“This is my decision. Not theirs, and I choose him.” Her words are steady, her breathing even, as I seek out any indication that she is lying. She’s made up her mind. I stumble back, unsure of what to do. Usually, I would hit something, but the pain radiating inside me is excruciating. I feel like I’m about to break in two.
“Fuck you, Dani,” I finally spit. “I was right all along about trying to keep my distance from you; I just wish I could have fucking listened. After everything, I hope he enjoys that tight little cunt of yours, because like you told me once before, this is it for you.” I watch her flinch, finally getting a reaction.
I don’t turn back as I leave the room, heading for the front door. Needing as far away from this place as possible.
I climb on my bike, gunning the throttle as I take off, heading straight for the Warehouse.
Chapter 42
Dani
Drake pulls me close, grabbing my ass with a smile, as Lautner storms past.
I choose Drake. The biggest lie I had ever told in my life had just past my lips, taking everything I had ever wanted away with it. The look in his eyes would haunt me forever. He had sacrificed his entire future for me, and I’d just stomped on his heart in front of his pack as if it were nothing.
“You did good,” Drake whispers in my ear. I look away. I didn’t want his approval. I wanted nothing from him but to be as far away from him as possible. I look around the room at the remaining members of the Stone Valley Pack. They looked at me in disbelief, as if they couldn’t quite understand what had happened and why I’d just damned their brother. Tearing my eyes away, I fight back my tears, determined to try and hold myself together. There’s nothing I can do. The hatred they feel towards me would never match the hatred I had for myself.
“Excuse me,” I say as I run from the room. My tears falling fast. It’s not until I stop that I realize I’d run straight to Lautner’s room. I couldn’t face my own room and the memories of Drake’s assault. Going over to the bed, I pick up his discarded shirt, bringing it to my nose. I inhale his scent, instantly feeling a sense of safety, which is just another lie. I would never be safe again.
“Isn’t this sweet,” my father comments from the doorway.
“Just leave me alone. I did what you asked. Lautner is gone.”
“Go pack your things. Drake is taking you back home. You’re of no more use to me here.”
I wait for him to leave, before taking one final look around. I drag my feet back upstairs, each step feeling harder than the last. As I enter my room, it's still in darkness. The drapes are closed, and I have no desire to open them. The darkness fits my mood perfectly. I quickly empty my dresser, shoving everything into my bag. My phone beeps, signaling a text, but I ignore it. I didn’t want to see whatever Daniel wanted to tell me. It was obvious downstairs what the rest of the Stone Valley Pack thought of me. I didn’t need to read about it as well.
“You ready?” Drake asks, smiling as he enters the room.
“Yeah,” I murmur, tossing my bag over my shoulder. We manage to make our way down the stairs and out of the building without running into anybody. I climb into the car, taking one last look behind me at the place I’d hoped would be my new home with Lautner.
We don’t speak as Drake starts the car. I’m exhausted, but I know there will be no rest for me. Instead, I watch the scenery passing by, wondering if I would ever see this place again.
We must have been on the road for about twenty minutes when I feel the car start to slow down. I look out the windscreen to find a lone figure lying in the middle of the road.
“What the … pull over,” I call out to Drake, “he might still be alive.” Drake pulls over as I quickly exit the car.
“Are you alright?” I ask as I lean down. The man is lying on his stomach, his face hidden from my view.
“Call an ambulance!” I shout to Drake.
The man grumbles on the ground as he turns around. “I’m alright, now. Remember me?” Lester smiles.
I try to scramble back to my feet, but he’s too fast, catching my arm in his steel grip. In the past few hours, I’d forgotten all about Lester and Brandon. Lautner had warned me they would never stop coming. It looks like he’d been right.
“What’s the hurry, darling? We’ve got plenty of time.”
I look towards the car, shocked to find Drake is just sitting there watching me. Lester smiles as he starts to drag me towards the car,
“Thanks, Drake, we’ll take it from here,” he says as Drake nods, putting the car into reverse.
“Drake!” I scream, wondering why I’m even surprised as I drop my shoulders in defeat.
“Shhh, don’t worry,” Lester mumbles, pulling me close. “We’ve got a very special treat lined up for you.”
“You’re wasting your time,” I say. “It’s over between us. Lautner won’t come for me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You know just as well as I do, he won’t leave you behind. Now, let’s go.” He drags me roughly towards the tree’s where Brandon waits next to a pair of Harley Davidson’s.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He winks as I come into view. “Any trouble?” he asks Lester.
“No. We’re good.”
Brandon pulls a large hunting knife from a sheath around his waist. “You ready to be famous, Danika? We’ve got a couple of home movies we need to make, and … well, you’re going to be the star.”
Chapter 43
Lautner
Thane spots me as soon as I barge through the door of the Warehouse. “What’s up with you?”
“Take my blood,” I demand, striding past him and heading down towards the Sun Sinner's living quarters.
“What, no. We don’t need any yet.” He follows behind me.
“Take it, or I will fucking bleed out on the floor, right here, right now,” I growl. I let my canines elongate, bringing my wrist up to my mouth. “What’s it to be?” I say, turning around to face him.
“Shit,” he mutters, “Follow me.” He strides past me, leading the way downstairs and ushering me into a small sterile room at the end of the hall.
“Over there.” He tilts his head to the gurney in the middle of the floor. I shrug off my coat, lying down.
“Hold out your arm.” His blood-red nails grasp my arm, applying the tourniquet and pulling it tightly. “What the fucks gotten into you?” he asks harshly, swiping my arm with a sterile wipe before lining up the needle with my vein.
I don’t reply. I wait, glancing at the sterile bag that would soon hold my blood. Hoping it takes away even a fraction of the pain that I'm feeling. If only for a short while. It would never be long enough.
Cortez was right. I might as well end it. I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Wanting Dani for the rest of my life and never being able to have her. To know somewhere out there, Drake would be sliding into her warm heat while I remained cold and alone, unable to stand the touch of another.
“I’m done,” Thane replies. I close my eyes waiting to be dragged under, but it’s not enough. The pain is still there. I can still see her when I close my eyes. “More,” I demand, opening my eyes as I stare at Thane.
“No, you’re talking about losing a severe amount of blood here?”
I didn’t care. I needed something to take away the memories. “Do it,” I growl, gripping his cold hand in mine.
“It's your fucking funeral,” Thane replies coldly. I nod, closing my eyes, waiting to be taken under.
***
“I’m going to kill him.” Seth’s voice breaks through the cloudy haze that engulfs my mind. I can’t move, no matter how hard I try.
“What’s everyone doing in here?” Cal commands loudly, making my head spin.
“What the hell did you do to him?” Ryan demands as I open my eyes to find my pack surrounding me.
“Only what he promised in return for breaking the rules. His blood,” Thane replies, entering the room.
“Shit. This can’t be happening right now.
” I hear Mick call out. “Seth, get him up.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, he’s lost a lot of blood,” Thane reminds him.
“Really, did you think this was necessary? After all the money he brings in for you with the cage fights. Did you really need to take so much?” Seth demands.
“No, but he did request it,” Thane replies. “Why do you think I called you. Your dog here clearly has a death wish.”
“Lautner, you’re a fucking asshole!” Seth all but screams at me now as I try to move. “Dani’s in trouble. Do you hear me? She needs her mate. She needs you,” he continues.
Dani. It seemed like a distant memory since I’d seen her last, and yet I know it can’t have been more than a few hours ago.
“Where’s Dani?” I croak, trying to speak, although my tongue feels like sandpaper in my mouth.
“Seth, get him a drink of water.” Ryan holds my head up as I take a sip.
“Where’s Dani?” I ask again.
“We’re not sure exactly,” Ryan confirms. “Drake was taking her back home when they found a man lying in the middle of the road. Dani got out to check on him, but he took her and ran.”
Shit. This is all my fault. I should never have left. Whether she wanted to be with me or not, I should never have abandoned her. I’ve no doubt that Lester or Brandon would be behind this. If anything happens to her, it would be all my fault. Straining, I try to force my body to move. Damn it. “Seth, help me up.”
“Lautner, you can’t do anything, not like this.” Mick pushes at my shoulders, keeping me down.
“Get me up,” I croak as my phone rings. Please be Dani, my mind roars. Seth limps over towards my leather jacket. I’d nearly forgotten about his injury. “Unknown,” he murmurs before answering the call and putting it on speaker.
“Lautner,” Lester’s cheery voice greets us. “Say hi, Dani.” I can hear his voice fading into the background. A scream sounds down the line that has me fighting against my weakened state.
“Lautner,” I hear her call out faintly over Lester’s laughing in the background. “Go on, tell him how much fun we’re having,” Lester urges.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. I can almost picture her in my mind as I hear her soft pleas. The echo of a slap rings out, and I hear what sounds like Dani grunting in pain.
“I’m going to kill you, Lester,” I growl.
“I don’t think you will.” The voice belongs to Brandon now. “You took my brother from me, and now I get your mate. We’ll call it even.” The call ends as I fight against the panic threatening to consume me.
“Fix this,” I demand, turning to Thane.
“I can’t,” he replies, clearly agitated.
“Can’t you just give him a transfusion?” Mick asks.
“The blood has already been sent out.”
“Well, what about one of us? Ryan, you’re the same blood type,” Seth demands.
I turn to Ryan. I know he despises me, but I know he wouldn’t let Dani suffer just to spite me. Ryan nods. “Alright.” He goes to sit in the empty chair beside me, rolling up his sleeve. “You will owe me for this,” he growls as Thane inserts the needle.
Grateful, I nod. “How long will this take?” I ask Thane, needing to get out of here and find my mate.
“A few hours, you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
“We don’t have that kind of time.” I rip the needle out of my arm, panic overtaking me.
“Hold him down,” Mick calls out. “We need to knock him out.”
“Don’t you dare.” I threaten everyone in the room, including my alpha.
“We don’t have a choice. You go out there now; you’re going to get yourself killed.”
I use what little adrenaline I have left to knock his arm away from me as I roll to the floor.
As my pack surrounds me, I try to fight, but it’s useless. Their hands pin me down as I curse them all. Thane stalks towards me, holding a syringe. I try to kick out, but I can no longer feel my legs. I watch the needle pierce my skin. “If anything happens to Dani, I will kill you all,” I warn as everything around me goes black.
Chapter 44
Lautner
It's dark by the time I wake up back in my room. For a moment, I don't remember anything until the faint hint of vanilla on my sheets hits my nose. Dani. Lester and Brandon have her. As my memory returns, I groan as I get out of bed. Whatever Thane had given me is still raging in my system. My body groans in protest as I pull on some clothes, determined not to let Dani down.
Everyone goes quiet when I eventually make my way down into the bar.
“How long have I been out?” I seethe, my eyes dancing over everyone in the room who dared hold me down.
“Twelve hours,” Mick confirms.
“You let me sleep for twelve hours when Dani is out there?” I demand. “What the hell is the matter with you?” I head over to where Drake and Cortez sit. “And you, how could you let him take her?”
“I tried to fight him off,” Drake replies, “but he got the jump on me. Besides, it’s all your fault anyway, isn’t it? Don’t blame me. You’re the one he wants to hurt, and my mate is paying the price.”
I grit my teeth at his words.
I hear my phone beep on the counter over by Mick instantly going towards it. “It’s another video from Lester,” Mick says, his eyes dark as he glances towards me. “You don’t need to see this.”
I pick up the phone, pressing play. The room on the screen is dark, except for a single beam of light shining down on Dani from above. She is bound and gagged. Her face a mixture of bruises and blood. “Look at the camera, Dani?” Lester demands. “Don’t make me hurt you again.” Her vacant eyes stare into the camera before the video ends abruptly.
“He will accept the deal. It's just a matter of time,” Cortez speaks calmly.
“Deal. What deal?” I snap, looking at him.
“Money, in exchange for her life.”
“You think that’s what this is all about, money? He will kill her. He doesn’t care about the money. This is your daughter,” I shout, thrusting my phone in front of his face. “Why aren’t you worried?”
“Son of a bitch.” I hear Terry behind me. I turn around, but he isn't looking at me. His eyes are on Cortez. “It was you, wasn’t it? You did this?”
“How dare you accuse me. I’m your alpha, and she is my daughter.”
“Your daughter has been missing nearly a full day. Yet you haven’t once joined us in the search for her,” Terry says.
Seth clears his throat. “You never did explain to us what happened the night of the mission. When you and Drake ran off, leaving us all behind?”
“The mission was a bust, so Drake and I came back here.”
“That’s a lie. I overheard you and Drake talking before we left. You were planning on meeting someone that night?” Terry pushes.
“I don’t have to tell you anything of my whereabouts,” Cortez demands.
“Maybe not to him,” Mick interjects, “but to me, you do. You’re on my territory, now answer the damn question. Where did you go?”
“This is outrageous,” he demands, getting up to leave. Ryan places his hand on Cortez’s shoulder, pushing him back down. “Answer the question.”
“You met Lester, didn’t you?” I ask.
“I did what was necessary for Danika,” Cortez replies.
“You think this is necessary for your daughter,” I demand, pressing play on my phone. “Is this for her own good? Lester and Brandon will kill her.”
“No, they won’t. We have a deal.”
“A deal! A fucking deal. You think they care about a deal. Brandon wants to hurt me, and your daughter will pay the fucking price. She’s my mate.”
A look of pure hatred distorts his face as he sneers at me. “Your mate. Rather she be dead than mated to the likes of you.”
“Motherfucker,” I shout as I launch myself across the room, grabbing Cortez by the throat. “Why. Tell me w
hy?”
“Simple. She needed to be punished for defying me. I’ve been one step ahead of you all this time. I knew all about the mate bond,” he spits. “You may wear her mark on your chest, but you know as well as I do that only buys you so much time. This is my insurance. Lester and Brandon keep her long enough for the mate bond to sever, and you follow in the footsteps of your father. I always win, Lautner. Always.”
“You may think you know everything,” I sneer, “but you got one piece of information wrong. My father didn’t kill himself. I killed him, and I promise you, your days are numbered.”
“Take them both to the pit,” Mick calls out as I drop my hands away from Cortez's throat.
As Daniel takes hold of Drake, Drake’s eyes turn to me. “You want to know why we came back here last night. If you hadn’t of taken her yesterday, I might have been gentle with her. She cried as I touched her. I wanted her to call out for you, knowing damn well you couldn’t save her. You will never find her, Lautner. Even if you do, do you really think Lester or Brandon’s going to pass up on taking her as well? They hate you more than I do.”
Mick holds me back as if anticipating my next move. “Take them away,” he orders. “We have more than enough evidence to present to the Council. They will both be dealt with.”
“You’re dead, Drake. Do you hear me? You and your alpha. I will find her and bring her home, and you’re going to wish you’d never met me.” I can’t stop myself as I pull my arm free from my alphas hold and slam Drake to the ground. I straddle his hips, every punch I throw connecting hard with his face. Even as his blood coats my hands, I continue. I ram his head hard into the ground before I feel hands at my back, pulling me off him. In my weakened state, I fight against them, but I'm not strong enough. Someone grips my wrists, forcing them together in front of me as I feel the burning pain of silver. “Fuck,” I cry out as I’m pushed handcuffed back into a chair. “I love her. Do you hear me? I love her, and I will save her,” I shout as I watch Drake sneer before being dragged bleeding from the room.
Lautner: A Dark Fated Mates Romance Page 18