Rogue Wolf (Protector Wolf Shifter Series Book 3), page 4
Whatever it was, it was beyond bad.
CHAPTER 4
Kodiak
Hollow pain followed by bubbling anger filled Kodiak at the sight of the discarded, ruined carpets. The loss of life that pile represented was deep and jagged. He clenched his fist, wishing for a vampire that he could make pay right now for the destruction of his pack.
No. Not destructed. Attempted destruction. They were stronger than that, they had to be. And he could never let the vampires win.
“Yeah.” Onai looked at the pile, picking up Kodiak’s thoughts. ‘It’s a lot, but you’re right. We are stronger.”
“I worry about the upheavals on top of the attack,” he said softly. “But we’ll get through this.
“We always do. I’ll start the fire,” said Onai.
“Thanks.” Kodiak put his hand on the other shifter’s shoulder. “Loyal members will keep the pack alive.”
Onai patted his hand and nodded. “We’re packmates, in life and in death.”
“You’re a good second,” he said, right as his phone beeped, and his stress spiked, like he was being torn in a hundred different directions.
He glanced at the screen. “Pain delivery is here, at the gate. Bubblegum pick okay with you?”
Onai laughed. “Always.”
“A fresh coat of paint’s going to go a long way,” said Kodiak, slipping his phone into his pocket.
Neither of them mentioned it was nothing more than a Band Aid. But sometimes, they needed a sticking plaster in metaphor to push off in the right direction. Dig down and find that extra fuel to get to the other side.
And time for a shower and clean clothes. He didn’t think he could stomach food yet. First the paint, and then he would unleash hell on the vampires.
“When you’re done lighting the fire,” Kodiak said softly, “can you get the paint from the front gate? Moki can help you.”
And give the upstart something to do.
Onai nodded his head, eyes shadowed once more with grief.
Kodiak headed inside the clubhouse. His shower could wait. He wanted to speak with Ash in private about Tamaska’s change.
He stopped inside the door and took in the scene. Everyone was doing their bit in getting things sorted. They’d rearrange furniture later, but for now the repetitive task of cleaning helped soothe souls.
It pleased Kodiak to see Moki working hard with Ash, cleaning on the other side of the room. He still didn’t entirely trust Moki, but for now at least he was pulling his weight.
Couches in the center of the room would need to join the carpets on the fire. Those were ruined, their fabric covered with bloodstains, claw scratches. Even their stuffing oozed out. Every little detail reminded Kodiak of what had happened. The other couches were salvageable for now. Still beaten up and destined for the tip or a fire, but those could be covered with a sheet or two for now.
“Moki, help take these ruined couches out and then join Onai in burning the carpets. Afterwards, help bring in the paint. Start painting in the front rooms and work your way back here,” said Kodiak. “Others will help.”
“Yes, boss,” he said, forcefully throwing his now-red cloth into a bucket of water.
Kodiak glared at him. Moki kept his eyes cast down as he left the room. For now, he was obedient.
“You think we’ll get this place cleaned up today?” asked Ash, climbing down from the stepladder.
“We have to. There’s no more time. The vampires could come back.”
“So why bother cleaning, then?”
He cut her a look. “You know why, Ash. Morale is part of it, as is order.”
“Yes, but are we really sitting about waiting?” She breathed out. “We should find them and crush them.”
“Opal first, and we need to know what it does.”
“How? Throw your girl at them and see what happens?” She stopped at his dark expression he shot her way. Ash held up her hands. “I like Tamaska. I’m just saying sitting about isn’t a plan.”
He ran a hand over his face and leaned against one of the ruined couches. “No, it isn’t. But I don’t think they’re coming back in a hurry. They’ll be hurting, too. But they’ll be back and we should be ready.”
She crossed her arms. “Again, Kodiak. We don’t sit around.”
He knew what she was asking; had he gone soft because of Tamaska. It was something he privately asked himself. Because she made him vulnerable. And he fucking hated that.
However…
“We’re running out of time to putter about. We need to be ready this evening for them. I know they’ll attack again because we have Tamaska, but there’s nothing to stop us from attacking them.” He paused. “After we get the opal. And change Tamaska. If we can.”
One more thing needed to happen today—the ceremony to anoint him as alpha of the pack. Kodiak wanted to complete that tonight. They needed to be as cohesive as possible before they launched whatever they were going to launch of the blood suckers.
“I’ve never done so much cleaning in my life.” Ash dumped her cloth in the bucket, rested her hands on her lower back and stretched backwards. Like the rest of the pack members, she’d pushed her grief aside and tried to put their clubhouse back together.
But she’d also neatly side-stepped the Tamaska issue. So he straightened and went up to her. “Ash?”
“Kodiak—”
“Did you learn anything about changing her?” He lowered his voice. He didn’t want to let anyone else overhear.
“She’s been asking me about it,” said Ash, moving to Kodiak. “I’m not sure what to say.”
Kodiak went still. “Does that mean you found something?” Ash was great at finding information quickly.
“It’s not that simple.”
“Can she be changed, or not?” asked Kodiak. “It’s the only way Tamaska will be accepted into the pack, and you know it. Maybe if I wasn’t to become Alpha…”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t turn it down. Not after Shota.”
Not after he’d killed Shota she meant. But it was fair. “No, I’m not going to do that. We can’t afford more upheaval even if I wanted to do that. Which I don’t. Okay? I just want to smooth things and that’s the best way, her becoming one of us.”
If she didin’t die in the process. If that wasn’t a risk on the table. If it was, he’d…what? Let her go? Find a way.
“Ash. Can she be changed? Without risk.”
“Yes and no.” Ash pursed her lips, her eyes meeting his.
“Out with it.” Quickly losing patience, he struggled to keep his temper in check. And he needed to. As a leader, he needed to do that. Picking and choosing when to hold it in and unleash was a huge part, and Ash didn’t deserve his wrath, no matter how much he wanted to lash out.
“A bite from anyone in the pack can change her.” Ash looked down at her hands a second.
“I guessed that. So I can do it. Right? There better not be some fucking clause about her not being bitten by her future mate.” It had to be him. He knew that in his bones. If he bit her, then there would be that undefinable bond. “I won’t let anyone in the pack bite her, not even you. And I trust you.” Kodiak pointed at her.
“It’s not that simple, anyway.” She addressed him with a firm stance.
“So it’s dangerous?”
Ash half shrugged.
“Tell me.”
“As I said, it’s not that simple. She must be bitten at a full moon,” said Ash slowly.
“And…?” Kodiak asked.
“By an alpha.”
Kodiak pressed his lips together tightly. He was the alpha, but not officially. The ceremony needed to happen to seal his new status. He would make that a priority if it would help change Tamaska. And he was going to do that, anyway. “I’m planning on the ceremony tonight if we can. So we make it happen.”
“Kodiak.”
“Is there something else?” he asked.
“Yes, because she’s human, she’ll only change when it’s a full moon.”
“Do you mean every time?” Shit. His brain raced. “Can that be fixed if that’s the case? Could she learn to control it, to change whenever she wants?”
“No.”
He nodded. “We could work around it, right? It’s not altogether bad.” Then he stopped, sensing Ash was still holding back.
“What else?” he asked.
“She could die if she’s not strong enough to endure the change. Humans don’t have the genetics for it. So there’s always a risk.”
“I’m not risking her. It’s off the table.”
“Kodiak,” Ash said, “I don’t think we should rush there. I know you care about her, but the vampires want her, that’s why they attacked. And it’s got to do with that stupid Blood Opal. Isn’t it a bigger risk to not change her? What if they get her, turn her themselves? Use her for whatever the opal does?” She took hold of him.”What if they kill her?”
“That’s a fuck load of what ifs.” Kodiak breathed out and pulled away, pacing the room and finally returning to Ash. “But if we take the risk, she’ll be strong at the full moon.”
“I wish that were true. But she won’t regain her strength for months after the change.” The words rushed from Ash.
“You sure?” They didn’t have months to wait. The vampires wanted her now.
What the fuck was he meant to do? Change her, risk her life, or leave her human and risk the vampires taking her? He folded his arms. “How big is this risk?
“I don’t know. There’s not much written about it but I think the risk is enough to tell you all of that. But I can do more research.”
“We don’t have time.” He wanted to punch a vampire just to release his anger. “So what the fuck do we do?”
“Are there anti-human sprays to hide her scent out there because if so, we could use that,” said Ash.
“Not funny. And they marked her.”
“Then even if we turn her and she survives she’ll still be marked, so…”
Kodiak turned and punched the couch. “Fuck. I don’t know what to do. She wants to change, and it’s the smartest thing to do, but I also can’t risk her life.”
“She’s strong, boss.”
“I’m aware,” he snapped. “She’s the strongest human I’ve ever known. Look at what she’s been through already. But I can’t risk her.”
And yet how could he not? He was risking her leaving her human. At least if she smelled like a shifter—not of a human hanging with shifters—she’s have a better chance when she got her powers. If she survived.
“Kodiak, there’s a full moon next week if you and Tamaska decide to take the risk. Change her then and hopefully that will make her stronger immediately.”
He growled under his breath. They were clutching at fucking straws on a windy day. They didn’t know and if he asked Tamaska she’d take the risk. He knew it.
“You know what she’ll do, Ash.”
“It’s her decision, not yours.”
He laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s mine. I’m the only alpha she knows.”
“Kodiak…” His name was a warning. “At the very least it needs to be a decision made by both of you.”
Ash was right. This change needed to be decided by both of them. Not just her. Or him. If Tamaska couldn’t shift forms like the rest of the pack, then the change wouldn’t guarantee her acceptance, anyway. Even without the vampiric danger.
But something else came to him.
“Have you found anything about humans with repressed or hidden supernatural abilities?” he asked.
“No, nothing. And trust me, I’ve been looking into the main bloodlines here in Australia.”
He finally said it out loud, the thing that had been haunting the corners of his mind. “I think she’s more than human, but we need to know for sure. That could affect her change.”
“How? She’s still essentially human so if we do this, we complete the change on the full moon.”
“But if she has some sort of blocked ability, could that interfere negatively with the process?”
“Mights and maybes.” She breathed out. “But yes, that’s possible. Or it could enhance it.”
Those fucking straws again.
“Keep researching. There has to be another way,” said Kodiak.
“I will.”
“For now top priority is to keep her away from the vampires. I have a theory that they want her blood to bring out some power in the Blood Opal, to benefit themselves.”
“Good theory.” Ash’s eyes widened. “I’ll see what I can find, though there’s not much written about the Blood Opal.”
“You’re doing great uncovering all this information. You’ll find what we need to help us change Tamaska and defeat the vampires,” Kodiak said.
But he wasn’t sure if he was convincing her or himself.
“And what should I tell her?” asked Ash.
“Nothing. Maybe try and find something that could help reassure her, something to give her hope that the change will be successful.”
“I’ll try.”
He took a breath. “Tonight, at the hut in the Blue Mountains, we’ll have the ceremony.”
A smile broke out, the first genuine one from Ash he’d seen since this started the other night. “You’ll make a good alpha.”
“Only with pack members like you supporting me. I’ll let everyone know.”
“Where’s Tamaska, by the way?” asked Ash, looking about like she just realized the woman in question wasn’t there.
He rolled his eyes. “Getting industrial carpet cleaner supplies.”
“By herself?” Ash’s panic didn’t sit well with him. After all, it had raced through him earlier.
“It’s daytime.” He’d let Tamaska go off alone. He’d regretted the decision since the minute he made it. “Daytime, Ash.”
“I know.” She didn’t need to explain, he got it. She looks at the floor. “We should really replace all the carpets,” said Ash, rubbing her boot into a stain.
“We don’t have the time or money for that,” Kodiak said. “We need to make this look normal.”
“If someone comes knocking there’s no reason to get into it?”
“Something like that.”
It was too risky to leave the carpets and too risky to rip them all out. There would be stains on the floor beneath. And he wouldn’t put it past the vampires to tip off the police and encourage them to snoop around.
Hopefully Tamaska’s idea would remove evidence of bloodshed and they could focus on sorting out their vampire problem.
Kodiak glanced out the front window, looking down the driveway. There was no sign of the van. Tamaska’s absence weighed on him, she should have been back by now.
Where the fuck was she?
CHAPTER 5
Tamaska
Tamaska squeezed the oversized carpet cleaner onto the backseat of Onai’s car, then angled it so she could get the door closed. She stepped back, admiring her work. The chemicals were packed and the three carpet cleaners she’d crammed in meant cleaning up the clubhouse could be done within hours.
Hopefully her idea would win brownie points—not with Kodiak, but with the other pack members. Being seen as a useful team player could bring her even closer to getting accepted into the pack.
Sweaty from rushing through the physical work, Tamaska wiped her forehead as she slipped into the driver’s seat. What she wouldn’t do for a shower and clean clothes.
Tamaska didn’t care about the odd looks she got from people while collecting the carpet cleaners. Kodiak’s clothes didn’t suit her at all. They were baggy in all the wrong places, but at least they smelled like him. The scent of his musky testosterone had kept her motivated to get back to the clubhouse.
And even if she didn’t want to admit it, smelling like him gave her a feel of safety, like he somehow protected her, even though he wasn’t here.
There was also something sexy about the scent of her man on her.
The sweat, on the other hand, that wasn’t nice at all. The clamminess was uncomfortable. Kodiak’s shirt clung to her damp back, and she felt like she’d just finished a high-intensity workout at the gym. She needed a shower.
Tamaska started up the car, ready to drive back to the pack. She’d promised Kodiak she wouldn’t return to her apartment, but it was the middle of the day, when vampires slumbered or whatever they did…hung upside down like bats? She was safe in any case and the chance to shower, to wash away the past few days and grab some clean clothes was too tempting.
What’s the worst thing Kodiak could do to me?
The thought opened all sorts of delicious possibilities that she shut down.
It wouldn’t take long. She’d just grab some of her clothes and toiletries, a few things that would make the clubhouse more like home for her.
“But he said to head right back.”
Tamaska drove the car through the crazy Sydney traffic, heading back to Kodiak.
Home called just as strongly as doing what she was ordered to do. She was sick of wearing sweaty, stinky clothes stained with blood.
It reminded her of the vampires, the fight, and the death she’d witnessed.
Tamaska gripped the steering wheel tightly, as if that action could push away the images burned in her mind.
A horn blasted from behind, and her attention crashed back into reality.
The lights ahead were green, and the cars behind were impatient for her to drive on. Tamaska took her foot off the brake too quickly and lurched forward.
Another blast from a car behind her set Tamaska on edge.
If she was careless and caused an accident, the pack members likely wouldn’t be so forgiving—especially Onai, since Tamaska drove his car. She needed brownie points, not black crosses against her. She couldn’t keep messing up and doing the wrong thing.
Kodiak wouldn’t need to know.
And he wouldn’t, not if she was quick. He was too busy with his new role, leading the pack. He wouldn’t even notice, never mind be angry at her.
All she had to do was to get to her apartment, then get back with the carpet cleaners.
