. When she couldn’t, it was torture and should have been death. But you and your stance in this world have consistently kept me on the right path.
They were in the middle of Julio’s construction mess, but all he could see was the warm light in her brown eyes, her sincerity, her appreciation. What he did next seemed absurd given the circumstances, but the only response he could think of that made sense. He held her face tenderly in his hands and kissed her.
She responded by leaning into him and parting her lips. She was always ready for his touch, his tongue, to permit him to take possession of her body. When he entered her mouth, he was gentle. This wasn’t about lust and need, but about connection and appreciation. In his way, he was expressing gratitude that she’d come into his life.
When he drew back, he didn’t release her right away, but continued to look into her eyes. You amaze me.
He felt her take a quick breath then release a rush of air. I feel the same way about you.
He loved her voice in his head. For whatever reason, this quiet telepathic conversation had needed to take place here, in this moment, at this time. To a degree, he also believed in fate. Maybe she was his fate.
He began to ease back. We have a job to do.
She offered a quick bob of her head. We do.
He turned and looked up and down the hall. It was still a bizarre experience to see wolves moving around but never noticing him. His alpha nature was troubled by the experience. Wolves, whether members of his pack or not, always acknowledged him.
But the part of him that was still human enjoyed the anonymity even if it was forced by Kiara’s invisibility spell.
He chose to head in the direction of greater activity. He also thought it possible they’d have to descend to a lower level. He’d been inside both pack compounds before Julio’s takeover and knew the alphas had built large, underground communal burrows. Putting himself in the shoes of the alphas who’d passed, he would have set-up his security center in the deepest most inaccessible part of his compound.
He guided Kiara past a large room. It had a blown-out wall that opened up to a massive courtyard. Outside, several of Julio’s cartel wolves stood around with AR-15s slung over their shoulders supervising the pack workers. Though each weapon was kept at a downward slope facing the ground, they could be raised in a split second. A quick spray of bullets would wipe out the entire work party.
In a flash of alpha ability, he assessed the wolves assigned to lay a massive amount of bricks. He immediately felt their despair just as Kiara had said. Several of the wolves showed signs of thinning hair which meant when they shifted, their usually thick coats would show bare patches, a sign of stress. All of them bore flame markings.
He moved Kiara along the main corridor, levitating carefully to avoid colliding with wheelbarrows and stacks of lumber. A foreman called out some orders. He recognized the wolf. A good man who’d served as a second-in-command for the alpha. He had severe crow’s-feet at the sides of hi
s eyes now. His heart rate was elevated in a permanent, adrenaline-seized state. He, too, had flame markings on his cheeks.
Warren moved past him and saw what he was looking for, a broad staircase that led belowground. He released Kiara’s waist, but kept hold of her hand as he gestured for her to hug the wall behind him on their descent.
Several wolves ran up the stairs. They wore tanks trimmed with silver, the color Julio had chosen for his new pack.
Once they disappeared around the corner and were now out of sight, Warren eased down the remaining descent. This second, belowground level wasn’t under construction though it needed improvements.
The space opened up to a large communal dining area with long rows of benches and cheap folding chairs. A few wolves hunkered down at the far end of the nearest row. They were eating in complete silence, unusual for wolves.
A long hall led to the left, but he suspected it wouldn’t take him to the security room.
Warren turned toward the right and saw another stairwell that led to a third level. There. He gestured toward the stairs. The lighting in the hall was dim. He still held her hand.