Chapter 35 #2
Doubling his efforts, Ace ran so fast toward me he was an actual blur.
Snagging my arm, he pulled me up and away from the depths of the ravine.
Some rock debris tumbled into the abyss behind me, and it took several seconds before I heard it reach the bottom.
The fatal depths my own body would have fallen into if Kierston and the pack hadn’t been here to save me from it.
I crumpled into Ace’s arms as Kierston collapsed in exhaustion onto the ground. I didn’t know much about witches and spells, but I could see the one she’d just cast had taken all of her energy.
Too exhausted to do anything but cry, I clung to Ace like he was a lighthouse in the eye of a storm.
My rock, my soul mate, was here and I was alive in his arms. His scent and embrace were what I needed most in this world, would always need most, and I’d almost lost him after we’d only just found each other.
“You’re safe, baby, you’re safe. I’ve got you,” Ace soothed, as he held me tenderly.
“He escaped,” I wailed. “And he never told me where Anna was. This was all for nothing!” Sobs wracked my body, my heart broken that my best friend’s nightmare was still going on and there was nothing I could do to end it.
“The club found Anna, Cat,” Ace revealed, rubbing my back while he cradled my head against his chest. “One of Kane’s men sold him out in exchange for cash and immunity from our club’s retribution.”
Leaning back, I gazed up into Ace’s handsome face. “They found her? Really? Is she okay? Where was she?”
Stroking my head, Ace did his best to answer all of my questions. “She was being kept in the basement of one of their shops. She’s been through a lot, Cat, but she’s going to be okay.”
I was devastated by what my friend had gone through, but I was overjoyed that Anna had been rescued. Tears of overwhelming emotion continued to pour down my face. “When can I see her?”
“Soon,” Ace told me. “She’s seeing a doctor and has been given some meds to help her sleep for a bit.”
I shuddered at that. “I need to see her as soon as she wakes up. She can’t be alone at a time like this.”
“She’s not,” Ace promised, “the club’s Doc is with her.”
Lifting me in his arms, Ace began to carry me back down the mountain. He stopped where Mad Dog was kneeling beside Kierston, checking her vitals to make sure she was okay.
“I’m fine,” she was telling the ware, who was fussing over her like a mother hen. “I just need a minute to recover, is all. Some spells are harder on a girl than others,” she jested, but her fatigued tone gave away how wiped out she was.
The attentive ware snorted. “You’re coming back to the clubhouse where Doc is going to give you a thorough exam. No arguments.”
When the squabbling pair had grown quiet, I said, “You saved my life, Kierston. I’ll never be able to repay you for that. Thank you.”
Kierston’s cheeks grew red-stained at my heart-felt words. “It was nothing. Really. I’m just so happy you’re safe.”
“It was her life,” Ace empathically stated. “It’s everything.”
Mad Dog scooped the petite woman up and began walking a few steps behind his president. I was listening to the pair chatting in hushed tones when I spotted some movement up ahead.
“Where have you been?” Ace queried into the dark, one arm scooped supportively under my legs while the other was wound protectively around my back.
A deep male voice answered, “We got here as fast as we could, Prez. Cage and Gunner were pulled over by the cops on the way over. They’re a few minutes behind us, but won’t be long,” Domino answered, his voice a deep base.
I’m not sure if was all the foul venom my system had been flooded with, or the trauma I’d been through in the last several hours, but in my woozy state, I suddenly got an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
It was as though the universe was telling me I was exactly where I was supposed to be, at exactly the right time.
Before I could explore that thought further though, my stomach clenched, and I cried out, instinctively cradling it with my shaking hands.
“What’s wrong? Did Kane hurt her?” Blitz demanded with concern.
“I think I’m changing,” I moaned, as I tried to deal with the pain. “My stomach! It hurts so bad!”
Fire consumed my skin and guts again. I felt that tectonic shift of my bones reconfiguring. My skin and stomach were engulfed in flames. All the trauma and venom must be triggering my change.
“We’re out of time, boys. She’s changing.” Ace announced darkly.
Changing. Yes. I was changing into my wolf as my body’s form of self-protection. My brain was trying to process the pain of the shift, but there was a lot to absorb, and I didn’t have much practice.
“Go ahead and shift,” Ace commanded his brothers. “I’ll wait until Cat finishes, but I need you two to have our backs while she’s so vulnerable. Then go after Kane. You just missed him.”
In between waves of pain, I opened my eyes and squinted. Domino and Blitz were starting to strip. Their vests came off first, then their t-shirts. Their toned muscles gleamed in the moon’s light, sending a rush of exhilaration down my spine when I realized they were going to stop Kane.
Another shock of pain bombarded my body and my vision momentarily whited out. When it came back online, the images were different. Much sharper and bolder, though muted in color.
“It’s okay, babe. You’re doing great. It’ll all be over soon, and then the pain will be gone,” Ace soothed, as I writhed uncontrollably in his arms.
Just like last night, Ace went to his knees and set me on the ground almost reverently. My whole body spasmed in that one ultimate charley-horse I’d first felt not 24 hours ago. Then, there was the single second of blinding pain too great to fully comprehend, and it was abruptly all over.
Limp and panting, my pain suddenly shorted out of existence, and I was seemingly back to normal.
I felt amazing. Standing up on all four paws, I realized I had successfully shifted.
Glancing behind me, I saw my clothes, scattered and torn on the ground.
A problem for later me. Right now, I had bigger concerns.
My handsome mate smiled. Then, he began to pull off his vest, setting it carefully at his feet.
“We’re going after, Kane,” he began, his tone even and melodic.
I began to slowly back up and growl my approval at his words.
“The pack won’t let him get away with what he’s done to you and Anna,” Ace continued, shucking off his shoes and pants. “Look behind you if you don’t believe me.”
Tossing a nervous glance over my shoulder, I saw two enormous wolves standing directly behind us and gave a wolfy grin.
The regal animals were holding stock still, observing this scene and following the conversation.
Though both were obscenely large, one was significantly bigger than the other.
Domino was every inch the giant in wolf form as he was in his human one.
Both wolves looked directly at me then with eyes that were not quite animal or human.
They were some magical, primal hybrid of the two.
“Catalia!” Ace shouted at me when I began to fidget nervously in place. The overly formal use of my name commanded my full attention. “Focus! If we want to catch Kane, I need you to follow me and the pack.”
Completely naked now, Ace crouched onto the ground and the air shimmered around him.
Before my very eyes, his body began to morph.
It took only a split second, and my beautiful biker again transformed before my eyes from an adult human man into the equally impressive form of a majestic wolf.
I stared at the stunning beast before me, his black, glossy coat setting off his intelligent grey eyes.
Trotting over to my side, Ace nuzzled my neck.
Gently using his teeth, he nipped the vulnerable flesh there and my muscles instantly slackened.
Giving an approving yip, he moved to the center of our pack and tossed his head back.
A howl, strong and true, issued forth from his muzzle. It was one I could not ignore.
The rest of us mirrored our leader, throwing back our heads and baying at the moon side by side with our alpha. To my ultimate surprise, a howl answered us back. The other members of our pack had arrived.
Ace lowered his head then and flashed a wolfish grin. When he glanced at the woods, we all knew what he was saying.
Follow me.
And we did.