Page 59 of Prey for Me

Nakoa’s eyes narrow at that before he whispers, not answers to the questions you seek.

Before I can get a word in he slips his arm around my waist and drags me close.

Now come on and stay close.

We duck under a protruding beam. I look up to see Leo’s combat boot bashing into a slightly ajar door.

There isn’t an easier entrance we can take anymore?

Not one we can take with you, Raphael states as if that explains everything. It just leaves me spiraling in more riddles and half-truths.

Let’s go. Keep close.

“What’s in here,” I ask, damn near begging him for an answer.

A haunted look flashes in his eyes before Nakoa murmurs, “Nothing good.”

“Stay alert. And Grace, stay close,” Raphael orders as we make it to the hole in the gate. They weren’t kidding when they said it was the entrance to hell.

The metal is wrapped and scorched, an explosion ripping it open from the inside out like a screaming mouth. Behind it is a crater inside the prison wall, and the darkness is so absolutely that when we first step in, I can’t see my hand. I cling to Raphael, relying on touch and smell. We can’t use lights, they said. But they won’t say why. Too many mysteries. We’re too close to still be keeping so many secrets. But I have a feeling now everything will be revealed.

“Leo, A block. I’ll search B. You stay on C and get the hell out of here if anything goes down, Nakoa whispers, and then he’s gone like a flash of smoke, his pehermeoens masked by the overwhelming stench of decay.

We pick our way down way I assume are rows of cells finally stopping at an open cell that has a tiny amount of light streaming in from a window covered in intact metal bars. I follow Raphael.

“What do I smell like to you?” he jokes.

“Lavender and eucalyptus,”

He pants, grabs his head, chokes. Is Nakoa using his powers? It seems like he must be because it’s driving Raphael mad.

My alpha slams me against the cell wall, my arms pinned above my head.

“P-p-please,” I stutter out, sucking in a sharp breath. “Release me.”

His dark hair shields his even darker eyes, storm clouds swirling through them as he grits out, “Never. I’ll protect you. I won’t let you go.”

He releases one arm to stroke my cheek, “This time I’ll save you.”

I grimace, knowing now he’s not looking at me. He’s looking through me at a terrible memory.

My eyes flick down to the hint of burn scars snaking down his hip.

What happened here, in this awful place? To my alpha? To my pack?

He releases a shuddering breath, as I gently pry my other wrist from his calloused hand.

He slumps against me, as the light from the sole window in the cell dims.

It seems the darkness scares him more than the shadows the light casts.

My alpha trembles as he holds the chains to the light. Chains he broke free from only seven years ago.

In that horrible moment, I vow as his omega to hunt down and chain the bastards that did that to him…

“Together.”

I reach up and pull him into a fierce hug.

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