Tori’s POV“How did you get here so fast? I mean, I only texted you the address yesterday.”“Alpha Thomas isn’t the only one with access to a helicopter,” Ursula said.“Really? Calvin been splashing out?”“Something like that.”I almost didn’t recognise her and she seemed even leaner than when I’d seen her last.“Welcome to ‘Lashes’. Tommy will be down in a second.”“Tommy, is it? What about your fated mate?”“Ssh.” I cautioned. I’d done my best not to disclose that particular snippet of information, though I suspected my captor was in the know by now anyway.Assuming he hadn’t been playing me all along.For some reason he wanted to interview the Sigma by himself. I really hoped she could carry this off. A lot was riding on it. The plan we’d agreed on by text was that she would flounce out, having signed an NDA as to what we were about. It was flimsy at best and he probably wouldn’t go for it.Worst case scenario: she would be stuck here, like Rose and me. I really hoped she’d informe
Calvin’s POVI hadn’t felt right ever since that public whipping in the now burnt out club. These days I was just going through the motions, trying to keep Thaddeus in check, while I waited for news from above the border.Call it a stroke of luck but Ellie brought Doctor Megan to see me in the nick of time. I was just about to give the go ahead for the raid on ‘Lashes’. It would mean crossing the border into Canada illegally but I would worry about that later.The consequences could have been disastrous.“Go on, tell the Alpha what you told me.”I could see the medic was uneasy and did my best not to scare her. It worked, up to a point – until she told me there was something in my head which shouldn’t be there.“And you’re not the only one.”“Fuck! Remove it, now!”“It might not be that simple,” Megan admitted. “There could be a chain reaction.”“What do you suggest?”“We need to consult a warlock.”In the end I stood the team down, keeping my fingers crossed that the Lycan would cont
Calvin’s POVI had no chance to react to that bizarre statement – certainly nothing which should be confided to a prospective employee on the doorstep – before I heard a roar from within. That sounded like Tommy all right.Now all I could think about was Tori. Had my Luna been snatched from me just as I was close to retrieving her?There was no-one else around as we ascended some stairs, presumably heading to his office, though I heard muffled conversation away to my left. Mrs King had disappeared to wherever she came from, probably the kitchen. I seemed to recall she’d been wearing rubber gloves and didn’t think it was part of a scene.An Alpha’s former mate reduced to washing up. If she was now a skivvy it served her right. Why couldn’t she have been the one who died?I caught myself before the bitterness and depression could take hold. This wasn’t who I was, whether I was Calvin or Chris.“At least you’re a shifter,” Archer greeted me. “Why us?”He made a dismissive gesture, and Ur
Tori’s POVI was enjoying the rest, faking my mood swings and biding my time. The Moon Goddess hadn’t appeared to me, but I felt reassured. Calm, even. Then, one evening and totally out of the blue, I knew Calvin was close.Taking a nap, I willed myself to dream of him but had no joy.Sensing a presence, I heard Tommy talking to someone whose voice was oddly familiar yet strange at the same time. What were they doing in the medical room?My sense of smell had suffered recently owing to a head cold, yet when someone began walking towards me I opened my eyes at last, debating with myself whether or not to lie on my back. I doubted this was the specialist Mrs King kept banging on about.The ginger hair was unusually bright and I saw a cowboy hat slung on a string around his neck. Was I imagining things? Hallucinating? I’d been convinced my mate was even closer.“Don’t turn around, stranger. I have a gun.”“I can see that.”The nasal voice reminded me of Moore but the build was wrong.“Wh
Calvin’s POVShe looked so fragile lying there. As usual, Tori rallied. I wondered if she knew we might have to act alone if we were to save the females. Even Jason wouldn’t get here in time, never mind the pack warriors who were already wending their way up here. “I’d have known you anywhere, Alpha.”I stiffened, recognising Mrs King’s signature scent. Lily of the Valley, like Mom used to favour.“Keep your voice down,” I hissed, turning around.Expecting a confrontation I was surprised to see the sadness in her eyes and no sign of a weapon in her gloved hands.“That’s right. He treats me like a skivvy these days. There’s gratitude for you.” The ghost of a smile graced her thin lips. “Tori’s okay. She’s pretending to be ill to avoid you know who.”“Will you help me?”“What do you need me to do, Alpha?”“Spread the word among the females. We’re getting out of here before dawn.”Her eyes widened. Then I saw a twinkle appear.“I just happen to know where I can lay my hands on some rat
Tori’s POVThere was an undercurrent in the kitchen as so often around Tommy. I decided to chance a mind link but just as I was on the point of turning away, Mrs King brushed past me.“There you are, Alpha. I left your drink in your room.”“It’s probably cold by now since I haven’t been there for a while. Took me a stroll in the grounds, didn’t I?”“Want me to fetch it, sir?”The growl was instinctive. I’d never been introduced to Archer’s wolf and didn’t want to get to know him anytime soon. Rude of him, too, to avail himself of my body without talking to Bethany who, as usual, was in retreat.“No need. I’m heading upstairs just as soon as – say, why don’t you take up the challenge? Victoria was about to down it in one.”“I’m allergic to coffee,” she said.“What a pity. Fun’s over,” he announced. “Nothing to see.”“Shouldn’t someone taste the one Mrs King prepared earlier?” the Sigma asked.“What are you trying to say?”“Silly me. It’s not as if she’ll want revenge.”“You’re probably
Calvin’s POVI hadn’t expected Moore to suddenly grab the wheel, avoiding an almost certain crash. The surprise didn’t stop there. The punch to the gut was unexpected and winded me so I was unable to tell him it was a sackable offence.If anything, the follow up was even worse, rendering me unconscious. But not before I heard my mate screaming.I came round hours later to find myself tied up. Pretty ironic, huh? At a guess he’d taken us to a motel, though probably not the one he’d been staying in originally.A sharp operator, this Lycan.“Where is she?” I snarled when he came through the outer door with a brown paper bag.“I saved your life. Be grateful.”I eyed him with suspicion.“So, what happened?”“Rhodes.”“Fuck. How did he know where we were?”“You know that implant? It seems it was the controlling one.”“But we had them removed.”“Some faint trace remained. He was following me the whole way and staged the crash. I meant to save you both, Alpha. But, with respect, you’re more i
Tori’s POVThere was no way I was ever going to stay with Alex, though I managed to convince him of that while pretending I had my time of the month. That wouldn’t have stopped him once, but his mind was full of triumph initially - until I told him about the ticking time bomb inside his head.I really doubted that Calvin and Moore had the remote but managed to convince him otherwise.Then it was a matter of counting the hours until the doctor arrived.Alex had gone for a lie down leaving George watching me. I knew I had to be wary of him. Yet after a while I couldn’t resist.“Why do you bother? Following him, I mean. You could do so much better.”“Convince me,” he said.“How?”“Make it worth my while and you and I will go on a little trip.”“Not when I’m bleeding.”“A glimpse of your tits and I’m all yours.”Lucky us.Play nice, Bethany. He may be our ticket out of here.Yet I was sick of being preyed upon by these lustful shifters. And the mate bond – I’d been marked, for love of the