Shifter's Diligence (Wolf Pack Special Ops Elite Book 6) Read online

  “What?”

  The general glowered at me, and I wished I had thought about my answer more astutely before I had spoken.

  “Where the hell have you been over the past few days, Gray? I feel like you’re not listening to a word I’ve been saying.”

  His words alone told me that he had no idea what had happened, but Slater was nothing if not sneaky. I couldn’t be sure if he knew or not. All I knew for certain was that I wanted nothing more than to be out from under his scrutiny, a wish that was almost immediately granted, as though the universe could hear my silent prayers.

  I opened my mouth to protest, but Slater didn’t give me a chance to fight him. Instead, he spun out of the communications room, muttering about insubordination and something else I couldn’t hear.

  I felt like I should apologize to him, but I didn’t even know what he was annoyed about, and he was gone before I could think of what to say anyway. The second the door closed behind him, I exhaled in relief, looking about the room as I gathered my bearings. It was much easier to breathe with him gone.

  There was nothing left to do now that Slater wasn’t barking at me. I decided to call it a day, even though I probably should have put in another hour or two. He was already mad at me. If he caught me sneaking off, how much more upset could Slater really be?

  I didn’t overthink it and gathered my belongings. I was out the door before I could even offer myself a second thought. I wasn’t really concerned that Slater would come back. After years of working with the man, I knew his patterns well enough. When he was in a mood, he was apt to stay away.

  My long legs carried me across the compound. The winter air around me caused my breaths to escape in hot puffs, but I barely noticed the chill. I never much minded the winter, specially in Savanah where it didn’t get terribly cold. I knew some of my counterparts despised it, but I had always been adaptable.

  Is that why I’m taking all this in stride? I wondered. Would a normal man be freaking out about being turned, or is this commonplace behavior?

  I’d never really have a chance to find out.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a pair of newbies in the middle of an argument, and truthfully, I was grateful for the distraction, and I stopped to look. I had seen them around before, but I only knew one of their names. Collins was a tall kid, barely out of high school, and a wolf. I had noticed that they were recruiting more shifters these days. I wondered if Slater had any say in that.

  I pushed the thought of Slater out of my head and fixed my eyes on the tension building in front of me. Collins’ friend—or enemy, judging by the situation—was almost as tall as him, but I had no idea if he was a shifter or not. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he were. My aptitude for being surprised had greatly diminished since being in the Relief Division. My stoicism had only been amplified since being turned.

  “…told you that!” I heard Collins snarling as he advanced on his companion. “You’re giving me no choice. She’s mine, not yours.”

  Suddenly, the conflict made sense, and I had half a mind to walk away, but I had already invested myself in the matter. I felt like it was my duty to see it through at least. His friend snorted but didn’t back up, and my gait slowed as I took in the scene with mild curiosity. I was less concerned than I was amused by what was clearly a fight over a woman.

  Ah, to be young and stupid again, I mused, thinking idly of my own relationship. I was glad that I didn’t have this kind of drama to endure.

  That’s how adults handle their problems, not with fist fights on the army base.

  “This is a new millennium, Collins,” the unnamed man barked back. “Women can think for themselves these days. If Christine wants me, who are you to stop her?”

  “She doesn’t want you,” Collins growled back. “You’re harassing her.”

  “Am I? That’s not what she was saying last night.” The smirk on his face sealed his fate. I saw the attack unfold even before Collins lunged. In a blur, Collins pounced, knocking the other guy back. I heard the distinctive crunch of a bone breaking and cringed. I hadn’t even had a chance to intervene. Without warning, the pair shifted into their beastly bodies and began to tumble along the ground in front of me.

  I was half-bemused, half-annoyed by the display. For a moment, I was tempted to let it happen and run its course, but I was a superior to both of them. It wouldn’t look good if I just walked away and let them duke it out, much as I wanted to do just that. I wished I hadn’t stopped at all, but it was too late for that now.

  Still, I didn’t jump in right away.

  Truthfully, I found something alluring in the way that the shifters moved. Having watched them from afar for so many years, it was hard not to admire the almost choreographed movement. Even with blood spurting out to spray the ground at my feet, it was almost poetic.

  I can’t wait until my time comes, and I can do the same thing.

  One of them yelped, and that was my cue to involve myself. Without hesitating, I lurched into the fold without shifting. It was clear that this was not the day that was going to happen.

  “That’s enough!” I barked, putting as much authority into my voice as I could muster, but there wasn’t much to be had. I wasn’t invested enough in the fight or the newbies to care. The pair did not get themselves under control fast enough. They were too wrapped up in their own drama to understand how close they were coming to being booted out of the army.

  A pair of fangs landed in my shoulder, but I barely felt it, my annoyance overtaking any minor injury they could have inflicted upon me. I pushed them apart with minimal effort. They immediately seemed to see that they had been caught in an unsavory moment and fell back, worry fueling both their faces when they realized I was their superior and able to do damage to their careers. Instantly, they shifted back into their human bodies, heads hung as they tried to put as much distance between themselves as possible.

  “What the hell is this about?” I snapped, even though I knew. I felt the throb in my shoulder growing with each word, but it was more of an irritant than painful.

  “Nothing lieutenant,” Collins gasped, looking nervously at his friend.

  “We’re merely roughhousing, sir!” the other one mumbled, licking the blood away from his lips. It was clear he had gotten the brunt of the beating, even though he was the one who had bitten me.

  “Were you raised in a barn?” I growled, glowering at them. I really wasn’t as mad as I was making it look, but I had to admit, I relished the expression of panic on their faces. I got so little time to invest in hazing. It was nice to partake in the historical tradition for once.

  “Sir, no sir!” they chorused, still unable to meet my eyes.

  “Fighting over a woman,” I spat with disgust. “Shame on you both.”

  Their eyes widened in surprise, but I didn’t let them respond as I waved my hand dismissively.

  “Sir, we’re sorry, sir!” Collins whimpered, all his bravado dissipating. I wrangled with the idea of reporting them both, but I knew I had enough to worry about without the paperwork of two dumb asses who couldn’t keep it in their pants.

  “Don’t let me catch you doing anything so stupid again.” I snapped, spinning to leave them alone. There was no point in leaving work early if I was just going to make more to do for myself.

  “Yes, sir!” they choked in unison behind me.

  I spun on my heel and made my way back across the compound, sensing that I had put on a show for the new recruits as I walked. It made me feel a bit smug. Yet as I continued to walk, I started to feel a little bit slow, sluggish. A rush of heat shot through my body, and I had to stop for a moment. A weird bout of dizziness overcame me. I felt feverish suddenly, and I didn’t understand it a bit. It was almost like the fight had caused me to pick up a bug out of nowhere. I blinked, my eyes gritty and burning. I inhaled deeply and forced my body forward, knowing that I couldn’t just lay down on the cement and go to sleep—even though that’s what I felt like doing.
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  It was all very strange. I had never experienced anything like it before.

  Am I shifting?

  I ran my tongue over my gumline and tried to feel for my fangs popping through, but there was nothing. Still, I knew something was off.

  I barely shuffled back to my trailer, my eyes darting toward Alder’s old unit. He had been the last to leave the base, moving in with Erica. Elaine told me that they were very happy together now, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Everyone was gone now. I was the only one left behind.

  I’m a late bloomer, I thought grimly, letting myself into the trailer and flipping on the lights as I moved toward the bedroom. Last to become a wolf, last to find a mate…

  I fell forward onto the bed, my burning face landing squarely in the pillow. I couldn’t breathe very well, but I didn’t turn my head, even as I reached into my pockets for my cell phone to call Elaine.

  We had only started seeing one another over the past couple weeks. After Alder had left the compound, I had been feeling lonelier than usual, which wasn’t surprising. I had anticipated as much, but I hadn’t expected it to strike me as fast as it had. Luckily for me, Elaine had been eager and willing to keep me company throughout the transition.

  The quirky, amusing teacher had been a great distraction from life on the base, particularly at the start, but the more time we spent together, the more I couldn’t help but feel like maybe she and I weren’t as compatible as I had first hoped.

  I was very attracted to Elaine. She was just my type with her blonde hair and bright green eyes. Truthfully, she made me laugh, and her down-to-earth style was just what the doctor ordered, but I knew that I held back a lot when it came to her. It was like I inherently knew that she couldn’t possibly understand me. Even so, I looked forward to seeing her, even if she didn’t know all my secrets. She kept my mind off other things.

  I had yet to tell her that I had been turned into a wolf. Maybe I was embarrassed about it. Maybe I wasn’t entirely convinced that I had been turned since my body had yet to show me I could do what the other members of the team could. I couldn’t honestly say I knew Elaine’s views on the wolves, but I still was wary about telling her. I didn’t think she was biased against them like some humans tended to be, but I couldn’t say for sure.

  I listened to the ringing phone, willing her to answer as I felt myself burning up with each trill in my ear. Finally, her voicemail answered.

  “Hi, you’ve reached Ellie Marks. Sorry I missed your call, but if you leave a message, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can…if you’re lucky.”

  Her sweet southern drawl filled my ears and made me smile, but I was disappointed when I heard the beep.

  “Hey Ellie, I just finished work. Thought I’d call and see what you’re doing tonight. I’ll catch you later…I guess.”

  I paused, and a dull thud pulsated up the back of my neck as a headache threatened to overtake my head. I disconnected the call and turned onto my side, my body aching terribly as I did. I had all the symptoms of a terrible flu, but I was a wolf now. I didn’t get sick…did I?

  What the hell is going on with me? I wondered, touching a hand to my forehead. I was on fire! I didn’t need a thermometer to tell me what I already knew—I was in rough shape. Something had infected me from the time I’d left the comm room to reaching my trailer. A mild panic crept into my soul, and I bit on my lower lip to keep from succumbing to full-blown anxiety.

  I wished I knew more about my own position to talk myself down, but even when I tried to discuss my transformation with the team, I felt like I knew very little about what was happening to me. For all I knew, this was commonplace, even if it felt completely wrong.

  Slowly, I struggled to sit up, but the movement sent me falling back as soon as I put any space between myself and the mattress. My mouth felt like I had swallowed cotton. I just wanted to drink something, but making my way into the kitchen seemed like an insurmountable task.

  This had to do something with the bite, I was sure, but every second that passed made me weaker and more feverish. My heart began to race, and a spark of terror shot through me. I was not prone to panic, but I knew myself well enough to know that something was terribly wrong.

  This is all part of being a wolf, I told myself, willing my pulse to slow as I fought for rational thought. I need to get used to these strange occurrences. There are likely worse to come.

  The words were rational enough, but in the wake of my spiking fever and a weird delirium creeping inside me, I couldn’t bring myself to believe that this was normal.

  I steadied my irregular breathing and closed my eyes, but it was the wrong thing to do. Darkness rushed over me and clawed me back into the abyss I remembered from the night I had been bitten.

  Whatever was happening to me was definitely because of my newfound shifter blood. The question was, what the hell was I going to do to get myself under control again…assuming that ever happened?

  Chapter Two

  Anna

  I frowned as I stared at the screen of my iPhone. I hadn’t heard it ring, even though it had been right in my pocket. Yet there was Dice’s name staring back at me.

  “What’s up?” Leslie asked as I unlocked the device and dialed out. I shook my blonde waves, the tresses falling evenly over my shoulders. My voicemail picked up, and I waited for the message. It was strange for Dice to call me. We had more of a texting relationship.

  “First new message,” the mechanical voice intoned through the receiver. I waited, but there was nothing but silence. My frown deepened as I listened. I was sure I could hear deep breathing, but it didn’t sound like someone was breathing into the phone. It was more like Dice had fallen asleep next to the cell. I smiled at the thought.

  Is he drunk dialing me? I wondered, glancing at the clock over Leslie’s head. It was just after eight, my shift having ended a few minutes earlier. I was looking forward to going home, running a hot bath, and pouring myself a big glass of wine to wash away the day. It hadn’t been particularly strenuous, but every day in the life of a nurse was hell in some form.

  “Are you coming or not?” Leslie pressed, sensing my hesitation at the lobby doors.

  “One sec,” I said, holding up a finger. I dialled Dice’s number, but there was no answer.

  Did he pass out drunk?

  It was a little early for Dice to be so intoxicated, especially when I was sure that he was probably training all day. But I could feel in my gut that something wasn’t right.

  “You know that serial killers love to target nurses, right?” Leslie demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

  “What?” I laughed, putting the phone back in the pocket of my pink scrubs.

  “Richard Speck, Charles Cullen…”

  “What are you going on about?” I snickered, joining my co-worker at the doors.

  “I’m just saying that’s why I don’t like walking to my car alone,” Leslie grumbled. I giggled sympathetically and winked at her.

  “I wouldn’t want to see you serial killed, Les. Come on.” I linked arms with her, and together we headed out to the lot.

  You have a better chance of being eaten by a werewolf than murdered by a serial killer, I almost said, but I knew that Leslie would stay up all night, traumatized if I did. It didn’t help that we often saw the aftermath of wolf attacks in the hospital. I had no doubt where Leslie stood on the shifter debate.

  “See you tomorrow?” Leslie called out hopefully as she reached for her car door.

  “Not a chance,” I replied, also unlocking my Ford Focus. “I’m off for two days.”

  “On a weekend? Who are you sleeping with to manage that?” Leslie squealed enviously.

  “A harlot never reveals her secrets,” I sniggered, jumping into the driver’s seat and waving at Leslie. In seconds, I rolled out of the parking lot, waving at the attendant as he allowed me through. I’d been working at Georgia State Hospital since I’d graduated from nursing school almost six years
earlier. I never had any desire to work anywhere else, even though some of my colleagues had moved out of state. But I loved Savanah, and I knew I was not going anywhere else. Maybe it was the inherent mysticism of the beings who I knew roamed freely through the streets or perhaps it was simply in my blood to stay.

  Or maybe it has something to do with someone in particular.

  Again, I glanced at the time. I knew if I swung by the base, the guards would let me in if only to check on Dice. They knew me well enough, and even without a pass, they would surely let me through.

  I stopped at a red light. If I went straight, it would bring me home to my own place, but if I took a right, I’d be at the base in less than ten minutes.

  It wouldn’t hurt me to pop in and see how Dice was doing, but something was holding me back.

  Elaine.

  As much as I hated to admit it, I was intensely jealous of Elaine and the relationship she had built with my best friend in such a short period of time. I didn’t have anything against the teacher per se. Honestly, I didn’t really know her. I know that she and Dice had met while his friend Alder and Elaine’s friend Erica had reconnected. Over the years, there had been dozens of Elaines, ones who had come and gone, and I knew that this one would run its course too…or at least that was what I kept telling myself.

  In the meantime, I didn’t want to run into her.

  Where am I going to run into her? She can’t be granted the same kind of clearance I can after only a couple of weeks. If she’s there, I’ll just turn around and go home, but if something’s wrong with Dice…

  The honk of a horn behind me moved me out of my reverie, and I made the abrupt decision to turn right, waving apologetically to the car behind me. To my relief, I recognized the private at the gate.

  “Hey, Cortez,” I said. “Is he around?”

  The young guard grinned at me and shrugged.