Free Stacey Espino by Evan's Victory

together or I leave alone. Do you think these mountain men will show you kindness?” He scoffed. “Just give them enough time. You’ll be their plaything within a day.”
    She shuddered at the prospect. Cassidy allowed him to lead her out the doorway into the moonlit lumber yard. The outdoor lighting was off, making it difficult for the distant loggers to fend off the wildlife. She could hear their cries, random gunshots, and vicious snarling. All her old memories of being alone in the forest surfaced, making her nerves spike.
    “They’re not coming for you this time, Cassidy. Forget them. I saw all five at the mine with Ms. Tanner before coming here. It was not something you’d want to see.”
    She was right, then. The men she loved had betrayed her over the next available piece of ass. They really were like animals. She fought the tears threatening to break free. There was no way she’d shed a tear for those traitors. They weren’t worth it.
    Then why did it hurt so bad?
     
    * * * *
     
    Evan approached the lumber camp, using the same hiding places he had last time. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find but it certainly wasn’t the wolf attack he discovered. His pack had gone south in search of Cassidy, not realizing the loggers had taken her north. After testing the slight breeze, he recognized the Rockford wolves’ unique scent. It mingled with the pungent odor coming from the human males.
    He kept in his fur, slowly creeping closer. Before he acted, he needed to take full stock of the situation, including Cassidy’s whereabouts. He imagined the Rockfords were here for their own brand of justice. The loggers had taken one of their men after they took Matthew. Although they’d both been trapped in wolf form, it was still seen as a hostile move on their kind. What other reason would the rival wolves have for being here?
    “Did you find Cassidy?”
    Travis’s familiar voice echoed in his head. The Texan wolf was closing in behind him. He felt the presence of his entire pack, their thoughts and emotions. While he should have felt comfort in numbers and familiarity, he felt a twinge of competition. What was wrong with him? He was a pack member and needed to share. Since joining the Gregor pack, he’d never complained about being one for all, all for one. It was the love of a woman that managed to change everything. He knew things would only get worse until Garret made the mating official.
    “Not yet. How did you guys know to look here?” He’d received the threatening phone call demanding land for the girl. How did his friends know?
    “You underestimate us. We tracked your trail all the way from the mine. You really should be more careful about the paths you take.” Travis sidled up next to him, looking out at the many small buildings littered around the camp. Cassidy could be in any one of them.
    “Garret?”
    “He’s coming. You disobeyed him by coming here,” said Travis.
    “You would have done the same thing .”
    “Garret knows I’m a fuckup. You…he expects more from you.”
    Evan no longer wanted to keep the status quo, live a day at a time with no thoughts drifting to the future. He wanted more. He wanted to take on the whole world when Cassidy was near. He wasn’t an alpha, but surely Garret would understand his need to protect his mate.
    “The loggers took her. They need to pay,” he said.
    “Garret figured it was something like that when he found you missing.”
    As the rest of the pack settled in around them, they began to move forward as a solid mass of shadowed fur, fangs, and claws. Each of them kept their thoughts silent, all focused on their task. Cassidy was the first priority. Revenge could come later. It was a lesson he’d learned too well.
    When they neared the perimeter of the camp, a couple rival wolves picked up their scent and came to scout their location. Garret and Travis held their ground while Evan, Patrick, and Matthew instinctively spread out, surrounding the