Dark Wolf (Dark Wolf Series Book 3)

by Dena Christy

  “You wanted to see me sir?” he asked, his voice even, and not a single sign of concern on his face. He held a piece of paper in his hand and he handed it to Cadric.

  “Come in, close the door, and have a seat,” Cadric said as he took the paper from Lee. He looked it over, before setting it aside. “Did you happen to read this Lee?”

  “No, Jones asked me to give it to you while I was on my way here. Said you were waiting for it. What is it?” Lee asked. He made his way around the table to sit in the only vacant chair, which happened to be on the same side of the table that Rowan and Eric were sitting on. He nodded in acknowledgement at both of them. Rowan thought that either he was the most amazing actor he’d ever seen, or he had no clue about what was going on.

  “It’s the first report I’ve received about what could have caused David O’Connell’s death.” Cadric’s voice was deceptively mild, but it gave Rowan chills none the less. Cadric’s eyes were glued on Lee’s, watching him closely. Rowan glanced over at Lee. Lee’s face was bone white as he reeled back in his chair.

  “David’s dead?” Lee asked incredulously. “I just saw him yesterday. Was he murdered? Who do you think could have done it?”

  “Uh, actually we were thinking it was you,” Eric said and he grinned, giving Lee a knowing look.

  “Cadric, this can’t be true. How could you think that I could do this?” Lee protested, as he stood, his chair tipping over and falling onto its back.

  “Lee, sit down. Eric, kindly keep your comments to yourself. I’m still not convinced that you and Rowan didn’t have something to do with this.”

  Lee righted his chair and sat back down. “Cadric, please tell me what is going on.”

  “David O’Connell has been stalking Kate, and you were seen by her, talking to him when the two of you were out for lunch,” Rowan piped up. “He’s one of the bastards who was holding her against her will. Now he’s dead. Eric and I found his body.”

  “What is your association with David O’Connell,” Cadric asked, his gaze laser focused on Lee.

  “We grew up together, I’ve known him for years. Yesterday was the first I’d seen him in about a year. I had no idea of his involvement in any of this.”

  Cadric was silent, and he finally looked at the death report in front of him. “It appears that O’Connell was stabbed and had his throat cut. The animal wounds were inflicted after he died.”

  “Well then that tells you that Rowan and I didn’t do it. If we were going to kill someone we wouldn’t stab him. No self respecting werewolf would bring a knife to a dog fight.”

  Lee cleared his throat. “Actually one would if he couldn’t go through the transition.”

  Cadric’s head came up sharply. “It sounds like you may know more about this than you said before.”

  “I think I do. My father has a disorder that prevents him from transitioning. It’s degenerative and started about three years ago. The disease is aggressive, and by about a year ago he couldn’t change into wolf form at all. When he learned he had the disease he said he was going to put his money into finding a cure for it. I’ve had no contact with him for about a year. He did have a silver stiletto that he used to carry with him, it helped him feel more secure since he couldn’t change.”

  “Does your father own any buildings in Ottawa?”

  “Yes. It’s just an old warehouse. I don’t know what he does with it though. Like I said, we’ve been estranged.”

  “I need you to tell me everything about your father. I need to know the address of the warehouse. We have a team in Ottawa already looking for it, so it will take no time for them to get there if they have the address.” Cadric turned his focus to Eric and Rowan. “You two are free to go.”

  Rowan stood, and he and Eric quickly left the room. He didn’t want to stick around to see if Cadric changed his mind about letting them go.

  “Well I don’t want to go through that again. I guess it’s a good thing we didn’t off O’Connell. Of course if we had, we would have done a better job of disposing of him,” Eric said beside him. Rowan turned to glare at him.

  “What the fuck was all that in there? Were you trying to get us killed?”

  “No I wasn’t, but everyone around here rolls over when Cadric says so. Sorry but I’m not showing him my belly. Come on, let’s go see if our ladies want to have lunch.” Eric slung his arm over Rowan’s shoulders. “And the next time we’re are implicated in a murder and interrogated I promise to let you do all the talking.”

  Rowan snorted, his mood lightening at the prospect of seeing Kate. And with O’Connell dead, at least she was safe now. Rowan’s steps felt lighter leaving the building than they had when he’d arrived.

  Chapter 14

  Dany rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Any time now David’s body would be found and the Order would be kept busy. Dany congratulated himself for killing two birds with one stone.

  From his vantage point in the food court at the local mall, he could see Kate clearly. She spoke animately with her two companions. No one looking at her would guess that she belonged to the proud race of werewolves, but he knew. Her resemblance to her sister was remarkable, but there was something aloof about her. Something that called to him, and made him regret that he’d earmarked her for his son.

  His cell phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out and looked at the number. His brows drew together with a frown. What could she possibly want to speak to him about?

  “Alicia, what do you want? Shouldn’t you be working?”

  “Sir, it’s the Order. They’re outside the warehouse. What should we do?”

  Ice flowed through Dany’s veins, and the muscle in his jaw pulsed. He felt the sharp pain of betrayal, because there was only one person who could connect him to David and to the warehouse in Ottawa.

  “I suggest you figure it out for yourselves,” he said. He disconnected the call and calmly put his phone away. Did Lee truly hate him that much? His eyes focused on Kate, who looked so much like the woman who turned his son against him. All he had ever wanted for Lee was for him to take his proper place in the order of things. They were werewolves, and they belonged at the top of the food chain. Why couldn’t his son share his vision?

  Dany stood as Kate came toward him. She walked by him, and he caught her scent. She was a wolf because he had made her so, and she would be his new beginning. He followed her as she walked around the corner toward the bathroom. Glancing quickly behind him he could see her companions were engrossed in conversation and were not paying any mind to Kate. He surreptitiously pulled his stiletto out of its sheath, and tucked it against his side, concealing it under the cuff of his jacket.

  He came up behind Kate before she could reach the bathroom, and his left hand descended on her shoulder, while his right brought the stiletto up to her side. He pushed the blade in just enough for her to feel it and gasp.

  “We are going to go for a walk Kate. There are things we need to discuss.” She attempted to struggle and he tightened his grip on her shoulder. “Unless you want me to put this blade all the way into your side, I suggest you cooperate. I don’t want to hurt you Kate, but you have to work with me.”

  “Who are you?” Kate said, her voice shaky.

  “I’m your destiny,” Dany said as he escorted her out of the mall.

  * * *

  Any hope that Rowan had of seeing Kate anytime soon were dashed when he and Eric were waylaid by Nick, who’d just arrived. Nick seemed relieved when he saw that his brother’s were free to go, but had performed his own interrogation. Rowan and Eric had filled him in on all that had transpired. Finally Nick had heard everything, and had said goodbye before he went to do whatever work he needed to do.

  Eric and Rowan walked down the hall when Eric’s phone rang from inside his pocket. His brother looked at it and stopped in his tracks.

  “It’s Samara. I have to take it,” he said as he engaged the call and put the phone to his ear. “Hi baby, how’s the sho
pping going?”

  Rowan watched his brother with growing concerns as the smile slid off Eric’s face, and he went pale.

  “Just come here to headquarters. I want you where I know you’ll be safe. I’m sure Nick will want Hadria here too.”

  Dread filled Rowan’s stomach when he noticed that his brother had failed to say anything about Kate. Eric looked at him as he hung up and looked at him.

  “Bro…” Eric seemed to struggle with what he needed to say.

  “What is it? Just spit it out for fuck’s sake,” Rowan shouted. His gut told him what his brother was going to say, but he wanted to hear it. Only then would he believe it.

  “Kate’s missing. She went to the bathroom, and never came back. The girls had her paged over the PA system at the mall, and turned the place upside down. They can’t find any sign of her.”

  Rowan reeled back as if he’d been punched. He braced his hand on the wall beside him as he struggled to breathe. Kate was missing. He’d promised to keep her safe. He should never have let her out of his sight.

  “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have let her go,” Rowan said more to himself, and he jerked in surprise when Eric grabbed hiss jacket in his fist and shook him.

  “We don’t have time for your guilt bullshit. Your woman is missing, and blaming yourself for that isn’t going to help her or get her back. Now smarten up and get your head on straight. It’s the only way you’re going to be able to save her.”

  Rowan straightened out of his brother’s grip, knowing he was right. Kate needed him to think.

  “I think it’s safe to assume that whoever killed David has her,” Rowan said.

  “And we both know who that is, and who would have the best shot at finding him,” Eric said, nodding his head toward someone behind Rowan. Rowan turned his head and saw Lee’s retreating form as he walked toward the exit.

  Rowan turned on his heel, and he and Eric followed Lee as he left the building. They hung back a little, not wanting to cause any alarm. They waited until Lee was at his car, and Rowan couldn’t hold himself back. He shoved Lee against the car and held him there.

  “Where the fuck is she?” he snarled in Lee’s ear. He felt Eric’s hands on his arms and tried to shake him off. Lee shoved against him and Eric managed to pull him back.

  “Dude, this isn’t exactly the way to get him to help,” Eric said as he stepped between Lee and Rowan.

  “What do you two want? It’s bad enough that you threw me under the bus with Cadric, and now you’re trying to jump me in the parking lot? What is your problem and who is it that you’re talking about?”

  “Kate,” Rowan snarled. “I’m talking about Kate. She’s missing and I want to know right now where the hell she is.”

  Lee’s face went pale and he sagged against his car.

  “You’re sure she’s missing?”

  “We’re positive,” Eric said. “We know you didn’t take her, despite what my moron brother is saying. He’s a little upset. We want to know if your father would have any reason to take her?”

  Lee pressed his lips together as he thought for a moment. Rowan stirred impatiently beside Eric. Why didn’t these two sense the urgency they were all under. Every moment she was missing, the less chance they had of finding her.

  “I really don’t know my father’s mind any more, but if Kate was held in his warehouse, then she would be on his radar. Cadric has informed me that the Order raided his warehouse, and are taking everyone into custody. My father isn’t exactly the most stable of individuals and if he knows the Order is on to him, then he may very well have taken Kate as some form of retaliation.”

  “And where would he take her?” Rowan demanded, not liking the thought of Kate in the clutches of a man whose son doubted his sanity. They had to find her. He couldn’t fail her as he failed Chelsea. He blocked those thoughts from his mind.

  “What little property my father had here in town he got rid of once he realized that the Order had a stranglehold on Kingston.”

  “Come on, there must be some place that your father would take her. Isn’t there any place here that might have some meaning for him?”

  Lee's brows knit together and he pursed his lips. He was silent, and the wait for him to answer drove Rowan nuts. Christ the longer they stood here, the longer Kate was with his freak show of a father, who was doing God knows what to her. Rowan smashed his fist against the top of Lee's car, leaving a large dent in the roof, unable to hold back his impatience any longer.

  “Steady,” Eric said beside him. Rowan ignored him.

  “Well, do you know where he would have taken her or not?”

  “I think so. My mother had an old farm house not too far out of the city. They used to go there on retreats, just the two of them, before she died. He may not have gotten rid of it, so there is a chance that he could be there with her. It would be the closest place around here.”

  “Okay,” Rowan said, straightening until he was no longer looming over Lee. “Give us directions and we'll head out there.”

  “You're not going without me,” Lee said firmly as he faced Rowan squarely, even as Rowan shook his head. “If anyone can reason with my father, it’s me. Your goal is to get her out of there in one piece, correct?”

  “That's the plan,” Eric said mildly. “How do we know you aren't going to side with Daddy dearest once we get there?”

  “Because my father needs to be stopped before he kills someone else. And I like Kate. And you may need me there, in case…” Lee's voice trailed off, and Rowan got what he was not saying. Depending on what state they found Kate in when they got there, they might need a doctor. The thought had Rowan's gut tightening and he pushed the thought aside. She was going to be fine. He would get to her in time, and nothing would happen to her.

  “Well, let's get this show on the road,” Eric growled as he led the way to Rowan's truck. “And Lee, just so you know, if he's hurt her, we will kill him. Hope you’re good with that.”

  “If he hurts her, I'll kill him myself,” Lee said, his voice as dark as the grim expression on his face.

  Chapter 15

  Kate shivered from her place beside the cold fireplace in the middle of the grimy farmhouse living room. The place was damp and frigid, but it wasn't the only cause of her chattering teeth. Get a grip, she told herself, but it was easier said than done. She didn't have a clue who the nut job pacing the living room in front of her was, but the sooner she calmed down and thought of a plan to get out of here the better.

  “Who the hell are you anyway?” she blurted out. She shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable. The thin rope holding her hands behind her back cut into her wrists, and already her skin felt raw. She’d pulled at the bindings, trying to loosen them, and had succeeded to a very small degree. She’d also cut into her flesh in the process.

  The man looked startled for a moment, as if he'd forgotten she was in the room. She could have kicked herself for drawing his attention. She could have been halfway down the road by now for all the notice he'd taken of her so far.

  “I’m sorry, I seem to have forgotten my manners. I’m Dany Cavanaugh,” he said as he inclined his head toward her.

  “And what could you possibly want with me, Mr. Cavanaugh,” she asked as she pulled against the ties behind her back. “And is it really necessary to tie my hands like this? We aren’t exactly in a well populated area, and how far do you think I’m going to get.”

  “You’ve escaped me once before Kate. Do you honestly think I'd trust you not to do it again?”

  “What do you mean again?” Kate asked as she moved her hands back slightly. She didn't suppose she could transition into a wolf trussed up like this, and he’d be on her before she could even turn a single paw.

  “Can't you guess? I really thought you would be much smarter than that. You escaped from my warehouse in Ottawa. Don’t worry though, you won't have to go back there.”

  Kate jerked in surprise and flinched when her hand grazed agai
nst something sharp coming out of the floor. Perhaps it was a part of a nail or something sticking out of the floor. She didn't care what it was, as she shifted against and worked the rope against it. Trying to keep her movements subtle so he wouldn’t guess what was going on, she engaged him in further conversation.

  “And where will we be going?” she asked as she rubbed the rope against the sharp piece of metal.

  “You know, I really haven’t decided. We should get out of Canada, away from the Order, but then I suppose they have agents everywhere.”

  Dany continued to speak, but Kate stopped listening to him as she concentrated on sawing through the rope. She heard a slight snapping sound and her bonds immediately loosened. She was careful not to moved her arms, even though her protesting muscles demanded she do so. She wiggled her hands and the rope fell to the floor.

  Dany stopped speaking and turned his head toward the door. With his attention turned away from her as he moved toward the window, Kate moved her arms forward and got quietly to her feet.

  “I think someone is out there,” Dany said, and as he turned back toward her, Kate bolted toward the back door she’d seen earlier. The knob was within her grasp when she felt the full weight of Dany’s body against her as he tackled her to the floor. He landed heavily on top of her, and for a moment she couldn’t breath.

  “No, please let me go,” she begged when he took his body off hers and turned her over onto her back.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” Dany muttered as he pulled her to her feet. “I’m going to have to find a better way to restrain you.”

  He gripped her wrists tightly as she struggled against him. She managed to pull a hand free and rake her fingernails down his cheek.

  “Fuck you,” she breathed, and she tried to free her other hand.

  Dany’s hand pulled back, and before she could move away, the impact of the back of it slammed into the side of her face. Pain burned through the side of Kate’s face, and she stood there stunned. Her head jerked up when she heard a growl from the doorway, and saw Rowan standing there. She renewed her struggle, hoping that Rowan would be enough of a distraction for Dany. Unfortunately, Dany moved swiftly, pulling her in front of him, with his arm like a steel band around her. Her head came back as she felt the sharp prick of a blade under her chin.