“Ha!” Julianna sneered. “When Mama finds out—”
“Oh, she definitely will!” Adrianna’s voice rose. “I’m going to tell her how you’ve been acting like a brat. After I tell her about Darius and me.”
Her words stunned him. “Adrianna? What do you mean?”
“It’s all right, Darius.” She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “She needs to know. And you need to know something.”
“Stop right there,” Julianna bellowed. “Before you say anything else, you need to hear what we came here to say.”
“And what is that?” Adrianna asked.
Furious blue and green eyes narrowed at him. “I knew there was something wrong with him. My instinct was screaming that he and his scum uncle were up to something.”
“Julianna—”
“That’s why I brought Mika,” she interrupted. “You probably wouldn’t believe me—your own sister—but you’d believe what she had to say.”
Darius felt a tick in his jaw. Who was this woman?
“We’ve been investigating your attempted kidnapping,” Mika said. “It’s my job, as deputy chief of the Special Investigations unit of the Lycan Security Team.”
Adrianna shrugged. “I know. But why are you here? Did you get more information about the mages?”
Mika looked to Julianna, then back at Adrianna. “I did find out more. We tracked down the four men who tried to kidnap you. Although the security cameras had been blacked out, Julianna was able to find the footage of the men who disabled the cameras.”
“Using the D.C. police database, we were able positively identify all of them. Each had a rap sheet a mile long. And those four men worked for a construction company. Corvinus Construction.”
“See?” Julianna planted her hands on her hips. “I knew he and his slimy uncle were up to something. They were behind your kidnapping.”
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Adrianna said.
“We tracked them down,” Mika said. “Well, three of them anyway. The fourth man had been found dumped by the side of the road, a bullet in his chest.”
He felt trapped. Adrianna’s hand gripped his tighter, but he already knew where this was going. His entire life was falling apart in front of him, and he was helpless to stop it.
“The three guys were easy to round up,” Julianna scoffed. “And they sang like birds once we exerted enough pressure.” She took something off the table—a small tablet PC. She turned it toward them and tapped a button.
A face appeared on the screen as it flickered to life. Darius tensed, recognizing it as one of the men he had taken down as he tried to get to Adrianna. His face was bloody and his lip split.
“Who gave you the orders to kidnap the girl?” Came an unknown male voice offscreen.
“I … it was … Charlie.” He coughed. “It was easy money, he said.”
“Who paid you?”
“I don’t know, but I followed him when he was getting the first payment. Just in case he decided to double cross us and run,” the man said. “I saw them meeting at one of the construction sites we worked at. It was the boss. Corvinus.”
“Turn it off!” Adrianna cried. “Now.”
“Do you believe me now?” Julianna said.
Adrianna turned to him, an inscrutable look on her face. “Did you know?”
“Of course he did! He—”
“I’m not talking to you,” she hissed at her sister. “Did. You. Know.”
He couldn’t move. There was no way he was going to lie to her, but at the same time, admitting the truth would hurt her. “I swear, Adrianna—”
“Answer yes or no,” she said in a deadly, cold voice. “Did you know it was your uncle who ordered the kidnapping?”
“Not right away,” he said.
“When did you find out?” Adrianna’s gaze bore into him.
“After I came back from D.C.”
“After—” Her eyes widened, realizing what that meant. She had already judged him guilty. And it was his damn fault for not being honest. “You … you still …” She turned to Julianna and Mika. “Take him away.”
The two women lunged at him, but they didn’t realize he was ready. Knowing the possible outcomes of this scenario, his muscles had already tightened and prepared for their attack. First, he swatted Julianna aside, sending her crashing into the counter. Adrianna screamed as she ran to her sister.
He was distracted by Adrianna’s helpless cries that he didn’t see what was coming. He had seriously underestimated this other woman. Mika had grabbed his shoulders, twisted him around, then slammed him on the kitchen table.
“Stay down, motherfucker,” she said.
He turned his head around and saw something metallic glinting in her hands. Cuffs. He had to act fast. Hooking his leg around hers, he caught her by surprise as he swept her off her feet, and she landed on the floor with a thud. Immediately, he bolted and made a run for the kitchen door. He only had a few seconds, but that was all he needed.
He let his wolf take over their body, spurring it on to run as fast as it could. Their heart pumped with a furious beat, using every bit of energy they had to get as far away from the house as possible. He didn’t even spare a backward glance, no matter how much he wanted to. This was it, the end of the line. For now, he would have to go back to The Family and Uncle Anatoli. His wolf gnashed its teeth in anger.
We have no choice, he told his wolf. She is no longer our Alpha.
Growing up in The Family made Darius who he was—tough, unyielding, and resilient. If he weren’t any of those things, The Family would have devoured him and spit him out. Getting back to the compound as a wolf was not as difficult as it seemed. It was a long way from Barnsville, but in Lycan form, he was strong and didn’t tire easily. Plus, he knew the highways by heart and at one point, he snuck into the back of a pickup truck that took him most of the way there. He jumped off when the truck blew past the exit, then made his way to the compound. There was a secret entrance in the back that was set low and could only be opened using a hidden foot pedal. Being in their business, it was not unusual for members of The Family to come home in wolf form if they were in a bind and needed to stay covered or make a quick escape.
He supposed he should be grateful instead of feeling resentful that he had somewhere to get back to. But the pain in his chest wouldn’t subside, and all he could think of was the look on Adrianna’s face when she realized he had betrayed her. It would surely haunt him for the rest of his days.
As he padded into the compound and made his way to his room, he prepared himself for the confrontation with Anatoli. His uncle was still after Adrianna for some reason, but he was going to protect her, even if she hated him. He would do anything to keep her safe, even sacrifice himself. Right now, his life really wasn’t worth much without her anyway. But the only way to make sure she stayed alive was to find out what Anatoli was up to, which meant to keep his uncle’s trust. No matter what.
He shifted back into human form and grabbed clean clothes from the dresser, then headed out. He nearly ran into a couple of the younger enforcers as they ran past him in a flurry of activity. What was going on?
“Darius? You’re back?” Alexandru was right behind the others but skidded to a stop in front of him. “What happened? Wait, never mind, come with me. Anatoli is asking everyone to assemble.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” His brows drew into a frown. “Frankly, I don’t know half the things your uncle is doing these days.” He gestured for Darius to come with him and he fell in step behind the older man.
Strange. Alexandru was his top enforcer and right-hand man. Why would Anatoli keep anything from him? He followed him all the way to Anatoli’s office. As soon as he entered, his uncle’s face scrunched up in distaste.
“So, the Alpha’s daughter sent you packing, huh?” Anatoli spat.
“Next time you outsource, make sure you hire competent men who won’t squeal like pigs,” he said in disgust
. He rubbed the back of his neck and walked toward the front of his uncle’s desk. “Those guys you hired were picked up by the New York’s Lycan Security Team and they confessed to everything. I barely escaped those bitches.”
Anatoli’s laugh was amused. “See how fast they turn on you? Just yesterday, Frankie Anderson was practically ready to get on her knees for me with gratitude and now she’s set her whore daughters on you. Looks like you’re finally seeing things my way.”
“What do we do now? Surely the Alpha will send her people after us.”
His uncle’s eyes gleamed. “We won’t let that happen. It’s time I tell you both what I’ve been working on.”
“Sir?” Alexandru’s brow raised.
Anatoli gestured behind them. “Meet our ally.”
Darius felt the skin on the back of his neck prickle. He turned his head and saw a man standing in the doorway, wearing a red robe. Immediately, he recognized the garment as the same one those men who attacked Adrianna at her ball wore.
Realization swept over him. This man was one of them. The mages.
“Where did you come from? I didn’t hear the door open.” Alexandru asked. “And who are you?”
“My name does not matter.” The man had long black hair and pale skin, and his red eyes held no emotion. It was like staring into a dark red tunnel with no end. “What matters is that we have the same enemy. The Lycans of New York and New Jersey.”
It took all his strength to keep his wolf at bay, but Darius managed it. It wanted to rip this man apart and devour the pieces for daring to hurt Adrianna. We will protect her! The wolf didn’t believe him. But we cannot let them know we are going to warn her.
The man’s red gaze flickered at him briefly, and for a second, he thought the mage had figured out what he was planning. But he turned back to Anatoli without another word. “Are your forces ready?”
“I am gathering them now,” he answered. “And your men?”
“We have been ready for a long time.”
“What’s the plan?” Darius asked.
“We attack New Jersey before midnight,” Anatoli revealed. “We take Adrianna Anderson and kill anyone who gets in our way.”
“Why so soon?” Alexandru asked. “What’s our attack pattern? Who do we leave to secure the compound? What about a retreat plan?”
“Retreat plan?” Anatoli bellowed. “There is no retreat plan. We succeed or we die. All of us.”
“How do we even know Frankie Anderson or her daughter will be there?” Darius asked. “Wouldn’t they retreat back to New York? Or somewhere safe?” He could only hope this was the case.
“Frankie Anderson is already in New Jersey.” Anatoli’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “I made sure of it. And her daughter will stay as well.”
“How?”
It was the mage who answered. “We have taken care of it. My acolytes have been deployed throughout the territory causing chaos. The Alpha and her heir will stay to protect their people, and they will be too distracted to defend against a direct assault.”
His blood froze in his veins. He could only guess what kind of distraction the mages had employed.
“But we must act fast,” Anatoli said. “Before they figure out that we are working together.” His eyes gleamed. “Soon, we will be rid of those bitches who dare think they control us! And we will rule this territory and do with it as we see fit!”
“And what about New York?” he pointed out. “How do you plan to escape the wrath of Grant Anderson after you kill his mate?”
“Grant Anderson is of no consequence,” Anatoli said.
“We will take care of him,” the mage said. “You do your part and deliver Adrianna Anderson, and you will be rewarded with his territory as well.”
His stomach was in knots, but he needed to know what they were planning. “Why not kill the bitch too? She is not Alpha yet and useless. She doesn’t even want to be Alpha.”
Anatoli’s face grew red, but before he could answer, the mage spoke. “Young man,” he began. “What is your name?”
“Darius. Darius Corvinus.”
The mage cocked his head at Anatoli, who suddenly went stiff as a board and quiet as a mouse. Darius swore he saw a bead of sweat trail down his uncle’s forehead. “Adrianna Anderson is none of your concern. The Family will be rich beyond your wildest dreams and own two of the biggest Lycan territories in the world. One woman is a small price to pay.”
He felt the claws of his wolf shred his insides as it flew into a rage. It was mentally exhausting to restrain it now, and he feared he would lose control any second. “You are right,” he said through gritted teeth. “I must prepare for tonight then. Should I go outside with the rest of the enforcers, Alexandru?”
“I will join you shortly,” he said. “I must have a word with your uncle.”
He nodded, then strode out the door. As soon as he was far away enough, he turned a corner, let out a pained growl and dropped to his knees. Its claws felt like hooks, digging into him from the inside.
Stop! Stop, I say! He begged his wolf. No harm will come to her. I swear.
It didn’t seem to believe him.
“I swear,” he whispered. “But you must let me do things my way.”
That seemed to calm his wolf down, and he let out a long breath as the claws released him, and he was able to breathe again. When the pain lessened, he staggered to his feet and trudged toward the garage. The Family had numerous vehicles for their use in there, and he could steal one and drive to Jersey to warn Adrianna. She was probably still angry at him, but he didn’t care. He was going to make her listen.
He crept into the darkened garage, not bothering to turn the lights on as he walked to the cabinet on the other side where all the keys were kept.
“Where are you going?”
Goddamn Remus! He turned around slowly to face the burly enforcer. “I was searching for a tool.” Glancing around, he saw a discarded pair of bolt cutters on a table. “Ah, here it is.” He waved the tool in Remus’s face. “Tell those idiot mechanics that if they don’t return the tools to their proper places, I will use these on their balls.”
“Whatever you need to fix can wait,” Remus said. “Your uncle needs you to assemble and get ready with the other enforcers.”
Was Anatoli having him followed? Did he suspect everything was not right? “Of course.” He put the bolt cutters down and brushed past the other man. “I’m headed there now.” He walked away from Remus, heading toward the direction of the outside courtyard where the enforcers would be waiting.
He turned a corner when he was sure he was out of Remus’s sights, pondering his options. Damn Anatoli. Curse him and his greed. He was betraying their kind by working with the mages. Did he not realize the depth of his treachery or did he not care?
Save Adrianna. That was the most important thing now. Obviously, there was no chance for him to get away and warn her. He would have to play along for now and convince his uncle that he was on their side. The moment the mages tried to take Adrianna, he would stop them. He would have to stay close to their leader, the man in the red robe.
A deep, unknown sensation ran down his spine as he thought of that man. There was something about him he just couldn’t put his finger on. Something … familiar?
He cursed as a pain jolted behind his eyes, like a hot poker had pierced into his skull. His stomach roiled, and he heaved and hunched over, trying to wait until the feeling passed. He was Lycan, he never got sick, but this … what was it?
Remember.
He glanced up and looked around him. Remember what?
“Darius!” Alexandru was standing in front of him. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” he said through gritted teeth. The pain had been so bad he didn’t see the other man approach him.
“You’ve been gone for over an hour. Anatoli sent me to find you.”
“An hour?”
“Yes,” Alexandru said. “Remus said he saw you in the garag
e an hour ago and he saw you head outside.”
“I …” He massaged his temple. How could he have been in pain for an hour and not realize it?
“Darius, are you all right?” There was real concern in the other man’s eyes.
“Is everyone assembling?”
“Yes.”
Darius did a double-take. Alexandru had a healing cut on his cheek. When he opened his mouth to ask him about it, the look he gave him made him think twice. “All right, let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty
Even though Adrianna’s life was falling apart, there was no time to wallow or be depressed. “Another one?”
Frankie nodded. “The Wilkinsons. They barely made it out of their house when the mages attacked.”
Her heart dropped. “Have we secured everyone?”
Julianna looked up from her tablet. “Almost. Only three families haven’t checked in. They live in a rural area so we don’t know if they received the alerts we sent out.”
“Dad’s driving out to check on them, but we haven’t heard anything,” her cousin Mika said. “We can only wait.”
After the truth had been exposed and Darius escaped, Mika and Julianna had tried to go after him, but Frankie’s arrival had cut their search short. Reports of attacks on members of the clan started pouring in that afternoon and so as Alpha, she rushed back to New Jersey to figure out what was going on.
The first report was of an elderly Lycan couple living in a trailer park in the south. They were at home when two figures in red robes broke in. The wife was able to escape and call for help, but her husband … he was not so lucky. Then there was a family who lived down by the shore. They were driving home after picking up their son when they were ambushed by a group of men. One of them was wearing a red robe. They were able to defend themselves, thankfully, but both parents had been seriously injured.
More distress calls had poured in. It was obvious the mages were planning something big, but what? Was it just New Jersey or would New York be under attack too? With everything going on, finding Darius and bringing in Anatoli Corvinus would have to wait.
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