“What is that?” Breslin asked as the young ursithrope was thrown to the floor at his feet.
“He followed us here,” Georgie, a young werewolf, said. “What do you want us to do with him, Boss?”
Natalie stayed put on the counter, watching the massive alpha as he crouched down and grabbed the ursithrope by the hair of his head. The ursithrope, who was considerably young, cried out in protest as he struggled onto his hands and knees.
“Now, now,” Breslin cocked his head to the side. “What’s your name, little bear?”
The seconds ticked by, and Natalie wondered if the boy was going to speak or not.
You better say something, she thought. He’ll kill you if you don’t. Speak, boy!
“Greg,” he finally managed to say as he clutched his side. “Greg Kress.”
Oh no, Natalie frowned. She’d grown up with Greg’s parents. She’d been in his mother’s bridal party for goodness’ sake. Guilt pooled in her stomach as she dropped her gaze to the floor. He is just a boy…..
“Greg Kress,” Breslin repeated, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He released the grip he had on the boy’s hair, straightening up to face the small group of werewolves that had gathered around them.
“Look closely,” he instructed as he motioned towards Greg. “A young, brave ursithrope who followed after wolves to save his friends; how admirable,” he smirked.
Breslin’s eyes darkened as he lifted his hand into the air, his claws immediately extending past his fingertips as he frowned.
“Young, brave ursithropes grow up to become strong, fierce warriors that like to kill werewolves.”
Various growls sounded from around the room. Natalie felt nauseous as she slid down from the counter and made her way towards the stairwell. She didn’t get very far before Greg’s screams stabbed her soul. She picked up the pace, hurrying down to the basement. She needed to escape those agonized noises. She couldn’t bear it.
“Oh, forgive me,” she whispered, blinking back the tears that wanted to fall. Did she really feel so bad? Even if she did not, she knew her inner bear did. The beast was furious with her, as it often seemed to be.
You have left a cub to die! Her bear roared. You have betrayed Urseth again!
“Do not talk to me about Urseth,” Natalie stated bitterly, wiping at her eyes. “He is the one who thought he could rule my life. No one rules my life.”
Yet you have no qualms with that monster telling you what to do. Look what you are about to do for him! You are a coward.
Natalie chose to tune her bear out as she rounded the corner and approached the two werewolves guarding the door. They were some of Breslin’s best ‘bodyguards’, as she liked to call them. They were there for Breslin’s every beck and call, and tonight their job was watch over the unconscious ursithropes being held captive on this floor.
“Out of my way,” she stated, staring up at the first wolf. “Breslin wants me to distribute the Etorphine before they wake up.”
The wolf smirked, staring at her with a cold gaze as he crossed his massive arms over his chest. “What’s the magic word?”
Natalie narrowed her eyes at him as she tilted her head to the side. “The magic word is ‘move’,” she replied.
“So feisty,” he commented, quirking a brow. “I wouldn’t mind seeing what all the hype is about sometime, you know? I’d like to know why Breslin likes taking you to his bed every night.”
Natalie rolled her eyes, shoving past him as she reached for the doorknob. “Just stay out of my way while I do this,” she muttered.
“Yes, ma’am,” the wolf chuckled.
She was somewhat relieved to shut the door, putting some space between herself and the crude wolf before turning to stare into complete darkness. Why was it so damn dark? She fumbled around, her fingers moving gently against the wall until she found the switch and flicked it. A low hum sounded overhead as two small lights finally came on. Like that helped.
She gave her eyes a few seconds to adjust, and it wasn’t long before they found the three unconscious bodies resting on the floor. The first male, the one she understood to be a traitor to Breslin, was lying face down against the concrete. His auburn hair was really all she could see besides the mountains of muscles he possessed. His breathing was deep and even, so she knew he was still knocked out.
Thank goodness, she thought as she moved to her left, approaching the table with the medical bag she’d placed there earlier. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to drug a livid werewolf. Hell, sometimes she struggled with drugging small animals at the clinic and if they gave her a hard time, who knew what a werewolf would be capable of?
You can do this, she told herself as she opened the bag and pulled out the first syringe. Her fingers trembled as she tried to get the correct dosage for his large frame. Etorphine, an extremely dangerous street drug, could kill a human instantly. It was just as strong –if not stronger-than heroine. She’d heard that it was so potent that only a small amount could be used to sedate an elephant. It was perfect.
When her first injection was over, Natalie then approached the second male. His scent was most certainly that of an ursithrope. As she crouched down beside of him and gripped his arm, she took a few seconds to study him. He was a handsome man with kind features. He reminded her of someone she’d known in the past…..
I don’t have time for this, she chided herself. She shook her head, biting at her lower lip as she completed the second injection. At least neither of them would be giving her any trouble, right? Now she could focus on the third unconscious person in the room.
Kneeling down beside of the niece she’d never known, Natalie reached out with trembling fingers to grip Presley’s arm. She took a few minutes to find a vein as her heart hammered against her ribcage. She felt so nervous about this one in particular, and that didn’t make sense. She’d never known this girl. She did not love this girl. Presley was a stranger to her.
Despite the time she was taking to convince herself she was doing the right thing, Natalie couldn’t get her heart rate to slow down. It was too fast and it was making her even more nervous than before. She licked her lips, grabbing for the needle as she kept her gaze on the vein. One last stick and she would be done. She wouldn’t have to see any of them again for several hours, and hopefully by then, she’d have herself in check.
You can’t be weak right now, she reminded herself. Breslin won’t hesitate to kill you, too.
She pursed her lips together, gradually pressing her thumb against the syringe as she watched the drug disappear into Presley’s system. There. It was done. It was over. She’d done exactly as Breslin asked.
She tossed the needle into the trashcan and allowed herself to take a moment near her niece’s unconscious form. With her palms pressed against the floor behind her, she let her eyes roam over the girl’s sleeping form.
She really had grown up to be very pretty. She looked a lot like Caroline, but she could see Pierce’s features, too. Another jab of pain attacked her chest as she frowned.
Don’t you dare try to think about it, she told herself. They’re your enemies now. They brought this on themselves, Natalie. You’re on the winning team, remember?
She was quite all right with that affirmation, but it did nothing for her rapid heartbeat. The sporadic rhythm of the blood pumping muscle was driving her insane as she leaned forward to press her palms against the floor in front of herself, prepared to get up.
But then she stopped.
She listened.
That wasn’t her heartbeat at all.
With a frown, Natalie leaned down to rest her ear against Presley’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of the girl’s heartbeat as she took in another deep breath and released it. Calm as a cucumber. Huh.
The beating was still there. It sounded like someone energetically pounding on a drum. It wasn’t her heartbeat though. It wasn’t Presley’s heartbeat.
And that’s when her heart fell into
her stomach, bubbling in the guilt she still felt over the young Kress boy.
Very slowly, and with baited breath, Natalie lowered her ear to hover above Presley’s stomach. It was then that she realized where the heartbeat was coming from, and for the first time in her entire life, she began to question who her loyalty belonged to.
It was true. That night had been a sickening wake up call for her. She’d been so worried that she’d harmed the baby somehow, and the guilt gnawed on her soul mercilessly as she cried herself to sleep. She had been so confident that she could carry through with Breslin’s wishes. She was so certain she could keep all of them drugged until Breslin’s plan became a success; but that was all before she realized her niece –her own flesh and blood-was with child.
Natalie had become the very monster she’d been sleeping with for years and she wasn’t sure she liked that.
She knew that she would never be forgiven by the ursithropes of Kadenburg. She’d done too many terrible things. But what if she could make up for it somehow by setting her niece and the Bamey boy free? Would it change anything at all?
As she pressed her nose against the window, watching the two fleeing figures on the ground, she only hoped it would be worth something in the end. She hoped that her sacrifice would be the healing point for so much wickedness. She hoped Presley would remember her for helping and not for causing damage.
But above all of these things, she hoped the baby would have a chance at living a happy life with loving parents. She hoped it wouldn’t be persuaded by fear, and she prayed to Urseth –if he was even listening-that her great-niece or nephew would not fall into the hands of Breslin Connor.
Nine
It was proving to be much more of a challenge than Lorcan originally anticipated. He’d followed the directions word for word, and once he had Presley outside of their makeshift prison, a string of profanities left his lips over the fact he couldn’t make his legs work correctly.
Maybe it was because he hadn’t used them in so long, or maybe it was still a lingering effect of the drug; all he knew in that moment was that his legs felt like play-doh and he was becoming increasingly agitated.
“You don’t have to carry me,” Presley said gently as she gazed up at him. “I think it would be easier if you put me down.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lorcan said through clenched teeth, taking another shaky step forward as he glanced down at her. “You’re not wearing any shoes.”
Presley stared up at him in disbelief. “Have you forgotten where I grew up?” She asked, squirming in his arms. “Let me down! I’ll be fine.”
“Stop being stubborn for five minutes,” Lorcan frowned. “We need to get as far away from here as possible, and fast. They’ll smell us.”
“No, they won’t,” Presley argued as she wiggled against his chest. “Honestly, Lorcan. Put. Me. Down.”
“Stop squirming or I’ll drop you,” Lorcan scolded as he tightened his arms around her. “Let’s get away from here and I’ll consider it okay?”
Presley scowled, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned her head in the direction they were headed. The drugs had long since left her system, and she was far more alert than Lorcan was at the moment. Why did he insist on carrying her? It was absurd.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to go back home?” She asked after a moment. “Won’t that be the first place they look?”
The muscle in Lorcan’s jaw was working overtime as he concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other. He shook his head gently before speaking. “That will be the last place Breslin wants to go,” he replied after a moment. “She said more ursithropes are coming. If that’s the case, a werewolf would have to be suicidal to place a single paw on our property. They’re going to be in over their heads.”
“Is that what she told you?” Presley frowned. “What will happen once these ursithropes arrive? Surely it won’t be a repeat of what’s already happened.”
“No, it won’t,” he whispered, catching her gaze briefly before he looked straight ahead again. “The ursithropes that are coming haven’t been here in decades, Presley. They are the descendants of every bear in existence. Some of them aren’t as kind as we are. Some of them hate werewolves more than we do. They’re expecting a war and that’s exactly what will happen. Breslin Connor doesn’t have a damn idea of what’s about to hit him.”
She chewed her lower lip, her eyes remaining on his face as her brows knitted together. “Are you going to fight again?”
Lorcan was silent as he climbed up the embankment, crushing her against his chest until he made it to the very top. It was only then that he let her stand on her own two feet, but his arms stayed around her waist. “If I have to,” he said softly, searching her face. “If that’s what I have to do to keep you safe.”
Presley’s bottom lip quivered as she held his gaze. She rested her palms against his muscular chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath the warm skin as she released a small breath. “Is it ever going to stop?” She wondered aloud. She wasn’t really asking him. It was just a question that troubled her heart. Life had been so normal until just a few weeks ago. Sure, she’d been hurt by a dumb guy and she was still suffering over the loss of the child she’d created with him; but as fate would have it –that sick bastard-she was now carrying Lorcan’s child, and she had to think about tomorrow. There had to be a tomorrow.
She felt the heat of Lorcan’s palms as they moved to frame her face, and she held her breath as he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.
“I promise you, Presley Goult, no matter what it takes, I will make sure he never has the chance to hurt you ever again.”
Presley’s eyes closed as her bottom lip began to tremble uncontrollably. The past few days were a total blur for her, but there were bits and pieces she could remember. She would never forget what her aunt said to her, nor would she ever be able to thank her for her sacrifice. Presley was more than aware that she and Lorcan were able to escape a horrible fate because of Natalie’s sudden change of heart. She understood the reason for the selfless now, but it would take some time to accept it.
“Come on,” Lorcan murmured, pressing a tender kiss between her eyes. “Let’s go home.”
–––––––
As Rutley followed Dimitri further into the woods, he was thinking about three things, and three things only.
I should’ve grabbed my boots, was his first thought. His feet were already screaming at him with each step he took, pressing the tender flesh down against the cold leaves and broken twigs-it didn’t feel good. At. All. Was it really his fault that he’d lost the tough toes of a country boy since he moved to Florida?
Yes. Freaking yes, it’s my fault, he frowned. He tried to avoid the branches and pebbles, quickly becoming irritated with the small jabs of pain. I will never leave my boots behind again, no matter how impatient that damn wolf gets.
Technically, he could say it was Dimitri’s fault. The dumb wolf wouldn’t wait long enough for him to retrieve his boots or anything else. In fact, he’d only had time to down a cup of coffee before rushing out the door, and that led him to his second thought of the night.
I gulped down the drugged cup, he affirmed with a shake of his head. That proved to be a big mistake as everything began to swim. He felt like he was floating, and that wasn’t helping in his newfound mission to avoid all sharp and pointy things on the ground. How in the hell was he supposed to accomplish anything tonight if he was preoccupied with hallucinations and nursing his feet?
You are being a wimp.
And that triggered the last thought running through his mind. He zigzagged behind Dimitri, narrowly avoiding being close lined by a large branch as he ducked down quickly. “Aw, hell,” he mumbled.
Dimitri stopped briefly, turning around to stare down at Rutley as he hugged his arms over his head. It made the wolf scratch his head in confusion. “What the hell are you doing?” He asked impatiently.
&n
bsp; Rutley was silent for several seconds, frozen in his current position on the ground as he released a sharp breath through clenched teeth. “I’m going to be honest with you,” he finally replied. “I might….be experiencing some sort of psychedelic episode influenced by drugs right now.”
“What?”
Rutley lifted his head, peering at the wolf as he kept his fingers clasped together on the top of his head. He blinked once, twice, and then frowned. “I made a slight error in judgment earlier.”
“You’re telling me you’re doped up?” Dimitri asked in disbelief. “Oh, that’s perfect,” he scoffed, shaking his head. “I should leave you here, you know? I should do it. I have more important things to worry about.”
Rutley groaned, falling backwards and sprawling out on the leaves. They crunched beneath the weight of his body as he draped an arm over his eyes. “Go on then. I’ll be fine in a little bit.”
Silence followed in the next few moments, and Rutley was certain the wolf had left him there. He didn’t blame him, really. It was his own fault, wasn’t it? How the hell did he forget there was truth serum in that coffee? Why didn’t he take two minutes to put on his boots? He was dead weight right now, and he couldn’t help free Baby Bamey or the Goult girl.
Fuck my life, he thought, battling with the sensations currently pulsating through his body.
He was a little surprised and a hell of a lot terrified when the world shifted again. Strong arms gripped his shoulders, lifting him upwards as he groaned.
“Oh god, don’t do that,” he whined. “I’m going to throw up. Stop.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you did whatever you’ve done,” Dimitri muttered, tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “I really don’t have time for this, but seeing as you saved my life, I’m going to do you a favor.”
“I didn’t mean to do it,” Rutley replied angrily, shutting his eyes tightly as the leaves blurred by. “It was supposed to be your drink.”
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