Page 23 of Alpha Wolf’s Arranged Bride (Rose Hollow Wolves #1)

Before we leave the house, I get a code from Brad telling me where to meet. I drop Scarlett and Jarrod at school, telling them to stay alert.

The second I have news, I have to take steps to protect Rose Hollow. Then I can go after Azarian!

I can’t get the twenty dead Shadows out of my mind. Over the many years it’s been in operation, Wolf’s Shadow has dealt with incredibly powerful threats. Never before has an entire contingent been taken out at once.

Keeping my focus on the road is difficult, and it’s a relief to pull over and leave the car so I can shift and race into the woods. Being in my wolf shape comforts me, reminds me of my primal nature, and gives me a break from my complex thoughts.

When I arrive in the clearing, Malcolm is there, but Brad isn’t. I shift and hurry over to grab Malcolm’s hand. We both lean in and give each other a hard clap on the shoulder as we shake.

“Where’s Brad?” I ask.

“On his way, I assume,” Malcolm replies. “I’m waiting for answers as badly as you are.”

“What the fuck happened? Could you see anything?”

“I saw something,” Malcolm answers. “I just don’t know what the fuck it was. I was on the first ridge, so a few miles from Eccles but high enough to see the whole town. The guys were in constant communication, and I monitored the frequency.”

Malcolm looks away, a pained look flashing across his face. Then tension in me increases sharply, and I feel my wolf growling, ready to attack.

“First line moved into target,” Malcolm continues. “Our squad was behind. The first line was supposed to surprise and subdue targets, then our squad would secure the area. The first thing that happened was the radios all started screeching and crackling like they’d hit a ton of interference.”

“Like an EMP?”

“Yeah, maybe. Or something big that was putting out such an intense field, it disrupted the frequency.”

“Then what?”

“The radios cleared up just in time for me to hear the screams of the dying men,” Malcolm says, his face grim. “They howled as if they were being slowly skinned alive. Lots of gunfire could be heard both through the radio and from the ridge, but I don’t think they hit anything.”

“Any idea what did it?” I ask. “Any idea at all?”

Malcolm shakes his head. “I saw a glow, like there was a fire. It looked like it was moving quickly, so I was going to alert everyone, but then it went dark.”

I shake my head, looking at the ground as I try to process what I just heard. “Did anyone come to debrief?”

“No. Not our guys or anyone from WS. I got the code from Brad, same as you. I’ve been waiting for a while, and no sign of him.”

“I’m here,” Brad announces from the tree line. “I’m sorry, I had to run a long way to contact the head office, then get back here.”

“Brad!” I rush over and grab his shoulder, disturbed by the haunted look on his face. “What happened?”

He looks away, his blue eyes unfocused as he stares into the forest.

This man was my second-in-command for ten years and became squad leader when I retired. I’ve never seen him shell-shocked like this.

“I don’t even know,” he whispers hoarsely. “It was dark. We were moving in. The guys up front were carrying guns and wearing quick-clip armor, just in case things got rough.”

They went all out, even though it was supposed to be recon and capture.

Shadows will only wear shifter-proof armor and carry guns in the worst possible situations so they can use the best of both their wolf and human skills. Usually, a team will focus on one or the other and only bring out our most complex gadgets for extremely dangerous missions.

“The first line was about twenty feet ahead of us. I think they had just come level with the stone. Azarian and his woman were sleeping in the middle of it, completely exposed. We should have been able to surround and capture them without any trouble at all.”

“Sounds like there was a whole pile of trouble,” Malcolm mutters.

Brad nods. “The guys on the front line started to scream. I could smell the burning flesh. Then there was laughter—a woman. Vanessa, I assume. There was this line of fire. It moved through the air like a snake. All the first contingent got dragged onto the stone, and they… melted.”

“What?” I mutter, my head serving up all sorts of gory pictures of what that might have looked like.

“I can’t describe it any better than that. It was like their blood was boiling, and they melted as if they were made of candle wax. Their guns, their armor—everything melted into a great big puddle, sizzled, and fried into smoke.”

Brad blinks, finally, and feeling comes back into his eyes, even though he still looks pale with shock.

“What now?” I ask a million questions burning on my tongue, but I know now isn’t the time to ask them.

Soldiers don’t ask why or figure things out. They get their orders, and they act.

Brad shakes his head, and I poke him in the chest.

“What are your orders, soldier!” I bark.

Instantly, his eyes clear. “Head office has authorized an emergency order,” he says. “The town of Rose Hollow is to be used as a temporary base. Wolf’s Shadow will be arriving in force, and multiple special-forces contingents will be stationed around Eccles to barricade them in.”

“Rose Hollow is going to be used as a base?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yes. There is nowhere else close enough with the resources we need. The threat has been deemed great enough that anyone in the surrounding area is permitted to receive information to protect themselves and other civilians.”

“Shit,” I mutter. “I’ve got to get home!”

“Yes, you do,” Malcolm says. “And I’m coming with you. Brad, what’s next for you?”

“We’re first line now,” Brad says, his eyes clearing. “Marcus, Daniel, Shawn, and Luke are at vantage points in the forest. I’m out to join them. I’ll report back to WS so they can deploy.”

“I’ll be in town,” I reply. “Ready for the backup to arrive.”

Brad and I shake hands, then I turn and shift, leaping into the woods. Malcolm follows close behind, and we reach my car in minutes. As I gun it back into town, Malcolm lets out a low whistle.

“Don’t kill us on the drive back,” he grumbles.

“I’m not getting taken out by a car wreck,” I say, yanking my Mercedes around a sharp bend. “But my family, and my pack, are sitting there blissfully unaware that anything is happening, and there is a force of pure evil rising up in the next fucking town!”

I drive straight to the school and find Scarlett and Jarrod in the art room. While I explain the situation to the teachers, I text the elders to meet me in the square.

“Rex, what happened?” Scarlett says as the teachers start moving the kids to the hall.

“I don’t have time to explain it all now,” I answer. “But Malcolm’s going to stay with you and protect the school until the other agents get here. Backup isn’t far away, and my squad is in the woods. Trust me, Scarlett, we are all over this.”

“Okay,” she says, tears filling her eyes. “Please be careful.”

I hug her back, relishing the feel of her in my arms and breathing in her scent to give me courage.

“I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you, too. Now, let me go and kick some ass.”

“Yeah,” she says, wiping tears off her cheeks. “Go get ‘em!”

I give Malcolm one last look, and he nods, letting me know he’ll protect my family with his life. I turn and jump back in the car to meet the elders in the center of town.

Celeste, Dorian, and Galant are there, along with Cody and a few other of our top-ranking warriors. All of them look worried, but when they see me leap out of the car and come charging towards them, their expressions change to all-out panic.

“Oh my God, Rex!” Celeste shouts. “What happened to you?”

“Thank you for coming so quickly,” I say, stopping in front of them. “There is a lot to do, and I don’t have time to explain it all. I am going to need you to trust me.”

“We do, Alpha,” Dorian says. “Unconditionally.”

“I’m glad you said that,” I answer. “Because the first thing I have to say is that I’ve been lying to you all.”

I see all of them react with shock, but I just plow forward, hoping I can convey the urgency of the situation without going into every detail.

“I am a secret agent called a Shadow. I have been for many years, and one of my missions was undercover at Eccles, trying to discover the truth behind their stories of devastating power.”

“Those are legends,” Celeste says. “They aren’t real.”

“I’m afraid they are,” I say. “Azarian has spent years unearthing the secrets, and last night, he attacked and killed twenty highly skilled agents.”

“By himself?” Cody asks, horrified.

“He had help from his partner, and the power they are drawing from a site within Eccles territory. Like I said, I don’t have time to explain everything. What you need to know is that reinforcements are on their way, right now, to use Rose Hollow as a base.”

“They fucking what?” Galant shouts, shocked.

“The situation at Eccles has been graded the highest possible threat. We’ll create a barricade around the town, and we need a place for our troops as well as the head of operations.

They will be moving into Rose Hollow any minute now.

I need you to put the town on alert and get everyone locked up safely in their homes. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Dorian answers, his voice hoarse. “We’re on it. Do we explain to the townsfolk what’s happening?”

“Not if you don’t have to,” I tell him. “You’ll have to explain to some of our warriors and have them patrol, as well as coordinate with the Shadows. I’ve got to get back to school.”

“I’m with you, Alpha,” Cody says. “Let’s move.”

“Do you need anything more from me?” I ask Dorian, and he shakes his head.

He and the other elders turn to go into the main hall, all of them pulling out their phones. I run back to my car, Cody right behind me. My phone buzzes several times, and I ask Cody to check it.

“What does it say?”

“It’s a bunch of numbers.”

“Read them to me.”

Cody does, and I recognize the code.

“The reinforcements are moving in, and there are about a hundred of them,” I say. “Cody, can you contact all of our warriors? I want some at the school and others around town.”

“Can do,” Cody answers, typing furiously.

Fresh anxiety trickles across my skin, making my stomach churn.

I’m starting to get the feeling I missed something, and I don’t like it.

Then I see a thick pillar of smoke rising into the sky ahead of us.

“Fuck!” I scream.

“What is it!” Cody yells.

“It’s the fucking school!”

I slam my foot down on the pedal, yanking the BMW off the road to charge across a nearby park that gives me a direct route.

The car will be totaled by the time I get there, but I don’t give a fuck.

By the time I screech into the parking lot and leap out of the car, the hall is engulfed in flames, the red column spiraling up into the sky with a thick tower of black smoke twisting around it.

“Scarlett!” I scream, running towards the hall. “Jarrod!”

I’m ready to launch myself straight into the flames, but as I get to the door, I almost trip over Malcolm. He’s barely conscious and covered in terrible burns.

“Mal,” I say, gently taking his hand. “What happened?”

“Three wolves,” he mutters. “Came in the front door… how are they so powerful?”

Shit!

A new wave of fury hits me as I realize these must have been the stealth agents that were lurking in our forest. The ones we stopped looking for.

“Mal,” I shake him just a little. “Where are the women and children?”

“Took them!” he gasps. “Motherfuckers were throwing fire. Can you believe it? Tossing it like fucking basketballs. I tried… Rex, I tried!”

“I know,” I say, my heart tearing itself to shreds in my chest. “Do you know where they went?”

“South,” he mutters. “Into the forest. Didn’t kill the kids or the women. Need them alive. I ran after them—”

Malcolm groans, and his breath fails. I grab his hand even harder.

“Malcolm, no! Hang on! WS will be here soon, and they’ll have healers—”

“I’m done in, boy,” Malcolm whispers. “You go on and give ‘em hell for me.”

Malcolm’s chest gurgles as his lungs fill with fluid. I watch him close his eyes, and then his hand drops from mine.

I stare down at the dead body of my mentor, and a great and terrible rage rises in me.

I will kill them. I will kill them all.

Tempering the rage is a deep, cutting fear for my wife and child. I’ve never known terror like this, the kind that completely swallows everything else and makes the way forward utterly crystal-clear.

The only thing that matters is Scarlett and Jarrod. I don’t care what I have to do, but I will keep them safe. They will survive this!

I stand up slowly, keeping my eyes on Malcolm’s face. Guilt threatens to engulf me, but I hold it back.

I told Scarlett nothing would happen to her—and they fucking took her and my son!

Shaking my head, I draw my mind back to the feel of her in my arms, the scent of her, and how it calms me. I see Jarrod’s bright smile and his glowing amber eyes, just like mine.

“What do we do now, boss?” Cody asks.

As I turn around, I hear the drumming sound of paws and hard combat boots—reinforcement troops from WS entering the town in massive numbers. I look towards the south, my rage and fear combining with the love I have for my family, and I suddenly feel completely calm.

I know exactly what I have to do. Anger and fear can’t cloud my judgment, because my love is too strong.

“We’re going to organize the men, and then we’re going to kill Azarian and any wolf that dares stand with him.”

“Okay,” Cody says. “But do you have a plan?”

Around me, hundreds of black-clad Shadows swarm through the buildings, some wearing armor and carrying guns, others in dark shrouds, and still more in their wolf shapes. Behind Cody, I see the Rose Hollow warriors beginning to arrive.

“Yes,” I reply. “I have a plan.”