NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  “Yes, Ethan I understand. I will wait but...”

  “No babe, no buts, you wait. I’ll get there as fast as I can, and we will approach the lab together. Or you can wait here with Wyatt and Peyton.” Sophie rolled her eyes and said fine, he didn’t like that.

  “Okay, Pet, just remember when we get back after this is all said and done, you owe me five. Keep up the attitude, and it will be ten. Understand?” Just like he hoped would happen, Sophie’s eyes became wide right before they softened, and she looked down to her feet saying, ‘Yes Sir.’ Ethan smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

  “Let’s go, babe.” Right before they made it to the door, Ethan heard a huge crash and looked around. He didn’t see anything, but Jacks was cursing up a storm on the com units. Matthias had gone lone wolf, son-of-a-bitch. Not having a choice, Ethan called on the power of his bear and smashed through the front door. It was security glass; to a human man, it would have been impossible to crash through it, but his bear didn’t have a bit of a problem.

  His sense of smell was immediately assaulted with the same chemical from back at the Club, this time they were prepared. Ethan pulled the gas mask over his face and indicated for Sophie to do the same. He also informed Jacks and Matthias; Jacks responded, but of course, Matthias didn’t; fucker. It only took seconds for the guard to engage him, he had a tranquilizer gun, but Ethan quickly disarmed him, turning the weapon on the fucker instead. Once the guard was down, he looked for Sophie. He knew she would run towards the lab, he just hoped she listened and waited for him.

  As he made his way down the hall, Ethan stopped to check every room with a door. It might take him longer, but he didn’t want to be caught with his pants down. He could feel Sophie through their weak bond, and she was scared, but not overly so. That was good enough for him, so he continued doing what he needed to do to make sure they all got out of there alive and well. Speaking with Jacks on and off, he knew his Alpha was doing the same; every few minutes a clear would come through the com unit.

  When Sophie’s frightened voice came over the com unit, Ethan stopped dead in his tracks.

  “Ethan, I think we have a problem. Matthias just entered the lab going right for the Overseer,” she said, starting to cry and Ethan moved his ass faster. “Ethan, he has Carley, and he’s using her as a shield. Matthias isn’t stopping, come quick.”

  Sophie stood back listening to the exchange between the Overseer and Matthias; she was stunned they knew each other, Matthias called the Overseer Tobias. Fuck, she knew he had been keeping information from them. The Overseer was either nuts, which Sophie already suspected, or he had a death wish because he was taunting Matthias. Telling him that he was weak and there wasn’t anything he could do to help Carley. Sophie looked at her sister, really looked at her; she looked dead. Not sickly, but her eyes were vacant, almost like she was there, but not. It scared her. The Overseer was dragging her around, and Carley wasn’t even fighting him; she also wasn’t helping him, she was limp in his arms.

  The next words she heard chilled her to the bones. The Overseer said something in a language she didn’t’ understand, but it had an effect on Matthias; he was standing, unmoving. She could see the veins popping from his neck and forehead. He was trying to move, but couldn’t. What the hell was going on and where the hell were Ethan and Jacks? If they didn’t get her soon, she was going to have to do something, and armed with only a hand gun and a few of Ethan’s toys, she knew she didn’t have a chance against the Overseer; she had tried before and lost. Hearing the Overseers voice caused revulsion to spread throughout Sophie body as she listened to him talk to Matthias.

  “Matthias, you stupid boy,” the Overseer laughed, walking closer to Matthias, “I can’t believe you actually thought that you could come in here and face me. Did you think that the blood bond was gone that you could harm me in any way? Stupid, your ego was always bigger than your brain. Didn’t our time together teach you nothing, that you can’t hurt me, ever? You will never win, and I will take everything from you. Including this, the Overseer licked Carley’s cheek, and Sophie had had enough, creeping forward she tried to remain out of sight, but really there wasn’t much she could do.

  “Ah, Sophie, I was wondering when you would arrive. Did you find Master Ethan to your liking? I wonder if he managed to plant his seed. Too bad he will have to die before we find out, but I promise you that I will care for you and the child, well that is until after the child is born. Then I think I will do what I have wanted to all along and rid myself of you and your sister. You have been nothing but problems for me, and I think with the new generation, your talents or lack of talents will no longer be needed.

  Sophie stood and faced her monster the man that held her and Carley and did horrible things to them and laughed. He was so deluded.

  “No, Tobias, is it? I think you have this all wrong; you see it’s time for you to finally pay the piper. You are the only one not leaving this place. The others wanted you to live, but I can see now that that isn’t possible, you need to die along with you fucked-up legacy.” Sophie raised her gun and pointed it right at the Overseers head. She was a good shot, a great one, actually. Even if she wasn’t, she didn’t have any plans of missing now.

  It was a risk to shot so close to her sister, but Sophie knew she could and would make the shot. When the Overseer said some more words in that funky language, and Matthias turned her way, she wasn’t all that concerned at first, but when he started to charge, she knew she was in trouble. Fuck no way could she take on Matthias hand-to-hand, and she really didn’t want to shoot him. Sophie flung herself to the side just as Matthias reached for her when the most beautiful bear she had ever seen barreled into the room going right for him. She knew it was Ethan without ever having seen his bear. Laying on her side on the floor, Sophie no longer had the angle she needed for a clear shot at the Overseer, but she shot wildly doing her best to avoid hitting her sister and was gratified when she heard the bastard grunt and drop Carley to the floor.

  Ethan in bear form was fighting a very still human Matthias, and they were getting a little too close to her. Sophie had wanted to jump up and grab her sister and continue firing at the Overseer, but self-preservation kicked in, and she scrambled off to the side, getting away from the two warring beasts. Matthias might not have changed, but somehow the man was still holding his own against Ethan’s bear; it shouldn’t have been possible.

  Jacks walked into the lab and shot Matthias with the tranquilizer gun, barely slowing the man. Sophie started crawling towards her sister, but every time she got close, Matthias would push Ethan or Jacks, who was now fighting as well, into her path. Sophie had lost sight of the Overseer, she didn’t have a clue where he had gone, but she could still see Carley and that was what she focused on. The lab was typical of any other lab, a couple of tables, some chairs, tons of equipment, and a few gurneys. Sophie hated those gurneys, having spent time on them.

  Carley was lying motionless, but Sophie could see the rise and fall of her chest; she just needed to get to her sister and everything would be okay, at least that was what she kept on repeating in head. Sophie had been keeping an eye on the fight and noticed that Matthias kept on shaking his head like he was trying to dislodge something. He also wasn’t fighting as hard, only defending himself. Whatever the Overseer had done was wearing off. Jacks must have noticed as well because he grabbed the man in a bear hug to end all bear hugs. Matthias stilled in his arms. Sophie moved faster, not even bothering to get up from the floor and that is when she saw it. Right under one of the tables was a weird contraption she had never seen; it had wires and things sticking out of it and on the side, it had a clock blaring in red numbers. Son of a bitch.

  “Bomb! Sophie screamed.

  Ethan changed so quickly, she was shocked to see him in human form. The change took a second, less even, and he was running towards her, the countdown read fifteen seconds. Ethan threw her over his shoulder and started running. Sophie was screaming for Carley, but
watched as Matthias picked her up and went the other way. Jacks was right behind her and Ethan, and just as they made it through the front door, the building exploded, and Sophie started screaming all over again.

  Chapter 27

  Sophie was numb after the explosion; Ethan had thrown her in the van, and Wyatt had sped off. That had been a couple of hours ago, they were all just sitting there waiting. Waiting for Matthias to bring Carley to them. Why it had taken hours, Sophie didn’t know; Matthias had called Jacks giving him a time and a place that was it.

  Sophie watched as an older model Ford truck pulled up into the parking lot. She could see two people, but it wasn’t until Matthias open the door and got out, that she knew it was them. Sophie didn’t wait, bolting from the van. When Carley got out of the truck, she knew something was different with her sister. Something was off. Going right to her Sophie wrapped her arms around her sister and held her,

  “Oh, Carley, are you okay?”

  There were no happy tears at being rescued or seeing Sophie, Carley was just standing there, not hugging her back or saying a word. Sophie pushed a little so she could look her sister in the eyes.

  “Carley, please talk to me, are you okay?”

  Carley brought her hand up and placed it on Sophie’s cheek, something they used to do as children. It was their special way of letting the other one know that they weren’t all right.

  “Carley, talk to me, tell me what you need.”

  “My baby,” Carley choked on a sob, “but you can’t give him back to me, Soph, he’s gone. They took him, and I don’t know where to find him. Can you find him? Can you find my baby boy for me?”

  “I don’t know, Carley, but I will look for him, and I promise you I will do my best to find him. We can do it together, just like before, okay?”

  “No, I’m going with that man,” Carley said pointing to Matthias, “he said he would find my baby if I went with him. I’m going with him Sophie, I can’t be around you now.”

  When Carley pushed her away, Sophie didn’t know what to do she couldn’t figure out what was happening. Did Carley blame her for everything that had happened?

  “Carley, please,” Sophie pleaded.

  “No, Sophie, I know that none of this is your fault, but I can’t be around you right now, it reminds me of everything. That man said he would find my baby and take me to a place so that I can heal; that’s what I want. I want to heal. I need to do that without you right now. You need to leave, he told me that you were with them, that you want to be with one of those beasts. I can’t, I won’t deal with that. I need to leave.”

  “Carley, what are you talking about?”

  “You know what I’m talking about,” Carley, snapped, “he changed right there in the lab, I saw it. You are with the same people who held us. He is like them, like the Overseer.”

  “No, he isn’t. Carley, you need to listen to me, let me explain. Ethan is a good man, all of these men are, they helped me get away and then they helped me get you out. I’m sorry about the baby, but I promise you Ethan and the others will help you find him.”

  “No, I’m going with that man. I don’t want to be here anymore.” Carley got back in the truck and Sophie watched as she locked the door and buckled her seat belt, never looking back at Sophie. Sophie wanted to rage, she wanted to drag her sister out and make her listen, but she knew her as well as she knew herself. Carley had shut down and was blaming Sophie for everything that had happened. Her sister had always been unbelievably stubborn.

  Sophie walked up to Matthias and smacked him as hard as she could across his face.

  “How dare you! You are manipulating her, making her think that you are something other than what you are and using her fear. Tell me why I should let you leave here with my sister? Tell me why you are doing any of this?”

  “I know you don’t understand, Sophie, and for that, I am sorry, but this is how it needs to be for right now. Your sister is damaged and needs time to heal and forgive. I will give her that and more. I wasn’t joking when I said that she is important to my line. I will protect her with my life, and I won’t stop until I find her son. If you trust anything I am saying, trust in that.”

  Sophie felt Ethan at her back and was grateful for his support; she didn’t know how much longer she had until she broke down completely.

  “That’s just the thing, Matthias, I don’t trust you, and I don’t think that anyone else standing here right now, except for my sister, does. You’re playing too many games.”

  “Listen, there’s more going on here than any of you know. If you don’t trust me, fine; call Declan, tell him I am taking Carley to Kiera. He will explain the rest.”

  Sophie saw Jacks pick up his phone and put it against his ear. After a couple of minutes, he walked over to them. He was looking at her, but talking to Ethan.

  “Senior confirmed that this Kiera person would keep Carley safe. He said that he would make sure that Sophie had access to contact Carley at all times. I might not trust Matthias, right now, but I do trust Senior’s word.”

  Sophie was looking at Jacks like he had grown two heads; she didn’t have a clue who Senior was or why any of them should be trusting him with her sister. It was her damn sister not theirs. Ethan pulled her in closer to his body, and although she appreciated it, she didn’t want that right now. Right now, she wanted answers.

  “Give us a minute, Jacks, but watch him,” Ethan said pointing to Matthias. Ethan pulled Sophie until they were behind the van and sat her down on the curb.

  “Babe, you need to tell me what you’re thinking. I can vouch for Seniors word and Jacks, but I have to know what you want me to do, this is your sister.”

  “What would you do if it was your sister, Ethan? I just got her back.”

  “I don’t know, babe. If Senior says she will be safe with this Kiera person, then I believe it.”

  “I just got her back, and I don’t know any of these people you’re talking about. Can’t we just bring her with us and get her help? I mean, wouldn’t that be the right way to handle this? Matthias thinks she’s a possible mate for someone in his line. If I let her go, then aren’t I just as bad as the Overseer and the rest of them? Hell, even he got away. How do I know he won’t find this Kiera person and take Carley back? What’s stopping him?”

  “Those are all good questions, Soph, and as much as I want to give you the answers to them, I can’t.”

  “Ah, guys,” Peyton said walking out from behind the van, “I have a phone call for Sophie. Is it okay for me to bring her the phone?”

  Who the hell would be calling her? Sophie was so stunned that she didn’t answer, but Ethan had taken the phone from Peyton and handed it to her. Putting it up to her ear, Sophie said a tentative, Hello?

  “Hi, Sophie, my name is Kiera O’Shay. I have worked with Declan Quinn and NAC for over twenty years.” The woman’s voice was sweet and soft, but what she was saying still wasn’t registering with Sophie. “I understand that Matthias, the big brute, has done something and your sister is going to come and stay with me for a while. I figured I should give you a call because God know those men leave out critical information when it suits them.”

  “Okay?”

  “I’m a doctor. I can give you my credentials so that you can look them up if your concerned. I run a small psychiatric hospital in upstate New York. We are fully licensed and functioning; you sister will be safe here. My hospital is well guarded by members of NAC, and although I have worked with NAC for a very long time and know about the men’s, let’s say, inner selves, my name has never been associated with them in any way.”

  “Um, all right?” Sophie was still confused and didn’t know what to say. She wanted to believe the woman, but she didn’t know her.

  “I get that you’re concerned, and you have every right to be, but I promise you will have full access to your sister. I will update you daily and encourage Carley to speak with you. I understand she is shutting down a bit right now.”

&nb
sp; “Yes, she blames me for everything that has happened,” Sophie said in a small voice.

  “She might be doing that now, but from the information I have already received, I don’t think there’s anyone to blame besides Tobias for the situation you and your sister found yourself in. Your sister needs help right now, and I can do that; the choice is up to you. Let Matthias bring her here, and once she is settled, you can come and see my facility for yourself and we can talk. Can you trust enough for that to happen?”

  Could she? Sophie knew that Ethan had heard the entire conversation she had with the doctor. Looking up to him, he was nodding his head, encouraging her to accept this.

  “Yeah, I can do that much, but I will be there soon. I won’t let my sister be placed somewhere I haven’t seen or personally met the people caring for her, she might hate me right now but I love her. Can you understand that?”

  “Yes, Sophie, and I would expect nothing less. See you soon.”

  Sophie hung up the phone and went right into Ethan’s arms. This hurt, this whole thing fucking hurt. Ethan held her for a while, not saying anything.

  “Babe, we need to go talk to the team. They need to know what you’ve decided. The longer we hang out here...”

  “Yeah, I know, let’s go.” As they walked hand in hand around the van, Sophie was sad, but she also felt strong; Ethan had her back no matter what, and she loved him for it. Stopping she pulled him back.

  “Thank you,” she said, looking into his beautiful eyes.

  “For what?” Ethan said, looking at her puzzled.

  He had no idea what his comfort and support meant to her. Sophie wanted to blurt of that she loved him at that very moment, but she held back. They would get her sister settled and then they would get themselves settled. It was time for some peace.

  “For just being you, Ethan, thank you.”

  This Senior person, who Sophie learned ran NAC and was Jacks father-in-law, well dragon-in-law as she was told, had a plane waiting for them at a small airport outside of Toledo. Sophie was willing to check out the facility Kiera had spoken about, but she wasn’t going to let her sister go there alone. Ethan and Matthias came along, and for three days, Sophie grilled Kiera and her staff. Jacks, Wyatt, and Peyton had left them at the airport, so they could head home. Now it was her and Ethan’s turn to leave, and she didn’t know if she wanted to or if it was the right thing to do. Carley wouldn’t talk to her; even on the plane she sat next to Matthias and wouldn’t look a Sophie.