Page 21 of Born to be Broken

Jules frowned, a rare thing, and listened to the audio surveillance of Thólos’ pathetic resistance headquarters. The hunt for Claire had been waylaid when report arrived that a certain Alpha female had presented herself on the resistance’s doorstep.

Svana—Leslie Kantor—had a different part to play in the fall of Thólos. She had a specific mission that had nothing to do with playing rebel. And if she’d known where they were all along, why not pass that information to Shepherd.

Jules knew exactly what the bitch was up to.

Svana was hunting Claire. Of course she’d know the Omega had escaped. It was the reason he’d had the Alpha female followed since Shepherd’s mate had gone missing.

And now she’d lead them right to the resistance.

The woman was truly foolish to think this act would go unnoticed. Shepherd might have lauded his beloved, but Jules did not find her cunning clever. Oh, she was useful and she was powerful, and for that reason alone, Jules had not engineered an accident for her years ago.

But she was trouble.

No matter the plan or the promises, the female was self-serving.

Jules didn’t trust her, and was eager to prove that she needed to be curbed. It was the reason he chose to follow them, to make a preemptive visit to the listed domicile of one Enforcer Corday.

It wasn’t difficult to breach the building. All it took was the acquisition of one terrified rebel and a few minutes of torture to learn the location of Enforcer Corday’s home, and a few well-placed distractions for the dubious couple working their way across the city. While the Enforcer and Svana were still meandering through the dangerous city streets, Jules opened the door to the sad little apartment.

That first breath of air… and the Beta froze. The room was saturated in Miss O’Donnell’s scent—the couch, the bed, he even found her bloody dress tucked in the bathroom hamper.

Svana could not have intended it, but she had delivered Jules right to the Beta who’d taken in Shepherd’s mate.

Even if the Omega was not in the domicile, Enforcer Corday had access to her. Miss O’Donnell’s retrieval was imminent.

Bugs were placed, the surveillance team handpicked by Shepherd’s second-in-command, situated nearby. The job was done quickly. All that remained was to report personally to Shepherd and explain the complicated situation.

5

Entering Shepherd’s den, Jules could scent his commander’s extreme agitation. “I have picked up the trail of your mate.”

Shepherd’s demand for an answer was immediate. “Where?”

The Beta detailed his report, handing Shepherd a dossier on a young male. “Since Miss O’Donnell’s disappearance, as a precaution, I have had Svana shadowed. Today, Leslie Kantor chose to contact the resistance—inadvertently she led us right to their doorstep. While she was there, a Beta by the name of Enforcer Samuel Corday was charged with her protection. I personally went to the Beta’s residence to bug the location before he could return with Svana as his ward.

“Miss O’Donnell was not on the premises. Her scent, however, permeates the dwelling. I also found the shredded dress she was wearing when she leapt off the roof. Enforcer Corday is the Beta with whom she found refuge before her assault on Undercroft. I believe he knows where she is. By tracking him through the grid, he will lead us straight to your Omega.”

Looking up from the photograph of the handsome male, Shepherd let the weight of his glare run over his second-in-command. “You can confirm that Svana approached rebel leaders of her own accord?”

“Yes.” And that was the greater issue, in Jules’ opinion. “The niece of Senator Kantor has offered her passcodes to help the resistance.”

The stiff set of Shepherd’s shoulders, the pulse of danger in the air, warned him the Alpha was not pleased with the news. “Did she?”

“Svana is acting autonomously for purposes of her own.” Jules, his chin held high, ignored his leader’s silent dismissal of Svana’s unsubstantiated misdeeds and outlined the remainder of the report. “She will have recognized Claire’s scent the moment she entered Enforcer Corday’s domicile.”

“That will not matter. Claire will be recovered immediately.” Shepherd could always tell when Jules had something more he wanted to say, it was in the shiftiness of his hardened glare, and the uncomfortable lines around his mouth. Standing, his huge arms crossed over his chest, Shepherd’s own posture made it clear his subordinate had better get to the point. “Speak.”

Jules explained in the same steady monotone that displayed acute sincerity. “Aside from the threat of Svana, Claire O’Donnell is willing to kill herself, brother. By starvation… a bullet to the head… she will find a way if she wants to.”

The single step closer put Shepherd within the distance to behead Jules with little more than a flick of the wrist. Eyes flared, Shepherd threatened, “You presume to tell me what she will and will not do? You presume much lately. I am quite certain I made myself clear before.”

The Beta was loyal; it was his duty to speak. “You are responsible for Claire O’Donnell’s current state. Your open infidelity has altered what you created when you chose to pair-bond. That kind of hatred will not disappear simply because you drag her back.”

The beast emerged. An arm bulging with muscle struck, slamming the smaller man against the wall. Dangling Jules by a grip on his throat, Shepherd roared, “You do not know of what you speak!”

Gasping, his boots high above the floor, Jules grunted despite the grip of the giant, “You allowed Svana to manipulate you into dishonoring your pregnant mate. You are responsible for what broke her, and must recognize the consequences of what you sanctioned. I cannot return her as she was.”

Jules was thrown clear across the room. Before he might break the man’s bones, the bellowing giant’s fists attacked the wall instead. Huge chunks of concrete broke off, his knuckles tore, and blood flowed, but Shepherd’s outburst did not exorcise such rage.