Page 95 of Healer’s Betrayal

I’ve never hated someone more than I do in this moment, but I do the only thing I can do in this situation. I take the deal. “Yes.”

She smiles in delight. “Great. Let’s go tell the others.” She starts walking towards the others, and I turn to Lucien and Ransom.

“Don’t start,” Ransom says before I can get a word out “You would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed.”

I shake my head and start towards the wolves. “Jackson,” Lucien says, stopping me. He meets my eyes. “You need to make me pack before we go into that compound.”

I stare at him and swallow hard. Garrett’s words come back to me, and I stop fighting this. I close my eyes and reach out and feel for his wolf as I let mine come to the surface. Then I claim his wolf and claim Lucien as pack. An invisible cord snaps into place, similar to what it did when I did this with Ransom. I feel him connected to me now. He takes a deep breath, and I watch as what looks like relief comes over him. “Thank you.” His words are sincere, but I don’t know what to say. I nod and stride after Alicia, who’s waiting a few feet from us.

“Are you going to tell them the good news, or should I?” she asks.

“What news?” Garrett asks, missing nothing as his dark eyes dart between Alicia and me.

“Wolf Boy Wonder here gave the okay for us to take your mates.” I brace myself as four sets of eyes bore into me, and their growls shake the ground. I don’t even bother defending myself; they’re not going to listen in the state of rage they’re in. I get it. “Oh, you are no fun,” Alicia says with a shake of her head. “This idiot here volunteered to go with,” she says, nodding at me. Garrett narrows his eyes at me, and I meet his gaze head-on.

“We’ll go with as well,” Liam says.

“You guys must think I’m stupid,” Alicia says, repeating her words from earlier. “These three are coming with. In exchange, I will give your mates the antidote and then drop them off. Once I’ve dropped them off, I will call you and let you know their location.”

There’s a thick silence, and I hope they’ll just accept it. Kayla is the only one that can go there and be somewhat protected because of her tie to Alicia. The rest of them need to get the antidote and get out, especially the pregnant ones. I eye Garrett. “Just do it.” I try to let him know with my gaze alone that I won’t let anything happen to the females. I will get them out after they get the antidote, even if Alicia doesn’t. I don’t think about Kayla at all. If I think about her in one of those facilities...the air around me goes hazy, and I can’t get enough air. I push those thoughts and images away; I will make sure she’s protected. I won’t let anything happen to her, and I’ll free her the second she’s got the antidote. I vow it. Garrett eyes me again, and I know what he’s feeling.

Finally, he nods. “Do it. Get them the antidote and then get them to us.” He steps closer to Alicia. “Just know, if you don’t, I will bring every wolf with me and we will raze the compound to the ground.”

She waves a hand. “You’d have to get in first, but thanks for the threat. Very motivating.” Her words are sarcastic, and I marvel how she’s stayed alive this long. “All right. I’m going to go get the van and prepare for transport.” She starts across the parking lot.

“I won’t make the same mistake Bryce did.”

Alica stops at Garrett’s words and turns back. “What?”

I watch her carefully and notice for the first time, that she’s not completely unaffected. “I won’t make the mistake Bryce did; I will kill you if you double-cross us.”

She narrows her eyes, and for the first time, I get a feel for how dangerous she really is. “Be careful with the threats, Alpha, especially when I hold your mate’s life in my hands.”

I move before the words are out of her mouth. I plant myself in front of him a second later, but he doesn’t move. He just stares her down as she walks away. “If I can get Noah free, will you take him with you?” I ask in a low voice.

It takes him a second to finally look at me and pay attention to what I’m asking, but then he nods. I breathe a sigh of relief. We'll get through this. One step at a time. “This isn’t a good idea,” Martin says, coming up alongside me. I don’t argue with him; he’s not wrong. “But I get it.” He steps so that he’s directly in front of me. “You need to claim everybody as pack.” His eyes carry so much knowing; it’s impossible to ignore. Martin used to have a pack, a long time ago. I haven’t heard his whole story; I only know that they mostly got wiped out. He became a lone wolf after that. “It’s time, Son.”

I take in the wolves keeping a perimeter around us. From Elias and Jessie, the youngest, to Martin, the oldest...each of them has a story, and none of them are easy. The very real idea of something happening to me inside that facility and not making it back to them makes me feel physically ill. I won’t leave them without a plan. I turn to Ransom, who’s close. “If I do this and something happens to me, you’ll take over.” I don’t give him an option; he’s the best man for the job. Honestly, he’d make a better alpha than I would.

“I will,” he says, dropping a hand on my shoulder. “Do it.”

I don’t allow myself to second guess, and I do what needs to be done. I claim the rogue wolves as my pack.

Chapter 41

Kayla

I become aware of noise, but I try to ignore it and go back to sleep. But the noise is incessant, and it drives deep into my head. Finally, I open my eyes. I instantly close them at the bright light, trying to figure out what’s going on. I blink open my eyes again, blinking against the bright light. I can only keep them open for a few seconds before I have to close them again. I try again a few more times; finally, I keep them open. I realize it’s just a regular light overhead, but my eyes are extra sensitive. I take in the room I’m in, and my blood chills. I have no idea where I’m at, but this is not the kind of room you want to wake up in. I try to sit up but can’t. I try to move my arms and can’t. I panic when I can’t move my legs either. “Oh, you’re awake.”

I go still at the sound of that voice for a moment before I force myself to turn my head. “Renee.” My voice is hoarse, and it hurts to speak. “Where am I? What’s going on? Where’s Noah and Jackson?”

“Aw, so many questions.”

“Renee.”

“It’s Alicia,” she snaps, and I fall silent.

I look around the room again and will myself not to throw up. It looks seriously like a torture room or something from my nightmares. My mind scrambles to remember. Jackson, I reach out, but there’s nothing. Jackson, I try again. Real fear floods me. I would know if he were dead, right? And Noah? Where is he? I search my brain for answers, but I can’t remember anything. I remember the hotel and talking to Garrett and Emma; after that, there’s nothing. “Where are we? How long have I been here?”