Savage Surrender: A Dire Wolves Mission (The Devil's Dires Book 1) (5 page)

A
fter two days
and nights of scenting his way through bogs and along the banks of what seemed like an endless maze of rivers, Bez’s patience finally paid off. He lay still at the base of a tree, the fur of his wolf completely covered in sticky, putrid-smelling mud. Fifty yards away sat a string of four houseboats tied together. Houseboats reeking of shifters and the decay of the swamp.

Bez spent hours curled around that tree, not moving, barely breathing as he closed off the human side of his mind and let his wolf take over. He sensed five male wolves, though only two seemed to be on the houseboats that day. The other three had left a scent trail through the brush on the spongy shore across from him. He could still see the broken grass and raised edges along the impressions in the mud from their footfalls. Bez also scented two females in residence, both shifters. The second woman concerned him, as she could be one of the male’s mates. Bez had never had to kill a woman who wasn’t actively trying to kill him. As progressive as he thought himself to be, the idea of killing a female just didn’t sit right. But a mated pair was hard to split up, and a mated wolf would fight to the death for its other half. Bez would have to wait and see if he could determine her involvement in the outfit. Standards or no standards, no one was coming between him and the Omega.

The females were quiet through the early afternoon, rarely even speaking in the last boat to the right, while the males watched some show on a television in the far left one. Staying rooted in his spot, only moving enough to make sure his wolf scent buried under the rot of the swampy earth he covered himself in, Bez studied the setup of the enemy camp as he waited for late afternoon to come. One of the men seemed to be the leader, the hub of communication. Message alerts, phone calls, instructing his partner—the man was a bevy of information. He would be Bez’s target for phase two of the mission. First, rescue the Omega. Second, capture the enemy for interrogation. That part would require he call in another of his teammates for backup, which he’d do as soon as he got the Omega back to the lake house and into that safe room. Now that he’d found her, he wasn’t leaving her behind. He couldn’t risk them moving her or hurting her, especially not when he was so close.

As the sun crested across the sky on a slow arc toward the invisible horizon, one man walked across the boats to the one where the women stayed. Short and squat with a choppy gait, he appeared weak to Bez—an easy kill—but Bez wouldn’t underestimate him. Something had given these men the strength to take on and destroy an entire pack, whether it was skill or training or the possibility of a werewolf on their side. That feat was enough to make Bez wary.

The man lumbered up the three steps to the women’s boat, stopping on the deck to look out over the water. To look exactly in the direction where Bez lay. Bez stared back, not moving, barely breathing. He had made sure to cover himself in the fetid mud of the swamp, so he doubted the man knew he was there. Between the mud and the way Bez had tucked himself against the tree, there was no way the shifter on the boat could see him or smell him. Still, he made sure to be ready to leap into a fight, just in case.

“Yo, Marcus.”

Bez turned his eyes toward the second man as he appeared from inside the far left houseboat. This one, tall and lean, carried himself in a manner that made Bez’s wolf take notice. Something dark and devious lurked under the surface of that shifter, and he was definitely more of a threat than the other.

The short shifter, Marcus apparently, turned. “What’s up?”

“The guys will be back soon; they’ve got the beast with them.”

Bez nearly growled, his stomach burning. Damn it, they’d actually found a werewolf. Or at least, that’s what he assumed the man meant by beast. If that assumption proved true, the Omega was in more danger than he’d thought. Werewolves were nearly impossible to kill without beheading, stronger in their wolfish form than most shifters, and able to hide as humans for the vast majority of the month. But when that full moon hung bright in the sky, they brought hell upon any female shifter nearby. Omega or not.

“So what’s the plan?” Marcus asked, pulling Bez’s attention back to the fuckers on deck.

“Tonight, we keep it boxed here. We’re probably going to need to find a human female for the thing to eat; can’t go giving him the big meal just yet.” The guy smirked, a look that made Bez’s wolf want to snarl and challenge him even as he fought to remain still and hidden. “Tomorrow, you take the Omega bitch north with Vreel while Chance and I take the beast to Thunderhead. A full day in the van with the dud ought to turn his crank enough to finish off those mountain men after what they did to Zacor. Even if she isn’t exactly whole.”

“Whole?” Marcus asked. Bez inched his nose forward, wondering the same thing.

“Yeah,” the taller man said, his grin growing wide and hungry. “Gotta keep the blood flowing for him. Easiest way to do that is to cut a little off at a time.”

Bez clenched his teeth, holding back a snarl. He hadn’t even known the other shifter would be there, but he still felt the sickening sense of guilt at the thought of having to leave her behind when he grabbed the Omega. But his orders were set, and without a second man with him, there was no way he could ensure the safety of the Omega while protecting two women. He’d just have to hope he and his team could get back to the camp in time to help her. He’d be happy to let Thaus loose on the kidnappers once he got the information Blaze wanted. Sick fuckers, this lot.

The tall man glanced at his phone as it pinged. “The moon will start to rise in a few hours. You ever seen one of these monsters feed?”

Marcus shook his head.

“You’re in for a real show, my friend. These beasts are a fucking treat. Go nap with the bitches, keep them from getting too chummy. As soon as the moon is high, we’ll have to hunt down some female human flesh.” The man laughed and walked back into the houseboat, immediately starting a conversation on his phone. Marcus disappeared into the houseboat where the women slept. Bez waited for any sounds from him or the women. It took a moment, but Marcus seemed to find a comfortable spot to “guard” the women. There was a creak, a sigh, and then just the soft, even breathing and slow heartbeat that indicated sleep broke the gentle song of the swamp-loving insects. Three sleeping, one talking loudly on his phone about some human sporting event. One hunting.

Seeing a perfect opportunity, and knowing his time was limited as the others were on their way to the camp, Bez crawled out of the mud and slithered on his belly toward the houseboats. He inched across boggy ground until he reached the water’s edge then slipped underneath the black surface, silently rearranging bone and muscle while suspended underwater. In his human form, Bez swam to the side of the boat, completely submerged, refusing to make a single ripple that could give away his position.

Once Bez reached his destination, he mounted the side of the houseboat. Arms stretching and toes supporting, he scaled the metal structure silently, unconcerned with his nudity. The three heartbeats inside beat slow and steady, the breathing just as calm. His first target slept soundly in the company of the two females, making things easier on Bez. The tall male was at least two houseboats over, his laughter interrupting the slosh of the water against the side of the boats. He’d abandoned his phone call while Bez was under water, instead watching some sort of laugh track backed show on his television. Bez clung to the side of the boat and readied himself to move. The loud volume of the show was certainly enough to cover any errant sounds Bez made while extracting the Omega. He was almost thankful to the bastard down the way. Way to make his job easier.

Pulling himself up to the window by his fingertips, Bez peeked through the filthy glass. The two women lay in cots at opposite sides of the room, while the man leaned back in a chair by the door as he rested. Bez’s eyes traveled over each woman, wondering which the Omega was. He guessed the dark-haired one on the left as his eyes kept coming back to her. Drawn to her. His instincts letting him know she was what he wanted.

Silently, he slid open the screen and crawled through the open window. He flinched at the smell of the place, sweat and fear and something dirty lingering in the still air. Something worse than the swamp outside. Jesus, how long had the second woman been there?

He landed softly on the wooden floor, his bare feet helping to keep the sounds to a minimum. There was no going back now. He had to eliminate the guard in the room and extricate the Omega. And he had to do it without alerting the other shifter down the way.

All in a day’s work, really.

He stepped with care, his movements subtle and deliberate as he snuck across the room toward the guard, the man named Marcus. His eyes lighted upon the woman on his left over and over. She pulled his focus, demanded his attention even in her sleep. But Bez had one job to do first. Before he could grab the Omega, he needed to eliminate the threat. And Marcus, as slow and weak as he appeared, was a threat.

Pulling his wolf forward and letting his fingers shift to claws, Bez walked up behind the sleeping shifter. Silent, barely causing the air to react. He stepped close enough to smell the man, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. Raising his hands, Bez brought them in front of the man’s throat. Ready…able…determined. In a single, smooth system of movements, Bez grabbed Marcus’ chin and sliced his throat with nothing but his claws and brute strength. The man had no time to react, no time to fight back. Still, Bez held Marcus in a paralyzing hold as his blood, his ability to shift and regenerate, ran down the front of his chest. It took a handful of precious seconds, but Bez remained in position until death washed over the man. Until the threat to the Omega was neutralized.

Once Marcus’ heart pumped for the last time, Bez turned his attention to the women. The lighter-haired one smelled of salt and sadness, making Bez think she’d cried herself to sleep. The act of a young woman. The other one smelled of sweetness and light, of spice and warmth—an intriguing scent that teased him in ways he’d never experienced. The lighter had to be the younger of the two, and most definitely his Omega, but the older, darker shewolf held his attention, making his head swivel in her direction every other second.

Fucking distractions.

Giving in to his instincts, Bez slipped closer to where the raven-haired woman slept. His wolf prowled along the edges of his mind, interest piqued by the attraction Bez felt to the woman. Obsessed with her shape and smell.

Bez inched his way across the boat, moving silently toward the woman. He couldn’t look away from her, wouldn’t have wanted to. Something about her…something important spoke to him. Exploded his senses and ensnared his mind. She was witchcraft and heaven, the lure of sin and the forgiveness of faith all rolled up into one dark-haired package. It infuriated Bez, made him wary of her presence. What was this power she had over him to distract him from his mission? Who the hell was she and what was she even doing in this dump?

All questions he and his wolf had to know the answers to.

Bez stopped right next to her cot, his knee brushing the wood frame. The need to touch her brought out more of his human side, made him feel things he hadn’t in…well, perhaps ever. Mission delayed, focus shifted from saving the Omega to this unknown being before him, he felt his world spinning slightly off-kilter. And he liked it.

Unable to resist for a single second more, he leaned down slowly, his body tense, sweat forming on his brow. He had to see her, had to know what—

Her eyes opened, the color dark and deep, meeting his in a stare that sent him soaring. Everything, every piece and particle of Bez’s life, stopped, shifted, and reset. With one look, the woman lodged herself into his heart, deep within his very soul. His human side shoved his wolf to the back, demanding his space to comprehend what this all meant. The wolf knew, though. The wolf had always known.

She stared with eyes the color of coffee, with a look of peace and understanding dancing across her pretty face. And she took ownership of him. She offered Bez no escape, no chance to refuse her. She simply became his, and he became hers.

His wolf howled in his head, rejoicing at having found her, singing his song of completeness. Happy to finally be mated.

Mated.

Bez couldn’t breathe, couldn’t look away. This was his
mate
. Instincts long forgotten in place of strategy and fighting styles flared to life, the bond joining him to this unknown shifter wrapping around his heart and pulling his thoughts away from the mission. None of the Dire Wolves had found their mates, the pack of seven existing instead to fight and kill and hunt. But this woman, this bond, had suddenly made his existence… Tactile. Real. Significant.

Beautiful brown eyes looked up at him, deep and soulful, eyes he wanted to look into until the day he died. Which very well could be that day if he didn’t pull himself together. She blinked once, twice, and then those eyes went wide and her heart jumped. Belatedly, Bez remembered he was naked, covered in mud and filth and blood, and standing over a woman he’d never met. Not exactly the most calming of sights. Without pause, he placed his hand over her mouth to hold in her scream, shivering at the feel of her flesh against his. Even if she was trying to bite him.

“Stop. I’m not here to hurt you,” he hissed, keeping his voice little more than air. “I’m here to save the Omega. President Blasius Zenne sent me.”

The woman stilled, looking worried and fearful. Bez hated that he scared her, hated that he couldn’t comfort her in some way, but those instincts were new. He was there to save, not soothe. Finally, his mate swallowed and nodded. She held his gaze as she gripped his wrist, pulling his hand from her mouth.

“Which Omega?”

Bez liked the sound of her voice, dark and deep, filled with a sensual tone. It called to him, left him speechless as it danced across his ears. But then he cocked his head, her words finally filtering through the haze.