“What have you done, Matthias? Where is Ethan and the others? Why am I here?”
“Straight to the point little bird, I like that.” Matthias steepled his fingers placing them on his lips. “Do you know how many people fill the world with unneeded bullshit?”
“Cut the crap,” Sophie said standing up, looking down. Patting her body, she was grateful she was still wearing the clothes Peyton had given her. “Tell me why you have brought me here? Where is Ethan? While you’re at it, why don’t you tell me exactly where I am, so I can get the hell out of here?” She knew by saying that, she would be able to better gauge exactly what Matthias had planned. Either she was a prisoner, or she wasn’t, only time would tell.
“I brought you here,” Matthias said leaning forward, “because this is where you need to be, and where I want you to be. As for Ethan, I’m pretty sure he’s on his way to Ohio just like I wanted him to be, following the false trail I left him. You’re a couple miles away from the cabin, far enough away that your scent would be diminished, but not far enough way where we could not complete the tasks that need to be done. As for leaving, I think that after you hear me out, you will agree this is where you need to be.”
Well that answered that; she wasn’t exactly free, but she was exactly a prisoner, either. Sophie sat back down on the bed.
“Why would you do that?” Sophie didn’t elaborate, she knew that Matthias would know what she was talking about; Ethan.
“He would have gotten in the way of what needs to be done. He would have prevented you from putting yourself in danger, which is exactly what you’re going to do. Now tell me about your sister, how many times has she been pregnant?”
“What, wait, what the hell, Matthias? I don’t know you, and quite frankly, I don’t think if I did, I would like you very much, so you’re going to have to be a little more transparent with your plans if you expect me to tell you anything or do a damn thing you’re demanding. Greater good or not, I’m making my own decisions, now.”
“You want to save your sister and your nephew, right? I can make that happen, but you need to answer some of my questions first. Now tell me about your sister, is she like you? Or have they broken her?”
Lord, this man was infuriating, only answering the questions he chose to, well, Sophie was going to change that right quick. She wanted her sister and would do anything for Carley, but there was a right way and a wrong way. If Matthias could convince her his was the right way, she might follow his plan, if not, she would figure something out herself. She didn’t see any issue with talking about her sister; she liked talking about her sister, it made her feel closer to Carley, and right now, she needed that.
“My sister is strong and beautiful. She never let any of the things that were happening at the compound affect her, she is a glass half full type of girl. Has been this entire time, but having the baby changed her. I haven’t seen her in over three months, so I don’t know if she has broken, I’m hoping she’s hasn’t, but the truth is, I just don’t know. I would like to think she hasn’t, but you have no idea how much they have put her mind and body through. Now, tell me why you are so interested in my sister or my lips will remain closed until you take me back to Ethan.:
“You surprise me, Sophie, you aren’t the weak little flower I expected Ethan to choose as a mate. I like it, he needs someone to keep him on his toes.”
“Enough, Matthias, tell me what I want to know.”
“Did you notice the similarities between yourself and Peyton? Same build, coloring, right down to your hair and eyes.”
“Yes, but lots of people have that; Carley is my twin, and yet, we look nothing alike. What are you getting at?”
“Agreed, but I’m noticing more and more that the women who are becoming true mates hold very similar attributes. I also noticed that the person you call the Overseer has noticed this as well. I think he is matching mates genetically through bloodlines, making it possible to impregnate woman with the purpose of producing shifter children without the added complication of true mating. I think your sister has the genetics that link to my line.”
“I don’t know, Matthias, it sounds plausible, but considering I don’t have a degree in genetics or anything to do with reproduction, I can’t comment. What I will comment on is that you are sounding more and more like the bad guys instead of who you are supposed to be, one of the good ones. You took me away from Ethan without his knowledge to tell me that I needed to do something dangerous to save my sister. One point in your favor, you played on my willingness to do anything for my family. But then you kind of ruined it by basically telling me you are planning on doing something very similar to my sister because of a theory you have. That sounds a lot like something the Overseer would do, so that point your earned just got flushed down the toilet.”
“NO! That is not what I said at all. Women are such pains in the ass, I wonder why my clansmen even want the added burden. You don’t think rationally. My plan isn’t to do anything close to what that bastard has done to your sister. I only want to keep her safe, put her somewhere where I know she will be taken care of and looked after. If she mates and chooses to extend my line, that is her decision to make, not mine.”
Sophie laughed, damn this whole conversation was nuts.
“My sister will be safe with me and Ethan, if he’ll have us. I don’t think taking her out of one prison and putting her somewhere where she knows no one is a good idea. I also don’t think that is your decision to make, this is my sister we’re talking about, and you don’t even know if you are right about your theory.”
“Damn, woman, you are infuriating.”
Sophie wanted to say, yeah, the feeling is mutual, but she held her tongue.
“This is what I was saying, I will try to go slow so that you don’t miss anything.”
Sophie thought, jerk but again, she kept her mouth shut, wanting this over with.
“I believe that Franklin implanted your mother with two embryos, you and your sister. You are related only because of your mother’s genetics. The sperm he used was Shifter, we know that, but I think he used different Shifter’s sperm for each of you. Making you destined for one line, the Lords, specifically Ethan, and her for another, mine.”
“Are you saying that my sister is your mate? Because if you are you better prepare yourself, Matthias. I think Carley would run screaming if you told her that; you are one scary assed dude. Sorry, but you’re not exactly warm and fuzzy.”
“Not me, but one from my line. I need to get to your sister and find out if my theory is correct as you said. She needs to be given the chance to bond with her mate, just as you have with Ethan. Would you deny her that? The feelings you’ve been having, the future that you couldn’t have even dreamed of before, are you too selfish not to want the same for her?”
“Wow, laying it on a little too thick, don’t you think, Matthias? I will do anything for my sister, anything, that was never in question. I will even keep her from her mate if that is what is best for her or she asked me to. Do you understand that? She has been through more in the last six years than any one person should have to take. I’m not going to free her only to allow you to once again trap her because she may or may not be part of your line’s future. That you even would ask me to do so and then assume that my hesitation is due to selfishness, shows me that you are not the man my sister needs to be around.”
“Do you know what happens to people who speak to me in the way you are Sophie? I suggest you watch yourself.”
“Oh, please cut the crap. Listen, you need something from me, otherwise we would not be sitting here having this almost civilized conversation. You don’t strike me as the type of man who would shrink back from getting his hands dirty or putting off the inevitable. So, explain your plan to me and let’s get on with it. The topic of my sister is off limits; I won’t discuss her with you, she has been through enough.”
“Okay, you are going to make a call on this phone to the Overseer, you’re going
to tell him that William and the others are dead, and that you need him to send someone to pick you up, so you can get back to your sister.”
“You make that sound so easy, when you know it’s not; he’s going to want to know why everyone else is dead, and I’m not. Plus, it has been almost a full day; how in the hell do you expect me to pull that off? He will be instantly suspicious, he might not even bother to pick me up.”
“He will. Like I said, he has been keeping you around for a reason, just like your sister. He just hasn’t found your match, yet, otherwise, he would have gotten rid of you a long time ago. I know you think he kept you to control your sister, but that was never the case he was just biding time.”
“Okay, I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, after all, I’m the one that lived in that facility, not you. I listened to him tell me often enough that I wasn’t worth anything, so continue. I make the call, he comes and gets me, what then?”
“Then I follow, break in, kill the bastard, and get you and your sister out, and you back to Ethan.”
“That easy, huh? I have news for you, Matthias, you might be a bad ass, but the Overseer is no joke. Your kind doesn’t even know who the hell he is, and he has been operating right under your noses, taking people and samples for years, hell, probably decades.”
“Most definitely decades. I have a feeling I know exactly who your Overseer is, and I plan to do everything in my power to take him out, permanently.”
“You realize when this is all over, Ethan is never going to forgive you, right?”
“Yes, Sophie, I know, but it can’t be helped. You never saw the facility you were kept in, and every day we leave your sister there, it’s another day closer to them permanently harming her; I won’t let that happen. This is the only way.”
It sucked but Sophie agreed with him with one small change.
“I agree with you, but I won’t do this without you either taking me back to Ethan, or calling him and having him come here.”
Matthias stood for the first time showing agitation. Well, tough shit, Sophie thought, she wasn’t exactly happy either. If they were mates like they said, and she had a feeling was true, then she needed to include him in everything in her life, including this. Sophie knew he wouldn’t like it, but she was convinced she could get him to see reason. What she wasn’t willing to do was deceive him and go forward without him. Matthias would just have to get over it.
“You are not the one in charge here, little girl, I am, and I say we do this without Ethan or the Alpha Team, it’s the only way it will work.”
“I disagree, and you can yell and scream at me all you want, but you need me to make that call. I will do it, but only if Ethan is with me, period. I know you’re eventually going to agree to my terms, so how about we cut to the chase, and you call him? It’s your only option, at this point. I love my sister and I will do anything for her, but I also care very deeply for Ethan, and I’m not willing to start or end any relationship we may have in the way you want me to. It’s him I am loyal to, Matthias, not you or NAC.”
“You know, this is only going to delay matters and create more problems. My plan was free from useless emotions; in and out, easy. I’ll call Ethan, but trust me when I say, you will regret this decision. He’ll never allow you to do what needs to be done. Just remember, if something happens to your sister, you’re the one who decided this was the best course of action.”
Sophie, couldn’t help it. Matthias was an asshole; he thought he was right, but she knew he wasn’t. Ethan would see her side of things and agree to this mission. He might not like it, but he would agree, he had to.
Chapter 24
Ethan, Wyatt, and Jacks stormed into the cabin. Ethan saw Peyton sitting on the couch, looking confused and out of it, like she had been sleeping, but was just now waking up and she didn’t know why. He didn’t go to her or try to figure out what was going on, Wyatt and Jacks could do that. Running down the hall, he opened the door to the bedroom; finding his bed empty, he panicked. Going to the bathroom, he kicked open the door, empty, too. Fuck.
The cabin wasn’t that big; he left the bedroom and started kicking in the other doors, determined to find Sophie and Matthias, but came up empty. Before he could make it out the door Jacks stopped him.
“Ethan, fuck, listen.”
Ethan didn’t want to listen, he wanted to find Sophie and beat the shit out of Matthias because he knew that the man had something to do with this. Then his phone rang. Looking down at it he hit the button and brought it up to his ear, but didn’t say a word.
After hanging up Ethan leaned up against the wall next to the front door, feet a foot apart and arms crossed over his chest. He was pissed, and very soon, he would make sure that Matthias was well aware of what he had done wrong. Jacks, Wyatt, and Peyton were all looking at him, but he needed a minute to calm slightly.
“He will be here with Sophie in five minutes,” were the only words Ethan could grunt out. His bear was close. Looking at Wyatt he noticed the other man wasn’t that far behind him. Hell, Ethan didn’t blame him, Matthias had put his hands on Peyton; Wyatt deserved some payback as well.
Ethan heard the car coming up the driveway, even heard the doors to the vehicle shut, but he remained in his spot by the door. When he heard one set of heavy steps and one set of smaller ones on the porch, he almost left his position and yanked open the door, but he didn’t. Matthias was going to get what was coming to him. As soon as the door opened fully and Matthias walked through the door with Sophie behind him, he yanked Sophie away, turned and blasted Matthias right in the face with his fist.
Matthias, the bastard that he was, only rubbed his jaw like it was an annoyance instead of a well-placed punch. Ethan regretted not putting more power behind it, this man needed to pay.
“Your first mistake old man was messing with my woman. Your second was messing with Wyatt’s.”
Ethan had seen Wy out of the corner of his eye and knew the man was ready to attack. Ethan barely stepped back when Wyatt attacked, giving Matthias several well-placed hits. Wyatt might be their computer geek, but he was also Alpha, which meant he was a badass motherfucker, just like the rest of them.
Ethan felt great satisfaction when Matthias staggered back from the blows. He wanted to continue with the beat down, but Sophie was what was more important right now. Grabbing her elbow, he led her from the room straight to the bedroom they had shared without saying a word. He was grateful she followed without asking any questions. Once he got the door closed, he ran his hands over her body and looked at every inch of her. He almost demanded that she strip so he could see if Matthias had been too rough with her or hurt her in any way, but he restrained himself just barely.
“Are you okay, did he hurt you?” Ethan growled. Sophie was looking at him with big eyes. He didn’t want to scare her, but his animal was so close to coming out that he wasn’t doing a very good job right now at keeping his feelings concealed. He was afraid this side of him would scare her away and make her run. When she walked into his body and hugged him close, he was speechless. Damn, nothing scared his girl. His bear retreated and calmed just by her touch alone.
“I’m fine, really. I made him bring me back, but Ethan we need to talk, his plan isn’t without merit.”
“Babe, I don’t give a flying fuck about what Matthias has planned, you are the only thing that is important. Do you know what happened when I got here and found you gone?”
“Ethan, I promise I’m okay, he didn’t lay a hand on me. He took me to some hotel, explained what he wanted, and I changed it, telling him I wouldn’t do anything without you by my side. Please you need to listen to me, this might be the only way I can get my sister and nephew back; I have to try.”
“What does he want you to do?” Ethan asked, not willing to let her out of his arms.
“It’s easy, really. All he wants is for me to call the Overseer and have him pick me up. You and your team can follow, so that we can get the location of
his facility. Once I’m there, you guys can come in and save the day. Ethan, I think it will work.”
“Sophie, that puts you with that fucker with no protection for hours. He could do anything to you in that time, and I would be helpless to stop him; that can’t happen.”
“Ethan, this is the only way. I don’t know where the facility is, and it could take weeks or even months for us to find it. Carley would be stuck there, hell, he could even move her or worse, get rid of her. I have to take this chance, please you need to let me.”
“Babe, I’m all for you getting your sister and your nephew back to you, but that can’t happen at your expense. I can’t deal with you being in danger. We will figure out a way, just give us time to find it. Fuck, listen if we were bonded completely, I might be able to let you go but right now…”
“Stop, Ethan. I get it, but you have to understand; I have been upfront with you from the start, Carley comes first. Once she’s safe, we can go on with this mating thing, but until then, I won’t stop trying to find a way to get to her, to free her from them. I won’t be whole until that happens; that means we can’t be whole. Is that something you want? Me safe, but only half the person I could be?”
“Shit, babe, I hear you, and if it comes to that, I will deal, but you have to give my team a chance to find another way. I know there has to be one, just let me find it. I can’t lose you, I just found you, do you understand?”
“I understand, Ethan, but I just don’t think there is another way. I have been with the Overseer for years. I can handle anything he does to me as long as we can get Carley out and you’re at my back. I’m trained, Ethan, those people might not have given me much, but they did give me that, years of it. I know how to handle myself, and the things that get put in my path. A few hits from the Overseer are nothing compared to the bigger picture. Please just think about it.”
Ethan growled, fuck he didn’t like this one bit, but he knew he needed to let Sophie do it. Unless they could come up with another solution, and he was determined to do just that. A solution where she was safe and sound waiting for him to bring her sister and nephew back, or chained to his bed, pissed off. He could deal with either of those situations better than putting her in danger. If that made him an asshole, so be it, he would accept the title with honor.
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 121