Page 38 of Reclaiming Quinn
Chapter Ten
DEKE? CANyou hear me?
He snapped his eyes open and turned to look at the other pillow, certain he’d find Quinn beside him, smiling. As he came back to his senses, Deke found himself alone on the dirty mattress they’d given him. Deke’s heart ached as he realized he’d only heard Quinn in a dream.
He slammed a hand onto the shabby makeshift bed. “Now I’m hearing Quinn calling me. I have to keep it together.”
Deke would have sunk back onto his pillow and stared up at the ceiling, but a noise caught his attention. It was a soft, snuffling sound, and it caused Deke’s ears to twitch. He slid onto the concrete floor and dragged himself to the door. The sound continued, but now Deke knew it for what it was. A child, bereft of hope. Fearful. He knew because he’d heard Quinn make the same noises in his sleep.
“Mama?” came a soft voice.
“Hush, be quiet. It’ll be okay.”
The scents weren’t of anyone Deke knew, he was certain. They were human, but the familiar terror he sensed wafting off them was far too recognizable. He thought for a moment, then realized what Klein’spackageswere, and an icy fist crushed his soul.
“You’re a pretty one.” Klein’s voice, husky. “I’d keep you for myself, but I have something even better.”
“Leave her alone!” the woman cried out.
A sharp slap and an anguished cry were the retorts. “You don’t tell me what to do. Learn your place, and maybe you’ll live long enough to see your kid grow up.”
The soft sobbing of a woman tugged at Deke. What could he do to protect these people? Then he remembered Klein’s words:There will be seven packages coming in, and as soon as they’re prepped, we’ll put the items up for bid.
There were more. How long had Klein been doing this? How many had there been?
“Oh my Goddess,” he whispered. Sean had been right all along. There were far more bad Alphas than good ones. How many others were out there hurting people? And why had Deke been so blind to it? It wasn’t until he arrived in Lydon he saw the difference in Alphas. Gareth didn’t rule with an iron fist, and he wasn’t indifferent. He was an integrated part of the pack, and they functioned like a well-oiled machine. That was part of the reason Deke had wanted to come to Lydon. Sure, the forests were amazing. In his time there, he’d discovered ice-cold pristine waters fed from underground aquifers, plentiful food, and room enough for everyone. He had to wonder if all wolves could live there, as Lydon went on for roughly 100,000 acres.
Murmured voices drew closer and pulled Deke from his musings. Klein. “Number six wouldn’t go quietly. He fought back, and Jackson had to break his arm and leg. That one isn’t fit for auction anymore, so he’s going to need to be culled. Make sure you take him from the room first. I don’t want to disturb our other packages any more than they are.”
“As you say. What should we do with the body?”
“Same as we did with the last one. Filet him and offer the meat on the market.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Another thing I would thank Ryker for if I could. I never thought about using them as food. I wasn’t sure about it, but when I tasted it? Oh damn. Sweet, succulent. The whole lot of them reminds me of pig, especially the way they squeal when you slit their throats. That market is ripe, let me tell you. I suppose humans do have their uses.”
The two men chuckled before their voices trailed off.
Deke racked his brain, determined to do what he could to save these people. He knew if he was going to do that, he needed to be limber. He was well aware that too many days of captivity had dulled his body. He stripped off his grungy clothes, then closed his eyes. He pictured his wolf, the black markings on the snow-white fur. He called to it, coaxing it to come out. He needn’t have worried. The wolf was eager to be free. Deke’s torso twisted, the snapping of his bones sharp in his ears. When his legs and arms began to elongate, the familiar sense of freedom washed over Deke. He wanted to get up, to run. But he knew he needed to protect, and that made all the difference.
The transition was rough, as always, but when the last human vestiges dropped away, his wolf rose to stand on wobbly legs. He wanted to howl, to proclaim joy at once again being able to feel the breeze on his face, but Deke bit it back, not wanting to alert anyone. He paced around the room for a few minutes, allowing his muscles to limber up. Once he was sure he wouldn’t get cramps, he picked up the speed to a slow trot. Goddess, he’d forgotten how amazing this felt, but that thought gave him pause. This was nothing to how it felt to have Quinn in his arms. What he wouldn’t give to run with his mate, zipping through the woods of Lydon, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells. He’d have to help Quinn find his wolf again, because going through life as half a person was no picnic, especially for someone who was told they were useless.
Frustration had Deke picking up speed. Though the familiar aches in his joints were there, movement was a good thing. He realized that if his first shift hadn’t allowed him to use his legs, he would have been on the floor, dragging himself everywhere. Whereas some would have given up, that wasn’t Deke’s style. Even disabled as he was, he had worth, despite what some people believed. Yes, there were days when he was younger he’d allowed melancholy to creep in and color his outlook, but that never lasted long. Since meeting Quinn, Deke hadn’t been subjected to one of those days. Every moment with his mate was cause for celebration, as far as Deke was concerned.
For two hours, Deke stayed in wolf form, and by the time he was ready to shift back, he was worn out. The room he was in might be small, and though his wolf wasn’t quick, it was quite nimble. Repeatedly he ran at the wall and jumped up against it, doing his best to climb to higher points, reminiscent of parkour. He was determined that he’d help the people Klein held, and to do that, he needed to get the hell away from here.
But if you run, what’s to stop Klein from moving his operation?
Shit. That should have been the first thing Deke thought of. If Klein ran, there would be no way to track him down. Deke knew he had to make a choice. Return home to his mate and allow innocent people to die, or stay here and leave Quinn alone. He thought about the little girl, and how she might be treated as badly, if not worse, than Quinn had been. Could Deke live with that on his conscience? Would Quinn look at him differently?
I’m sorry, Quinn. I can’t leave her alone like this. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me.
With the decision made, Deke shifted back to his human form and slipped back into the clothes he had been wearing since he was captured. As he pulled the shirt on, the door swung wide. Klein stood there, huffing like a bull.
“We’re moving.”
“What? Why?”
