by Ariel Lei
“Courtney, wait. I’m not let-” Jonas froze right next to Neoma as Wade jumped out and grabbed the girl. Before she could scream, he put his hand over her mouth. Her blue eyes widened with fear and surprise.
Jonas’s head swung around to Neoma. He reached out for her. “I don’t think so.” Sian had snuck up from behind him, sliding her slim arm around his broad shoulders, and holding her dagger to his throat. His eyes widened. He turned his head to her smiling face, and his nostrils flared as he took in her scent. A small growl rumbled from his chest.
Sian chuckled. “You smell nice, too, mate. Unfortunately, we don’t have time for scenting foreplay. Maybe some other time?” She winked. The bewildered look on Jonas’s face would have been funny, had Neoma not been surprised about Sian finding her mate.
It took a moment for Neoma to finally react to the situation. She grabbed Courtney from Wade and held the silver dagger towards her neck.
Wade stiffened. “Neoma-”
She cut him off. “I take it this is your sister?” Jonas slowly looked away from Sian to her. He nodded.
“Okay. Good.” She took in a deep breath to help steady her nerves. “Take me to my father. Or I’ll slit her throat.” Hostages weren’t part of the plan, but she’d use whatever she could to her advantage. Jonas growled in response.
“Down, boy. Just do what she says and no one will get hurt,” Sian murmured.
Jonas bared his teeth at her. “Are you certain about that?” The smile Sian gave him was full of mischief.
“Depends on if you want a rough and tumble when all this is over.” She whispered. His eyes darkened with what could only be described as lust, although it looked as if he was trying his hardest to fight it.
“Enough,” Wade snapped. “Take us to her father.” He grabbed Jonas by the collar of his shirt and yanked him away from Sian. He shoved him forward and pulled his arms behind his back, and then proceeded to tie his hands using the rope that had been used to tie his own. He turned his head, and his eyes landed on Courtney. Neoma watched the hard glint in them soften. She frowned, realising Sian wasn’t the only one to have found her mate that night. Wade had tried to tell her when she’d taken her from him and put the dagger to her neck. Damn. This made things even more complicated. It was a strange coincidence that all three of them had found their fated mates in a pack who’d declared them enemies. Were the fates punishing them all? It was hard to believe that wasn’t the case.
“Come on, Neoma. Let’s get your father and leave.” There was sadness to Wade’s voice that Neoma had never heard before. She knew better than anyone what it was like finding out your mate was your enemy. She swallowed the lump in her throat and gently pushed Courtney in front of her as she followed Wade.
“You’re putting him in danger. Both of them,” Courtney whispered. Neoma ignored her. “Mason won’t give up his revenge.”
“He will when he sees I have a dagger to your throat,” Neoma replied, her tone calm despite the anxiety racing through her.
“Are you so sure?” Courtney retorted. “After all, he gave you up just for his revenge.” Uncertainty wrapped its way around Neoma, and her steps faltered.
“Ignore her,” Sian murmured. Wade opened the prison door and shoved Jonas into the corridor. Neoma blinked against the bright lights on the ceiling as she made her way inside.
They followed Jonas passed the cells to a door at the end. Bile rose up in her stomach when she realised what room it was. The torture room.
As they got closer, tears formed in her eyes. She went to shoot forward, but Sian’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. She shook her head. Wait.
Neoma grabbed Courtney and held the dagger to her throat again. “Open the door, Wade,” she commanded. Sian stood behind Jonas holding her dagger to his back. Pushing down on the handle, Wade shoved the door open. Neoma tensed up as the stale smell from the room met her nose. She pushed the memory of being in there away.
“Jonas, you’re back...” Mason began, pausing when his eyes took in the situation. The look on his face when he spotted Neoma standing at the back holding Courtney hostage was priceless. His mouth opened as if to speak. No words came out. He blinked slowly, as if his green and blue eyes were deceiving him. Neoma looked past him to her father. He was tied to a chair in the middle of the room like Wade had been. He had a gash above his right eye. His mouth was bleeding. He lifted his head and looked up at her. Neoma had expected him to be in worse condition.
“Neoma,” he breathed out in awe. Neoma looked back at Mason. Gary and Jake had appeared by his side, their eyes wide with surprise.
“Untie him and let him go. Or you will be a few Pack members short,” Neoma threatened. Mason snapped out of his stunned silence. His lips pressed together in a hard line.
“Untie him,” Neoma hissed. He shook his head.
“You won’t kill them. You don’t have it in you,” he replied. The sureness in his tone angered Neoma.
“You don’t know me. So don’t pretend to know what I’m capable of.” His eyes darkened.
“Go ahead then,” he challenged. Neoma’s mouth dropped open.
“Mason,” Jake growled. Mason held his hand up to quieten him.
“Relax. She won’t kill them.” He was so certain. Neoma ground her teeth together. He’d called her bluff and was right to do so. But she had one more card to play. She shoved Courtney at Wade.
“What are you doing?” Wade asked, anxiously, catching Courtney in his arms. Neoma ignored him, keeping her attention on Mason.
“You’re right. I would never take the life of an innocent person. I’m not like you in that regard.” She paused to give him a bitter smile. “However, my own life is a different story.” She placed the silver dagger above her heart. Her father gasped. Mason went to step forward, but Gary grabbed his arm to stop him.
“Mason, she’s serious,” he whispered. Mason shrugged his hand off him. He regarded her slowly, his eyes travelling her entire body. Several emotions flashed across his handsome face. Uncertainty. Anger. Fear was the one that stood out the most. His gaze flickered over her face.
“Someone hit you?” The question was asked quietly. She nodded, lifting he free hand to touch her bruised check. “Who?” Mason growled.
“The monster you gave me too,” she replied. He cocked his head to the side in confusion.
Her father frowned. “Dwain?” he asked, his voice coarse. Neoma nodded again. She gave Mason a hard stare.
“It was Dwain who kill-”
“Neoma, behind you,” Wade shouted. Neoma spun around, seeing two guards stormed through a secret door at the other end of the corridor. She realised it must have been a surveillance room.
Hearing a commotion behind her, she spun back around. Jonas had broken free and had shoved Wade to the floor. Jake took that opportunity to charge at Sian as she reached down to grab Courtney off the floor.
Jonas blocked his brothers’ path. “This one is mine.” There was a possessive tone to his voice. Sian danced out of reach as he went to snag her arm. Courtney cried out in protest as Gary kicked Wade in the stomach. “Don’t hurt him.”
Too busy panicking as she watched everyone else, Neoma hadn’t noticed Mason sneaking up on her. She spun towards him just as he reached for her. She pushed her back up against the wall. From that angle, she could just about see everyone. She didn’t want the guards sneaking up on her while her attention was on Mason.
“Stop,” she warned. She pushed the dagger against her chest, biting back a moan as the silver burned her flesh. Mason froze. “I mean everyone.”
He slowly held his arms out. “Everyone stop,” he ordered, watching her warily. She glanced quickly at everyone else. Jonas had Sian over his shoulder and had started carrying her into a cell. Wade was lying on the floor with Courtney shielding him from Gary and Jake. The two guards had stopped several feet away.
“Let them go. My father, too,” she demanded. When Mason remained silent, she pushed hard on the dagger
, cutting into her flesh. The silver burning into her hurt like hell. She watched Mason’s hands flexed as if he was fighting the urge to reach and grab the dagger from her. She shook her head in warning.
“Fuck. Do as she says,” he snarled. She risked another look at the others to see they were doing what she wanted. When Wade, Sian and her father were by her side, she relaxed the hold she had on the dagger. She could feel the blood running down her chest.
“Now you and all your men walk into that open cell,” she demanded, pointing to the cell Jonas had been about to take Sian into. Mason bit down hard on his lip as his hands fisted into tight balls, turning his knuckles white. His eyes were totally black. Fur had sprouted on his arms.
“Do as she says,” he growled, his sharp canines flashing angrily.
“You can’t be fucking serious?” Jake asked.
“Do it,” Mason shouted. Growling, his men complied, each one disappearing through the door into the cell. Mason was the last to follow, walking backwards as his eyes remained locked on Neoma. He stopped just inside the door and glared at her. The look sent shivers running up and down her spine.
“Shut the door, Wade,” she ordered. When the door slammed shut on Mason’s angry face, Neoma’s legs nearly gave out. She let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.
“You stupid, girl,” her father hissed. She looked up at him in surprise. “I made this deal to save you, and you’ve just ruined it.”
“He was going to kill you,” Neoma whispered, lifting her hand to sooth the gash on his head. His eyes softened.
“We need leave before he calls for re-enforcements,” Wade said, stiffly.
“Why isn’t she in the cell with them?” Sian asked. Neoma turned her head to see who she was talking about. Courtney stood next to Wade, shuffling from foot to foot nervously. Seeing her properly for the first time, Neoma noticed how pretty she was. Her short brown hair complimented her big blue eyes and petite face. She was tall and curvy. If she were the type of woman Mason liked, no wonder it was so easy to let Neoma go. She wanted to resent her, but she knew it wasn’t her fault Mason had hurt her.
“I want to be with my mate,” Courtney whispered. Wade looked at her in surprise. “If that’s okay with you?” she asked, softly.
“Are you sure?” Wade murmured. She nodded her head. His dark blues eyes lit up in relief. Neoma felt happy for him. At least someone got to be with their mate. She took her father’s larger hand in hers.
“Let’s go then,” she murmured. Passing the viewing window to the cell Mason was in, she turned her head. In front of it stood a large brown and black wolf. Its black eyes glared at her as if they could see through the mirror on the other side. They followed her until she disappeared.
Mason’s wolf had taken over. And he looked furious.
Chapter Eighteen.
Neoma.
Neoma had made it off Mason’s territory and halfway towards her packs location when Courtney had warned her that Mason was on the hunt for them. She had also confirmed what Neoma already knew.
Mason’s animal side had taken over his human side.
This only ever happened when a werewolf lost control of their emotions.
It had been ten minutes since. The first sign of dawn was upon them. A soft orange glow covered the horizon, sending shafts of light through the tall, thick, moss covered trees. The morning birds were singing, and the insects were humming. The fresh smell of early morning dew and pine needles permeated the air. A soft breeze whispered through the leaves. It had been a long night. Neoma was tired. She wanted to lie down in a patch of flowers and fall asleep. But she knew sleep wouldn’t come anytime soon. The lush forest should have given her a sense of peace. It didn’t. She was too anxious to take comfort in her surroundings. If they managed to make it back to camp, there was still the situation with Dwain to sort out. Her father had been furious when she’d told him everything that Dwain had told her. The grieve he’d felt over her mother’s death had come rushing back. She was certain he’d make Dwain pay dearly for what he’d done. And she planned to be right there with him when he did.
A furious howl rang out in the distance, silencing the animals nearby. Neoma’s gut twisted. “They’ve caught up.” She shoved her father into Wade. “Take him. We’ll distract them.” Her father blanched. He shook his head, his long, grey braid swinging back and forth with the motion.
“No, Neoma,” he said, sternly. He gave her a long, unwavering stare. Neoma didn’t like the look of determination in his blue eyes. “We have to give up. We can’t lead him back to the Pack. He’s tracked us too far. It’s too risky,” he stated, his tone steady, resolute. Neoma gasped. She hadn’t thought about the rest of her Pack. “He could take his anger out on them,” he added.
“But he’ll kill you,” she whispered, fearfully. He took her face in his hands gently.
“Not if we tell him the truth,” he murmured. Her sensitive hearing picked up the sound of paws closing in on them. Her body went ridged.
“He won’t believe us. He’ll think we’re trying to pass the blame on to someone else to save you.”
“I don’t care. I’m not running anymore. No more hiding. This ends today.” Neoma blinked hard, tears pooling in her eyes. Her father had given up. She took a startled step away from him.
“Erm, guys, we’re-”
“Surrounded,” Wade finished Sian’s sentence. Neoma spun in a circle, her wide blue eyes taking in the ten wolves around them. Her heart fell into her stomach, and she dropped to her knees on the soft grass in defeat. She’d failed.
“Take them,” Mason’s voice growled out. Neoma remained on the floor even as the others were dragged away, tears streaming down her face. Mason closed the distance between them and leaned down to her level.
“Did you think I’d stop hunting you once you were on no man’s land?” he asked. Neoma remained silent. What was there to say? “Oh,” he laughed, “you’re playing this game again?” He lifted her chin, making her look up at him. His eyes were coal black. His wolf was still in control.
“Remain as silent as you like, it still doesn’t change the fact that when you came onto my territory again, you broke the deal your father made. Now I have you both.” His finger brushed the cut she made above her heart, and she held back a whinge from the pain. “Was it worth it?” His voice had taken on a slightly softer tone. She shrugged.
“It won’t scar. Not like the first one,” she finally replied. His gaze drifted to the red line above her breast. He followed the line with his thumb, sending sparks across her skin. She shivered. The darkness in his eyes began to fade away. He was slowly gaining his control again.
“I didn’t know you would scar. I thought you were older and able to heal,” he murmured.
“I know.” His eyes met hers for a moment before looking at her bruised cheek.
“Did he do anything else to you?” he asked.
“Dwain?” He stiffened at hearing his name.
“Yes.”
“He was going to. Had Wade not saved me, I would have probably been mated by force by now.” Mason growled angrily, his eyes turning completely black again. Neoma straightened her spine and put her hand on his chest, seeing this as an opportunity to talk to him. The muscles underneath flexed at her touch.
“Mason, my father didn’t kill your mother. I tried to tell you earlier that it was Dwain-” He pulled away from her, and accusation flashed in his eyes.
“You’d say anything to get-”
“It’s the truth. He told me himself. He paid off rogues to kill her, knowing my father would find the body and get blamed. He then went on to kill my mother, hoping my father blamed yours like yours blamed mine. He wanted to start a war. He did it all so that he could take over the Tribal Pack without looking like the bad guy.” Neoma shook her head sadly. “If you kill my father, you’re playing right into his hands.” She lifted her hand up to his face and cupped his cheek. “You have to believe me, Mason.”
<
br /> “But my father-”
“Was lost to grief and blamed the first person he could.” Mason shook his head. “It’s the truth,” she whispered.
“I...my whole life I was led to believe...” he trailed off, his eyes swimming with denial and confusion.
“I know,” Neoma whispered, “and I know how angry you feel. Because I feel it too. I want him to pay, Mason. For our parents. For us.” A tear fell onto her bottom lip, and Mason’s eyes followed. He leaned down and captured her lips. Heat rushed to her core. With a moan, she wrapped her arms around him, pouring all her anger and heartache into the kiss. He pushed her down onto the ground, slipping his lower body between her thighs.
“I’m sorry. I’ve hurt you so much,” he groaned, the words vibrating against her mouth.
“You can make it up to me. Set my father free. Take revenge on the person who deserves it,” Neoma responded, her lips brushing his as she spoke. Mason shook his head.
“I’ll make it up to you now. And then again when I take Dwain’s life.” He shifted on top of her, grinding his erection against her sensitive flesh. She moaned and arched her back. He stilled and lifted his head to gaze down at her. His eyes were full of desire.
“I couldn’t do it,” he whispered. Neoma cocked her head to the side in confusion.
“Do what?”
“Kill your father. I wanted to. But every time I held the knife to him, all I could see was your face. Your beautiful blue eyes. Your perfect little button nose. Those sexy lips.” He brushed his finger across her lips. “Your screams as you were taken away kept replaying over and over in my head. Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I felt like my soul was shattering.” He brushed the hair from her face as he gazed down at her. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” he whispered. “I thought that if I finally got revenge I would find peace of mind. But then you were gone. And even when I had your father in front of me, you were still all I could think about.” He shook his head and chuckled. “When I saw you in the prison, I thought I was seeing things. You looked like a warrior goddess.” His words and soft gaze brought more tears to Neoma’s eyes. She laughed. For the first time, in what felt like forever, happiness filled her heart, soothing the dull ache that had been there since Mason had taken her father.