Sylvia's Torment (Enforcers and Coterie Book 2)

by Veronica Del Rosa

  With those parting words, he opened a portal from her house to a private wooded area behind his own home.

  Yes, he’d find out her secrets and then make her regret keeping them from him.

  ###

  Thank you for reading my book. If you liked it, please take a moment and leave a review at your favourite retailer. Word of mouth is extremely important to indie authors. I hope you enjoy the included bonus novella, Unexpected Werewolf.

  Thank you,

  Veronica Del Rosa.

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  List of Books

  The Enforcers and Coterie Series

  Throwing Away the Good (Novella 0.5)

  Magic Resistant (Book 1)

  Sylvia’s Torment (Book 2)

  Unexpected Werewolf (Novella 2.5)

  And now for the never before published bonus novella, Unexpected Werewolf.

  Unexpected Werewolf

  An Enforcers and Coterie Novella

  Veronica Del Rosa

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter One

  The loud, incessant beeping wouldn’t shut up. Smacking, flailing and finally flinging the damn thing on the floor stopped the alarm. Rolling onto her side, she sighed deeply, and snuggled into the covers.

  Light caressed her face, and Lori grunted in displeasure. Hadn’t she closed the curtains last night? Grabbing her pillow, she covered her face, hiding from the cheerful, early morning rays. A fog-shrouded thought drifted to the forefront.

  Why was sunlight on her face? Most mornings she was out of bed and ready for work before the sun had had a chance to rise. Oh shit, what time was it?

  Panic slammed into her as she flung back the blanket. Heart pounding in her throat, she glared at the alarm clock, broken and silent. Shit! Staying up late last night had been a mistake, a huge mistake. But missing the season premiere of that time traveler series hadn’t been an option. She had needed to watch it.

  Racing to the bathroom, she flung off her tank top and shimmied out of the matching shorts. Naked, she dragged a brush through her hair before twisting it into a bun. A quick scrub of her teeth, some light makeup, and she declared herself decent for work.

  Once she put on some clothes, of course.

  Next stop on her hurried tour: the closet. Snagging a bra and underwear from the dresser along the way, she grabbed the first suit her hand found. Grey and somber, unlike her panicky state. Clothes tugged on, straightened and arranged so the seams lined up, she skidded through the kitchen, stopping to grab an apple and glancing at the time.

  “Damn it! Ed’s gonna fire me over this.” Once out the door, she fumbled with her keys, locking up behind her before tossing them in her purse. Work was a few blocks away. A light jog would shave a few minutes off her time. Maybe Ed wouldn’t notice? Ha, not bloody likely.

  Feet pounding down the stairs – the elevator took too long – she raced out the main lobby. Muttering apologies, she waded through the crowd. Early morning rush hour sucked, filled with hundreds of people with the same idea as her: get to work on time.

  Building now in sight, she pulled out her phone. Oh good, five minutes until Ed thundered into her office, demanding spreadsheets and reports. He resented her, had since the moment she stepped foot in her new office. A few months ago, she had replaced his work buddy, Johnny. The company had caught him embezzling, and Johnny had committed suicide. In Ed’s mind, Lori was at fault for taking over Johnny’s small office.

  Now, Ed found as many mistakes with her performance as he could. Already she had three written warnings and one final. One more screw-up, like being late, and she was done. Each day her tongue was raw from biting back her scathing remarks towards Ed.

  And each day it became harder to control the urge to rage at him. It hurt, oh damn, did it ever hurt to put up with his shit. Normally a calm person, able to ignore others irrational behaviours, she couldn’t remember the last time she was so close to losing it on another person, even an asshole like Ed.

  Losing her job, though, wasn’t acceptable. Her apartment in downtown Toronto was ridiculously expensive. She’d blow through her savings in a few short months without a steady income. And moving in with her stepdad, yeah, that was never going to happen. They had barely spoken since her mother’s death six years ago.

  Hurrying along, she bumped shoulders with a man moving in the opposite direction. Pain radiated in the joint, like she’d slammed into a boulder at high speed, and she stumbled. The man had passed her, his bulk a blur in the corner of her eye. Lightening quick, he spun around, as if sensing her imminent fall. His hands shot out and gripped her upper arms, steadying her. Pasting a friendly, impersonal smile on her face, she opened her mouth to apologize when she heard a strange sound behind her.

  “Did you just sniff me?” She demanded, back stiffening in outrage. Like her day needed this strange freak sniffing at her hair. What in the nine hells was wrong with people?

  “Yes, I did.” A deep, growling voice answered her. A strange shiver coursed through her.

  Damn it, he wasn’t human.

  She pulled away from him, whirling around to face him. Harsh words died on her lips. A face hewn from rock, hard and unyielding, stared back at her. A neatly trimmed beard highlighted his strong jaw. Smooth brown skin set off the most gorgeous eyes she’d ever seen. An emerald paled in comparison to the vibrant bright green irises studying her. A handsome man, well aware of his impact on a woman.

  His smug grin set her off again. Good looks didn’t excuse bad behaviour.

  “Who taught you manners? You don’t sniff strangers. It’s rude!”

  “I apologize. I didn’t mean to insult you. Which pack do you belong to? Does Derek know you’re here?” the delusional man – no scratch that – werewolf asked her.

  “I don’t belong to a pack. I’m not a werewolf. Now go away and leave me alone.” She didn’t have time for this. Ed would delight in firing her.

  The stranger inhaled deeply, a questioning look on his face.

  Stamping her foot, she snapped, “What was that? You just sniffed me again, didn’t you?”

  Thoroughly aggravated by him, Lori spun away, wanting as much distance between them as possible. A hand on her upper arm stopped her, her foot dangled in the air before it slammed onto the sidewalk. Her body jerked backwards, and she almost tripped. His strong grip again kept her upright.

  “What is wrong with you?” She tried to pull away. Instead she succeeded in wrenching her arm. Great, now she’d have bruises to hide tomorrow.

  “You’re coming with me.” His tone brooked no argument. Pity he didn’t know her very well. She didn’t blindly obey orders, a good reason why her boss thought she was insubordinate. That, and Ed was an ass.

  “No, I’m not. Let go of me,” she ground out, thoroughly pissed off now. If she lost her job due to this asshole, she’d hunt him down and skin him.

  “Packless wolves must present themselves before Derek. You need his permission to stay here.”

  Blinking at him, she wondered if werewolves suffered from hallucinations and insanity. No other reason came to mind for why he was so adamant about this. She wasn’t a werewolf. Mom and her birth da
d were both human – normal, boring humans – and no wolf had ever bitten her. She'd have remembered something like that.

  “I’m going to say this slowly for you, maybe then you’ll understand. I’m. Not. A. Werewolf. There, understand now?” Another tug against his hold. Nope, still not moving.

  “What’s going on here?” A male voice intruded upon their tug of war with her arm. “I’m sure the lady told you to let her go.”

  Turning to her would-be saviour, she gave him a grateful smile while gorgeous Green-Eyes growled at him.

  “Don’t growl at him. You really do have no manners. Raised in the woods, were you?” Lori snapped.

  “This isn’t your affair, mage. Leave us.”

  “Can’t do that. The lady said to let her go, so let her go.” He splayed a hand, showing the gathering energy in his palm. The dancing blue light played across his features, turning his light brown hair darker and adding a depth to his brown eyes.

  “Not scared of a little mage magic. You’re not an Enforcer, so toddle along. Come back when you have the magic to back up your threat.” Green-Eyes calmly stated, dismissing the other man.

  A flash of hurt flitted across his face before his expression hardened. “Last chance.”

  “I’m done with this. She needs to see Derek, and you need to stay out of my way.” Green-Eyes pulled out his cell phone, ignoring the mage. His eyes stayed on her.

  “Derek, I need you at Yonge-Dundas Square on the southeast side. Have a mage teleport you if possible. We have a situation.”

  They didn’t wait long, a few minutes at the most. Minutes that ticked away her job. Ed must be ecstatic. Bastard. Job-hunting sucked, especially in a city of several million.

  Working up a fury, she opened her mouth to blast Green-Eyes for causing her grief when two men appeared next to them in the designated teleporting spot. No one wanted an accidental merging when mages ported, so the city had areas set up solely for their use.

  Her mouth continued to hang open while she stared at the newcomers. Her tormentor and her rescuer were both handsome, but these two were simply gorgeous, although for different reasons.

  A huge black man prowled forward, the silver studs in his ears, eyebrow and lip glinting in the sunlight. A short, black mohawk emphasized his wildness, a rawness to him that seized her breath. She wanted to bow down to him, and submit to his authority. A feeling she didn’t like.

  Tearing her eyes from him, she sized up the other man. Long, inky black hair framed a face meant for immortalization in paintings and sculptures. His black eyes were bottomless and ripped her soul naked. The other man should’ve dwarfed him; instead, power flowed through him, making her hair stand on end. This was a man to be wary of, one who’d easily annihilate any threats.

  “Markus?” her rescuer asked.

  The black-eyed man turned towards him, and the coldness thawed a fraction. “Nolan, what are you doing here? This is werewolf business.”

  “No, it’s not,” she interjected and tugged her arm. “This is I’m-late-and-will-now-be-fired business. Damn it, let me go.”

  A slight nod from the other man, and Green-Eyes finally released her. She rubbed her arm, the imprint of his fingers tingling against her skin.

  “I'm leaving.” She inched away from Green-Eyes but stopped when the behemoth rumbled.

  “You're coming with us. Packless werewolves are to present themselves to me. No one roams without my permission.”

  A small screech of fury escaped her and she wanted to rake her nails across his face. How utterly infuriating these men were. “How many times do I have to say it? I'm not a damn werewolf!”

  “You are,” Markus stated, flat and bored. His unnerving gaze never left her.

  “Markus, what's going on here?” Nolan asked, no longer trying to save her from these insane wolves. He seemed way too friendly with the mage and willing to follow his lead.

  Hmm, could she make a run for it, get to security before they caught up with her? Her stance must have given her thoughts away.

  “Don't bother running. Wolves love the hunt, and you don't have an Alpha to protect you,” Derek said, a predatory gleam in his eye, almost like he was daring her to try.

  Lori gave him a disdainful sniff, refusing to back down. They were on a public street. He wouldn't dare harm her. Werewolves tried to present their cuddly side to the humans, but it didn't fool her. However, it meant he'd be less likely to attack.

  “She needs guidance. Soon she’ll be out of control,” Green-Eyes said.

  “I know. Markus, port us to my place,” Derek commanded. When Markus raised an eyebrow, he tacked on, “Please.”

  “I can port two people at a time. Tariq can meet us there.”

  “I’m coming, too. You can’t just take someone off the street. She’s not a prisoner or a criminal, and I want to make sure she’s fine,” Nolan added, taking a step closer to Lori.

  “Stop talking about me like I’m invisible. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. I don’t know who any of you are except none of you are human.”

  “Neither are you,” Tariq stated.

  She pointed her finger at Tariq. “You. You stop talking to me. I’ve had it with your delusions.” Markus snickered, and she rounded on him. “Do you find all this amusing? Strange men assaulting a defenseless woman?”

  “I have a feeling you’re far from defenseless.” The sly, subtle humour transformed Markus’ face from darkly handsome to not quite forbidding. She didn’t envy the woman who took him on.

  Fire flared in his eyes.

  Before she could comprehend his intent, Markus placed a hand on her shoulder and Derek’s. Magic swirled around them, wind whipped through their hair and clothes. The city sidewalk was no longer under her feet. Instead, she stood on a wooden porch attached to a house. This close, she couldn’t get a good look at it, but a glance at the massive yard told her all she needed to know.

  They’d ported to a mansion in Toronto, and the locked gates would help keep her prisoner.

  Chapter Two

  “Hey, you’re not leaving without me, wolf.”

  Tariq almost snapped his teeth at the interfering mage. “This has nothing to do with you. It’s werewolf business.”

  “Whatever. Say it all you like, not changing the fact that I’m coming, too,” Nolan said, his jaw jutting out in stubbornness, ready to stand his ground.

  “You have siblings, don’t you?” he asked while striding away from the magic user.

  “Yeah, a brother and two sisters. Why?” His footsteps pounded on the pavement, rushing to catch up. Tariq wasn’t slowing down for this one. He wanted to come, then fine. But he better figure out a way to keep up with a wolf.

  “You act like an irritating brat of a child. Figured you learned it from pestering siblings,” Tariq tossed over his shoulder.

  “Funny.” Nolan’s voice stayed nearby, undaunted by Tariq’s speed.

  People and buildings blurred while Tariq raced towards the pack house, the home of Derek Quinlan, Top Alpha of Ontario. As Derek’s Delta, he’d spent many nights in one of the guest rooms, most recently due to an overreaching Alpha harassing Derek’s personal pack.

  The main gate was locked; even the side gate used for deliveries was closed. Tariq had a brief thought of jumping the fence, and leaving the mage behind but decided against it. Persistent and acting the Good Samaritan, he deserved some explanation for the strange situation.

  Provided he didn’t try to touch the woman again.

  The fact that Markus knew him worked in Nolan’s favour. Derek tended to mistrust everyone on sight. If Markus hadn’t vouched for him, the mage would’ve found himself left behind in the cold.

  Pressing his thumb to the keypad, the side gate swung open. He ushered in Nolan and then closed the gate, verifying it locked behind them. Gravel crunching underfoot indicated the mage’s location.

  No sound betrayed Tariq.

  An urban predator.

  One able to blend in
and hide within the city, stalking his prey in silence.

  Furious yelling drifted to his sensitive ears, an irritated woman ready to take on an Alpha. He picked up his pace, wondering if his presence would calm her or infuriate her even more.

  Up the porch and through the door, he turned left to enter the sitting room. Bookshelves lined this room, and large couches provided ample sitting space for pack meetings. The woman stood behind one of the couches, wary eyes watching Derek, Markus and Sylvia. She had the bearing of a fighter, one ready to attack.

  Her back was straight and tall, not cowed in the least. Not many could withstand the sheer dominance Derek exuded or ignore the simmering power lurking beneath Markus’ surface. Either she thought they wouldn’t harm her or she didn’t realize how dangerous these two men were.

  Derek, he knew, would never harm an innocent, especially not one so close to her Change.

  “I know this must seem strange to you,” Sylvia said, her smile friendly with a hint of strain, noticeable only to those close to her.

  The woman exhaled in disbelief. “Oh, what part? Where I’m assaulted on the streets, sniffed like I’m a dog? Being told I’m a werewolf? Or perhaps the teleporting without my permission?”

  Markus wandered away from Derek and Sylvia, sinking into one of the chairs by the door. He sprawled out his legs and folded his hands on his stomach. The powerful mage was anything but relaxed.

  Derek spun away from the woman, unused to a young werewolf not immediately obeying him. Of course, most grew up hearing about him, and it was an honour to train under him. She had no knowledge of their ways or of her heritage.

  “What’s your name?” Tariq asked.

  She turned to him, her dark blue eyes narrowed in anger. He expected a retort, instead she replied, “Lori. Lori Dulay. I want an explanation.”

  “May I?” Tariq turned his head to Sylvia while still keeping Lori in sight. When Sylvia nodded, he continued, “One of your parents is a werewolf.”