Page 38 of Beginnings

As soon as I took my first few steps the others were released from the grip of the internal taser. I kept walking. They'd be safe—for now—so long as I complied.

Inside the building I was shoved off to one side.

“Take the rest to gen pop,” Red said.

I was shackled and led down an empty corridor. Aluminium shone around me, fluorescent lights bright above. There were very few doors, and all of them had keypad locks at the side. Some had retinal scanners, and others blood locks. The inside of this building was a far cry from the ancient brick and metal structure on the outside, which was camouflage for what lay beneath it.

Red led the way down the corridor and into a lift. Four men piled in after us and I stood in the middle looking for any way out of this situation. For some reason, Miss X came to mind. I brushed off the memory of her body falling into ash and disappearing into the vents. Perhaps it was the clinical and impersonal nature of this lift? It was very like the room she’d been killed in. The lift pinged and there was no time to mull further on the nature of the woman’s death. I glanced at the buttons. There were only four and none were marked.

I glanced at Red. “Don’t tell me, you reserved the penthouse for me, only it’s underground.”

“Something like that.”

I was shoved between my shoulder blades and had no option but to step out of the lift. The guards waited, their weapons trained on me, while Red took the lead. We marched down yet another sterile corridor, all the time monitored by cameras, and past more locked doors.

Red halted outside one and placed his hand on it. Then turned and looked up. I inhaled sharply as a drone floated silently down. Panels opened on its curved sides and guns dropped and locked in place. Another panel opened underneath and it spat out two mini drones.

Jesus! What the fuck is this place?

The momma ‘bot scanned Red’s face and body, then it scanned me. All the while the baby drones scanned the other guards. There was no doubt, if momma ‘bot was unhappy with what it found, we were all dead.

Seemingly satisfied, the ‘bot recalled its baby bots and returned to its place up near the ceiling. There was a metallic click, and the door in front of us opened. Red entered. I followed, still mind-fucked over what was going on here.

“Sit.” Red indicated a metal chair in front of an aluminium topped table. There was nothing else in the room other than another momma ‘bot. Its red light blinked like a tiny all seeing eye. I stared steadily at the lense, wondering if whoever was watching would be visiting me soon. It was time to find out what my role as Prime was in this place.

I sat with my hands shackled in my lap, my skin blistering from the silver. It burned like a son of a bitch, but I’d be damned if I’d let Red and his guys know how painful it was. I blinked and compartmentalised the agony, separating it from my mind. Something dark stirred inside me and took that pain, relishing its presence.

We sat and waited for what seemed like hours. This was a game I was used to, but these bastards didn’t realise I could play this game for longer than them. After all, I had nothing but time now. I closed my eyes, though I didn't really doze off. My whole body tensed when the door behind me opened. Inhaling, I jolted upright. I knew that scent.

Doherty’s footsteps were unhurried. He stopped in front of me, the table between us, and cocked his head. His dark blue suit was immaculate, his shoes polished, and despite the weather outside, he looked like he’d just stepped from the pages of a GQ magazine. His salt and pepper hair was slicked back and he was clean shaven. He smiled, baring his perfect, white teeth.

It was like coming face to face with a shark, one who had hidden his nature, but now had no problem showing its true self. Just to piss him off, I ignored him and turned my attention to the man by his side.

Red stiffened, his arms unfolding from his chest and his fingers curling slowly into fists as the man glanced at him before studying me.

Interesting.

Red’s reaction was soon understandable. I wasn’t scared of much, but this guy made me want to run for the hills. Pain and death swirled in his dark gaze, an air of utter coldness surrounding him.

My wolf snarled, unwilling to be cowed by this evil fuck, but I kept that snarl off my own lips, instinct telling me if I wanted to live through the next few minutes, I needed to be compliant.

“Hello, Agent Maxwell, it’s so good to see you like this.” He gestured at my shackles. “Especially after you ruined my holding cell and killed my men. How did you set my man on fire, when you and the other males were all behind bars?”

I settled back in my chair and stared right into his cold eyes. I ignored his question though my stomach clenched. Doherty couldn’t have told him about Ember, and I wasn’t going to enlighten anyone about her gift. Sliding my gaze back to Doherty, I studied him. “I knew you’d never really forgiven me for Ava’s death. Is she the reason for all this?” I was genuinely curious about the answer, but the question also deflected their attention from Ember.

“Ava? No. Ava died because she fell in love with a traitor. You were just my tool to get rid of them both.”

Somehow, I kept my face blank. He’d used me to kill his own daughter? My trust and belief in the SBI had been so unshakable I hadn’t even considered that might be the case. Lance’s face came to mind. He had pleaded with me to listen to him. I swallowed down the bile that hit my throat. How naive and blind I was.

“No, Connor, you’re the strongest and most vicious alpha I know. That’s why you’re here. I need you to control the shifters in this prison. I don’t know why you did it, but killing that bureau woman just gave me the excuse I needed to arrest you in front of the other guards. They all believe you stood trial and are serving a life sentence for murder. They are all sworn to secrecy. No one has questioned the circumstances of your ‘death’; other than Rawson, who has been nothing but a pain in my arse, delving into things that aren’t his concern.” A vicious smile curled his lips. “But that’s been dealt with.”

I clenched my teeth and tried not to show my worry for Rawson. Doherty appeared to honestly believe I had killed Miss X. Instinct told me to keep my mouth shut even though I’d had absolutely nothing to do with her death. The murderer had materialised from a portal as quickly as Walker had disappeared through one when he’d shot me full of tranquilisers. I still had no idea why he had done it, or what the fae had to do with any of this, but I needed to live to find out. He had also only shot me, not Ember, for which I was eternally grateful. The only thing keeping me sane in all of this, was the thought that she had escaped.

“Why did you take Ember?” It was impossible to hide the anger in my voice. “She had nothing to do with Ava or Lance.”

A shadow passed over Doherty’s face, but he hid it quickly. He shrugged and glanced at Red. “I needed her to control you, but since you helped her escape I guess I’ll have to use someone else. Your pack will be useful, but you do not have loyalties there...yet. Time will tell.”

I had no intention of being around long enough to form strong pack bonds.

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