Page 166 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she said, pushing me away. “It’s not my blood.”
Thank everything for that. “What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded. “You’re supposed to be with the wounded!”
“I know.” She met my eyes. “But my wolf was telling me that you were in danger, and I had to see you.”
“Bryn, I can take care of myself, dammit! But you, you’re not even in your wolf form.”She could have died right in front ofme. That feral could have ripped her head off and then…then where would I be?
“I took down Troy when I was half-dead, Night,” she told me. “I know my wolf and I aren’t totally in sync, but I trust her to save me when I need her.”
This woman! I stomped the ground, but she kept talking before I could argue further.
“More importantly, I think I know who’s behind this.” She pointed over my head toward the rock formation that overlooked the battle ground. “I saw Harlon and Samson standing up there on my way over here. But they ran back toward the compound when the feral leapt at me.”
“Of fucking course.”I was frustrated at the fact that they’d managed to slip past me, and decided I’d take it out on them by making them both corpses as soon as possible.
“I think they’re heading to the patrol point out by my mom’s cabin. There’s an unguarded hidden path there that leads from one small cave to another. I used to play there when I was young.”
“Tell me where it is, and I’ll end this myself.”
“I can’t give you specific directions. I don’t remember it well enough. I have to show you. I’ll remember it when I see it.”
I growled in frustration. The absolute last thing I wanted was to take Bryn with me into what would likely be the lion’s den, but I couldn’t stand around and argue about it either. It wasn’t safe for her to be here, but I couldn’t leave with her when this point of the border was still so unstable. Not to mention, we had beenlucky that the Kings were too busy to see us arguing. That would undermine her power, and mine when I became their Alpha.
This was a bad situation all around.
Fortunately, just in the nick of fucking time, I saw Dom sprinting our way. I gave him a rundown of what was going on as he neared.
“You need me to take control of this sinking ship?” he asked. “I’ve got you.”
“Thanks, Dom.”
“You’re a lifesaver. Literally,” Bryn added.
He winked and headed off to take my position at the back of the line. Bryn shifted, shook off the clothes that still clung to her, and the two of us took off. Bryn, who was a bit faster than me, held the lead as she took me back to the compound. We headed toward Glenda’s cabin, and then passed it. The cave in question was just behind the tree line at the back of the cabin.
Actually, “cave” was a generous word; the entrance was little more than a hole in the ground surrounded by boulders. It was a tight fit. Even Bryn would have to crawl on her belly to get through it. After me, of course.
I dove into the hole and shimmied as quickly and quietly as I could manage. I was eager to end this, but I didn’t want to lose any element of surprise we might still have. Eventually, the hole widened into a larger cavern. I shook dust and dirt from my fur and made room for Bryn to crawl through and do the same. My hackles raised as the scent of ferals hit me. My sense of smell was much faster than my eyes could adjust to the darkness.
We weren’t the only ones here.
Given the evidence of camp supplies and bedding, it was obvious that here was where the ferals and presumably Harlon and Samson had gathered to plan the attack. My rage spiked knowing that all this had gone on so close to Glenda’s cabin. A force capable of knocking both the Kings and the Wargs onto our back feet had been literally under our noses. At any time, they could have killed Bryn or Glenda—anyone who happened to stumble onto their hideout.
“We tried to warn you, bitch,” Samson’s voice sounded from the very back of the cave. He and Harlon emerged from the darkness, surrounded by ferals. “We tried to tell you that your days as Alpha were numbered.”
67
BRYN
Still reeling from the discovery that this cavern was used as headquarters for the attack, I was immediately hit with the knowledge that it wasn’t just Harlon and Samson waiting for us, but also at least ten more ferals ready to take Night and I out. I stood next to my mate, trembling—not with fear but with adrenaline. We weren’t going to be able to talk our way out of this one.
“Should’ve got rid of us when you had the chance,” Harlon said, his voice echoing against the walls. “Maybe you would’ve been able to prevent some of this.”
The words stung, but I ignored his taunting for now.
“Any strategies, Night?” I asked.
“Stay close?—”
