Pack Gems by Kuro Kusai, WhiteWolf Aura (free ereaders TXT) 📖

outside, in front of a sleek silver and green motorcycle.

"Wow, nice wheels." Taylor said as she walked around his bike.

"Yeah, that's my baby, Triumph Daytona 675 SE Sport." Axel spoke in admiration as he took the silver helmet that was sitting on the seat off of it and placed it on his head just as Mason came around the corner of the cabin wheeling his own bike, a blue and white BMW HP2 Sport.

"Never would have pegged you guys for bikers."

"Gets me around," Mason remarked as he took out his own helmet and placed it on his head.

Axel revved his bike as he lifted the shield of his helmet, "We leaving or what?"

"Well, which bike am I riding?" Taylor asked.

"Mine." Mason ordered, "Get over here and put your helmet on."

"Oh, I think I feel like riding with Axel."

Mason glared at them briefly before he took off down the dirt trail.

"Okay, grab my spare helmet and hop on." Axel told Taylor. "I don't want him to think we're slow."

Taylor hopped on and they peeled out, trying to catch up to Mason.Once they had, they didn't travel far before Mason decided to stop at a local dinner.

Axel made a face as he got of the motorcycle.

"What?" Taylor noticed his grimace.

"Hate this terrain for my bike."

"Quit whining, we have more important matters at hand. Hey, isn't this the place you first spotted us at Mace?"

Mason remained quiet as he walked into the dinner, and claimed a table, with Axel and Taylor following after him. Axel took the chair against the wall and turned it over, so he was sitting on it backwards with his back to the corner. Mason, turned his chair towards the door as Taylor did the same thing, they all made a triangle.

"What can I get you, boys?" The young waitress asked with a little too much enthusiasm.

Mason raised an eyebrow at Axel, "I'll take a coffee, and a blueberry muffin."

"Same for me," Axel added.

"I want a steak, medium rare please." Taylor said loudly to show that there were more than just boys at the table .

The waitress gave her a once-over and wrote her order down.

They waited for the girl to retreat, then put their heads together,"So you heard everything that went on outside right?" Mason asked.

Axel nodded, not the least ashamed he'd listened in.

"So what do you think we should do about Kaden's situation?"

"Welcome her into a pack, what else can we do?"

"So, what about Taylor? If the pack that she left finds out where she is they will probably want her back too."

"Then she joins your pack."

"So, what you guys are saying is the only way to keep us together…is to put us into separate packs?" Taylor asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, two added females in one pack would give it an advantage.' Mason answered.

Taylor had almost forgotten the fact that before they had stumble upon them, Axel and Mason were rival alphas, each fighting to gain more territory for their respective packs.

"This would have never happened if the California pack hadn't showed up."She grumbled loud enough for them to hear.

Axel's eyes went distant for a second as a new thought bloomed in his mind,"We have a traitor in our midst."

Chapter 13: Bike Stealing & Shotgun Wielding

~ Taylor's POV ~

 Taylor's breath hitched in her throat,Why hadn't they thought of this before? They had attacked when there was almost no wolves around. It was too perfect.

And now they gave them another wide open opportunity.She only hoped the new guards on shift would stay strong--

She'd be fine.She was okay.

That was the mantra Taylor repeated over and over in her head as the pavement raced under her.

But she realized she made the same mistake twice in les than 24 hours.

Taylor had left Kaden on her own.

She couldn't believe she had stolen Mason's bike....Although, this beat running. But she didn't have time to enjoy the feel of such a powerful bike under her.She barely even registered the few cars that blared their horns as she cut them off in an effort to shave time.

Please be o--

"Shit!!"

Taylor about swerved into a minivan doing ninety as the pain racked through her skull and slid down her leg.The pain confirmed their worst fear...and almost through her off the bike.

It wasn't always good to have this sharing ability.But who knew she'd have picked such a trouble brewing wolf?

Taylor wasn't experiencing Kaden's pain first hand, only a small dose of it. And that meant Kaden was rolling in pain.Taylor revved the handle, willing the bike to go faster.

It wasn't until the bike pulled in view of the house that it occurred she had no plan of action.Going in guns blazing was always more of Kaden's thing...but it would have to do.With a mental shrug Taylor hopped off the bike while it was still attempting to screech to a halt.

Tearing open the door, it took her breath away.Laid before her eyes was a scene of carnage.

Cracked plaster, jagged pieces of shattered mirror, torn upholstery, bullet littered walls and--

Blood.

Kaden's blood.

The air was thick with her scent.The blood trail painted a vivid picture in her mind of what had happened.

Taylor choked back a sob as she saw the Kaden-sized dent in the wall and the blood that pooled around the spot on the floor.

They shot her with silver bullets...

Taylor saw red.They couldn't have gotten far.

She was just about to run back out to Mason's, hopefully still working, bike when the pounding registered.

"Who..?" Taylor narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

The door to the basement had been barred shut with a giant oak cabinet and the other couch that had been missing in the living room.

"...Who's there?" Taylor walked up to the door, hoping that one of the kidnappers had been left behind.She needed someone to take this anger out on.

"It's Lucas!"

"...Luke? What the hell?!" Taylor shoved aside the blocked furniture with ease...why hadn't they?

Wrenching the door open, she came face to face with the barrel of a shotgun. With a jerk of her body, she almost fell on her ass trying to back out of range.

"It is you..." Lucas lowered the gun with a sigh of relief.

"What were you....hiding in here?!" Taylor's anger mounted.

Lucas only gave her a weak smile as he fell from the top of the stairs all the way down.

"Lucas!"

She took her first step down the stairs, it made a squeak of protest followed by a low growl.Taylor proceeded down the steps, the scent of Kaden's blood still clogging her senses. She reached the bottom landing and proceeded to prop Lucas up against the wall.

The growling increased.

Who the hell?

With one brief glance at the unconscious Lucas she gave him a silent promise she'd be right back.But what Taylor found around the corner only wanted to make her fall to her knees.

A familiar dark grey wolf coated in its own blood.The wolf, still warily, baring its fangs at her, was Calvin.

"Cal..." she tried to keep her voice even.

Cal snarled louder and attempted to step toward her even though there were chunks of flesh missing from his back.

Taylor wrinkled her nose at the smell overpowering the blood.

Silver.They had both been shot by with silver bullet, like Kaden.

She clamped her teeth together and tried to remain calm. Calvin had no human reasoning in his eyes, he was lost to his wolf, and he was losing blood fast. She had to remain calm.

"It's me Cal." she stated firmly, looking into his fading eyes.

He shut his muzzle but still didn't look at all approachable.

Taylor looked past his form to see that all the cells containing the prisoners were intact.Not a one had been rescued.

"Cal, you've done your job."

The wolf put its ears back.

"I--"

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY BIKE?! Do you know the irreversible damage you've done making me ride back with--"Mason's voice stopped; clearly he just stepped into the house.

"Down here. Hurry." She kept one eye on Cal.

Mason was at her side at once.With a sharp intake of breath he dropped to a crouch beside Calvin.

"Get me the first aid kit. And get on the phone with Emma, tell her we have injured wolves here she needs to tend to...one being her mate."

Taylor didn't mind taking these orders. No questions asked.She grabbed the phone from him, walked up the stairs dialing 'Emma's Cell'.

"This is Emma."

"Emma this is Taylor."

"What are you doi-"

"We have injured wolves here, Lucas and Calvin."

"...Cal?" her voice shook.

"Emma!"

"Okay, I'm on my way." She hung up without saying good bye.Slipping the phone in her pocket she hoisted the overused first aid box out of the kitchen cabinet.

"I've got it." Axel was there.

He slipped the box from her shaking fingers.

"Thanks." With a nod at his receding back she stood in the kitchen doorway, overlooking the torn up living room.

Where were the other guards?

White hot anger shot through her.No doubt Cal and Lucas were trying to question the prisoners when the rest of them had attacked.

But being injured in their previous fight, they were in no state to defend anyone let alone take care of themselves.Their attackers must have tried to spring the other trapped comrades in the basement, only to open the door and find a pissed off wolf and a shotgun wielding blonde man.

She felt a surge of pride, almost soothing her anger.They had tried to get out and help...only to be overwhelmed and pushed back...

"Oh my!"

Taylor eyed the open door and a growl leapt from her throat involuntarily.

In the room, walked a woman wearing a brown tailored mini skirt and a cream blouse.Her auburn curls brushed back into a clip at the base of her neck.

Bree.The very wolf that had challenged Taylor during the pack run.

"You." Taylor's voice was dripping with anger and promise of pain.

"Where the hell were you?" Taylor wasn't excepting any answer excusable short of death itself.

"Getting a latte down the street....What happened here?"She asked the question like Kaden had merely stained the furniture.

"Oh...!"Audrey's fair blonde hair peeked out from behind Bree.

"You both were supposed to be here? And you left?" She was trying to keep her voice even but it was steadily raising octaves.

"What happened?" Audrey's brown eyes widened as both women shuffled into the room holding their precious lattes'.

"Why did you leave this house unattended?"

"Calvin and Lucas were here." Bree's hazel eyes rolled.

Rolled! I'm gonna kill her.

"Yes. Two INJURED wolves, leave them to guard the prisoners..."

And my wounded friend...Although she supposed they couldn't have cared what happened to Kaden.

"So," Bree took a long sip of her latte "They caught the rest right? Killed a few?"

It was in that moment Taylor's logic took a flying leap out the window...

Chapter 14: Unleashing a Latte Pain