AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She couldn’t walk away from him. Even if she’d wanted to, which she didn’t. Not even for her pack.
She had to believe, to trust in the mating bond she’d sensed between them from the start.
She’d been too scared to allow herself to recognize it before. Too in denial about her own feelings, but she wasn’t afraid now and she would own whatever consequences befell her from both Amarok and her pack. She had to believe her father, or any male packmaster before her would have done the same, placed the pack above all but their bonded mate.
That kind of connection held power. More than she’d given it credit for.
More than she’d givenJacecredit for.
The sun was just starting to set, the cold city air still settling into the frosty bite of evening as she made her way into the club. K9s wouldn’t open for a few more hours, but already she could hear the buzz of the wait staff preparing, the low beats as the D.J tested his sounds, the murmurs of voices.
As she entered through the back, on the other side of the club, the front entrance slammed. The sound of heavy boots echoing the click of her heels, before she heard a familiar voice bellow, “What the hell did you do?”
Frankie quickened her pace. Emerging from the storage area, she strode into the main section of the bar, only to find David prowling toward Jace, his gait more fevered than she would have thought possible considering his limp. “Where’s your woman?”
Jace looked toward him. “David, slow down. What are you—”
“I’m right here,” Frankie said, drawing the two hunters’ attention.
David rounded on Frankie, pure fury flashing in his eyes.
She took one step back as he advanced toward her.
“You were supposed to protect her. Watch over her like she was one of your own.”
Frankie’s brow furrowed in confusion, but she didn’t retreat.
Jace grabbed David’s shoulder, catching him mid-stride. “Whoa, David. Back off. Where’s who?”
David snarled, a noise that seemed far too animal to belong to him. “Allyson’s missing, and you brought her into this.” He jabbed a finger at Frankie.
Frankie’s eyes widened. “What happened?” she demanded.
“That’s what I want to know.” David stepped toward her. “Why was there a message to you on the wall of her demolished apartment—written in blood?”
Frankie felt all the blood drain from her face in an instant. They’d all expected Robert to strike again, but she’d expected him to come for her, her pack. She hadn’t anticipated...
Her mind combed over the events of the night before. The fragmented pieces where Jace had said Allyson’s shift had ended early, though the Fae bartender had been scheduled until close.
Had Frankie had her wits about her, she would have noticed. Would have questioned where Allyson had gone. But this wasn’t her fault. It was Robert’s. His actions were his own.
Yet Allyson’s protection was Frankie’s responsibility, which meant she’d hunt Robert as if she’d taken one of her own.
“Wewillfind her, David,” Frankie said, speaking quickly and clearly, the words of a packmaster used to remaining calm among the fray of chaos. “Faerie or not, she’s been one of us for a long time. We’ll find her.”
Frankie wouldn’t allow another innocent woman to die on her watch, especially not Allyson. She cast a glance toward Jace and saw the same resolve in his features.
Together, they’d do whatever it’d take.
But from the murderous look in David’s eyes, the demon hunter was far from satisfied. “I swear, if I find out you caused this, I’ll force you to shift and then skin you for your—”
“David!” Jace grabbed his friend by the front of his jacket, shaking some sense into him. “Frankie’s been with me the whole time. She didn’t do this.”
David panted hard, each breath so heavy it strained the leather of his jacket.
“We’ll get her back, David,” Jace promised.
“What’s going on here?” Alejandro emerged from the club’s office, the pack’s other leadership in tow, already here for the meeting and clearly drawn by the sound of the commotion.
