Page 2 of Xander
Xander tried to get her attention.Can you hear me?
He held his breath when he heard her distinct gasp, knowing that their mind link worked.His chest filled with dread at the thought that she gave herself away, until he heard her next words.
“I spotted a grizzly bear in the trees to the west.Sorry, I startled him and he ran off.”
For long seconds, the men in the clearing stared at the woman before they were ordered to keep searching.
Xander stood close enough that he could see her curves underneath the heavy white parka.And having the worst timing in the world, Xander felt himself harden.He took a deep, cleansing breath of sharp mountain air that instantly cooled his overheated body.
Yes, I can hear you.These men, seven in total, are looking for immortals.They have been contracted by my boss at US Fish and Wildlife to kill them.Apparently the immortals are supposed to become animals.Can you help me without hurting yourself?They are heavily armed.
Xander was taken completely by surprise.She didn’t question their connection but instead relayed vital information that he would need.He could also start to feel her emotions.She wasn’t scared, just determined.He could hear her heart beating at a fast rate and her breathing strained from either the hike up the mountain or the tension in the air.He watched as she subtly shifted her head around as she searched for him, unable to spot him in the trees.
We can help.I’m going to communicate with my team and we’ll take out the men.Are you okay with that?
Yes.I know they are paid mercenaries and I’m pissed that they killed a wolf two days ago for no other reason than they wanted to shoot something.
What’s your name?
Frost.
Frost, I’m Xander.When I tell you to run, run south.Okay?
Yes, I understand.
Xander relayed the conversation he had with Frost.We are going to have to kill them, there’s no other way around it.They couldn’t have a threat looming over them, especially if one escaped and brought in a stronger, more trained group of mercenaries.Although they could easily defeat any group of fighters, keeping their existence a secret was crucial.The more humans who knew about them, the bigger the danger it posed.
Working as a team, they closed in on the unsuspecting mercenaries.At first, they quietly removed those men who were stationed on the outer perimeter, using knives to subdue them, or in Xander’s case, using his bare hands and quickly snapping their necks.He didn’t want Frost to see blood on him.The only sound he could detect was the grunts of the men who were dispatched.By the time Gunnar, Kane, and he closed in on their ranks, there were only three mercenaries remaining.
The older man spotted movement in Gunnar’s direction and without hesitation raised his weapon and started to fire.The wolf easily dodged the shots before melting farther into the trees.Silence descended upon the area as the man searched for Gunnar.
Frost, run south.Keep as low as you can and use the trees as cover.
Gunnar emerged from the trees in order to distract those left alive and to provide additional cover.He fired at the mercenary closest to him, who had managed to roll away before he fired twice into Gunnar’s chest at close range.The wolf shifter just grunted as the rounds struck.In the next instant, he shifted into his gray wolf form and lunged for the man, gripping his arm with his sharp teeth, and flung the man back and forth like a rag doll.After a few seconds, Gunnar had finished playing with his target and slammed him against the tree, effectively breaking his neck.
Kane darted forward and with one punch, crushed the other man’s throat, effectively eliminating the second of the three.
One left.
His friends had taken care of the humans within seconds of hearing Xander’s demand.He never took his eyes off Frost as she tried to run, but Xander noticed when she became distracted by Gunnar and watched as he shifted.On top of the distraction, she had to wade through knee-high snow in the thick winter gear that weighed her down, and she hadn’t made it a few feet before he rushed toward her.Not waiting for the man to target Frost, Xander shifted into his snow leopard form and placed his body between Frost and the older mercenary.
The man froze, his arm straight out in front of him with his finger on the trigger.Xander could see that his pupils were blown and he was shaking in fear.Not lessening the tension, Xander lowered his furry head and raised his lips to show his long, sharp teeth ready to tear him apart limb from limb.He chuffed when he heard the man’s heart quicken in fear.
The gunman snapped out of his stupor when he heard movement from Gunnar and Kane closing in on him; he quickly raised his semi-automatic and fired several rounds.Xander darted forward, taking a couple of rounds to his chest that didn’t stop his momentum.But before he could reach the man, he heard a grunt of pain behind him.He turned in time to see her blood splash against the tree in front of her; she had turned to run during Xander’s shift but a bullet had caught her in the back and passed through her right shoulder and out.As if in slow motion, he watched as she sank to her knees, clutching her wound.
His breath stuck in his throat and it felt as though his heart stopped.
Rage rushed through him when he heard the recognizable sound of the magazine being discharged and reloaded.He turned and the sight of his face twisted in fury must’ve been a horrifying sight, because the man paled and fumbled with the reload, forgetting completely about his sidearm.Not giving him a chance to remember, Xander leapt forward and opened his mouth around the man’s neck as he landed with measured precision.With a quick tilt of his head, the man’s neck snapped and Xander dropped him to the ground, forgotten.
He heard Kane snarl and Gunnar let out a howl, but Xander ran toward Frost.She had managed to sit up and lean back against the tree nearest to where she fell, her bright-red blood unnatural against the stark white of her parka and the snow that surrounded them.Her eyes widened when she took in the snow leopard that loped toward her.Without fear, she reached out with her left hand, asking silently for permission to touch him.He lowered his head and moved his lips over his teeth, not wanting to scare her.When her fingers ran through his white fur, he purred when her touch electrified his body.
“You’re beautiful.”Her eyes widened as she turned her gaze to the gigantic gray wolf that sauntered over with blood on his muzzle.“Wow, you too.”
She tried to sit up and lean forward, but instead her movement caused a hiss of pain to escape her throat.“Well…shit.I was kinda hoping to avoid getting shot by those trigger-happy fuckers.I’ll just have to try harder the next time I’m forced to track immortals so they could be eliminated.Oh, wait, there won’t be a next time because they are dead.”
Xander shivered at the look of glee that sparked in her bright-green eyes as Kane laughed and Gunnar let out a low growl.Then Xander noticed that her eyes were more than green.There was a light-blue crescent, similar to the color of his eyes, that blended easily into the green.He shook off his thoughts when she flinched in pain and shifted back.He noted that her eyes widened as she roamed over his naked form, but after a minute, her eyes darted back to his sure to be amused ones.
“Are you Xander?The one I’ve been talking to in my…well…mind, I guess you could say?”
