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For a while, Faith did leave me alone, long enough for me to find a mate and have a cub. I didn't love James, but he was a good male, and he accepted my wolf-less state, given that he too had lost his wolf when he was a teeanger. Our daughter, Leanna, thankfully missed out on that fate; we were told at her birth that she was full werewolf, and therefore she'd have a canine companion waiting for her when the time came, much to our relief.
Lindsay's son Randy was born two weeks later, and the moment the two newborns laid eyes on each other, sparks flew. Predestined mates were no longer the norm; werewolves often chose their mates in more conventional methods these days, so it came as a bit of a surprise when we saw the bond forming between Randy and Leanna. Roger advised us to let nature take its course. "No force on earth will be able to tear them apart," he promised us. "They'll find a way back to each other come hell or high water, and their bond promises to ensure they'll be as healthy a couple as if they'd done it the modern way."
Thus assured, we let the friendship between our cubs blossom. Quite a few cubs were born around the same time as Leanna and Randy, which meant they had no shortage of playmates to grow up and form lasting friendships with. They always preferred each other's company, but they were equally happy to spend time with their young packmates, which was a relief to me.
Relief turned to anger, though, not long after the youngest cubs turned two. I was at work when I got the frantic call from Lindsay, and when I raced home, I almost caused a collision when I saw the yellow tape blocking the approach to the packhouse. Two police officers came to my car to inform me no one was allowed in or out; a mass kidnapping had just taken place, and until they'd found the perpetrators, they were taking no chances. I said I understood, though I was sick with fear for my daughter. At their suggestion, I turned and drove to a nearby cafe, with their promises they'd call me once they had further information.
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Three nerve-jangling hours later, I was allowed to return to the packhouse, but only once the officers had confirmed with Lindsay I was a member of her pack. Once the all clear had been given, I was escorted back to the packhouse, and another check followed, after which I was finally allowed to go inside. The front door had the tell-tale marks of a forced entry, and Roger was a mass of bruises from head to toe when I reached his and Lindsay's bedroom. She wasn't looking much better, with a bandage wrapped around her head, and a massive shiner which had swollen her right eye shut, but she managed to turn it into a joke when she saw my stunned expression. "You should see the other guy," she jested, and I managed a laugh as I hurried over to hug them both. Roger did wince, but his return hug was just as fervent. 83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQM4X0WdNX
"Ribs," he wheezed, when we parted. "Not your fault. Damned bitch nearly broke all of 'em, but Pascal took the worst of it. Lindsay tore a few throats out before she got taken down with the most impressive right hook I've ever seen outside of Glasgow."
I smiled despite myself; Roger was Scottish, and he had the temper to match. "I'm going to go ahead and assume the worst," I said, my good mood fading almost instantly.
Lindsay sighed. "Mass kidnapping," she said. "Don't know how Faith managed to get the numbers she needed, but she swarmed the packhouse before we knew what was going on. We managed to take out a few of the attackers before they overpowered us, but luckily the cops showed up and took some enemy pack members into custody." She grimaced as her own set of broken ribs told how much of a beating she'd taken, and there was a look of heartbreak on her face as she gingerly cradled her stomach. She'd been with cub, but clearly Faith and her allies had decided she had no right to have another cub, and had dealt with the matter brutally. "Faith got away, damn her, but Cherry and Honey were among those taken down to the station. I'll wager they're getting the grilling of their lives, but so far they haven't yielded up anything as to Faith's motives."
"Either she's put the fear of God into them, or they're being their usual bitchy selves," I said grimly, feeling as if I'd been clubbed inside and out. Leanna was my world, and to think of her in the paws of someone as vicious as Faith ... I didn't even want to contemplate what fate Faith had in store for her. "Damn it all. But why kidnap all the cubs?"
"God knows," Roger said, "but I suspect it has something to do with the lovely threat she made two years ago. This is her payback, it would seem."
I wanted to punch something - Faith's smug face, specifically - but that wouldn't help matters. "I'm going down to the station," I said instead. "Maybe I can put the fear of God into Honey and Cherry and remind them their fate is going to be a lot worse if they don't spill the beans on what Faith plans to do with our cubs."
"Be careful," Roger warned. "Never is there a more desperate person when they're backed into a corner and have nothing to lose."
"I'll watch my back," I promised. "Don't worry. James is working tonight, and he'll make doubly sure I'm protected against whatever those two try to cook up." He'd be equally angry and upset over losing Leanna, and I wondered, as I left to get ready, if I'd have to wrestle him for the chance to finally rip Faith's throat out once and for all.
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