Page 2 of Red and Her Dragons (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 4)

Bryson said, “Maybe a few days locked up will break her of this constant disobedience.”

Rowan nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

Emily rolled her eyes. Not once could she recall him ever calling Bryson dad or father, or anything in between.

Rowan picked up Emily by her hair and dragged her back to the pack. He tossed her into her room and locked the door, barring it from the outside. She banged on it several times to no avail. Rowan was already gone.

Emily threw her back against the door and looked around her room for a way out. There had to be a way out. She had to get to Marcus, and she would be damned if one of his friends died because she got caught sneaking in on a secret meeting.

And if Rowan tried to stop her again, she would give him a taste of his own medicine.

* * *

Marcus

Marcus stood on his balcony, processing the discussion he just had with his two roommates. The meeting with Bret and Jax went about as well as expected.

Once they made it to the war room, each of them took their seat while he stood looking over the map of the region. After several seconds Bret said, “Don’t keep us in suspense, my man. Tell us what’s going on.”

Marcus huffed. “Someone is hunting us.”

“Do you know who?” Jax asked.

Marcus shook his head. “Whoever it is, I have a strong suspicion that shifters are working with them to help.”

“Is this about the uptick in traps being laid out?” Bret asked.

Marcus nodded. “The situation has grown dire, and we need to get to the bottom of this, and last week.”

“What do you need us to do?” Jax asked, rising to the occasion.

Marcus pointed at the map. “We need to cover a large amount of land, taking out all the traps we find and searching for the ones laying them too.”

“We can take turns patrolling,” Jax said. “I’ll go first.”

Marcus shook his head. “I’ll do the first round. Then Bret. You take the last.”

Jax nodded.

The plan was in place, but that didn’t bring Marcus any comfort. He normally didn’t spend much time on his balcony. It was Emily’s favorite spot. But she was gone. Somehow, the spot still calmed him. He continued to process through the meeting and the plan when a voice echoed through the night air.

“Marcus!”

That voice, he thought. It was familiar but he couldn’t place where or why.

And then it hit him.

Emily.

He searched the direction her voice had come from and once he caught sight of her, rushed to meet her. As he ran, he smelled blood on her. Fresh blood. That urged his feet to move faster. She slammed into his body and collapsed. He quickly took stock of her appearance.

She was pretty beaten up.

He scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the castle. Once he got her settled on the couch, he collected his first aid things and then returned to her.

“What happened?” he asked as he sat on his knees taking stock of her injuries.

“I snuck out to see if I could catch Rowan in something that would break the contract on our engagement,” she said and then winced as Marcus cleaned her scrapped knuckles with an alcohol wipe.

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