by Connor Crowe
But this room wasn't that at all. It was actually quite nice. Nicer than the shabby dorms at the Black Hand compound, that was for sure.
A soft carpet covered the floor in tones of mossy green and a rough-hewn wooden bed sat in front of a wide window overlooking the courtyard. A large crimson tapestry hung on the wall, wool by the look of it. What was especially odd, however, was how my sharpened senses pinged at something just beyond it.
Something metal.
I kept the shock from my face and put on a neutral expression to turn to the alpha. He was yammering on about something else that I hadn't quite picked up on, and I only hoped it wasn't important.
"..and that's about all there is to it," he finished, crossing his arms. "Any questions?"
I blinked and looked around the room. Nothing special, no, but way more than I deserved as a prisoner. Just what was their game here?
The question crystallized on my tongue when I faced the alpha once more. Something about him flowed over me like warm honey, making it hard to think. A strange sense of ease filtered through my veins. Made me feel safe. Safer than I ever had with the Black Hands. But that was nonsense, right? Total nonsense.
This pack couldn't be trusted, everyone knew that. And if I let my guard down, I'd pay for it. No. The only thing to focus on right now was waiting for the alpha to leave and hatching a plan to get the hell out of here.
These stupid anti-shifter cuffs posed a bit of a problem, though...
"You gonna make me wear these the whole time?" I asked, waving my arms from behind my back. "My shoulders are killing me already."
"We can't take any chances." Markus avoided my gaze. What if he was thinking the same thing I was?
"I'm not gonna shift and run off," I lied. "Where would I even go anyway? You've got wolves everywhere, and I'd have to get out of this room first."
Please let me go, I prayed under my breath. Please let me go, please let me go.
Markus considered for a moment, then stepped forward until his face was only inches from mine. I froze. He was close enough now that I could feel the embrace of his body heat and the strong, spicy scent of his wolf. It curled into me like a wayward puff of smoke, slow at first, and then more, and more...
Fire. Pine. Honey. For a terrible moment, I lost all sense of reason and tilted my head to the side out of instinct, wanting to be closer to him. Wanting him to claim me.
Markus sucked in a breath and time spun out before us as the connection grew stronger. I wanted him. By all the gods, I wanted him.
I was so fucking screwed, and not in the fun way.
The spell broke not a second too soon, though. For both of us. "Behave," he rumbled, his voice so deep it vibrated all the way to my heart. "Don't make me regret this."
Then he wrapped his arms around me, almost like a hug. I sucked in a quick little gasp, as his hands brushed mine. He was so warm, so close, so intoxicating…
Click. The cuffs came free and Markus drew away, the same awe and longing dancing in his eyes. He looked away.
“There.” He said, his back to me now. “But if I hear so much as the smallest transgression…my mercy has its limits.” Markus looked over his shoulder, and any hint of the desire I’d once seen on his face was gone. This was all cold, hard alpha power.
I gulped. “Thank you.” And I felt it, too. I’d thought for sure I’d be dead right about now. I still didn’t understand the source of the alpha’s sudden mercy, but I wasn’t going to question it. As long as I was still alive, I could escape. I could still finish the mission, and I could still get paid.
“I’ll let you rest, for now. There is a small selection of clothing in the trunk by your bed. Do let the guard know if you need another size. But Felix? Don’t even think about leaving. We are watching twenty four seven. If you try anything…we’ll know.”
With that final, menacing message, the door closed and locked me in.
All the energy left my limbs the moment the door clicked into place. Now that I was alone, I had no one to impress. No false persona to put on. The truth was, I was tired.
Bone tired.
I sunk into the bed, moaning in relief as the fluffy blankets wrapped around me. All of the adrenaline had eked out of my system at last, and I could barely move I was so drained.
A nagging current of dread still swirled in my gut when I thought about my sponsor back at the compound. What would happen when I didn’t return? Would they come looking for me? Would they even care?
And then came the most unsettling thought of all: did I want to go back to that life, even if I could?
5
Markus
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
I scrubbed a hand over my face and forced myself to walk away from the door. Silence stretched out around me, sucking all the oxygen from the air. This was wrong. This was so, so wrong.
Not gonna lie to you. It was hard walking away from my mate like that. Really hard.
But how could we ever be together? I was the Pack Alpha of Nox Bay, sworn to protect this land and my family. And he was an intruder and a thief. Not to mention his shifter form wasn't even a wolf.
I could tell that much as soon as I set eyes on him. He carried himself differently. Smelled differently. But if he was no wolf, then what was he?
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. My duty, first and foremost, was to my pack. And some day soon, I'd need to mate and produce an heir. It was the fate ordained to me since birth. People expected things of me. And I wouldn't let this omega, no matter how entrancing, tear that apart.
“There you are.”
The words startled me more than they should have. I snapped to attention to find my second there, regarding me with curiosity.
“Arric,” I greeted him, but kept walking.
“Red.” He used the familiar version of my last name, the one he only used when he needed my full attention.
“It's late.” I checked my watch. “Or rather, early. What is it?”
Arric fell into step beside me, his long legs easily keeping up with mine. “If I may speak freely.”
“You may.”
“The thief. Why did you let him live?”
I considered that for a moment. Why indeed? It would have been so easy to just send him away, have him executed or maimed. We had to set an example, after all. An attempt to steal our most precious artifact could not go unpunished.
Then, of course, was the call in my heart the moment I laid eyes on him. The sad, troubled history behind those defiant eyes. The protective urge that swelled up inside me and wanted more than anything to protect him from the horrors of the world.
I couldn’t say that, though.
“We could use an extra pair of hands around here.” I suggested, keeping my voice casual.
Arric shook his head. “That’s a weak excuse, Red. What happened?”
Why wouldn’t he just leave me alone? I quickened my steps, but I knew Arric wouldn’t leave until he got the truth. Or at least, as close to the truth as I was gonna give him.
“Have you secured the Eye?” I asked, trying to change the subject. “That’s what we should be focusing on. Why was it left unguarded in the first place?”
Arric’s face hardened, his lip curling upward. The depths of a snarl began to rise up from his chest. “That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I had one of those dreams again.”
I didn’t have to ask to know what he meant. Prophetic dreams. One of the many talents our little pack had to offer. “And you saw the Eye in danger?”
“More than that,” he said. His shoulders sagged like he was carrying a great weight. “Come here, I’ll show you.”
He turned a corner and we stepped into a small alcove. A cool wind howled through the walkway and scattered dead leaves across the ground. Arric glanced around for a moment before glancing at me. “Do you trust me, Red?”
“You know I do,” I said, “But what does this have to do with—“
He put his hands on my shoulders and the world turned white. Then there they were. I saw the building where we kept the Eye. I saw Galt, the night guard, stalking through the shadows. He lifted his nose to the sky and flicked his gaze around, picking up on a scent. Then I watched in horror as he left his post, gaining on the poor omega, pinning him, ignoring his cries for help…
I came back to myself shaking and covered in sweat, bracing myself against the cold stone pillar. “Galt,” I breathed, my jaw clenching. I could barely speak, the rage flared so high within me. I was ready to shift right then and there. There was one thing I couldn’t abide, and as the Pack Alpha I had a duty to keep my brothers and sisters safe.
And to think, I’d actually placed that snake in a position of power…
I tasted iron and spat, realizing that I’d been biting the inside of my cheek. “Did he think he wasn’t gonna get caught?”
Arric shrugged. “Alphas like that don’t much care for rules, I’ve noticed. He probably would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for your little thief. Felix, I think his name was?”
Just the sound of his name sent me into protector mode. Damn him.
“What about him?” I asked, keeping my jaw clenched. My blood still ran high with the revelation about Galt but now fear and disgust ran through my veins as well.
“He interrupted their little, um, rendezvous. That’s how they caught him in the first place.”
Little by little, the pieces clicked together.
That’s why he’d been caught. That’s why Cade and Galt had dragged him here in the first place. He’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time…
Or the right place.
The sickening feeling only grew when I realized how close Felix had come to getting hurt. I shouldn’t have worried about him, I knew that, but my gut twisted at the thought. With Galt occupied, he could have escaped. Could have taken the Eye and ran.
But he didn’t.
He stayed, and he saved that omega from Galt’s attack.
I knew there had been something special about him, but now I was realizing I didn’t even know the half of it.
It took everything in me to keep from running off to check on him. What if Galt found him and wanted revenge? What if he tried to escape?
“Go round up Galt and Cade,” I ordered Arric. “Throw them in the cells and let them think about what they’ve done.”
“What happened to ‘it’s late’?” He gave me a tired smile, but still stood as obedient and ready as ever.
“Fuck what time it is. I need those bastards dealt with now!” I nearly roared the words and my fingernails sharpened into claws as the wolf took hold. I couldn’t let anything happen to him.
My omega. My mate. He’d risked his life and his prize to save another, someone who didn’t mean anything to him.
It was up to me to repay that kindness.
“Now,” I growled again when Arric hadn’t moved.
“Sir!” Arric yelped and ran off, leaving me agitated and alone.
I took in shaky, labored breaths and tried to stop shaking. I couldn’t. First to find out my guards were preying on pack omegas, and then to find that our new guest had nearly met the same fate…
I saw red. Fuck the rules. I needed to make sure he was safe.
Before I quite knew where my legs were heading, I was making a path back to Felix’s room, praying that nothing had happened. Not yet.
Why is it that whenever you’re heading somewhere in a hurry, everyone and everything tries to hold you up? Distraction after distraction presented itself, and it was hours before I finally made it back to Felix’s room.
“Have you seen him?” I panted at the confused guard. “He still in there?”
The guard, Adam if I remembered correctly, raised a concerned eyebrow. “You only left a few hours ago. Haven’t seen anyone coming or going since then.”
“But are you sure?” I asked, my voice rising. I knew, knew that I was being irrational, but in the heat of the moment I was powerless to stop it. “I just had a bad feeling and…”
“By all means, you can check again yourself if you like. I’m sure he’s still in there, safe and sound just like you left him.” Adam looked dubious, but unlocked the door.
I rushed into the room, knowing that I’d find him there, knowing that he’d look at me with those defiant eyes and ask why I was back so soon.
I was overreacting. Totally overreacting.
At least, I thought I was.
But when I rushed into the room, the omega was nowhere to be found.
6
Felix
I didn’t feel great about it, but what choice did I have?
I sure wasn’t going to let them keep me here, no matter how nice it seemed. Was probably a trick. Something to keep me docile until they could have their way with me. What reason did I have to trust them, anyway?
The bed, comfortable as it was, felt almost too real. Too good to be true. I was a prisoner, I reminded myself. And no matter how much they tried to butter me up, it wouldn’t change that fact.
When I couldn’t stand the stillness any longer, I got up and paced around the room. The Eye was still out there, calling to me with a faint, but traceable signal. If I could make another attempt and actually retrieve it this time, maybe I could save the mission after all. Maybe I wouldn’t be in for the beating of my life once (if ever) I returned to the compound.
I caught sight of my face in the mirror and frowned, realizing for the first time how thin I’d become. Months of hard work, little pay, and even less food had taken their toll on me, and it was starting to show. How long could I keep this up? How many more times could I risk my life before it all shattered around me?
I closed my eyes and drew in a breath, just like my mentor had taught me. I worked to find clarity, to ease the buzzing of thoughts and fears and pain. But as anyone who’s tried to meditate knows, peace so rarely comes to those actively seeking it.
Every time my breaths began to slow into a rhythm, the alpha’s face appeared in my mind’s eye. And not only that. His face. His body. His clothes. His scent.
It wasn’t even near time for my heat, so it couldn’t be that, but something about this alpha set me off in new and terrifying ways. All the more reason I had to get out of here, artifact or not.
The metallic signal from behind the tapestry called out to me again the closer I got to it. Lovely as it was, there was nothing metal about it, unless…
I picked up the thick wool and peeled it upward. There, beneath several layers of paint, was the outline of a door. Time and age had hidden it well enough, but not from me. Hope sprang anew—could this be my way out?
About chest height and just big enough for a small person to fit through, it had be some kind of tunnel. Perhaps a dumbwaiter. Or maybe it was just a long forgotten utility panel. That would suck.
I held my breath and clawed at the paint, trying to find purchase. Paint flecked away and fluttered to the ground. Once I had it started, I peeled away layer after layer until the door remained. Old, rusty—but still a door. And still my only way out of here.
Paint and grime dug under my nails and scratched at my skin, but I didn’t care. Didn’t even care that I was still naked. This was my chance, and I didn’t think I was gonna get another one. I hooked my fingers into an indentation in the metal, gritted my teeth, and pulled.
A long, whining metallic sound screeched through the room as the door came free, opening onto into darkness. I winced and froze, hoping the guard hadn’t heard anything. I didn’t know how well these walls were insulated, but I didn’t want to take any more chances than I had to. I peered into the hole and felt around with my hands. Nothing but dead air.
I couldn’t tell how far down it went or if it even went anywhere at all. Maybe it had just been used for storage way back when. My heart pattered fiercely, my fox ready to pounce and get the hell out of here. Sweat stuck to my brow.
I leaned further in, as far as I could go without losing my balance, and then I felt the cool metal on the opposite wall. It was about three feet deep, then. My fingers closed over a metal bar bolted to the wall. I felt along its smooth edges—a rung.
A ladder.
“Looks like the Crimson Fox hasn’t been caught yet,” I muttered under my breath. I yanked at the rung, making sure it was stable. Then I slung myself inside and out of sight.
I descended for what felt like forever. Each little creak, each slip of my bare feet on the ancient rungs shocked through me like lightning. If I was caught again, there would be no mercy. Of that much I was sure. Total darkness surrounded me. My only anchor was the warm puff of each breath, and the feeling of the metal beneath my hands and feet.
How embarrassing would it be to nearly escape, only to fall and break my neck at the last second?
I nearly lost my balance when I finally reached solid ground once more. A small tunnel stretched out in front of me and through it I could see a small slant of light. The air hung heavy with dirt and dust. How long had it been since anyone had been down here? And what was this tunnel for in the first place?
My fox ached to shift and run free. Naked and human, I was weak. Vulnerable. Easy to catch, easy to kill. But as a fox, I could flee the scene and disappear into the woods without leaving a trace.
I wanted to shift. I needed to. But no matter how deeply I reached within, how much my fox cried out to reunite us once more, I just…couldn’t.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Winced. Grunted.
Nothing.
“Motherfucker,” I cursed under my breath. I wasn’t even wearing the cuffs anymore. What had they done to me?
Fear lashed out now, wrapping around my heart. What if I could never shift again? What if they’d severed the connection somehow?
I swallowed against the lump in my throat. Perhaps this had been their plan all along. Who needed violence when there were much more subtle, much more agonizing ways to kill a man?
