ignition. Gravel crunched, alerting him to his mistake. Before Marc could react, a mercenary stood up next to the jeep. He’d obviously been underneath. “Where do you think you’re going?” Marc stilled, sighing, “Figures. Prick.” The man now unslinging a rifle, Jordan, chuckled. “We’ve missed you, señor.” Marc didn’t need to scan the tall, thin figure to know who it was. He recognized the voice. “Is the boss’s wife still smiling? She was tight!” The rifle butt hit took him by surprise even though he had instigated it. Marc slumped in the seat, dazed from the shot. “We shall see who is tight, my friend. We shall see.” Rough hands pushed Marc over and slid behind the wheel of his jeep. Marc struggled to come out of the daze, but a fist smacked into his skull. Darkness came swiftly. Chapter Two
didn’t think it would be long before someone discovered his new location. He was a prize target in a prime location. No longer protected by his team or society, as far as the mercs were concerned, Marc was just another animal in the wilderness. They were already underestimating him. Interrupting this vacation had been a huge mistake. The enemy hadn’t given him time to cool off or relax once he had returned to American soil. They expected a civilian. They were getting the Marine. Marc heard the slice and swish of a machete being used on the underbrush and prepared himself. He could have slipped off and called his commanding officer or even local law enforcement, but that would leave the threat to be handled in the future. Marc hated that about the military and the police. A bad guy was always a bad guy. They needed to go. Muddy boots neared his hiding place. Marc fired, shooting underneath the jeep to hit brittle ankles. Big men fell to the ground, screaming. Certain that there were three more, Marc reluctantly slipped toward the smoky forest again, aware of the fire catching up. All sorts of animals were flooding from the forest and running down the main road. It was also becoming clogged with firetrucks and arriving
might go over despite his deeply driven anchors. The burst of energy didn’t last long. After running from the fire for days, fighting with this man and dodging bullets from others, the wolf was exhausted. He hadn’t gotten much rest or food while the man and his pack sat around their fire, scaring off game when they patrolled the area. He’d had to hunker down and wait. If not for the stream where he’d caught a fish, the wolf might have been too weak to run when the rangers had found him. Whimpering, the wolf huddled in the far corner of the tent with its ears low and tail down, growling. Marc studied the large canine, fascinated with the close view. It was hard to dislike the wolf when it seemed so scared. “Hey! Who are you?” “This area is supposed to be empty.” “Turn around.” Marc kept his hands in sight as he slowly rotated to face the four sweaty men. They were covered in stains and suspicion as they took in his bruises, bandages, and charred coat. “I’m Corporal Marcus Brady, United States Marine. I’m armed. My identification is in my jacket pocket.”
The other rangers stared at Marc and Bubba’s damaged face in uneasy admiration and surprise. Calming a bit, Marc calmly walked to his tent and rolled it upright as the wolf snarled and whimpered. “What happens if I let him go?” JD, who had been the boss in this park until Bubba was placed with them, answered, “He’ll hunt for it. You might as well kill him now.” Marc had known that already, but he never took the freedom of an animal unless there was no other choice. He didn’t believe in owning pets. “Can you dart him for me before you go?” “We have a cage in our truck,” JD offered as the others tried to help Bubba. “We’ll bring it up here and then dart him. You’ll have the full two hours that way.” “Thanks,” Marc gave, holding his hand out. JD shook hands, grinning as he realized Marc had never intended to honor a deal with Bubba. “No, thank you.” Marc scanned Bubba. “Leak his story to the press. They’ll have to send him to a new location.” JD beamed at the suggestion. “I think that could happen. It’s pretty juicy.” “His kind are cowards,” Marc stated. “You might even be able to get him to go on his own by just threatening it.”
wolf inside and locked the door without any more fuss. “Hardest part is cornering them,” Tom observed as the two rangers hefted the cage to Marc’s jeep. “Why did you have to?” Marc asked curiously. “The pack attack someone?” “More than someone,” JD answered. “This wolf’s pack killed a toddler about a month ago. We rounded them up, but one of them figured out how to open the cages. Entire pack escaped and we’ve been trying to catch them all ever since. He’s the last one. If we can’t relocate them, the entire pack will be put down.” “And should be,” Tom said, holding out a hand. Marc shook, but he didn’t agree. Wild animals acted wild. They didn’t know any better. This wilderness was no place to be lax with a child. “You sure it’s the right wolf? I saw this one at my last campsite, over forty miles from here.” For some reason, Marc wanted to protect the wolf. “Yes. His size makes him hard to miss. We’ve ended up chasing his pack each time they come through. Almost always for killing livestock,” Tom stated stiffly. “Wolves roam, Mr. Brady–far and wide.”
Julia fastened her jeans and slumped into the old, shrouded chair by the window. “My pleasure, grunt.” “We’re here to service, ma’am.” Marc adjusted his damp clothes. “Is this a good time to ask for a favor?” “Not after the one you just did for yourself,” she joked, glanced over at him. “Want me to help with the wolf?” “Yes, please, baby.” Julia leered again. “You’re using charm. Uh-oh.” Marc chuckled as he climbed down the loft stairs. The wolf had to get used to him sometime. Might as well be now. A man could die content after sex. “I don’t think he’s injured, but I need to know some basics, like age and general health. I’ll handle it from there.” “Have you done this before?” she called down. “I’ve worked with dogs in the service,” he stated vaguely, hating the guilt that always came now. You just fucked your best friend’s wife. Marc thought of the times that Chad had hinted Marc should take care of Julia in every way if anything happened, but the guilt was still there. I loved on her until we both got a
release. That’s not a bad thing, Marc reprimanded himself silently. Chad’s been gone for years. He doesn’t mind. “I’m sorry.” Julia had come to the ladder, feeling the wall slam down between them. Refusing to let the moment be ruined, Marc responded, “You have the biggest titties I’ve ever played with.” Her surprised laughter filled the barn, making Marc wince. Julia liked her men to talk dirty to her. Marc didn’t mind that, but he’d spotted the wolf. Upon the loud noise, the animal had darted back into the shadows. “You okay down there?” Marc settled into the seat of the jeep, lighting a smoke. “Still glowin’. You?” “A little lonely, but I suspect that won’t change. I’m going to the house.” “I’ll be over in a bit.” “You know the way.” “I know several,” he joked. Marc was glad for the silence after she slid down the pole from the loft and disappeared through the office door. She latched it, exited through the rear office. Alone at last, Marc thought. The afternoon slid into early evening while Marc waited for a first contact. He knew from
Julia gently closed the door after slipping into the dusty room where no one went anymore. During her marriage to Chad, she’d longed for a baby, but one had never come. Julia trailed a hand along the crib that hadn’t been used. She dropped carefully into the fragile rocker that she’d purchased for night nursing. A baby was all she’d wanted. Julia felt tears slid down her cheeks, and didn’t try to stop them. She’d known Chad most of her life. They both had police parents. Or at least, they had. Her mother and father had been killed in a car accident. Chad’s parents had been lost to war when he was a child. They’d only had each other, and it hadn’t been nearly enough for her. Julia listened to the men carrying out the last of her valuables to be sold off in hopes of raising the bank money a second time. She wasn’t sure it would be enough, but she doubted the cash would make it to where it was supposed to go. She needed help if she wanted to salvage her life. Julia glanced around the deserted room, face damp. So much had changed since Chad’s funeral. She’d been hit with so many surprises that she was dazed, but through it all, her one true desire hadn’t faded. She was meant to be a mother.
words blended to make his head pound and his eyes throb. “Wipe him off,” a familiar voice instructed, chuckling. “He never could hold his guts.” Marc was hauled and shoved into a small cabin surrounded by tall, blurry trees. He thought it was on the rear of Julia’s property, but couldn’t be certain yet. The cabin was filthy. Layered in dirt and garbage, Marc assumed this was where Chad had been hiding when strangers came to the ranch. Inside the cabin were six big men who stood up menacingly as Marc was shoved toward a chair. He recognized two of them with faint anger. A small kitchenette with a knife block beckoned from across the warm room, but Marc ignored it, knowing he would never make it through all of the men before he was shot or knocked out again. Unresisting, Marc’s wrists were secured behind his back and then to a chair after he was shoved down. The odor of unwashed bodies coming from this cabin was enough to send his guts back into convulsions and Marc fought to stop it. Blowing all his strength out in chunks wouldn’t help. “Get the fire restarted. The smoke is our signal that he’s here.”
gunshot. Marc waited for more, but there was silence. He slowly stood up to discover the wolf sitting near two bodies. Leon’s throat had been torn out. Jim had a bullet hole in his cheek. The wolf didn’t appear to have even a scratch from the battle. “Nice, Dog!” he praised. The wolf bared its teeth. Marc laughed harder, not intimidated, but very impressed. He assumed it had been an accident, but it was still good. “You need a promotion.” Marc listened for footsteps, but didn’t hear any. He hoped there wasn’t a patrol around yet. He would have to account for the wolf. “You do your part and I’ll do mine, okay?” In response, the wolf sat down and started licking his balls. “That is not the answer I wanted,” Marc complained. “Not even close.” 2 “Do you see anything?” “No. Stop asking!” “Sorry.” “Well, it’s distracting. You can’t listen if you’re talking.” “Okay.”
1 “Come on out, Brady. It’s over.” There was no response. Chad put his gun against Julia’s head. “Eibar wants her, but I’ll blow these pretty brains all over the night if you don’t come out right now!” Marc hadn’t seen this coming. He studied the stiff forms intently, but didn’t find any signs that Julia was a willing hostage. Her tears were currently rolling over Chad’s big arm. Marc reluctantly lowered the gun, but didn’t holster it. Give me a shot, he begged. Just one. He already knew that there was only one way to be sure of getting the shot, but the Marine wasn’t certain he could do it. Fighting with himself, Marc grunted, “Hello, buddy. Years dead and I see you’re still a boot.” Ignoring the insult, Chad scanned the bodies on the ground. “And I see you’ve been your usual self. What a boondoggle. Eibar is gonna charge me double for the dead.”
He pushed himself onto his hurting feet, not surprised when the wolf stayed on his heels. They were bonded now, even if neither of them wanted it. Marc tried not to limp as he walked to the small medical crew. The three men and women were now watching him and the wolf in surprised curiosity. They were out of place here–too white in all the green and grey–but Marc was glad to have them. He currently had several injuries causing discomfort in varying degrees. The worst, oddly enough, was his shoulder where he’d landed after breaking through the window. He was fairly certain that he had huge bruises and scrapes there. The wolf remained at his side, flinching or snapping at anyone who tried to touch his fur, but he didn’t attack when they started working on Marc. It was as if he understood that Marc needed help. Not certain how much control he now had over the big animal, Marc motioned toward a canteen of water while they took his blood pressure and temperature. “Can I have that?” Amira, according to her nametag, handed Marc the canteen with a quick smile as she waited for the thermometer to beep. She recorded the number on a small chart and then held up a capped needle. “We’ll start with this.
breezer as well, but he didn’t intend to verify that. She didn’t respond, sensing his apology wasn’t an encouragement. Smart, Marc thought. He motioned to the wolf. “Here. Have a drink.” The clear liquid flowing onto the ground got Dog’s attention, but he refused to drink from it. Instead, Marc was forced to cup his hand and let the animal slake his thirst that way. Their audience was impressed. Marc was convinced. He would return the wolf to his home, let him take his chances with the rangers now that Bubba had been taken down a peg. He had no right to keep the animal. “You need to be in the hospital for a few days. They’ll give you some blood, among other things,” Amira stated as she stood up to write down her findings. “Multiple stabs, bullet trims, cuts. Broken finger, badly strained shoulder. Dehydration, a bit of sunstroke. Possible concussion–” “Will I die if I don’t?” Marc interrupted the recital. He didn’t want a dustoff. Being flown out by medical evac would officially make this the worst home time he’d ever had. Realizing he was another of those stubborn males that she was always treating covertly,
Tall and thick, the Captain had earned more medals than anyone in their battalion. He wasn’t afraid to fight as hard as his men did, and they respected him for it. They also feared him a little. Captain Palmer wasn’t friendly. He was serious about the business of war and it showed in every scar and wrinkle. “At ease.” Marc didn’t relax his stance. “I did try, sir. Three times.” “Yes, I’ve heard the story from your girlfriend–” “She is nothing to me.” Palmer stared at Marc. “Because she set you up?” “Because she can’t be trusted to do the right thing.” Marc hadn’t bothered to lower his voice, but he didn’t enjoy Julia’s resulting flinch. She was in the front of the ambulance, with the window down. “She could be charged.” “Maybe she should be.” Marc turned from Julia’s tears. “Dry her out while you’re at it. She likes to drink.” “We’ve noticed,” Amira stated quietly from Marc’s feet, where she was examining his leg injuries. “Her breath is almost flammable right now. It’s in my report, sir.” “Good girl,” the Captain praised.
two of them, but doubted it would be more unless the others couldn’t keep up with his plans. These men were like brothers to him, even the ones he couldn’t stand. The wolf growled warningly at all the congratulating hands on Marc, causing fresh amusement and the men to give both of them space. “We have a training program that he could be put into,” Palmer offered. He hadn’t retreated. “You’d follow the guidelines, but keep him all the time.” “We’ll see.” Marc motioned angrily toward the ambulance. “Am I supposed to get in there with her? Is that why she isn’t gone yet?” “No,” Palmer replied coldly. “She got a call out during the chaos. She’s the reason we found you.” Marc didn’t react. Palmer frowned, continuing, “She promised to testify against Eibar. She also agreed to give details on several murders in this area, as well as information on past shipments. She’ll be treated gently.” “So, she wants to say goodbye?” Marc guessed, amazed. “That’s some nerve.” “I thought so,” his commanding officer agreed. “That’s part of why I allowed it. Go get
As if they’d planned it, every member of their squad lifted a middle finger to give the drug lord a special salute. It was in perfect rhythm. “I hope we’ve seen the last of him now,” Thunder stated as the chuckles faded. “Unlikely,” Palmer denied, turning neatly to his jeep and young driver. “He has a rich family across the border. He won’t be home a week before more LBGs are dispatched.” Marc realized he would be away in classes. Safe. Palmer slid into the seat as the PFC started the low-key jeep. “I’ve heard you want to follow in my footsteps.” Marc stiffened. Only Chad and Reggie had heard him say that. Palmer frowned at him, glaring coldly through layers of scars. The gray hair starting at the edges only made him look meaner. “What do you want from life, grunt?” Off guard, Marc hesitated. “Sir?” Palmer tilted his hat back, sighing. “If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t map out how to get there.” “Maybe I’m in it for the ride,” Marc quipped back. “Letting fate steer me.” Captain Palmer laughed at him.
Marc waited, embarrassed, but willing to take the direction he knew was coming. As long as it wasn’t advice to settle down and have a family. “Stay away from your past, and ask the question again,” Palmer instructed, motioning to his driver. “You might be surprised with how things have changed.” Marc saluted, trying not to show his discomfort. Palmer returned the gesture as he left. Marc sighed. Letting go of the past wasn’t something he was capable of. He’d spent the last five years trying. “Did we get the credit for Eibar or did the locals?” Marc asked, ignoring the distraught female now being driven away in the ambulance as he joined his men. Kenn and the others frowned as Crisp shook his head. “Command said we couldn’t go hunting. Heard they sent in a SWAT team to grab him.” “Figures,” Marc grunted. “Pricks.” The team snickered. “What about the LBGs?” Marc asked. “Got ‘em all, as far we know,” Thumper answered, handing Marc the bottle of water that the EMS woman had shoved into his hand. He’d pocketed the phone number that came