Pack Gems by Kuro Kusai, WhiteWolf Aura (year 2 reading books .txt) 📕

"And if there are?"

"Capture them, and if that proves troublesome, take care of them."

Kendrix obediently jogged out of the door with half a dozen wolves at his back.

Jordan approached Axel, "Do you wish for me to call the rest?"

"Yes, put them on alert." He replied over his shoulder as he strode over to a wooden cabinet and opened it to reveal an electric key pad.

Axel then inserted the ten digit pass-code that allowed him access to its contents—four silver pistols.

Jordan's body froze as he was reaching for the phone when he spotted the weapons, "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes."

"I thought those guns could kill a Were in a matter of seconds—Actually, kill pretty much anything with magic in it's veins."

Axel looked back at Jordan and chuckled, "Exactly. No one's getting near her."

"But using them could be dangerous," He eyed the guns with a mixture of fear and respect.

Axel took out a gun and weighed it in his hand. It was surprisingly heavier than a normal gun and it was to the touch warm. Placing two of them in the waist line of his belt, he took the other remaining two in each hand. He walked over to Jordan and tried to hand him one, but the wolf took half a step back, appalled to be offered such a thing.

"Alpha, I cannot…" He stammered.

"It's fine. The magic won't affect us. Gaby made sure of it. Take it."

"How can you trust that hateful wit-"

Axel put his hand out to signal Jordan to stop talking.He inhaled deeply, catching a subtle vanilla, and whispered, "Watch what you say, Brother, you never know who might be lurking."

Axel caught his twinge of apprehension, but Jordan took the gun despite his uncertainty.Axel nodded to him encouragingly, and headed for the kitchen, almost bumping into Gaby in the process.

"You're going to use them?" She asked incredulously, her red pendant securely against her chest.

"Yes. I need them. Why are you wearing the necklace?"

"They took years to make, and you're going to waste them on this mutt?" She avoided his question, her light voice weaving through his conscience.

"Gaby…" He growled a warning.

"What?" She questioned innocently, stepping closer to him.

"Stop it." Her voice was one of her more powerful weapons when she wore her pendant, and he couldn't get distracted, not now.

She leaned into him, trying to place a kiss on his neck, but he backed away before she could.

"What's wrong?"

"What are you trying to do, Gabriela? What kind of shit are you trying to pull?"

She flinched at Axel's raised voice but still spoke the next comment boldly, "She's worthless."

"I don't have time to deal with you."

Gaby scowled and strode out of the kitchen, "Pretty soon you'll have to."

.::. Kaden's POV .::.

Kaden watched as the unflappable Taylor stared at her like she was a mad woman.

Kaden had related everything to Taylor that she learned from Bree, but the hardest part Taylor was have trouble gripping was that her confidante had been Bree, not that Lucas had plotted to sell them to the highest, and furthest, bidder.

She had taken Taylor to the laundry room, mostly because it was loud in there. Taylor sat on a washing machine, as she considered what she had been informed. Kaden had told her all about Luke's set up to have them taken away, how he convinced Bree and Audrey to follow his orders, and how after it got too intense the girls wanted out but he wouldn't let them—Which all led up to the situation they were in now, with their old Packs still coming for them.

"Tay, I know we can trust her, I couldn't catch a whiff of a lie." Kaden added in a barely audible whisper as she shifted to lean against the wall opposing the washing machine.

"Hmm, okay. Well, like you said, we're just gonna have to get on the road again. This all started because we let ourselves get drawn into Pack business anyway." She whispered back, swinging her legs back and forth off the edge of the machine.

"Yeah, for their own good as well as ours, we have to go. We can't make them fight our war."

"Okay," Taylor replied, running a hand through her dark hair in resignation, "How will we do this?"

"Bree said that Lucas had left a car parked somewhere in an abandoned gas station. Let's take it. I'm sure there's a way to get the keys."

"Good. And we can sneak some essentials before we leave."

"Yeah, but we'll need a distraction so they don't see what we're doing." Kaden pointed out as she started for the laundry room door before anyone came looking for them.

They stepped outside to find every wolf busy with a purpose, and something snapped inside Kaden.

She was sure Taylor had felt the sudden jolt of anger through the bond because she flinched.

"Sorry," Kaden spoke in a low voice, "Being around these packs, and not actually belonging feels…strange. It's rubbing me the wrong way."

"Kaden, other people in general rub you the wrong way."

"…and your point would be?"

Taylor snickered as they both looked around the room at the bustling activity.

"Would you rather be like them, having to obey the Alpha's orders?"

"Guess not. Kinda bad this is all over just us two, huh?" Kaden asked.

"Oh they'll be rid of us soon enough. You have a game plan?"

"Just make sure we can share a room tonight, I'll take care of the rest."

And with that Kaden headed for the stairs, and into Axel's room with a purpose of her own.

~Taylor's POV~

Taylor sat motionless in a chair placed in front of the window out looking Axel's backyard.

The scene unfolded in her mind again, the gun shot echoing in her head.

What kind of cheaters used guns? That's what bothered her the most.

More and more of their pursuers were using silver loaded guns to stop them dead.

It made her wonder if there was more than just their "packs" after them. Maybe there were humans involved now. Nothing would surprise her at this point.

She mulled over Kaden's explanation somberly. It would chafe her ego running away, but it was the only option. Taylor wasn't foolish. Still, she had a horrible feeling Akira, Daren and…Mason would think she abandoned them; just gaining their trust until their backs were turned.

Taylor exhaled, her resolve set.She wouldn't cause anymore pain amongst these packs. She and Kaden could handle their pursuers as they had done before—they would drop off their radar.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Daren moved in front of her chair, blocking her view.

She managed a crooked smile, "Can't say I'm one-hundred percent, but I'll survive."

Daren patted her shoulder, "There's nothing you could have done to make anything turn out any different."

She turned a speculative eye on Daren, his spiky hair that had been dye black in streaks throughout his blonde hair had begun to fade on their long journey. His scar that ran diagonally across his face puckered slightly as he furrowed his eyebrows in concern.

"Daren, thank you," Taylor hadn't meant to sound quite so dramatic but this was her goodbye to him.

He had been like a diligent older brother to her.

His dark blue eyes studied her face, confusion crossing his features.He opened his mouth just as Akira bounded next to them, "Man, Mason's cranky."

"Did you mess with him again?" Taylor laughed but it was more of a relief at being saved from questioning.

"I'm anxious. He's hurt and we have to keep an eye on him," Akira grumbled, his straight black bangs falling momentarily in his brown eyes.

"Then why are you over here?" Taylor looked over her shoulder to see Mason talking idly with one of the other wolves that had shown up after the attack.

He seemed at ease and barely hurt, although she knew better than that.

"Because he wanted us to watch you," Akira scoffed as if that were an impossible task.

She felt the familiar spark of irritation rise inside her.Here he was, barely able to walk straight, in a rival's den and he was worried about a nonpack member?

"That's ridiculous. You know I'm not the one to worry about now."

"We know, but it was an order." Daren retorted drily, as if she was questioning the earth's roundness.

"…Well, he ordered you to protect me right?" Taylor chose her words carefully, trying to exploit the loophole, "Then, because you are setting me on edge by being around me in such an emotional state, I will start to think up diabolical plans to escape you two—and any other eyes watching. It would be dangerous, me being alone. So to protect me from myself, back off."

Each wolf looked at the other in uneasiness."But… he'll have our heads." Daren voiced their fears.

It was obvious they wanted to be by their Alpha's side. This wouldn't take much convincing.

"Blame it on me. Easy. Say I threatened to run away, hurt myself further by fighting you two…anything, I don't care. If he still has a problem, come and get me. I'll handle it."

It was Akira who nodded first, "Fine, but it's all on you."

"Oh, please, you owe me." Taylor gave them a teasing wink as they melded into the background, closer to their Alpha.

They are good guys.…Too trusting, but good guys.

Taylor rubbed her hands together and rose from her seat.Now that she got those two off her back she could get ready for tonight.

Navigating past the wolves in the room she had almost reached the hallway when her arm was grabbed.

Damn. So close.

Turning, she met Mason's eyes."Yes?"

"Where are you going? And alone too."

"Shower. Or did you want Akira and Daren to accompany me there too?" Taylor replied sarcastically while slipping out of his grasp.

His eyes narrowed, "They can wait outside the door, smartass."

This was low and she hoped never to stoop this low again, she brought out the waterworks."I just want to be alone. Maybe sleep with Kaden tonight."

Although she hadn't let the tears drop down her eyes, just merely perch on her bottom lashes; she could still see Mason's resolve and hostile attitude crumble.

She expected him to back down, what she hadn't expected was the hug he swept her in.

.::. Kaden's POV .::.

The wolves prancing around the house never gave Kaden any trouble as she headed for Axel's room.

She held her breath as she opened the door, but the room was empty. She went over to his closet to look for something to carry stuff in. She came upon a red and black hiking backpack that was on a hook in the back of his closet. She grabbed it, and searched it for contents but came up empty.

Kaden proceeded to look through the room for anything that might be of use to them, but still being careful to take only what wouldn't be noticed and leaving everything else like it was. Still, even with her hands busy, it wasn't long before her thoughts soon came up on leaving Axel and Mason behind.

Even though they'd initially been captured by them, they had taken care of them— Daren, Connor, Akira, even Cal. All of them she'd only known for a short time but she had gotten small taste of what being in a Pack was like, and she couldn't lie to herself, she would miss it, but they couldn't cause more trouble for these Packs.

Kaden approached