Capturing Carolina Read online

  Carolina didn’t have a chance to move as the blurry image of his fist, fingernails gone, replaced by sharp claws, hit her in the head. She didn’t make a sound as she dropped to the steps next to Lucas.

  * * * *

  Charlie could smell Lisa-May. Like the others, he’d taken a good whiff of one of her shirts that Joey had supplied and had committed her scent to memory. So far he’d managed to keep his fury in check. He had to keep a clear head if he had a chance of finding her. But it was getting harder. They wanted to think that she was out on her own or with the boyfriend she’d kept hidden from the others. But his gut told him better. Her disappearance came too soon after Milo’s death and the horse’s beheading.

  Thinking about someone hurting the poor, sweet girl made his blood boil. Add that to the fact that he’d had to leave Carolina’s side and he was ready to tear apart the asshole who was hurting his friends and putting his mate at risk.

  “Are you still picking up her scent?”

  Charlie nodded at Jesse and drew in another long, slow breath. “Yeah. And it’s getting stronger. This way.”

  “Lisa-May!” Jesse ran beside him, calling out to the girl every so often.

  Half of the searchers had opted to change into their wolf forms to cover more distance faster, while the others, them included, stayed human. That way they’d get the best of both worlds. They could still use their heightened senses, and that was what drew Jesse and him closer and closer to the small pond.

  They’d covered four miles so far and were eating up the distance in the fifth mile. Moving faster than a human, but slower than they could’ve in their wolf forms, they listened as they jogged, and smelled, and watched, hoping to pick up any sign of her.

  “Lisa-May!” Jesse called again when they came to a pause. “Still toward the pond?”

  “Yeah. The wind’s blowing from that direction. She’s either gone by the pond or is still there. I’m sure of it.”

  Jesse held his face up to the sun and closed his eyes. He sniffed loudly and nodded. “You’re right. I got a whiff of her, too.”

  “Let’s just hope she’s alive when we find her.” Charlie took off running again, breaking through the underbrush, heedless of the scratching branches.

  They almost stumbled over her as they broke through the branches and onto the shore by the pond. She was tied to a tree, her head down. Her soft cries shook her shoulders.

  “Lisa-May, are you all right?”

  She jerked her head up as Charlie knelt beside her and started pulling the ropes off her. She was bruised and scratched, but he didn’t see any serious injuries. His clenched heart slowly released the tightness, allowing him to breathe a little easier.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t.”

  Jesse pulled her into his arms once she was free of the tree. “It’s okay. You’re fine now.”

  “No.” She pushed away from him. “He’s going to kill her.”

  “Carolina? Are you talking about Carolina? Who’s going to kill her?” Charlie’s fury was back, tripled in intensity. He grabbed her arms and dug his fingernails into her skin. His wolf snarled and leapt to the surface, and for a moment, he considered turning it loose.

  A sob racked her small frame. “He said he loved me. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “Look.” Jesse snatched a white piece of paper that was nailed to the tree trunk.

  Charlie loosened his hold on the weeping girl, but couldn’t bring himself to put his arm around her in comfort. She was fine and Carolina was still in danger. “What’s it say?”

  “Fuck.” Jesse handed him the note.

  Charlie read it as his inner wolf chomped and snarled, fighting to get out. He wanted to taste blood, and now he knew whose blood that would be.

  By now, your precious Carolina bitch is dead. Jac Ribsom didn’t deserve to die and now it’s time for retribution.

  “Shit. He’s one of Ribsom’s pack mates. We have to get back to the house.” Charlie turned to Lisa-May. “Can you keep up?” Even as he asked, he could see how weak she was.

  “No. I don’t think so. But go on. I’ll be fine.” She leaned against the tree, then slid down, letting it brace her back.

  “She’s okay.” Jesse’s face was set, his jaw muscle flexing. “She’s not his target. Carolina is. He just used her to draw us away from the house.”

  Charlie tore his clothes from his body. They couldn’t take the time to run back in their human forms. He was almost undressed as Jesse pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. Not getting an answer, he tried again. And again.

  “No answer. Not from Carolina, the main number, or even Lucas.”

  The alarm that paled his brother’s face was enough to send Charlie racing toward the woods. He tore through the underbrush, going as fast as he could. Even so, he soon heard his brother’s panted breaths as he came to his side. The wind whipped through their fur and small animals scurried out of their way. They passed one of the other search parties, but didn’t bother stopping to tell them.

  They skidded to a stop at the sight of Lucas’s body. Approaching with caution, Charlie’s fear stiffened his legs and tightened its hold on his chest. As a large wolf, he could tackle any prey without fear, but taking on another werewolf would be different.

  Jesse put his nose next to Lucas’s face and pushed. The half-transformed face rocked to the side, but the eyes, eyes that stared up at the sky, didn’t blink. Lucas was dead.

  Charlie’s growl came from deep inside him. He smelled his friend’s blood, but the scents of two others were there, too. Carolina’s sweet fragrance was layered under the stench of Bill’s scent.

  He hated himself. How could he not have spotted the traitor in their midst? And yet, he realized it wasn’t all his fault. The Sterling pack had always been open to accepting new members, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt and trusting that they would prove them right. They’d been wrong about Bill.

  The Ribsom pack had vowed to get revenge for Jac Ribsom’s death, even though his death hadn’t been at the hands of the Sterling pack. At least, not directly. Carolina hadn’t even known them at the time. So why was she the one suffering? Because she was their intended mate? Because she was friends with Rae, Wyatt, and Stone? He couldn’t find any other explanations.

  Jesse had his nose to the ground and started making circles, first small, then expanding out and away from the body, trying to pick up the trail. His tail swished from side to side, his ears flicking around to pick up any sounds that might give him a hint as to which direction to run. Snarling, he lifted his head and let out a low howl.

  He’d picked up their scents.

  Chapter Ten

  The pain made Carolina unable to think straight. She couldn’t move her arms, and her wrists ached. Without thinking, she licked away the trickle of blood on her lower lip.

  “Time to wakey, wakey, bitch.”

  She didn’t want to open her eyes. Once she did, she’d have no chance of ignoring the awful truth.

  The sting that hit her sucked her breath away. Fresh pain seared through the top of her breasts and into her body. She opened her eyes to the nightmare that was waiting for her.

  Bill stood in front of her, a wide, evil grin spread across his face. He held the flogger that Charlie had used earlier against his chin and tilted his head. “Remember this place?”

  She searched around the dimly lit room and recognized the room where she’d played with her men in front of the others. Bill had her hands cuffed as they’d done, but without the fur that had once lined the metal braces. Her arms were hanging from the ceiling yet the chain was tauter, pulling on her arms until they ached. Cool air chilled her naked body, bringing out goose bumps.

  “You do, don’t you?” His smile died. “You should. It’s where you challenged me and told me you weren’t afraid of me. But you’re afraid of me now, aren’t you, bitch? I can see it in your eyes.”

  “Go fuck yourself.” She’d be
damned if she’d act afraid. She wouldn’t give him that pleasure.

  “No, bitch. That’s what I plan to do to you. Right here where you deserve to get it. Then, when I’m through, I’m going to slit your throat and let you bleed out. Those bastards, Jesse and Charlie, will find your cold, lifeless body hanging for everyone to enjoy.”

  “Why?” She could barely croak out the words. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  Bill flicked out the flogger, this time stinging its strips over the soft tender flesh of her mons. She cried out and tried to jerk away, but that only added the pain of the unlined cuffs to her misery.

  “You were never my intended victim. No. You’re not that important.”

  “Then why?” She wanted to understand. If she were going to die, then at least she’d know why.

  “They killed my brother, Jac.”

  For the first time, she saw real heartache in him. “Jac? Jac who?”

  “Jac Ribsom. I’m Kruger Ribsom. When your friends brought him to that bridge, they sealed his fate.”

  “My friends?” She searched her memory. Bridge? “Are you talking about Rae and her men?”

  He slipped next to her, took her breast, and squeezed. Tears leapt to her eyes at the intense pain, and she couldn’t stop the small moan that escaped her lips.

  “That’s them. They met him on the bridge that day, but they didn’t fight fair. They brought their pack.”

  Rae had told her what had happened, saying that friends of Wyatt’s and Stone’s had come to the rescue. “What are you talking about? What pack? They were friends who helped each other out. Your brother was the one who brought his pack, his gang, or whatever the hell you want to call them.”

  “They were the ones who caused him to run out into the street. If they hadn’t done that, he’d be alive today.”

  He was demented, full of hate and lies. Yet still, she felt pity for him. “I’m sorry he’s dead, but they didn’t throw him in the street, did they? You can’t blame them or these people, much less me. I didn’t even know about it until it was all over.”

  “Oh, I blame them all right. And I’m going to screw each of them. First, I’ll take care of you. I’ll make your fucking men hurt the way I’ve hurt. Then, once that bitch Rae and her men get back to the ranch, I’ll do it all again.”

  “No, you won’t. They’ll know it’s you now. You’d better run before they get back.”

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet?” He slicked his tongue along her cheek then flicked it over her lips. “You’re worried about me.”

  Anger surged through her. For Milo. For Queen. For Lisa-May. “What did you do to Lisa-May? Where’d you take her?”

  “Aw, the little one.” He licked his lips. “She was a nice diversion and quite tasty, but don’t get jealous. I’m sure you’ll taste even better.”

  “What’d you do to her, you asshole? I swear, if you hurt her—”

  “You’ll do what?” He snorted. “You’ll be dead in a few minutes and no good to anyone.”

  He thrust his hand between her legs. She gasped, closed her eyes, then opened them again to stare defiantly into his.

  “Just as I thought. Dry as a bone.” He pulled his fingers out of her pussy. “Doesn’t matter. I plan on fucking your ass.” He leaned closer, putting his mouth to her ear. “It’ll hurt more that way.”

  She let out a small sigh of relief as he walked away, then threw the flogger to the side. Yet when he turned around, she saw the wild glint in his eye and knew the worst was to come.

  He cocked his head at her, studying her. “They haven’t told you yet, have they?”

  “Told me what?” She gritted her teeth as he slid his palm along her thigh and around to fondle her butt cheek.

  He wrapped his arm around her and tugged her to him. She gasped when he shoved a finger into her butt hole. Her body trembled against her will.

  “They haven’t told you that we’re werewolves.”

  She gaped at him. Was he that crazy that he saw monsters?

  “Werewolves? Are you shitting me?” She laughed, surprised she could do so while he twisted his finger inside her.

  He brought out his finger, then dragged it along her spine as he came around to face her. “You don’t believe it? Even after seeing Lucas?”

  The sight of Lucas, his body deformed, swept over her. She could still see him. Could still see the half of him that had stayed human. The other part that had changed, sprouting fur, fangs, and a long snout. Like a wolf.

  “I killed him in the middle of him shifting. I have to say that was a thrill I’ve never experienced before. But I intend to do it again sometime. Perhaps with Charlie and Jesse.”

  She’d tried to hide her emotions, but she couldn’t hide her astonishment. “Charlie and Jesse? Are you saying they’re werewolves?”

  He slicked his tongue over her breasts, then grinned. “Of course they are. Everyone on the ranch is a werewolf. With the exception of Rae. Although I believe she’s planning on going through the transformation soon. Too bad you’ll never get the chance.”

  Her men were werewolves along with all the others. Her mind flooded with the questions that had remained unanswered, the sights and sounds she’d heard. Still, if she hadn’t seen Lucas’s half-changed body, she wouldn’t have believed him.

  All at once, he straightened to his full height, then rushed over to one of the long curtains. He peeked around the edge of it, letting a slice of sunlight slash across the floor. His growl drifted to her, and she couldn’t deny the truth. Werewolves really did exist.

  When he came back, he was filled with anger and urgency. “Damn it. I’m sorry to disappoint you, bitch, but I’m not going to get to fuck you. They’re coming.”

  He clapped his hand over her mouth as she opened it to scream, then pulled a vicious-looking knife from his back pocket. “Time to die, bitch.”

  The roar of snarls and growls filled the room as two large wolves, one black and the other brown, barreled into the room. They bounded toward the stage, their fangs glistening white, their strong bodies tensed and ready to attack.

  Bill pressed the knife harder against her throat and a line of warm blood trickled over her skin. Crying out against the pain, against the unfairness, against the hate, she thrust her upper body back, striking Bill’s chest. The knife slashed across her shoulder as he fell backward.

  She screamed when the two wolves leapt into the air. Their huge bodies whizzed past her, setting the air moving around her.

  Bill’s shout was the last thing she heard from him. Fearing that the animals were going to kill her next, she stayed facing forward, her pulse pounding so hard that she was sure it would draw their attention.

  Please, don’t let them kill me.

  She closed her eyes and prepared to feel the agony of their fangs digging into her skin.

  “Carolina, babe, talk to me.”

  It couldn’t be. As much as she wanted it to be real, the voice couldn’t belong to one of the men she loved. She opened her eyes to find Charlie, naked and bloodied standing by her side. Soon Jesse was at her other side, concern darkening his face like his brother’s.

  “Talk to us, sugar.” Jesse reached above her and unhooked her cuffed hands from the chain. She fell against him, her strength gone. He opened the cuffs and freed her tortured wrists. Rubbing them, he brought back the circulation to her fingers.

  She couldn’t believe she’d survived. That they had survived. Shock and elation warped into a strange new emotion that sent spasms through her. She wouldn’t turn around to see what had happened to Bill. As long as he couldn’t hurt her or her men, she didn’t care. “Is Lisa-May dead?”

  “No. We found her. She’s a little banged up, but she’s okay.”

  She let out a breath and slumped against him even more. Lisa-May was safe. “Thank God.” But what about them being werewolves? She skimmed her gaze over their bloodied bodies then up to bits of amber gleaming in their eyes.

  Kruger had told her the
truth.

  “So it’s true about what he said. You’re really werewolves. I can’t believe it.”

  Would they deny it? But how could they? She’d seen them in all their glorious wolf forms.

  “We were going to tell you.”

  “When, Charlie?” She finally twisted around and saw Bill’s bloody body. Her stomach rebelled, threatening to bring up its contents, and she averted her gaze.

  “Soon,” answered Jesse. “When we were sure you could handle it.”

  She laughed, more from incredulousness than any humor. There was no humor in the situation. “I don’t think that time would’ve ever come. I know now, and I’m not sure I can handle it.”

  “Leave her to me.”

  Startled, Carolina let Charlie pull her behind him, shielding her. Yet when she saw her friend, Rae, dashing across the floor toward her, she couldn’t help but go to her. Wyatt and Stone followed Rae into the room, but they stood back, letting her take charge.

  “Rae, please.” She couldn’t say anything more. Thankfully, she didn’t need to.

  Rae caught her as she stumbled off the stage and wrapped her in a tablecloth from a nearby table. “I’ve got you, girl. Don’t worry about a thing.”

  She tried to smile, to tell her friend how much she needed her, how relieved she was to see her, but exhaustion took hold and wouldn’t let go.

  Rae swept a stray hair from her face. “I’ll take care of her, guys. Give us some time.” Her worried gaze met Carolina’s. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

  * * * *

  “Damn it.” Jesse dug through Bill’s footlocker. He’d shared a room with two other men, living in the bunkhouse with its minimal furnishings. So far, he’d taken out the usual gear, like blankets, work boots, and more clothing. “How did we let this happen? We should’ve checked Bill out before allowing him into the pack.”

  Charlie reached over and dragged out a small locked metal box. “That’s not our way. The Sterlings would never go for it.”