“Leave her alone.” I struggle against my chains for the hundredth time. He holds the knife to her throat and slides it across her neck. He doesn’t add enough pressure to do any damage, but still, I suck in a breath. “Please don’t.” I’m not above pleading at this point.
He looks over at me. “I think you’ve had your mother long enough. My daughter never had a mother.” A look of absolute hate covers his face, and I know that the man that was once in there is no longer there. The dark magic has stolen whatever good there used to be. I also know without a shadow of a doubt that he’s going to kill my mom. He lifts the knife, and adrenaline shoots through every part of my body. My heart slams in my chest, and I summon what strength I can. I have to break these chains and get free. I search deep inside, trying to wake my wolf. I don’t wake her, but deep down, I find the bond between Reid and I pulsing with life. I have no idea if this will work, but I focus on that bond and pull with all my strength. I feel resistance at first, but then I feel the wall between us come crashing down. I can feel his strength flooding me. I still can’t reach him mentally, but I can pull from his strength. The well seems to deepen, and I feel Alpha power filling me...tons of it. I don’t know how, but my brother and my father are both feeding Reid their alpha power as well. I yank hard and pull as much power from them as I can and focus on keeping it controlled. Then I use all of that power and push it outward. Power explodes out of me, and two things happen at once. The chains binding me rip free of the wall, and my bracelet breaks.
Bane whirls towards me. “Alpha power,” he breathes. “How’s that possible? The bracelet...”
My wolf rushes to the surface, all rage and anger. I let her take control to do what needs to be done. I shift instantly, and she launches at Bane. He yells and falls back, but my wolf takes him to the ground. “Kill it!” he screams at his men, but noneof them approach us. My wolf is hyped up on an intoxicating combination of Alpha power and anger. She rips Bane’s throat out. Before I even have time to process that, she leaps at the other men. Some of them scream; others run away. I sort of lose myself to the violence all around us. My mind is on overload with all this power; I can’t really make sense of things. When things finally settle, I look around the room through my wolf’s eyes. I feel her contentment and sense of rightness, but I can’t contain my horror. It’s a blood bath down here. Only my mom and I are still alive.We did what we had to, to survive and to protect family.I try to pull back control, but she doesn’t let me. She noses around the huge metal door, but it’s closed. There’s no way out unless she lets me shift and take control. She walks over to my mom and sits down right in front of her, guarding her.I need to check on her,I communicate to my wolf.I try to take control once again, but she doesn’t let me.
Riley!Reid’s voice thunders through our connection, and I latch on to it.
Reid.So many emotions flood me, I don’t know what to say.
Where are you?
Panic floods me.I don’t know. They put a cloth over my head. We drove a long time, but I don’t know how long.
It’s okay, Baby. Take a breath. I’ll find you; just tell me what you see right now.
I take a breath and try to push my fear and panic aside. It’s harder to think in this form.We’re in a basement, a huge basement. It’s much bigger than a house. We drove for a few hours. I don’t know for how long.
We’ll find you. Riley, your dad can’t reach your mom. Is she—
He pauses, and I know what he wants to know.She’s alive but unconscious. She—
Riley!
My dad’s voice in my head drowns out Reid’s.Dad!
We’re coming for you. Now that I have a connection to you, we can find you. Is your mom—?
She’s okay,I interrupt, feeling his need and panic.She’s been through a lot. She...just get here.
I feel his determination through the pack link.We’re coming.
Riley.Reid’s voice is back in my head.Your dad has a feel for where you’re at. I think we’re a few hours away. Hang in there; we’re coming.
Over the next few minutes, hours, maybe, my wolf kills anyone else who enters the room. She’s still being fed Alpha power; I can feel it. It’s not as strong as that first blast, but it’s still powerful. Because of that power, I can’t force the shift. She’s totally in control, and there is nothing I can do about it. Time ceases to be relevant. Every time I’m coherent, I try to check on my mom. But I can’t shift to do so. She assures me she’s alive, and then I sort of fade once again.
A loud thud pulls me from my comatose state. My wolf is instantly alert and ready for whoever’s coming in. Her growl shakes the room.
Chapter 45
Reid
I’m out of the car before Slate fully parks. “Wait,” Zane shouts, but I ignore him. I can feel Riley near. We were the closest team when Alpha sent out the area he believed they were being held. Part of his alpha power is being able to track the members of his pack by sort of feeling where they are, but it only works when they’re connected to the pack link. Since Riley and her mom were cut off, it’s been three days since we’ve had any kind of connection to them until about four hours ago. I’m not sure what happened that Riley was finally able to make contact, but I’m so glad she was able to. Now that we’re here, I can feel Riley as well. I know she’s nearby. I scan the area, every sense on high alert.
We’ve made it to the building we think they’re being held in,Zane informs the pack.
Be cautious,Alpha sends back. I know that it kills him that he’s not here yet.Two in human form; two in wolf form. Stick together and be ready for anything.
I don’t want to wait for anybody, but I pause for just a moment to allow the other guys to catch up. “I’m not shifting,” I tell them. I need to be human to assess how to best help Riley and free her.
“I’ll shift,” Slate says and shifts a moment later. Quint does the same, and Zane stays in human form.
“Let’s go,” Zane says harshly. We have no idea what we’re walking into, but the four of us will handle whatever comes at us.
I put a hand on Zane’s shoulder, halting him a moment.I’ll go first.I switch to our pack link, now that we’re about to go in.I can feel Zane’s hesitance, but I push forward. I need to get to Riley now.
Riley, we’re here.There’s no response from her, and that scares me more than anything else. We’ve been in and out of communication the last four hours, but she went silent about thirty minutes ago and I haven’t been able to communicate with her since then.I’m still not getting through to Riley,I send to the guys. Slate and Quint close in on either side of us as we reach the front door of a large brick building. The front door is unlocked and opens easily. I get a bad feeling in my gut and look at Zane. His face is just as bleak as mine, but we push ahead. I enter the large building that looks like it used to be a storefront of sorts. Now it’s just empty. We spread out, covering the main level. I scent the air but don’t get anything that smells like Riley.Anything, Slate?
