by Jenny May
The moment the door shut, Ty opened the shirt. Logan was sure he was going to be sick. “That bitch is fucking dead.” Logan covered his mouth with his hand. Myles’s whole torso was darkly bruised and had lacerations at odd angles. He’d never seen anything like it in his life.
Ty did the same thing with her pants. Just when Logan thought it couldn’t get worse, it did.
“Her lower leg is broken. Shit.” Ty rubbed the tears from his eyes and looked at Logan. “When Jack gets back in here we need to talk. I need to go over the details of how I got Myles out.”
“Okay. It’s nothing we have to worry about right now though, right?”
Ty shook his head. “No. We’re good for now.”
A groan came from Myles, and her head moved slightly. But she didn’t wake up.
Logan leaned in closer. “Was she hanging from something? Look at where her wrists and hands meet. They’re rubbed raw, and it’s really deep.”
“She was in the dungeon. Samone had her in chains that were extended from the ceiling. From what I could tell, if she were standing upright she might have been able to touch the ground, but barely. When I saw her she was passed out. She’s been like this the whole time.”
“Son of a bitch. Who the hell has a damn dungeon? What is this, medieval times?”
“I told you she had one. I guess now we know what she does in it.” Ty removed the clothes out from under her, but left her bra and panties on.
Jack walked back in the room, the phone still to his ear. “Yeah, I’m here now. I’ll tell you what I see, but I can make no promises about how accurate I’ll be.” He stood at the bottom of the bed and stared at his sister. “Other than the damage I told you about on her face, I’d say her leg is broken.” He leaned closer. “If some of her ribs aren’t broken then they’re bruised to shit. Her chest is covered in bruises. And I think there’s something wrong with her shoulder.”
“It’s pulled out of the socket,” Ty said.
Jack repeated it and ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, get here as fast as you can. Okay, bye, Doc.” He hung up the phone. “He’s leaving the clinic now. He’s bringing over an IV, and other stuff.”
“Is that water still boiling? I need it to cool down a bit so I can bathe her. Can you take it off the burner?” Jack nodded and disappeared.
“Why are you boiling water to bathe her?” Logan asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. He reached over and tucked his finger beneath four of Myles’s.
Ty rubbed his hand over her head. “It’s well water. It could be full of germs. I just want to be safe since she has lacerations. It’s probably fine, but I’m not going to take any chances.”
“Oh.” Logan hadn’t even considered the chance that bacteria in the water could possibly cause an infection.
The door opened and Jack entered, phone free. “Hector should be here in about fifteen minutes or so. He’s trying to hurry. It doesn’t help we live in bum-fuck-Egypt.”
“I need to talk to y’all about how meeting up with Samone went down.” Ty looked worried as he stared at them. “I told her I was posing as a mate to some nobodies, that way I could get inside information of Dark Days. I don’t think she believed me at first, but once I told her we knew about the headquarters being at Whiskey River Ranch things changed.” Ty wiped the sweat that was beginning to form on his forehead. “I also had to tell her about the intelligence we had: the corkboard, you all knowing where each person lived. I needed to convince her that Jack was waging war for Myles and she needed to give her back to me to buy time on you attacking. If I could get you focused on taking care of her, then you wouldn’t be thinking about Samone and her pack. Right now she’s getting everyone together and making plans.”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t care that she knows about that stuff. Or what she’s doing.” He pointed at his sister. “You brought My home. She’s all that matters to me.”
“You don’t understand.” Ty looked over at Logan, then back to Jack. “She’s expecting my call to see if we’re still attacking tonight. I’m not going to be able to play this off for much longer. It’s only a matter of time before she finds out that Myles and I are mated with Logan, the new Alpha. Jack, she thought you were still in charge. She didn’t even know about me and Myles’s connection.”
“We lucked out then,” Logan said quietly. “Listen, go call her and tell her that we’re delaying our plans to attack. Put her at ease.”
“Okay.” Ty eased off the bed and left the room.
Logan connected his eyes with Jack’s. “How would you feel about being an Alpha again?”
* * * *
Pain had Myles’s eyes flying open. A scream came from her mouth while she looked up at a face she wasn’t sure she knew. Where was she? What was happening? Flashes of being in Samone’s dungeon threw Myles into a panic. She tried to roll against the hands holding her down.
“My, calm down!” Jack appeared over her, and she suddenly realized Hector was the one she had seen first. Logan and Ty were instantly by her side.
“What happened?” She groaned and shook from the tremor of pain that raced through her entire body.
“Ty went in and saved you. You’re going to be okay.”
A cry came from her mouth when she tried to reach for her mate’s hand. Her arm wasn’t working right.
Hector checked the IV in her hand. “Easy movements, Myles. We only just popped your arm back in place seconds ago. I’m pretty sure it was the pain that woke you up.”
Pain. Yes, she remembered now. “Did you kill her?” She looked over to Ty. He lowered himself to his knees and leaned his upper body across the bed. “I wish I could have. I went in alone. If I would have attempted and it had gone wrong, we would have both been stuck there.”
“I’m glad you didn’t kill her. Samone belongs to me, and only me.” Myles tried to swallow, but her throat was so dry. “Can I get some water?”
Logan handed her a bottle.
“Thank you.” Myles took a long drink. “How long have I been gone?”
Jack glanced at the men. “You were gone two days. But we’ve had you here at the house now for a few hours.”
“Hours? Man, I was really out. So how bad is the damage? I feel like someone beat me with a baseball bat, and not one of the cheap aluminum ones. One made of concrete, or iron.” No one said a word. “That bad, huh?”
“It’s bad,” Logan nodded. “But it could have been worse. We’re just thankful you’re alive and back home.”
Myles tried to force her swollen eye open. If she had made any progress, she sure as hell couldn’t see out of it. “So how long before I’m better?”
The doctor looked at her astonished. “Myles, you’ve experienced extreme trauma. I really think we should get you to the hospital. There’s only so much I can do. What if you have internal injuries?”
“I don’t. They may have banged me up, but not enough to do any significant damage. I assure you it looks worse than it is. They broke my leg. I remember that. My shoulder is messed up, and I probably have a concussion. Other than that, I’m fine.”
Silence filled the room once again. Aggravated, Myles leaned on her good side and tried to raise herself up on her elbow. The pain was excruciating, but she pushed through it. “See. I’m fine.”
“You’re not.” Logan rushed in. “Myles, I’m telling you right now, your need for vengeance is clouding your thoughts.” He turned to Ty. “Bring me that mirror.”
Dizziness started to take over, and Myles eased back down. She tried to hide the discomfort, but she knew she wasn’t succeeding. Maybe she wasn’t as well off as she thought.
Ty held a skinny full-length mirror over the bed. As Myles looked up at herself wearing panties and a bra, a tear rolled down the side of her face. She’d known she was bad, but seeing the injuries firsthand was astonishing. Black and blue covered eighty percent of her body.
“Two weeks,” she sobbed. “I’ll be better by then.”
“
You’re a wolf. Of course you will,” Jack said, soothingly.
Even though he’d agreed, Myles knew it would probably be a lot longer than that. It was surprising that someone could live through something so violent. But Jack did have a point. She was a wolf. She would heal in half the time it would take a human.
“Get some rest, Myles.” Hector changed out the bag on her IV. “I’ll be back to check on you in the morning. If for some reason you’re feeling worse, I really suggest you take your chances and go to the hospital.”
“Thanks, Doc.” Jack led him out of the room, and Myles stared up at her mates.
“So when do y’all attack?”
Ty looked over to Logan, and she watched as he bit his lip. They were definitely keeping something from her, and she wanted to know.
“Please don’t worry about that right now,” Logan said, softly. “All I want you focused on is getting better.”
“But you’re going tonight, aren’t you?”
Both men shoved their hands in their pockets at the same time. They froze, looked at each other, and Logan sighed. “Myles, Samone has crossed the line. Not only by taking you, but also with the harm she inflicts on her own people. You know better than anyone how against the wolf code that is. An Alpha is meant to protect his people, not hurt them.”
“My my, haven’t we learned a lot in just a few days.” She smiled and winced from the pain that raced through her lip.
“That’s common decency, and I can see how it applies to packs. It’s the way things need to work. Samone has to be put down when she’s least expecting it. And that’ll be tonight. Ty’s already called and told her we’re delaying the fight for a few days so she shouldn’t be expecting us.”
“I really wanted to take care of her myself.” Myles closed her eyes, but she couldn’t stop the tears from escaping.
“Honey,” Ty kissed her hand. “I promise you Samone will never hurt another person. Let us handle the situation, and you focus on healing. It’s not what you want to hear, but please be okay with Logan’s decision. Tonight is the safest time, and we don’t want to risk someone getting hurt. If we wait, that’ll only give her more time to prepare. That could be deadly.
The words sunk in. Myles knew her mate was right. If they postponed on her account and Samone was expecting the Dark Days pack, it would be a massacre on both sides. “Ty, take care of my brother.” She looked at not only her mate, but her leader. “You’re staying, right? I mean, in past incidences Jack had to stay behind. You won’t leave.” The fear coming from her voice caused her to stop talking. She didn’t want to sound weak, but the thought of being alone after what she’d just gone through was beyond frightening.
Logan’s mouth opened, and then shut. She could tell he was having a hard time with answering her. “I have to go, Myles. Jack is having David stay here with you. Since he’s human, he can’t go.”
“Oh.” An aching enveloped her heart. David would be good company for her, but it didn’t make her feel safe like she wanted. Pride played tug-of-war in her chest. How desperate would she look if she begged Logan to stay? Sure, he might understand, but something told her he had his reasons for going. Jack wouldn’t be allowing him to go into harm’s way for nothing.
“You both take care. She’s quick, so don’t blink.” The words didn’t sound convincing enough. Myles decided to go on. “I’m serious. When she moves, it’s like a blur. One minute she’s there, the next she is all over you. I’ve never seen anything like it before. She’s dangerous.” The thoughts in her head were too hazy. She felt awfully tired, but still felt like she wasn’t saying what she needed to. “I mean, she’s scary fast, but not unbeatable. That’s why I wanted her. I know I could take her down. Just…don’t blink. Oh, and watch out for those daggers she calls nails.”
“Myles.” Logan lowered himself. “Rest, sweetheart. We’ll be extra careful. And no worries, okay? We’ll be back before you probably even wake up.”
She forced her eyes open, but they kept rolling shut. “What if you’re not? What if—”
“No worries,” Logan whispered. “Do you remember when we first met, how we said we knew each other from our dreams?”
“Yes.” Myles smiled on the inside, remembering.
“Dream of us.” The words faded out, and Myles could feel her body growing extremely heavy. The darkness felt so good to be in. With Logan’s words fresh on her mind, she’d take his advice and search out the bond linking them. There, she’d get the comfort she needed.
Chapter 14
Seventy men stood before Logan. Some he knew from his work at Dark Days, and then there were others he recognized from the meeting. Only three hovered in the background that he didn’t recall ever seeing at all. They were huge in muscle, and a good three to four inches over six feet. Tattoos covered their arms. One even had markings on his neck that looked like claw marks.
As he pointed to the corkboard, relaying the plan, he focused more on the group’s expressions. If anything, these men looked pumped to fight. There was no fear, and that amazed him. Shouldn’t they be scared? What if something happened? Or the unexpected threw off their strategy? Logan continued, feeling inspired by their bravery.
“So, Jack, you’re going to come in through the northern part of the territory. Be sure to stay close to the buildings and out of sight. Trees in this area are nonexistent. You’ll have nothing to hide behind. We’re talking dirt and short brush. That’s it. Move fast, and above all, pay attention to your surroundings. It’ll be dark so at least we have that working in our favor.”
Logan turned to Ty. “You take your men through the front gate. Your group is smaller. If Samone or anyone in the pack sees you it might not dawn on them that you’re there to fight. Appear as if you’re at home. Be nonchalant. Samone knows that you were going to bring more wolves to her. She’ll probably think that’s what you’re doing.
“Now, for those who are following me. We’ll sneak in from behind the main house. The same conditions go for us. Trees there have been removed. There’s nowhere to hide. We’ll stay in the hills that surround the back side of the ranch until we have the signal from Jack. When we do, we’ll go in.” He looked around the room. “Is everyone on board with this plan?”
Nods and a few yeps were said. Logan turned to Jack as the pack walked outside the barn to wait for their departure. “Who were the three in the back? They make my wolf really uneasy.”
Jack smiled. “That would be our pack’s secret weapon. You’ll never really see them anywhere but at these meetings. They’re brothers, and they work intelligence. All are lethal to the core. It was their right to be Alphas down South, but not one of them wanted the position. That’s why they left. They have nothing to prove to anyone. It’s the fight they long for. Nothing else.”
“Wow.” Logan looked toward the doors. “Interesting group of guys there. Do they ever say anything? I notice they keep to themselves. They’re like their only little mini pack.”
Jack laughed. “Oh, don’t be fooled. They can’t stand each other. When they’re not here, they’re off doing their own thing. Hell, I don’t even know what that is. If it wasn’t for the intel they bring in, I’d just think they were hiding out until the next meeting. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. They’re in deep with all kinds of packs, but only loyal to one.” The smile told Logan that Jack was very proud to have them as a part of Dark Days.
“Well, it’s that time. You all ready to load up?” Logan headed for the door. The sun was already setting, and he could feel the rush of adrenaline racing through his body. It was time to prove to his pack why they needed to follow him. Not only was he going to make it possible to bring down a corrupt Alpha, but he was also going to do his job and protect the ones who counted on him. This was his new life, and with the support of one of his mates by his side, Logan vowed to make the best of it.
* * * *
The floating Myles always felt when she dreamed was one she’d grown accustomed to. It was
as though she was truly in this imaginary, dark world. All she had to do was imagine a beach, or the city, and upon the words entering her mind, the world was conjured before her. It was an amazing ability, but one that didn’t interest her in the present time. The only thing Myles wanted was her mates.
The heaviness in her heart longed for them. She pulled at the darkness mentally, trying anything possible to bring them closer.
“Logan? Ty?”
“I told you we would be here.”
She turned and threw herself into their arms. There was no pain in her body, only desperation to be with them once again. Suddenly, she realized they were all nude. She sighed and turned in to Ty. While she wrapped her arms around his neck, she felt Logan mold against her back. His lips began to make their way down her shoulder toward the nape of her neck.
“Kiss me, Ty.”
Soft lips lowered to hers and she felt Ty’s hunger as his tongue dueled with hers. Myles moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist. Their movement was so graceful in this dreamland. She didn’t have to worry about fighting gravity to hold herself up.
“We’ve missed you,” Logan whispered against her ear.
Myles moaned as his hand trailed down her hip and over her lower stomach. She moved her ass against his hard cock. The wetness from her pussy increased while he gently rubbed against her. The rhythm had her wanting so much more. His touch came to stop over her clit and slowly he began to rub his fingertips in a circular motion.
Ty’s lips broke from hers and he lowered, taking her breast into his mouth. She cried out in pleasure as he gently pulled at her nipple with his teeth. “I want both of you.” She knew there was no pain here. It was what she ultimately wanted anyway, and if she could have it now then she was going to take it.
The small spasm made Myles jerk as Logan applied more pressure to her clit. “Please,” Myles begged. The contact disappeared and Ty lifted. Both men reached down and rubbed against the wetness coating her skin. A gasp exploded from her as they slid their fingers into the openings of her ass and pussy. In a slow rhythm they moved within her over and over.
