by Clare Atling
‘He was weak and chose his side in this battle when he let that bitch of a daughter of mine go. I should have killed him, but he may be of use to me yet if he survives the beating Greg gave him.’
Marcus didn’t even look at his son before he spun around and walked from the room. Greg scrambled to his feet and just about made it before the door shut. She really didn’t want to be shut in this tiny room with Greg, any more than she wanted to be let out of the room to meet the pack.
This was her life again, imprisoned and alone, with only thoughts of Brandon to keep her alive and a dying Colt sharing this space. She thought back to Brandon’s words after they had made love. She was a survivor and, if she ever got free, that was exactly what she would do - survive the best she could and live on the memories she had made with him. She listened at the door again and heard no sound, so she decided to scan the room to see if there was any way they could be recording her, but the dark, dank walls showed no signs of having been tampered with.
She moved towards Colt again as best she could with her own wounds.
‘Colt, it’s Maggie,’ she said quietly. ‘Can you hear me?’ She tried to turn him onto his back, but he was too heavy for her to lift on her own. ‘I hope you can hear me, as I’m going to try and clean you up. I need to see what those pricks have done to you. Okay?’
Her hands were trembling as she moved the cloth over his damp face. Most of his blood had dried. She guessed he had been down here a few days and taken more than one beating, and by more than just a fist. If she ever set eyes on Greg again she would tell him exactly what she thought of him. She had only the small slither of hope that Brandon would come for her. However, if he didn’t, she was going to make sure either Greg or Marcus killed her before anyone had the chance to rape her.
When the cloth reached his eye, Colt let out a loud groan, causing Maggie to wince, feeling his pain.
‘I’m so sorry, Colt. What the hell happened to you?’
‘Beat me…’ The words were faint, but Maggie could hear them.
‘Colt? It’s okay, don’t talk. Let me take care of you.’
‘Why?’
She was taken aback slightly by his reply, but guessed he meant why was she willing to help him when he’d kept her captive for so long. However, Maggie couldn’t just let him die. After all, it was more his father’s doing and any contact she’d had with Colt had been less intimidating than his father. Still, the man was big and, even in his beaten state, she had to keep her wits about her.
Suddenly, Marcus’s words came back to her. ‘You let that daughter of mine go…’ . Trying to keep him awake she decided to ask him about it.
‘You have a sister? You really saved your sister from that monster?’
‘Yes. Callie. Did she make it?’
‘Callie?’ Maggie was dumbfounded. ‘Do you mean Callie, who is mated to Logan of the Penn Lake pack? She’s your sister?’
For a moment Maggie was silent, trying to take in this revelation. So, Callie was his sister. But why, after all her years of captivity, had she only just learnt of this?
‘Callie's fine, Colt,’ she said at last. ‘She’s happy there and she is so in love with Logan. You can feel it when they are together.’ That thought made her smile. What she wouldn’t give to spend one more day at Penn Lake Island with the first best friend she had ever made.
‘Good.’ His words were getting stronger and Maggie hoped his wolf would heal him quickly.
‘Colt?’
‘What?’ He was still lying on his side with his eyes closed, not moving at all.
‘What can I do for you?’ she asked. ‘Where do you hurt? I don’t have any training, but I can take a look and see if I can do something... anything... Oh, shit, I’ve made a mess of everything…’ The tears started falling, even though she didn’t think there were any left to fall.
‘Not you,’ replied Colt. ‘Marcus has. Help me sit up.’ He opened his eyes to look at her and smiled. Maggie had always thought he was good-looking, even with the scar. She smiled back, hoping that, once he was healed, he would help her get out of here. She came closer to his side and placed her arms under his to steady him.
‘I don’t have much strength and you’re a heavy man, Colt. So you are going to have to do the hard work, okay?’ She pulled with everything she had to help him sit against the wall.
‘FUCK!’ His cry of pain echoed around the small, bare room.
‘I’m sorry, Colt.’
‘It’s fine…’ he replied, breathing heavily. Lifting his eyes, he noticed her face for the first time. ‘Who hit you?’
‘Greg, your father’s new side kick,’ replied Maggie. ‘He took me from Penn Lake and brought me back here. You already know what your father intends for me. Will you help me?’
‘That little shit is going to get his head ripped from his body if I catch him,’ said Colt angrily. ‘He drugged me and brought me back to my father after I helped Callie escape. I didn’t know who he was at the time, but now I do. He is a weak fucker for hitting you.’ Suddenly, he hung his head down so far his chin touched his chest.
‘Colt, what’s wrong?’ Maggie thought he had passed out from the pain caused by sitting up.
‘I’m so sorry about your life, Maggie,’ he replied, his voice trembling slightly. ‘If I could take it back and help you and your mother sooner I would have. I had no idea how sick my father was. I mean, I knew he wasn’t right, but had no idea to what lengths he would go. I couldn’t believe he would want to hurt his own daughter, Callie, or the plans he had for her. I don’t know her, but she seems okay.’ Maggie smiled at Colt
‘She’s the best, Colt. I’m sure, once we get out of here, you can come speak to her. I’m sure she would love to meet you. I won’t be...’ With that, she snapped her mouth shut, but Colt saw the tears in her eyes.
‘You won’t what, Maggie?’
‘Nothing. Now, let see if we can look at your cuts. Some of them already seem to be healing fine.’ She didn’t attempt to touch his face and Colt noticed she kept a safe distance away. That was okay. He would have to earn her trust, if she was willing to give it after everything he had put her through.
‘Maggie,’ he began, ‘I know we’re not even close to friends, and I’m the last person you’d want to trust right now. But I guarantee you I will get you out of here and away from my father. I promise, if it’s the last thing I do.’
‘Thank you, Colt, that means a lot to me,’ Maggie replied, smiling. ‘I don’t have any friends, so I would like to trust you.’
‘I thought you would have made friends at Penn Lake. You seem to know Callie well enough.’
‘That was before they found out I had lied to them all,’ she replied sadly. ‘Family is everything to them. When Brandon found out I had been working for Marcus he ordered me off the island. Greg brought me here. I don’t know what’s worse for me. A life with this pack, knowing that Penn Lake was a better pack by far, or living without Penn Lake at all.’ She was rambling now and she was sure Colt didn’t want to hear her.
‘I promise, if we get out of this alive, we will help each other out.’ Colt didn’t know why, but he felt protective now of Maggie. Perhaps it was because he knew his father had hurt more people than he ever realised.
‘Thanks, Colt.’ Maggie felt slightly better. However, with a wounded Colt, she didn’t know how she was going to get free of this room.
Chapter Nine
Brandon tried as hard as he could to feel Maggie through his omega connection. However, with them not mated and her not being pack, he knew it was a long shot. Alex had got them to the mainland and told them Greg had intended to take her to the next town. Their search of Marcus’s home yielded nothing – it looked like it had been empty for weeks. Brandon’s anger was rising by the minute. That twisted sick alpha had to have her holed up somewhere...
As if sensing his pain, Seth put his hand on Brandon’s shoulder.
‘We will find her,’ he said. ‘She is goi
ng to be okay. You know that, right?’ Seth sounded so sure and strong, but Brandon didn’t know what to think.
‘I have to believe I didn’t send her to her death, or worse, at the hands of that man. Every time I see the look on her face when I told her to leave... I know without a doubt she is my mate, Seth, but how do I learn to trust her again?’
‘In time,’ replied Seth. ‘Callie forgave Logan, so maybe you can forgive Maggie? She was forced to live the lie. It’s not like she did it to hurt you. Plus, she came clean. That’s got to count for something, right?’
‘I guess,’ sighed Brandon. ‘My wolf is going nuts inside me without a proper mating. Plus, this whole thing with Greg just doesn’t add up. Why won’t he answer his phone?’
‘Maybe Marcus has them both? I just don’t know, Brandon. Let’s ring Logan and see if he’s found anything.’
Logan and Callie had argued for the whole time it took to get ready for the rescue mission. Logan said she needed to stay home, but Callie insisted she go and help in case Maggie needed a female. In the end, it was Hope who joined them, with Callie deciding to stay and look after the others.
Seth ended the call, bringing Brandon back from his thoughts.
‘There were a couple of guys who said they saw a man matching Greg’s description heading towards the old market town, just north of here. Logan and Hope are going to check it out and see if there is any activity.’ Seth paused for a moment, looking directly at his brother. ‘Brandon, when we get her back, you will have to make the decision of whether you want to trust her and mate with her, or let her go. You need to let go, either way.’
Brandon knew Seth made sense, but he still couldn’t get his head around the fact she had put all their lives in danger, even though she had tried to warn him. Could he learn to trust her? Hell, yes, he thought. Seth was right, he had to let go and accept that she had been forced into deceiving them in order to survive. He loved her and his wolf missed its mate. Once he found her, he would never let her go again.
‘Let’s meet Logan there,’ he said. ‘I don’t like the idea of my baby sister being anywhere near that creep.’ They both got back in the truck and headed towards Logan and Hope.
Once they reached the edge of town, Seth parked the truck out of sight and both brothers quickly ran towards the back of derelict office blocks where Hope and Logan were hiding out.
‘Hey, guys,’ said Logan, looking angrily at them. ‘Well, we can definitely say Greg is working for them. I’ve seen him come in and out of this place a handful of times and talk to the various pack members.’
‘Shit,’ replied Seth. ‘Are you sure Greg's not just trying to escape? I can’t believe he would betray us like that.’ Seth looked hurt, but Brandon’s blood was boiling. He knew something was wrong from the wedding night when he sensed Maggie’s fear and could smell Greg’s scent all over her.
‘I should have paid better attention, damn it!’ Brandon slapped the wall.
‘None of us were to know, Brandon,’ said Seth. ‘He played us all.’
‘No, I mean I knew something was wrong between him and Maggie the night of your wedding. She brushed me off, but I wouldn’t mind betting now he was the one Marcus paid to keep her in line. Fuck, she was so scared, Seth.’ Both his hands had curled into fists, ready for the fight ahead.
‘Hey, guys,’ said Hope. ‘You need to stop worrying about it all and go in there and get your girl. I mean, she is a strong woman, but you can only take so much. Brandon, she is going to need you after all this.’ She squeezed her brother’s arm, forcing his clenched fists to release.
‘You’re right, Hope. You know, some day you’re going to make a fine mate to someone.’ Brandon squeezed her arm back.
‘No way!’ Hope was shaking her head as if to emphasise her point. ‘I am not going to fall under some spell and then have him come rescue me after he’s made a huge mistake. This seems to be a pattern in this family.’ She smiled at Logan.
‘Hey,’ he replied, ‘I know it took me a while, but I love Callie. Plus, if your mate ever fucks up, he will have three very pissed-off brothers to contend with.’
‘Thanks, Logan.’ Hope loved her family like nothing else and couldn’t ever imagine leaving them to live with her mate. She wasn’t even sure she wanted a mate after having witnessed her brothers’ escapades over the last few months. Her parents seemed happy enough, though, so maybe there was hope that, one day, she would be the one to live happily ever after. ‘Come on, let’s go talk to Greg.’
‘Hope, please take care,’ urged Seth. ‘In fact, all of you keep your wits about you. If Marcus is here, then we need to be careful. He is sick and wouldn’t hesitate to kill any of you.’ Seth rounded the corner and started walking towards the building Logan had pointed out. So far, there was no one about, so he hoped their approach would go unnoticed.
The only way in seemed to be through a large, metal door. Once they reached it, Seth indicated to Logan to go first. Turning the handle, Logan swung the door open and walked inside, quickly followed by Brandon. The building had at one time been used as offices, but had been standing empty for a long time.
‘Looks like no one’s here,’ whispered Logan. ‘I last saw Greg not five minutes after you arrived. This place is huge. We need to cover ground.’
‘I’m not splitting up, Logan.’ Brandon didn’t like the feeling his wolf was giving him. It was as if it knew something was about to go down.
‘Fine. Come on then.’ They began to run along a corridor, but soon came to a dead stop when they spotted Greg and four other wolves sitting at a table in a large room that had, at one time, been a meeting room.
‘Took your time.’ Greg stood up, but didn’t make to walk towards them. Brandon couldn’t feel his emotions, which meant he had well and truly left the pack. ‘Marcus was right. He said you would come for the whore. I told him you wouldn’t give a fuck after you threw her off the island, but hey? Guess the mating urge is strong, after all.’
‘What the fuck, Greg? What’s this about?’ Seth pulled himself to full height and Brandon could tell he was ready to fight if it came to it.
‘What’s this about?’ repeated Greg sarcastically. ‘You fucking pricks couldn’t see past your precious family and island, could you?’ Greg’s whole body was shaking with rage. Brandon had never seen him so angry. ‘Marcus came to me a few years back, offering me to be alpha of this pack when he takes his leave. He couldn’t trust Colt, so why the fuck not?’
‘You don’t just get given the alpha title,’ replied Seth. ‘It’s not won in some fucking prize.’ He began to walk closer to Greg and the other wolves. They had now all stood up behind Greg. ‘It’s something you’re born with,’ continued Seth. ‘Respect from your pack has to be earned, not passed down.’
‘Right, and I lost my last bit of respect for you when you tainted our wolf line with that human bitch’s blood.’
‘Careful, Greg,’ said Seth quietly. ‘You were a good friend once, but you disrespect my mate again and we will test those boundaries.’
‘You think I’m frightened of you?’ spat Greg. ‘You’re weak compared to Marcus. You will never beat him. We are strong wolves, whereas you all let yourselves get led around by your dicks and mated pretty much nothing but whores...’ It was Logan who launched first and slammed his fist so hard into Greg's face that the sound of crunching bones filled the air.
‘You ever, ever, talk about my mate again and I’ll snap your neck. Are we clear?’ Logan hauled him up and threw him back in the chair. ‘Now, one of you is going to tell me where we can find Maggie. Any bullshit and we will kill you.’
Greg leant over and spat blood on the floor next to Logan's boot. He smiled up at Logan, looking like the cat who’d got the cream.
‘She’s holed up with the precious son, Colt. No telling what he’s doing to her. He is his father’s son, after all. But then again, I bet Callie learnt a trick or two from her father to keep you loyal.’
‘You fucking
prick…’ Logan launched again, but this time he changed into his wolf, his deep growl rumbling off the bare walls. Greg sat back in his chair, looking suddenly very scared. Logan was a big man, but as his wolf he was terrifying. Brandon needed to find Maggie quickly if Greg was indeed telling the truth about her and Colt.
‘Where is she, Greg?’ he said. ‘Or I promise I won’t hold him back from you.’ Brandon hoped Greg would see his point and tell him what he needed to know. However, before Greg could answer, one of the wolves standing behind Greg came out and stood before him. He looked slightly beaten and very thin for a wolf. To Brandon he didn’t look much older than fifteen.
‘She’s about ten doors down that corridor,’ said the boy, inclining his head towards the corridor behind them. ‘I’ll show you.’
‘You fucking idiot,’ shouted Greg. ‘Marcus is going to rip you apart.’
‘I don’t fucking care anymore,’ replied the young wolf. ‘This pack used to be my home, now it’s all poison. I don’t want any part in all this shit. I just want a home without fear.’
‘What’s your name?’ Seth walked up to him, ignoring Greg, who was currently being pinned back in the chair by Logan.
‘Glyn, sir.’ The lad hung his head as if in shame.
‘Well, Glyn, I’d be glad if you can help us out.’ Seth started to follow Glyn and Brandon towards the back of the room, when Greg started remonstrating again.
‘You won’t win this, you know,’ he cried out. ‘Marcus has plans for you all and when he returns he will kill you all. Starting with your family.’ Greg looked straight at Seth.
‘What about my family? And where is Marcus?’ Seth pressed towards the traitor.
‘He will rip them all apart before you even make it home.’
Seth didn’t answer him. Instead, he turned to the others. ‘Brandon, follow Glyn and get Maggie. Hope, call Mum and see what’s happening. And Logan…’ Calm had settled over Seth. ‘Kill this sorry fucker.’ With that, he ran back down the long corridor towards the entrance, Hope following behind.