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Turning with the intent to go back home, she was surprised to see Marrok walking quickly in

  her direction. His expression revealed nothing when he passed by the guardians, nodding in greeting to them as he moved in front of her. Her heart rate increased with excitement, although she tried to remain nonchalant. It was hard when faced with such a perfect specimen of masculinity.

  “I've been looking for you, Taylor,” he said, brusquely. “I'll be leaving within the hour.”

  “Leaving?” she asked, dumbfounded. “Where are you going?”

  He took hold of her arm, indicating he wanted to head back. As soon as she moved, he released

  her abruptly. Her eyes flinched shut in pain, but he didn't seem to notice. “We have a lead on the commander. It would seem he's hiding out in New Mexico. A team is being sent out to join up with the New Mexico pack. Alexander and I will both be a part of it. Carole Anne will be staying here with you.”

  “Are you sure? I mean, it's hard to believe he would return to the same place, especially so soon after it happened.” Dread spread through her body, joined with the inexplicable feeling of fear.

  Something didn't feel right, but Taylor couldn't place it.

  “The guardians got a solid lead. We have to follow up with it,” he replied, with a shrug of his shoulders. “You'll be safe here.” His expression changed, growing harsh and hard with a red gleam in his eyes. “I doubt we will be there for very long. The humans won't be any kind of match for a team of pissed off werewolves.”

  Taylor inhaled deeply, pushing past her hurt feelings to say, “I don't want you to go, Marrok. I just don't feel like it's this easy. Carlos isn't the type of man to slip up. Something's wrong, somewhere.”

  He stopped and looked down at her, his features hard enough to be carved from stone.

  “Doubting my abilities again, Taylor?”

  “No,” she denied, vehemently, but he cut her off.

  “You sure know how to unman a man,” he told her, his voice cold as ice. “As much of a

  weakling as I am, it's amazing I was ever able to become a guardian. Maybe Alexander's judgment is flawed as well, trusting me to protect the pack.”

  “I don't mean it like that,” she insisted, but he just continued to glare at her.

  “I'm going to collect what I'll need for this mission. I just wanted to let you know I'll be gone.

  The guardians left behind will continue to protect you, around the clock. When I come back, we'll talk.”

  “Marrok, please,” Taylor cried out, not wanting him to leave with things so bad between them.

  “I don't feel right, leaving things like they are.”

  “When I come back,” he told her firmly, walking away. He disappeared into the dark night,

  without a backward glance.

  * * * * *

  The man dressed in black laid his binoculars back down on his chest, before climbing down the

  tree. He dropped down to the ground silently, landing beside his accomplice. Gesturing for him to follow, they made their way deeper into the forest.

  Once they were half a mile away, the first man pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. Pressing a key to dial a programmed number, he waited for it to be answered. When it was, he smiled, his grin cold and cruel. “It's George. Everything is going according to plan. The werewolf warriors are gearing up to move out. They plan on leaving within the hour.”

  “Very good, George,” a chilly male voice replied. “You've done your job well. Will the woman

  be left behind?”

  “As far as I can tell,” George replied. “She seemed to be hanging onto one of the men there, but he didn't want anything to do with her.”

  “Was she now?” the chilly voice turned lethal. “Which one was it?”

  “She called the werewolf, Marrok. He's a big bastard, and he looks Native American or

  something.”

  “That's very interesting news, indeed.” He said no more on it, but he didn't need to. George

  knew the werewolf would soon find himself dead or captured. Nobody pissed the commander off and walked away. It simply didn't happen. He was cold as fuck, and that was saying a lot coming from a man that killed as easily as he did.

  “What do you want us to do now, Commander?” They weren't the only ones there under

  employment from the research facility. There were others, but they were spread out around the area.

  After he got his orders, he'd let them know what to do next.

  The other man laughed. “Remain where you are, George. The night is still young. Let me know

  when they fly out. I'll give you your orders, then.”

  “Whatever you say, Commander,” George replied. “You're the boss.”

  “That I am,” he agreed, coldly. “That I am.”

  * * * * *

  Taylor stood next to Carole Anne, watching the helicopters prepare to leave. Although it was

  late at night, the airfield was bright and lit up, the noise deafening. She was surprised at the sheer number that was leaving. They were using the same large, military-styled helicopters she'd arrived in, and they held quite a few people.

  The rest of the pack was bloodthirsty and excited, but Taylor felt cold and numb. The feeling

  that all was not right intensified, but there was nothing that she could do to stop them. Marrok and the guardians were convinced that they'd located Carlos, and nothing would deter them in vindicating their own.

  Her eyes were locked on the aircraft Marrok was on, but she couldn't see him within. They

  hadn't spoken again since his announcement about his departure. He had boarded with Alexander, not looking back. Her eyes watered, but Taylor quickly blinked them away. She would not embarrass

  herself, or him, by crying in public. There would be time to fall apart later, once she returned to the cold, lonely bed she'd once shared with her hot-blooded mate.

  Carole Anne gripped her arm, her expression one of misery, despite her attempts to hide it. As Queen of Wolves, the other woman was expected to take everything calmly. It was an awesome

  responsibility, and one Taylor was glad she didn't have. Carole Anne wore her crown well.

  The first of the three helicopters lifted off, the wind from the blades blowing her hair away from her face. She quickly smoothed it back down as she watched it hover in the sky. Her heart was heavy in her chest. How many of the guardians would return, as alive and whole as they had been when they left?

  A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Marrok stepped out of the

  helicopter, his eyes immediately locking with hers. Dying embers caught fire, flaring to life within her, the heat burning her alive.

  The forceful wind stirred his short braids as he walked purposely in her direction. She barely noticed when Carole Anne's hand slid from her arm as the other woman smiled and stepped back.

  Taylor had eyes for nobody but him.

  Within seconds, Marrok was there, gripping her upper arms as he pulled her to him. “I couldn't leave you without doing this,” he bit out, taking her lips forcefully with his.

  All too soon he pulled away, releasing her arms to fall back numbly to her sides. Stepping away, he gave her one, last intense look, as if he were memorizing the very features that made up her face.

  “When I come back,” he reminded her, his words full of promise.

  With that, Marrok turned and walked away, taking her heart with him as he got back on the

  helicopter. The tears overflowed, running down her face. She wasn't capable of holding them back, anymore.

  Within minutes, the two remaining helicopters were gone. Taylor watched the one carrying

  Marrok, until she could no longer see its lights. He was gone. There was nothing left to do but try to make it through until he returned.

  Several of the pack members left, returning to their homes and beds. As queen, Carole Anne

  would stay until the last minute. Taylor rem
ained with her, not wanting to leave her alone. She dreaded returning to her empty house. Nothing awaited her but a sleepless night and a fountain of tears.

  Carole Anne smiled wanly, her face pale. “I always hate it when Alexander has to leave me, but thankfully, it's not very often. Do you want to spend the night at the manor house? I won't say it'll be a fun girl's night, we're much to heartbroken for that. I will promise you, though, I've got unlimited alcohol, something I think we both need.”

  Taylor nodded, her ears still ringing from the sound of the helicopters. “I'd like that. It will make it easier on my guards, maybe. I think they are about to die from boredom from watching over me.”

  Ivan and Elena walked up to them, their expressions sad. There was only a handful of people

  left, and the guardians were fixing to kill the lights. “It's time we left, ladies. Elena and I will see you home before heading home ourselves, unless you want to stay over with us?” They adored the woman Alexander had mated and loved her like a granddaughter.

  “Taylor is going to stay with me, tonight. After that, I might be taking you up on that offer, though. It depends on how long Alexander will be gone.”

  “You're always welcome, dear,” Elena responded with a smile. Although she was Alexander's

  grandmother, she only looked a few years older than the younger women. Werewolves were just one step shy of being immortal, and the aging process, at least physically, was almost non-existent.

  The group of four weary werewolves moved toward the empty jeep that would return them to

  Wolf Town. The remaining guardians were waiting for them to get inside before shutting down the lights. None of them could have been more unprepared for the convoy of vehicles that quickly raced up the road. Before they knew it, they were surrounded.

  At the same time, several men stepped out of the forest, heavily armed with rifles. One of them stepped forward, his rifle directed at Carole Anne. “I want all the Guardians to step out and join your queen, here. Unless you want to see her shot,” he yelled, loudly.

  Ivan growled, his eyes glowing menacingly. “Who are you, and what the hell do you want with

  us? Put the guns down, before you get hurt.”

  The man laughed in response. He was dressed in black from head to toe, his face darkened to

  help him blend in with the night. “Our rifles are filled with silver bullets, asshole. One wrong move out of you, and we will fill these women full of them.”

  Connor, Hunter, and several other guardians cautiously stepped out of the air tower control

  building. They overheard the man's words and knew the situation was dangerous. As guardians, there number one concern was protecting the royal family. It was a job they took seriously, even if it meant their own lives in the process.

  “Let them go,” Connor said, his hands held up in the air. “Any business you have here can be

  dealt with by me.”

  “Shut up, Guardian,” the man replied. “The boss is coming, and he'll be telling us what to do.

  Not you, and you better get used to it. If you even leave this place alive.”

  They moved to stand beside Ivan, Elena, Carole Anne, and Taylor. Several men rushed into the

  building, weapons raised. It was apparent to all that they weren't strangers when it came to abductions.

  A man got out of a jeep, leisurely making his way over to them. He was tall, powerfully-built, his shoulders held back and ramrod straight. Horror quickly dawned on her when she realized who it was. He stopped several feet away, his smile cold and calculating as he greeted her. “So Taylor, we meet again. Miss me?”

  Taylor swallowed hard, refusing to let him see the fear that nearly choked her. “Fuck off,

  Carlos,” she replied, her voice strong despite her terror.

  “Interesting you should mention the word fuck. If memory serves me right, you seemed to miss

  the fuck I had scheduled. Don't worry, though. According to my charts, it won't be long until your next ovulation.”

  Taylor's eyes moved to the other wolves around her. “Let them go, and I'll willingly come with you.”

  “No, Taylor,” Ivan hissed out. A soldier stepped forward, holding a long, metal rod. He jabbed it into Ivan, hitting the flesh of his neck. Immediately, he fell to the hard ground, convulsing across its surface. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, adding to the nausea churning in her stomach.

  Carlos ignored him, staring at Taylor with his rodent shaped eyes. “I would have thought you'd be glad to see me, especially with the drugs wearing off. You're past due for your next injection. It's interesting that you aren't ill by now, but maybe they don't wear off as quickly on you. Lucky for you, though, I brought it with me. Step over here now, or your friends will suffer for your disobedience.”

  Taylor knew well that Carlos didn't make false threats. She stepped away from the group and

  moved next to him, her expression revealing nothing. A man in a lab coat walked up, quickly

  administering the injection into her arm.

  “Very good,” Carlos drawled, smiling with satisfaction. “You've caused quite a bit of problems, Taylor. Because of you, we've had to scramble to set up a new facility. Our new accommodations aren't quite as grand as the ones you were used to, but you won't notice. You'll be kept chained to my bed, so you won't be seeing much of the sights, I'm afraid.”

  Taylor watched Ivan, relieved to see him sitting back up. The skin on his neck was raw and

  oozing, but he refused to give them the satisfaction of showing any pain.

  “You sick bastard,” Connor growled out. His anger was completely at odds with his generally

  jovial personality. “What kind of man has to chain a woman to have her?”

  “The kind you don't want to fuck with,” Carlos ground out in response. He turned to the man at his right. “Get this vermin caged up. I don't want to see them again until we get back to New Mexico.”

  Connor moved, his actions so fast that it took her mind a second to process it. Before the guards knew it, three of them were lying on the ground, their throats slit from the knife he'd pulled out of his hidden sheath. Another guard shot him, but it didn't stop him from grabbing a fourth and breaking his neck.

  Carlos yanked her to him, inching back in the direction of the jeep he'd arrived in. Shots rang through the night, as Connor hit the ground, unmoving. Taylor held back her screams, but the horror of seeing his still body devastated her. She didn't want Carlos aware that his drugs were no longer working.

  She watched helplessly as a tractor trailer pulled onto the airfield. The soldiers lifted the back door, revealing several silver cages. Taylor knew this routine well. They would force the werewolves in before gassing them into unconsciousness, leaving them no possibility for escape.

  One of the soldiers kicked Connor hard before laughing. “What do you want us to do with this

  dead piece of trash?”

  Carlos smirked at the sight. “Leave him as a warning to the others. I want them to know we are aware of their existence and fear it. It just makes it so much more rewarding when we come back to collect them.”

  The soldiers quickly forced the others in, closing the door and padlocking it after they had them in the cages. Nausea bubbled up her throat. She hated seeing the ones she'd grown to love forced into captivity. Her mind raced as she desperately sought a way to save them. “Where are you taking us, Carlos? After all, the facility has been destroyed.”

  He pushed her in the direction of the jeep with a rough shove. “Surely, you aren't stupid enough to believe we wouldn't have a backup facility, are you? Even funnier, it's right there in New Mexico.

  Nobody would ever dream that we have one so close, but that's the beauty of it.”

  She stopped in her tracks before turning to face him. “Maybe I'd prefer you to kill me right now, rather than return back with you.” Taylor was bluffing, but she didn't want him to know it.

  He laug
hed again, his dark, swarthy features cruel underneath the artificial lighting. He moved up until he was only inches from her face, staring her down. “I thought you might try a trick or two before we left, so I thought I'd better bring an incentive.”

  He pulled a picture out of his shirt pocket, holding it up so she could see. It was an elderly couple sitting side by side in recliners, their faces lined hard with age. She couldn't make out a lot in regards their surroundings, except for the floor tile and sterile, white walls.

  Taylor shrugged, looking back at him. “What has this got do do with me, Carlos?” she spat out.

  “Those people are nothing to me, though, you've really sank to an all-time low by abducting elderly people.”

  “Look again, Taylor,” he replied, his voice smug. “Take a long, hard look at the people we're

  holding. They might have changed in the years since you were away from them, but I believe you're smart enough to still recognize them.”

  Taylor peered closely at the picture, suspicious of what he was saying. A tiny seed of fear took root in her mind, growing as she carefully took in the features of the couple in the picture. It was all she could do to keep her face neutral and calm as she looked back at him. “Is that my parents?”

  “Very good,” he responded, sliding the photo back into his pocket. “Indeed, it is your parents.

  For right now, they are safe. Their ongoing safety depends upon you, Taylor. Go against me, and my soldiers will blow their heads off, guaranteed. Now get in the damn jeep. We've wasted enough time here, already.”

  Her mind reeling with shock, she didn't put up a fight as he forced her cruelly into the backseat.

  Her eyes flickered up briefly to the dark night sky, wishing for her mate. He wouldn't be charging in to save her now, at least, not anytime soon. It would take time for him to even discover what had happened, much less locate them.

  Her blood turned to ice as she thought of her prior captivity. Marrok hadn't been able to find her the first time, and thirty years had passed her by. What if he couldn't find them this time? A trickle of cold sweat ran down her forehead. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she'd never make it another thirty years in captivity.