Connors Pursuit (Amber Woods Shifters) (14 page)

His eyes shot to Lizzy who was staring dumbfounded at him.

“I have my ways” he whispered knowingly, tapping the side of his nose.

She knew he was good, you had to be as an ex-warrior of the country’s top security firm. Damn he was clever and sneaky. The lights were dimmed as Luke went over layout and possible weak spots. Connor had been silently watching Lizzy since she had stood up and faced the pack. It took some courage to do that and he was so proud of her. Her beautiful mouth dropped open slightly and her heart rate picked up a notch. Understanding entered his mind. Following her gaze she was looking at the place she used to call home, knowing that somewhere her brother lay within those walls. Without thought he pulled her into his lap, holding her tight around the waist. Those stunning hazel eyes widened, just as a coy smile passed over her briefly. Distracted he had realised Luke had finished talking.

“Lizzy
?.......” Luke asked.

“Oh,
erm sorry can you repeat that?”

The room broke out in laughter, obviously seeing the couple had been a little distracted. Marcus raised his hand and all fell silent again.

“I said do you have any idea where they could be keeping him?”

She slid of Connors lap and walked to the TV screen. Memories assaulted her of the cries of pack members that had been punished
. Their lonesome howls of pain would echo in the night. She remembered the night she had gone to the pack hall go search for Brandon after her had gone in search of food in the kitchens. He was a growing wolf attested to the fact that he could eat the whole family out of house and home. Oliver was sitting in quiet conversation with an enforcer. As her boots echoed gently on the wooden floors, a cry resonated through the floor and travelled through her body. Instinctively, she had looked down as another cry much weaker reached her sensitive ears.

“Have something to say she wolf?”

Oliver had been watching her, his leery stare raking over her young body. She did not want to feel the wrath of his anger or worse be put into the holding cells. Lizzy shook her head to somehow free the memories, the words ringing in her head.

“There have holding cells, underneath the main hall. I have never been down there but it was well known that all punished wolves were put in the cages for sometimes up to a month, depending on the crime”

“Holy shit Lizzy, I knew that your old pack was bad, but holding cells? What kind of sick bastard thinks that containing a wolf makes it calmer? How you have come out sane in all of this is a miracle in itself”

Brianna was standing now, hands on the table, squinting to get a better look at the screen. Marcus was pushing her seat under her, urging the alpha female to sit back down. But in true
Bri fashion she was having none of it. Waving him off she went to stand next to Lizzy, giving her a big hug. Yeah it was girly but Lizzy appreciated the gesture.

“Sane honey?
I had you fooled” she laughed quietly.

“Does the council know of these practices?” Tristan asked.

“The thing you have to understand with Lawson is that he is a very rich man, has shares all over the place and his hands in many dirty transactions. A few of the wolves that have left have tried to have him brought in for questioning but every time, he wriggles free”

Marcus who had given up trying to get his female seated, grunted his disapproval.

“Have you seen the cages Lizzy?”

Connor asked the question so out of the blue, it startled her, his voice adding strength to hers.

“No. But I have heard rumours from those that were confined for punishment. How the cages were small and confined and very hard to break, even for a wolf. It was also rumoured that they are not locked by manual locks, they are secured with an electronic keypad device that only Lawson’s trusted enforcers have the access codes for. Oh and in addition, if the wolves were really unlucky they would be caged on the full moon, unable to shift properly or run with the call of Lunar”

Every enforcer in the room growled filling the space with undeniable anger and frustration. Marcus stilled. She watched as he let his eyes scan over his enforcers then on his mate. Tilting his head, with their apparent telepathic communication he came to stand in front of his men.

“Lizzy is a member of this pack now and such will be protected like pack. When she left Oakfield she left behind the life that she had grown up against, only bringing harsh memories with her. Amber woods needs to bring her closure, reunite her with her brother and bring to justice this that were wronged under Lawson’s rule. We know there are twelve wolves left that are loyal to him and his son Oliver. There are four females left, which seem to be controlled by the pack. Lizzy do you think they would leave willingly?”

Lizzy stuttered slightly as she answered. She had been so entranced by the words of Marcus, how he recognised her as a member of his pack, it had faltered her in her speech for a while.

“I’m not sure, when Connor and I saw them they were quite neglected, almost broken”

Connor could see the haunting images flit across her face. In a few strides he was next to her pulling her into his arms. Gently he lightly caressed the top of her head with soft kisses.

“Ok, then we have to be careful, I want a team specifically for the women. I want twelve of my men on their enforcers. Connor, Luke and Tristan are to locate and release Brandon. As you are aware under pack law, if one of our own has been threatened or harmed, we are within our rights to challenge that, in whatever capacity that may be. Adrianna, you are in charge of the female search”

Adrianna
nodded her understanding.

Lizzy looked to the petite female, so
Adrianna was her name? She did not even think that they had female enforcers. To look at her, anyone would presume she could not handle herself, but Lizzy could see the taut lines of her sculpted body under her jeans and sweater. All this talk of people fighting for her old pack had her wondering what the heck her role was. Pulling out of Connors arms she faced Marcus.

“
Erm alpha? What is my role?”

Marcus looked to Connor briefly, a quick silent communication through their pack link.

“You are to stay here with Brianna, if you were to come you increase the risk tenfold of you being harmed. You would be walking into Lawson’s trap”

Brianna jumped to her feet again, hands on hips.

“Now hang on a minute, don’t you think you need a bloody good tracker on the case? Hello? Standing here?!”

“Baby, you are not going on this case, end of story. Have you forgotten you are carrying our cubs?”

Huffing she glared at him.

“Considering I have been throwing up for the past few weeks then no I have not forgotten………..”

“The answer is no Baby”

Lizzy could feel the power he rolled over her as she watched Brianna open and close her mouth several times before narrowing her eyes at her mate.

“Fine” she snarled.

“I can help alpha”

She did not know where she got the courage from, but something so deep inside of her took hold. Connor pulled her closer. She could feel the betas energy seeping into her. The hard set of his jaw told her he was not happy.

“
Don’t even think about it Lizzy, I will not have you putting yourself in danger, you will listen to me on this for once. You are not to go”

She growled low, which surprised him briefly, His hand clutched the back of her neck, showing her his dominance of her mate. Yeah well, whatever, beta, this is my old pack and I have a right to end this.
As she lowered her eyes in what he thought was submission he released her neck rubbing circles in a soothing motion. Which gave her precisely the opportunity to state her case to the alpha.

“Alpha, I have a question”

Marcus nodded once for her to speak.

“Look, I get that I may not be good at hand to hand combat but I know the layout of the place better than anyone. It is my brother locked up and it is my right to find him. There is also the issue of the cages. T
he chances of getting the access codes will be difficult. Let me go on the mission, I am one big access code, I can use my telekinesis”

“No Lizzy, what if something goes wrong? What if Lawson or worse that fuckwit Oliver gets his hands on you? It’s far too much of a risk baby, I will not allow it”

Connor vibrated with anger. He wanted to wipe out this pack in one raid, take away every possible chance that Lizzy could be harmed. He admired her courage for stepping up and stating her case to Marcus, but he just could not let her be on this mission. Kissing her forehead, he heard her exhale slowly, suppressed frustration palpable. And then said alpha spoke, with every other enforcer encouraging him.

“Connor, I completely understand your need to protect Lizzy, I fully appreciate the overwhelming need to protect, but, she may have a point”

“Alpha…………….” Connor started.

“Just here me out. She is right that she knows the place inside out and if the cage is electronically coded then she will be able to get them open without hesitation”

Marcus looked to Lizzy.

“This is your brother Lizzy and we will help you in any way we can. Yes you may come…………”

Conor growled low in his throat but one look of amber alpha eyes had him reluctantly lowering his gaze. Marcus flickered his eyes to Connor before continuing.

“However, there will be rules and orders which you will obey. I will not have this pack compromised by impulsive decisions. Connor is right, your place is to be home safe
, it is his right as your mate to protect you. Under no circumstance you are to be alone at any time. You will be with Connor. I know you cannot shift which is why you need the support of the head enforcers. Obviously if the meeting with the order is successful that may change. Finally Lawson and Oliver no doubt will be within the pack walls. Connor it is your call on this, they threatened your mate, how do you want to handle this?”

Feeling thankful that
his alpha gave him this choice he walked slowly around the room, carefully going over every possible way to maim the so called leader and finish them off once and for all.

“Let me kill the fuckers”

Luke cleared his throat.

“As much as I would agree we have to take into consideration the council. To kill the alpha and heir of another pack would bring them down on us like a ton of bricks, it could get messy”

“Not as messy as it would get if I rip their lying tongues out”

“Connor, the only way you can kill them would be to do so in
self defence. Other than that they have to be handed over to the council so they can be judged by the appalling actions of cruelty to their pack” Marcus added.

“Then I hope they
attack me, because I will never let them near my mate again” He growled low and deadly as he once again pulled Lizzy into the comfort of his arms.

“Ok, then lets deal with the order first
tomorrow. Then we do what amber woods does best. Fight for the good of the pack, in particular. Look after our own”.

Lizzy felt all eyes settle on her, as each and every enforcer bowed their heads in respect. It was a good job she had her head on Connors shoulders
, because the tears forming in her eyes would make this a real girlie moment.

13

The morning sunshine filtered through the curtains, the room slightly chilled. So, today was the day, it had finally arrived. Should she not be jumping up and down with excitement? That feeling you get when you know something big is happening to you on the day, like your birthday or
it’s Christmas day? All she got was fluttering’s in her stomach, not from the most mind blowing sex she had just had with Connor, but nervous energy. What if it did not work? This was quite literally last chance saloon. Groaning she rolled out of bed, took a quick shower and got dressed. Her feet drudged down the corridor to the smell of cooking, Connor insisted he made breakfast. Again. He honestly treat her like a princess and she loved it, thrived on it. What would it be like once they bonded? Stopping dead in her tracks, she replayed what she just said. The fact that she had even took that next step mentally sent another wave of fluttering’s to her stomach. Bonded? Life-mates? Did she want that? That would be a big Yes, she could not imagine spending her life without him now. He totally accepted her for everything she was and never complained, had all the patience in the world for her. And that was worth taking that final bond for life. Continuing on her path, she was glad she had finally made that decision. More so now seeing him standing at the stove in just loose fitting jeans, bare chested and bare footed. Her eyes ran appreciatively over him, as she nibbled her lip. Without turning, he spoke with a low gravelly voice.

“Keep thinking those naughty thoughts baby and you will have to be punished”

Startled, she ran her fingers through her hair as he turned with a smouldering gaze.

“Oh, I was just, you know”

“No enlighten me, your scent went off the scale for a moment”

Placing two plates on the table he stalked her slowly, eyes searching.