by Kalen, Cat
“Tell me more,” I say as I imagine what other kinds of shifters exist. Where do they live? How do they survive? Are they friend? Or foe?
“What I understand is this: these shape-shifting panthers aren’t from around here and they run purely on instinct. To make matters worse, the human part of them lacks our sense of right and wrong. This makes for a very dangerous enemy.”
Shivers skid down my spine and I lean forward to brace my hands on my knees. I slowly exhale. “Meaning, they’re deadly.”
“I remember overhearing Malcolm talking about them when I was younger,” he continues to explain. “While these cats are deadly, he did point out they lived alone in the African jungle and bothered with no one but themselves, but he also said if they were ever captured and harnessed, the world would be in a load of trouble.”
I stand back up, understanding that this presents a whole new set of problems for us. “If we figure out their weaknesses we can figure out how to defeat them. Clearly someone has found a way to gain control over them.”
“It’s dog against cat,” Stone says. “How bad can that be for us?”
Logan’s brow rises. “Lethal, considering cats have nine lives.” He looks at me and I take that time to wonder who is controlling them and what they might want with the master. Had these panthers chased away our small army, or had they—? I shut my mind down, refusing to go there, refusing to believe it could be true.
“Do you have any idea where Gem is?” Logan asks.
“The master put her near his quarters and is keeping her close. I can only assume he’s distancing her because he suspects she’s with us.”
“We can’t break out of here with her still trapped,” Logan says.
“And exactly how do you plan on breaking out of here? Do you have a new plan?” Stone asks, his voice challenging, skeptical.
“I do,” I announce and they both turn to stare at me. “Well not a plan exactly, but a crucial first step in figuring one out.” At least I hope it is. Equal amounts of confusion and shock spread across their faces when I add, “It requires me getting back into the dungeon.”
Logan’s body stiffens as he stares at me long and hard, and I know he’s thinking about his own horrific experience in the dungeon. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?” Stone barks out and once again I feel his mounting rage. “She’s not going anywhere near that room, for any reason.”
“Stone—” I begin, frustration mushrooming inside of me as I cut him off.
Logan steps closer to me in a show of protection and his voice is low, concerned, when he says, “Tell me why, Pride. What’s in that room?”
With tension visible in his posture, Stone cuts us both off and stares at Logan’s fresh scars. “Are you kidding me?” he barks out.
Logan bares his sharp white teeth, a warning for the other alpha to back down. “We need to listen to her.”
Stone gives a hard shake of his head and adds, “For a guy who’s just been subjected to a round of torture, I can’t believe you’re actually entertaining the idea of letting her walk into that hellhole.” Stone runs unstable hands through his dark hair, mussing the ends before continuing, “Do you have any idea what will happen to her if she gets caught.”
“Pride,” Logan says, uncertainty flickering in his eyes as they focus on me. His worried gaze moves over my face. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s in that room?”
My heart quivers, because after everything Logan has been through because of me, he’s still willing to believe in me, to put his future, his very life, in my hands.
I’m not sure I deserve such faith because I’m not sure I can live up to it. I keep the emotion from my voice when I answer. “It’s where he stores the keys to the compound. I think I spotted the key to my cell.”
His blue eyes narrow carefully. “You can’t think, Pride. You have to be sure.”
I steady myself. “I am sure and I have to get in there.”
“And once you free yourself, where are you going to go? What will you do? We’ll all still be caged.”
“I want to get to Gem. To find out what she knows and figure out a way to free her before we come up with a new plan and try to break out of here.”
“How can you get to her? The house has motion sensors.”
“Through the vents,” I say.
Logan smiles at me. It’s warm and soft and so full of unfettered pride that my heart tightens with emotions. “See, sometimes it really does pay to be small,” he responds.
For a moment I think about how much Logan taught me—about myself and about the world—while we were running in the park. If it wasn’t for him, I never would have thought of my size as a strength instead of a weakness.
“Maybe she can tell us what happened to your pack.” I take in the wall surrounding us. “With any luck they’re still out there waiting for some sort of signal from us.”
Logan frowns. “I don’t think so, Pride. I’ve been trying to communicate but can’t reach any of them.”
We both go quiet for a moment, thinking things over and I can’t help but feel both sad and guilty. How will I ever live with myself if something happened to them because they were trying to help me?
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” Stone turns on Logan again. “And I can’t believe you actually let Pride return here. She had her freedom.” He drives his finger into Logan’s chest, provoking him. “You should have ensured she kept it. You’re a sorry excuse for an alpha.”
Logan’s nostrils flare, and I can feel his wolf pacing, his every movement threatening. “Don’t push me, Stone,” he warns, keeping a level head as Stone taunts him. “It’s not the time or place for this. And Pride is stronger and smarter than you’ll ever know. She can make her own decisions, and as her mate, I’ll support her in whatever she decides.”
“How can you possibly call yourself her mate?” Stone scoffs. “A real mate is supposed to protect, not let her walk straight back into danger.”
Something in the way Stone says real catches my attention, and takes me back to my time in the woods with Logan. I think about the way Logan reacted when he first learned that I could speak telepathically to Stone in human form. As my hackles rise I wonder exactly what’s going on here. What do they know that I don’t?”
“Stone,” Logan warns, his teeth gritting in anger, challenging the alpha with an unwavering stare. “I am her mate.”
Stone’s eyes go suddenly black and the sound coming from the depths of his throat is low and menacing, portraying his every dark emotion. His lips twist and the two share a knowing look, one that disturbs me and has me questioning everything.
“Right,” Stone responds and then my heart punches into my throat when he adds, “Except we both know otherwise.”
With that Logan’s control snaps and he hurls himself at Stone, delivering a hard punch to the alpha’s jaw. Stone flies backward, and hits the ground hard, the sound thunders in the air and prompts me into action.
Like Mario, I’m smart enough to know that getting between two alphas in the middle of a dog fight isn’t an intelligent move, but I need to neutralize this situation, partly because they’re drawing unwanted attention and partly because I want answers and I want them now.
“Stop,” I say to Logan, holding my hand against his chest before he pounces again, then I turn on Stone as he climbs to his feet. The look on his face is so intense, so dangerous I almost forget how to breathe. But the anger still can’t mask the hurt I see beneath that outer shell, a deep sadness that has my heart squeezing.
“What are you talking about? What do you both know?” I demand.
My nerve endings tingle as Stone rubs his jaw, his black eyes locking on Logan’s. I try to tap into his thoughts but he’s blocked me and for a minute I’m not sure he’s going to tell me what they know and I don’t. Then as if to taunt my mate and provoke him even more than he already has he opens up his thoughts and speaks to me telepathically.
“Why do you
think we can communicate like this, Pride?”
My heart starts beating faster and as the truth begins to unravel inside my brain I can’t believe I hadn’t figured it out before now. The courtyard sways in front of me, my vision going a little fuzzy around the edges, and it forces me to lock my knees to keep myself upright.
No. It can’t be…
“Yes it can be and it is,” he responds, still tapping into my thoughts.
I push him out of my head and build a defensive wall around my thoughts before my gaze flies from his face to Logan’s. Logan’s back goes straight and there is a weariness about him as I glare at him in challenge.
“Did you know this?” I ask, my voice trembling, my throat tight with emotion.
“Pride,” he reaches for me, his eyes filled with tender concern as the hard angles of his face soften. But it’s that sorrowful expression in his eyes that makes him so transparent and tells me everything I need to know.
Confusion and anger come at the same time and I step back, needing to distance myself as my mind races, trying to wrap my brain around this new information and what it might really mean for all of us.
“Logan,” I choke out, my heart picking up tempo as I give a perplexed shake of my head. By small degrees his body tightens and his hands fists at his sides. I see concern reflecting in his eyes when they meet mine. It shocks me that Logan knew all along that only true mates can speak telepathically when in human form and he purposely kept that information from me.
I realize that while I’m just learning about love and trust, I thought mates, true or not, were supposed to be open and honest with each other.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I question, trying to keep the hysteria from my voice as I watch a deep sadness invade his blue eyes. As I study him, I realize that for the first time I see something in Logan I’ve never seen before. Real fear.
But I’m not sure how I feel about all these secrets and I know I’m not prepared for the mix of emotions they bring. All I know is that my stomach is sick, my head is spinning and well…okay, maybe I do know how I feel. Foolish. I should have known better. I should have figured it out.
“Don’t beat yourself up. I kept you in the dark about a lot of things. In this place it was for your own good.”
“Don’t,” I say to him out loud, wanting to sever the intimate connection, and hating that he kept things from me. Important things. Things that might have made a difference.
Or might not have.
But those decisions were mine to make, not anyone else’s.
As conflicting emotions rush through me, the starting gun sounds again and pulls my attention. It’s a reminder that I have more important matters to worry about right now. I shake my head to clear it. I can’t be worrying about who my mate is and who he isn’t when I have more pressing concerns like how I’m going to sneak into the master’s dungeon and get my hands on those keys.
And I need these two backing me if I want to pull it off without getting caught.
“I’ll go,” Stone says and I realize he’s reading my thoughts.
I turn on him, and say. “You know as well as I do that I can get in and get out quicker than you. Besides I need you both to cause a distraction to keep the handlers and guards busy.”
“How do you know which key you’ll need?” Logan asks as he peruses the courtyard, everything in his expression letting me know he’s looking for potential danger.
“I have a new lock.”
“Right,” Stone says, his voice tight as he kicks at a rock.
My head jerks to him. “What do you mean right?”
With his back to the wall, he bends one knee and presses the pad of his foot to the stone barrier. He looks away from me for a moment, breaking eye contact, and I get the sense the next words are too painful for him to deliver. He draws in air, slowly turns back to me, and says, “Jace broke it. When they were taking him…” he swallows before he says, “away.”
I shudder involuntarily and blow out a shaky breath. Stone doesn’t have to say what ‘away’ really means for me to understand, and I’m glad he doesn’t voice that awful truth because I’m not sure I can bear to hear it. I choke down the emotions clogging my throat and think more about Jace and Clover, the elders who died to give me freedom. Both warmth and sadness touch me, because I know any sort of disobedience on Jace’s part is out of character. No, he broke that lock for one reason and one reason only.
Me.
Everything inside my gut tells me so.
I look at Stone, and while he might think the elder wolf snapped the lock in a fit of rage, I know he didn’t. Somewhere deep inside, Jace knew I’d be back and this was his way of giving me an advantage, something that could hopefully help aid in my escape.
And I’m not about to let him down.
Clearing my mind to focus only on the task at hand, I turn my back on the two alphas. “I need to go,” I say, and casually walk away before either can put up a fight. “You two do what you need to do.”
I inch my way along the perimeter and make my way toward the mansion. A moment later, I hear a shout and the ground practically shakes beneath me as I slip inside the kitchen door. I feel a slight sense of relief to know the two boys are causing the distraction I need, instead of trying to stop me.
Mica turns to me, and for a moment my heart stops. She’s always been kind to me, but she’s also under the master’s control. I hold my breath and wait. Will she scream? Will she call for a handler? Will this be the end for me?
With no time to waste, I keep my eyes on her and begin to pad softly along the cool tile floor. As she watches me, dark lashes blinking over cloudy eyes, our gazes lock in a silent battle. The last thing I want to do is to get her into trouble for my disobedience, but the only route I know to the dungeon is through her kitchen.
My hands brush along the wall as I feel my way along, and when I see some small part of her give, relief rushes through me. Her head inclines slightly, and she gives me a gentle nod of understanding before she turns back to her baking. With her back to me, I take the corner quickly and move toward the heavy door leading to the elevator.
Remembering the distinct sounds associated with each number, I punch in the code and my heart practically breaks through my chest as the door slides open. With desperation outweighing fear of getting caught, I peruse the long hallway, looking for threats before I dive in.
After determining all is clear, I move with speed, my steps quick as I slip into the corridor and retrace my earlier path back to the elevator.
I press the button and crouch low as I wait for it to reach me. When it finally comes I slip inside and as I punch the key to the bottom floor, I try to not to notice the quickening of my pulse, the sweat on my hands, the fear inside me. Needing a distraction, I pull the elastic off my wrist, quickly braid my hair to get it off my face and secure it with the rubber band.
My head spins as I descend, and when the elevator comes to an abrupt halt, I can feel the air seize in my lungs. The door isn’t opening. Why isn’t the door opening? I examine the tight space, and keep the panic at bay as I work to figure out my next move, but when the doors finally spread to reveal the master’s underground chamber, I draw in a sharp breath.
I climb out, and move urgently down the hallway until I’m standing outside the master’s dungeon. I search the walls for monitors and try to keep one step ahead of them. I carefully inch open the door and the hot familiar scent of blood curls around me.
Logan’s blood.
As it stings my eyes I choke on it, and press my nose into the crook of my elbow until I can get my revolting stomach under control. I don’t bother to turn on the light. I don’t need to. Working quickly before I get caught, I inch the door closed behind me but when I find the lid on the metal security box closed and locked, my heart goes into my throat.
No!
Thinking quickly, I shift my focus, looking for a key, or any sort of object that I can use to jimmy it open. With an uneasy
feeling curling around me, I hurry to the master’s desk and pull the drawers open, cringing as the metal groans in protest.
I search through the contents, pushing papers aside, but my hands slow when I see a familiar piece of fabric, the same fabric the master used to bait me in the woods. I pull it from the drawer and press it to my nose. As my father’s fresh scent fills my senses, my wolf howls.
Why? How?
But with the very threat of getting caught hovering over me, I have no time to consider it longer. That’s when my hand connects with something cold. I grip the key in my palm and rush to the box, hoping and praying it fits the lock.
When it slides in I give a silent prayer of thanks. I work quickly, my eyes scanning the rows of keys until I come to the brightest and shiniest. I slip it from the hook, curl my palm around it, and relock the box. Then I rush back to the master’s desk to ensure everything is back in place.
Once I have everything in order I take a quick look around. With no windows in the dark dungeon I’m unable to tell what’s going on in the courtyard. Are the two alphas still causing a commotion or have things settled? If they’ve settled will the handlers notice my absence and come looking for me?
With that thought urging me on, I close the master’s door, and bolt to the elevator. I stab the button and don’t stop to consider why it’s not already there waiting for me.
I press my palm into my stomach and take deep, slow breaths to calm myself, my hand holding the key close as I await the elevator’s return. I almost breathe a sigh of relief when I hear it come to a grinding halt.
But when the doors ping open to reveal a set of eyes full of anger I stop breathing. And when those dark eyes fix on me, my stomach lurches with panic, because the look in those dark, intense eyes is beyond frightening and I know in an instant, I’m in serious trouble.
Chapter Nine
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mario asks. But before I can answer he looks past my shoulders to take in the narrow hallway and I know he’s trying to determine what he’s up against. When he realizes I’m alone he zeroes back in on me.
