Page 10 of To Hunt A Wolf
“For what?” Thiago demands.
“The order said ‘crimes against the alpha.’ That’s all I know.”
Thiago reaches down and yanks the duct tape from Dirk’s mouth. Dirk chirps in pain then falls silent. He’s not as stupid as he looks, I guess.
“What did you do to piss off my father?” Thiago asks him.
“I-I don’t know.”
Thiago hooks his thumb at me. “What about her?”
“Sir?”
Thiago rolls his eyes. “Did she kill the alpha?”
He over-enunciates each word, and I have to fight not to roll my eyes.
Dirk’s eyes flash to mine, and in that split second, I know what he’s about to do. He’s about to screw me in the only way he can. And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“Yeah, she killed him,” Dirk says.
“Liar,” I scream, kicking my legs and trying to shuffle my way close enough to kick his balls into his asshole.
Thiago straightens and motions to the guards. One of them comes forward and jams a piece of cloth into my mouth. Another slips a black hood over my head. I begin to struggle. And then, something cracks sharply against my skull, and I’m out like a light.
* * *
The first thoughtI have upon waking is: Thiago is a dick. Not that I’m surprised. He’s been nothing but a bully his entire life, especially to Kari. In that respect, nothing has changed since the last time I saw him back in high school, except that he’s maybe worse now than he was then. Worse because, with Crigger dead and Jadick missing, he’s now the reigning alpha of the Black Moon Pack. And that means he no longer has to answer to anyone.
I, however, must answer to him.
And he’s given me the migraine of all migraines to remind me of that.
I breathe deeply then instantly regret it as my ribs scream in protest. Shallow breaths then. I take them slowly, listening intently to a steady dripping of water from somewhere I can’t see. There are no lights back here where they’ve stowed me. Across the narrow space, I spot a dim lamp, but it doesn’t offer much of a view beyond concrete walls. I inhale a damp, musty scent.
My instincts tell me I’m in a basement. Without my wolf senses, I have no idea which basement. Hell, I could be in another town, for all I know. But something tells me Thiago wouldn’t let me get that far from his reach.
I don’t have to wait long before he comes for me.
With my head still pounding, I manage to stand inside the small cell. My muscles ache and protest every move I make. Without access to my wolf, I won’t heal any quicker than a human would. It also means my chances of fighting my way out of here are slim to none.
I’m at the mercy of a man-child who tortures squirrels in his spare time. Or, at least, that’s what Kari told me once when we were kids.
“Good, you’re up.”
Thiago’s eye twitches as he stops outside the bars of my cell. It isn’t from nerves, though, judging from the twinkle in his eye. He looks excited. Like he’s been waiting for this moment for a long time. The excitement scares me more than his anger would have. He has something up his sleeve.
Thiago watches me as if he’s reading my thoughts.
I let my disgust and hate twist my expression.
Read that, asshole.
“Dirk had some interesting things to say while you napped.”
Nap. Right.
My eyes track his hands as he pulls a rag from his back pocket and wipes his fingers on it. The fabric is stained red. My stomach knots.
