Forever's Fight (7 page)

Without thinking twice, Patrick stepped out of the bedroom, his arm loosely around Clarissa’s waist. Dean’s reaction was much like Patrick should have expected if he’d given it any thought before they entered the living room. Rage heated his eyes as the two men stared at each other from across the room. A smirk tugged up the sides of Blake’s lips as he watched the two men in a silent dispute.

As if Dean realized he wouldn’t get a response from Patrick, he turned his attention to his sister. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Clarissa? You have no idea what he’s capable of, and yet you stand there allowing him to have his arm around you.”

“I’m a grown woman and my decisions are my own. Patrick and Blake have been kind enough to help us. The least you can do is be grateful and stop acting like an ass.” She stepped away from Patrick and went to her brother. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the kitchen, putting some space between her and the O’Reilly siblings.

“Get off me.” Dean pulled his arm from her grasp. “Little sister, you’re in a lot of trouble, and you need to be careful who you trust. How do you know they don’t work for Hathaway Medical? Maybe they’re here to gain your trust and then lure us both back there.”

“That’s not true. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. I’ll trust them, not just because we need help, but because it feels right. My instincts have never been wrong. I knew something was wrong with Hathaway Medical, but I let the job prospects talk me into ignoring my intuition.” She reached out to him, but he pulled back. “Dean, I love you and want you to come with us, but if you can’t, I understand. In order to go with them, we’re going to need to trust them.”

“Trust should be earned.”

“As far as I’m concerned, they’ve earned it by coming here. They didn’t need to follow Andrew’s lead and find me. They didn’t have to risk themselves to come help us.”

Dean glanced at them before looking back at her, and shaking his head. “They want something from you.”

“I’d freely give any help I can to stop what’s happening at Hathaway Medical. I’ve seen what’s being done to them. I can’t stand by and do nothing. Anything I can do, I’ll do.” She let her gaze move to his laceration and tried not to cry. Seeing him injured tore at her heart. “With what’s happened to you, it’s understandable you’d be on edge. But they explained why the shifter attacked. You can’t hold that against the person who did that to you, and certainly not against the O’Reillys.”

“Every morning I see the wound, and eventually it will heal, but there will always be a scar and a constant reminder of what they can do if provoked.”

“What about us, Dean? Humans…are we so innocent?” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “We’re the ones locking them in cages so small they can’t even turn around. Torturing them. Sometimes in the name of medicine or for the good of humankind. Other times just so we can see how far we can push them. If anyone is to be blamed, I think it’s time we start looking at ourselves. At the government for what they’ve allowed to happen, for LUNA, for those labs, and the damn concentration camps. Damn it, they’re people too. Think of all of those organizations trying to get labs to stop testing make-up, shampoo, and other products on animals, when what’s happening to shifters is a million times worse.”

“When did you become an activist for animals? You use lab rats in your studies, how is this any different?”

“They’re people.” She raised her voice a notch before she regained control. “Maybe I’ve always had a double standard. I’ve never believed in testing on dogs and I’ve boycotted companies that do. Yet, all the while, I’ve used rats in my studies because that’s what scientists do. We can’t get clearance to try a drug on a person until we’ve gone through certain testing. So, I’ve done what I’ve done to try to cure diseases.”

“Isn’t Hathaway Medical trying to do just that? At least part of their organization is. That’s why you were brought on, to use shifters to find cures,” he argued.

“You’re right, I was, but I didn’t know I’d be working on people. No matter what might come of it, I can’t support it. I didn’t become a scientist to do the experiments they’re doing. They have more than just medical experiments going on in those labs. If I can be of use to Patrick and his siblings, I’ll do it because I want to see those labs closed as much as they do.”

“They are animals.” He stepped toward her, anger heating his words.

“Your attitude has changed. You used to believe they were people too, not just animals. What happened?”

“
This
happened!” He screamed at her, pointing at the wound across his face. “You can’t trust someone who is capable of doing this to a person. I was lucky but a few inches lower and he could have gotten my throat. I’d have died.”

“Dean, I’m sorry, but this isn’t their fault. That shifter was drugged, he was fighting for his life. You’d have done the same thing in his situation.”

“You’re going to choose them over your own family.”

She stood her ground, not backing up as he crowded her space. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Patrick had stepped closer, Blake only a pace behind him as if they were ready to get between them. She kept her attention on her brother. The last thing she wanted was for his anger to be directed at them. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to that. But if need be, then I guess so.”

“Fine, go with them, but I won’t.” He stepped back and grabbed his coat from where he had tossed it before tugging it on.

“Dean, you’ve come all this way to help me. You knew what was happening was wrong. That’s why you sent me the computer virus. Why are you changing your mind now?” Tears filled her eyes as she tried to blink them away.

“What the government is doing is wrong.” He glanced at Patrick and Blake as if worried they’d attack. “I’m just not sure these…animals should be allowed to mix with humankind. I still believe they’re dangerous when provoked, and the world is at risk if we let them run free. Maybe they have the right idea with these shifter camps.”

“Oh, Dean.” Her heart broke, knowing she was being forced to make a decision between her brother and doing what was right.

“Come with me.”

She shook her head, and he turned to grab something out of his bag. Patrick seemed even more tense if that were possible.

She forced the tears away and tried to calm the situation. “If you leave, you’ll be in danger. Please, Dean, don’t do this.”

“We’ve each got to make our decisions, and I hope the one you’ve chosen doesn’t get you killed.” He pulled out a folder that was about two inches think, along with an external hard drive. “Here’s everything I’ve gathered. Maybe it will help you on your mission. Good luck, little sister.” He slipped the bag over his shoulder and strolled toward the door.

Blake stepped into his path and held out what appeared to be a business card. “Here. If you change your mind or need back-up, call us.”

“After everything I just said, you’d still help me?”

Blake nodded, and Dean took the card, shoving it into his jacket pocket.

“See, Dean, you’ve got them wrong.” The tears rolled freely down her face as he turned the door handle.

“For your sake, I hope so.” With that, he was gone, leaving a hole in her heart.

Patrick came to her and wrapped his arm around her. When she’d called Dean, she had never expected all of this, and she certainly didn’t anticipate her brother walking away from her when she needed him most. Patrick and Blake might be there to help her, but she still wanted her brother. Family was supposed to stick together, and instead hers had just walked out the door. Sometimes blood wasn’t thicker than water.

Skirting around the town instead of through it was their best chance to get Clarissa safely back to Forever Creek without being recognized. Patrick had helped her hide her hair under one of Jade’s hats, giving anyone who looked their way an impression her hair was shorter. Even with the hat covering part of her face and the thick winter jacket, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He wanted her.

“It’s freezing,” she bitched, shoving her hands into the pockets of the jacket.

“Just a bit longer and we can stop to warm up. Let’s get away from these houses and out of sight.” Blake paused and scanned the area before he waved them forward.

“Come here.” Patrick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Even with her heavy winter jacket, he was sure his body heat would help her until they could stop and he could warm her up properly.

“I’m okay.” She still let him wrap his arm around her and hold her close as they made their way across the road to the shelter of the trees. “I just don’t remember it being so cold earlier.”

“It’s only going to get worse as the night goes on. The darkness is cloaking us so we can move around without being noticed, but it makes it colder. You’ll have to let us know when you get too cold because it doesn’t affect us like it does you. Our body temperature is warmer than a human’s, and we’re able to keep ourselves warm or cool as the situation would call for it.”

“What’s your temperature?” She was careful to duck her head as they returned to the cover of the trees to avoid bumping into one of the branches.

“Between one hundred and one, and one hundred and two. A nice temperature to keep you warm,” he teased.

Blake stepped around them and stopped so quickly that she walked into the back of him. “What’s wrong?”

“Shh,” Patrick whispered, tightening his arm around her as every muscle in his body went rigid. He cursed himself for being so preoccupied with his attraction to her that he hadn’t been paying enough attention to their surroundings. He was grateful Blake was on his game, sniffing the air for any traces of danger. At least he knew his brother could take care of himself and others if the situation called for it.

“Ten o’clock.” Blake pulled a gun from under his jacket. “Two males.”

“Wolves.” Patrick bit out the word with disgust. Wolves always seemed to cause problems, especially when he didn’t have time for them.

“We’re downwind from them and could still find another way around.”

“It will take too much time.” He shook his head and rubbed her shoulder. “Remember what I told you earlier. Can you still do it?”

She nodded. “Wolves? As in regular wolves, or…”

“Shifters,” he finished for her.

“Look what we have here, Richard.” A man stepped out from between the trees and instantly Blake raised his gun.

“We don’t want any trouble, we’re just passing through.”

A second man with short dark hair stepped up, the stench of alcohol clinging to him. “Hmm. Who’s the pretty human? Don’t see many of them around our kind. What ya do, kidnap her?”

His words slurred together, and Patrick wondered just how much the wolf had to drink. It took a lot for alcohol to affect their kind, so for him to be slurring he had to have gone through a number of bottles.

“She’s mine.” He made it clear by rubbing the side of his face along the top of her head, marking her with his scent again. As long as his scent was strong enough, no shifter would suspect he hadn’t completed his claim on her, and no shifter in their right mind was willing to mess with another’s mate.

“Come on, man, we just wanted to have some fun.” The first wolf stepped closer, and Blake kept the gun aimed right between the man’s eyes.

“I wouldn’t take another step if I were you. I’ll shoot to kill.”

A third man stepped out from Patrick’s left. “Ken, Carl, get back to the house. Now!” Authority echoed in each word. “I apologize for them. They’re just trying to let off some steam.”

“No harm done.” Patrick watched as the two hightailed it through the woods, back to wherever they were supposed to be. The newest arrival was clearly an Alpha, and the respect they had for him was obvious even in their drunken state.

“I’m Cotton. Are you passing through the area to somewhere in particular, or trying to find a place to hide away from the government? If you need somewhere safe, some of us have taken over an old abandoned house just on the other side of the woods. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

“Thank you, but we’re just passing through,” Patrick said. “We’re on our way to meet with the rest of our family.”

With the threat gone, Blake holstered his gun. “If you don’t mind me saying so, those two you just sent off seemed to have respect for you. But you’re not their Alpha, are you?”

“No.” Cotton leaned against the tree and hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans. “Ken and Carl belong to another clan, and their Alpha is back at the house. Funny thing is, until the world went to Hell, we were rivals. They respect me because I’ve proven to them I’ll take no shit from them or anyone, not even their Alpha. If I wanted to, I could fight him and win control over their clan, but I don’t want to do that.”

“What do you want?” Patrick ran his hand down her arm to chase away the shiver he’d felt seconds before.

“To stop what’s going on.” Cotton shook his head. “Sounds stupid, I know. After all, what can a single person do against the government?”

“Not a lot, but there’s a group of us preparing. You could join us.”

“Sounds like a death wish,” Cotton replied, pushing off the tree.

“Death is always a possibility, but I’d rather go down fighting than be a victim of one of their labs.”

“I’d sign my own death warrant to avoid that fate,” Blake added.

“A wolf mixing with a bunch of lions, who would ever think that was possible?” Cotton smirked. “I have something I must attend to, but I’d like to give it some thought.”

Blake held out another one of the business cards he had given Dean earlier. “You can contact us through the information on here and we’ll arrange something if you want to join us.”

“Very well.” Cotton pocketed the card and nodded toward Clarissa. “Now, I suggest you get her out of here.”

“You know me?” Another shiver shot through her, but this time Patrick suspected it was more from fear than cold.

“I was in town earlier gathering supplies when someone held up a picture of you, asking if I’d seen you in the area. I can’t smell them, but I’m sure they’re still around here somewhere. I don’t know why and I don’t want to know, but they’re determined to find you, so if I were you I’d get out of here.”

“We’re going,” he reassured her. “I’ve got an SUV not far from here. We’ll be out within the hour.”

“Do yourself a favor and complete the mating. Otherwise, she’s fair game and others might see her as a prize to get back at the government.” With that, Cotton disappeared into the trees.

She tipped her head back enough to look up at him. “Complete the mating? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Not now,” Blake interrupted. “Let’s get moving, and Patrick will explain everything to you once we get out of the woods.” He started ahead, keeping a lookout for anyone who might double back.

“He’s right. We don’t know if the first two will circle around to cause more trouble, or if they recognized you and are heading into town to let someone know they saw you.” She sidestepped out of his embrace, leaving him with an empty sinking feeling. He’d barely known her a few hours, and already his lion was becoming attached. How much worse would it be once their mating was finalized?

“Patrick, what does he mean by mating?” She balked when he tried to take a step forward without answering her. “Was Dean right? Are you just using me?”

“No, angel.” He pulled her around to the front of him so he could look her in the eyes. “He smelled my scent on you, and he jumped to the conclusion we had started something we haven’t.”

“Are you saying I’m not your…mate…or whatever?”

He might have bent the truth a little before, but he couldn’t lie to her when she asked directly, no matter how much the timing might call for it. “Clarissa, please, we need to carry on.”

“Answer me.”

“You call to my lion and to me as a man, just the way a mate would.” When she took a step back from him, he reached out and took hold of her arm. “There’s nothing to be frightened of. It’s not like when we get somewhere safe I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, carry you to the bedroom, and have my way with you.”

“You’re not?”

“Well, angel, if you want me to, that can always be arranged.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, suggesting he’d be more than willing. “Though it wouldn’t be with force. It would be because you wanted me.”

“Don’t you have to stay with your own species? I mean, isn’t that like inbreeding?”

“We’re not that different. Except for the fact I can shift into a lion, there’s nothing else that separates us.” He cupped the side of her cheek, using his thumb to push away a stray hair that had fallen from under the cap. “We can mate with anyone, it doesn’t matter if they are human, or another breed. It’s just like a human relationship. It might grow from instant attraction, but for it to work both parties have to want it to. There has to be love between them, not just sexual attraction.”

“Patrick, we’ve got to go,” Blake called.

“He’s right. Come on, angel.”

“Maybe this is a mistake. I want to help, but I’m not sure that I should get romantically involved.”

“One step at a time. Let’s get you out of these woods, to the SUV, and then back to Forever Creek. As for the mating, nothing will happen unless you want it to. I would never force myself or my second nature lifestyle on you.”

With a nod, she turned toward Blake and started forward. Patrick wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they caught up with his brother in silence. This was all new to her, so he’d have to be patient and give her time to adjust. She had been tossed into the world of shifters, on the run, and now had a cold bucket of water tossed over her with this mating idea. He didn’t doubt she’d come around because no matter the differences between them, she could feel the draw to him. The mating was working its magic between them, and for her it would feel like an instant attraction. She would find herself drawn to him, thinking about him, and eventually seeking his touch, but she wouldn’t completely understand why until the mating ritual was complete.

She had been through enough, and he’d have to take it slow with her to avoid pushing her away. Eventually, he’d have his mate.
Mate.
He still couldn’t get used to the idea. It was a dangerous time to be mating, and it was even worse that his mate would be human. If he were ever caught and placed in one of those labs, she’d feel what was happening to him. He might be able to shield her somewhat, but ultimately they’d break through all his defenses and she’d experience some of the pain through their connection. He couldn’t let that happen. Now, more than ever, he had to make sure he was never captured. He’d die before he’d let them imprison him.

They arrived back at the SUV, and Patrick took the wheel, with Blake in the passenger side. Clarissa sat in the back, low enough no one would see her through the dark tinted windows. They had a several hour drive ahead of them, and every minute of it would be torture for him. To have his mate so close but be unable to touch or claim her, would be agony.

He wasn’t sure how long he drove with the silence hanging in the air. But it had been long enough that he began to think she might have fallen asleep. Not that he’d blame her after the days she’d had lately. Exhaustion must be taking its toll. Even with the adrenaline and his shifter abilities, he was worn out from the last two days, ready to crawl into a nice warm bed.

Even though the hour was late, he took the back roads, avoiding anywhere the population was too dense. They’d take no risks, at least not until they got the information they needed. Then the risks would be on him and his brothers. They’d go to Hathaway Medical, rescue those they could, gather anything that might be useful, and then destroy the lab so that at least one more was out of operation.
One down, countless others to go.

“Would anyone like to tell me where we’re going?” At her question, Patrick glanced in the rearview mirror, but without any streetlights or even the light of the moon he couldn’t make out much more than her figure.