Free Taken by H.M. McQueen Page A

last war had been long ago, it was evident to Isen that his pack had not become soft. At the same time, the damn pack from the panhandle shouldn't have been so strong against them.  Whatever they were on seemed to make them not only crazy, but also full of rage.  They fought like crazy animals with nothing to lose.
     His body throbbed in pain now that he'd come down from the adrenaline rush of the fight.  The deep cuts that crisscrossed his chest were beginning to heal.  One of the perks of being a wolf shifter, fast recoup. But it still hurt like a mother.
    He eyed the door. Thankfully Baby didn't come back.  Although Taden's sister was twenty-three, she acted like a spoiled brat at times. At least she seemed to when speaking to him.  Or maybe he just reacted too strongly when she was around.  Who the fuck knew?
    With perky boobs, a sexy mouth, and round ass, she brought a hard on just by walking by.  He had to constantly remind himself she was Taden's pesky little sister. One who needed to be spanked and locked up in a room until she grew up. So yeah, he pictured himself locked in the room with her at times, teaching her a lesson or two.  But he wasn't going there.
    The door opened and Taden stalked in.  Just as Baby predicted, he focused on the puddle of blood on the expensive rug.  "Couldn't you bleed in the locker room like everyone else?"  He neared and stared at the rug.  "Fuck!"
    "Nope.  I needed a shot of some strong liquor and you keep the good shit in here." Isen lifted the half empty bottle in salute and guzzled straight from it. The amber liquor burned a delicious trail down his throat.  "I think this one is going to take a while." He lifted his shirt to show a nasty cut above his belly button.  "The asshole got lucky."
    Taden fared better than he did.  His cuts didn't seem as deep.  The artic wolf was enormous and fast. And coming from Alaska, well known for turf wars, had far more experience in battle than he or the rest of the pack. Isen looked to the door.  "Where are the other guys?"
    "Raythe and Vane took Synder to the E.R.  The young wolf should have hightailed it like he was told." Taden snatched the bottle from Isen's hand and took a long drink.  "The rest are in the showers, I guess.  Most are okay.  I'm worried about Jace he probably should have gone to the hospital too."
    He glared at the bloodstain again.  "I told the pack to avoid running at West Beach tonight. And guess what the young ones did?  Now you, Raythe, and Jace got hurt saving their asses. Why do I waste my time talking to any of you? None of you do what you're told."
    Isen remained quiet.  No one challenged Taden.  He had the dubious honor of leading a pack made up of mostly alpha males.  It was rare that they all got along. The Alpha spent more time refereeing than leading.  Yeah, they beat the shit out of each other on occasion to prove some kind of hierarchy between them, but no one wanted Taden's position.
    The artic wolf was without comparison.  Not just because of his strength, but because he demanded respect by being a fair leader.
    "I'll check on Jace." Isen stood only to land back on his ass when Taden shoved him. "Or not."
    "Next time you touch my baby sister, you'll be the one at the E.R." His pack leader's blue eyes seemed to glow.  "Understand?"
    "Got it. But she's annoying as shit.  You have to know that." Isen had to complain.  The reprimand was unfair. Baby always drove him nuts.
    Taden headed to the door. A one-shoulder shrug told him the pack leader halfway agreed.
    Isen took another swig and decided to hang out just a bit longer.  Thankfully the damn throbbing was beginning to lessen.
     
    Baby was perched at the bar. Her patience, as little as there was to begin with, wearing thin.  One would think her thick head of a brother would at least come and tell her how everyone was doing. When she tried to enter the shower room, she'd been corralled by one of the human bouncers and ushered