Ryder kept touching him, either holding his hand or stroking his arm and sometimes his hip. Maarten tried to keep from thinking about why he was laid up in the sick ward or whatever they called it there. There were things he couldn’t deal with, and how close he’d come to death was one of them. Later, when he’d had time to heal and the pain was a faint memory, he’d perhaps not shirk away from thoughts of it.

  “We’re going to go crash.” Harley hugged Ryder and gave him a peck on the cheek, then surprised Maarten out of his funk by planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek, too. “Get better soon, Maarten. We’d love to hang out with you both sometimes. Val and I will be heading back to Sedona when all of this is settled. Marcus wants us here until then.”

  “He seems very nice,” Maarten managed once he was alone with Ryder. ‘Nice’ being a replacement for ‘bland’. Harley didn’t seem to have Ryder’s fire.

  Ryder grinned and shook his head as he sat on the bed beside Maarten. “No, Harley isn’t big on excitement or anything like that, but he’s a good brother, solid, steady.”

  “Sounds like Luuk.” Maarten loved his brother, but he had no illusions that he’d ever be the man Luuk was. That was okay. They were different because they were meant to be so.

  “Maybe I’ll get to meet him some day.” Ryder stood and touched his cheek. “You scared me, Maarten. Don’t ever try to die on me again.”

  Something niggled its way from Maarten’s brain out of his mouth. “Why didn’t they give me the pill—”

  “They did.” Ryder pushed Maarten’s hair back from his face, tenderness softening Ryder’s features. “They did, and you still almost left me.”

  Maarten tried to make sense of that but couldn’t. “I don’t understand. It has always mended any injury. I shouldn’t still be in this bed—how many days later?”

  “This is the fourth day,” Ryder told him.

  Maarten gawped at him. “Four days? And I am still feeling like cold shit?”

  “There was something on the bullet, in it, I don’t know for sure, but it was a poison. Either what Shania gave you didn’t help, or it saved your life, and the poison was bad enough shit that even the treatment that saved Marcus could only prevent your death, rather than heal you.”

  “That completely sucks,” Maarten grumbled. “I would have to end up being resistant to the treatment, for whatever reason.”

  “Shania has yet to isolate or figure out what it was that made you so ill. She’s found something, but she doesn’t know what.” Ryder kissed his brow. “I’m just glad you’re back.”

  “When do I get to leave this place?”

  “The medical centre, or the compound?”

  Maarten wouldn’t have minded going back to the relative safety of Amsterdam, but Luuk had sent him here in the name of diplomacy—and hadn’t that gone well. Plus, Maarten had been at odds with Luuk, jealous not of his position, but of the fact that Luuk had all the packs while Maarten had none.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking,” Ryder urged, wanting Maarten to talk to him instead of having to delve into his mind for whatever Maarten was thinking.

  Maarten sighed and wished he could roll onto his back, but his shoulder was still sore. “I was thinking that I was a melodramatic brat and a fool who was too busy pouting over things that I knew were true. I wasn’t cut out to be an alpha. Not every big, muscle-bound shifter is. If Luuk hadn’t been ambushed and almost killed for his position, I’d have just kept being a regular shifter.

  “But he didn’t, and I gathered together some of his loyal followers and my friends. Because Luther wanted me, he didn’t kill me or bother me overly much.” Maarten scowled. “To think he ever believed I would have sex with him! Ugh. I put up with his come-ons and groping. I let it all go to my head.” And he hated to admit it, but it was true. “My ego. As if I needed a bigger one.”

  “I like your ego,” Ryder said gruffly. “I like all of you.”

  Maarten shrugged and whimpered. Damn, that hurt.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t do that.”

  “No kidding,” he told Ryder. “Thank you, for liking me. I like me most of the time, too. I still let myself think more of me than I should have, and when Luuk returned to power, the pack that had followed me and fed my ego disbanded to blend into the Amsterdam pack Luuk led, as Marcus heads this one here himself. I felt…unwanted, I suppose. Unnecessary, and bitter. How petty I was.” No wonder Luuk had wanted him gone.

  “We all get lost sometimes.” Ryder kept touching him, kept kissing his brow, his cheeks, his lips while speaking. “I was lost for twenty years, Maarten. That’s a long time. Longer than I bet Luuk was gone.”

  “A little over three years,” he admitted.

  “Right, so about three years. I had twenty years of letting drugs run my life. I did bad, bad things. Stole from people, sold my body, whatever I had to in order to get high.” Ryder pulled back, staring at him. “Does that make me a horrible person today, right this minute? I don’t think so. I think I’m a work in progress, and it’s up to me to decide what I want for myself. I want to be better, and I want you. What do you want, Maarten?”

  Maarten’s eyes burnt and he wondered how he’d got lucky enough to have such a smart mate. “I want that, too. I don’t want to feel like all I am good for is my looks or to be the foil and fool.”

  “No playing dumb anymore,” Ryder said.

  “How did you know?” Maarten used it as a defence. It hurt less for people to think he was dumb because he acted that way than because he was himself and they truly thought he was an idiot.

  “Because I know you. I spent three days in your head, in your heart and soul. Don’t you remember, don’t you feel a part of me still in there?”

  Maarten blinked and knew he had to look sort of stunned because yes, he could feel Ryder in him, not like a thought or memory, but a part of him, melded to his soul forever. “Yes.”

  “That’s how you are in me, now, too. We’re not ever going to be complete without the other from this moment on.”

  * * * *

  After much arguing, Marcus finally got it through Keegan’s head that yes, Marcus would be waiting on the tarmac when Aidan and Zane finally arrived. There’d been no new attacks, no more disturbing messages, since Maarten had been shot. Marcus didn’t for one second believe the murderer had given up, but he wasn’t going to hide away forever. That would be a victory for the bad guy, and it wasn’t happening.

  Besides, Aidan and Zane had been led on a chase by Juanita and Guillermo before finding them and getting the siblings to listen to them. Marcus was just glad they’d come willingly, otherwise he was sure Aidan would have tied them up and dragged their asses onto the jet.

  “Should be landing in five,” Keegan said. Marcus tipped his head in acknowledgement. As a compromise to keep Keegan from bitching any more, Marcus had agreed to remain in the Hummer rather than stand outside as an easy target. The Hummer’s windows were tinted almost black, and the vehicle itself was armoured. Marcus didn’t take chances on some things, and there were three other Hummers identical to the one he and Nathan were in, all on the grass beside where the plane would come to a stop. If there was a sniper out there, he wouldn’t have an easy shot.

  Until Aidan and Zane arrived, but even then, they’d arranged for the jet to pull in at an angle that would allow them to drive the line of Hummers up right beside it. All Aidan and the others would have to do was get down the steps.

  “Here it comes,” Nathan murmured, watching intently. Marcus did too, not relaxing much even when the jet landed and stopped. He thought they were safe, but until Aidan and Zane were in one of the vehicles, he’d worry.

  The exit door was opened and a line of guards strode to the steps. As soon as Marcus saw Aidan, his heart sped up. He leant forward, instincts clamouring suddenly. “Something—”

  “What—” Nathan said when Aidan backed up.

  “Is something wrong?” Keegan twisted around to look at Marcus.

  “Yes,” he and Nathan replied together. Marcus held up a hand. “I don’t know what.

  Tell Aidan to stay in the plane.” Keegan was on the phone spitting out orders instantly. “I want guards checking in every direction. I don’t care if you have to bring them from the compound, get it done. Something’s off here.”

  The door to the plane began to close just as the rapid-fire sound of multiple gunshots rent the silence.

  “Goddamn it!” Marcus shouted, slamming a fist against the dash hard enough to crack it. “Find this fucker!”

  “Trying!” Keegan was shouting out orders as Nathan cursed and they watched bullet holes bloom all over the side of the plane.

  “Aidan’s smart, so is Zane. They’ll head for the back of the plane.”

  “If they haven’t been killed already,” Marcus snarled. “Keegan, turn this goddamned vehicle around and head towards wherever the bullets are coming from!”

  Keegan’s eyes widened. “But, sir—”

  “Now!” Marcus bellowed. He’d had enough of cowering. It went against everything he was. He was the top predator, the hunter, not the hunted. “Move,” he ordered at the same time, grabbing Keegan by the shoulder. “I’ll drive.”

  “Do it,” Nathan told Keegan. “Get in the back, because I’m sitting up front with my mate.”

  Keegan’s lips thinned and Marcus could see him biting back words, but he did as he was told. More bullets peppered the plane. “Someone call Aidan or Zane, fucking check on them!”

  Nathan was dialling before Marcus finished speaking. “Aidan? Aidan! Where are y’all? What? Who? Fuck! Get them to the bedroom in the back, where the—yeah, you know. I don’t know, but—Aidan?” Nathan looked up at the roof of the vehicle. “Argh! He’d said his phone was almost dead. He’s fine, Zane is nicked, so’s one of the crew members. And either Juanita or Guillermo are hurt, I don’t know which. I couldn’t understand him with all the screaming from people on his end.”

  Marcus had the Hummer turned around and heading in what he hoped was the right direction. Opposite from the compound, where trees grew at the base of the mountains. It was a long way off, but not impossible to fire upon a plane and hit it.

  Bullets pinged off the Hummer as he floored the gas pedal.

  “Sissy and Bon’s group of guards are behind us in their vehicles,” Keegan hollered over the sound of the engine growling and the bullets hitting the Hummer. “We have backup.”

  “Good.” He didn’t really care. Marcus was going to kill the fucker who’d dared to endanger Aidan. He wouldn’t be merciful, either. His wolf wouldn’t allow it. That was fine with him.

  “Zane, how is everyone?” Nathan asked, on the phone again. “You’re just nicked, and Guillermo is hit pretty bad? How bad is ‘pretty bad’? Shit. Staunch it. We’re going after the shooter. Whatever, like we’d wait for him to stop so y’all could join us? Right. Stay safe. Bye.”

  Marcus heard Keegan, too, snapping out more orders for his guards to protect the plane’s passengers at all cost. His ears rang, and he realised he wasn’t hearing the ding of the bullets anymore. “He’s running.”

  “Or waiting for us to get out so he can kill us.” Nathan leant forward, peering at the copse of trees. “The instant we open the doors…”

  They were only yards from the trees, and Marcus saw no one. What he did see had him slamming on the brakes as one of the trees began to topple in their direction.

  “Fuck!” Nathan screeched, arms stiff, bracing himself against the dashboard as the Hummer began skidding sideways on sand and rock.

  “It won’t do much damage,” Keegan rasped. Marcus wasn’t so sure. It was a big fucking tree.

  It hit the back end of the vehicle. The impact rocked them all, the noise incredibly harsh and loud. For a moment, Marcus thought they might tip over, but the rocking stopped and a quick check assured Marcus that they were all okay.

  Then the gunshots began again, and he heard shouts of anger and agony. “The guards—”

  “No!” Keegan screamed it, clamouring at the door. “No!”

  Nathan tackled him before Marcus could. He watched in horror as Sissy, Bon and his other guards were shot, bullets tearing into them and exiting in an explosion of flesh and blood.

  “No, no, no!” Keegan yelled, tears on his cheeks, the anguish of losing those under his command matching Marcus’ and Nathan’s. Those were their people, their guards, and while it was those guards’ jobs to serve and protect, losing them, especially to a cowardly, murderous bastard, broke something inside Marcus.

  He roared with all the anger surging in his body, roared until his throat ached and his voice broke. He couldn’t release the pain, but he didn’t need to. It would give him more strength, more fury and power.

  Marcus shoved the driver’s door open and was shifting before his foot touched the ground. Nathan was screaming, Keegan was screaming, and death saturated the atmosphere. Blood was on the wind and Marcus’ vision was coated with red. Everywhere he looked behind him, he saw his guards, dead, dying, bleeding.

  He took it all in instantly. There were none he could help, not by staying behind. He could only help by hunting, killing. Marcus let his beast rule, let his wolf run so fast his paws barely touched the ground. He was Earth and Moon, power and righteousness. He was justice, demanding payment for the shooter’s sins.

  There would never be payment enough.

  Chapter Twelve

  “What the hell?” Ryder woke up from a light sleep, disoriented and achy from trying to fit in the small medical centre bed with Maarten. “What’s that noise?” Except he knew, his mind pulling it up and his stomach threatening to empty itself out.

  “Gun,” Maarten whispered in a thready voice. “It is more guns, more shooting.” “Everybody stay down!” Shania yelled, running into the room. “Ryder, roll off!” “What’s happening?” he asked, although he was afraid he knew.

  Guards came in, weapons drawn, features blank yet fierce.

  “The Alpha Anax and those with him are under attack,” she snapped. “So are we,

  though so far all that’s been shot is the outer fence.” Ryder kept himself hunched over as he got off the bed, but he didn’t leave Maarten, hunkering over him instead. “There’s more than one shooter, then.”

  “So it seems.” Shania was half-crouched, disconnecting Maarten’s IV. “We’re moving him, you, whatever. With the other guards out, we need everyone in a smaller space so the remaining guards can do their jobs.”

  “Are we really in danger?” Ryder asked. It didn’t make sense. Why was someone attacking Marcus and the compound—and doing what sounded like a shitty job of the latter? Shooting the fence? The concrete structure would withstand a hell of a lot of bullets, Ryder thought.

  One of the guards was murmuring into her phone, then she sobbed and pressed a hand to her mouth.

  Ryder’s heart stopped. Maarten gasped.

  “What?” Shania yelled at her. “Who’s hurt? It better not be Marcus or Nathan or—”

  “Sissy and Bon,” the guard answered, another sob stopping her for a second. “Their squadrons, all of them.”

  “Hurt?” Shania asked much more quietly.

  The guard shook her head slowly.

  Ryder looked into Maarten’s eyes. This had just got deadly when Ryder had been thinking it was some type of mocking show of power.

  “No, not mocking,” Maarten said. “Not mocking at all. Vicious, heartless. Brutal, show of power.”

  Ryder was trying to wrap his head around Sissy being dead. Maybe he had misunderstood—

  “All of them are dead, Dana?” Tears poured from Shania’s eyes when the guard nodded. She kept working to get Maarten moved. “Marcus will find whoever did it and tear them to pieces. I fucking want to see it.”

  For a healer, Shania had no problem expressing her darker side. Somewhere a child wailed and Ryder wanted to join in. Instead he helped Shania unlock the brakes on the bed and together they began rolling Maarten out. He wouldn’t fall apart or be foolish now. Marcus and Nathan were out facing a danger far greater than what they faced here. Ryder would step up, and, remembering Marcus’ request, he would be strong. He would lead, if that was what he needed to do.

  “It is,” Maarten said. “You are an alpha. It’s your place.”

  Ryder shook his head, even though Maarten’s faith in him was beautiful. “No, it’s Marcus’ place, but I’ll make sure it’s intact for his return.” Ryder stopped them in the hall long enough to look over every guard, focusing on his power, his core, and making sure his strength was evident to any who might doubt him. “We will maintain this building and the people in it for the Alpha Anax’s return. If anyone has a problem with me seeing to that, speak up. If you have any suggestions to help end this, same goes.”

  One guard stepped forward. “I have a suggestion, sir.”

  Ryder nodded. “Which is?”

  “Send some of us out to find the persons firing on us. The shots are coming from the front and west right now. They were coming from the front and north.”

  “So there’s more than one person, then.” Which sucked, and Ryder wished he knew exactly how many enemies were outside the fence. There was only one way to find out. “How many guards can we spare and still protect everyone inside?”

  “A dozen,” the guard answered. “Any more and we will be short if we are to send help to the Alpha Anax.”

  “Has he asked for help?”

  “No.”

  Ryder wasn’t surprised. Marcus had to be in a rage. “Fine. Send out the dozen, ask for volunteers first.” Hands went up, every guard eager to find the fuckers responsible for killing their comrades. “Keep in mind, it might not be the same shooters.”

  “Regardless, sir.”

  That was the only answer Ryder got, and he took it to mean anyone found firing upon them would be killed. “Yes.”

  He didn’t feel bad at all for hoping the guards didn’t kill them too quickly.