ConnorMiles was frantic, pacing and growling, clawing at my skin to be set free. He threatened to take control and run off to search for Cassie, but I finally convinced him it would be pointless. We lost her scent in an alleyway where I found her clutch. She could be anywhere by now.‘You let this happen, Connor! You never should’ve left her alone.’ He blamed me constantly, but not as much as I blamed myself.“Stop it, Miles. How could I have known Lyon would do this?” But I should have expected he would try something. He was cunning.I drove back to Wolf Creek after I called Joel. Once there, I summoned Eric to my study while I waited for Joel’s arrival. “What can I do for you, Alpha?” My gamma, Eric, walked into my office. “The borders are secure and there have been no sightings of rogues in the vicinity.”“I didn’t call you here to get a report, Eric. I must go to Miami for a few days, and I want you to oversee the pack.” Eric had been my father’s gamma and there was no better wo
CassandraThe two assholes took me to a house which appeared abandoned and locked me in a bedroom. At least it had an ensuite bathroom, although crawling with spiders and grime. It made me shudder to use the toilet, but what choice did I have?There was only one window in the bathroom and although I wasn’t all that big, I would never fit through that tiny opening. So there goes that plan. The bedroom window was boarded up from the outside, making it dark and creepy. I flicked the light switch on and off. No such luck. Gosh, I hate dark places.I was trying to follow where we went, hoping I'd spot something familiar when I got out. But the house was miles away from the town in a rural area. It would be difficult to find my way back to Wolf Creek. I wasn’t about to give up hope yet.‘I’m sure I’ll be able to guide us home. Wolves have an excellent sense of direction,’ Sage tried to comfort me. ‘You’ll just have to trust me.’“Yeah, bright spark. Any ideas on how to get the fuck out of h
ConnorFive and a half hours of being in a cramped airplane next to a grumpy Joel hadn’t improved my mood. I really wanted to see Rossi's villa beforehand to know what to expect. Fortunately, the rental car was ready and waiting for us the moment we arrived at the airport.“Maxwell isn’t answering his goddamned phone.” Joel complained. He’s been texting the vampire non-stop.I drove to the hotel that I booked earlier, which was a block away from the airport. “Forget about Frank for a minute and focus on what’s important. We must get Cassie back.” They kept sending regular pictures updating me on Cassie’s well-being. She seemed fine, but I didn’t trust them. In the meantime, I texted Eric with instructions to send our best trackers to keep me informed on Lyon’s movements, which might lead to where Cassie was being kept.Eric knew me well enough to keep quiet about it. I didn’t want the elders to find out about what was happening, and I didn’t want to raise the alarm. Panic causes chaos
LYONThere’s nothing more satisfying than knowing your plans are panning out to perfection. With Connor out of the way, there was no stopping me from getting what I wanted. Finally, Troy Wolfe will get his comeuppance, and I will get the gold out of that creek.“You look incredibly pleased with yourself, Mr. Lyon,” Eloise Jaffa purred against my neck, confident that it was her sexual prowess that brought a smile to my face. I wasn’t about to burst her bubble, not while she was lying hot and willing in my arms and the musk of her arousal perfuming the room.I palmed her full brown breast, pinching a mocha nipple between my thumb and index, relishing her moans of pleasure. Her long legs ensnared my waist, pressing her dripping pussy against my erection. She was perfect, always eager whenever I wanted her.“Oh, I am, Eloise. So exceptionally pleased,” I grunted, filling her tight channel with one hard thrust. The mental picture of Connor Wolf being probed and tortured by Rossi and his sc
AgnesI should have gotten a burner phone, I berated myself. What was I thinking? Now I have no way of getting in contact with Joel or Connor. Everything happened so fast, though. I’m still reeling from seeing Rossi’s picture in that file. Gods! My past threatened to catch up with us. Will I ever be free of Frank and his goons?“Aaah!” I tore my hair in frustration. Now they had Cassie, and God knows what awful things they were doing to my baby.No, I couldn’t sit here in this stifling house for one more minute. I had to find her. A wave of dizziness and nausea came over me when I stood up too quickly from the bed.With a groan, I sat back down, waiting for the sick feeling to pass. It had to be all the stress making me feel so dizzy and awful these last two days. I couldn’t keep anything down and the heat wasn’t helping, either.But I was determined not to let my health stop me. Connor mentioned a man named Lyon, and that was where I would begin my search.If Lyon saw Rossi as a riva
Connor‘Let me shift! I’m fast!’ Miles roared in my head. He might not be faster than a bullet, but we were risking it. Desperation to get back to Cassie outweighed our own safety. But on the off chance we didn’t make it…‘Joel! It’s a trap! Get out of here!’ I yelled through the mind link while shifting into Miles. ‘Go back and save Cassie!’I heard Joel cursing through the mind link, yelling at me, refusing my orders. If they catch him, we’re all done for.“Impressive,” Rossi said, looking down at me from the landing. “Unfortunately, I can’t let you get away. You were expensive.”Expensive?Miles lifted his massive head and snarled at the old man. Then he turned and launched himself at the French windows.Simultaneously, Rossi ordered his men, “Shoot, but don’t kill him!”A deafening salvo of gunfire shattered the silence. Glass exploded as Miles barreled through the large windows. Bullets whizzed over his head. Some found their mark high on his left shoulder and right flank. But Mi
CassandraThose two idiots had a huge argument over what to do with me. While they were busy, I pried open one window in the bedroom with some effort. The opening was boarded shut from the outside, but if I tried hard enough, I would have been able to loosen one just enough for me to squeeze through.And I would have succeeded too had Max not burst into the bedroom to check up on me.“Hey!” He grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, lifting me like a toy. “Trying your luck again, are we?”Hearing the commotion, Alex appeared to intervene. “Max…” his tone held a warning.“Bitch was trying to escape. I’m tying her to the bed.” Next minute he threw me down onto the dusty mattress and pinned me down with his weight. “Give me the zip ties!” he snarled at his brother.I struggled and cursed at them, but they secured both my wrists to the bedpost.“There!” Max grinned. “Now we can get some decent sleep.” He pinched my cheeks together and blew me a kiss.I almost threw up in my mouth. They left
JoelI knew this was a bad idea. Gods damn it! Letting my alpha go into imminent danger was unforgivable. I could lose my status. Fuck that! We could both lose everything. Choosing between saving my alpha and rescuing my daughter was unforgivable. Why the fuck did I listen to him?Oh yeah, right! Because it was a damn command. I hit the steering wheel with both palms, screaming out my frustration. I turned the car around. There was no fucking way I was going back to Santa Barbara without Connor. I pulled over on the deserted road, made sure the car was out of immediate sight, and sat there to get my thoughts in order.‘What would you tell Troy if they kill Connor?’ my wolf added to my turmoil. ‘It will devastate the pack.’“Connor is tough.” I needed to convince both of us. “I will get help.”‘But what about Cassie? And our mate?’ Ross was relentless. His restlessness to return to Agnes was like an itch that begged scratching. But my priority was still to the pack and my alpha. I coul
CassandraAgnes and I sat huddled together at the back of the speeding car. We stayed silent because words were unnecessary. I knew her thoughts. She would take Frank and his henchmen as close to the pack as possible so I could link them. My only concern was that Frank and his men were armed, but the pack could then safely transform into their wolves and attack. Frank and his buddies were in for a nasty surprise. It made me smile thinking about it.Agnes pressed my hand, and our eyes met. We didn’t need a mind link to understand one another. Yes, it was a gamble, but it was our only chance.“Where are you taking us?” We were driving out of the town, but further away from Wolf’s Creek.Frank turned around in his seat to smirk at me. “Somewhere no one would hear your screams,” he said, and I felt Agnes stiffen next to me.I stroked her arm to reassure her. He wouldn’t kill us. At least, I didn’t think so. But he was also unpredictable. There was a fifty-fifty chance if he got his blood
Connor“I want you to heal her,” Rossi said.What did he take me for? Some kind of magician?“What makes you think I can do that?” The smell of decay was overpowering to my werewolf senses. The girl was nothing but a living corpse being kept in limbo by the beeping machines.“We’ve seen you heal, Connor.” The doctor puffed out his chest, trying to look important. “There has to be a way we can apply your power.”“Look, I don’t know what Lyon told you, but he obviously doesn’t know everything. She’s barely alive.” I shook my head. “My bite will kill her. I promise you.” They were completely delusional. No matter what they did, her death was imminent. They would have no use for me then. Unless there was more to it than just this. “It’s not me, it’s the wolf that heals me. But you cannot separate me from it. I was born with the spirit of the wolf, gifted by the Moon Goddess.” I had no problem exposing myself to them. They wouldn’t live to tell anyone else.“That is what we have test subje
JoelI left Maxwell at the hotel to get to my appointment with the alphas. It was safer for him to stay out of it, because there were some alphas that still hated the vampires. Some people just couldn’t let go of their grudges and prejudices.Gods, I hated the city. Seemed like every goddamned person in Miami was out on the road. Didn’t they have work to do? But of course, it was Friday afternoon. People were rushing towards the weekend. The sooner we get Connor out of Rossi’s clutches and get back to our pack, the better. I needed the tranquility of the country, to breathe the fresh air and let my wolf run free.Also, the constant worry about everyone was giving me a fucking headache. Eric hasn’t reported back to me yet. I didn’t know whether Agnes had returned to the pack, and it ate at me. Why would Stacy do that? It just didn’t add up. Unless…No, if Stacy knew where Cassie was, she would have told Eric or an elder. It was useless trying to speculate.I felt relieved when I saw th
Max still held my arms in his vice grip when Frank slapped Agnes, cursing because she spoiled his shoes. I screamed, my throat hoarse, watching my poor mother crumple in a pathetic heap at his feet.“Frank! You fucking monster!” No matter how hard I tried to squirm out of Max’s gorilla hold, I couldn’t.Frank stepped over Agnes’ form to get to me. Sage howled with frustration that consumed us. Both of us wanted nothing but to feel Frank’s life leaving his body. If only I could shift…“Little bitch! You near killed me. You and your whore mother left me for dead,” he snarled at me. Spittle flew from his mouth and landed on my face. He grabbed my neck. Those dark eyes said payback was coming. I hardly felt his fingers pressing into my windpipe. The only thing I felt was this overpowering rage.“Next time I won’t fail,” I grunted. It was a promise. One I was hellbent on keeping.Agnes groaned and sat up, and Frank’s attention diverted to her. He let go of my neck and I could breathe again
CassandraTime seemed to stand still. There was no knowing what time of day it was. And the waiting was getting on our nerves. Alex brought us food and water, but no matter how much I complained and begged, he didn’t budge. Not even to let us use the bathroom. Eventually, Max brought us a bucket to use.“What the hell! Do you think we’re animals?” I ranted. “Where is Lyon? I demand to see him.”“You demand?” Max guffawed. “Princess, you are too much.” He stalked towards me, and Agnes put herself in front of me to shield me from him.“Don’t you touch her!” she snarled at him, although she shook with fear.He scoffed at her. “There’s plenty of me to go around, Mom,” he said with a wink, and laughed when he saw her shudder.It was not in my nature to flirt with random guys, especially not with disgusting pigs like Max. But I realized I’ve been going about it all wrong. I skirted around Agnes and went to him. Trying my best to look all innocent, I touched his arm, swallowing my revulsion.
ConnorSurely, they didn’t want to turn their subject into a werewolf, did they? And how the hell do they expect to get my werewolf venom from me? I’m not a snake that they can milk it from my fangs. These people are even more insane than I thought.I heard their footstep approaching and feigned sleep.“We will have to sedate him. I’m not taking any chances.” The doctor stood a few yards away from the cage, eyeing me with suspicion. I peered at the two of them from under my half-closed lids.“Won’t the horse tranquilizer affect the venom?” Rossi asked. “I don’t have to tell you what would happen if this failed Dr. Fleischman.” There was an unmistakable threat in the old man’s tone, which made the doctor break out in a sweat. The stench of his fear disgusted me.“O…of course, Mr. Rossi. I will not fail you. I will test it on another subject first, naturally.”Godsdamnit. How many test subjects did they have? What the hell were they up to? Whatever Lyon told him, I’m guessing he didn’t
FrankWe’ve been in this tourist trap for only a few days, and I couldn’t wait to get back to Miami and my air-conditioned house. But I still needed to find Agnes and beat Rossi’s goddamned money out of her. I’ve asked around, showing their photos to passersby and shop owners with no luck. Carmine’s men handed out flyers that offered a reward for any information on my wife and stepdaughter’s whereabouts. And still nothing.It wasn’t easy finding Agnes’ parental home, but I had Tony work his magic on the web and eventually he found them. Carmine drove me to the address I got from Tony. What a shocker that was.“I have no daughter,” her father told me with bitterness etched on his face. “She is dead to me.”So that was a total waste of my time. What the hell did you do to these old folks, Agnes? Not that I cared. My parents probably felt the same about me.Now, sitting at a quaint cafe, sipping an iced tea and gazing out at the beach, I wondered what the hell I was supposed to do. Rossi
CassandraLyon’s words washed over me like a tsunami of terror, and I froze in place. No, please don’t let it be true. Agnes’ hand fell away from my arm. She stepped closer to Lyon, reaching out to him.“Please, you can’t… I have money. I can give it to you. Just don’t let him take us. I beg you.” She was close to tears.“Mom…” I pulled her back. As much as I didn’t want Frank to find us, there was no way I was letting her humiliate herself before this asshole.She clung to me, and I felt her shiver. “Cassie…” her eyes pleaded with me. “You know what he will do to us.”I didn’t want to think about it. What worried me more was what Lyon said about Connor. “Why wouldn’t Connor come back?” I asked him.Once again, he gave me that look that spoke of his disdain. “The fool walked right into my trap. There will be no escape for him this time.”Agnes sank to the floor with her head in her hands. She cried openly. “This is my fault. All my fault.”“Stop it! For God’s sake!” I snapped at her.
ConnorFrom where I lay on the floor of the cage, I assessed my surroundings. Now that I was no longer on that steel table, I could scope out the place to plan my escape. I would play weak for as long as it took to put them totally at ease, making them confident that they had won. Peering out from beneath my lashes, I saw the guards approaching with… a water hose? What the fuck?‘Don’t react,’ Miles warned. ‘They probably want to test your strength.’“Mr. Rossi said you needed water,” the guard said, grinning evilly. "Okay, let it rip!" he shouted to another.Icy water shot out from the hose, right in my face. The guard cackled with amusement. I fought the instinct to jump up and shove that hose right up where the sun doesn’t shine. Instead, I groaned and lapped at the water that stung my face. It did little to ease my dry throat. I was seriously dehydrated.“Had enough? You could do with a shower as well, Fido. You stink.” He was thoroughly enjoying himself with that hose, spraying m