Chapter One
Jase Wagner closed his eyes and sighed as he cut through the cool mountain air on his motorcycle. The long, straight stretch of highway in front of him was the refuge he’d sought when he’d left home, but his plan had backfired. Instead of escape, the lengthy, uneventful ride allowed his mind to wander back to the day Montgomery died.
As if on cue, sharp pains erupted from the hidden two inch scar on the back of his head.
Phantom pains.
In the month since the attack, his hair had grown back and he’d been approved to return to work. Unfortunately, he’d lost more than a lot of blood that day. He’d lost his partner, his best friend, and his edge.
The healer had warned against dwelling on the past, but so many questions from his attack remained unanswered.
Another sharp pain jolted through him as he remembered the interrogation he’d endured from Logan, the Lead Enforcer, and several of his peers. He and the officer who’d found him had been the only two suspects, and the team had grilled them hard. They were immediately assumed guilty and questioned, even as everyone mourned the loss of their friend.
Once he and the other man’s innocence had been determined, the team supported his return to work, but he sensed their underlying lack of trust.
He didn’t blame them.
He’d proved himself an easy target, resulting in the death of a trusted friend, and he still couldn’t remember any details of the ambush. After a grueling two week recovery period, he’d demonstrated his uselessness on two missions, and Logan had reduced his duties to nothing more than those of an errand boy.
He’d been told it was a temporary move until his confidence returned, but he knew otherwise. The Enforcers were made up of the best of the best, and he no longer fell into that category. After two weeks of embarrassingly simple tasks, and unnecessary partnering that felt more like babysitting, he’d turned in his resignation. Logan had ripped up the paper and sent him on an indefinite leave of absence, but he knew he would never return to the team.
The Enforcers were the police and security of his bear clan, and he’d lost his ability to protect.
His cell-phone vibrated in his back pocket, and he roared a curse into the wind. Logan, Mason and Jacob had been keeping tabs on him with seemingly random texts, and their concern, while appreciated, was beginning to get on his nerves. He knew they cared, but he also knew they were too busy to chat via text every other day.
He just wanted to be left alone.
He twisted the throttle on his bike and barreled down the two lane road, determined to ignore whoever was texting. He’d turned in his notice, and whether or not Logan accepted it wasn’t his problem. He wasn’t their responsibility anymore.
Guilt washed over him and he swore again. He slowed the machine to its original speed, and then looked for a place to pull off the road. It had been two weeks since he’d left the comfort of home, and he’d only shifted a few times. The trees lining both sides of the asphalt called to him, and he pulled onto a dirt trail labeled with a small wooden brown and yellow sign.
Once he felt his bike was hidden from any passersby, he shoved the keys in his pocket, pulled out his cell-phone, and read Logan’s message.
How are you today?
Seriously? The man needed to work on his subtlety. Jase frowned. He’d gone from a trusted, capable warrior to a newborn cub that needed to check in every other day. The reality was both shocking and insulting. What would he do when he went back home? He’d spent his life training for the Enforcers, and all he had to show for it was a pile of money and hidden scars.
After the attack, fear had kept him from making tactical decisions on missions, and the unknown details of the death of his friend fueled the fear. He’d been born to fight and protect, but he’d lost the ability to do either. His acute shifter senses had failed him, and
Jase Wagner closed his eyes and sighed as he cut through the cool mountain air on his motorcycle. The long, straight stretch of highway in front of him was the refuge he’d sought when he’d left home, but his plan had backfired. Instead of escape, the lengthy, uneventful ride allowed his mind to wander back to the day Montgomery died.
As if on cue, sharp pains erupted from the hidden two inch scar on the back of his head.
Phantom pains.
In the month since the attack, his hair had grown back and he’d been approved to return to work. Unfortunately, he’d lost more than a lot of blood that day. He’d lost his partner, his best friend, and his edge.
The healer had warned against dwelling on the past, but so many questions from his attack remained unanswered.
Another sharp pain jolted through him as he remembered the interrogation he’d endured from Logan, the Lead Enforcer, and several of his peers. He and the officer who’d found him had been the only two suspects, and the team had grilled them hard. They were immediately assumed guilty and questioned, even as everyone mourned the loss of their friend.
Once he and the other man’s innocence had been determined, the team supported his return to work, but he sensed their underlying lack of trust.
He didn’t blame them.
He’d proved himself an easy target, resulting in the death of a trusted friend, and he still couldn’t remember any details of the ambush. After a grueling two week recovery period, he’d demonstrated his uselessness on two missions, and Logan had reduced his duties to nothing more than those of an errand boy.
He’d been told it was a temporary move until his confidence returned, but he knew otherwise. The Enforcers were made up of the best of the best, and he no longer fell into that category. After two weeks of embarrassingly simple tasks, and unnecessary partnering that felt more like babysitting, he’d turned in his resignation. Logan had ripped up the paper and sent him on an indefinite leave of absence, but he knew he would never return to the team.
The Enforcers were the police and security of his bear clan, and he’d lost his ability to protect.
His cell-phone vibrated in his back pocket, and he roared a curse into the wind. Logan, Mason and Jacob had been keeping tabs on him with seemingly random texts, and their concern, while appreciated, was beginning to get on his nerves. He knew they cared, but he also knew they were too busy to chat via text every other day.
He just wanted to be left alone.
He twisted the throttle on his bike and barreled down the two lane road, determined to ignore whoever was texting. He’d turned in his notice, and whether or not Logan accepted it wasn’t his problem. He wasn’t their responsibility anymore.
Guilt washed over him and he swore again. He slowed the machine to its original speed, and then looked for a place to pull off the road. It had been two weeks since he’d left the comfort of home, and he’d only shifted a few times. The trees lining both sides of the asphalt called to him, and he pulled onto a dirt trail labeled with a small wooden brown and yellow sign.
Once he felt his bike was hidden from any passersby, he shoved the keys in his pocket, pulled out his cell-phone, and read Logan’s message.
How are you today?
Seriously? The man needed to work on his subtlety. Jase frowned. He’d gone from a trusted, capable warrior to a newborn cub that needed to check in every other day. The reality was both shocking and insulting. What would he do when he went back home? He’d spent his life training for the Enforcers, and all he had to show for it was a pile of money and hidden scars.
After the attack, fear had kept him from making tactical decisions on missions, and the unknown details of the death of his friend fueled the fear. He’d been born to fight and protect, but he’d lost the ability to do either. His acute shifter senses had failed him, and
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