Page 36 of Deception

Bile rose in Summer’s throat. Thomas might have declared the Blue Bloods gone, but the true believers lived on. They were right here, surrounding her.

Drew,she wanted to scream.Drew…

Gretchen cackled. “Call him. Call your dirty lover now.”

Summer froze. How could Gretchen know? Her heart shuddered when she realized Gretchen must have caught that one moment of indiscretion when Drew first entered the meeting and locked eyes with her. If Thomas had figured them out, Gretchen could have, too.

“Call him for help,” Gretchen goaded.

Every nerve in Summer’s body shouted the same order, but she bit her tongue. If she called Drew, he’d be murdered in cold blood.

“Whore. You could have had it all.” Mett spat at her feet.

By having it all, he meant being his mate.

Never,her wolf vowed.Never.

“You are sick,” she managed. “You’re all sick.”

“You’re the sick one.” Mett twisted her arm. “You had your chance to join the chosen few, but you betrayed your own kind instead.” He held her from behind, standing so close, his stubble scratched her cheek. “And you will pay the price.” Until then, he’d held her in place with an arm around her waist, but now he reached higher and groped her breast. “How about we remind you how good a wolf can make you feel?”

The other men snickered.

She’d never felt so dirty, so used — at least, not since the day she’d discovered Emmett had been using her to aid his attacks. And all her fear and anger came back in a flood. She would never stand meek and cowed again, even if it cost her her life.

A rush of adrenaline fueled her, and she twisted in Mett’s arms. She whipped her elbow around at the same time, putting her whole body into the blow. Mett fell, screaming.

“My nose! You broke my fucking nose.”

She scrambled away, staring at the blood gushing down his face. Then she whirled, ready to flee.

“Going somewhere?” One of Gretchen’s sons growled, blocking her path.

She spun left, but there was no way through there, either. No opening anywhere in the ring that closed in around her.

“Get her!” Mett shouted. “Punish her!”

She turned in a slow circle, holding up her fists. But, crap. How would she ever defend herself against so many? Her hands shook. Should she feel lucky to have made them angry enough to kill her outright instead of gang-raping her?

“Be done with it,” Gretchen snapped. “We’ve been gone for long enough. The others will notice. Just kill her. Then we’ll lure out that bear.”

“We’ll kill that bastard, too,” Mett howled.

“No!” Gretchen shouted, and all the men took a step back.

Summer gaped. Crap, she’d underestimated Gretchen. Gretchen was the one at the root of it all. She’d probably been the one feeding Victor and Emmett Whyte their sick ideas.

“Damn it, she could ruin everything I’ve been working for,” Gretchen screeched.

Summer stared.I?Notwe?Then she saw the pride, the cockiness in Gretchen’s eyes.

ItwasGretchen. It had been Gretchen all along.

“We need to set the bear up first,” the older woman said. “Make it look like he killed Summer out of jealousy when he found out this bitch chose Mett over him.”

“Never,” Summer sputtered. She wouldn’t choose Mett for her life.

The men started rumbling about the details, which shifted their focus from her.

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