by L. P. Dover
Amelie immediately found Jaret and closed her eyes. “I may not be able to hear his thoughts, but I sure as hell can feel them.”
“What is he doing?” I asked.
She opened her eyes and they flashed with anger. “He’s mocking me. No doubt about how gullible I am. Maybe it’s a good thing he can’t hear my thoughts. If he could, he’d hear how small I think his dick is. The men in our pack were much larger.”
Jaret’s eyes blazed and I knew everyone in the room had heard her. Stefan and the other guy backed away when he approached us. He walked right past me and grabbed Amelie by the neck. “If you dare say anything like that again, I’ll rip out your goddamned throat. I don’t care if you are carrying my child.”
I gasped, completely at a loss for words. She was pregnant?
Her lips quivered but she didn’t back down. “Go ahead and kill me,” she challenged. “I’d rather be dead than have to look at you every day for the next nine months.”
“Anything for you, my dear.” He turned his lethal gaze to Stefan. “Take them inside.”
Stefan grabbed me by the arm, his grip achingly tight as he dragged me the rest of the way into the barn. I looked over at Amelie, despair and shame evident on her face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just found out two weeks ago when Laila told me. Apparently, she can sense the baby inside me. I was so excited when I found out. Now I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do.”
“We’ll figure it out, I promise. You won’t go through it alone.” If we did get out of this alive, would she even want the baby? What would she tell the child about their father? Unfortunately, she’d have some hard roads ahead.
There was a wall blocking our view, and when we walked past it, I thought I was going to be sick. Josef was naked, his arms and legs tied to the wall as if he was a giant X. There were lashes all over his body and blood dripping down his skin.
“What the hell are you doing to him?” I shouted. Stefan shoved me into a chair and Amelie landed in the one beside me.
Jaret came up from behind and put his arm around us both. “He’s facing his punishment, just like you will when the time comes. The boys will love it when you’re up there, spread apart and ready for the taking.”
The thought terrified me, but I’d make sure I was dead before that could ever happen. “Doesn’t say much for your pack if you have to tie women up just to fuck them. Didn’t realize they were all pussies.”
Stefan growled but Jaret chuckled in my ear. “I’d watch what I say if I were you. My men might decide they don’t want to wait any longer.” The second he said it, Sebastian’s power could be felt throughout the room.
“You might want to watch what you say as well,” I warned.
Jaret turned around and groaned. “What the fuck happened?”
Amelie and I looked over our shoulders. Eyes wide, I watched as Sebastian walked in, surrounded by four wolves; all of them were beaten and bloody. They slammed him down in the chair beside me while Jaret demanded to know what happened. I wanted to touch him, but my hands were still tied behind my back.
I nudged him with my shoulder and stayed there. I had to feel him. “What happened?”
He coughed up blood and spit it out. “They provoked me and I made sure they paid for it.”
“What did they say?”
His anger flared. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He didn’t want to talk about it, but I could see what happened as clear as day in his mind; he couldn’t stop me from seeing. They’d said they were going to pass me around until I begged for more. Fucking assholes.
“I’ll kill them before they can do that, Sebastian. I’m stronger now. They don’t know what we’re capable of.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the men he’d obliterated. “Now they do. I did all of that damage restrained with wolfsbane. There’s no way in hell they could do that, and they know it.”
“Which makes you more of a threat. Only, now we have bigger problems.”
Brows furrowed, he met my gaze. “Other than Josef being strung up like a puppet, what else is there?”
“Amelie’s pregnant.” He froze and blew out a sigh. “Exactly. I can’t imagine what she must be going through. Only now, I’m worried about Josef. What are they going to do to him?”
Sebastian looked up at him. “I don’t know, love. I just know it’s not going to be good.”
“Everyone, may I have your attention please,” Jaret shouted. “That also means you there, in the front.” It was like I was a child being scolded in school.
Amelie nudged me in the side. “He’s talking about you.” Clenching my teeth, I glared up at him and he winked. I’d never wanted to kill someone as much as I wanted to kill him.
“Now that I have everyone’s attention, we can get started,” he said. “I think we need to show our guests what happens to those who defy us.” Gut clenching, I watched as two of his men walked up to Josef and smacked him around, while another urinated all over him.
Jaret kept his gaze on mine, waiting for a shred of emotion. Amelie was clearly upset, but Jaret didn’t care about her reaction; he waited for me and Sebastian.
“He’s taunting us,” Sebastian said.
“I know. It’s killing me not to say something.”
“There’s nothing you can do. We have to show him this doesn’t bother us.” With the bond, I could feel his emotions. He was just as enraged as I was.
“How do you stay so calm when I know you don’t feel that way?”
He sighed. “Takes lots of practice. The older you get, the easier it becomes, especially in war. But believe me, I want to rip these fuckers apart just as bad as you do.”
The sting of the wolfsbane rope was reminder enough there was nothing I could do. Stefan was close behind us, laughing as more of the wolves strutted up to Josef to piss on him. Taking a deep breath, I averted my gaze, hoping it’d quell my anger—nothing helped.
“Eyes upfront,” Jaret commanded. I looked up and he grinned in satisfaction. “I think it’s time for round two.” Rolling up his sleeves, he turned his focus to Josef. Josef lifted his gaze, jaw clenched tight. He was always a strong wolf, but not an alpha. This was a fight I knew he wouldn’t win.
“Where’s your alpha?” Jaret asked. Josef stayed silent and he paid the price. Jaret’s claws extended and he swiped them across his chest. He hissed in pain, but stood strong. “I’m going to ask again, where’s your alpha?”
Josef looked him in the eyes and spat in his face. “I’m not telling you a goddamn thing.”
Jaret reared back and swiped his claws so hard across Josef’s face, I heard bones in his neck crack. His cheeks were so badly torn, I could see teeth and bones. Amelie gasped and burst out crying. I wanted to cry too but I couldn’t.
“Why don’t they just go searching for Finn if they want to find him so fucking badly? Why do this?” I asked.
“They get off on torturing people. This isn’t the first time they’ve done this.”
“What do you mean?”
He glanced over at me and I could see the pain in his face. “After they took you from the basement, I heard some of the others talking. They’ve done this to several of the wolves in your old pack, including the women.” My whole body shook with rage. “They’ll pay for what they’ve done, love. I promise.”
“I just hope Finn gets here so we can tear them apart.”
“Speaking of Finn, there’s something you need to know.”
I jerked my head in his direction. “What is it?” A groan sounded from the front and I turned my gaze back to Josef. Jaret had clawed him again, only this time, it was across his back. I could smell the blood as it oozed down his body and pooled on the floor. “Tell me.” I looked back to Sebastian.
“They can’t find him.”
“What do you mean they can’t find him? Is it because he’s so fast?” Finn was a master at fighting strategies.
He shook his head and my stomach droppe
d. “No, it’s more like they can’t trace him. His scent is nowhere to be found, not even at Amelie’s. He’s disappeared.”
“But he wouldn’t leave us like that. I know he can trace our scents.”
He shrugged. “I’m not so sure about that. This group has the ability to hide scents. And if Finn’s taken off, we’re going to have to find a way out of here on our own.”
There was no way Finn would just up and leave without knowing Amelie and I were okay. But we’d left no sign of struggle at her house, so maybe . . .
“Looks like it’s time for round three,” Jaret announced happily. He was covered in splatters of red, and instead of staying next to Josef, he waltzed over and took a seat beside Amelie. “Be sure to watch this, babe. This is what’ll happen to you if you don’t cooperate.”
I scoffed in disgust, opening my mouth to speak but Sebastian beat me to it. “I’m sure it’ll happen no matter what we do,” he stated matter-of-factly. I seriously needed to learn how to control myself like that. “I’ll teach you,” he promised.
“How are we supposed to cooperate if we don’t know where Finn is? Looks like your men can’t find him either. Maybe he tucked tail and ran,” I spat.
Finn wasn’t the type to back down, but he also didn’t know it was the Connery’s after us. I never got the chance to tell him. And maybe Sebastian was right. Their scents had been masked at Amelie’s house. He could’ve easily thought we’d taken Amelie and left town.
Jaret huffed. “One way or another, I’ll get him here. I have everything in place. We just need to see if he takes the bait.”
“Then why torture Josef when you know how to get Finn here?” I growled.
“Because,” he turned to me with an evil smile, “I enjoy it.” Jumping to his feet, Jaret strolled over to where four of his men were taking off their clothes. He whispered something to them, but I couldn’t hear what he said. Josef stood tall, even though I knew he was in tremendous much pain. His gaze met mine and I swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry,” I said, mouthing the words.
He nodded once and took a deep breath. Jaret’s men had already shifted and took their places around him—two in front and two behind. They snarled, baring their teeth, but Josef paid them no mind. This went on for about five minutes and when Jaret didn’t get the reaction he wanted, he waved his hand in the air. The wolves attacked and I closed my eyes, the sound of flesh ripping and shouts of laughter were all I could hear.
Screaming, Amelie hid her face in my shoulder, her body shaking. When I opened my eyes, I really wished I hadn’t. Josef was torn to pieces, his arms and legs still hanging from the ropes.
From across the room, Jaret nodded at Stefan and he grabbed me and Amelie by the arms, lifting us up. Sebastian growled and stood up with us. Jaret made his way over, grinning from ear to ear. “Did you like the show?” he asked.
“I will when it’s you being ripped apart,” I replied angrily.
He burst out laughing and grabbed my neck, squeezing it so hard I couldn’t breathe. Sebastian lunged, but he was held back by three of Jaret’s men.
“Leave her alone!” Amelie cried.
Stefan pulled her away, and Jaret jerked me closer. “It’s your turn tomorrow, bitch. I can’t wait to play with you.” Clutching his hand tighter, he held me in place, closing his lips over mine. Sebastian’s anger flared as I tried to fight him, but there was nothing I could do. He bit my bottom lip and I cried out as he sucked down my blood, moaning and grinding himself against my hip. As soon as he let my neck go, I jerked my head away.
“You son of a bitch,” I growled.
Chuckling, he licked his lips. “What I should do is kill these two,” he said, pointing at Sebastian and Amelie, “and take you for myself. I could have so much fun with you.”
I spat on the ground, hoping to get his taste out of my mouth. Sebastian tried to fight against the men but they dragged him away while Stefan took Amelie. Now I was alone with him. “Surely you’re not afraid to take me on yourself, are you?”
“And that’s what I like about you. You’re a fighter, not like Amelie, who cowers in fear.”
My temper flared. “She loved you and she’s pregnant with your child. You’d kill them just to have me?”
“You’re a lot stronger than she is, an alpha. The son I give you will have both of our strengths. If everything goes according to plan tomorrow, I might just have to think about this.” Grabbing my arm, he pulled me out of the barn and back to the cabin. I had no clue what the hell to do.
Tyla
Instead of going in through the basement door, Jaret took me up to the main level. “Where are we going?”
“You’re staying with me tonight.”
“Fuck no, I’m not,” I hissed.
He dragged me in through the door, where Stefan waited on us. “Disobey me and my men will go straight downstairs. Who will you choose to live? Your pregnant cousin or your mate?”
Deep down, I knew who I’d choose, but I didn’t want to say it. “Fine.”
“Tyla, where are you?” Sebastian asked. I could feel his desperation through the bond.
“I’m upstairs with Jaret.”
“What the hell are you doing up there?”
Swallowing hard, I followed Jaret down the hall to a bedroom that smelled exactly like him. I tried to get the thoughts out of my head, but Sebastian kept pushing to get in. I didn’t want him seeing what was about to happen.
“Tyla! Stop pushing me out.”
Stefan stood guard at the door while Jaret shut it, locking us in. When he turned to me, he raked his hungry gaze down my body. “Turn around,” he ordered.
“Why?”
He pulled a pair of gloves out of his back pocket and slipped them on. “Not unless you want to stay in that rope for the rest of the night. Personally, I don’t want my sheets covered in wolfsbane.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll keep it on.”
Huffing, he stalked toward me but I had nowhere to go. “Tyla, answer me!” The sound of Sebastian screaming echoed in my head. Grabbing my arm, Jaret turned me around and pushed me onto the bed, pinning my body beneath his. I was stuck with my face buried into the mattress. All I could smell was his scent, it surrounded me like a dark cloud. The ropes pulled against my skin and I hissed in pain as he roughly untied me. When the ropes fell to the floor, he jerked me back to my feet.
“Does that feel better?” he asked, slipping off the gloves.
I looked down at my wrists, they were blistered and red. “Not exactly.”
He bit his lip and smirked. “Then maybe a shower will help. Take off your clothes.”
“You’ve lost your fucking mind,” I hissed, taking a step away.
“Tyla!”
Eyes burning, I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Sebastian.” With newfound strength, I shut him out. It broke my heart to do it, but I couldn’t let him in my head, not when there was nothing he could do to help me.
“Shall I get Stefan to bring your mate up to watch?” When I didn’t answer, he started toward the door. “Stefan,” he called.
“Stop,” I pleaded. “I’ll do it. Just don’t bring Sebastian in here.”
Grinning, he turned back around. “I knew you’d see it my way.”
I took off my clothes and faced him head on, ready to shift at a moment’s notice. If he tried to get anywhere near me with that dick of his, I wasn’t going to let him win, not without a fight.
A satisfied moan escaped his lips as he looked at me. “Very nice. Now get in the shower and clean up for me. You smell like your mate.” The bathroom was off to my right and before he could follow me in there, a knock sounded on the door. “What is it?” Jaret growled.
“Your sister’s back. She wants to see you,” Stefan answered.
“Where the hell has she been?”
“Don’t know. She says it’s urgent though.”
Huffing, he turned back to me and pointed at the shower. “Clean up. I’ll be r
ight back.”
As soon as he left, I switched on the shower and searched through the drawers, looking for anything I could find to help defend myself. When I found nothing, I rushed into the shower. My wrists burned where the ropes had rubbed me raw, but thankfully, the water washed away the painful wolfsbane residue.
Stepping out of the shower, I froze. There was someone in the bedroom, but it wasn’t Jaret. “Who are you?” I inquired. I couldn’t see who it was, but I could hear them.
I walked out of the bathroom and there was a girl with her back to me. She had red hair hanging down in waves past her shoulders, dressed in a long, white skirt and white top. She was a wolf, but she was something else as well. “Laila?”
She set the tray down and turned around, holding a steaming mug in her hand. Her face looked familiar, like I’d seen it before. “Amelie must’ve told you about me.”
I snorted. “More like how you betrayed her. What do you want?”
Sighing, she stepped toward me. “I’m here to help you. There’s a change of clothes on the bed. Now get dressed, and hurry.” I did as she said and threw on the clothes. The last thing I wanted was to be naked in Jaret’s bedroom. “And I didn’t betray Amelie. She’s my friend.”
“That’s not what she thinks. Your family’s full of fucked up psychopaths. She’s not going to believe you for a second.”
Laila closed the distance between us. “I don’t have time to explain. Drink this.” She held the mug out to me. It wasn’t coffee and it wasn’t tea.
“I’m not drinking that shit.”
“Dammit, Tyla, I’m trying to help you. I need you alive and the only way to do that is to keep you from fighting Jaret. This is the only way. Now drink.”
Keeping my gaze on hers, I took my chances and drank the contents. It tasted like hot peach green tea. Once I was done, she took the cup and set it on the dresser. “What happens now?” The room started to spin and she took my hand, guiding me over to the bed. My head hit the mattress and everything began to fade.
Her voice sounded far off, but I could still hear her. “You’re going to sleep for a while. Just know that you’re safe. No one’s going to touch you.” She held my hand and then a zing of pain sliced through it. I could smell my blood. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for you to show up and now you’re here. Soon it’ll all be over.”
