Forever Home (Sawtooth Shifters, #1) Page 2

  I didn’t see Kiera or Lyssie anywhere in the chaos. No time to look for them. That dog needed help.

  All the dogs were hysterical. Howling and screaming along with the crowd. I jumped over the barrier and ran to the middle of the pit. The bigger dog didn’t let up on the little one, even as I dove for them. I had to be careful. Both dogs were sick and hungry and there was no telling what could be wrong with them. Neither looked rabid but with a case like this I had no time to waste getting shots tonight.

  Wrestling one dog away from the other, I covered the smaller one with my body so the other couldn’t attack anymore. He was still breathing, barely. His big, blue eyes met mine and he whimpered.

  “Trina!” Kiera called out. “We got pushed into the parking lot. We had to convince the undercover cops we were working with you.” Fuck, I hadn’t given them any sort of credentials. That mistake cost us precious time. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s taken a beating.” The dog’s breathing had slowed, hopefully because he was calming down and not bleeding out. Just in case, I peeled out of my jacket and ripped a strip off my T-shirt to use as a tourniquet. I didn’t give a shit right now that my belly rolls were hanging out. It wasn’t the worst thing people were going to see tonight. I gently wrapped the fabric around the dog’s neck and applied the lightest amount of pressure I could get away with and still be effective.

  “What do you want us to do?” Lyssie asked.

  “Call the livestock control people.” They were standing by. “And get the crates out of the truck. I think I counted seven dogs. How’s the other one?”

  No answer right away. “He’s gone.”

  Chapter Three

  Shadow

  I’d stopped believing in any sort of organized religion the night Ryker captured us. No Heaven, no Hell, just a dark and hungry purgatory that went on indefinitely; until tonight, when police officers stormed the fighting ring, arresting Ryker and his crew. And more importantly, three angels came to take us away from our prison. There was a God after all.

  “Stay with this one,” one of the angels instructed the other. “I have metal cutters in my bag. I hope the collars haven’t embedded themselves into any of their necks.” As strong and fucking fierce as we all claimed to be, every single wolf whined and cried with appreciation when it was their turn to be freed. The angel took a minute with every one of us, patting us on the head and murmuring about it being over.

  I’d been furthest from her, so I’d been last. “Let’s get this nasty thing off you.” Her words sounded like a lullaby. I was no more proud than my brothers or my enemies. Freedom felt too good for that shit. This was the only way I could thank her. She ran her fingers over my filthy, matted fur. She was beautiful. Her honey-colored hair was pulled back, her face was bare, and her clothes were plain and ripped. Unshed tears shined in her green eyes, her cheeks as round as the rest of her curves and probably just as sweet. And her little mouth begged for a taste. She smelled like the exact opposite of the shit and desperation that usually flooded my nostrils. I inhaled vanilla, cinnamon, apples, and everything good about being human. My mouth watered just thinking about it.

  Anyone who was this full of love and compassion for a bunch of broken down, filthy animals like the Channings and even the Lowes had earned my undying loyalty. Whatever she wanted, it was hers.

  “Everything’s going to be all right,” she cooed, and I pressed myself against her leg. “I’m taking you away from here. You’re safe now. I’ll give you some food and a bath.”

  Two weeks until the full moon. I’d be stronger then, but I had no way to prepare this angel for our shift. It’d been so long since any of us had been human, this shift could be...interesting.

  “You okay, man?” I asked Archer. He still lay in the middle of the ring, his throat bandaged. My brothers joined us, nudging him gently with their snouts. As the other two angels carried crates into the ring, I daydreamed about how it would feel to hold this woman in my arms and thank her properly for saving our lives.

  “I will be,” he panted, his eyes unfocused.

  “Don’t come over here,” I warned the Lowe brothers as Major stepped into the ring. “Not now.” We were so close to being rescued, I wasn’t going to fuck it up by ripping them to shreds.

  All of us willingly went back into captivity. The angels loaded our crates into the truck without much effort. We’d been broken and living for this moment, and we were too weak to enjoy it.

  “Kiera, can you drive?” my beautiful angel asked. She sat in the dirt with Archer, who’d barely moved. Come on man, live. We’re free now. “I’m gonna stay in the back with this one. I don’t want to leave him alone.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Kiera answered, making sure the latches were tight so we didn’t slide around the back of the truck. My angel climbed inside the truck, cradling my brother’s body in her arms. His blood seeped through the makeshift blanket she wrapped around him. She settled in the middle of the crates softly, placing Archer down beside her.

  He didn’t smell good. Fuck.

  “Okay, guys.” My angel looked around at the crates, and I realized she was addressing us and not her coworkers. Did she know what we were? I was pretty sure there were only five crates. Shit, I realized I hadn’t seen Shea since the cops broke up the fight. He’d been promised his freedom, and that bastard took it.

  I would’ve done the same exact thing.

  “I’m Trina, Kiera’s driving, and Lyssie’s riding shotgun. They think I’m crazy when I talk to you guys, but I know you understand me.” She stopped and made a face to the front of the truck. If I was human, I would’ve laughed. “We’re from Forever Home Animal Shelter. That’s where we’re headed. We’ll feed you some good warm food, better than you’ve had in—“ She got choked up and didn’t finish. “We’ll clean you all up. Make your fur soft and bandage those wounds. Give you comfy beds to sleep in. Make sure you don’t suffer anymore. We’ll make sure you get better, then we’ll find you homes. No more fighting, no more abuse. It’s over.”

  All of us were stunned into silence. I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful angel named Trina. She patted Archer’s head, murmuring to him. He closed his eyes and sighed.

  “Shit! No! No, no, no.” Trina collapsed on Archer’s body. I threw myself against the front of my crate and howled. My brothers joined in, but no amount of noise was going to change anything.

  This couldn’t be happening. My little brother depended on me to keep him safe. I let him come with us that night we were captured because I thought it would toughen him up if he went on a couple runs with us. I should’ve done anything to keep him from fighting tonight. It didn’t matter if I was in chains. I let him fight a battle he couldn’t possibly win.

  “What’s the matter?” Lyssie crawled into the back of the truck.

  “We lost him.” Trina cradled Archer’s lifeless body against her.

  And I let him die.

  I glared at Major. “Shea better run far, far away from here. Because if I catch him, I’ll show him the same mercy he showed Archer.”

  Chapter Four

  Trina

  It was going to be a long night. I’d already failed these dogs. One missing, one dead.

  “You can’t beat yourself up about this, Trina,” Kiera said quietly. “We have no idea what condition that dog was in before tonight.”

  The remaining dogs snarfed down huge bowls of wet food. I’d be scrambling in a couple weeks to make up for this, but I’d figure it out. I always did. My policy was no negative talk in front of the animals. Some people argued that I was crazy, thinking they could understand us. I never wanted people to give up on me at my worst. Doctors and nurses who said negative shit about my prognosis, thinking I was a vegetable. Even in the middle of my deepest, darkest black hole, I might not have been able to do anything about it, but I understood. And I’d never make that mistake with my animals. Any creature with eyes and a heartbeat could pick up on bad vibes.

  “You’
re right.” I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. “But it still sucks. We saved these dogs, but...you know? I wish we could’ve got in there sooner, but Randy said he needed the proof of the fights.”

  “I just got a text from Livestock Control. They said that the big animals were in pretty good shape. Thank God. They’re still checking them out. The chickens weren’t being treated very well, too many in each cage, but they think they can save all of them.” Kiera put down her phone. “You did good, T. Really good.”

  Not good enough.

  “Once they’re ready, we’ll help them place the animals.” I was pissed about the chickens. Birds were my favorite, and they always got the shit end of the deal. “Lys, how are they doing with that food?”

  “It’s gone.” She yawned. I’d told both girls we’d be pulling all-nighters. They were both new at this. They’d come to me as part of their rehab. We’d all been through some serious shit and had gone to the same facility, CAST, The Center of Anxiety and Stress Therapy, for our panic attacks and stress disorders. Nothing they tried worked for me, and I spiraled into a dark place with seemingly no escape, until someone suggested I volunteer at a shelter. After the doctors saw how the animals brought me peace, we’d worked together to start a program. Hopefully, the animals would help the girls heal. Like they did for me.

  The thing no one ever realized was how hard it was to work in a shelter. The way the animals came to us, the lack of funds, the ones that didn’t find homes...it got to even the strongest volunteers after a while. I went through a lot of people. Forever Home was a no-kill shelter, but that also meant if I didn’t have places for the animals, I couldn’t take them. I had nightmares thinking about the ones I turned away. I had to focus on the good we did at Forever Home. If I let myself dwell on the bad stuff that went along with it, all my progress could be lost. The shelter gave me purpose. I couldn’t be a drunk mess that didn’t get out of bed for days anymore. These animals needed me to have my shit together.

  So far, Kiera and Lyssie were working out. Tonight was the most traumatic thing they’d have to see, I hoped. I learned long ago never to say never. I worried about them tonight, but they pulled through, getting the dogs out of the ring and into the shelter. Unfortunately I had enough experience with trauma to know there was an off switch. Survival instinct. And the ill effects didn’t always rear their heads right away.

  “Ready to get them cleaned up?” I asked. The girls nodded, rolling their sleeves up as they followed me into the common area. This would be the real test, when they got up close and personal with the dogs and saw what had actually happened to them. Once we got beyond the matted fur, there was no telling what we’d find.

  Kiera turned on the hose, and Lyssie got on her knees, urging two of the dogs to come forward as the tubs filled with warm water. We could only wash them two at a time.

  I kneeled beside the tub, helping the first dog into the water. One of them hopped, protecting a lame paw. Their heads were bowed, trusting, thankful. I’d expected fear and possibly more fighting. There was no telling how long the fights had been their reality. They wanted something better. I’d thought they were huskies, but they might be mixed with some sort of Shepherd. Even half-starved, they were big. Two clear leaders had already emerged from the group. Larger and more confident than the others, they moved first, deciding they could trust Lyssie. The others fell into line behind them.

  The blue-eyed one broke away from the pack and made a beeline for me, giving me big, wet kisses. He managed to make me laugh on such a terrible night. I rubbed his ears, careful not to be too rough. His eyes followed my every move. Even though they were filled with respect, they haunted me. Something about them was too human.

  The dog stepped in the tub, shaking. “It’s okay. This is going to feel good,” I assured him as I turned the hose on. He whimpered when the warm water hit his body. I lathered him gently, not applying too much pressure to his skin. The vet couldn’t come until morning, and I didn’t want to aggravate any injuries. With a soft touch, I combed out the burls in his coat. The whole time I bathed him, he pressed against my body as much as he could. Even after everything that happened to him, he still was able to trust. He wanted my love.

  I hoped Randy had Ryker on the floor of his cell with a foot to the balls. This guy was an asshole to stand behind in the coffee line. Why was I surprised that he could do something like this?

  This is why I liked animals so much better than people. Their love was unconditional and they were always willing to take another chance.

  Lyssie took over for me so I could check the dogs’ skin now that we’d washed away the filth. They had lacerations from the chains and bite marks. No signs of infection. Now that their fur was clean, it changed from brown to gray and black with white streaks, darker in some places. The brown-eyed dogs had reddish coats. All of them had a look in their eye that chilled my soul. They’d seen too much.

  The first dog refused to leave my side. I toweled him off and he leaned on me after he shook out his clean coat. Not afraid, territorial. “That felt good, I bet.” I tapped his nose, and I already knew he was the one I’d bring home as my foster. You can’t keep them all, I reminded myself. You need to find this one a home.

  “Think they’ll be okay for the night?” Kiera asked. All of us were wet, filthy, and exhausted. “There’s not much more we can do for them until tomorrow.” And we still had the other animals to deal with, most of whom we’d roused with our late night arrivals. Hopefully everyone would sleep in tomorrow.

  “Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” We ushered the dogs into their crates. Each one had a blanket, food, and water.

  “Aren’t you leaving?” Lyssie asked.

  “No, I’m staying here. I can sleep on the couch.” My new friend refused to leave my side. He curled up on the rug in front of the couch, settling with a sigh. He didn’t put his head down right away.

  He wanted to protect me.

  “You need to go home too, Trina.” Kiera gave a last ditch attempt to get me to leave.

  I reached down and patted the dog’s head. “I am home.”

  **

  This vet hated me and I had no idea why. Yeah, I had a pretty high outstanding bill with her, but that shouldn’t have made a difference. If she truly loved animals, she wouldn’t bitch so much about helping the ones who needed her the most.

  She came late, no apologies, but found the time to stop for coffee. “I heard about last night’s dog fight.” She sighed as she opened up her bag. “Everyone in town knows way too much about it.”

  “The place was packed.” I shuddered at the memory.

  “They’re all in an uproar. Turning against each other for being there and ratting each other out.”

  “Good. Couldn’t happen to a nicer group of people.” I opened the latches on the dog’s crates, and motioned to them to get out. “I don’t know what’s going internally, but I think they’ll heal from the external injuries. A couple good meals won’t hurt.” My blue-eyed friend came to my side and I roughed the fur on his head.

  “Don’t forget, you rely on those people for donations.” She looked up at me as she sank down to examine the first dog. I wanted to fucking smack her. She had a way of making me feel like gum on the bottom of her shoe every time she came here. I didn’t understand why she’d chosen to be a vet. She had about as much compassion as Ryker. “You can’t pay everyone with goodwill and the best intentions.”

  “Who are you more concerned with, these dogs or your bank account?” I wished there was someone else I could call besides this woman. We were too far out of the city to get those vets to do house calls.

  “I think that answer is obvious.” Yeah, it was. I didn’t respond, not wanting her here a second longer than she needed to be. Give me the diagnosis, the script, and don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out, bitch. She took the stethoscope away from her ears. “And these aren’t dogs. They’re wolves.”

  Holy shit.

 
Chapter Five

  Shadow

  Broken glass shattering across the lobby woke up everyone in the shelter.

  “What the fuck?” Major said, throwing himself against the bars of his crate. Even over the cacophony in the shelter, the destruction continued. The attacker had a steady rhythm, cracking his weapon into anything that got in his way. Wood split, metal took a beating.

  “It’s Ryker’s thugs,” I replied. I couldn’t see them, but there was no mistaking one thing. “I can smell them.” Evil had a very distinct stench, like acid burning my nostrils. Stuck in these crates, there was nothing any of us could do to stop them. Ryker’s guys were only interested in sending a message. This time, anyway. Our crates were in the big front room, and the place was packed with animals, any place Trina could put someone was occupied.

  Even after she’d found out we were wolves, she kept us. Said she couldn’t set us free until we were well enough to survive. There was no bigger target in Sawtooth than a sick wolf.

  “Fucking cowards,” Baron growled, his nose pushed against the wires. “Attacking the shelter when it’s us he wants.”

  “Trina put him in jail,” I reminded him. “We’re all one in the same now.”

  “When we get out of here, it goes without saying that this asshole needs to get his,” Dallas added. “Both of our packs have taken hits. I think we should work together.”

  Major locked gazes with me. He never hesitated to point out how weak he thought I was. In a wolf pack, perception is reality. If you look weak, you are. It didn’t take much. We had different styles, and mine included letting my brothers be a vital part of my team. Now all Major had was X, who hadn’t uttered a word during the attack. But he’d get the job done, whatever was asked, and never look back.

  “I think it’s a good idea.” I didn’t back down from his challenge. “We run in different circles, we’ll get different intel. And no one will ever expect us to be working together.”