CAGED (Mackenzie Grey #2)

by Karina Espinosa

  “For who then?” Sebastian demanded. “With this act, you’re breaking our treaty.”

  “I am breaking nothing, Alpha. I’d advise you to remember our agreement that protects Pack members only,” she said. “We were hired by the Toronto Pack for the retrieval of this Lone-Wolf. If you stand in our way, you will be breaking our treaty.”

  Sebastian’s chest rose in rapid motions, his breathing coming out heavy. He was aggravated and stuck in Wolf politics. He couldn’t protect me here.

  “Just because he can’t do anything, doesn’t mean I won’t,” I twisted my mouth to the side. “How dumb do you think I am?” I paused and shook my head. “Wait, don’t answer that.”

  “You cannot fight us off, Mackenzie, you don’t know our magic,” Drusilla said with the over confidence every asshole has.

  “Mackenzie,” Sebastian warned. “She’s right, just let me think.”

  “Clocks ticking, Alpha,” the Fae Queen said.

  I smiled. “Don’t worry, Bash, I got this.” I pushed him out of the way, still only in my undergarments, and faced the three bow wielding Fae. “Alright boys, give me your best shot,” I beckoned.

  One of them with platinum hair tucked behind his ears, dropped the bow and ran toward me. He swung and I ducked and rolled out of the way, coming face to face with another one of them with bright green eyes. They blazed with fury as he began speaking an incantation.

  “Nice try, Buddy,” I said as I took my knee to his sternum and drop kicked his ass. The one behind me grabbed my arms and pulled them back, while the third Fae readied his arrow. I stopped.

  “Not so swift now,” Drusilla giggled.

  “I’d bet all fifty seven dollars in my bank account that you guys need me alive, so let that arrow fly,” I smirked. I hadn’t noticed Sebastian was on his knees, claws digging into the earth and growling, as he restrained himself from helping me. His glowing sapphire orbs stared at me with anger and frustration. There was nothing he could do to help, and I could see the pain behind his eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he threw it all away for me and started a war—I couldn’t let that happen.

  “You might not be killed, but nothing can stop us from hurting you,” the Fae behind me whispered. The arrow was released and I slammed my head backward.

  “AH!” the Fae yelled. I swerved as the arrow missed and struck his shoulder instead.

  “Thanks,” I grinned and went toward the one in front of me. He began whispering another incantation but what they didn’t know, was that the tattoo on my hip bone protected me from their magic. A gift from Roman when I first began working with the SIU. A small Celtic triquetra was inked on my skin—a Celtic three corner infinity knot within a circle—protected me from all malicious magic.

  I grabbed some soil from the ground and threw it into the Fae’s face as I rammed my palm up his nose while he rambled on, making it spurt blood like a fountain.

  “Sorry, Fae-man, I’m sort of bullet-proof,” I joked as I grabbed him from the back of his neck and threw him to the ground. “And I didn’t even have to shift. Did you underestimate me, because I feel like they went easy on me,” I taunted, turning my gaze to Drusilla.

  “That’s impossible,” she whispered, taking a step back. “You are not just a wolf then.”

  I sighed, “Bash, what restrictions does a lone-wolf have if they want to attack a certain queen?”

  “None,” he growled.

  My grin widened. “Perfect.”

  Drusilla didn’t lose her decorum. She was poised to perfection, with clear distaste in her scowl. Her pale eyes roamed my body up and down, searching for whatever was protecting me. Unfortunately for her, it was hidden beneath my underwear.

  “You lay one finger on me, Mackenzie Grey, and I will kill him,” she pointed to Sebastian. “Want to gamble his life?”

  I stopped mid-step. My teeth grinded as I clenched my fists. “Let me make myself clear, Drusilla. This is the last time you attempt to do me any harm, or I promise next time, I will gamble everyone’s life to end yours.”

  “Understood,” she sneered.

  “And Dru?” I said. “I’d be careful who I make deals with next time. You might live to regret them.”

  ***

  Sebastian and I both ran out of Central Park so fast, we were still holding our clothes in our hands. I kept my mouth shut on the ride back to the warehouse because his anger radiated out of his pores and I feared awakening the beast. I’ve seen it before and it’s not a very happy wolf. He parked the car across the street but he didn’t move to leave the vehicle. I sat with him in utter silence as his breathing slowed to a calm beat.

  “How were you able to repel the Fae’s magic? Those incantations are as old as time, no one is capable of deflecting them without some sort of assistance,” his voice was low but resonated in the quiet night.

  I pushed my hip up and with my thumb, I pulled down the top of my panties until my tattoo was revealed. It was small and gold, and easy to miss. The color blended well with my tan skin.

  He exhaled. “For once, I’m glad you didn’t just risk your life on pure stupidity.”

  “You thought I’d bring a knife to a gun fight?” I asked with mock horror.

  “Yes, Mackenzie. You have a tendency to speak before you think—at least you used to,” he retracted. “What the hell were you up to in the last year? Ninja training?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I teased.

  I unlocked my passenger door and stepped outside. Bash followed behind me as we crossed the street to the warehouse and went in. The captains stood hovered over a map on one of the cafeteria tables when I heard Amy yelp.

  “They’re here!”

  “What’s happening?” Sebastian barked.

  Jonah stepped forward as his eyes ran over our bodies and flashed gold. Sebastian was in his boxer briefs, while I wore my sports bra and panties. This wasn’t the attire I would have wanted everyone to see me in.

  “Awkward…” Amy muttered as she turned to Jackson who was holding back a laugh.

  “We heard your cry, Bash,” Jonah gritted between his teeth. “We should be asking you what happened.”

  “His cry?” I asked. “You were crying?” I arched a brow at Bash.

  “I wasn’t crying, Mackenzie,” he rolled his eyes. “I did howl, the Pack must have heard me.”

  Jonah scoffed. “Of course we did. I’ve never heard you in such pain.”

  “Enough,” Sebastian clipped out. “Everyone can return to their rooms.”

  “What happened?” Jonah pushed. “You cannot dismiss us after calling out to us, this is not how things work, Sebastian!”

  “Jonah…learn your place,” Sebastian growled.

  “I was attacked again tonight,” I stepped between the Alpha and Beta. “The Toronto Pack hired the Fae to capture me. Since we were in Central Park, they took their shot at me, that’s all that happened.”

  “Oh my gosh, Kenz,” Amy came toward me and gripped my hand. “Are you okay? You don’t look hurt…whoa, you look much better than from your first attack.”

  I nodded. “It’s why we were out there, so I could shift and heal.”

  “You couldn’t help her, could you?” Jonah asked Sebastian, although it seemed he already knew the answer.

  Sebastian shook his head. “She isn’t Pack, it would break our accords with the Fae.”

  “Fuck the treaty, Bash! How could you let her fend for herself?” Jonah tried to push past me, but Jackson was there to hold him back.

  “Easy brother,” he said. “Remember who the real enemy is.”

  “It’s okay, Jonah, I was prepared to handle them,” I said, raising my hands up to stop him. “And I am not worth starting a war for. I understand my place in this fucked up caste system.”

  “You? Prepared?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, me. Now drop your hissy fit and lets all go back to sleep. I feel weird standing before you all in my underoos.”

  The captains la
ughed while Sebastian and Jonah glared at me.

  “What are we going to do about the Packs?” Jonah asked. “She won’t stay locked up in the warehouse and even if she did agree, we cannot keep her here forever.”

  “I second that,” I said as I slipped on my t-shirt. “And I can’t ask for your help either. I don’t want to put the Pack in a situation that can bring conflict.”

  “What do you suggest?” Sebastian asked.

  I scrunched my mouth to the side. “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” I admitted.

  Bash sighed. “Until then, you stay in the warehouse. If you need to go anywhere, it’s with either me or Jonah…clear?”

  “Crystal,” I winked.

  “Good,” he said, his voice weary. I wouldn’t believe me either, if I were him. “Now let’s all get to bed. My apologies for waking everyone.”

  The captains all muttered their responses of support for their Alpha and left the main floor. Amy squeezed my hand before leaving with Jackson back to his room.

  “Night Kenz,” she said and I smiled.

  “Night Amy.”

  Jonah stood still for a moment, watching me with those milk chocolate eyes that used to melt me into a pool of teenage hormones. Since I arrived, things had been wonky between us. Tomorrow, I needed to have a sit down with him. I needed both him and Bash in my corner, and although I knew Jonah would never do a thing to harm me—it didn’t mean he wouldn’t sabotage my plans unintentionally.

  “Goodnight, Jonah. We’ll talk tomorrow?” I said.

  “Count on it,” he gave me a small smile, his one dimple playing on his cheek.

  I was about to leave when Sebastian caught my wrist. “About tonight…” he started. “I hope it stays between us.”

  “Of course, Bash,” I said, stunned that he would even think I’d share something so personal with anyone. I wouldn’t even tell Amy.

  “Good,” he said. The wall between us returned as he went down to the basement and I was left alone.

  Chapter Twelve

  My hair did not want to cooperate. It was a bird’s nest as a result of all my tossing and turning in my sleep. Shifting last night might have healed me, but my emotions were catching up to all of the recent events. In less than twenty four hours I had already been attacked by two Packs, but none of it was plaguing my mind as much as King Alexander MacCoinnich. My dreams filled with my self-conscious wondering about what he looked like, if he even thought of me—or if he even knew I existed. A small voice in the back of my mind kept asking the same question: would he help me? I shook my head. No, he wouldn’t. Lunas wouldn’t be second class citizens if he cared.

  A knock came to my door and I was pulled out of my head and back to the real world.

  “Come in,” I called out.

  Blu’s head popped in and she bit her lip. “Kenz…uh…someone wants to talk to you.”

  “Who?”

  “J-Just come up to the attic,” she said.

  I stopped fiddling with my hair in the mirror. “What’s going on, Blu?”

  She slipped into my room and shut the door with her back. “Rachel…she’s in the attic waiting for you,” she whispered. “No one goes up there. It’s the perfect place to talk where you won’t be overheard.”

  “Oh okay, you could have just said so, Blu. Stop wiggin’ out,” I laughed and pulled my hair into a ponytail. “Ugh, my hair is being a pain in the ass.”

  “It looks beautiful, Kenz, but I have to go. I cannot be involved. On the third floor there will be a door at the end of the hall. It will lead you to the attic,” she said.

  I nodded. “Alright, Blu, thanks for everything you’ve done,” I said and I meant it. This wasn’t easy and I didn’t expect her to go this far—she’d already been burned by the Pack before for rebelling, which was a story I still needed her to tell me someday.

  She smiled and left my room. I slid my feet into my Nike Air Max’s and pulled on a hoodie. I was too tired from lack of sleep to care what I looked like. I needed coffee and food before I withered away. Dramatic, I know.

  I went up the third floor, searching for the hallway she spoke of when I found it at the south end of the warehouse. No one was up here, and I prayed no one would see me on the balcony. I pulled the hood over my head and tucked my hands in the front pockets of my sweater.

  I twisted the handle of the door that led to the attic and it opened a closet.

  “What the?” my hand slid up the wall looking for the light switch. I flicked it on and the closet glowed. A single string hung from the ceiling before me. It was attached to a piece of square wood. I pulled the string and a folded ladder came down. “Ah, the attic. Cool,” I murmured to myself as I shut the door behind me and started to climb.

  Natural sunlight filtered in the attic. A few dusty boxes cluttered the upstairs, but not much else. I sneezed a few times as I swatted away dust bunnies. The floor boards creaked with every step I took. At the end of the room, by the window overlooking the street, a Luna stood with her back to me.

  “Rachel?” I asked. She turned around and I had to swallow a gasp that wanted to come out. Half of her head was shaved off, and four claw marks raked her face and down her scalp. One of her eyes was sealed shut.

  “Mackenzie Grey,” she said, her lips moved with an unnatural twist when she spoke. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” I mumbled.

  She laughed. “Let’s get the questions out of the way, I know I’m not who you were expecting.”

  “Definitely not,” I whispered.

  “It’s okay. I was already warned of your lack of filter—it’s refreshing.”

  I nodded. “So what happened to you?” I asked.

  She waved me over to the window and I walked up to her. She pulled two boxes over and we sat down.

  “I’m from the Chicago Pack,” she started. “I heard you had a run in with them already, eh?”

  “Yeah,” I scrunched my eyebrows together. “They were a real piece of work.”

  She laughed. “Yes, when I refused to mate with one of their captains, they did this to my face. Real piece of work,” she said as she pointed to her disfiguration.

  “Fuck,” I gasped. “Isn’t that illegal?” I wanted to jump out of my seat in outrage. How could they let something like this happen? It was against all human rights laws—except we weren’t necessarily human.

  “No. Logan, the Alpha, was the one who carried out the order of my punishment.”

  “Couldn’t you shift to heal?”

  She shook her head. “This wasn’t a superficial wound that would heal with time, even for a human. They ripped apart my skin and took one of my eyes. I can heal, but the scars will never disappear.”

  “This is bullshit,” I raged. “How could anyone let this happen? Something has to be done about it!”

  Her hand rested atop my right knee that bounced wildly. “It has been over a decade since this happened. What’s done is done,” she said. “But enough about me, Blu told me you were interested in speaking. What of?”

  The fury within me was a forest fire that wouldn’t die down anytime soon. Rachel’s testimony only further motivated me to action. I would find justice for all victims like her, and the future Lunas like Emma. This sort of barbaric treatment was going to come to an end.

  “I want freedom—but not just for myself—for all of us. And I need your help.”

  Rachel leaned back and straightened. She wasn’t expecting my call for war.

  “What are you proposing, Mackenzie? I’m sure it isn’t an uprising because that would be treason,” she said.

  I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “That’s exactly what I’m proposing.”

  She stilled.

  “Just hear me out, Rachel. I’m sure what’s happened to you has happened to many others. Right now there is an eleven-year-old Luna in the warehouse and Charles has no idea where to place her. What if she lands in a Pack similar to Chicago’s? Is that the fu
ture you envision for any child you plan to have? To raise girls who will become slaves and boys who will become monsters?” I took a breath and eased my racing pulse. “We can do something about it. We have to stand up for ourselves—we are capable, I’m living proof that we are.”

  “You are the exception, Mackenzie Grey. You are not one of us and you never will be,” she gave me a sad smile. “Count your lucky stars because you are privileged to avoid this lifestyle. We appreciate you wanting to help us, but no Luna will risk their lives. We have everything to lose, while you don’t.” Rachel leaned forward again and reached for my hand. “Thank you, Mackenzie. You have a beautiful soul, with a courageous heart filled with compassion for others. You have proved it many times to us in defeating the Skin Walker last year, but forget about this life and enjoy your freedom. Do it for us who don’t have the luxury.”

  “Are you serious?” I was taken aback. “You think I’m privileged?”

  She nodded. “You’re King Alexander’s heir, are you not?”

  “Biologically yes, but that’s it!” I exclaimed. “You don’t see him going up in arms about what’s happening with me. I want to change that!”

  “I understand,” she said, “but you don’t know what it’s like to be one of us, and we wouldn’t wish that upon you ever. Please, Mackenzie, go live your life, we’re all rooting for you.”

  ***

  Well that was a dud. I left the attic feeling like a total failure. My initial feelings had been right, I was the wrong one to be yelling ‘viva la revolution’ when my sperm donor was the King. I sounded like a spoiled brat with daddy issues who just wanted to rebel because he wouldn’t extend my curfew. I was such an idiot. That damn Vision Quest was full of shit, and I was gullible for feeding into La Loba’s crazy ramblings. There wasn’t anything I could do if the Lunas weren’t willing to fight too.

  I went down to the main floor where I found Jackson sitting alone.

  “What’s up, Cadwell?” I said as I plopped myself in the seat across from him.