Chapter 15 Grey
GREY
Kodiak Sector
Several Minutes Earlier…
I can’t believe what I’m seeing.
Nikiski is in a fucking box.
Naked.
Bound with her hands behind her back.
Gagged.
And her arm is attached to an IV that’s draining her blood for Spruce to imbibe.
“What the fuck is this?” I demand, no longer capable of masking my emotions. “Why are you doing this?”
“Power,” Spruce says simply. “Specifically, hers. But the only way to control her is to drink.”
Nikiski makes a murderous face that tells me she’s very much aware of her situation. Not only that, she’s very much alive.
How many other Omegas would have broken under these conditions?
But not Nikiski.
She’s livid. And she ensures Spruce knows that as she glowers at him.
She was spirited growing up, too, often trying to challenge our father’s authority. No matter how many times he struck her, she got right back up. Sometimes, it took more effort than others. But she never let him keep her down.
And it seems that spirit has only been emboldened.
I want to feel relieved by that. But I’m too fucking furious to feel much of anything other than anger.
“What are you making her do?” I ask Spruce.
He smiles, his teeth red from her blood. “She’s helping me ensnare a powerful seer by implanting visions and confusing fate. And now she’s going to help me again, aren’t you, darling sister?”
Nikiski narrows her gaze, then freezes as my brother does something with his mind. Something that has our sister collapsing to her knees in a fit of obvious agony.
I growl, unable to mask the sound and charge forward.
Only to find my feet glued to the ground.
“I’ll be with you in a moment,” Spruce says casually, his dark eyes on Nikiski as she begins to scream in agony.
Several growls follow the sound, this time from other Alphas as they enter the room.
Except their growls are not ones of fury, but of hunger.
They’re looking at Nikiski like they want to fucking rip her apart.
“Not yet,” Spruce tells them. “After the task is done.”
My stomach twists with what he means by that. I can only imagine what they’re allowed to do after whatever the fuck this is.
“Hmm, that’s frustrating,” Spruce murmurs to himself. “I wonder where she learned to do that?”
Nikiski gasps as he seems to release his mental hold on her, his eyes going to me.
“You taught my seer how to protect herself with a rune of some kind. What is it?”
I arch a brow. “Your seer?”
“Don’t be a fool, brother. You’re outnumbered and very much outmatched. Tell me what I need to know and I’ll consider letting you live a useful life somewhere in the cave.”
A few of the Alphas grunt.
But Spruce just holds my gaze, his expression utterly unreadable.
I’ve never been close to my twin, his preference to appease our father growing up varying from my desire to challenge him.
However, it seems the twin I once knew is nothing like the Alpha standing before me.
He’s powerful. I can sense it in his aura, feel it radiating all around this cavern.
There is no true hierarchy in Kodiak Sector, just packs that choose to follow a single leader. Very different from Lunar Sector where Cael is the reigning prince of the entire island.
Although, it appears that my brother is the Alpha of this particular pack. And based on the scents I’m picking up, there are numerous members of this unit.
“Grey,” Spruce stresses. “This would be easier if you told me what you did to my little toy.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “What happens if I don’t?”
He smiles. “Then I’ll let them play with you before they play with Nikiski.” He gestures to the Alphas approaching. “They adore violent foreplay.”
My jaw clenches. “Are you going to keep me handicapped or let me play my way?”
He grunts. “You’ll be free to use your wolf, if you so choose. Nothing else.”
“What a fantastic family reunion,” I deadpan.
He scoffs at that. “We haven’t been a family since the night you betrayed our father, Grey.” He faces me fully, his dark eyes showcasing a sane, yet very angry Alpha male. “What were you going to let them do to me that night, brother?”
I don’t answer.
Because I was absolutely going to let them do whatever it took to ensure our mother’s and sister’s safety.
And that included killing Spruce if he got in the way.
Which he did. Only, he fucking shadowed before anyone could stop him.
He smiles again, but it’s cold. “I’ll be sure to repay you the same favor, then.”
I don’t comment. Because there’s really nothing to say.
“Tell me where I can find my seer,” he tries again. “And tell me what you taught her.”
I remain silent.
There is nothing he can do to make me give up Ashlyn’s location.
He arches a brow, almost like he heard that conviction. Or maybe he sees it in my expression. “I see,” he murmurs. “Then I suppose we get to do this the fun way.”
Nikiski screams, causing all the hairs along my arms to stand on end.
I look in her direction, confused to see her on all fours, shrieking like she’s being assaulted somehow. Yet there’s no one near by.
“I’m letting our sister see what I’m going to let those Alphas do to her after my new toy arrives,” Spruce says conversationally. “Sounds like she’s going to enjoy it.”
I again try to move, but find myself still collared somehow. Fuck! When I figure out how to undo whatever magic this is, I’m going to rip Spruce apart.
“Not as much as my seer is going to enjoy the gift coming for her, of course,” he goes on, his words sending ice through my veins. “We just need to pinpoint her location…” He glances down at his watch, the gesture giving me pause.
Because I left my watch on the counter after it didn’t work properly.
“Temporarily release the signal blocker for the whole region,” he says, talking to someone through his device. “Then track all incoming and outgoing calls.”
My heart stops.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck!
Ashlyn! I shout for her hoping like hell she can hear me somehow.
She doesn’t reply.
So I try again. Ashlyn!
Nothing.
Fuck.
I… I have to try… I’ll just…
Ashlyn… Don’t touch the watch. Do you hear me? Do not touch the watch. They’re tracking it in Kodiak Sector, which is where I am. That’s where the caves are from your visions. But nevermind that. Just don’t touch the watch, understand?
I repeat the words over and over until I hear my brother chuckle, the sound making everything inside me freeze. “Excellent,” he says.
I have no idea how much time has passed, I’ve been too busy repeating the words to Ashlyn.
Words she obviously never heard.
Because in the next moment, I hear a statement that will forever haunt my nightmares.
“Send up a signal flare in the area to alert all the Alphas nearby that an Omega has gone into heat. And send out the coordinates.” His dark gaze finds me as he adds, “Didn’t need your help after all, brother.”