Page 85 of The Enforcers: NOAH

Chapter 34

They trudged back to the cabin nearly half an hour later, Noah carrying Brock, and Mina still a wolf. Noah hadn’t tried to get her to change back; he knew she was too exhausted to make it back to the cabin in human form.

He kept reaching down to touch her, running his fingers over her soft fur and silky ears.

Mina was a wolf. Instead of claiming her, he’d Turned her, and instead of killing her, the wolf he’d planted in her had healed her and saved her life.

He still didn’t know how the hell that had happened.

By the time they arrived, the fight was over. Carson was dead; the men and wolves who’d come in with him were being loaded into one of the trucks, their wrists and ankles zip tied.

Noah didn’t really want to know what was being done with the bodies. He’d had enough death for one day, and he was bone-tired.

As always after a battle, he looked around for familiar faces, hoping like hell no one had been lost. He saw Jasmin next to Tank, once again digging bullets out of his hide; apparently the reinforcements had brought more antidote. Jesse was there, and Jace and Emma, Sophia and Rafe and Terin and Tristan.

Donnie was directing the loading of the prisoners. And Flynn…

Flynn was standing with his arms crossed, armed with his best “don’t fuck with me” expression. Israel was up in his face, talking in a low, intense voice and looking extremely pissed off. Blue fire was dancing around Israel’s hands, emanating from a gold disc embedded in his palm.

As they moved closer, Noah heard Flynn say, “I didn’t ask for this, and I don’t want your fucking dragon magic.”

“Fine,” Israel said. He raised his voice. “Hey everybody, I’ve gotta go, but there seems to be a territory here up for grabs. Any takers? Anybody?”

Everyone stopped what they were doing. A couple of wolves opened their mouths, and Tank growled. From across the clearing, Jasmin gave a feline snarl. The wolves closed their mouths.

Israel gazed at Flynn. “Well? I don’t have all night. Do you want it or not?”

Flynn stared at him for a long moment, and then he looked around at the hopeful faces of his crew.

“Oh, fuck it,” he muttered. He held out his hands.

Israel grasped them in his own. The blue light encircled their clasped hands, and then expanded to encompass Flynn’s whole body. It flared for a moment, then disappeared.

Flynn stood there, clenching and unclenching his hands. Noah walked over and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Maybe now at least they’ll do what you say.”

“Fuck you,” Flynn said, and turned and walked up the steps and into his cabin.

It took a while to coax Mina back into human form. She curled into Noah’s arms on the couch in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, Brock asleep with his head in her lap. Noah just kept tracing the mark on her shoulder. He hadn’t meant to Turn her, and he didn’t know how she would feel about it.

“I don’t regret it,” she said, as if she were reading his mind. He bent his head and kissed the spot.

“You still may,” Jace said, sitting down on the coffee table, facing them. “Handling a wolf that’s been given to you is a lot different than handling a wolf you’re born with.”

“Am I in trouble with the Council?” Noah asked. “For Turning Mina?”

“You had her consent for the bite, and it was a life-and-death situation, so no, I don’t think so,” said Jace. “But you are one constant pain in my ass. You know that, right?”

“Yeah,” Noah said. “Maybe I’ll improve with age.”

Jace snorted. “I’m not holding my breath. At this rate, you’re not going to live long enough to improve.” He shook his head.

“So do we get to join the pack?” Mina asked sleepily. “I want to. Because I’m still kind of feeling wolfy and badass.”

Jace laughed. “Yeah, you can join the pack, God help me. But I’m putting both of you to work for Kane. That should straighten you the fuck out.”

Noah groaned. “Kane hates me,” he said.