Juan (The Juarez Pack Book 1) Read online

  “There is no charge. It was an honor. Do you need me to call a cab?” he asked.

  “No, I’ll be fine,’ she said as she went through the door.

  Walking two blocks, she hit a main street with tourists, cabs, and an ATM, where she could pull out some cash. Pulling out the needed funds, she hailed a cab and he drove her a nice understated hotel. Paying the cabby, she went inside and got a room. While staying here she would arrange a flight out and buy some clothes since she’d left what she had in her tent. In the morning, she would buy her first maternity clothes because she had been making due with oversized baggy clothes. Tonight, she would make travel arrangements and celebrate getting two kids at once with a nice meal out.

  She used her phone to call a friend that would arrange transportation and text her back the details. Amee took a shower but redressed in her old clothes. They were a bit sweaty but not really dirty. She headed downstairs and followed the smell of food to the restaurant next door. There were candles on all the tables, roses in vases, and a Mariachi band played in the corner. The food was Tex-Mex which she loved and she ordered nachos to start with and fajitas as her meal. A mixed drink would have been ideal but she ordered it virgin, which meant without alcohol.

  The nachos and her Tequila sunrise came first. Her fajitas meal came once the nachos were disposed of which didn’t take long at all. The meal was wonderful especially compared to the food she’d been eating the past few months. Once she was finished, she paid and headed back to the hotel. A good night’s sleep on a decent mattress would do her a world of good.

  If she dreamed that night, there was no memory of it and that made her happy. Her dreams always revolved around Juan and that made her sad. Who would have thought they could have sex twice and she would be pregnant? It was the fertile curse of a white wolf. It was alright, though. She wanted these babies and she would live just for them. They would be the most loved children that there ever had been. If they were male, she would teach them honor. It they were female, she would teach them to be cautious of males, but not to sit on the sidelines.

  Waking in the morning, she knew it was time to get moving. Checking her messages, she saw that she would be leaving in three hours from the nearest airport. Putting her things together, she left the room checking out on the way out the door. Three doors down she went in and bought new clothes to wear now. Not worrying about later, she had no luggage as she flagged down a cab and had him take her to the airport. The airport was bustling and she was early so she found a place that served breakfast. Allowing herself one cup of coffee, she was finally able to relax.

  Checking her phone for the time, she saw it was time to go. It was better to be early than to risk missing her flight. Since it was a small private plane with only a handful of passengers, somehow the pilot had managed to get them loaded without going through security or showing their passports. A deep breath confirmed all aboard were wolves. Amee was the only female, a fact that made her nervous. The males were staring at her and she didn’t like that either. In her attempts to stay ahead of Juan and his family, she may have thrown herself feet first into a graver danger.

  Abductions were a concern for she-wolves anyway, but if they suspected she was a white wolf, there were many alpha wolves that would consider it their right to take her. Alphas could be the biggest assholes alive. Juan was an example of that, but he was by far not the worst. The exceptions were those who were honest and treated she-wolves fairly. A shudder ran through Amee as she considered her situation. Alone among a handful of male alphas on a flight that was supposed to be for her alone, it was clear something was going on.

  Chapter 5

  The Hunt

  Juan was furious. She had escaped the city somehow even with all his contacts and the worst part was they had no clue exactly when or how she had left. It was a sad day indeed when a female could show the big boys how it was done. Her house was emptied, cleaned, repaired, and listed for sale in a day. In the same time period she accessed cash, got a way out of town, packed her luggage, and planned a trip that was completely untraceable. Now the trackers had no clue where to search and even though the word had been put out, no one was talking. Either they had no knowledge, or only those loyal to her were involved in what she had plotted.

  In a weird way he was proud of her intelligence and her skills. He just wished she wasn’t using them against him. If she would just give him another chance he had learned from his mistake and he would never do anything that would cause her pain again. His problem now was he’d never convince her if he couldn’t find her. Ryker came in and motioned for him to look at his phone. Damn! The old wolf had called a dozen times and he demanded he call him back.

  “Father,” he said.

  “So nice and so respectful. What have you done with my son Juan? She escaped didn’t she?”

  “Yes.”

  “No leads, no direction to go?”

  “No, nothing.”

  “Come home. It going to be a while before you find her. You can run your search from here.”

  “Alright, Alpha.”

  “The world must be about to end. You’re doing as I ask without argument.”

  “I don’t know what to do and she’s been gone a week.”

  “I’ll help you.”

  That had been the start of a closer relationship with his father. It had all started when he arrived back home. His father had not been angry like he’d expected. He’d been understanding and even sympathetic. Juan had never seen this side of the hard male or the strict leader.

  “Come into my office and we will have a talk that’s far overdue.”

  They walked to the back of the house and his father motioned for him to sit into the chair across from his desk. His father had a small portable bar in his office and he poured them each a glass of whiskey. Placing one in front of Juan, he sat in his desk chair and took a drink. He slammed the glass down in front of him hard enough it vibrated and Juan wasn’t sure why it didn’t shatter.

  “I’ve never told you much about your mother and that’s because it’s a hard thing for me to talk about. Another worry was that you’d blame me and I never wanted to see hate on your face when you looked at me. I need to tell you now because it will help you to understand one of the problems between us and the Cardigan pack too.”

  Juan wasn’t sure he was ready to hear what his father wanted to say. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, you need to know. Once, a long time ago there was a beautiful human female and two young wolves that both courted her. She didn’t know they were wolves, she knew nothing of our world and had she known, she would have run.”

  “You and Cardigan?”

  “Yes, we both wanted her but eventually she chose me. I was arrogant, not unlike you have been. I didn’t tell her anything of our kind leaving her to find out as it happened. Wouldn’t anyone want to be a wolf? We mated and she went through the change which was rare and unexpected. When I told her what was happening she called me an evil demon and said she wanted me to take back this gift it was a curse. Laughing, I explained it was far too late for that. She tried to run away and I feared she’d hurt herself. I kept her locked up in our rooms. She’d curse me but when I kissed her she’d melt in my arms. She feared for her soul because she said she was in love with the devil himself.”

  He paused and took another drink. “Go on Dad, get this out of your system.”

  “She became pregnant with you and your twin. Her belly grew big and those I had assigned the job of keeping guard on her grew lax. They thought she was too big to run so why watch her so close. I think she grew frightened when her labor began. The door wasn’t locked and she ran further and faster than anyone could have anticipated. My trackers found her on the beach. You’d already been born but your twin died with her. I learned the hard way that when someone wants to escape you, sometimes they can manage the impossible. Cardigan became my life long enemy when he found out she died and how. He’d already mated, but he was always t
he type to hold a grudge.”

  “I had a twin?” Maybe that accounted for the empty half-finished feeling Juan had sometimes. He had thought Amee would complete him but he’d lost her too. At least she hadn’t died, he couldn’t have stood it.

  “Yes, a female.”

  “Was my mother your soul mate?”

  “I don’t think so, but I did love her. Her pain hurt me and I decided I would never mate again. Maybe that was the wrong choice, you needed a female in your life. It looks like you’ve repeated some of my mistakes. If I’d told you sooner, maybe it would have helped you.”

  “You don’t know that. I was pretty arrogant. It’s no wonder she ran from me. How am I going to get her back and what will I do if I can’t?”

  “We’ll get her back. It’s just a matter of time. We’ve got the best working for us.”

  Time passed painfully slow. There was no news and hope was slipping away a week at a time. Even his father was beginning to have doubts. “Have we had any clues surface?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” Juan answered.

  “Nothing,” Juan answered.

  “Once we find her, we need to find out who helped her.”

  “Why does that matter?”

  “We need to hire them. They are damned good.”

  That was no joke. She had fallen off the face of the planet as if she’d never existed. No credit card purchases, no one identifying her, and no tips or traces anywhere. How could she live that way? He was lost without her and he regretted his rash decisions more every passing day. That was when his brother Ryker found a clue about a doctor. She might be in Mexico, working for a charity Ariel ran. It sounded crazy, why would she be living in those primitive conditions? It hit him like an arrow to the heart, she would do anything to hide from him.

  His need for her was so strong he thought he would die from it and his mate wanted to avoid him so much she would risk her life and her freedom to avoid him. Mexico wasn’t safe for a she-wolf especially a white wolf. The next thought was why had she gone to a doctor? Was she ill or injured? He had to know and he had to be sure she was safe. What he did next would be about her because he knew deep in his heart for the first time in his life he was going to put someone else’s needs ahead of his own. It was time to grab his best people and head south of the border.

  He would take Ryker, Tony, and Jorte, but he would need some others too. The best tracker they had was Emmanuel, The Man, to his friends. If they found a trail, he could follow it. Roberto had connections in the area and he would ferret out the information that was needed. That wolf was scary and not just because of the jagged scar that ran from his ear down his neck and to his chest. His eyes were like silver mercury and they swirled when he was pissed. Only a fool would withhold information from a wolf like that. Roberto didn’t want a nickname so he didn’t have one.

  Juan added a couple more guys for muscle. Corde and Lorde were twins that had both been Navy Seals. Juan’s father insisted all young men went into the military for at least one tour. It made for a stronger pack. A few of the females had even gone regardless of the alpha’s disapproval and the council had supported them. So far none had died and those that had returned were stronger and better for it. With his crew rounded up and their bags packed, they were ready to go to the plane that was waiting for them. No one and nothing would stop him from finding her and ensuring her safety.

  There was no way to tell how their relationship would work out, but if she didn’t want him, he would let her go. It was too painful to see her risk her safety just to be free of him. It seemed his eyes had been opened and he was seeing everything in a different light. Why couldn’t that have happened a year ago when it would have made a difference? Fate was really fucking with him and he didn’t see any humor in the irony.

  His father thought knowing the circumstances of his birth might have helped him make better decisions but he wasn’t sure. Maybe all things came in their own time and his time to grow up was now. His failure to do so earlier had cost him his happiness and possibly his mate. It was too late to undo what had been done and all he could do now was be the male he was meant to be. He would find her, protect her, and if he had to, set her free so she could do what she wanted with or without him.

  They loaded up and headed to the airport. No one spoke and they all were aware of the seriousness of the situation. Amee might not have interest in other males because of their bonding, but other males would still be interested in her. If she had been taken, she would be at their mercy and anyone that would abduct a mated female had no mercy. The sooner they found her the better because there was no way of knowing what they might be doing to her.

  The plane was loaded quickly and they took off immediately. Now they would have nothing to do as they settled in for the flight. That wasn’t completely true. The man, Corde and Lorde were all IT experts. The three of them would spend their time searching the internet for clues based on the information they had available. They all had their computers of choice sitting on their pull out trays in front of their seats. They were typing furiously and it was odd to see their big hands flying over the small keyboards on their laptops or notebooks as they sifted through massive amounts of information looking for a gem that would aid them on this quest.

  The Man looked up at Juan. “We will need to split up. She was definitely at the site that Ariel’s charity runs and even though she’s no longer there some clues might be found. I’m also sure she visited the doctor and we need to know why. Finally, I believe Los Lobos may have her. They have a monthly auction of wolves each month. It is mostly the rare she-wolves but they have added male wolves for females to purchase and this means we are at risk if we’re caught. They will add us to the auction and thank their good fortune.”

  “”Damn, I’d rather die than be some female’s sex slave,” Ryker muttered.

  Others agreed. “Then don’t get captured,” Juan said without a trace of sympathy.

  He went to the back and took a nap on one of the bunks. The plane was set up for six or more to rest on long flights. Resting would help him be at his best when they landed. His mate would need him to free her from Los Lobos. Death would be preferable than leaving her at their mercy. Failure was not an option. The flight went fast since he slept through it. His computer geeks, they would be pissed if he referred to them that way out loud, told him what they had found as they were landing.

  He sent The Man and the twins to visit the doctor. The rest of them went to the place she’d been staying since she’d run. They walked through the gate at the compound where locals could get medical services and food to help them survive. An air of danger surrounded them as Juan led the way to the office. A human sat behind a desk, the nameplate said Jose Juarez.

  “We share a last name, Amigo. We’re here to help Amee. She’s disappeared and her family fears she’s in trouble,” Juan said lying as easily as breathing.

  Suspicion lurked in Jose’s eyes. “Who did you say you were?”

  “I’m Juan Juarez and my company, Juarez investigations was sent here to find Amee and take her home.”

  “She isn’t here anymore.”

  “We know that, but we are looking for clues to who may have abducted her.”

  “It was probably that asshole she was running from.”

  “What makes you think she was running from someone?”

  “It was in her eyes and she refused any man that ask her out.”

  “Did many men ask her out?” Juan asked his voice low and dangerous.

  “Yes, most of the single men here.”

  He started to ask if Jose had been one of them but decided not to because he would rip his throat out and right now he needed information and this was the man that had it. Jose was probably considered good looking and irresistible to women. It had probably wounded his pride when Amee had not returned that interest. Juan would just have to content himself with that.

  “So what can you tell me about her?”

  “Almost
nothing. I knew she was running from someone but she never admitted it. She wouldn’t talk about him even when some of the guys offered to kick him in the ass,” Juan smiled at the memory.

  “So I guess they felt pretty protective of her?” Juan asked.

  “Very, almost every one of them even those with their own women liked and respected her. It was impossible not to.”

  “Was there anyone who would know more about her than you do?”

  “I doubt it, Amee didn’t talk much. Loretta might know something, they were tent mates.”

  “What?”

  “Most of our workers live in tents on the grounds.”

  “That must be terribly uncomfortable.”

  “She was offered better accommodations but she refused.”

  “I just bet she was.”

  “Nothing like that, though she had those offers too. We have a supply room with a cot that I offered to her. She just laughed and said she was tougher than she looked. It was true too, she won everyone’s respect and she toughed it out without a complaint. Too bad Loretta’s not more like her.”

  “Where can I find this Loretta?”

  “Just go down the main path to the end. She’s distributing supplies while she’s unpacking boxes. You know someone knew Amee was leaving.”

  “Yeah, how’d you figure that?”

  “The morning she didn’t show, a replacement did. She was thoughtful that way and we weren’t left shorthanded. It’s funny how much better everything seemed to run when she was here. There were several families she helped out too. The woman had a heart of gold and a deep inner strength. I rarely even notice the volunteers that come through here but she stood out. We won’t get another one like her.”

  “I don’t imagine you will,” Juan said as he turned to go. His males trailed after him. It wasn’t hard to find Loretta but it was hard to keep her hands off him.

  “Could you just tell me about Amee?” he asked.

  “Why do all the men want to know about her? She’s got a man that much was clear. She won’t be interested in you anymore than she was in all the guys around here that panted after her. Telling me to enjoy the attentions of these younger guys while all the hot ones were after her, she said I would end up hurt. I’d like to hurt that way. You sure you wouldn’t like to get a drink?”