Page 39 of Reclaiming Quinn
“Ritter spotted two wolves nosing around. They’re not mine, so they have to be Blackthorn’s.” He stomped over to Deke. “Stupid fucker. I told him what would happen if he didn’t back off.”
Klein pulled out his phone and tapped the screen, his face a mask of rage. He glared at Deke while he waited for….
“This is Klein. I told you what would happen if Blackthorn didn’t back off.”
Klein moved closer, though his gaze never wavered. He drew his hand back, and for a moment Deke was confused. It was then he noticed the flash of a blade as it arced down toward him.
THE SCREAMwas so loud, Quinn nearly collapsed from the agonized sound. He tried to pull away, to get to the phone, but Sean held him in place. The cries continued, and Quinn reached for his hair, desperate to have it there. He needed it right now, because that was Deke crying out in pain. He wanted to say something, but Sean held him close, a hand over his mouth as he shook his head. Why? Why were they doing this?
“No! Stop!” Lyram shouted. “Listen to me! Alpha Blackthorn didn’t have anyone looking for you, I swear it. I don’t know who it was you saw, but there hasn’t been any of his wolves hunting you. We’ve been waiting to hear from you. But know this, if you hurt him, I swear by the Mother we will find you, and I will personally tear you limb from limb.”
There was silence for a few moments.
“Seriously? That’s all you have to say? You psychotic fucker! I’m going to enjoy gutting you.” Lyram paled, and he squeezed his eyes shut. “No, you’re right. I’m sorry.”
Lyram gritted the words out through clenched teeth. Quinn could see his grip on the phone tighten. He was surprised it didn’t shatter the way Lyram’s knuckles were turning white.
“I understand and will take care of it. Please, don’t hurt him again.” A moment passed. “Alpha Klein?”
When Lyram pulled the phone from his ear, he’d gone white. Quinn struggled against Sean’s grip and stood up, his hands clenched at his sides.
“What happened? What did he do to Deke?”
“He….” Lyram cleared his throat. “Klein stabbed him in the shoulder four times.”
Quinn gasped and fell back onto the couch.
“He said they spotted some wolves skulking around, and he assumed Gareth….” He turned toward Gareth. “Tell me you didn’t.”
Gareth crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t. I have people doing computer searches of things like bank accounts, credit cards, and the like to see if we can track him, but I would never put people out there. Trust me, I know what’s at stake.”
“But is Deke okay?”
“He’s hurt, but he’ll be fine. Klein says helikeshim, and it pains him to have to damage Deke in any way.” Lyram’s expression hardened. “I want to be the one to kill him, Gareth.”
“No,” Quinn said, his voice unwavering. “I’m going to kill him. He hurt my mate, and I need to show him the error of his ways.”
Sean took Quinn’s hand and gave a gentle tug. “It’s easy to say you want to kill someone, but doing it? That’s hard. Would Deke want you to do that?”
Anger surged, and Quinn glared at Sean. “Deke’s not here, is he? No, he’s being held by Klein while we all sit here, doing not one fucking thing to help him.” His gaze snapped to Gareth. “It’s like none of you give a damn.”
“Quinn,” Gareth growled, obviously doing his best to keep his temper in check. “We’re doing everything we can right now. Do you want me to send men out? Because if that’s what you want, I will. I’ve got a list of people who are loyal to me and will do whatever I ask of them. If you want, I’ll blanket Chicago in wolves to search for Deke. But before you answer, keep in mind that you just heard Klein stab your mate. What do you think he’ll do if we go out in force? We can’t even locate him, so right now he’s got the upper hand.”
Quinn drew in a sharp breath. “I thought you could sense him?”
“All I know is he’s still in the city.”
“But you knew I was in the park. Sean told me you could tell where I was.”
Gareth sighed and scrubbed a hand over the side of his face. “Because you’re part of my family. I can sense you and Sean, the kids, as well as Dani and Caleb. Because I’ve always considered them my family, it’s easier for me to feel them. The images I have from the people of Lydon stand out, as that was always my home. For the rest? They’re vague feelings at best. I can sense fear or pain or hurt, as well as joy and love. It’s actually kind of maddening. I wish it was all sharper and clearer. I want nothing more than to know without a doubt where Klein is, because believe me, if I did, this would be over already.”
The anger Quinn felt bled away and was replaced by a deep sense of shame. Gareth and Sean had dropped everything to come for him, and Lyram had left the pack and his mate to get to Chicago. And now here Quinn was, acting like a petulant child. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t,” Gareth said, his voice softer than Quinn had ever heard it. “We all understand how you feel. Trust me, I have a lot of anger I’m ready to unleash on someone. Klein made a mockery of his duty as an Alpha. He’s perverted everything Mother Moon meant for us to become. When I was Alpha of Lydon, I never knew what a bubble I lived in. We had it all handed to us on a silver platter, and I thought that was enough. I kept the pack small because I only wanted the best. Then I met Sean, and everything I thought I knew? It all went out the window. My eyes are open now, and I see the pain written on the faces of so many wolves. Yes, not all Alphas are bad, but too many are distant and cold, and their packs aren’t a family. When we visited the Stone Creek Alpha, he’d never heard of such a thing as sitting down to a meal with his pack. Of course, he’d also never heard of an Omega beyond legend.”
“What happened?” Quinn didn’t care; he just needed to hear their voices.
“I could have gone in and forced him to do what I wanted, but that would teach him nothing. So Sean and I took him out to meet his pack. One by one, we made introductions. He learned that his people had hopes and dreams, and he was failing them by not helping them reach their potential. I explained to him that I could take the pack from him, have the people absorbed into Lydon. And do you know what he did? He stepped up. He wasn’t a bad man, just a clueless one. Now he reports to me on his progress, and when we Skype, he seems happy. He’s got a lot to learn, but he’s doing it for himself and his people. That’s the best scenario. Others are more like Ryker. They intimidate, they bully, they….”
“They rape.” Quinn ran a hand over his stomach. “They figure they own their pack.”
“And those are the people we’re replacing. I haven’t had to kill anyone yet, though it’s come close. There have been a few challenges, but when they see the size of my wolf, they usually roll over pretty quickly. When they’re given the choice to rejoin their pack as a psi or yearling, they balk. They’d have no standing better than the youngest of children, and would have to prove themselves worthy to rise any higher than that. So far, no one has taken that option. Those people are stripped of rank and affiliation. They’re designated lone wolves and as such cannot cross onto another pack’s territory without consequences.”
Sean wrapped an arm around Quinn’s shoulder. “We’re not perfect, but we are doing the best we can. We want our children to have a better world than what you—and all the others—have.”
Quinn swiveled his head in Sean’s direction. “But you don’t get it. I have a future, and it’s being kept from me.” His gaze snapped to Gareth, then slid over to Lyram. “If it was your mates being held, what would you do?”
A weighty silence was the only reply.
