LeeLee’s pulse pounded an unruly beat against my fingers. I didn’t scent any fear, only anger and resentment. Good. We’d need every emotion except the tangible one that could get us both hurt, if not killed.
A siren waltzed past us, her hips swaying in enticement. Everything about the town was wrong. Were all the people here props or part of some grand scheme? A test or trap to lure them? No, I shook the thought off. I counted half a dozen beings to my right and three, including the big bastard stalking me, in front. I made my way through the crowd, hoping the pack keptto the same rules of not exposing themselves to humans. My eyes moved back and forth, trying to keep focus on all the ones closing in.
I frowned as a woman jerked LeeLee away from me. Her arm locked around my mate’s throat, her right hand partially shifted, showing off the large claws of her wolf. My beast prowled to the edge of my mind, restless with the need to save her.
LeeLee peered at me through her impossibly long and thick lashes...and our connection opened. “It’s okay. Don’t fight them. If I go, we will have a chance, but if we fight, she’ll slice my throat right here and now.” The faint scent of truth wafted from her.
Must save her...
“This could go two ways, pup. You live and see another day, along with our long-lost sister. Or, you fight, and you both die along with a lot of humans.” The woman spoke, ruining the sweet smile she portrayed.
I glared at the group. “How do I know you won’t kill her as soon as you take her away?”
She shrugged. “You don’t, but at least you have hope.” Her smile was feral. “My name is Bianca, but my friends call me Lady B.”
A wise man once told me to watch and listen. LeeLee’s hand fluttered over her heart. A nervous gesture? Lady B gave a violent jerk of her head, then pulled LeeLee further into the crowd, laughing like they were old friends instead of a maniacal monster set to kill.
“Stay here, and we’ll send for you after we have a chat with our kin.”
I shook my head, unwilling to let them take my mate. “I will go with you. What’s the matter? Are you scared I can take down your entire pack?” I was taunting them.
“Tsk, tsk. Does that usually work?”
I heard the words, and then I watched LeeLee’s eyes widen in alarm. Something slammed into my head, and pain flared through me, but I didn’t hit the ground as darkness tried to descend. Arms slid underneath mine on each side, supporting me. I fought to stay awake—muffled words of how I shouldn’t drink so much filtered through the fog.
“Now, if you want your mate to live, I suggest you come with us quietly. I’m not sure who you are, but you are clearly the bastard of one of my kin. Which one I haven’t decided yet?” Bianca hissed next to my ear.
I ground my teeth together. Dammit, I wanted to let my wolf surface. The bloodthirsty she-wolf appeared ready and willing to kill me in front of a crowd of a hundred humans, while the others were unfazed by the fact. If Bianca were my family—a thing I’d wished for my entire life—I really wanted to take that wish back. The crazy female cackled and spoke as if killing me would be fun.
I turned to stare at Bianca, seeing a dull shade of blue eyes staring back at me. The sharp intake of breath eased the other woman’s grip.
“I will come with you willingly. Don’t hurt my mate.” My tone was even.
“You have her eyes.” Bianca shut her mouth with an audible snap. “Let’s go. Try not to make too big a scene.”
Clearly, she was the leader of the pack. My stupid heart lurched in my chest. This woman spoke as if she knew me, or someone who looked like me.
They left the gathering just as the mountain of pumpkins lit up, the tourists gasping and clapping at the display. I wished I could have stayed to admire such an awesome, unique thing.However, the woman pulling me across the field toward the large estate that looked more like a castle seemed in a hurry.
Memories rushed at me the closer we got to the stone entrance. The turrets were as familiar as the log home I shared with Cammie. Looking up at the top floor, I could see lights on and knew, without being told, that on the side of the home, there would be a large clump of trees. The ones I used to climb down. The same ones I’d used that fateful day to escape.
“Does any of this look familiar, poppet?” The woman crooned.
Lord love a duck, who is this woman? I looked at all the expensive cars and unnatural flower arrangements and shook my head. My mother never would have allowed such garish displays in their home. Knowing shifters could scent a lie, I focused on what was new.
“No,” I answered truthfully.
Bianca nodded, a pleased smile breaking out on her beautiful face. Beauty was only skin deep, for she was hiding a true ugly beast inside.
Inside was completely different from what the six-year-old me remembered. “My mother is sleeping. She’s not feeling well, you see. I have a feeling she’ll rise once I tell her I have found another member of our...shall I say, esteemed old pack.” She stopped, looking at one of the men. “Take that one and put him in Father’s den. Make sure he doesn’t wake up before we want him to. You will have a seat in the library. I’ll see if mother is up for a visit.”
Something about the woman’s tone had me hoping the older woman wasn’t, or, if she was, praying our backup arrived sooner rather than later.
“I can’t shift. I mean, I know you know that I’m a...and you are, but I can’t. I’m not a full-blood or whatever. If that makes a difference.” I held my breath.
Bianca threw her head back and laughed. “That is rich. Another bastard reject. Bar, entertain our guest, will you?” She heard her laughing even as the door closed to the library, leaving me with the hulking man named Bar.
Panicked, I licked my lips and looked around. The other pack members hadn’t followed us from the center of town. My eyes darted around the room, and I inhaled, wondering how many shifters were in the home. The one who’d taken Slater hadn’t returned, which left me alone with Bar.
