Love at First Scent
Chapter 15

Craig turned to Diego. “You know where the cabin is?”

“I do.” His second nodded. “Off of Mill’s Road, but it twists and turns like a bastard. It’ll be faster to go straight through the bush in our fur.”

“How long?”

“Probably twenty minutes.” Diego was already unbuttoning his shirt as he answered, and the rest of the wolves who had come did the same.

“Bennett, you and Ellie take the truck and follow.” Craig began stripping as he headed out the back door with his wolves.

They ran like the Hounds of Hell were chasing them. Craig pushed his wolf more than he ever had, both of them fearing the worst, that they’d be too late to save their fated mate. Though he tried not to, his mind kept running over and over the things he’d been told about Bernard Loch. The male had been banished by the previous Alpha because there had been rumors going around that on the “hunting” trips he’d often taken.

Shifter women had gone missing, thought to have been stolen and sold to other corrupt packs. If there had been hard evidence of his crimes, the alpha would have been within his rights to execute the wolf, but with only speculation, he’d been sent away from their lands.

If they found Bernard with Cheryl, Craig would end him. He’d be justified for the trespassing, let alone if anything had happened to Caroline. His wolf snarled in anticipation, craving the b***d of the male who would threaten what was his.

He slowed as Diego did. Finally, they had arrived. The five wolves crept through the trees and brush, as silently as they could, not knowing what they would be coming upon. Craig tensed as they heard the sound of boots on gravel coming from in front of the cabin.

“Jesus Christ,” a male voice muttered, “you’re a real bitch, but at least you’re a solid bitch. You’re gonna end up fetching me a higher price than that tiny little vixen.”

A grunt sounded, and then something heavy was tossed into the back of a truck bed. Craig nodded to three of his wolves to go around the other side while he and Diego stalked closer to their prey.

Caroline was trying her hardest not to hyperventilate as tears slid down her cheeks. The man had spent what felt like forever going through the cabin and hauling out anything that he thought may have some value—which happened to include Cheryl only moments ago. She was terrified she would be the next thing tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes to haul to the market.

She didn’t know what she was going to do, but with her hands and feet tied, it didn’t look promising. Could she possibly wiggle her way out of the truck while he was driving? As long as the truck wasn’t on the highway, it seemed like a better risk than the fate she’d been imagining. So, when the bastard started walking toward her, Caro went limp again, pretending to still be unconscious.

Managing not to make a sound as he picked her up and swung her over his shoulder was next to impossible, and when his hand groped her a*s, her fists clenched in disgust, but still, she remained silent. Caro looked around as soon as they were out the door. The area looked typical of a remote cabin, and off to the side of the lot, she could see her car half covered in an old tarp.

Oh, God, is anyone even looking for me? Or do they think I just left on my own?

She hoped that Ellie would know better than that, but the thought that she was utterly on her own brought a new wash of tears to her eyes. Then she saw movement at the edge of the trees. Two huge wolves silently stepped out from the brush. One was black and the other was a silver-gray. They didn’t make a sound, but when her eyes met the golden gaze of the black wolf, she knew that Craig had come for her. Now she just needed to get away from this creep.

Caro reared up, bending her body back as much as she could, bracing herself for the fall that she knew was coming as the man lost his grip on her. His prolific swearing was overshadowed by the ominous growls and snarling that erupted as three more wolves came from the other side of the truck.

All Caro could see as she fell to the ground was a black blur as the wolf leaped over her body to get to the man just turning in shock. His screams were horrific amid the snarling, and the wet, tearing sounds prompted her to look away, closing her eyes to something she didn’t want to witness.

“Caro, are you okay?” Diego had shifted back to his skin and was kneeling next to her, pulling at the ropes binding her hands.

“I—I think so.” Her voice was shaky, but aside from what she guessed would be a lot of bruising on the side she fell on, everything else felt intact.

When the man’s screaming abruptly went silent, Caro glanced over and immediately regretted it. The amount of b***d covering both men was shocking, but she couldn’t be sad that the stranger was dead, even if having your throat ripped out by a wolf had to be an awful way to go. It seemed like he had deserved that much and more.

Craig used a rag from the truck to wipe most of the b***d off of his face and chest before he came to her and pulled her into his arms.

“Goddess, I was scared to death,” he muttered into her hair. “Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”

“No, aside from some rope burn,” she said, inhaling his scent and then shuddering in relief. Caro was safe in his arms. She knew that without a shadow of a doubt. “But that woman, Cheryl, they were going to sell me.”

She shuddered, and he hugged her tighter.

“We know, baby,” he answered, looking over his shoulder to where two of his men were checking on Cheryl in the back of the truck.

“He shot her with some kind of dart gun.”

“Well, hopefully, that will keep her out until we get her into the holding cell at the office.” He stroked her hair. “She’ll be sent to the shifter council for punishment, but you don’t have to worry. You’ll never have to see her again.”

“What will happen to her?”

“A shifter who would betray one of their own has gone feral,” he answered softly. “She’ll be put down, for the safety of us all.”

Bennett’s truck skidded into sight, and as soon as he stopped, Ellie was out of the truck and running toward her, tears streaming down her face.

“Oh, my God, Caro!” Her sister grabbed her in a tight hug. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” she whispered, trying to calm her sister as Bennett handed out pants to the rest of the shifted wolves who’d arrived. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Caro looked around at the group of people who’d come for her, and the look of concern on the faces of even the men she’d never met before was humbling. It seemed like she and her sister had finally found a place to call home.

Craig held Caroline the whole way back home. They rode with Ellie and Bennett while one of the other wolves followed with her car. The rest took Cheryl’s and Bernard’s bodies, and his truck, back into town. Now that all the adrenaline had left her, Caro was shaking.

Craig called the town doctor to come and make sure she was okay. When she was pronounced healthy but stressed and exhausted, Craig ran her a bath. Once she was settled, he popped his head in to make sure she had everything she needed.

“Will you stay?” she asked. “I just—I just feel safer with you here.”

“Of course,” he answered, and when she reached out and then didn’t let go of his hand, he settled himself on the floor next to the tub, content to be there for her.