Page 40 of Bullied Wolf Mate

“We’re not going to just hand her over,” I growled. “You’ll just kill her when you don’t have any use for her.”

Inara rolled her eyes. “I think I’ve made it perfectly clear that your dear Lorelei will be safe for some time to come. As long as she cooperates, she’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“How can we trust your word?” Jameson asked.

“You wouldn’t even if I pinky-swore.” She yawned as if bored. “So you’re just going to have to take it on good faith.”

“We could just hold you here until you tell us,” Rand threatened.

Inara giggled. “You try that, because that will definitely go well for all your mates.” She pushed herself from her chair, humming slightly as she sauntered toward the door. “Twelve hours,” she repeated. Her eyes locked on Lorelei, and she gave that sickening smile again. “I have a funny feeling I’ll be seeing you soon, dear.”

Before anyone could respond, Inara held out her hand. The air rippled in front of her, then came a ripping sound as a portal emerged. On the other side, I could see an indistinct forest, and the scents of wood and earth wafted through. Inara wiggled her fingers before stepping through. The instant she crossed the threshold, the portal vanished, taking the smells with it.

Silence filled the office after she left, everyone too stunned to speak. Lorelei collapsed in a chair, staring at the floor in bewilderment. Her hands shook.

“It’s all my fault,” she whispered.

“No. It isn’t.” I moved to crouch in front of her, taking her chin in hand and tilting it upward so she was looking at me. “None of this is your fault.”

Jameson was already on the phone. “Elle? Have you heard from your mother?” he demanded. There was a pause, then he swore loudly. “Okay, get home as quickly as possible.” Another pause. “I don’t care. Get back here now.” He hung up.

All around, other Silver Wolves had their phones to their ears.

“Anyone answering?” Jameson asked, his voice uncharacteristically strained.

Each shifter shook their head, all with expressions of shock or rage or a mixture of the two. Klyte and Sam muttered in one corner. Sam, normally fairly mild-mannered, looked as though he was ready to murder the next person that said a single wrong word. Over in another area, Rand and Tannen were in a similar huddle. Considering their mates were sisters, I wasn’t surprised. That said, I had known these guys for years, and I don’t think I had ever seen any of them this furious before.

“She took all our mates,” Oliver snarled. “How the hell did she manage that?”

“I don’t care how she managed it. We’re going to find a way to get them back,” Rand snarled, cracking his knuckles. “That bitch doesn’t know who the hell she’s messing with.”

“She knows exactly who she’s messing with,” Declan retorted. “No shifter in their right mind would let anythinghappen to their mate. It’s why she’s only giving us twelve hours—not enough time for us to do anything. It’s either Inara or the girls. No other options.”

Everyone looked at Lorelei. For a second, I thought they were considering handing her over. I snarled, glaring at each of them in turn as I stood in front of Lorelei.

“Easy,” Jameson ordered. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mark. We aren’t deciding anything right now.” He came to crouch in front of Lorelei, who still looked shell-shocked. “Do you have any idea where she might have taken them?” he asked. “Would she take them back to the den?”

She shook her head. “Not a chance. It’s too obvious, and she knows it’s been compromised. Besides, she can portal them to who knows where. If she did, there’s no way you can track their scent, and she would have them somewhere far enough away you couldn’t get there in time.”

“Can you create a portal to the same place?” Rand inquired.

She shook her head. “Can’t make a portal without knowing where you’re going.”

“There’s got to be something we can do,” Jackson said.

“The only thing is to listen to her demands and hand myself over,” Lorelei muttered.

“Like hell,” I snarled. “We’re not letting that happen.”

“You doing that would play right into her hands,” Declan agreed.

Jameson exhaled, anxiety and rage rippling off him. “We’re not going to do what she says,” he said. “We’ll have to find some other way of getting the girls back.” I could hear the resignation in his voice.

Off to the side, Rand didn’t look as though he agreed. He met my gaze, and I let out a low warning growl.

“She’s right, though,” Lorelei said. “This is up to me. I’m not risking their lives to save my own.”

“You’re not thinking straight,” I said. “You’re still in shock.”

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