Chapter 25
AGELIUS
“Don’t move!”
The bag tied around my neck sailed forward, reached the end of its cord, then thumped back solidly against my chest.
I’d smelled them long before they’d seen me.
Stupid arrogant idiots. I snorted, the warm air tickling the fine hairs of my nostrils.
Zarbius’ poor pack discipline even extended to guard duty…
and combined with their arrogance, they’d either ignored or forgotten the most basic of rules.
Don’t stand upwind if you’re trying to surprise someone, particularly a wolf. And dammit, don’t smoke!
Talius had told me to return to Zarbius with a downpayment on the ransom, with instructions to come back with Irian and the remainder would get paid.
I doubted he’d told me his full plan, and I didn’t want to know it.
For the time being, I wanted to maintain an appearance of loyalty to Zarbius, in case the element of surprise became important.
I’d made the journey back to Zarbius’ pack in double-quick time, loping non-stop through the forest, terrified of what was happening to Tosca back here, and knowing I was powerless to stop it.
I didn’t know if Sharkey was bluffing or not, and by the time I reached the pack, whatever was going to happen to Tosca, would have already happened.
All I could hope for, was that he’d let me comfort him.
I shifted to my human form.
The bushes rustled and shook, as two betas whose names I didn’t know stepped out from behind them. One of the men held a cigarette between his fingers, the burning end scattering a shower of ash that made me cringe.
“Don’t you fucking know not to smoke in the bush?” I demanded, drawing myself up stiffly, eyes narrowing. “Put the fucking thing out now and do it properly! It’s a wonder you fuckers haven’t burnt the camp to the ground already.”
I waited to see if anything had changed while I’d been away on this errand. Would they accept my authority, which had been tenuous at best, or would they challenge me?
One heartbeat, two beats…
He took a long slow drag of his cigarette, the smoke curling from his nose as he exhaled, eyes never leaving mine, a lazy, insolent sneer on his face. The cigarette was little more than a stub between his fingers.
Three beats, four…
Very slowly, the beta reached down, flicked away the dried leaves and scratched a hole in the dirt with two fingers.
Dust swirled. He stubbed the burning end of the cigarette in the hole, mashing it around several times.
When it was properly extinguished, he kicked dirt over the hole, stamping down on it with his heel. He straightened up.
Eyebrows raised, he cocked his head. “Good enough for ya?”
I snorted. “Let’s go,” I said, and headed towards the camp.
“Hey! Where’s Sharkey?” demanded the other guy, looking around as if he expected the beta to suddenly appear.
“He’s not coming,” I threw over my shoulder as I walked off. “I have to talk to Zarbius.”
I led the way at a good pace, not even looking over my shoulder.
The twigs snapping and leaves shushing behind me told me they weren’t far behind.
Close enough that I couldn’t have run off, even if I’d wanted to.
Yeah, they were grudgingly accepting my authority for now, but they didn’t trust me.
The sooner I extricated myself and the omegas from this situation, the better.
Zarbius was already waiting as I emerged from the trees. Clearly someone had alerted him to my approach, which likely meant he had other men posted around the mountain top. I hoped Talius was being cautious, whatever his plan.
Zarbius’ sharp eyes tracked my progress as the dry grass scratched and caught at my toes, crackling beneath my feet as if laughing at my foolishness in coming back here.
He wasn’t alone, of course. Cowards never are.
Two of the betas stood behind him. I was glad Sharkey was still locked up in the shed at home. The numbers could have been worse.
“Well?” Zarbius demanded, twisting his head to peer behind me. “Where’s my mate? And where’s that fucker Sharkey?”
“Sharkey’s not coming. They locked us up.
Let me come back with a downpayment on the ransom.
Said to tell you he’ll get you the rest once he has his mate back.
He’ll send it back with Sharkey and whoever else you send Irian down with.
Something about wanting insurance you’d keep to your side of the bargain. ”
Zarbius cleared his throat noisily, shaking his head, then his lips settled into a thin line.
“Right. Like I believe that’s going to happen,” he muttered to himself. His fingers tapped against his thigh as he frowned.
“And my mate?”
“He… didn’t say,” I replied, cautiously, remembering I’d virtually guaranteed that Talius wouldn’t be interested in keeping Isca.
I scratched around in my brain for something to say.
“Because he doesn’t value him, he probably wouldn’t think the omega was that important to you either.
I guess he assumed you were more interested in the money. ”
“I want both!” roared Zarbius. He took up an aggressive stance, legs set firmly apart, his nostrils flaring. He pointed an accusatory finger at me. “What the fuck were you doing then? You were supposed to be telling him what to do, not letting him run the show!”
I kept my voice even, turning my face so he could see the bruising. There wasn’t much left of it now, but I’d done enough of a job on it, that the traces were still evident. “They caught us by surprise, Zarbius. Like they knew we were coming. Are you sure no-one gave them a heads-up?”
For a moment he was silent. I could see him considering the possibility. Men like him ruled their packs with fear and intimidation. Respect that was forced and not earned, had the bitter aftertaste of unreliability.
“Impossible! All my men are loyal,” he decided, waving me off peremptorily.
“Okay, if you’re sure…,” I allowed a touch of doubt to creep into my voice.
“Maybe it was just bad luck. Regardless, here we are. He’s offered you a downpayment.
I can escort the omega back to him if you like and collect the rest of the money then.
I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to hand over your mate. He has no use for him.”
Zarbius’ eyes narrowed, “Now why the fuck would I do that?” he asked suspiciously. “Hand over my only bargaining chip?”
I sensed I was dangerously close to losing his confidence.
“Or just put him on the truck when you ship out the others,” I said, shrugging half-heartedly. “You won’t get the rest of the money, but at least you’ll have this.” I waved the bag of bills in his direction. “Better than nothing, right?”
“Huh,” Zarbius huffed, a sour expression on his face. “How much did he give you?” He up-nodded at the bag.
“100 grand. That’s all he had in his safe. He has to go to the bank to withdraw the rest.”
Zarbius grunted.
I wondered where Talius was right now. I needed him here.
And I needed to get to the omega house to check on Tosca.
Every extra minute I delayed, something terrible could be happening to him.
A bead of sweat formed at my hairline, but I didn’t wipe it away, afraid to show Zarbius how nervous I really was.
Zarbius’ attention was distracted momentarily by the steady rumble of an engine audible way down the bottom of the mountain. His eyebrows rose and he smiled a cold, calculating smile. His eyes, dark and gloating, sent a feeling of dread straight through me. I was too late.
“Well, well, well. Looks like the decision’s been made for us. That’s the truck come to pick up the omegas. While you were away, I called ’em and said we’d send the consignment early.”
He turned to the beta behind his left shoulder. “George, go get the omega from the cabin. Bring him up here for a bit. Alex, go round up the other omegas, get them lined up and we’ll pull out the ones we’re sending.”
“What about Sharkey?” George asked.
“Eh, we’ll worry about him later. If he’s stupid enough to let them keep him down there, maybe we don’t want him here anyway. Now get moving!”
George scowled and hurried after the other beta.
The heavy footfalls of the two betas died away, leaving Zarbius and I staring at each other.
In the distance, a currawong cried. A tribe of crickets sang their enjoyment of the afternoon sun.
A trickle of sweat ran down my back, tickling the skin and making me twitch.
The drops of sweat forming at my hairline were a distraction, and I resisted the urge to run my forearm across my brow.
Everything was still around us, the light breeze rolling over my body overstimulating the hairs, speckling the skin with goosebumps and sending cold shivers down my spine.
Did Zarbius mistrust me? I wanted to fast-forward, get Irian and Tosca out here and bring this to a rapid conclusion before it all spiraled out of control.
For something to break the tension, I waved the bag. “Want this?”
“Later.” Zarbius continued to watch me with his fathomless eyes. I breathed deeply, steadily, forcing my hands to stay still.
“Here he is, Alpha,” the ingratiating tone of Zarbius’ underling broke the standoff. It was both a relief and an anguish when we turned to face the beta and his captive. My nostrils flared, when I saw what the guy had done, and I exhaled a quiet, angry breath.
A line of red circled Irian’s wrists where the twine tying them together had rubbed the skin raw, his hands so white I worried the bonds were cutting off the circulation.
The beta was dragging him forward, like a dog on a chain, and though he was resisting, Irian had no choice but to follow… or lose his hands.
“Hey! Don’t hurt the merchandise!” I snapped at the beta.