Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
C hance
Go back!
Mate!
“Shut up,” I mutter at my damn wolf. He’s been whining ever since I left Emery in that kitchen. I shouldn’t have taken that last look at her after telling Ms. Elsie to watch over her.
Hell, I shouldn’t have said anything to Ms. Elsie about watching over her. I know it’ll only fuel her wild notion that Emery is somehow my mate. That can’t be the case, since I’m not destined to have a mate.
We’re not even sure Emery is a shifter. While it’s true that a shifter can mate with a non-shifter, like my brother and his human mate, it’s rare.
I shake my head loose of the thought as I enter one of the caves on the far outer edges of our commune, where I’ve kept the son of a bitch wolf who sought to harm Emery.
While my brother prefers to use the secret basement of one of the homes in the commune for situations such as this, I prefer the outdoors.
In this cave, no one can hear screams for miles around.
On the way to the cave, I receive a text message from Dr. Drake asking for more time to run some specialized tests on the blood samples he took from Emery.
“You’re back,” Mike, one of the second betas my brother has watching over our smaller communes replies. He’s come to New Mexico for a few days for a construction job. I’ve had him also watching over this piece of shit until I got back to him.
“He hasn’t talked.”
A grunt of acknowledgment spills from me. I didn’t expect him to.
I peer down at the man, naked, curled into a ball in the center of the stone floor. He shifted out of his wolf by the time we left Florida. He’s been chained to the wall of this cave since we brought him here. The elements of being outdoors, his injuries and the silver chains around his wrists have taken their toll.
The bastard shivers pathetically on the floor, murmuring something incoherent.
“You can go back to work,” I tell Mike.
“What if I want to watch?” he asks, glaring at the pile of shit on the floor.
“You’ve got work to do,” I not so politely remind him. “The Williams construction job isn’t going to finish itself and it needs to be completed by the time alpha returns.”
Construction is our pack’s bread and butter. I have Mike acting as lead on a couple of my projects while I figure out this situation in Florida, and our alpha is still on his honeymoon.
Mike starts to leave, but I catch him by the arm. “Before you head to the site, stop by the alpha’s house. My ma—” I cut myself off and shake my head. “Emery should be there with Ms. Elsie. Let her know Dr. Drake needs more time with the tests he took.”
Mike nods and heads out, but not before giving one final glare at the man on the floor.
Once alone, I prod the shivering body with my foot. He groans in pain.
Good.
The son of a bitch should be dead.
I kick his shoulder, forcing him onto his back before planting my booted foot onto his chest.
“Who sent you?” I glare down at him.
His breathing is heavy and his face reddens with pain.
He lifts one of his chained arms. “Off,” he hisses out.
“Fuck you.” My voice is calm, unaffected. “Who sent you?”
He gulps in a couple of breaths before shaking his head. “M-m-my brother…” he croaks. “You k-k-killed him.”
I remove my boot from his chest and squat to get closer to him. “You’re about two minutes away from meeting your brother in the afterlife,” I warn. “Who the fuck sent you to attack her?”
I don’t think as I rise and kick the shit out of his side. Directly in his ribs.
It should frighten me how good it feels to see the agony etched on his face. Yet, recalling the terror on Emery’s face when she saw those wolves staring directly at her, ready to do her harm, I feel nothing but satisfaction.
“Who the fuck sent you?” I kick him again. This time he coughs up blood.
We shifters are resilient, we heal quickly, and are resistant to many of the normal human diseases, but we’re not indestructible.
Every species has a weakness.
“Your pain is only just beginning if you don’t start talking.”
He tries to turn onto his side to escape the pain, I presume, but my foot back on his chest stops him.
“We can end this sooner rather than later. All you have to do is start talking.”
“N-n-no one sent me,” he wheezes out.
I squint.
“So, you came after her on your own? Why?”
“She’s trying to ruin us lone wolves,” he replies.
“The hell are you talking about?” I demand.
“Everybody in Mike’s knew about it…” He wheezes and coughs up more blood but I don’t feel an ounce of empathy for him.
“Keep fucking talking.”
“S-sh-she and that bitch sister oof!” He coughs and groans when I kick the side of his head.
“Watch your mouth.” No, I’ve never met Ashley but protectiveness over her spurs me to want to hurt this scum for calling her a bitch.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Everyone in Mike’s Bar knew it. The night she came in looking for her sister. We knew she was trouble. She’s part of the Alliance’s plan to get rid of all of the lone wolves in the country.”
“Who told you this ridiculous bullshit?”
I don’t bother telling him, Emery had no idea wolf shifters even existed. Let alone, knowing about the dynamics between pack wolves and lone wolves.
“Rumors have been going around for years. We lonies knew the Alliance was plotting against us. They even tried to blame us for what that son of a bitch Rufus Dalton did last year. Lone wolves always get blamed!”
He has the nerve to sound indignant.
“You believed a human coming into Mike’s Bar searching for her sister was a plot against your way of life?”
“They’ve done it before!” he accuses.
“Who?”
“The Alliance. Every lone wolf knows about the Alliance’s attempt to get rid of us a century ago. They even made a pact with the witches, giving us to them as play toys to get rid of all lone wolves.”
I glared at the fool on the floor. What he’s saying doesn’t make any sense. Pack wolves don’t trust lone wolves and for good reasons. Yet, there’s never been an active war to destroy lone wolves.
“What does this have to do with Emery?”
“She’s part of their plan! First, her sister comes into Mike’s Bar asking questions about weres and shifters. No one talked to her and once she went back to wherever she came from, here comes her sister asking more questions.
“It’s obvious the Alliance sent them to get information about all of the lone wolves in Florida so they could tag us.”
“Tag you for what?”
“To get rid of us!” He groans in pain again when I kick his ribs.
“Don’t fucking yell at me.”
No, I can’t hear his tone but the seething expression on his face tells me he’s yelling.
Suddenly, I remember back to the conversation I had with Ms. Cynthia. She mentioned lone wolves wanting a seat on the Alliance just for them. I couldn’t be sure, but my gut told me this is related.
After Rufus Dalton’s deceit I didn’t fully trust anyone on the Alliance’s council. Yet, it doesn’t make sense for them to have a vendetta against lone wolves.
This bastard gave me more questions than answers.
“You fucking killed my brother,” I read on his lips when I look back at him. He’s glaring at me with pure malice through his swollen eyes.
I imagine I’d look at someone the same way if they even thought about touching Chael. No, I don’t have to imagine.
I know I’d decapitate the asshole who attempted to harm my brother, or anyone else in my pack for that matter.
Then I remember this piece of shit came after Emery.
“It’s time for you to meet your brother in Mother Moon’s hell,” I grit out.
The scared look on Emery’s face when she first saw those bastards coming after her, makes me decide that his death won’t be quick.
“Your brother died quickly, though,” I tell him. “You, unfortunately, won’t have the same good luck.”
He screams as I slice an X across his chest with the silver knife. I don’t cut deep enough to kill him though. But agony etched in his face speaks to the pain coursing through his body.
I undo his chain and drag him outside of the cave. A few yards away, a committee of vultures circles overhead. I sniff the air, scenting the decaying mule deer they recently finished off.
Lucky for them, they’ll soon have a new feast to fill their bellies.
I toss the bastard to the ground. He sprawls out, writhing in pain and bleeding underneath the hot New Mexico, afternoon sun.
It doesn’t take long for the vultures to begin circling over his body. Finally, one dives in, taking its first bite of flesh. Soon, the rest follow suit. I imagine him screaming in pain as he’s literally plucked apart by the greedy savages.
Exactly what he deserves.
My wolf approves.
As I head back toward the commune, I spot Mike. “I spoke with Emery for you,” he tells me. “Maybe I’ll grab Marshall to bring with me to the construction site. He spends too much time inside.”
With a nod, I tell him, “No, I need Marshall. Where is he?”
Mike lifts an eyebrow. “Likely attached to that damn computer. Just like Christop—” He stops, his eyes widening as he stares at me.
Everyone in this pack knows not to mention the name of my younger brother. Especially not around me.
If Reese hadn’t begged Chael to spare him, he’d be dead now. Instead, he’s sitting in some cushy shifter prison for the rest of his life.
The usual anger at myself for not seeing the signs of his betrayal before it was nearly too late, rankles me. How I missed it, proving evidence of my failure to protect my pack.
“Head over to the site,” I tell Mike. “Let me know if there are any issues.”
I start off in the direction of Marshall’s home. Since Christophe’s banishment Marshall has become the pack member with the best computer skills.
A few feet before Marshall’s home, my phone buzzes. It’s a text message from Chael.
Brother: Thank you for the updates on the construction work. Any discoveries around the Alliance or if there’s something I should know about?
In the two days I’ve returned home, I’ve spent hours being updated on the various construction projects we have going on. I’ve relayed the updates to my brother, but that was it.
Aside from telling him that I discovered a potential wolf in trouble and brought her back to the commune with me, I haven’t conveyed much about my findings in Florida.
Mainly because there isn’t much to tell just yet. But also, because there’s a deep urge to keep everything about Emery to myself. I want to be the one who knows any and everything about her.
“Shit,” I curse out loud realizing where my thoughts were going.
Chance: I’m following up on a few leads.
The reply is one of my typical short and sweet responses.
Brother: Does that mean you’ve found something? I have decided to head North once our honeymoon finishes in a couple of weeks. Reese and me both. I’ll meet with various Alliance members. I would like to know if there’s something I need to know beforehand.
Chance: The wolf shifters on the Alliance may have a vendetta against the lone wolves.
I tell him of the exchange I had with the wolf who tried to hurt Emery.
Three dots appear and then disappear on the screen.
My brother doesn’t hesitate and he’s not one to mince his words. None of us are.
Brother: That doesn’t make any sense.
I tell him that’s exactly my thinking, but I need more time to dig into where these rumors are coming from.
It could be a matter of some outside shifters trying to stir up discord among our kind.
Brother: And what about your Emery?
My Emery.
My fucking wolf whines at the title Chael has assigned Emery.
Mine.
I shake my head, not letting my stupid thoughts fall into the impossible.
Me: I’ve assured her she’s safe here. Until we know what’s going on. I may need to ask our Alpha Queen for help.
I swallow down the lump in my throat. I do my best to ignore the memory of the moment Reese grabbed my arm and told me she had a vision of my mate needing help.
Brother: What do you need?
I start to answer, but then hesitate. It’s probably best to wait for the results of Dr. Drake’s test before I request anything of my brother’s mate.
Me: I’ll let you know if that time comes. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon.
Chael’s reply is almost immediate.
Brother: You’re not alone in this, brother. If you need us to, just say the word, and we’ll return to New Mexico before heading to the Alliance’s headquarters. My mate is always happy to assist anyone in our pack, even when it goes against my wishes.
I shake my head as I reply.
Me: No. I have everything under control here. Enjoy yourselves.
After shoving my phone back into my pocket, I continue toward Marshall’s home.
On instinct, my head turns in the direction I dropped Emery off earlier. From my distance, I see a group of women pouring out of Chael’s home and crossing the street. I know exactly who each one of them is.
My gaze zeros in on Emery.
The way the blue jeans she’s wearing sculpts to her hips and waist calls to my base instincts.
Mate! Go to her. Claim her!
“Shut the fuck up,” I growl to my wolf. “We have work to do,” I remind him, not so kindly.
Emery’s here because she’s in danger. I need to find out whoever the fuck it is, and end them.
That’s the vow I silently make to myself as I start for the pathway that leads to Marshall’s front door.