“An hour, give or take fifteen minutes.”
My eyes narrowed. “How long have you been with this group, and how many of them are there?”
She seemed stunned by my question. “I was always there.”
“How old are you?” I guessed she was in her early twenties.
“Does it matter?” She turned her head away.
“Nope, not really. I’d kill you if you were fifteen or fifty for what you did. Just ask my enemies. What’s your name?” I realized I’d not asked her that in all the time I’d had her captive. Again, I didn’t give two shits, but maybe that was the key to why she seemed familiar.
“Carly McCartney.”
The McCartneys’ betrayal still stung. I wondered if she was related to them and what the connection to the Iron Wolves was. “How old, Carly?”
“Twenty-one. There, happy now?”
When Xan and I had been fourteen, we’d been wild as two young wolves, but I knew I hadn’t fathered any young, and neither had Xan. I breathed a sigh of relief. Breezy was only six years older than the girl, so there couldn’t be a connection there. Whatever the reason, I recognized the girl. I assumed it was due to the elderly couple who’d betrayed us. I wouldn’t make any excuses, nor apologize.
“How many men, women, children, wolf, or non are in your, whatever you call yourselves?” I paced away from her.
“Why? So you can decimate us? We are stronger than you. We have an army of humans willing to eliminate the trash.” She jerked as if she believed I was what she called me, crying out as the silver hit her flesh again.
I was done being Mr. Nice Guy. “You want to know who the trash is?” I allowed myself to partially shift. My nails turned into claws. My face morphed into that of a wolf with huge teeth. Only a true alpha could become the larger being I became, shifting only parts of my body that I allowed. The muscles in my chest and arms bulged as I stalked to her.
“Has your alpha ever explained about the big bad wolf who eats its enemies? Right now I’m hungry, and I can guarantee,” Istopped in front of her, my hands resting on the silver, ignoring the pain, and inhaled. “I can smell everyone who has ever come in contact with you. It would take me some time, but I could track them without a problem. When I do, I will rip their heads off. Maybe I’ll play with them for a while before I kill them. Do you know how many in my pack can do what I can? More than a handful. So you think your pack is more powerful than mine? Think again.”
“This isn’t possible.” She tried to shrink away.
I chuckled. “Do you think you’re hallucinating?” I snapped my wolven jaws in front of her, letting her feel my hot breath an inch from her face. “Tell me everything you know right fucking now, or I’m done playing with you. I was being nice before, but I’m done. Feel me?”
Her whimper and fear filled me with victory. It was good to be alpha. I listened as she outlined the almost commune-type world she’d grown up in. The look of her neutral clothing, which I’d assumed was due to her trying to slip in and out undetected, now held a different meaning. Her severe braid, which had come loose during her struggle, made me blink. I realized she was as much a prisoner of her upbringing as any that had been brainwashed.
“Fuck!” I cursed, a feeling almost like guilt had me turning away abruptly.
Laikyn stood in the doorway. Her eyes met mine, and I was taken back to a night a couple of years ago when I felt my world crumble beneath me.
“Can I tend to her wounds?” She nodded in the direction behind me.
I shook my head. “Not alone. I don’t trust her. She’s been trained to kill without remorse.”
Laikyn licked her perfect bow-shaped lips. “There’s a couple guys out here. I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t allow her to leave the building.”
She thought I didn’t care if the she-bitch killed her. I’d allowed her to think that. I growled, but Laikyn didn’t flinch. Not like most other wolves would have. “I’ll have Arynn come in with you. He will protect you and make sure she is not a threat.”
Without another word, I turned on my heel and pinned Carly with a glare. “You try anything stupid, and I will gut you. They’ll find your insides on the side of the road, and your head will be hanging on my mantel.”
The she-wolf nodded. “She may look harmless, but remember, she drugged Breezy and took her out of here, right out from under our noses. Even knowing she would be taking her back to wherever and that they’d be killing or doing worse to her, without a qualm. Don’t let your guard down. If you have to kill her, do it.”
I left them both with their mouths hanging open, calling out to Arynn. “I need you in the garage to watch over Laikyn while she does her doctor shit on the captive.”
“Alrighty then. I can sense you’re all twisted up. You need me?” Arynn’s quiet presence soothed through our connection.
“Nah, I’m solid. Just get your ass there quickly. If anything happens to Lake, I’d hate to have to kill the bitch and hurt you, too.”
My Omega’s chuckle came across loud and clear. “Walking in now. Laikyn is gloving up, and that is not me talking dirty, you nasty bastard.”
I flashed an image of me in wolf form, snapping my teeth at him and ending our connection with a snap. I was twisted as the Omega so eloquently put it, and not because of Carly. No, having Laikyn back made me think about things best left in the past.
