Page 53 of Becoming His

“Oh, I noticed.” He laughs as he opens the door for me, and we enter the hall. All the light banter disappears as I scent the fear and distrust in the air. Masen’s smile fades as we walk down the hall to the same large room he was in the other day. The room is empty save for two males standing on either side of a heavy door. They nod their heads as we approach.

“You sure you want to be in here, Little One?”

I can feel his worry. I clasp his arm harder. “Yes, let’s get this done.”

He nods and reaches forward to open the door.

CHAPTER25

The door opens soundlessly as we enter a large square room. The two shifters from the mall sit at a table in the center of the room. Michael and Sid are positioned in chairs in front of them. The floors are rough cement, and the walls are bare. There is a camera in one corner, seeming to record the entire room with its small lens. This is an interrogation room, just being in here is intimidating.

Sid’s head turns to the door when it opens, but Michael never takes his eyes off the men in front of him. Masen’s body seems to swell the further into the room we go. The door clicks closed behind us, and Michael says, “Alpha, Luna,” in greeting.

“Hi Michael,” I return.

Sid and Michael both stand from the seats. Michael holds his out for me to sit. Masen guides me forward with a hand at my back as we near the table. Michael steps back and let’s Masen seat me. Masen sits next to me and pulls my chair so close that he has to lift his arm and wrap it around my shoulder. “I will give you both only one warning, any move I consider a threat to my Luna, and you die. I won’t promise to make it quick, but I will promise it will hurt.” His face is dead serious. One of the men swallows with an audible gulp. I rest my hand on his thigh under the table. I’m not sure if I should speak, but the tension in the room is so thick I don’t think either man is willing to open their mouths in fear of reprisal.

“Hi y’all. I’m Sophia. What can I call you two?” I layer on my accent, letting the honey drip from my words.

Neither man looks up from the table. “Answer her,” comes from Masen like a deadly threat.

“I’m Jeff Harper. Honestly, I had no idea he wasn’t telling the truth,” He rushes out. He can’t be more than twenty-one, twenty-two at the most.

“My name is Rob Gillissie.” His voice is flat. He’s scared but trying to hide it.

“Well guys, this here is my Masen. He’s the Alpha of the Northern Territories and my Mate. He’s really upset about the way your friends treated me at the mall, but he’s enraged with what happened at my house. Y’all didn’t have anything to do with that, now, did you?”

They both look properly chagrined. Rob speaks up. “No, we were not involved in that, but we do know what you’re talking about.” He sounds ashamed.

“Well, that’s good to hear. Now, we would like you to tell us any and everything you think we should know, and if we have any questions, we’ll ask ‘em. That sound okay to you guys?” I’m trying to make it sound like they have an option, we all know they don’t.

“How about you start with who told you I was their Mate?” As the words leave my lips, Masen’s body leans over the table, and he growls menacingly. Both men scoot their chairs back quickly, and their eyes dart to me like I’m going to save them. I rub Masen’s back, encouraging him to calm down.

Jeff begins. “His name is William. He’s been telling everyone that will listen that his Mate was kidnapped right after he found her,” he looks up, judging Masen’s demeanor before continuing, “He didn’t tell us who had her just that anyone who finds her will get a reward. He claims to be building a pack just outside of Marshall and wants anyone looking for a better life to join him.”

“Both of you know that the Northern Territories already have a pack. Why would you believe him?” Masen questions.

Rob meets his eyes. “He said he had the Alpha’s backing, that your pack was becoming too large.” He sounds mystified at his own response. “It all seemed so convincing at the time. He’s telling everyone exactly what we want to hear. We followed him from our pack in Tennessee.” He shakes his head. “I was never once suspicious. He’s had the same story for the two months we’ve been with him. A few days ago, he started talking about his Mate. He met her in Marshall, and when he went to her house to bring her back with him, she had disappeared. He said someone took her before he made it there. It didn’t make much sense at the time, but he had every male follow him to her house and scent her so we could find her.” He looks down at the table clearly not wanting to say the next part. “I only know about what happened after because I overheard his Beta and two others talking about it last night. That’s why we didn’t call him right away when we saw you two” —his face gets a little red— “She was… very willing to be near you. She didn’t seem, forced.” Masen’s hand smacks the table, and the two men and I jump at the loud noise.

Both of Masen’s hands have white knuckles from him clenching his fists. I lay my hands over his and bring them down under the table to my lap before slowly prying his fingers open. I use both of my thumbs to massage his palms while his breathing evens out. No one speaks, giving him time to relax before chancing it. “Luna, if I may?” I hear Michael say from behind me. I look up at his stern face.

Oh no, should I have not been talking? Is there a protocol in this kind of situation? “Oh, of course Michael, I’m sorry.”

“No Luna, you’re doing just fine. I just have a couple questions.” His kind voice speaks as he turns back to the men. “How many does he have in this farce of a pack?”

Jeff’s change in demeanor is obvious. “Including us, but we don’t want to be with him anymore,” Jeff floods out, “it’s thirteen males and five females. William and three of the males, including his Beta, are the ones who defiled your house.”

“What else did you overhear last night?” Masen’s voice is grim. One wrong word is all that stands between them and leaving this room alive. He’s trying to block his emotions from me, but with the overwhelming need for penance, it’s impossible. He wants someone to suffer, and this William is at the top of the list.

“I’m afraid to say,” Rob implores me with his eyes.

“Tell me, or I will rip your canines out with my bare hands!” Masen barks. Sensing the violence, Michael steps forward. I smell the pungent odor of urine. I move over and place myself in Masen’s lap before he springs on the weakness one of these men just showed.

Cupping his jaw, I bring his head down to mine. He scents my neck, and his chest rumbles in satisfaction.

“Go on,” Michael ushers.

“I don’t want to die, please. He’ll kill me if I repeat what was said. We left today with the intention of finding this pack. We just had to find a way without raising suspicions. I knew after last night something was wrong.”

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