Soul Mates Box Set 2 Read online

  Travis drank his beer, nursing his growing hatred for Lucas Tarchannen.

  If only I could get him out of the way….

  A low ranking Omega, Travis understood he didn’t have a chance at beating the higher ranking wolf in a fair fight.

  I would love to inflict as much pain on him as he has caused me.

  He took a long swig of beer.

  “—accused of torturing helpless animals, Dr. Alfred Jessup has been arrested for countless violations of the Animal Welfare Act. If you remember, our Channel 8 News Team was the first to bring you this story last month when one of his research assistants came forward with these shocking allegations.”

  The news anchor’s voice filtered through his thoughts and he focused on the television above the bar.

  “Standing outside of the courthouse is Channel 8 Special Reporter, Melanie Jennings. Good Evening, Melanie. Any word on charges being filed?”

  The news anchor disappeared as the field reporter’s image filled the screen.

  “Thanks, Audrey. In a surprising decision by the District Attorneys’ office, they have dismissed all charges against Dr. Jessup.”

  “Dismissed? But he tortured—”

  Audrey the news anchor censored herself and allowed the field reporter to continue.

  “Though it seemed horrific to the general public, Dr. Jessup stood by his research and experiments. Here is some footage we shot earlier as Dr. Jessup and his lawyer left the courthouse.”

  The video showed two men being interviewed by the reporter. The man she identified as Dr. Jessup was average height with untamed salt and pepper hair. His traditional mustache needed trimming and his suit was slightly wrinkled. He adjusted his glasses as he listened to the reporter’s question. His overall appearance suggested an academic, an intelligent man concerned with important scientific issues.

  The man standing beside him was a stark contrast. His lawyer, Peter Wells III, wore an expensive tailored blue gray suit. Clean shaven and well groomed, the young lawyer took pride in his appearance. His smug smile revealed his joy in successfully ending the prosecution of his client. Moreover, he was delighted for the free publicity he was currently receiving from Channel 8 News.

  “My research focuses on alleviating chronic pain,” Dr. Jessup said. “Over 1.5 billion people suffer from chronic pain worldwide. Aside from the obvious need to alleviate pain and suffering in humans, there are economic repercussions as well.”

  He adjusted his glasses.

  “People who suffer from chronic pain miss work. This not only affects their ability to earn higher wages, it affects the profit margin and productivity of businesses. When people suffer from pain, everyone loses,” Dr. Jessup explained to the reporter.

  Dr. Jessup’s words seemed sincere but there was something about him that made his wolf agitated.

  His eyes were shifty.

  I’m sure that if he were standing beside me, I would catch the distinctive scent of a lie.

  “Dr. Jessup, aren’t you in direct violation of the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals?” the reporter asked.

  Glancing at her notes, she continued her probe.

  “What I’m referring to doctor, is the statement that, ‘…there is a moral imperative to prevent or minimize stress, distress, discomfort, and pain in animals—’”

  Dr. Jessup gave her a patronizing smile.

  “To cure chronic pain, first I had to find the pain pathways. Only by understanding pain could I then devise a way to prevent it.”

  Wanting to show off his excellent research skills in the matter, his lawyer interjected, “Given the nature of his research, Dr. Jessup is actually protected by the Animal Welfare Act of 1996. According to the United States Code, Title 7 Agriculture Chapter 54, under subsection a.3.D, subsection (i) which states ‘no animal is used in more than one major operative experiment from which it is allowed to recover except in cases of— scientific necessity.’”

  His pulse increased.

  “It was scientifically necessary,” explained Dr. Jessup with a disturbing smile.

  “Which is why the Public Health Service and the District Attorney’s office dismissed all charges against my client,” his lawyer said.

  The clip ended and the screen was replaced by field reporter Melanie Jennings.

  “As you heard, the charges have been dismissed by all regulatory agencies, including the Public Health Service, which oversees animal treatment. This is field reporter Melanie Jennings, Channel 8 news.”

  Melanie disappeared and the news anchor returned.

  “In other news today—”

  Deep in thought, Travis tuned out the news anchor.

  Chapter One

  Gathering her courage, Serena crept toward her closet. A man’s silhouette passed by her window. She ducked down, laying flat against her cabin floor.

  Her stomach churned.

  What if they catch me?

  Her ears strained to catch any sounds that suggested they were aware of her betrayal. Heart thundering in her ears, she heard nothing but her ragged breathing. At once, she clamped her mouth shut and held her breath.

  An owl hooted loudly beyond her window, startling her into motion. Scooting along the floor, she made it to her closet and retrieved her duffel bag. Clasping it to her chest, she stayed against the wall, walking slowly toward the bedroom door.

  Her footsteps seemed to echo loudly in the cabin as she made her way to the front door. Grabbing her keys from the hook on the wall, she reached for the knob.

  What am I doing? I’ll never survive without a pack. It’s just too dangerous out there. But if I stay, will I survive him?

  The thought of him sent her scurrying out of her cabin, into her SUV and racing along the only road out of Tarchannen.

  Once the last cabin was out of sight, she relaxed her grip on the steering wheel.

  Her eyes darted from the road to the rear view mirror. Gradually, her racing heart slowed to a normal pace.

  In a moment of weakness, she decided to say goodbye to her best friend, Evie. Parking on the side of the road, she shifted and sprinted to Evie’s cabin. She scratched anxiously at the Wolf Door.

  “Who is it?” Evie called out.

  Serena-wolf responded with a high pitched, anxious whine.

  “Come in slowly,” came the muffled response.

  She pushed her head through the Wolf Door, lifting it slowly. She whined pitifully.

  “Serena?”

  Serena-wolf barked softly.

  “Come in, come in!” Evie insisted.

  Serena-wolf entered through the Wolf Door and shifted into her human form. Naked, she shivered in the kitchen.

  “I’m in trouble, Evie. Remington—” Her voice broke.

  Evie held her as she cried. When her sobbing finally subsided, Evie led her to her bedroom. Evie gave her a robe then built a cozy fire.

  “Are you hungry?” Evie asked.

  “I haven’t eaten all day,” she confessed. “I really don’t think I can keep anything down.”

  “I’ll make some ginger tea. It will help settle your stomach. Lie down and I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Evie said gently.

  She curled up on the bed, staring at the fire. A few minutes later, Evie returned, carrying a small tray with two delicate tea cups.

  Evie forced her to drink half a cup of tea before asking, “What kind of trouble are you in, Serena?”

  “Oh, Evie! I—”

  She took a deep breath and made her confession.

  “I ran away from Remington,” she whispered.

  Evie’s mouth hung open.

  “You’re supposed to be mated tomorrow, Serena.”

  “I know,” she cried.

  She covered her face, sobbing loudly. Evie put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  Evie asked, “Serena, what happened? Most women would be flattered to be his mate. Remington is an alpha. He is rich. Powerful. Handsome...i
n a rugged way. I know at least half a dozen women who are envious of you.”

  “I know, Evie. Believe me, I know. I should be flattered—grateful—that his father chose me to be his mate.”

  She sniffled.

  “So what happened, Serena? Why did you run away?”

  “I just…I can’t be his mate, Evie. He’s so.…” She hung her head before continuing, “He’s so aggressive. S-s-sexually.”

  “Oh,” Evie said.

  “We’re not true mates, Evie. I feel nothing for him. No sexual attraction whatsoever. He hasn’t touched me yet, but he is so….”

  She left the bed and paced in front of the fire.

  Her stomach lurched.

  “Every time he’s near me, when we are alone, he touches me. He’s always grabbing my ass, my breasts. He even touches me—he keeps—grabbing me—between the legs, cupping me. And that’s not the worst, Evie. He says things….about what he will do to me after we’re mated. Things he expects….”

  A wave of nausea made her pause in front of the fire. She leaned against the mantle for support.

  “I just can’t be his mate, Evie. The last four months have been awful. I dread his touch.”

  Turning to face Evie, she confessed, “I get this feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach whenever he’s near. I can’t live the rest of my life like that, Evie. I just can’t.”

  “I’m sorry, Serena. Having a mate shouldn’t be torturous, even if he isn’t your true mate,” Evie said.

  Evie got off the bed and held her trembling hands.

  “Serena, I hope you realize that the Tarchannen Tracker will hunt you as soon as the pack realizes you’ve left.”

  “It’s not the Tracker I’m worried about,” she whispered.

  She feared Remington himself would search for her.

  She tasted bile.

  “If he finds me….”

  Her body trembled.

  She refused to say aloud the penalty for her crime. According to Tarchannen Pack Law, Remington must choose between raping, killing or selling her to another pack. He could also choose to beat her in front of her pack then mate her, but knowing Remington, his ego would never allow him to mate with a wolf that abandoned him. Serena shuddered and hoped he would have the decency to kill her, rather than sell her to another pack.

  “What are you going to do, Serena?”

  “I’ve already done it, Evie. I’ve run away. I just have to keep running.”

  “Oh, Serena, where will you go? You cannot seek refuge from another pack. Any alpha you encounter would be forced to return you to Remington.”

  “I realize I will have to stay away from packs,” she said.

  Evie cleared her throat.

  “What happens if you run into a Rogue?”

  “I will stay as far away from other wolves as possible, Evie.”

  “Then how will you ever find your true mate?” Evie asked.

  Her shoulders slumped.

  “I…guess it will never happen for me, Evie,” she said quietly. “But it doesn’t matter. A life on the run is better than a life with Remington.”

  “Serena….”

  Evie stood and walked over to her. Not knowing what to say, Evie hugged her tightly.

  “I will do what I can to help you, Serena.”

  Evie released her then went to her walk in closet. She returned a few minutes later with a thick envelope. Puzzled, she took the envelope and opened it. She glanced at Evie, tears filling her eyes.

  “It’s ten thousand dollars. Not much, but enough to get you the hell out of here and hopefully off his radar for a while.”

  “Evie.” Her voice cracked. “Thank you. Thank you.” She hugged Evie and sniffed. “I know you are taking a huge risk by helping me.”

  “That’s what friends are for, Serena.”

  Evie gave her a gentle squeeze before releasing her. Evie searched her room for a small bag that would fit around her neck. She took the envelope, placed it in the bag and zipped it up.

  “I better get going. I want to get as much of a head start as possible.”

  Serena stripped then shifted into her wolf form. Evie set the bag around Serena-wolf’s neck and they walked to the Wolf Door. Evie gave her one last hug before Serena-Wolf disappeared through the Wolf Door.

  After Serena-wolf left Evie’s cabin, she dashed through the forest, anxious to return to her vehicle. Once she reached her silver SUV, she shifted and removed the bag of money that hung around her neck. Dressing quickly, she locked herself in the compact SUV.

  She withdrew a thousand dollars and placed it in her purse. She stuck a few bills in her bra then hid Evie’s small bag in her duffel bag. Driving as safely as she could, she sped away from Tarchannen territory.

  Knowing the Tracker and fearing Remington himself would pursue her in the morning, she had to get as far away from Tarchannen as possible. She drove nearly two hundred miles to a major city. She drove to a busy part of town and parked her SUV. Remington had purchased the SUV as a wedding gift for her and she felt slightly guilty as she abandoned the SUV. She left the SUV unlocked, the keys clearly on the passenger seat, as though she had forgotten it.

  Hopefully someone will steal this SUV and Remington will waste time tracking the thief instead of me, Serena prayed.

  She went into a restaurant and called a cab. Within the hour, the cab had dropped her off at a busy international airport.

  This is far enough away from Tarchannen that Remington will have no power here.

  She stood by the ticket counter.

  No passport. That means no international flights. I’ve gotten this far. Now how do I stay ahead of him?

  She chewed on her bottom lip.

  “I hate waiting for connecting flights,” a high pitched voice whined.

  “Quit it, Jimmy. I’m hungry. Let’s get something to eat before our next flight.”

  A connecting flight. I could go from one city to the next. That should buy me some time.

  She purchased her ticket, using cash that Evie had given her. She even bought several tickets for different destinations at different counters, so that if Remington ever made it to the airport, he wouldn’t know where she had gone.

  Twenty four hours after Serena fled her mate, she walked into a small motel room and collapsed on the bed. Mentally and emotionally exhausted, she slept almost twelve hours. When she awoke, she took a long hot shower and dressed in a pair of comfortable jeans.

  She counted her stash.

  This isn’t going to last. I need to find a job.

  Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she needed to eat. She walked to a nearby diner and ordered lunch. On the way back to her motel, she picked up a local newspapers.

  I need a job that will keep me safe. Invisible. Away from chance encounters with a wolf.

  She opened the newspaper and went to the classifieds section.

  Waitress and cashier are out.

  She flipped the page.

  I don’t have any training to be a medical professional.

  Ah, this is perfect. Childcare Assistant at a daycare.

  She scribbled down the information and consulted the map she had picked up at the front desk earlier that day. The daycare center was two blocks away.

  What if someone sees me on the way to and from work?

  She studied the map, searching for other routes to and from the daycare center. Finding alternative routes soothed her wolf and she began to prepare herself for the interview. She called the daycare center and an interview was scheduled for the following day.

  Serena was thrilled when she was hired. Having babysat Pack children in Tarchannen, Serena was comfortable with human toddlers. Her manager told her that as soon as her background check came back, she could start work. Serena thanked her profusely and desperately wished she could call Evie to share her good news. Knowing that she couldn’t risk Remington tracing the call, she decided she would keep a journal instead.

  ***

  With a g
lance, Robert analyzed the man who had just walked into his office.

  Average height.

  Salt and pepper hair, trimmed and combed neatly.

  Traditional mustache, neatly trimmed.

  This man takes pride in his appearance but only because he wants to project a certain image.

  Clothes clean but wrinkled. Common suit, not too pricey but not cheap either.

  He had money but his vanity lay elsewhere.

  He plastered a professional smile on his face.

  I bet it has something to do with that briefcase he’s carrying.

  He stood, extending his hand.

  “Robert Roland,” he said.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Roland.”

  His grip was surprisingly firm.

  He didn’t introduce himself. Withholding information. Why?

  He waved to one of the vacant chairs in front of his desk.

  The stranger nodded then sat in the other chair.

  “Blue Falcons? What an odd name for a security firm.”

  “Falcons is Trade Marked. Blue Falcons isn’t,” Robert replied.

  He settled back in his leather chair.

  “I need a group of men who can keep their mouths shut.”

  Robert leaned forward.

  “My team is ex military. We’re professionals, Dr.?”

  The stranger’s lips pulled back in a curious smile.

  “How did you know?”

  He tapped the side of his nose.

  “Have a nose for…scientists.”

  Robert leaned back in his chair.

  “My name is Dr. Jessup and I work for a private company. Genesis 23.”

  He withdrew a tablet from his leather briefcase.

  “I need you to protect my team from these…beasts,” Dr. Jessup said.

  Robert took the tablet and watched the grainy video.

  A group of men moved aside to reveal a large man, bound in handcuffs and shackles. His scarred chest was bare and he wore a pair of ugly gray gym shorts.

  “I fucking hate prisons,” he said, banishing the image of his father.

  “Keep watching, Mr. Roland. I think you’re in for a…treat.”

  A grating voice commanded the prisoner to shift. He remained still, eyes focused on the crowd in front of him. A minute later the bound man, screaming in pain, fell to his knees. His skin bulged as bones pushed outward. His body shrunk as fur rapidly covered his bare skin. A large gray and black wolf stood in the captive’s place.