Page 126 of Callen's Captive
“Because I think I know who your parents were and what got them killed.”
* * *
CALLEN
Callen had known Hayden for a long time, ever since Hayden had come to their pack, broken and desperately in need of shifters he could rely on, shifters who would protect him while he healed. From the beginning, Callen had trusted and respected him before Hayden had even had a chance to prove his loyalty to the pack. There was simply something about the shifter that made him special. Honorable, unlike so many others, especially the pack of white wolves he had fled.
On the other hand, Hayden was a charmer and had his pick of the single females in the pack. Callen had never given a second thought to Hayden’s ability to attract women until now. Whatever it was Hayden was saying to Kate had Callen and his wolf on edge. Kate was laughing and looked more relaxed than he’d seen her since this whole mess began.
Callen was thankful Hayden wasn’t holding a grudge against her, that he hadn’t called for her exile or worse, her death. Yet Callen’s insecurity was at an all-time high right now. She had questioned the foundation of their relationship and now she was laughing and being very friendly with another male.
She didn’t think Callen trusted her. He did trust her. He didn’t know how or why Drake had latched onto Kate, to mold her into attacking Hayden, but he was damn sure Kate hadn’t manipulated Callen to fall in love with her, let alone blood-bond her. He was never as sure of anything in his life as he was of his love for Kate. He just had to prove that to her.
A barrage of gunfire over their heads forced everyone to the ground. There had been no warning, no howl from Callen’s patrols or smell in the stagnant wind. A dozen or more mercenaries surrounded the camp. The WSSO had broken through the perimeter and reached the heart of their pack without any forewarning.
Hayden upended the table and pulled Kate down with him. Already on the edge of the tree line, Callen slipped into the shadows to circle behind the humans. By his count, six humans, in snow camouflage, had surrounded the camp, but there could be more. Until they moved, or the wind picked up and carried their scent, he wouldn’t know for sure.
The humans had boxed in roughly eighty shifters, most of whom had taken cover in the cabins. Only fifteen or so remained in the heart of the camp, without cover.
“Kate Whittaker, I know you’re there,” boomed a male’s voice from the woods.
Fucking Briggs.
“I have the main camp surrounded. By my count, that’s at least fifty shifters including children. Surrender yourself and my team and I will leave, without shooting anyone. Otherwise, we’ll shoot at everything that moves, and then we’ll burn this place to the ground.”
When she didn’t answer, flames shot through the woods, striking two of the cabins. The cabins caught fire, and twenty adults and children ran into the center of the camp. Someone yelled for them to get down.
“That was only a demonstration, Kate. Of how easy it will be for me to pick them off or burn them alive. I really don’t care how they die. And they will die if you don’t surrender.”
Callen continued weaving his way through the woods toward the man with the flamethrower, even as Briggs shot his gun into the air. Several cries from his packmates pierced the eerie quiet of the woods. The innocent shifters in the center of the compound were scared.
“You have thirty seconds to show yourself!” Briggs yelled.
Callen could hear Hayden arguing with Kate, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.You better keep her safe, Hayden!
“I’m coming out,” Kate said.
No!
But there was nothing he could do. Hayden—the bastard—had let her step out from behind the safety of the table to sacrifice herself for the camp. Callen pushed himself faster, sacrificing stealth for speed as he moved behind the mercenary. Another few feet, and he could take out the man with the flamethrower.
Now a white wolf—Hayden—stepped out into the open and joined Kate. She had her hand on the top of the wolf’s head. If he weren’t so scared for her right now, Callen knew he’d growl at that subtle, intimate contact she showed another male. Callen forced himself to calm. Hayden wouldn’t sacrifice her; Callen was sure of it. Kate was as much his responsibility now as anyone else in the pack, and Hayden was loyal to the pack. He had to trust that Hayden had a plan.
With a stupid grin on his face, that asshole Briggs stepped out from the cover of the trees. “Keep walking. Leave your shifter lover behind.”
“Do you want me or the USB with the files, Briggs?” Kate pointed to the silver pendant dangling from Hayden’s neck. “Let’s see which is more important to you.”
Hayden charged toward Briggs. As Briggs raised his gun, Hayden changed directions and darted into the woods at an incredible speed. Briggs spoke into his earpiece. Six humans left their spot around the camp and tore into the woods after Hayden. By Callen’s count, Briggs and five others remained behind.
A flash of silver fur appeared off to Callen’s right. Damien was in position. Twenty yards off to Callen’s left, a tan wolf, possibly Frank, stood with his head low and his legs ready to leap. Callen couldn’t see a soldier in that direction, but if Frank was there, it was for good reason. Callen waited for Damien’s signal.
A scream broke the silence. Callen charged at the soldier in front of him, ripped out his throat, and kept running toward Kate. Except she wasn’t there.
Ice and snow burst from the ground around him as gunshots exploded into the camp. More screams followed, those of the kids. Callen ran, lost his footing on the turn and ended up in the sights of a mercenary. Damien slammed the man from the side. Two more mercenaries burst from the trees, the flash of gunfire lit the area as they shot at Damien. Callen leapt through the air, knocking both down, then slid on a patch of ice into a tree. The impact dazed him long enough for one of the soldiers to retrieve his gun and aim.
A nearby howl was all the distraction Callen needed to pin the guy to the ground, clamp down on his neck and twist until he heard a snap. He bounded over to Damien, who was bleeding from a gunshot wound to his right leg. Frank finished taking out a mercenary Callen hadn’t seen.
“My baby!” one of his packmates screamed as a mercenary grabbed a child. Molly, the four-year-old who didn’t talk much but loved to fish with her dad.
