Chapter 12
D uring the long drive, Sloane and Jacob strategized about how they were going to infiltrate Ronan’s office. They decided to tell no one else about their plan, to prevent any blowback on the New York or Shenandoah clans if something went wrong. Sloane didn’t want to alert her contacts either, just in case, so she didn’t dare press them for information. They were on their own for this one.
Sloane had to admit it was exhilarating, planning with Jacob, poking holes into their strategy, making backups and contingencies. It also distracted her from that soul-searing kiss he gave her, as well as other things on her mind, things she would rather not think about.
Don’t you know why? Why I would do anything for you? Why I would burn the world for you?
If he didn’t say it, then she wasn’t going to put words in his mouth.
“You ready?” Jacob said.
“As I’ll ever be.”
He handed her an oar. “Let’s do this.”
They arrived in Boston by early evening, abandoning the pickup truck in a garage in Chinatown, then set off on foot toward the waterfront. Since she already infiltrated the warehouse via land the last time, Ronan would have patched up any vulnerabilities around the area and likely double the guards and cameras. However, one entrance into the docks he wouldn’t be able to control was via the harbor itself. Sloane easily stole one of the rubber boats the many tourist cruise companies kept on standby for emergencies. Since they didn’t want to alert any of Ronan’s men, they paddled out toward the warehouse. It took much longer without the help of the motor, but thankfully, with their Lycan strength, they managed to get close to the docks without breaking a sweat. They maneuvered toward one of the large container ships parked on the dock, the large shadow of the massive boat effectively hiding them.
From here on out, they couldn’t speak, as anyone with enhanced senses would be able to hear them. Jacob slipped into the water first, then Sloane followed. She gagged from the smell, but swimming up to the dock was the only way they could go in undetected. They swam toward the wall and climbed up the side using one of the ladders. She pointed to the warehouse at the far end. It was a long way, and there would be cameras all over the place, probably more since Sloane attacked them. However, as long as they used their Lycan speed to dart through the port area, it would be difficult for cameras to pick them up. Carefully, they made their way across from the entrance, toward the main warehouse.
They remained in the shadows, pressing themselves up against the wall as they crept toward the back. The entrance there was now sealed and welded shut, probably because Sloane had used it the last time. But the door didn’t stand a chance against Jacob’s fire powers. As soon as the metal hinges melted away, he carefully pushed it open. She nodded at the enclosed office area, and they made their way inside. Her eyes immediately went toward the far end.
There it was. The safe. Had she known the possible hidden treasure in there a year ago, she would have just ignored Ronan and focused on the safe. She tiptoed across the room for a closer look.
Yes!
It was the exact make and model she thought it was. Part of her work training for the clan was to recognize the different types of locks and safes in the market, knowing their features, the combination length, and everything else she needed to crack it. She was practically a walking catalogue for those safe companies. She ran her hands over the cool metal.
Standard mechanical combination lock. Six digits .
Lowering herself to her knees, she pressed her ear near the dial. Thanks to her heightened hearing, she didn’t need any kind of listening device. Closing her eyes, she began to turn the dial, listening for the tell-tale clicks.
Thirty-four left.
Twenty-two right.
Three left.
“Sloane,” came the urgent whisper in her other ear.
“ Shh .” She held a hand up.
“Sloane, someone’s here.”
Her heart stuttered. “What?”
“I can hear them … more than one.”
“It’s Saturday night, no one works here on Saturdays.” Fuck! A terrible feeling crept into her chest.
“Maybe they found out we were here. How much longer ’til you crack that thing open?”
“I don’t know … ten, fifteen minutes?”
“We don’t have that time. They’re almost here.” He stood up.
“Wait!” She grabbed onto his pant leg. “You can’t take them all on by yourself.”
“I’m not, I’m just going to create a distraction.” He snapped a finger sending a small flame jumping from his fingers. “I don’t even need to get near them.”
“Be care—” But it was too late. He was already gone.
Damn it, Jacob!
She was torn—fear gripped her, thinking of the danger he could be in, but at the same time, the evidence they needed was within her reach.
This is important.
With a determined huff, she went back to work, doing her best to finish as fast as she could.
Sixteen right.
Eleven left.
Twenty-seven right.
Click!
She did a mental dance of joy as the door opened. Holding her breath, she opened the safe. Inside were stacks and stacks of black books. She picked one at random and opened it. The date was from five years ago in July, and there were lists of names under the date. She recognized her own and three other people, the name of a bank they robbed, and how much they had taken. Her fingers trembled as she flipped through the other pages. More dates, details of more crimes. But surely Ronan wouldn’t?—
She gasped when her eyes landed on the next entry. A date from the month before the robbery, an address, and a name—Erin Henderson. She was a member of the clan, a few years older than Sloane. She’d been found dead in her home, suicide they said. But there were initials next to it—GM.
Garret McCall. The Beta.
Erin had been vocal about her displeasure over Ronan’s rule after her brother had been killed in a gas station robbery. People just thought she’d been depressed over her brother’s death and that’s why she committed suicide. But if this entry meant what she thought it meant …
This was it. A starting point, as Jacob had said. They could start looking at the events of that night, perhaps tie Garret to the murder with other evidence.
And if Ronan had recorded this, then there would surely be others. Even one murder committed against a clan member could put him away for life.
She wasted no time in gathering the books and placing them in the waterproof backpack she carried. Thankfully they all fit, and she slung it over her shoulder, hurrying toward the door. When she reached for the knob, to her surprise, it opened by itself.
“Well, well, look who we have here.”
Her blood froze at the sight of the person on the other side. For a moment, it was like a dream. But this was no sweet dream, more like a nightmare.
“Nothing to say to me after all this time?” Ronan smiled, his mouth all pearly white teeth, like a shark about to eat its prey. Behind him were half a dozen of his burly human bodyguards forming a wall, preventing her from escaping.
“I—Jacob! What have you done?—”
“Tsk, tsk. No need to be so dramatic over your lover boy,” he sneered. “Garret, bring him here.”
The Beta, who was taller than all the other bodyguards and was about three hundred pounds of pure muscle, emerged from the shadows like a hulking animal. He held a figure in his arms, bent over and limp, covered in white powder. It managed to hold its head up and green eyes stared back at her.
“Ssssslllooanne. Rrruuunn!”
“Jacob!” she yelled. “What did you do to him?”
“Don’t you worry, he’s not dying, just tranquilized.” Ronan held up a gun. “A powerful one, could kill an elephant. Won’t last too long, but I got several more rounds.”
“Rrruunnn!” Jacob slurred as he struggled to break free from Garret’s grasp.
“We sprayed him down with a fire extinguisher when he tried to light up, and his hands are encased in fire-retardant gloves.” Ronan said smugly. “After what that Lone Wolf reported back to us, I wasn’t going to take any chances with this hybrid. I’m glad to know you got my message.”
Ronan knew she would be watching that teleconference. He was expecting it and for her to come back. She walked right into a trap, leading Jacob along.
“Let him go,” Sloane said. “Please.”
“You’re begging me now?” Ronan laughed. “After what you tried to do to me? Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused? The discord you’d sown after you tried to kill me? A few members are already threatening to leave. Well, I can’t have that. I shouldn’t have let you live, after what your parents did. It’s just too bad Garret was only able to take you back when CPS separated you and your siblings. You should be grateful I allowed you to live. Your usefulness to me is the only reason I haven’t gotten rid of you all these years.”
“You’re a monster,” she spat.
“I never claimed I wasn’t, little one.”
“I’ll give these back.” She gestured to the backpack. “Just let him go.”
“Too late, for that, little one.” He sounded almost sorry. “Do you think I care about those diaries? If anything, you reminded me why I should never keep any records at all. Silly habit of mine, really. I’ll be burning them—alongside you and your boyfriend’s bodies.”
Despair gripped her chest. This was it, the end. She glanced over at Jacob.
“Jacob, I?—”
“Run, Sloane,” he sobbed. “Go!”
If she wanted to, she could escape. She was much quicker than any of his human bodyguards, and she could evade all of them.
But she couldn’t leave Jacob behind.
“Should I tranquilize him again?” Garret asked.
“No need.” Ronan’s mouth pulled up to a menacing grin. “Kill him first, before her.”
“No!” She screamed and lunged toward Jacob. Ronan, however, was too fast and grabbed her around the waist, his arms wrapping around her like a vice. She watched helplessly as Garret’s left arm wrapped around Jacob’s head, ready to snap his neck like a twig.
A bright flash exploded in her eyes, blinding her. Ronan shouted, his arms loosening. She disentangled herself, hurtling toward Jacob as the flash receded and her sight came back. Garret dropped Jacob on the floor as the Beta stumbled back. He let out an indignant scream and made a move toward Jacob, but before he could get to him, two large blurs pounced on him.
Lycans!
She flew toward Jacob, her throat feeling like it was wrapped with razor wire as she pressed her ear to his chest. She nearly wept when she heard his heartbeat, clear and strong. But there was no time to lose. Slipping her hand under him, she hoisted him up.
“What … Sloane?” He blinked, the sight of his beautiful green eyes making her heart flutter. “What—” He glanced around, the tranquilizer clearly starting to wear off. “Oh, shit.”
Oh, shit was right. They were surrounded by at least a dozen Lycans in wolf form, all of them attacking Ronan’s bodyguards. She glanced at Garret, who was pinned to the ground by two gigantic wolves—one she recognized as Jackson. The other one was nearly identical, except for the deep scar that ran down its right eye.
“Everyone’s here,” Jacob rasped. “Thank God.”
“What do you mean ‘everyone’s here’? Did you call them?”
“Yeah. Well, I called Lizzie before we went in. And she took care of everything.”
Sloane couldn’t believe it. The entire clan had seemingly shown up— there were Jordan and Jack’s wolves with their easily distinct short brown fur. Cliff’s and Austin’s massive animals. A blond wolf with bright blue eyes had to be Jacob’s father. The others had to be from Shenandoah too.
“Get them!”
Sloane recognized Ronan’s booming voice. “Oh, fuck!” Spinning around, she saw him surrounded by two bodyguards who were entangled with two wolves. Ronan glanced around, then started running for the door, his clothes shedding as he began to shift.
“No!” Sloane raced after him, changing into her Lycan form. Adrenaline pumped through her as she chased after him. She leapt forward to catch him, sending them both to the ground. Her wolf slashed and gnashed at him, her fury evident as her claws sank into fur and skin. Sloane was like a passenger in their wolf’s body, unable to stop her animal. Not that she wanted to.
This is for my parents. My lost childhood. My brother and sister. And for Jacob.
“Sloane! Sloane, stop!”
But the rage blinded her, and the smell of blood and fear only fueled her. Even though Ronan’s wolf stopped fighting and showed its neck in surrender, she continued to attack him.
“Stop, Sloane!”
Strong arms wrapped around her middle, and the she-wolf stilled, letting out a howl. The scent of clean-cut grass with a burnt edge drifted into their nose.
Stop , she told her wolf. Please.
The wolf let out a whine.
“Please, let me have her. Give her, her body back.” Jacob nuzzled the wolf’s neck. “I’ll take care of everything. Please.”
Slowly, her wolf’s presence ebbing away as her body returned to its human form. “Jacob,” she whispered. “Ronan, is he …”
“Breathing, unfortunately,” he growled. “But you sure did a number on him.”
“I hope it hurt.” Then for some reason, she burst into tears.
“Sloane … there, there … it’s okay.” He held her tight as a hand soothed down her back. “It’s okay, let it out.”
What was probably years of grief and sorrow poured out of her in that instant. She cried and cried until her throat was raw and her eyes hurt and there were just no more tears left. “Jacob … I have to tell you … I?—”
“Shh … don’t say anything.” Shifting her position so they faced each other, he cupped her hands in his. “We’ll talk later, okay?” He nodded back toward the battle, which was seemingly over, as most of the Lycans had shifted back into their human forms, their enemies neutralized.
“C’mon, let’s get cleaned up.”