BK 3 - Chapter 24 - Unexpected Meeting
Saxon ran next to Alberto, Emily, and Claudia, one of the rescued werewolves. He could run faster but didn't want to lose them when they were supposed to stick together.
They had driven as close as they could to their destination without giving themselves away. There were plenty of trees to hide them, so the others shifted so they could run faster. Saxon felt more anxious than he already had been. He was worried that someone was hurting Melanie, which was starting to affect him. Even though they hadn't marked each other, he'd always had a sixth sense when it came to her.
They slowed down as they got closer to the building in case there were guards stationed nearby. When they came to a clearing, the four of them stopped as they saw something they didn't expect. They'd found Melanie and Cat, or actually, Saira and Chika. However, three men were standing in front of the lionesses, pointing guns at them.
Saxon looked at those next to him and nodded. He grabbed one man breaking his neck instantly. Alberto ripped another man's head clean off his body while Emily and Claudia took out the third. Saxon ran to Chika as soon as they were all dead, wrapping his arms around her thick neck. She purred and licked his face over and over.
"I'm so sorry I didn't protect you. I promise it will never happen again. I understand if you hate me, but I love you, Lanie." He felt Chika move, and he looked up and saw Melanie standing in front of him. She was naked, so he quickly removed his shirt and slipped it over her head. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Saxon took her in his arms and held her tight with his face buried in her neck as he cried.
"I don't blame you. Please stop beating yourself up. I love you, Sax." Melanie wiped the tears off his face as he did the same to her. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him as if her life depended on it. He was her mate, and she needed him more than anything. Cat wanted to shift but didn't have any clothes, so she mindlinked Emily.
*"Where is everyone? How did you find us?"* She asked in a rush. Emily, Alberto, and Claudia had brought their clothes, so they shifted and dressed. Emily spoke out loud so her sister could hear as well.
"Wesley found out who had kidnapped you and where Raul was taking you. He then flew us to Venice and set us up in a hotel. He split us up into groups to go to the places owned by Raul. We happened to be assigned to this one. Oh, and this is Alberto. He was one of the shifters we rescued, and he's my mate." Emily smiled at the man who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Cat's heart swelled. At least something good came out of this nightmare.
*"Can you call everyone and have them meet us at the hotel? We have some news of our own to share. I've tried mindlinking your dad but can't reach him."* They all started walking back toward the car.
"I think dad went in the opposite direction; he may be too far away. I'll call Wesley when we get to the car so he can round everyone up." Emily replied. Alberto, Emily, and Claudia all shifted into their animals to run back to the car. Saxon refused to let Melanie go, so he ran with her in his arms.
"I'm so glad we found you. I've been going out of my mind thinking of everything they could be doing to you," Saxon said as he ran, holding her close. If he had his way, he'd never be away from her again.
"They told me they tore you into pieces and left you for dead. I didn't believe it because I would have felt it. I love you, Sax." Saxon leaned over and put his mouth on hers as they stopped beside the car.
"I love you too, Lanie. More than anything in the world." He put her down on her feet but kept her hand in his.
Alberto offered his t-shirt to Cat so she could shift. He was so big, and she was so small that she was swimming in it. She walked over and looked up at her oldest daughter's mate.
"Thank you for the shirt. If you hurt Emily in any way, what I did to those men who kidnapped us will be nothing compared to what I do to you," Alberto took a step back; from the look in her eyes, he knew Cat meant what she said. He towered over her, yet he suddenly felt like a little cub as he stared at her.
"I promise I will never hurt her. I will do everything I can so she never sheds not even one tear." Saxon, Melanie, and Emily were snickering at the look on the weretiger's face. When Cat beamed up at him, he noticeably relaxed.
"Good, now let's get to that hotel. I need a shower, tea, and to see Trey." Cat jumped in the back seat with Claudia. Saxon got in the back, too, and put Melanie on his lap. Alberto opened the passenger door for Emily, but he stopped her before she could get in.
"I thought your dad was intimidating, but your mom scares me. No wonder she and your sister were able to get away. I wouldn't want to be on her bad side." He glanced at Cat in the backseat, who looked like a sweet woman, but now he thought looks could be deceiving. Emily giggled.
"My mom's the nicest woman you could ever meet, but if you mess with the people she loves, you should go ahead and write your own obituary." Emily kissed his cheek before getting in the car.
Emily called Wesley and got him up to speed on what had happened. He said he would get everyone back to the hotel. Cat and Melanie wanted to wait until everyone was together before they said what they'd been through, so they only had to go over it once.
Claudia kept staring at those in the car with her. She was a rogue werewolf who'd never found a home. She'd never cared that she was alone until she met the lions. The way they cared for each other made her heart want more. She saw what it could mean to have a family.
Claudia was twenty-three with short brown hair and blue eyes. Her whole life was about survival. From an early age, she was given to a pack to work as a servant. She'd been beaten more times than she could count. When she couldn't take it anymore, she ran.
Claudia would rather be a rogue than be the punching bag for anyone. She was getting tired after ten years of a life with no home. She noticed Cat was staring at her with a sympathetic grin.
"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. I'm Cat," She held her hand out to the quiet werewolf. Claudia gasped when she touched Cat's hand. All her fear, worry, and doubt were replaced with a sense of belonging and hope.
"I...I'm Claudia. How did you do that?" She asked, looking at her hand still in Cats. A warmth spread through her body that almost brought tears to her eyes.
"I'm part caladrius. I can feel the emotions of others. When I touch a person who's feeling emotional or is injured, I can help them. You seem sad and lonely to me. When we leave here, you can return to California with us if you'd like. My family runs a group home for human children who have been abused. We're always looking for help and believe each person can share their unique qualities." Cat had a good feeling about the young werewolf. She seemed lost, just like the children they helped. Claudia gave her a small smile.
"Are you real? People like you and your family don't exist anywhere I've been," Cat chuckled lightly, making Claudia's grin spread. She really liked the werelion.
"I get that question a lot. I was a human before I met Trey. This life was something I could have never imagined. From the time I was six, all I was doing was surviving one terror after another. The day I met Trey, all of that changed. I like to use my good fortune to help others who feel lost and alone like I was. You can be part of our family. We can never have too many." Melanie and Saxon were listening to Cat and Claudia. They knew Cat could get even the toughest person to break down with her kindness. As Claudia's tears began to fall and Cat hugged her, they knew they'd just adopted a werewolf into the family.
When they arrived at the hotel, everyone was waiting for them. Cat ran to Trey and held onto him tightly. He quickly picked her up and ran into the hotel. Everyone knew it was because she was wearing another man's shirt. Trey was quite possessive with his mate.
"Why don't we let everyone settle and then meet in the conference room again. I have more to share, and we all want to hear about what happened with Cat and Melanie. Be back down in about two hours." Wesley watched everyone walk to the elevators. He had been in law enforcement for years, but these past few days were weighing on him.
He wasn't as close to the werelions as he used to be, but everyone was always kind and treated him as part of the family. Wesley didn't want to tell them what he'd found out, but he didn't have a choice. They weren't just fighting against the Italian mob; there was an even bigger threat. He sank into a chair in the lobby, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Wesley looked over the transactions he'd found. When he started the division investigating shifter trafficking, he'd thought he was helping. However, it looked like he may have done exactly what they wanted. Led them to the shifter's hiding spots. Was he to blame for the trafficking? How could he live with himself if he was responsible for the murder and abuse of so many? Would his family ever forgive him?
