Chapter Four
That Witch Doesn’t Belong to You
LIAM O’CONNOR
Engaged.
“No fucking way.” The words erupt from me, raw and fierce. A hot surge tightens in my chest, and my fists clench. I fight back the swirling storm of emotions lurking beneath the surface. I can’t let anyone, not even my brother, see this breach in my armor.
Bast claps me on the shoulder. “This is what was supposed to happen. He did it. At least the daughter isn’t ugly. Although I’ve heard she’s a coldhearted bitch.”
A roar of rage boils up inside me, threatening to burst out. I shove my hands into my jean pockets and resist the urge to knock Bast down, sit on him, and punch his face until he stops talking shit about the woman who was stolen from me by our fucking alpha—my own cousin.
It’s useless. Reacting like an asshole won’t change anything. The engagement is done—I can’t undo it, no matter how much I want her for myself.
Need her.
Imogen Gallagher is supposed to be mine . My wolf howls on the inside—a brokenhearted, angry, vengeful howl.
Though it’s not like Aiden knew Imogen and I were a fated match. Hell, I didn’t even know until a little while ago. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less.
My attention moves back to Imogen. Her expression is guarded, but I sense the emotion under the surface. Fear, pain, anger.
She notices my gaze and looks away quickly. But not before I catch a glimpse of her sorrow-filled eyes and see a tear roll down her cheek.
My breath catches in my throat and all the pieces fall into place—she is accepting her fate. Doing her duty even as it breaks her heart. Both of our hearts.
I should be so selfless. So brave.
Aiden and Imogen are trying to do what’s best, but I can’t stop the hatred sprouting in the bottom of my heart for my alpha. He’s taking something from me that I won’t be able to replace. Stealing it from me and from Imogen.
I won’t be able to stay in Colorado.
I won’t be able to live knowing she’s so close and I can’t have her. Not only am I losing my fated mate, I’m going to lose my family. My home.
“Bro. What’s going on? You look as angry as Aiden does standing next to the Gallagher woman.”
“Bast. Shut. Up.” I bite out my words in a tone my brother doesn’t deserve.
He blinks, surprise and pain flaring in his gaze, but he doesn’t speak again.
We stand shoulder to shoulder until the announcement is over.
Imogen’s father takes her arm much more roughly than I or my wolf appreciate, and leads her away. I can’t do anything. I can’t say anything and it is tearing me apart.
Aiden walks away from the restaurant in the opposite direction.
“Should we tell Aiden about Meredith being missing and possibly locked up in Oliver’s house?” Bast asks, his words tentative, like he knows there’s something important going on and he’s willing to wait for the explanation. I appreciate that about my brother—his intuitiveness.
“There’s no time,” I say, my tone softer. “And we can’t afford to jeopardize this engagement. It’s the only way to keep an all-out war from starting between the Gallagher alphas.”
“Sometimes I think it might be better if we let them rip each other apart.” His words are bitter, but I know he doesn’t really mean what he’s saying.
“Wolves killing wolves is never good for anyone. If those two packs really go at each other, we’ll all suffer for it. They’ll destroy the whole valley.” I wave at him to follow me. “Let’s go. We’ve got a lot to accomplish tonight. First up is figuring out why people think Meredith is at Oliver fucking Gallagher’s house.”
Bast and I quickly walk through town to the biker bar where I parked my truck. We cruise slowly down the side streets until we see Oliver’s big SUVs head out. We have to be careful to stay behind their vehicles and out of sight. If they see us tailing them, we’ll endanger the whole deal.
Sundown is complete and the road out of the valley is dark and winding. But I know the road well and I’m grateful for the distraction of my new mission. We’ve scouted the Gallagher house and surrounding area multiple times before. It’s always good to know what your enemies are capable of.
I park about a mile below Oliver Gallagher’s house on a gravel side road that leads up the mountain to a back door in the garage. Though calling it a house is like calling a Ritz-Carlton an inn. There are two pools, multiple levels, and three wings to the compound. At least six to ten armed men guard the property at any given time.
We take our rifles from the truck bed toolbox and sling them over our shoulders. I hope we don’t need them, but it would be foolish to go up this mountain unarmed.
Bast and I hike along the winding mountain road, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath our boots. The air is crisp and cold, and I suck in deep, cleansing breaths.
I need to focus on the mission.
Not on Imogen.
Moonlight glints off something shiny. Another vehicle?
I give Bast a silent nod, indicating the trees. As he slips away, blending seamlessly into the shadows, I continue my path down the road. Every muscle in my body coils, ready to react.
I use my wolf’s vision to bring distant shapes in the dark into focus. Rustling leaves. Whispering of the wind. A gurgle of water from somewhere. My wolf amplifies it all.
Adrenaline burns through my veins, warming and preparing me for whatever might come. I pause, tilting my head slightly, sifting through the nocturnal symphony for any heartbeat out of place.
There’s nothing that makes me suspicious...at first.
Once I’m close enough to see the truck ahead is empty, I motion Bast in from the trees. I take a deep breath and my lip curls in anger. I recognize the scent on the truck of the two out-of-towners we encountered earlier today.
“Fuckers didn’t waste any time, did they?” Bast is to my left in the shadow of the vehicle. “Tracks lead up the mountain through the trees. I saw them on my way over.”
“They’re gonna fucking ruin everything,” I growl through clenched teeth.
“We need to catch them before they get to Meredith,” Bast says, his voice low and urgent.
“Lead the way,” I say, following him up the incline and into the trees. The scent of pine, cedar, and unwelcome wolf permeates the air.
We hike another half a mile before we hear footsteps and muffled yelling. Then we see them moving through the shadows, a bound woman carelessly slung over one of their shoulders.
Asshole.
My wolf knows her well. We grew up with the witches in the coven. Played with their children when we were boys. Meredith is like an aunt to me, her daughter Emma like a sister. They’re family. The whole coven is family.
I raise my rifle and level it at the male carrying Meredith. “Put her down.” My finger tenses on the side of the trigger. Bast raises his weapon too, setting his sights on the other man.
Both of them freeze.
The one called Jace speaks, his voice low and steady. “We need her. We’re not leaving without her.”
I shake my head, my grip on the rifle tightening even more. “She’s under our protection. Put. Her. Down.”
Bast and I stand firm, our weapons trained on each man. No one dares move a muscle or breathe too loudly.
The seconds stretch into minutes and tension rises like a thick fog in the night air.