Betrayed

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  “Well, he’ll just have to have it out with me, then.”

  Chance froze and swallowed hard.

  Hayden straightened and threw the towel over his shoulder. “Wayne,” Hayden nodded.

  “Could you leave us,

  Hayden?” Wayne stepped towards Chance.

  Hayden nodded to Wayne and squeezed Chance’s hand as he left. Chance turned slowly, it was really hard to be mad at someone who stood so much taller than him. Wayne raised a brow and Chance tried to smile.

  “Logan told me what

  happened.” Wayne sat down on one of the rocks along the shore. “You have to understand

  something. Both Logan and Locke had to kill people they loved because they went rogue. You’ve never seen one up close, Chance. They can’t be trusted, they’ll lie to save themselves and they will kill to keep what’s theirs. We know Pierce Barnes wants you and he’ll do anything to get to you.”

  “What if he’s not a rogue? Do you know for sure that he is?”

  “The last time Logan and Jacob saw him was in Ireland when we went to rescue Conner. He was with other rogues and his eyes were turning, Chance. They were half and half; by now they are full yellow. They can’t come back from that. We didn’t tell you because we knew you’d want to try and save him. He can’t be saved; he was never a nice man. So I’m sorry if you are angry, but you’ll have to be mad at me. I’m the one who made the decision to keep it from you.” Wayne turned to look at Chance in his eyes. “Everyone loves you; we did what we had to do to protect you. You may hate it, but it’s your own damn fault.”

  “Huh?”

  “You are very loveable, Chance. No wonder Logan loves you so much.”

  Chance’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Love?”

  “Shite,” Wayne ran a hand through his hair. “He didn’t tell you?” Wayne sighed as Chance shook his head. “You zip that lip, wait for the man to tell you. He’s worried he’s lost you.” Wayne stood up, reaching for Chance’s arm. “Let’s go eat, I’m starved.”

  ~~ It was hard to stay mad. Chance realized he’d spent so much time with the packs he didn’t know life any other way. They were all so close. Wayne had made sure of that. He peeked at Jude across the table. Hayden was staring at Jude like he couldn’t see anything else. It was so damned adorable. Jude raised a brow at him when he chuckled. Chance was seated between Nikolai and Logan. Nikolai hadn’t said a word to him, just waited for Chance to come to him. He elbowed Nikolai and grabbed his fingers. Nikolai smiled and elbowed him back.

  Talk flowed around the table about the night crew patrolling the park. The mountains in Washington hadn’t seen any traps for a week. Wayne cleared his throat and stood up.

  “Macavoie has been seen in Anchorage. We all know what that means.”

  Chance choked on his water. He wiped his mouth and coughed. He hadn’t decided whether or not to alert the packs to Pierce being in Alaska.

  “So Pierce is here,” Tristan said.

  Wayne nodded. “Nikolai pulled up the cameras at the mall.”

  “I’ve got some footage, but I’m having a hard time getting into some of the other feeds. It’s just going to take some time, but we all know nine times out of ten, where Macavoie is, Barnes isn’t far behind,” Nikolai said.

  Chance stiffened in his chair.

  “He was definitely at the mall at the same time you all were.” Wayne turned his attention to Chance. “We need to keep an eye on you. Pierce will stop at nothing to get you.”

  “I can fend for myself you know.”

  “Yes, you can. All the men at this table have experience fighting rogues, so when you’ve logged in as many hours as they have, I’ll let you go out with them. Until that day, you’ll have bodyguards at all times.”

  Chance sighed, pushing the food around on his plate. “Fine.”

  “You wanted to know why we were up your ass,” Nikolai shoved a forkful of food in his mouth. “Now you know,” he mumbled.

  “Get Devin back here,” Wayne said to Hayden. “I need that crazy bastard.”

  “Hey!” Vince balked.

  “Don’t worry, we all know you’re crazier, that’s why you’re partnered with him,” Wayne said with a grin. He eyed the rest of the men at the table. “Get with your team.”

  Jacob stood, eyeing his team. “Let’s go, get into your positions and stay frosty.”

  ~~ Chance sprawled on the bed, watching Logan at the cabin

  window. It was after two in the morning and Logan had been pulling guard for hours. Chance cleared his throat and Logan turned to look at him. Chance put his hand out and Logan crossed to the couch and gripped it. Chance pulled Logan forward until he was

  kneeling on the bed. Their eyes met and Chance leaned forward,

  pressing his lips to Logan’s.

  Logan pulled back slightly. “What are you doing?” Logan whispered.

  Chance pulled Logan toward him, kissing him again with more pressure, coaxing Logan to return the kiss. Chance slid his tongue over Logan’s bottom lip, eliciting a groan from the man. Chance slid his hands under Logan’s shirt, pulling it up, and Logan took it the rest of the way off. They sat on the bed together, Chance letting his eyes take in Logan by the light of the moon. Chance’s eyes met Logan’s and he removed his own shirt.

  “I want you to touch me,” Chance whispered.

  Logan knew he shouldn’t, but God knows he wanted to; he’d wanted Chance to come to him and now it seemed as if he was. Logan pushed Chance back on the

  mattress and straddled his hips. He leaned forward and took Chance’s face in his hands, kissing him softly. Chance’s body arched underneath him and Logan slid his fingers into Chance’s hair, parting Chance’s lips with his tongue. A soft whimper came from Chance as Logan slid down his body,

  covering it with his own.

  “Chance,” Logan whispered across soft lips.

  “Logan,” Chance moaned, wrapping his arms around Logan’s back. Logan fell limp in his arms and Chance scooted out from underneath him. He traced Logan’s lips softly.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered. Chance got dressed and texted Pierce to meet him on the north side of the park. He had to know for sure about Pierce. The spell he’d put on Logan wouldn’t last long; he needed to get a move on. Whispering under his breath, Chance cast a cloaking spell on himself. He crept from the cabin and waited for his eyes to adjust. The air was crisp, the park quiet except for the far off howling of the grey wolves.

  Chance made good time; shifting to his wolf form, he

  crossed miles of Denali. He shifted back and changed into the clothing that he’d carried in his backpack. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Chance walked around the empty campsite. A twig cracked behind him and he spun around to see Jude looking at him, hands on his hips, a frown in place.

  “Jude? What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same question,”

  “How…how did you see me?”

  “You may have been

  invisible, but that doesn’t mute sound.” Jude crossed his arms. His head tilted and he regarded Chance with raised brows. “Where are you going?”

  “None of your business,” came a voice from the darkness.

  Jude turned and got a two-byfour across his forehead. Chance shouted and Pierce dropped the wood, signaling to Petey and Carl.

  “Get him in the van.”

  “Why did you do that?!” Chance shouted.

  “Because he would have alerted your friends, that’s why,” Pierce took Chance by his bicep. “Now come on before your whole damn pack hears us.”

  “Just leave Jude here, I don’t want him involved,” Chance said.

  “Too late, he involved himself.” Pierce pushed Chance into the van. “Put the zip ties on Brooks; I want him immobile, Stuart.”

  “Stuart?” Chance’s eyes widened at the man leaning over Jude. It was the man from the file. “Oh God,” Chance’s stomach dropped. He turned to look at Pierce.
“It’s true,”

  Pierce grinned. “Hiya, baby, take a nap.”

  Chance felt heat slide up his spine, then the world went dark. ~~

  Logan awoke with a massive migraine. Opening his eyes, he squinted at the clock. Five in the morning. Wait, five? Logan sat up quickly in the bed and moaned at the pain in his head. The bed was empty.

  Chance wasn’t there.

  Logan got up and stumbled into the kitchen. Drinking a glass of water, he waited for the coffee to brew. Where was Chance? Logan’s brows pinched in thought, trying to recall what had happened. He’d been pulling guard and then… Chance had kissed him. Then… Logan sighed in frustration. He couldn’t remember.

  Logan looked around the cabin, something was off. Logan walked around the cabin.

  Something was way off. Logan looked in the bedroom. The drawers were half open, clothes spilling out of them. Chance’s backpack was gone. Oh fuck. Logan ran out of the cabin and smelled the air. Chance’s scent was still there, although fading quickly. Logan ran for the lodge, shouting as he did.

  ~~ Chance’s eyes fluttered open and a man sat in front of him. Stuart - that was his name. The eyes were bright green - beautiful even. They looked sad somehow. Chance swallowed and felt his throat ache for water. The man gave him a small smile and handed him a glass of water.

  “I’ve seen you,” Chance croaked as he sipped the water. “Hayden has a file on you.”

  “Does he now?” Stuart raised his brows in surprise. “I didn’t realize I was so popular.”

  “What did you give me?” Chance closed his eyes as his head spun.

  “Ketamine, a lot of it. With your werewolf metabolism, drugs pass through your system quickly.”

  “Where’s Pierce?” “Running an errand. He’ll be back soon.”

  “Where am I? Where’s Jude?”

  “That’s a lot of questions.” Stuart sat back in the chair eyeing Chance. “You are in Arizona and Jude is in a cell. Pierce took your cell phone; we can’t have you calling anyone.”

  Chance blinked in surprise. Pierce must not have known they could communicate telepathically.

  “How much do you know about me?”

  “Everything. I know you’ll be coming into your powers on your birthday. I know you are part of Wayne Maccon’s pack.”

  “Stuart.”

  Stuart turned to see Petey at the door. “What?”

  “Pierce is back,” Petey motioned to Chance in the chair. “He needs a moment. Brian and Greg are back as well.”

  Stuart started at that. Brian and Greg had been with Pierce from the beginning, changing Pierce into a rogue and making him the head honcho. The two of them were disgusting low-lifes. Perfect friends for Pierce.

  “Great. I’ll be back,

  Chance.” Stuart rose from the chair and left the room.

  Chance closed his eyes, sending a mental message to Logan. Something warm slid across his face and he opened his eyes to see Pierce palming his face. The eyes were still blue.

  “You’re not hurt, are you?” Pierce sat in the chair across from Chance.

  “Why did you hit Jude? Why is he in a cell? Why did you bring me to Arizona?”

  “Well, you are full of

  questions,” Pierce chuckled.

  “Answer me!” Chance shouted.

  Pierce’s eyes blazed in anger. “Watch your mouth, Chance. I’ve been nice, up until now. I thought you loved me?”

  Chance sighed and hung his head. “I did; I was devastated when I thought you’d died. I

  wandered around for a long time. Locke found me, he took me in and then I met Logan—”

  “MacLeod?” Pierce asked in surprise.

  Chance nodded. “Yes, I’m so sorry, Pierce. I’ll always love you, I just…”

  “You thought I was dead; it’s all right, Chance.” Pierce took Chance’s hand and kissed his palm. “We can start over.”

  “Why did you knock me out?”

  “I don’t want you to know our location. You’ve been with the Locke’s pack for a long time. I don’t know if I can trust you.”

  Chance leaned forward and looked into Pierce’s eyes.

  “Promise me you’re not a bad man.”

  “I promise,” Pierce stood up. “You must be hungry, would you like something to eat?”

  “I’d like to see Jude.”

  “Maybe in a bit.”

  ~~Chapter Five~~

  Hayden paced the plane, along with Locke, Logan and Scott. They’d followed the trail to the north end of the park where it stopped, along with Jude’s. Tire tracks left the campsite and went to the road. Logan had been desperate until Chance’s voice filled his head hours later. They were in Arizona, underground in the mines. They just didn’t know which mines.

  Riley’s jet was loaded with all the packs and the humans who were along for the fight. Vince and Devin sat side by side, sharpening their knives as Jacob, Tristan and Seth looked over the map of Arizona. Logan knew now that Chance had put a spell on him before he slipped off. Chance had confirmed it, as well as apologized for it over and over. Now a

  message was coming through loud and clear from Jude: Pierce was getting ready to torture him for information.

  “Tell him I’m immune to everything,” Wayne sent the message to Chance and Jude. “Make some shit up along the way, but don’t, under any

  circumstances, let him know we are communicating.”

  “I can’t tell where I am, I’ve never been in the mines,” Chance said.

  “It’s all right, Chance, we’re coming.” Wayne glanced over at the packs. “The rest of you, get ready,” Wayne said. “We are coming in for a landing.”

  ~~

  Jude tried for the thousandth time to get the zip ties off. He wanted to shift, but he couldn’t take the chance someone would catch him mid- shift when he was

  vulnerable. The door to the holding room opened and a man walked in carrying a tray. Jude backed

  against the far wall and narrowed his eyes.

  “Who are you? Why am I in a cell?”

  Stuart put the tray he was holding down on the table near the cell and turned to remove his contacts. “You sound like Chance.”

  “I’m not as sweet as he is,” Jude growled.

  “I see that,” Stuart pulled up a chair and regarded Jude in the cell. “My name is Stuart Macavoie and I am the doc on call.”

  “You’re their vet, aren’t you?” Jude inched a little closer, looking at the man in the chair. “Why are your eyes not yellow?”

  “I’m not full rogue.”

  Jude tilted his head. “Why are you helping Pierce then?”

  Stuart sighed, reclining back in the chair. “Does it matter?”

  “Yes, it does. It makes a huge difference, because when my pack comes here it’s a matter of keeping your head or losing it.”

  Stuart smiled; Jude Brooks was exactly like his father. “I was a vet in Washington State. I lived on Bainbridge Island. Do you know where that is?”

  Jude nodded.

  “I was recruited by Pierce Barnes. I have no family, Mr. Brooks. My wife died and the only friend I had was a wonderful woman I did handy work for when she needed it. Pierce threatened to kill her if I didn’t come willingly. I lost everything that day. So you see, if I lose my head, it makes no difference to me. As long as I stay, Victoria stays safe.”

  Jude blinked in surprise. “Victoria? On Bainbridge Island?”

  Stuart nodded.

  “Victoria Jacobs?”

  Stuart’s face went ashen.

  “General Jacobs’ mother, Victoria? Oh Lord, Pierce is so screwed if anything happens to her.” Jude smiled maliciously. “Wait, what am I saying? Pierce is screwed. Seems to me as if Pierce held some things back from you as well. Unless he doesn’t know…”

  “Doesn’t know what?” Stuart sat up, leaning over.

  “Who do you think runs our group, Stuart? Moreover, who does Pierce think runs our group?” Jude eyed the man. “Tell
me something. Most rogues are vicious killing machines. Why are you so damn calm?”

  Stuart raised a brow. “Are we telling secrets?”

  “You give me one and I’ll give.”

  “If you have a predisposition to violence, you change faster. The saliva enters the deep tissue and the change is permanent. Every time I have to do something I don’t want to do, I inch closer to that line.” Stuart motioned to Jude’s hands. “Would you like those off?”

  “Yes, I would.”

  Stuart stood and removed a knife from the waistband of his pants. He motioned to Jude to come closer and turn around. Jude turned and put his hands out. Stuart slid the knife up, cutting the zip ties. “Are you hungry?”

  “You haven’t asked me to tell.”

  “We have time,” Stuart moved the tray closer so Jude could reach it.

  Jude snatched the tray and retreated to the corner of the cell. Truth be told, he was famished and the food smelled really good. He sniffed at the steak and water.

  “It’s not laced with anything. I made it myself.”

  Jude raised his brows. “That’s supposed to be

  comforting?”

  “If I wanted you dead, I’d just kill you.”

  “Ah, but you are not a violent person, are you?”

  Stuart sat forward in the chair and clasped his hands. “No, I’m not. But I’ve had to do some reprehensible things while in Pierce’s little band of murderers.”

  “Like what?” Jude bit into the steak and almost moaned as the flavor exploded on his taste buds.

  “The wolves of Denali and Washington.”

  Jude swallowed hard, the steak felt like it had gotten stuck halfway down. He sipped the water and coughed. “What did you do?”

  “I injected them with rogue saliva. Pierce wanted to know if they could be changed. He wanted to use them as guard dogs, so to speak.” Stuart rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “They all died.”

  Jude felt his throat

  constricting. His eyes watered as he thought of innocent wolves being used in horrific experiments.