Page 63 of Son of a Witch

My fingers sharpened into claws. “They’re moving gantii cargo.” I attuned my hearing for the creatures. “Infants, by the sound of them. Dragons. Bears. Lycans. Looks like the same gantii trafficking ring we busted the snakes running three years ago.”

Cole’s gaze swept across the parking lot outside the warehouse. “You can pick all that up?”

“And more,” I replied.

“The balls of these guys picking up where they left off,” Luna muttered.

“This venture nets the Serpents billions every year,” I told her.

Blaze collected photos of the operation above ground. “The Guild will put a stop to that.” The leader rolled rainbow-colored fire over his knuckles. “Everyone alert and ready for a surprise.”

Luna locked her dagger in her belt and checked over her supply of crystals for the third time.

Cole gripped his boomerang weapon tighter, brows drawn tight, mouth carved in a vengeful arc. He got news his mother lived and was safe, but that didn’t quell his lust for payback to the fuckers who almost caused her harm.

Talon twirled his spear overhead and around each side. I liked him. Silent and didn’t say much. Formidable and deadly. Not one to be underestimated. Reminded me of myself in a way.

A part of me felt full again. Like I belonged. Part of a pack. A team. Hunting down our enemy. Closer to uncovering the secrets within the box that would grant our freedom. Exposing how Devon and his family connected to it. And maybe, if I was lucky, clues behind the prisoners’ escape.

“Let’s get in and inspect the place,” Blaze ordered.

They all nodded in unison, a tight team like mine were. We all crossed to the same door on the side of the warehouse used by the four men. With a final nod from our leader, Blaze gave us permission to enter. Treading soft and stealthy, we sunk deeper into the underground storage facility where the snakes traded with their agents who sold the gantii to the highest bidders.

From behind the crowded shelves, we spied on the meeting from afar. At the sight of the poor creatures, cages now unveiled from their dark coverings, greedily being studied by the agent in his expensive suit.

Fuck. The traffickers were still in business. My team and I were responsible for unmasking a small part of their operation. Some of those responsible were arrested, arraigned, and convicted. The rest went free, laid low for a year by the smell of things, then kicked back into operation using the same place we raided. Of all the fucking places. Dumbasses.

I had the biggest idiot of them all to thank for sending me his note. Devon. Thirst for his blood filled my mouth.

My wolf went wild. Claws dragged down my stomach. He wanted at them. Torn flesh. Please spilling from their mouth before I tore their tongues out. Blood gushing from their throat. Screams of pain. Breaths slowing, stilling as they slowly faded into the deathly realm.

Luna grabbed me by the arm, jerking me back. “Not yet, big guy,” she whispered at me. “We’re just surveilling the place. No killing for now. Otherwise, we’ll have to explain what we were doing down here without approval.”

I got her meaning. To protect me, they had to remain quiet about their activities. Figure out a good cover story to explain how they happened upon this little enterprise. Gain the necessary stamps and fucking approvals before we made a move on these motherfuckers, exactly the way my team and I did last time. All the bullshit Knoxe handled for the team.

Urgency scorched my insides at the idea of any of these trafficker bastards getting away and slipping being caught and arrested. I had to hold faith that I would catch them again another time.

Luna snuck off with Cole to capture evidence on her camera while her warlock man took pictures of the herbs and plants they were selling, which the Guild forbade the use of.

Blaze and Talon sandwiched me between them, my guards in case I lost control of my beast while we waited until the traffickers ended their meeting with the agent. At the conclusion, they departed the underground lair, and took some of the merchandise with them.

The sound of a door clunking had me burst forward, sniffing every shelf, different scents hitting my nose. Panic, terror, death, bladder accidents, decayed food. Water, dehydration, flaked and desiccated scales. Sprites, like those we rescued from being traded like they were nothing more than slaves.

“Fuck, my grandfather and his men are bastards,” Luna cursed.

“What?” I spun to face her.

Cole moved in front of her, shielding her. “Nothing.”

“No, Cole.” Luna sidestepped him. “He deserves to know.”

“Know what?” my growl thundered.

“This is my grandfather’s doing,” she admitted, tugging up her sleeves to reveal the two snakes on her wrists. One white, the second dark. The symbol of a person that belonged to the Brotherhood of Serpents. Only the leader, Camus, his wife, and family were marked with two snakes. Except I never saw a pale one before.

“You’re a snake?” I backed her into a shelf and she squeaked.

Little Wolf failed to relay that information. Protecting her friend. For that, I would punish her the next time we were together.

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