Nadia
“Hey,” Cole snaps, his hands tightening on my waist. I blink and look up at him, focusing on his face as he frowns down at me. And then I look around, realizing that we’re in the nurse’s bunk tent.
When the hell did we get here?
“Are you all right?” he asks, all stern.
I frown at him again. “I’m fine.”
Cole narrows his eyes. “You’re not fine. But you will be. Okay? I need you to trust me on that.”
I blink up at him, hope and clarity coming to me as I realize that…dad was right. I do have a royal connection. Cole took that phone for a reason. He’s – he’s going to make some phone calls – he’s going to fix this –
I straighten my shoulders, nodding to him. Cole’s eyes move over me and he nods too, buying it. “Go and wash up, okay?” he says, lifting his
Nadia God, but my butt hurts.I shift uncomfortably on the wooden bench that I’ve been sitting on since the ferry station opened at dawn, glaring up at the departure board as I’ve been doing for hours, waiting for my ferry’s dock to be announced – across the bay, back home. Far, far away from Cole fucking Kincaid, that Alpha jerk who claimed me last night – in front of his entire family, in front of my dad.I scowl, turning over the events in my mind for the millionth time, getting just as steamed and mortified about it as I was since the moment it happened.That smug jerk coming down the formal staircase inside the damn palace while I was just standing around waiting for dad to stop talking to the King so we could go. I knew I shouldn’t have listened to dad when he said it would be no big deal to wait for me there – I haven’t gone back to the palace since I was eight for a reason.I hate those stupid royal wolves – I never wanted to see them again.And the moment Cole had seen me
Rage flares through me as I stare up at Cole Kincaid, taking in his broad shoulders, his thick black hair, his tanned skin and slightly stubbled cheeks. And, of course, those fucking blue eyes that look like they’re staring right through me.It pisses me off even further that I have to tilt my head so far back to look into his face. I mean, I am not a short woman.“What are you doing here?” I sputter, already seething.“What am I – Nadia! What the hell are you doing here!?”“I’m going home,” I snap, tossing out a hand toward the boat behind me. “Or at least I was, until –“I gasp, my eyes flaring wide before I glare so deeply I can barely see between my narrowed lashes.“Cole,” I growl, “did you fucking cancel this ferry? To keep me here!?”He narrows his own eyes, stepping forward to loom over me. “Did you think I was going to let you go, Nadia?” His voice is low with anger, all rumbly and threatening. “You’re my fucking mate –““Oh, lay off!” I shout, stepping back and starting to t
ColeI take a deep breath, my eyes focused on my father at the front of the room as he debriefs his generals and counselors on the assault we’re beginning on the Children of Solace – a separatist group turned cult that we’ve recently discovered has been harming our citizens.“We’ll take any military volunteers we can get,” dad murmurs, leaning over a page full of data regarding the numbers we need, my sister Iris at his side bending over to look as well. “Some will aid reconnaissance teams as they collect information on the Children of Solace, and a smaller party to protect aid workers as they provide their own unique assistance.”I keep my eyes focused on dad as my brother elbows me in the side. “No doubts about which crew you’ll be volunteering for, right? Considering that’s what Nadia signed up for after you dragged her back from the ferry and her dad hauled her ass out of here?”I turn my head just slightly to glare at him. “Shut up, Jude.”“Nah,” Jude says with a happy sigh, grin
ColeI stare out the window of the train as it chugs south, passively admiring the beauty of this area of my country. I expected it to be flat, but mountains climb high in the distance, all red and umber, their craggy cliffs extending far into the desert that stretches around us. There are hills and craigs – much more to look at than I thought there would be. It is absolutely stunning and I suddenly feel remiss that I haven’t spent much time here before.But I can barely admire the beauty, distracted as I am by the anxiety that roils in my heart. My wolf howls, pacing in slow circles, knowing that we’re drawing near. And that even if I can’t wait to get there… the next few months are going to be hell.“Why so glum, Kincaid?” One of my men slumps into the booth seat across from me.I turn my head and sigh as I take in Greg Jenkins, one of the six corporals who volunteered to come on this mission as a guard under my command. I frown at him, my eyes moving quickly over his tall form, the
ColeI turn, sighing out my nose, meeting Nadia’s eyes as she stands slump-shouldered next to a shorter girl with long, straight red hair and a lovely round face. The new girl looks between us, shocked.I just take a deep breath, clenching my jaw, holding Nadia’s gaze steadily and not saying anything. Just…letting her see with my complete intransigence that I’m not kidding. Not at all.“Wait,” the redhead says, her eyes going wide with surprise and then delight. “Seriously? Is that him!? The Alpha who claimed you!?”Nadia doesn’t respond, just standing straighter now that her initial surprise has passed. She crosses her arms over her chest and glares so hard at me that I wonder if she’s trying to make me explode with the power of her gaze alone.“Wait, what?” Another young woman with wavy light-brown hair steps to Nadia’s other side and stares between me and my mate. “Is that – is that him!?”“It’s him!” The redhead hisses, grinning eagerly at her friend.“Well, what the hell, Nadia!”
Nadia I bounce back and forth between Shayne and Grace, scowling the whole time as we rumble over unpaved roads into the wilderness of the southern desert. It’s so uncomfortable that I barely have time to mull over my continued fury at Cole Kincaid.Unfortunately, my friends aren’t nearly so interested in silent rage.“Nadia,” Shayne whispers, tucking her long red hair back behind her ear and glancing over at the Alpha seated at the end of our row. It’s not Cole, but it may as well be – they’re all built the same. Gigantic, muscled, brutal, stone-faced.Okay, fine. Cole is taller and…better looking than the others. But my point stands – all Alphas are cast from the same crappy mold.“Nadi!” Shayne bites out, using my oldest nickname. I snap my head to her with a frown, realizing I missed whatever she just said. Shay looks at me like I’m a little nuts and then glances towards the back of the transport where Cole is seated. Grace leans in, wanting to be in on this. “Seriously, why didn’
NadiaI sigh, looking down and shaking my head, a little ashamed that I put my personal complaints over the mission. Dad is right, as usual – I need to concentrate on the big picture.I feel dad’s hand warm on my shoulder and look back into his face. “I didn’t know until this morning,” he says softly. “Don’t let his presence throw you off, okay? You’re here for a job, so is he. It doesn’t need to be anything beyond that. Your focus should be on the people you’re helping.”I nod deeply, willing myself to the job even as I know that it’s going to be…difficult. I have trouble, sometimes, letting my temper and my passions distract me from my work. But dad has always had my back, and I know he’ll have it again if I need it. When Cole brought me back from the train station dad was frantic with worry – he hadn’t known where I’d run to. But as soon as I’d cried and told him I didn’t want to be there anymore he’d made our excuses to the king and got me the hell out of there.Dad has my back, a
Nadia“A lot of people are going to be coming out of that place,” dad says, his voice dropping, more emotion coming into it now. “Humans, wolves, soldiers, civilians. Women, kids. All kinds. Some will be wounded, some will be fleeing the only home they’ve ever known. It is our job not only to receive these people but to give them whatever it is they need – medical care especially, but also pointing them toward therapists and social workers to ensure that they’re taken care of emotionally and setting up for their future. Those much smaller teams will arrive later tonight and tomorrow. But it’s important to know that you will be on the front line of care.”The responsibility settles on my shoulders and I straighten them a little, instantly accepting it. Because honestly, this is why I decided to take a nursing degree in the first place. There are so many people who are hurt and damaged by the communities who are supposed to care for them.I should know, after all. My mother was raised i
Nadia“Hey,” Cole snaps, his hands tightening on my waist. I blink and look up at him, focusing on his face as he frowns down at me. And then I look around, realizing that we’re in the nurse’s bunk tent.When the hell did we get here?“Are you all right?” he asks, all stern.I frown at him again. “I’m fine.”Cole narrows his eyes. “You’re not fine. But you will be. Okay? I need you to trust me on that.”I blink up at him, hope and clarity coming to me as I realize that…dad was right. I do have a royal connection. Cole took that phone for a reason. He’s – he’s going to make some phone calls – he’s going to fix this –I straighten my shoulders, nodding to him. Cole’s eyes move over me and he nods too, buying it. “Go and wash up, okay?” he says, lifting his
Nadia“Dad wants a meeting,” I say, gesturing to my father with my thumb.“That’s unnecessary,” dad says, pitching his voice higher so Cole can hear. “My meeting is with you, Nadia.”I slowly turn to him with a frown, narrowing my eyes. What on earth is going on here?Cole murmurs to Tommy and another of his guards for a moment, clearly ordering them to take the same command with the boy pups that Shayne and Grace just took with the girls. He moves quickly towards us.“What’s going on?” Cole asks, slipping his hands into his pockets.“It’s not your concern, Captain Kincaid,” dad snaps, glaring at Cole.Cole just looks evenly at dad, his expression turning cold, clearly implying that if dad’s meeting has to do with me then it damn well does concern him too.Dad glares between us. &ld
NadiaCole laughs, quite pleased with himself, and I straighten up, my hand clasped in my towel over my chest. “If you please, sir,” I snap, eyes still closed. “I’d like my privacy while I dress.”“Back into your dirty clothes?” My eyes snap open in time to see Cole raise an eyebrow at me. I realize that he’s right – all my clean stuff is at my bunk.“Oh, shut up,” I mutter, stooping to gather up my dirty outfit.“Come on,” he says, reaching for me, aiming to put his arm over my shoulders again.I squeak, darting past him so he can’t touch and fucking ensorcel me with his stupid body – which is probably all warm -“Get back here!” Cole calls, laughing as I dash past him out of the shower room.“No!”“Do it!” he shouts after me, laughing
NadiaI scowl as I blush, which feels appropriate when one is stripping down in a little cubicle with Cole Kincaid naked on the other side of a very thin wall. There are four little showers here, all in a row, and each not only has a curtained shower stall but also this little dry cell next to it with its own curtain to block out the rest of the room. But luckily, we have the shower room all to ourselves for now, which is rarely the case.“You good over there?” Cole calls.I stop with my shirt pulled halfway over my head. “Why would I not be good?” I snap.He laughs, low and pleased. “I can just hear you seething.”“Oh, shut up.” I finish pulling my shirt and bra off in one go, throwing them on the floor.“Was that your shirt?”“Cole!”“Wait, so, are you topless?”
Nadia“All right,” Cole says, nodding to the pups. “I want everyone to remain in wolf form, and young ladies, I’d like you in two even lines on either side of the boys, please.”Janine looks up at me. “What’s a young lady?” she whispers.I laugh, tapping her on the nose and whispering that she is, quickly giving her an explanation that makes her smile.When all the kids have lined up Cole holds his hand out to me. I take it and together we move to the front. “You ready for this?” he murmurs, glancing down at me.I shrug, looking up at him. “I was born for this.”Cole smiles, exhausted but terribly pleased with me, and together we walk into the camp with one little wolf girl in my arms and twenty-five pups following neatly behind. Tommy’s mouth falls open as he sees us approach. He quickly radios for backup,
NadiaCole frowns down at the boys. “No, I’m not going to kill you,” he says, steady and strong. “I don’t come from a world where we kill children. We raise them and educate them in warm and happy homes. If you obey, you will be given food and warm clothing, you’ll be sent to school. You’ll be safe and protected – and you won’t have to work until you’re much older and can decide what jobs you’d like.”A confused little hum starts in the children, the girls looking at me, clearly wondering if this promise extends to them as well. I slowly nod, dedicating myself inwardly to ensuring that that promise is kept.“But it all starts with you all falling into my command,” Cole says, steady and unyielding. “Can you do that?”Most of the little boys immediately nod, great smiles breaking out on their faces. Only the
Nadia“Fine,” I say, turning my hand over and nodding towards the backpack which I can’t reach anymore. “You handle that, I need to bandage this,” I say, nodding down to the little girl’s cut arm. It’s not deep, thank god.Cole nods and quickly grabs the backpack, passing it to the closest girl, who hands it to me. I concentrate on being a nurse as Cole turns back to the boys.“Who sent you?” Cole asks, voice rough and displeased. He crosses his arms, glaring down at the little ragged crew, some of whom sniff and look miserable. Others just stare at Cole, fully awed.“No one sent us,” the head boy says, his head hanging. I note for the first time that he’s a handsome little boy, larger than the rest, with brown hair and freckles over his cheeks and nose. “Or, well, we’re scouts, so our Superior sent us. But we attacked you because
Nadia“Wake up!” A voice snarls. “You are our captives now!”I lurch out of sleep, my eyes flashing open. They widen at the sight in front of me.But I barely have time to process the sight of the little boy baring his teeth at us, a sharp knife clutched in his hand, a whole pack of other little boys gathered behind him before a vicious snarl erupts from Cole, whose arms tighten around me.I gasp – but then the whole world goes to shit.Chaos reigns as all of our little girls seem to leap to their little puppy feet at once, yelping and barking and snarling, some lunging at the boys who shout and wave knives, or shift and attack. Other girls dash behind behind rocks or tuck themselves into the shadows. Janine cries out, pressing herself closer to me as Cole launches to his feet, pushing me behind him as he shifts into his wolfI shout, clutching Janine to me
NadiaWe run for about thirty minutes, I think – but even after that relatively short time, I can see that the pups are flagging – weak, exhausted, starving. Cole barks twice and slows, allowing the pups to catch up as he moves into the shadows of a cliffside, well protected from sight. When we’re all tucked in he lowers himself to the ground. I help Janine climb down and then follow after her, looking curiously up at Cole as he shifts back.“Think we’re far enough away?” I whisper.“As far as we’re going to get,” he murmurs. “They’re flagging. They need food and water.” He looks carefully around, sniffing the air. “I think we’re okay for now. I haven’t sensed anyone near all night.”I nod, trusting him to know far better than me.“Let’s get the sandwiches out,” he murmurs, lifting his head towards the ba