by Juniper Hart
“Emily, what is it?” Gabriel demanded.
“I just need more time,” she said shortly. “I mean, I know I don’t have to touch them, but if you want me to have a baby, I feel like I should know the father, don’t you? And, if I am to have multiple children over time, I suppose that will take more time to get comfortable with this.”
“Emily,” Gabriel sighed. “You will have an eternity to get to know the pack.”
“And they will have eternity to have children. What’s the difference?” she replied. “After next year, I’m not aging anymore. I’ll be twenty-seven forever.”
Gabriel’s mouth tightened. “Do you remember when you first came here and I told you I was concerned about you double-crossing me?”
“How could I forget such a pleasant conversation?”
“Well, it’s times like this when I think my prophecy might be coming true.”
Emily couldn’t stifle her snort. He’s a prophet now. How charming.
“What’s your rush, Gabe?” she asked, relishing at his face at the use of the detested nickname.
“The rush, Emily, is that we’ve been waiting for this for eight years. Otherwise, what benefit are you to us?” The implied threat was clear, and Emily’s mouth went dry.
“What good are any of the other pack members?” she demanded. “What do they do?”
“Each of us has a purpose,” Gabriel assured her. “This house doesn’t pay for itself. There are many spokes to the wheel of this bike. The pack knows their place. You are the only one who seems to have trouble accepting yours.”
A part of her longed to ask what would happen if she backed out, if she told him she didn’t want to do it anymore, but a much smarter aspect silenced her at once. There was no turning back, not now.
The idealism in her had faded to a dull black over the past weeks when she realized that Marcel was not coming for her. At first, she had justified his absence as not knowing where to look, but Gabriel had quashed that theory.
“We’ve been all over the west coast, leaving our signature wherever we go,” he chuckled. “You know who never follows our trail?” Emily didn’t answer, because she already knew. “Marcel. Your beloved Marcel. Do you believe me now?”
“I believed you before,” she barked irritably. “You don’t need to rub it in.”
A look of sympathy crossed over his face. “I’m not rubbing it in, Emily. I’m just making sure you know where you stand.”
I stand nowhere, she thought. Thanks for the reminder.
“So what’s it going to be, Emily? Can we start with the hormone shots today? If we don’t, we’re going to have to wait another month, and I gotta tell you, I don’t think the pack’s impatience will falter.”
“Not if you can’t control them,” she quipped, unable to resist giving him one last jab before resigning.
“Emily.”
“Give me the damn needles,” she muttered. “I’ll do them now.”
Gabriel’s face showed relief, and he nodded, smiling. “Who would you like to go with you and administer the shot?”
“Uh, none of them,” Emily retorted, gaping at him. “I don’t need a nurse.” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed.
“Emily, I’m done screwing around. I know it’s taken some time to get used to, but it’s been a month, and you’re getting more out of control. My patience is at its end. Pick one of the wolves to go with you or I will.”
“Why do I need to bring anyone with me?” she demanded. “I can do the shots myself!”
“I know you can,” Gabriel snarled. “But will you?”
For the first time since arriving, Emily was afraid of Gabriel. The look in his eyes was laced with malice, and for a fleeting moment, she was in his head, his thoughts ringing through clearly.
If she doesn’t do this, I’m terminating her. There are three more out there who can’t be this big a pain in my ass.
“All right,” Emily whispered. “I’ll bring Aiden with me.”
Gabriel scowled. “No,” he snapped. “Anyone but Aiden.”
She tensed, knowing that she’d been transparent in her choice.
“Why not Aiden?” she asked, aware that she was stalling for time. “He’s loyal to you.”
“You think you can outsmart him or take him because he’s small,” Gabriel sighed. “Honey, I’ve been at this a lot longer than you. Since you’re stalling for time, I’m sending Boone with you.”
Her mouth gaped, but she quickly closed it and nodded, sensing the animus oozing from Gabriel’s body.
“Boone is fine,” she squeaked. “I’ll meet him in my suite.” She sprinted up the stairs, away from the study, her mind whirling.
Shit just got really real, she thought, panic overtaking her. Hormone shots and then artificial insemination. I can’t imagine any of those heathens being my baby’s father.
The idea suddenly filled her with terror and bile, but there was nowhere to run, not now that she knew her life was on the line. She’d pushed her luck too much, extended her good fortune to its breaking point.
She fell into her bedroom, debating whether to lock the door or let the inevitable monster into her room.
This is only day one of five, she reminded herself, her breaths coming out in short gasps as she struggled to contain the anxiety threatening to bubble out of her. I have five days to find a way out of this.
Without warning, the door to her room burst open, and Boone appeared, his face contorted into a grimace.
“I knew you were up to no good from the minute Gabriel brought you here,” he spat, advancing on her, the needle in his hand. “I tried to warn Gabriel about you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Emily managed to spit, but her slender form was shaking terribly as she realized he had read her thoughts.
“You’re not going to fool me,” he growled. “You’re a part of this pack, whether you like it or not. Do you know what we do to traitors?”
“Boone, you’re mistaken,” she muttered. “I would never betray my pack. I’m loyal to you, to Gabriel.”
“Prove it,” he hissed, advancing. “Take your shot and let them do the procedure today. It may not take, but at least it will show you’re serious.” She balked at the idea, and he chortled. “That’s what I thought,” he spat. “You never had any intention of bearing the pack’s children.”
“I did! I do!” Emily protested, backing up as Boone advanced. “I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll prove my loyalty.”
Boone paused and stared at her, cocking his head to the side.
“Really?” She nodded, swallowing her fear, and waited for Boone to consider her agreement. “Good,” he said, drawing closer to her. “Now where do I stick this thing?”
Blinking back the tears burning her eyes, Emily rolled up her sleeve and stayed still as Boone plunged the needle inside her.
That’s it, she thought, willing herself to remain calm. It’s just a shot.
“Stay here,” Boone ordered. “I’m going to tell Gabriel about your commitment.” He didn’t wait for her response and hurried out, a gleeful smile on his face.
He’s so pleased with himself, she thought bitterly. He’s managed to ensure my captivity. But Emily knew she had no one to blame but herself for her situation. She’d let things get too far. She should’ve started planning an escape from the minute she had gotten here. She sank onto the bed and caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror in the full-sized walk-in.
Marcel, how could you do this to me? she thought mournfully. How could you let me go?
The tears slipped down her cheeks as she tried to think of a way out. As far as she could tell, there wasn’t one, at least not one which would serve her well in the long run. There was nowhere to go, after all, no one waiting to help her. Even if she made it back to New York, they knew where to find her. She would need to go somewhere else, somewhere with a new name, a new identity.
Emily sniffled and wiped away the tears, straightening he
r back. She was little more than a caged pet now, powerless to stop whatever Gabriel had in store for her. She could snivel about it, or she could accept it.
All that was clear to Emily was that, in her life, she would have no one to depend on except herself. Marcel had forsaken her. And somehow that hurt more than anything Gabriel had done to her.
“Emily?” Gabriel appeared in the doorway, and she hastily wiped at her face, lest he saw her crying.
“I’m ready,” she said hoarsely. A broad smile touched Gabriel’s lips.
“Well,” he chuckled. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ve sent for the doctor. He’ll be here in an hour. I’m really proud of you, Emily.” She nodded and lowered her head.
“Gabriel,” she called out weakly as he turned away.
“Yes?”
“Whose baby will it be?” she asked. His eyes widened, and he laughed.
“Mine of course.”
The second he left the room, Emily began to retch, and she knew for certain at that moment that no matter what agreement she’d made, no matter what she’d been promised, she couldn’t contribute to Gabriel’s bloodline. Come hell or high water, she was getting out of there before the doctor came to do the procedure.
Even if it most certainly meant her death.
15
The BMW was pulled over to the side of the road, and Snaz sighed, peering at his phone in exasperation. “The signal is around here somewhere, Marcel, but Trace was right—there’s nothing out here at all.”
“She’s here,” Marcel said firmly. “I can feel her.” Snaz gave him an indecipherable look through his peripheral vision, but Marcel was looking out over Wheatland Road for some signs of life. “They’re in the park,” he said suddenly, whipping his head around to look at Willamette Mission State Park.
“In the state park?”
“We’re hoofing it,” Marcel said, pulling his keys out of the console and jumping from the driver’s seat. “That’s why we can’t find it. They have a place hidden in the trees.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Snaz said warily. Marcel was barely listening as he trekked through the thick brush, his heart racing. As if being guided by an unseen hand, he felt himself being pulled further into the woods.
“Wait up!” Snaz huffed, trying to keep pace in a pair of Gucci shoes, completely inappropriate for hiking through the Oregon brush. Abruptly, Marcel stopped, holding his arm out for Snaz to stop, and his partner gasped in awe. “Holy hell,” he muttered, releasing a low whistle. “And they say crime doesn’t pay.”
The mansion was completely out of place in the middle of the lush park, sitting on a clearing in the middle of the forest. It was at least twenty thousand square feet, but Marcel couldn’t be sure from the angle where they stood. The house was a monstrosity, even for a pack traveling together. Then again, the size of the house was the least of his concerns.
“How many are in there?” Snaz asked, echoing his own thoughts.
“There are eight—nine including Gabriel,” Marcel replied quietly. “There’s no way to know where they are in the house.”
“We’ll get a team out here,” Snaz said, reaching for his phone. “We’ll get heat sensors. Hey! Where are you going?”
“There’s no time to wait for backup,” Marcel growled.
“What? Wait! Marcel, you can’t go in there blind!” He was already halfway to the house when Snaz caught up, panting and distressed. “Marcel, be rational! If she’s in there, she’s been in there a month. Another hour or two while we wait isn’t going to hurt.”
“I’m not waiting. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” He strode purposefully toward the back doors, his eyes strained for movement, his ears honed for signs of life. It didn’t take him long to detect three bodies in the room facing the back wall, and Marcel could sense more than that.
“—about half an hour,” one of the pack members was saying as Marcel let himself into the house. “And then she’ll be tied to us.”
“I don’t think it will make a difference.”
That’s Aiden, Marcel thought.
“That’s because you’re a pessimist, Aiden. Once she’s pregnant, she’ll be easier to manage,” an unfamiliar voice insisted. “Motherhood changes them.”
Marcel was suddenly finding it very difficult to breathe.
“I guess we’ll find out.”
And there’s Gabriel, he recognized. Snaz crouched beside him, and Marcel signaled for him to go upstairs and check for Emily. Snaz shook his head.
I’m not leaving you alone. We’ll go up there together, Snaz replied. We’ll get her out before they even notice she’s gone.
It was certainly a safer plan, but listening to the males discussing his mate like she was a lab rat was causing Marcel to see in red.
Marcel, you need to focus, Snaz told him silently. There are far more of them than us. This is a rescue mission, not a termination.
He ground his teeth together with so much force, he was stunned they didn’t all shatter. Immediately, Marcel realized that was because he had begun to shift.
Marcel, let’s go now, before they sense us! Snaz pleaded.
Landon Burke’s voice reverberated through his mind at that moment.
“You’re a good kid, Marcel, but you have a wild streak that you need to control. I’m telling you this as an ally. If you allow your temper to prevail, your pack will stage a coup and leave you out in the cold.”
He needed to keep his head cool and find Emily.
Marcel nodded curtly, and together, he and Snaz ducked toward the staircase, moving low and silently. On the second floor, he raised his snout to the air, and instantly, he could sense Emily at the end of the north wing.
“This way,” he growled. As he spoke, the doorbell chimed, echoing through the massive house. The friends exchanged a nervous look. “We have to move fast,” Marcel muttered. “They’re going to be coming for Emily in minutes.”
Racing down the hall, they found themselves at the door, and Marcel forced himself back into his mortal form.
“Kick it in,” Snaz muttered. “We don’t have time for pleasantries.” Marcel scowled at Snaz and knocked gently.
“Emily,” he murmured. “Emily, it’s Marcel.”
There was no answer, and again, the friends looked at one another.
“Just kick it open,” Snaz repeated. Sighing, Marcel did just that, and to his shock, the sprawling sitting room was empty. “You’re really going to need to step up your game if you bring her home,” Snaz commented sarcastically. “Doesn’t look like she was being tortured too much.”
“Shut up, Snaz. How much would you like to be kept to bear children for Gabriel?”
“Fair play,” Snaz agreed, stalking into the room after Marcel.
“Emily?” A quick search of the closets, bathroom, and bedroom told them that she was gone. “Where did she go?” Marcel muttered. “She was just here. I can still smell her.”
The scent of her pheromones lingered in his nostrils deliciously, and he felt like he could just turn around and Emily would be right at his fingertips.
But when he did turn, it wasn’t Emily he saw.
“Intruders!” the stranger screamed, his face pale when Marcel’s eyes locked with him. “Second fl—”
Marcel leaped into action, smashing him down with a single swipe, his teeth gnashing as his fangs sunk deep into the new Lycan’s jugular.
“Is he down?” Snaz demanded nervously, his own mortal form fully shifted into his wolf skin as he prepared for battle. “Incapacitate him and let’s get out of here!”
With a vicious rip of flesh, the Lycan’s body lay limply on the floor, blood pooling around him. He hadn’t even had the opportunity to shift in his shock.
“Come on, Marcel!” Snaz shouted. Marcel didn’t need to be told a second time, and he flew across the floors on padded feet, his nose picking up danger at all turns. “They’re coming from both sides,” Snaz breathed. Marcel had just realized the sam
e thing. “They’re going to ambush us.”
They froze in the hallway and looked both ways, but it was too late. On either side of them, eight furious males rushed up the twin staircases, shifted and ready for war.
“Where is she?” Marcel hissed, unafraid as he moved toward them. “What did you do with Emily?”
Gabriel disengaged himself from the group and sauntered forward.
“Oh, Marcel,” he chuckled. “She’s been gone over a month, and you’re just showing up now? What happened? Did Landon light a fire under your ass?”
“Where is she?” Marcel roared, raring to bounce forward. Snaz silently bellowed for him to stop.
“She doesn’t want to go with you,” Gabriel sighed. “Isn’t that obvious?” Snaz lowered his head, but Marcel refused to believe it.
“Let her tell me that herself,” he insisted. “I don’t believe anything that comes out of your mouth.”
“Marcel,” Gabriel groaned. “Emily has never been a prisoner here. She is free to come and go as she pleases.”
“I’ll believe that when I hear it from her.”
“Clearly, she doesn’t want to speak with you.” There was a mocking leer in Gabriel’s voice that made Marcel want to lunge for his throat.
“I’m not going to ask you again,” Marcel rasped. “In less than five minutes, my pack and a specially crafted team of Landon Burke’s choosing will be on site. You can tell me now and stand a chance running, or I will rip you all to shreds until they get here. The choice is yours.”
Uncertainty rippled through the pack in a low murmur. Gabriel’s smirk faltered.
“You bastard!” he hissed. “I wouldn’t have even come for her if it wasn’t for your sniveling about her that day at the bar.”
“You think I don’t know that!” Marcel howled back, the guilt consuming him where he stood. “I live with that every damned day, Gabriel.” Wryly, Gabriel smiled.
“Good. You can live with the knowledge that now Emily knows that, too.” He spun and nodded for the pack to follow him, but rage enveloped Marcel as he realized what Gabriel had done.