"Not now," I whisper hoarsely and using every ounce of willpower I can muster, I step back.
I meet his eyes, and even though we're no longer touching, the heat in his is increasing, drawing me in. I could look into those green eyes all day. They're a little too bright to be called emerald. A grassy meadow on a sunny day.
"That was strange," he mutters.
And just like that, the spell is broken.
"Strange? You call it strange when a woman rips off your shirt? Do you need an instruction manual to figure out what that means?"
I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at him. I thought he was feeling the same, no, I know he did, so why is he being weird?
He sighs deeply. "You didn't fight my siren power. You changed it, and then you simply removed it not by struggling, but by finding a logical reason for why you couldn't accept it just now. That's never happened before."
"Wait, you..."
This time, he lets me stab him. Granted, I only nick his skin because I don't really want to hurt him, but I hope he gets the message. Don't mess with Kat, especially not with emotional stuff.
He groans, but doesn't even move to press a hand against the cut on his upper arm. Blood seeps into his dark shirt, but not enough to be worrying. I forgot he doesn't heal as fast as me. Oh well, it's a just punishment. Hopefully, it will scar. That will teach him not to mess with my head.
"You misunderstand," he says, eyeing his wound. "I didn't make you rip off my shirt."
I glare at him. "I certainly wouldn't have done that out of my own volition."
"Yes, you would have."
"Don't make me stab you again," I snap. "I'm not that kind of woman. I don't undress random men."
"Random?" He quirks an eyebrow. "I thought we were getting to know each other."
"Yes, while you were lying to me." I scoff. "I shouldn't have let you do that. Maybe I should cut off your dick, that will teach you."
He cringes. "I know you might not believe me, but not all men think with their cocks. I only used my power to make you hold my hand. I know you're not big on touching, so I thought that would be a good start. Then I was planning to have you take off your shirt-" I growl but he ignores me, "-but instead, you changed the command and took off mine. Do you see? While you didn't realise it was me telling you what to do, you instinctively changed the order to something similar but less damaging. It must be your experience with wearing a collar. I assume you were good at looking for loopholes in your instructions?"
I nod. "Very."
"That explains it. I was about to stop my powers when you managed to free yourself by deciding that this wasn't the time. Again, you instinctively knew how to get around it. If you'd simply tried to fight my command because you didn't want to do it, it wouldn't have worked, or at least it would have been very difficult. But by making it about the others, about our mission, you managed to break my influence without even knowing what you were doing. It's remarkable, really."
"Are you saying that I wanted to see you naked?" I stutter, my mind swirling. He must be lying.
His frown turns into a grin. "Yup. And I can totally see why."
He makes his pecs dance up and down. Okay then. Now he's getting a little cocky, but stabbing him a third time might be over the top. I need him in good condition for our mission. The cats depend on me. The heat that has gathered in my lower body dissipates as I think of poor little Pumpkin. It's been a whole day now since he was taken. Anything could have happened during that time. He might be dead and dissected by now.
Gryphon sees my expression and turns serious. "At least we know now that you can defend yourself against siren powers, even though it's in rather unorthodox ways. I'm not sure about Lennox though."
"He's been without a collar for ten years, surely that would make him less susceptible?"
Gryphon nods, although he doesn't seem entirely convinced. "Probably. He's strong, but I don't think he's as strong as you."
I'll take that compliment because I know it's true. Lennox may have some pretty good skills, but by staying at the Pack for ten years longer than him, I got a lot more training than him.
"Remember, you promised me not to tell anyone," he reminds me as I turn towards the door. "You can say that I've given you some helpful information, but no details. I don't want them to know just yet. You, I trust to do the right thing."
"What if I thought the right thing would be to tell them?" I ask, even though I'm not intending to break my word. I honour my promises, always.
"Then I would beg you not to," he says quietly. "I've had to fight what I am all my life, and finally, I am in a place where I can turn into the man I want to be. Please don't take that away from me."
My heart goes out to him. It was the same for me when I first left the Pack. I'd been defined by them, they'd given me a role that had become my sole purpose, so when I was suddenly on my own, I had to remake myself. I had to learn about who I was and what I liked. I'd never had the option to choose between different foods before. I wasn't sure if I preferred to sleep in single or double beds - which is how I ended up having a hammock. I didn't even know what size I wore because I'd always been provided my clothes. I'd felt so lost at the beginning, even though I'd never admit that. Right now, I see something of that Kat in Gryphon's eyes.
"I'm not going to tell them," I reply, fighting against the urge to reach out to him.
No, I've done enough touching for now. If that had really been me.
Yeah, who am I kidding. It had been me. And I'm regretting that Gryphon is about to put on a new shirt and hide the gorgeous view he's currently giving me.
Sacrifices have to be made. Sadly.
Chapter Seventeen
I'm surprised when the others accept that I can't divulge what Gryphon and I talked about. What Benjamin and Beth don't accept, however, is that I want to leave them behind.
"No way," Ben says vehemently, glaring at both Gryphon and me. "I can't stay here while kittens are in danger."
"There are kittens in this house right now, Benjamin," I remind him. "If something happens to us, who's going to look after them? You need to stay here and make sure nobody takes the opportunity to attack our home while we're gone. That could be exactly what the Pack are planning. Lure us out, then burn down our headquarters while we're not there to fight them off."
He looks like he's about to protest, but Bethany puts a hand on his arm. "She's right. And there's the girl to think about too. Someone needs to look after her, and I'd rather that be the two of us than some of Ryker's cats. They wouldn't be able to deal with her should something happen."
I was debating whether to take clone-Kat with us, since she might be able to show us where to go, but she's in no fit state to come. If someone put a collar on her, she'd turn into our enemy, and now that we've got to see the girl underneath the collar, I wouldn't be able to hurt her. She'd be the perfect weapon against us. Maybe that's been the Pack's intention all along. Make us like the girl, then have her attack us.
"We looked through the remaining folders while you were gone," Lennox says, pointedly looking away from Gryphon's exposed chest. He's not meeting my eyes either, but it's clear to see that he's unhappy with me. I can almost feel his wolf cry out to me. I'm amazed that he's been this calm around me at all. I'd always thought that wolves would go into a frenzy until their mate agreed to be with them, but for now, he seems to have himself under control. I hope it stays that way, because I'm not going to turn into his one true love anytime soon. I need more time to think about him, and me, and us, but right now, there are far more important things occupying my mind.
"We didn't find anyone matching the description of this Grandma Doctor, but we did find a scientist with close connections to the Pack. In here it says that he's no longer in town, but Bethany is sure that she's seen him before."
My friend nods. "You know the herb shop on Smithy Road? I swear I bumped into him there. Literally bumped, because he wasn't looking where he was
going. It was maybe a week ago, so I bet he's still here. Maybe he never left and simply went underground."
Lennox hands me the file and I flick through it. There's not a lot information, but there is an address and a photo. He's in his late forties with a receding hairline and deep-set eyes.
"Doctor Alfie Lomond," I read. "Specialises in genetic engineering and selective breeding."
Bethany snorts. "As long as he's not doing any of the breeding. He's not my type, or any woman's type. Just look at those eyes, they're creepy."
She's right about that. With his hollow cheeks and sharp nose, he doesn't look like a man who I'd invite over for tea. Not that I ever invite anyone over, but that's not the point.
I check the date at the top of the file. It was compiled five years ago, which means he disappeared around the time my clone must have been created. Just a coincidence? I don't think so.
"Alright, let's go to his address," I say, ripping out the page with his photo and details and stuffing it in my chest pocket. "It's unlikely he still lives there, but it might give us some clues to his whereabouts. Definitely better than traipsing around the Pack headquarters looking for a hidden building. They'd take us out before we ever got close to finding what we're searching for. We may be better at fighting, but they outnumber us something like fifty to one, or even more. You know I'm confident in my skills, but not that confident. What we need is stealth and information, that's the only way this can work." I turn to Bethany. "Lock down the house. You know our emergency protocols. Let's be prepared for the worst. Benjamin, it might be safer if you get some of the other cats to help you with looking after the kittens. Talk to Ryker, he'll send some of his friends. I'll ask them to patrol the area as well and warn you if anyone from the Pack comes too close."
"Do you really think they're going to attack us?" Bethany asks.
"They created a young girl and turned her into a weapon. Right now, I want us to be prepared for anything. I've not worked hard for the past seven months to build us this home just for them to take it from me."
She gives me a sharp nod and I know that she'll follow the protocols we set at the very beginning. She's not going to underestimate the threat that's facing Meow. Even though I founded our company, they're more than just employees. They're part of it, they make it a home, a family.
I'm almost glad that Lily is away on holiday. One person less to worry about.
Wait a second. I'm worrying about other people. I'm actually scared that something might happen to them. When the fuck did that happen? When did I let them in, when did I let them become more than convenient accessories?
"Let's go and talk to Ryker," I say before my mind can shock me even more. Or maybe it's my heart. I'm discovering that I actually have one. It's scary.
The house Alfie Lomond used to live in is now occupied by a family. Their kids are noisily playing in a tiny garden, an even tinier dog running around their feet. Is that a toy or a dog? I shudder in disgust. Even a kitten has more self-respect than that jumping furball.
"I doubt we'll find anything interesting here," Gryphon says with a sigh. "Unless Ryker can smell something?"
The cat in question gives him a look that's full of a testosterone-laden challenge, and runs off towards the garden. Ever since Ryker saw Gryphon's torn shirt, he's been glaring at the siren. Is there something going on between the two of them? Being surrounded by so many men is getting exhausting. Give me a bunch of bitchy girls over these I've-got-the-bigger-one guys any day.
We wait in silence. A couple of Ryker's cats are following us covertly, but I could point to each one of them with my eyes closed. My panther senses are getting stronger again, but I don't think I'm ready to shift yet. If it's an absolute emergency, I might have to, but for now, I prefer to stay human.
"What if he doesn't find anything?" Lennox asks quietly when the cat still hasn't returned. "Do we just walk to their front gates?"
Luckily, we never have to figure that out. Ryker meows from afar and we move towards him in a trot. He's two houses down from where the children are playing in the garden. Thank goodness, away from that tiny barkmachine. I was close to eating that dog just to shut it up.
Ryker is waiting for us in front of a shed. Not another one. What is it with us and sheds? I don't think I've ever been in one before, and now this is the second in as many days. Plus, Mr Kindler had one too. Maybe I should get my own shed, just in case. Interesting things seem to happen inside of them.
Ryker knocks his paw against the wooden door.
Gryphon steps forward and removes the rusty padlock with one sharp pull. Before he even opens the door, the stench of human waste fills my nose and I gag. Has someone been using the shed as an outdoor toilet? Not what I was expecting at all.
It's dark inside, but I let my eyes adjust and take in the scene. There's a man sitting on the mouldy wooden ground in the centre of the shed. He's naked, but he's so covered in dirt that it doesn't really matter. He's also missing one ear. Lovely. A torture victim, unless he's a Van Gogh impersonator.
He keeps his eyes closed but cocks his head at the sound of us entering his shed. The floor is caked in human waste, confirming that it's been indeed used as a toilet, except that I hadn't anticipated that a man is living inside the toilet. What a strange situation. He's thin, but not starved; someone is keeping him alive. They're not taking good care of him though, judging from the matted hair and his long, curved fingernails.
"Who are you?" I ask and the man turns his head towards me.
He doesn't reply. Of course not. That would be far too easy.
I sigh and pull one of my knives. "Tell me quickly, I'm not very patient right now. There are children in danger so you better talk before I get angry."
He doesn't open his eyes, but he does open his mouth. A gaping hole sits where his tongue once was. He won't be able to tell us anything.
"Can you understand me though?" I ask and to my relief, he nods. Somehow, we're in the same situation as with the clone girl. While we managed to get her talking, I doubt there's anything we can do for this man. Cutting out a tongue is a pretty permanent solution to preventing someone from spilling secrets.
"Do you know the Pack?" I ask him. His eyes snap open, exposing bloodshot pupils that stare at me in shock. He slowly lifts a hand and makes a cutting motion in front of his throat.
"You're scared they might kill you? Honestly, wouldn't that be better than how you currently live?"
Ryker meows, but I don't think it's to agree with me. Oh shut up, kitty cat. I'm tired and impatient. I don't have time for this man to be scared.
"You know the Pack then. We're looking for a man called Alfie Lomond. Do you know him?"
I didn't think his eyes could go any wider, but they do. He looks to either side, as if he expects the Pack to attack him, then focuses his gaze on me, examining me from top to bottom. Usually, I'd relieve men who do that from the burden of their balls, but he doesn't do it because I'm a woman. I think he just wants to get the measure of me, find out whether I'd be strong enough to not get killed.
Finally, he nods, very slowly.
I'm hiding my relief at the fact that we might have a lead to follow. "Is he still alive?"
Again, the man nods.
"Is he the one keeping you here?"
A third nod.
"Do you know where he is now?"
This time, he shakes his head. Fuck. It was going so well.
"Alright, do you know where he works? We know that there must be some kind of hidden lab or research facility that the Pack run. Does that ring any bells?"
His eyes almost pop out of his sockets. His nod is almost imperceptible, but he does seem to know what I'm talking about.
"Someone's taken some friends of mine," I explain. "And there are things going on in that lab that we need to stop. If you show us the way, I'll make sure to keep you safe."
He laughs, a horrible gurgling sound.
"I don't think he wants to be safe," Lennox mut
ters from behind me. He steps forward to look at the man. "Do you want us to end your suffering?"
The prisoner stares at Gryphon for a long time. I can almost hear a conversation happening between them, but I'm sure I'm just imagining that. After what seems like forever, the man nods and carefully shuffles on his knees until we see his back. Thick red welts cover his skin, old marks from what must have been brutal whippings. They did that to us back at the Pack, but we healed. This man didn't.
His wrists are tied together. No wonder he's been soiling himself. And even if he'd wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to take his own life to escape the pain, not tied up like this.
Gryphon produces a knife out of nowhere and gently cuts through the rope. Even when his bonds fall to the ground, the man doesn't move his arms. The way his shoulder blades curve strangely, he must have some dislocated joints. Poor man. Gryphon was right when he talked about ending the man's suffering.
I step back and let him and Lennox help the guy up. He's barely able to walk, but he tries to, one stumbling step after another. When the first ray of sunshine falls onto his face, he grins a toothless, tongueless smile and closes his eyes. I wish we could leave him here to enjoy the sun one last time.
Sadly, we need him to show us the lab or we’ll never find Pumpkin and the other kittens.
“Is it far?” I ask him, almost regretting to disturb his moment of peace.
He nods, and I can’t help but sigh.
“One of the guys will carry you. Try to take us the quickest route possible, although we can’t risk being spotted, so avoid any busy streets. Got that?”
I have a feeling like we’re making a mistake here, but there’s no other way.
Chapter Eighteen
I prick the man with a sleep dart before Gryphon cuts his throat. Strategically, it would have made more sense to keep the man alive until we’re sure this is the right place and that he hasn’t led us into a trap, but his constant groaning is getting annoying.
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