Buried and Shadowed (Branded Packs #3) Page 10

  “What do you think is happening?” she asked, her eyes downcast. She might be able to fight for her life, but she was still a submissive wolf, after all.

  “I don’t know.”

  Just as Holden answered, the gates began to creak. Mandy froze, her hand sliding into Gibson’s since he was closer than Oliver. The large metal gates that had only opened in the past if there was a full legion of guards on the other side slid apart.

  Only there wasn’t anyone there.

  “It’s a trap,” Gibson said softly. “It has to be.”

  “What does this mean?” she asked.

  “Are they letting us out?” Ariel asked, leaning into her mate.

  “I don’t know,” Holden said softly. “I don’t know.”

  Just then, four guards came forward, yet they weren’t wearing or carrying guns. Instead, they had their hands up and their eyes downcast.

  Holden, Jonah, and Andrew walked forward as one, three Alphas with one thing on their minds—their Packs.

  “What is going on?” Holden asked, his voice low. But Mandy noticed he was very careful not to be full wolf. Restraint in front of the humans.

  The smallest guard stepped forward, his gaze still down. “Our bosses are gone. We don’t know what’s going on, but there’s a movement.” He paused. “You can come and go. But stay here in case the leaders of the SAU come back. But for now…” he trailed off. “I don’t think you should be forced to stay inside.”

  With that, Mandy leaned into Gibson. She’d never once stepped outside the gates, never seen the world without the veil of being trapped.

  The Alphas spoke to the guards, but whatever was being said, she couldn’t hear them. It was all too much for her. She was afraid to hope.

  Were they free?

  Could they be?

  “Gibson,” a voice whispered from behind them.

  She turned, and Gibson let out a curse before pulling her behind him. Oliver went to her side, and the three of them slowly moved away from the large group of shifters discussing their futures and toward a man—a wolf—she had never met before.

  He wore no collar.

  Bore no brand.

  But he was Alpha.

  He was Unseen.

  “Sinclair,” Gibson growled. “What the hell are you doing here, and why are you inside the compound.”

  Sinclair raised his chin. “Things are happening much faster than I thought. I don’t know if this is the only compound being freed, but be careful, it’s not over yet. Not by far for the SAU.”

  “So you came here to warn us?” Oliver asked.

  “Who are you?” Mandy asked softly.

  “I’m Sinclair, little wolf,” Sinclair said in a low voice, his eyes bright. “The Alpha of the Unseen near here. And I need your help.” He looked between the three. “Any help I can get.”

  She squeezed Gibson’s hand, a little fear sliding through her. If this wolf needed help despite the power he so clearly held, something was wrong. And it couldn’t be that much of a coincidence that the SAU just happened to somehow let them out of the compounds without a fight.

  There was an undercurrent here she didn’t understand, but she would be damned if that remained the case forever.

  Because these were her mates, this was her Pack, and if this Alpha needed help, they would find a way to help him.

  And then they’d find their future.

  Her pain, her needs had been buried for far too long. This was her time now. Her Pack’s time.

  They were Pack.

  They were branded, but not forgotten.

  And maybe, just maybe, they were free.

  Shadowed

  Prologue

  Not even the most vigilant guard noticed the wolf as he slid through the thickening shadows. Still, Sinclair was careful to avoid the pools of morning sunlight that filtered through the wooded area that was thick with pines and moss.

  Approaching from the opposite direction, the black wolf with a white stripe down his muzzle was being equally careful. By mutual consent, they halted in the deepest part of the trees.

  Times were dangerous for the various Packs. And about to become even more so.

  There was a blur of magic as both wolves shifted into their human forms.

  “You’re tempting fate by being here,” Holden Carter, the Alpha of the local Pack warned.

  Sinclair’s lips twisted. He was Alpha of the Unseen Pack. The handful of shifters who dared the threat of death to remain hidden from the humans.

  “I’ve been tempting fate my entire life.”

  Holden gave a short laugh. “What do you want?”

  “I just came to give you a heads-up.”

  The air prickled with heat. Holden’s power was a tangible force.

  “More trouble with the SAU?”

  “They’re growing desperate.” Sinclair nodded toward the nearby compound that had once been a prison. Only days ago, anyone trying to leave would have been shot on sight. “Every right you’ve managed to earn for our people has threatened their hold over us.”

  Holden’s eyes went wolf. “We’re not stopping now,” he growled.

  “I know that,” Sinclair said, holding the man’s burning glare. “And so does the SAU.”

  It took a moment before Holden realized what he meant. “You’re expecting a backlash?”

  Sinclair shuddered. “On an epic scale. Which is why I intend to strike first.”

  Holden stilled. He clearly hadn’t been expecting Sinclair to move so quickly.

  “What are you planning?” he asked.

  Sinclair allowed a slow, satisfied smile to curve his lips. “Complete exposure.”

  Holden gave a small nod. “You have the evidence?”

  “Enough to make them sweat.”

  “When?”

  Sinclair’s fierce sense of anticipation briefly dimmed. There was a loose end that had to be tied up before he would allow anything to happen.

  “As soon as I make sure my contacts are safe,” he said.

  Holden folded his arms over his chest. “What can we do?”

  “Brace yourselves.”

  Chapter 1

  Finished with his self-imposed task of warning the Pack compounds of the impending threat of outright war, Sinclair at last returned to his lair that was hidden deep in the mountains near Boulder.

  Remaining in his wolf form, he squeezed through a small crevice between two massive rocks and entered the area protected by a circle of towering hills. He halted, absorbing the rich scent of earth and evergreens and crisp water that flowed through the nearby stream. A deeper breath filled his senses with the soft musk of the shifters that lived in the Pack.

  Home.

  With a pleased growl, he allowed his magic to flow through his veins. A shudder of ecstasy shook his body, power shimmering around him as he shifted into his human form.

  Once again he was a dark-haired man with icy blue eyes.

  Bypassing the homes that were built among the trees, he entered his lair that was hidden in a shallow cave near the stream. Quickly, he pulled on jeans and a T-shirt before he headed directly to a cabin that was twice the size of the others.

  There were solar panels on the roof as well as a large generator at the back. Since the Unseen had to remain off-the-grid, they’d improvised by building their own grid. And Rios needed the majority of the electricity they produced to keep his computer system up and running.

  Rios not only used the technology to keep surveillance on their Pack, but he also monitored the shifter compounds from around the world. Plus, he’d hacked into the network of the local SAU to keep track of their movements.

  The jaguar was a god when it came to computers.

  In fact, the only one who might be better than Rios was Mira Reese.

  His good mood instantly vanished.

  Mira was a human female who worked for the CDC in Fort Collins. Over the past two years, he’d made it his mission to seduce her. Not physically. Or at least, no
t yet. No. It’d been an emotional seduction, using the shy computer expert’s vulnerable feelings for him to convince her to become a spy for the shifters.

  He’d deliberately put her in danger, and now she was out of touch.

  During his grueling journey from compound to compound, he’d tried to ignore the fact that he hadn’t been able to contact the female. It was the only way to complete his duty without going nuts. Now, he unleashed his iron control and allowed the full impact of his concern for Mira to slam into him.

  He was an Alpha of an outlaw Pack that had infiltrated the SAU. He was on the verge of risking open war with the humans. There was no doubt that he was accustomed to carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  But this worry for Mira…

  It burned like acid in the pit of his stomach.

  Without bothering to knock, he shoved the door of the cabin open and stepped inside.

  Rios was already on his feet. There was no way to sneak up on a shifter. Especially not the edgy jaguar who was addicted to coffee and soccer.

  The tall, slender male with dark hair clipped close, black eyes, and rich, golden brown skin left the bank of computers that were lined against a paneled wall to stroll forward.

  Across the room were more computers and various monitors, and stacks of servers that filled the air with a low hum.

  “Welcome back, amigo,” the younger male said.

  “Have you heard from Mira?” Sinclair demanded in clipped tones.

  A dark brow arched, golden eyes glowing with a wry humor.

  “Hey, Rios. Good to see you. And thanks for holding down the fort while I was gone,” Rios mocked Sinclair’s lack of manners.

  Not that Sinclair gave a shit. He wasn’t Alpha because of his good looks and charming personality.

  He was Alpha because he was a ruthless predator that preferred to kill first and ask questions later.

  He narrowed his eyes in warning. “Well?”

  “Not a word.”

  “Damn.”

  Rios studied him with a searching gaze. “It’s just been a couple of weeks since you last saw her,” he pointed out. “What’s got you so wound up?”

  Sinclair abruptly moved to stand at the window that offered a perfect view of the waterfall. It wasn’t the beauty of nature, however, that had him turning away from his friend. Nope. It was his need to hide his fierce emotions.

  “She’s been taking too many risks lately,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. The last time he’d met with Mira, she’d done her best to dismiss her concerns, but he’d known that she was worried. Hell, he’d been worried when she confessed that she’d ordered computers from Novo-Auction that contained hard drives that had survived the purge. It was exactly the sort of thing that would attract the attention of the SAU. Frustration, and something far more dangerous boiled through him. “I’m afraid she’s attracted the attention of our enemies.”

  “Fine,” Rios conceded. “I’ll go check on her.”

  “No. You stay here.” Sinclair turned. “I’ll go.”

  Rios scowled, folding his arms over his chest. Dressed in a Denver Broncos sweatshirt and a pair of loose sweatpants, he should have looked like a typical computer geek. But no one could miss the lethal power that smoldered in his golden eyes and crackled in the air around his lean body.

  “You just got back,” he said.

  Weariness wrapped around Sinclair like a shroud. He’d barely slept in the past two weeks. But there was no way in hell he was staying here when Mira might need him.

  “I’m aware of that,” he forced himself to retort. “I promise I’ll shower and change before I head out.”

  Rios refused to be distracted. “That’s not what I meant.”

  Sinclair heaved a sigh. “Just spit it out, Rios.”

  Rios took a step forward. “You’re the Alpha.”

  “And?”

  “And if this female’s been compromised then you can’t risk exposing yourself,” Rios said, the air prickling with the heat of the younger male’s inner cat. “Not until we’ve done our Grand Reveal.”

  Sinclair blinked. “Grand Reveal?”

  Rios gave a wave of his hands. “Every turning point in history has a name,” he explained. “D-Day. Remember the Alamo. Let them eat cake.”

  “Hmm.” Sinclair had to admit that the next few days promised to become the stuff written in textbooks. But he wasn’t fond of the title. A grand reveal sounded more like something that happened in a strip club. “I might have to re-think our history program.”

  Rios moved to grab Sinclair’s shoulder. “Your place is here, Sinclair,” he said in low tones. “Let someone else take care of the female.”

  Sinclair’s hands clenched, the need to find Mira becoming an overwhelming compulsion.

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why?”

  That was the question, wasn’t it?

  Over the past couple of months, he’d become increasingly…aware of Mira. The delicate scent of her skin. The rebellious corkscrew curls that she tried to keep tamed in a braid. The pale skin that he ached to lick from head to toe.

  Still, he hadn’t realized just how deeply she’d managed to dig beneath his skin until his calls to her had gone unanswered.

  Suddenly, she’d gone from a tool in his plot to save his people, to a vital part of his existence.

  How or why, or what it truly meant, wasn’t something he was going to consider.

  Not until he was sure she was safe.

  “I was the reason she agreed to help us,” he said. “If she’s in trouble, it’s my fault.”

  Of course, the damned jaguar wasn’t satisfied. A part of the reason he was second-in-command was the fact that he was capable of sensing hidden emotions.

  Which was why he spent so much time alone with his computers.

  “You’re a leader,” Rios said. “You can’t be responsible for the decisions made by all of your followers.”

  A part of him understood the logic. He had a hundred shifters in his Pack, plus even more allies that were hidden amongst the humans to act as his spies.

  Each of them accepted that being a part of the Unseen’s secret plot to destroy the SAU would put them in danger.

  “Mira isn’t a follower.” He tried to explain the unexplainable. “She’s a human, not a member of our Pack. Hell, she’s not even a believer of our cause.”

  Rios continued to study him with that assessing gaze. “I’m assuming you didn’t force her,” Rios drawled.

  “Not technically.”

  Rios lifted his brows. “Is there a non-technical way to force someone?”

  Sinclair swallowed a growl. Why had he never noticed just how annoying his companion could be?

  “I used her attraction to me to coerce her into using her position at the CDC to get the intel we needed,” he admitted.

  “Hey, my motto is use it or lose it,” Rios said.

  Sinclair rolled his eyes. The handsome jaguar didn’t have to worry about losing it. He’d been breaking female hearts for years.

  “I took advantage of her,” Sinclair said in grim tones.

  “And now you feel guilty?”

  He felt a lot of stuff. Most of it a tangle of emotions he wasn’t prepared to share with anyone.

  “Yeah, I feel guilty,” he said.

  Rios’s teasing expression settled into somber lines as his hand tightened on Sinclair’s shoulder.

  “I get that, amigo. But if something happened to you-”

  “Then you would take my place,” Sinclair interrupted. “But nothing is going to happen. I’m going to find Mira and bring her here. End of story.”

  With a curse, Rios accepted the inevitable. Taking a step back, he squared his shoulders. He might argue with Sinclair when he thought the older male was wrong, but he never forgot who was the Alpha.

  Sinclair’s word was law.

  “How can I help?” he asked.

  “We’re on the clock,” Sinclair
said. He, better than anyone, understood that they had limited time to turn public opinion in their direction before the SAU decided that genocide was the only way to control the animals they both feared and hated. “I want you to collect all the intel we have and streamline it into one cohesive document.”

  Rios nodded, already distracted as he considered the vast amount of work waiting for him.

  “Okay. Is that all?”

  Sinclair braced himself. He knew his next request was going to ignite Rios’s very short fuse.

  “Then I want you to work with Bree so she fully understands the timeline, as well as the evidence that we have to back up our claims.”

  Golden eyes smoldered with the power of his cat as Rios’s breath hissed between his teeth—almost as if he’d been punched in the stomach.

  “You can’t be serious.”

  Sinclair shrugged. He’d never asked what’d happened between his top lieutenant and the female wolf who passed herself off as a human and worked as a newscaster at a Denver television station.

  He just knew that when the two were in the same room, the air prickled with a heat that indicated a desire for naked, sweaty sex…or murder.

  Unfortunately, Sinclair didn’t have a choice but to force the two to work together.

  “She’s our PR point person, and the only one with access to the media,” he said, his voice warning that he wasn’t offering a suggestion. It was an order. Period. “Who else would we trust to do our…” He grimaced as he tried to remember Rios’s name for the upcoming battle. “Grand Reveal?”

  “Fine,” the younger man said.

  “This is important, Rios,” he warned. “She’s going to stand before millions of people and denounce the SAU. She has to be fully prepared to answer any question. Got it?”

  Rios dipped his head, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek as Sinclair’s power thundered through the air.

  “Got it.”

  Chapter 2

  Less than two hours later, Sinclair was driving his pickup through the streets of Fort Collins. Like most cities, the town was a weird combination of abandoned homes, burned businesses, and tiny pockets of civilization that struggled to remain impervious to the destruction around them.