Page 18 of Predator (Stope Packs #4)
With late afternoon snow falling, Emily waited patiently in Jackson’s truck, keeping the chill outside. She was tired but hadn’t slept much earlier. Sometimes she wondered how much time she had left on this planet. Even now, her hands and feet tingled with numbness. Hopefully Dr. Gwen would have a treatment plan soon.
Outside, Jackson circled the helicopter, inspecting it with the focus of a male who knew every inch of his machine. Snow fell lightly around him, drifting lazily from the overcast sky. Emily watched as he ran a hand along a rotor blade, his movements precise and sure. His broad shoulders filled out a black jacket, the worn leather molding to his frame. The wind caught strands of his hair, tousling it against his forehead. His jeans, faded and snug in all the right places, clung to powerful legs that moved with the easy grace of a predator.
Heat curled low in her belly, unbidden and distracting.
Her phone buzzed, jerking her back to reality. She lifted it to her ear. “Nightsom.”
“Hi, Emily. It’s Dr. Gwen. Do you have a moment?”
“I do.” Emily’s pulse quickened. She watched Jackson test the fuel cap, completely unaware of the effect he had on her. “Do you have an answer?”
“I have a couple of ideas, but I need more blood samples.”
Emily winced. “I don’t really have time to head into your clinic right now. We’re flying into my territory to meet with some of my family.”
“No, I don’t need any of your blood. You’re going into Slate Pack territory? That’s fantastic, actually. I need your father’s blood and that of any other relatives you can find. If there’s any way you can get those, it would help. A lot.”
Not an easy ask by any means. “I might be able to get my father’s and my sister’s. Well, half-sister’s,” Emily amended.
“You have a half-sister? I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah. It was news to all of us. I think they’d be willing, but other than that, the only other family member I know of is a cousin who doesn’t like me.”
Gwen sighed. “I’d love to test his blood to compare to yours. What in the world would I do with it that would concern him?”
“Nothing I can think of, but he won’t want to help me,” Emily admitted. As a wolf shifter, Gwen wouldn’t want the truth about their packs getting out, either.
Gwen snorted. “Wolves have avoided science for far too long. Don’t ask me why.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Emily’s gaze shifted back to Jackson. The snow clung to his hair and shoulders, highlighting his rugged features against the wintry backdrop. Her stomach dipped as he glanced her way, eyes locking with hers for a heartbeat before he turned back to the helicopter. “I’ll see what I can do,” Emily added softly.
“Great. I don’t have a way to get vials to you, so why don’t you share the contact information for your healer? That way we can coordinate our efforts.”
That made sense. “Sure. I’ll text Edra’s contact info to you. Please remember patient-doctor confidentiality.”
“Of course.” Dr. Gwen clicked off.
Emily forwarded the contact information and then shifted in her seat, searching for the best way to approach her family. Did she consider Nadia family? Definitely. Although the illness seemed to run in Emily’s mother’s family, perhaps Nadia’s blood could provide some insight into a cure. Maybe Em’s blood was missing something.
Her father would be hurt that she hadn’t confided in him, but he’d still want to help. Hopefully. Giving up blood wasn’t in an Alpha’s nature. Victor wouldn’t want to assist her. Period.
Jackson stepped away from the helicopter, a sleek black Bell 407 with polished rotor blades gleaming against the snow-dusted sky. Its streamlined body reflected the light of the overcast afternoon, and the hum of the idling engine vibrated. He gestured her over.
Taking a deep breath, Emily pushed open the truck door and stepped into the cold air. Snowflakes clung to her hair and the shoulders of her coat as she crossed the distance, refusing to let the weakness in her legs slow her stride. “Flying again,” she muttered. Being off the ground so far didn’t appeal to her wolf side.
“I’ll get you there fast and safe.” He flashed a grin, all confidence and ease.
Before she could react, he grasped her waist and effortlessly lifted her into the passenger seat. She yelped, startled by the unexpected motion, but his hands were gentle despite their strength. Her pulse kicked hard, warmth chasing through her as her body registered his heat and closeness. “Manhandle much?” she quipped breathlessly.
His smile held a trace of something darker. “Only when necessary.” He helped her secure her shoulder harness and belt, his fingers brushing against her hip with heat. Emily swallowed, staring straight ahead as he stepped back, shutting the door with a solid click. Snowflakes tapped lightly against the windshield, melting as they landed.
Jackson crossed around the front of the helicopter, his movements fluid and sure as he slid into the pilot’s seat beside her. He handed her a headset, their fingers grazing briefly before she slid it on. The hum of the engine vibrated beneath her as Jackson adjusted a few controls, his gaze sharp and focused.
Was he trying to drive her crazy? Or was her body betraying her yet again?
Within seconds, they lifted into the air, snow swirling in their wake. The interior remained warm, but the sight of the snow-covered trees and distant mountain peaks sent a chill down Emily’s spine.
“Do you have a fear of flying?” Jackson’s voice rumbled through the headset, low and clear.
“Not really.” She glanced down at the town laid out beneath them, the polished granite buildings glinting under the thin layer of snow. “Oh, for Pete’s sakes.”
Jackson leaned and looked out the window. “That took some time.”
On top of what appeared to be the school, somebody had created a heart out of something red with Jackson + Emily in the center. “What is that?”
“Red ribbons?” Jackson guessed, banking hard to the left.
Emily yelped, then laughed as adrenaline surged through her veins. “Just keep me alive, all right?”
“Oh, that’s fully my plan.” The grin in his voice sent warmth curling low in her belly. He flew southeast, skimming the dense forests and snow-dusted hills until he descended the aircraft toward an area below, where fences marked a wide swath of land.
She leaned closer to the glass, studying the network of equipment and dirt roads below at the Embervault Mine. “Do any of the smaller packs claim the area around the mine?”
“Not really. The Ravencall and Ghostwind Packs patrol here, but the territory doesn’t belong to anyone. There are a few rogue groups scattered around, but we have this mine pretty well secured from trespassers and nobody has really tried to infiltrate it.”
She couldn’t blame them. Not if they had any sense. She had no doubt Jackson would go after them with a vengeance, making a statement as he did. His reputation for swift retribution preceded him. Silence settled between them as the helicopter sliced through the sky, the rhythmic hum of the rotors filling the space. Below, the snow-dusted landscape rolled past, dark patches of forest and gleaming rivers breaking up the white. The tension in her chest tightened the closer they flew to Slate Pack territory.
Jackson set the aircraft down in a clearing near a small runway, where the two Slate Pack helicopters gleamed in the pale light by the tree line. As the engine slowly died, Emily spotted Miliki standing yards away beside a sleek black town car.
“Stay here.” Jackson released his belt and jumped out. He strode quickly around the front of the craft, opened her door, and unbuckled her harness before lifting her out. The strength in his hands sent a jolt through her system, but she failed to hide a wince as his thumb brushed a bruise on her ribs.
“Are you still bruised, or were you able to heal yourself?” His tone was soft, but his gaze was sharp as he scanned her face.
“I healed myself.” She lied without hesitation. The bruises still clung to her skin, stubborn and slow to fade, her body too preoccupied with fighting the illness to mend as quickly as it should have.
“All right.” His hand slid down to her elbow as he guided her toward Miliki. The gravel crunched softly beneath their steps, and the snowflakes continued drifting down, melting as they touched her skin.
The Enforcer’s eyes swept over her, assessing. “Emily, how are you?”
“Absolutely fine.” She kept her voice light and steady. “Anything happen while I was gone?”
“Nope. All good.”
Jackson opened the car door for her, his hand brushing her back as she slid into the plush leather seat. The scent of leather and pine surrounded her, warm and faintly familiar. Seconds later, he joined her inside, and the door clicked shut.
“Your father’s looking forward to seeing you. He’s missed you,” Miliki said as he entered the vehicle and started the engine, his broad frame fitting snugly behind the wheel.
“How’s Nadia?” Emily folded her hands tightly in her lap.
Miliki’s gaze caught hers briefly in the rearview mirror. “As well as can be expected.”
“Are people being kind to her?”
The Enforcer shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t asked. I’m kind to her.”
Emily almost smiled. Miliki was kind to everyone until he wasn’t. Then throats tended to get ripped out. “She’s settling in nicely?”
“I guess, although that bodyguard of hers is a little intense.”
Considering Miliki could be terrifyingly intense, that was a statement. “His job is to protect her,” Emily murmured. She looked at Jackson. “You never did tell me what he did for you. Not really.”
“He worked in my mine for a while and then helped me root out a couple of rogue packs that kept stealing from us.” Jackson shrugged. “Caidrik is a hell of a tracker and fighter. If his goal is to keep your sister safe, then she will be.”
Miliki’s gaze flicked to Jackson in the mirror. “Did you find a mate or what?”
“Still working on it,” Jackson replied easily.
“Hmph,” Miliki grunted, his expression skeptical as the car rolled smoothly down the drive toward the heart of Slate Pack territory. Snow dusted the towering pines that lined the road, their branches weighed down as if bowing in respect to the passing vehicle. The air outside was crisp and still, the dusk breaking through the thick clouds.
Emily stared out at the landscape, the beauty of her homeland offering little comfort against the knot tightening in her belly.