Page 22 of Feral Mates (Ruthless Instinct #1)

S avannah

Flashing lights.

They were everywhere.

Sirens were blasting as police officers rolled down the interstate at high rates of speed. The sight was typical the closer you got to Washington, DC and the outlying areas, but there were double the number since the last time I’d come to visit my parents.

My instincts were on high alert.

I was on edge, trying to keep from allowing fear to overwhelm me, but it was becoming more difficult.

If Kai was correct and the assailant had been sent to test the wolves’ abilities, it could also mean that I’d been selected as a test case and that the wolves had been allowed to escape the refuge.

Another far-fetched idea, but one that seemed plausible.

It also allowed me to realize just how much danger we were in. As with all test subjects, only limited freedom was allowed before controlling the outside elements.

Since the incident with the unknown man, tension remained in the car. My passengers were even more on edge than I was. I didn’t need to be connected to them in some ethereal way to know they were filled with uncertainty and rage.

The entire vehicle was almost exploding with a heavy dose of testosterone.

“Carl. Where are you?” I whispered. This time, his phone rang several times, more than usual. I was about to hang up when the ringing stopped as if his voice recording would start.

But it didn’t.

Instead, there was dead silence.

I took a chance, one I hoped I wouldn’t regret. “Carl, when you get a chance, just give me a call. I need to know you’re alright and managed to get out safely. Please.” I certainly wasn’t about to mention where I was headed.

“Who did you just call?” Roman asked. Hearing his deep, commanding voice, I felt another twinge in my stomach. My reactions to them were becoming unnerving.

“A friend. A fellow scientist. Don’t worry, I can trust him.” But could I? I was already beginning to question everything and everyone around me.

“Be very careful, little mate,” Kai said and with a quick turn of my head, I noticed his intense scowl. “There are many things you do not know.”

“Which is why you need to tell me everything you remember about being in the refuge and what happened when you realized you were no longer just a wolf.” I was more exasperated than before.

The low growl from Apollo indicated another moment of displeasure. At this point, catering to their mood swings wasn’t something I was interested in or that would do us any good.

“I’m going to turn on the radio and see if I can figure out what’s going on.

” I did so before any of the three had a chance to respond.

I switched to the local stations instead of satellite.

There were still a dozen stations broadcasting from the area.

While some strictly reported on sports, I knew of several who ran news twenty-four/seven.

“We need to get off this road,” Roman stated as if he knew for a fact we were still being hunted.

Which I’d begun to suspect we were. Was Dr. Blackwell really behind this or someone else he’d trusted? Was that the reason for the oversight committee’s sudden appearance?

I’d felt the same sense of being watching even before the man had jumped me at the ATM. In fact, I hadn’t told them what he’d said to me.

“There’s no sense in running. You won’t be able to hide.”

Then all hell had broken loose.

Thank God Kai hadn’t killed the man. Even if Dr. Blackwell or someone else on his staff had hired the would-be criminal, his death and images from the bank’s security camera would mean we’d be on every wanted poster.

If something fishy was going on, I could only imagine how the news would spin the story.

A tiny shiver drifted down my spine, but I refused to acknowledge it. Right now wasn’t the time to fall apart.

“A few more miles and I can get off the interstate.” My answer was succinct and true, although I’d taken the road I’d punched into my GPS only once. I hadn’t needed to take the scenic route before.

Another cop car flew by. Thankfully, they were still going in the opposite direction. The news droned on about weather and a statement the president had made, but I wasn’t listening.

A hum remained in my ears based on the high anxiety all of us were feeling. I felt as if I was flying by the seat of my pants and in truth, I hated being this way. Everything I’d taught myself as a woman and as a scientist had been tossed out the window.

At this point, it seemed like it was us against the world.

Thankfully, the warriors I had with me were strong and powerful, determined to protect me. There was something else I’d felt in my bones.

They were prepared to die to keep me safe. Whether man or beast, they would walk through fire. That should give me a level of comfort, maybe even enough to accept what they continued to tell me about being their mate, but I wasn’t willing to believe it quite yet.

Even if everything I’d learned and studied had been called into question.

At least I had the two flash drives and notes.

I’d also yet to grill the three wolves on what they’d learned from their host. A laugh bubbled to the surface.

Hosts. I was reminded of the Alien movie that I’d watched and loved all those years ago.

Ridiculous?

Evidently not.

The shift in the radio host’s voice caught my attention. The moment he began to speak, I held my breath.

“Another reminder that as of this moment, the pack of wolves that escaped the Serenity Wildlife Refuge are still at large and considered highly dangerous. We do have news that four wolves were found killed by unknown assailants. While the information coming in is sketchy and unconfirmed, according to witnesses on the scene, the battle was between two sets of canines. In a surprising note, their actions potentially saved a family from certain death. We’ll bring you updated information as we have it. ”

Confirmation the woman on the phone had lied.

Sensations unlike anything I’d felt to date shifted through every blood cell and vein, every muscle and tendon. I slowly looked at Kai. “You killed the wolves attacking the family.”

“Yes.” Apollo’s answer was succinct and I had a feeling I wouldn’t be given any additional information. But I was determined to try.

“Why were they attacking that family?”

There was some communication between the three of them. While I couldn’t read their minds, only able to ascertain their feelings and warnings, I sensed they’d felt compelled to kill them.

“Was the family attacking them?” I pressed.

“No,” Kai said quietly. “They were not.”

Another shiver.

Another confirmation that what had been released from the portal could be malevolent. I remained excited about the possibilities. Lifeforms. Other worlds. Scientific breakthroughs.

But as a woman who’d already seen the effects of manipulating such a breakthrough, I knew the energy needed to be harnessed. But how? What if that wasn’t possible?

Then the portal needed to be closed permanently.

That had been the intent. Make discoveries. Take tests. Never to interfere with other lifeforms if discovered. The rules had been bent and for what reason? Greed? Control? Maybe it was far-fetched, but it appeared Dr. Blackwell had every intention of creating new, never-before-seen lifeforms.

I could only imagine their potential.

And their danger.

“That means there are lifeforms who for the lack of a better word are good and those who are evil. What happened while you were at the refuge? Are the wolves you killed ones who were also there for rehabilitation?” I knew I was tossing out questions that would irritate them.

We were all so wired that even if I received answers, I wouldn’t have the brain power to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Even now, just being so close to all three kept my body humming with electricity. My breasts were swollen, my nipples hard and so sensitive the bra I was wearing was tormenting me.

Every time I shifted in my seat, not only was I reminded of the spanking they’d given me, but also of the desire that had kidnapped my body. Good God, I was a mess.

“No animal was there for rehabilitation, little mate,” Roman gritted out with a heavy hiss in his voice. “We were taken from our packs, trapped and drugged.”

“What? Oh, no.” Exactly as my instinct had suspected. The articles I’d read had been true. Oh, my God. The closeness of the laboratory wasn’t a coincidence. Every muscle tensed and I scanned the road as my pulse skyrocketed.

“There were tests run, drugs given. We knew we wouldn’t make it out of there alive.”

“Which is why you escaped. But it was already too late by then. My God. This is terrible. We need to tell someone. We need to stop this before it gets out of hand.”

In just stating the obvious, I knew and sensed they believed it was likely already too late.

“Did they perform any tests on other animals or just wolves?”

“Wolves only. Why?” Apollo asked. “But other beasts were being kept in cages.”

“They needed to have a controlled testing ground. They chose wolves given their extraordinary abilities.” Did that give me any more comfort the situation was yet to be out of control? No, but it did allow a moment of hope.

If we were able to stop the madness. But how?

Suddenly, I could see what appeared to be a traffic jam up ahead. At this hour, other than a terrible accident, there was no reason for the stop. “We’ve got trouble.” That much my instinct told me.

I glanced at the sign for the upcoming exit while I slowed down. Shit. There were four more miles to go.

“We need to get off this interstate,” Apollo said in an offhanded way, but I could smell his tension and anger increasing. “As soon as possible.”

“Let’s just see what we’re dealing with. Tell me more about the facility. Do you remember anything about the tests being given?”

“You do not want to know, little mate.” Kai kept his gaze locked on the traffic jam outside the windshield.