Page 105 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
“Where did Troy’s men take you, Tavi?” I asked.
Tavi hesitated, and then slid her gaze away. “I was moved to another space in the cave. I think I was pretty close to the entrance.”
“Do you know how many wolves were around?”
“Besides Troy and the other two wolves, I know of one other wolf.”
So that meant there were four wolves total that we had to contend with. All of them were healthy males, and one was an unhinged Alpha. That didn’t bode well for us.
“Could you see outside?”
“No, but I could smell the grass, and the Kootenai, and I could hear the birds.”
“Do you know how long we’ve been here?” I’d tried to gauge the time by the amount of light shining through the small hole in the roof of the cave, but after Troy’s beatings, I knew my timing was off because of how long I’d spent asleep and recovering.
“Four days,” Tavi said quietly. “Bryn, I don’t think we’ll be able to last another one.”
“Neither do I.” I forced myself to think. Tavi had suggested we make Troy mad enough to unshackle us. Maybe we could do something a bit different. “Tavi, let’s go back to your plan.”
“What? Oh! You think it could work?”
“I think trying to get Troy to beat us might send him over the edge. I really thought he was going to kill me this most recent time. Why don’t we scare him instead? You could pretend to have a seizure or something, and when he unchains you, you can run away.”
She frowned. “I don’t think it should be me. They told me that I didn’t matter as much to his plans. So, if either of us should run away, it should be you.”
“No, Tavi. There’s no telling when they’ll come back—it might be too late for me when they do.”
“Bryn, no, you can’t think like that?—”
“Tavi, I have to!” Now I was the one snapping. “I don’t like thinking about dying or leaving Night without a mate, but I have to be pragmatic,” I said, my voice cracking at the end. “I have some strength now, but in a day or two, who can say? Even now, I don’t think I’d make it as far as you would. I wish I didn’t have to put this on you, but I don’t think we have a choice.”
She was quiet for a few moments, considering my words. Finally, she nodded. “Okay,” she muttered. “I hear you. I don’t like it, but I hear you.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” I took a deep breath and gathered my emotions. We had something here. Maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn’t, but at least it was something to try. “Okay, I think we should have a sign or something before we start. Maybe I’ll blink three times.”
“That could work?—”
Heavy, running footsteps entered the tunnel, the awful sound silencing our plans. Troy, Samson, Harlon, and a fourth man entered the tunnel. Samson and Harlon each had a syringe in their hand.
“Ladies,” Troy said, his voice a sick purr, “let’s all take a trip.”
We screamed as they approached with their needles, but of course, our efforts were in vain. Later, I would only be able to recall hard, rough hands grabbing me and the sting of the needle in the uninjured side of my neck, and nothing more.
43
NIGHT
My wolves and I stood along the Canadian border in Kings pack territory. It was dark, and crickets and cicadas were lending their voices to the night. The wind whispered through the leaves and between the trunks of the trees and bushes around us, carrying the scent of autumn. Soon, it would be fall, soon the leaves would change and fall to the forest floor, and I was determined to see the season change with Bryn and Tavi by my side.
Though I had a plan in place, though I was surrounded by a dozen members of my pack, I didn’t feel better. I wouldn’t until I had eyes on my family, until I had Bryn in my arms again.
Along with Dom and the rest of my team, I darted into the thicket of trees, silent as moonlight. Evan had returned to the Kings’ compound, and he’d sent a message back to us. He’d learned of a potential location for Bryn and Tavi—a cave near the Kootenai, one that was rarely used because it was out of the way of most foot traffic. The moment I heard the news, we all shifted for the trip.
My wolf and I hadn’t been on the best terms, but tonight, we were in sync. We both believed without a doubt that Bryn would soon be with us again; we just needed to stay strong a bit longer. I was glad that Dom had convinced me to bring so many wolves. I preferred to go in as stealthily as possible, but I didn’t want to take unnecessary chances with Troy.
Soon, we reached the mouth of the cave. We all crouched low in our wolf forms, approaching the cave without so much as a snapped twig or a crushed leaf. As we neared the entrance, I smelled Bryn. Her sweet, earthy scent was like the most intoxicating perfume. It made my wolf vibrate with pleasure. She was here. She had to be!
But there were no wolves guarding the cave. Despite Bryn’s scent, it seemed abandoned.They couldn’t be on break or in between shifts. Troy wouldn’t be so stupid as to leave the girls unguarded...The thought sent a sharp stab of dread through me that pinned me to the spot. Bryn and Tavi weren’t here.
