by Ashlee Sinn
“It’s the ransom note,” he smirked. “If you want to know how to get Rhys back, give me my fucking phone.”
Mariah bent over and picked up the phone that had fallen in the scuffle. She held it out to Kevin but didn’t let go as he unlocked it and pulled up a video. “Show her,” he spat toward me.
Mariah complied and slanted the phone in my direction. On the screen was a face I hated and one that brought back a rush of dreadful memories. Cade looked so much like his twin brother that I nearly fell over from the shock of seeing a ghost.
“Hello, little Natasha,” Cade teased. The video was shot in some kind of large building, maybe a warehouse. It shook as the person filming walked in a circle around Cade like some fucking cinematic student trying to earn extra points. “I hope you’ve enjoyed your vacation in Eagle Creek, because it is now time to face your punishment.”
“Natasha! Don’t—”
I grabbed the phone out of Mariah’s hand. “Was that Rhys?”
The camera steadied again and my question was answered. Cade had a hold of Rhys’ hair, yanking his neck back and showing me the beat up and bloodied face of my mate. “Shut up,” Cade growled. Then he looked directly into the camera again. “Here’s the deal, little Natasha. You give yourself up to save this pitiful alpha.” Cade laughed and then punched Rhys across the face so hard, I heard his nose break.
Mariah covered her mouth. “Oh my god.”
Donovan and Max pulled Kevin’s arms behind his back until he howled in pain. But my attention was drawn to the video ransom note.
“You killed my brother, Natasha. Deeds like that don’t go unpunished,” Cade snarled. His brown hair looked matted and dirty, the dark circles under his eyes telling me he wasn’t well. “1650 State Street in Fairbanks. Be here before sunrise or he,” Cade pushed Rhys’ face into the view of the camera, “dies.”
The phone went black and I tried to force that horrible, gut-wrenching, sinking feeling back down my throat. The wolf rose to the surface, my eyes changing and my voice edging closer and closer to an animal’s as I stalked toward Kevin. “You won’t get away with this,” I snarled. Slashing him across the face with my nails, I grabbed his shirt and yanked him down to eye level. “I will kill you and your fucking alpha.”
“Natasha,” Donovan whispered, although he also didn’t seem to be stopping me from hurting this little piss head wolf doing Cade’s dirty deeds.
“If I don’t make it back in two hours, Cade will kill Rhys,” Kevin said. “You have about thirty seconds to let me go so I won’t be late.”
Max let out a growl and shoved Kevin back toward his stupid truck. “Get the fuck out of here.”
By now, the rest of the Eagle Creek shifters had gathered in a circle blocking Kevin in. He looked around and laughed. “Let me go or he dies, little Natasha.”
“Stop calling me that,” I spat, which only made him laugh again.
“Go!” Donovan commanded. “Leave now before I change my mind.”
Kevin looked appropriately scared but tried his best to hide it. “Can I have my phone back?”
“Get out!” The power in Donovan’s voice forced my knees to buckle. Many shifters around me had fallen to the ground and lowered their heads. They looked pained at the forced command and I hated that this was all was my fault.
Kevin stumbled as he reached for his truck. He turned, like he wanted to say something else, but one look at Donovan and he scrambled inside. A few seconds later he was peeling out of the camp and flying down the dirt lane like his life depended on it.
Holding Kevin’s phone in my hand reminded me of the ransom video Cade sent. How dare he hurt Rhys? Rhys didn’t deserve to be pulled into my mess. None of these shifters did. Yet, as I looked around and saw them waiting for Donovan to say something, I worried that it was way too late for that.
“No!” I screamed into the air. Throwing the phone toward the retreating tail lights, I fell to the ground with a sense of loss so great, I didn’t know how my body simply didn’t break into two.
“What do we do?” Max asked Donovan.
The alpha lion began to pace, just like he had in the house. “You and I take her there.”
“What?” I asked, looking up at him.
“You want to go to him, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“Well, I’m offering you a ride. And muscle.”
“Donovan,” Mariah asked. “Are you sure?”
“Rhys would do it for us.”
It was all he said but it was enough. Every single shifter standing in the darkness behind me nodded in agreement. Tears fell from my eyes, so amazed and so proud of Rhys for building this crooked little family of his. I loved him even more than I did a few hours ago. These shifters would do anything for my mate, and that spoke louder than any words could ever convey.
“We need to go,” Max said. “I’ll drive.” He jogged to Fawn and Micah and wrapped them in his arms as they headed toward their cabin.
“Please bring him home,” Mariah whispered. “Both of you,” she said to me.
I grabbed her outstretched hand and allowed her to help me off the ground. Mary stepped forward with two men and another woman standing close behind her.
“You’re in charge,” Donovan told her. “Watch the woods. I don’t trust that they’re all gone.”
She nodded and jerked her chin to the side. The four lynx shifters spread out into different directions and disappeared into the forest.
“Stay inside, Mariah. I don’t want to risk anything happening to our child.”
The way Donovan rested his hand against Mariah’s stomach and rubbed the side of her face like a cat, made me ache for Rhys even more. I must have made some kind of noise because the two of them looked over at me and gave me a weary smile.
“We’re going to get him back, Natasha. I promise you that.”
I could only nod.
Sure, we would get Rhys back, but at what cost?
I felt like a fucking sacrificial lamb.
Cade and his assholes had tied me up, spread eagle, in the middle of the large, open room of the warehouse. They’d pulled my arms and legs so tight, I couldn’t feel my extremities anymore. Not to mention that they’d striped me of all my clothes and the cold, damp air was starting to bother me.
I wouldn’t let them see it though. I couldn’t.
I had to stay strong for Natasha.
The thought of my sexy, blonde mate kept me going. Cade was trying to use me to get to her. But little did he know, it wouldn’t work. At least I hoped that Donovan and Max wouldn’t let Natasha come here alone. I knew they’d sent her that ransom video—that Kevin dick had already returned with the news. But would Natasha come?
I bet she’d tear each and every one of these wolves to pieces. She was such a badass.
“What the fuck are you smiling about?” Cade asked as he stalked over to me.
The rest of his wolves were gathered in a circle around my naked body, teasing and taunting and acting like children. I spit on the ground and cocked my head. “Just thinking about how tonight’s going to be your last night on this planet.”
Cade huffed a laugh which was immediately echoed by his posse. “Is that so?” he sneered. Stepping forward so fast I couldn’t prepare myself, he punched me in the stomach hard enough to make every muscle in my core burn. As I coughed the breath back into me, he shook his hand and walked around my back. “I’ve heard about you. Rhys Murray. Friend of the Dunanski’s and alpha of the unwanted.”
“Unwanted?” I sighed. “Sure, okay.”
“Am I not correct?” He slapped the back of my head. “An alpha only good enough to rule those that should be put down?”
I made a show of looking at every man standing in this room. And they were all men…as though Cade couldn’t handle having women in his pack. “At least they tried,” I spat. “What about all of you? Huh? Are you so weak and desperate that you’ve chosen to follow Cade? A man who won’t let you m
ate. A man who makes you do things you don’t want to. A man who allows his own brother to beat women and then threatens to kill her when she finally fights back?”
That earned me a hard hit on the left side of my face—right where the car accident had already broken some bones. I hacked up blood and spit it at the out-of-control wolf pacing in front of me. “You’re nothing, Cade Jenssen. Your brother was nothing. You may have money, but you don’t have what it takes to be a good alpha.” Hoping that would have some effect on him, I smiled when I saw his eyes change from brown to the golden yellow of his animal. Being a good alpha was what every wolf dreamed about—whether they wanted to admit it or not. And Cade was not a good alpha. I could feel the bonds of this pack, and they were weak and thin and could be easily broken should the right wolf challenge him.
“Bring her here,” Cade growled.
My stomach dropped. Did he have Natasha? No, no, no. She shouldn’t have come here alone. But when the circle parted and Kevin dragged in Sutton by the hair, I had a weird sense of relief and fear wash over me at the same time.
“She’s a human,” I said.
“Is she?” Cade cocked his head and looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Then he leaned into her and grabbed her face. “Are you? Are you human?”
“You have no idea what my mate is going to do to you,” she said, a moment before she whimpered when Kevin yanked her head back.
“Oh, I know all about your mate. The cougar, right. And where is he? Oh, that’s right, he’s days away out on a fishing vessel right now.”
“How did you…?” Sutton snapped her lips shut. “If you harm me, you will have the entire Callaghan clan, the state troopers, and the rest of the Alaska shifters hunting you down.”
Her strength reminded me of Natasha’s, but I tried to give Sutton a warning look. She wasn’t a shifter and she wouldn’t be able to handle as much torture.
Cade waved his hands in the air and danced in a little circle. “Ooh, I’m so scared. Tie her up,” he commanded. Kevin dragged her into the corner and cuffed her hands and ankles to one of the metal posts holding up the ceiling. Then Cade turned to me and I knew he was on the verge of losing it. “Now, it’s your turn.”
“Good. Let’s settle this like men.”
Cade shook his head. “Sure, sure. Okay. But first…you fight Axel.”
The room erupted in cheers and chants as everyone in it started stomping their feet and clapping their hands in unison. They called his name as the behemoth of a man stepped forward. Easily half a foot taller than Donovan, his silver eyes couldn’t hide the animalistic side and his tan body was covered from head to toe with tribal tattoos. He wore only a pair of workout shorts, and his muscles looked like someone who’d been bodybuilding their whole life.
Cade skipped around in front of me. “Rhys, meet Axel. Axel, meet your dinner.”
Axel growled and the room shook. What the fuck was he? I glared at Cade. “He’s not a wolf.”
“Nope.”
“He’s not a part of your pack.”
“Nope.” Cade covered his mouth like he’d said something he shouldn’t. “Oh, did I not explain the rules? Axel fights for me. Doesn’t matter if he’s pack or not.”
“I won’t fight him.”
Raising a brow, Cade cast a sideways glance at Axel. The giant man rushed forward and wrapped his colossal hand around my neck. My feet dangled off the ground as he lifted me up against the chains holding me tight. The air rushed from my lungs and I felt the veins popping out the side of my head.
“You. Fight.” Axel grunted.
I really wanted to give some kind of witty retort about a cave man and speech, but I couldn’t force a single sound out of my mouth. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to conserve my breath.
“You ready, alpha?” Cade spat that last word like it disgusted him.
I said nothing. But suddenly, I fell to the ground, my arms ripping from the sockets as the weight of my body forced me to pull too hard. “Fuck,” I mumbled to myself.
“What’s that? You’re ready?” Cade jeered and then shouted over my head. “Cut him loose.”
Four wolves stepped forward and untied the rope holding me up. It took a moment to stand on my own, my body already torn apart from the accident and not healing fast enough for the upcoming fight.
“Here are the rules,” Cade shouted to the crowd. “One, shifting is allowed.” The men standing around cheered. “Two, this is a fight to the death.” More cheers. “And three,” he held up his hands like a fucking king making a grand speech. Turning slowly to glare at me, he continued, “It’s not over until he’s dead.”
“What?” I shouted just as Axel dropped to the ground and let a giant fucking polar bear rip from his skin. Shit. I didn’t even have time to think about pulling my wolf forward before I felt Axel’s bear slam into me and I was flying through the air. Several feet later, my back crashed into the wall on the far side of the room, so much further than should have been possible. Axel was a fucking beast. I doubted even a grizzly would stand a chance against this bear. I’d never encountered a polar bear before…they were rare even in Alaska. Yet somehow Cade Jenssen managed to find one to fight for him.
“How is killing me going to get you Natasha?” I shouted as I dodged out of the way of a massive clawed foot. Running back toward the open area, I tried to gain some space so I could change. Come on, wolf. I need you.
“It won’t,” Cade said lightly. “But it will hurt her and that’s all I want.”
Anger surged and the animal took over. Cade didn’t have the right to hurt Natasha. She’d been through enough, no thanks to his brother. She deserved happiness and peace and a life away from all of these fuckers that just wanted to toy with her. Play with her like she was disposable. Unworthy of kindness.
My wolf growled as my four paws hit the ground. And just in time too, since Axel had already reached me again. Standing on his hind legs, he towered over my wolf. I knew he was about to crush my body under his impressive weight, so I crouched forward on my front legs, nipped his ankle, and quickly slid around his back end.
Axel roared—a noise that frightened my wolf even though we would never admit that out loud. Cade shouted something derogatory at him, and I had a brief moment where I wished Axel would rip the throat out of that son-of-a-bitch. But no luck. Axel spun around faster than I thought possible, and his jaw grabbed a hold of my back leg. Sharp canines sank into my skin and crushed the bones. I yelped and whimpered and tried to pull my leg free. Yet Axel kept dragging me backward. Like a lion in the Serengeti, Axel had complete control, even as I fought through the pain.
He clamped down again, a searing agony blinding me to the world. Holy fuck, I’d never been in so much pain. After a few seconds more of struggling against him, I decided to take him on directly. Contorting my body so that I could face him, I opened my mouth and sunk my teeth into his shoulder. The move forced him to let go of my leg a moment before his clawed paw sliced through my side and knocked me to the ground.
The men around us cheered—Cade especially loud and obnoxious. How I wished I could survive this fight just long enough to put him down. He didn’t deserve to breathe the same air. He was trash. A piece of shit human and an even worse alpha. My wolf knew that if he was silenced forever, the rest of his pack would have a chance to make a better life for themselves. I could feel it. I could…
Axel’s jaws clamped down on my hip. Screaming in pain, I thrashed and kicked and tried to break free. Why had I been so stupid? Why did I let him sneak up on me from behind?
Axel jerked his head back and forth and a chunk of my body flew out of his mouth.
Fuck.
And then he took a bite out of my stomach.
The pain hit an instant later. And it was so debilitating, I didn’t even have time to think about how I was going to escape the jaws rushing toward my throat. Son-of-a-bitch, this was not how I wanted to die. I wanted more time with Natasha. I wanted to show he
r that life could be fun and safe and freeing when she didn’t have to run anymore. I wanted to shower her in love and kisses and presents and all things good. She deserved that. She deserved so much more than that. She deserved a life of happiness and joy. A safe place for her and her wolf to recover so they wouldn’t have to fight each other anymore.
Natasha deserved love.
She deserved happiness.
And I could only wish that someday, she would find another who could give that to her.
“I love you, Natasha,” I whispered as I closed my eyes and prepared for the inevitable.
“This is it,” I growled. I didn’t even wait for Max to stop the truck before I bolted out the door.
“Natasha, wait!” Donovan shouted.
I didn’t need to listen to him. He wasn’t my alpha yet. He wouldn’t be my alpha if I lost Rhys tonight. And I knew something was terribly wrong. Even as Donovan grabbed my shoulders to slow me down, my body shivered with the scent hanging in the air. “Do you smell that?”
Donovan sniffed and then dropped his head.
“It’s Rhys’ blood. It’s his fucking blood, Donovan.”
“Shit,” Max grumbled, jogging up to our sides. “We have to—”
I didn’t stick around to see what the two of them had planned. In an instant, I set my wolf free and was running toward the warehouse before the boys could say another word. Heavy on the scent of my mate’s trail, I jumped up against the double metal doors and felt them give under my momentum. And just as I landed inside the building, Rhys let out a pained howl that almost stopped me cold.
The men of Cade’s pack turned and crouched when they saw my intrusion. The ones across the room cheered for Rhys’ demise so I headed that way. Before any of the wolves could stop me, I sprinted through the crowd and took in the situation. Darkness covered the floor and a chunk of bloodied meat lay near Cade’s feet. Rhys squirmed against the ground, unable to push away from a massive polar bear standing on his chest and readying himself for the killing blow. Blood poured from his hind quarters and his stomach. His heart beat thumped slowly. He attempted to kick at the bear but his fight was worthless against an animal so big and so strong.