Page 59 of Mercy & Her Devils

Lark’s more of a fish out of water than I am.

Lark tucks the soft blanket more tightly around me. “Cub, you realize that this isolated mountain setting with high security makes you look like a villain kidnapper of innocent Omegas? It has serial killer vibes.”

“Or like your Alpha’s a hermit horror writer,” I helpfully suggest.

“Please let me tell him that.” Antonio tightens his hands on the wheel. “Now, hold on, this road is a bit…rocky and uneven…just this last tricky bit, then we’re there.”

I yelp as I’m thrown from side to side, only stopped from being knocked to the floor by Lark’s arm around me.

A bit rocky and uneven…?

I don’t think that this is even a track.

At long last the jolting and juddering ends, as the car pulls to a stop.

I let out a breath of relief.

For a moment, I forget to worry about the dangers of this unknown pack, until I glimpse Lark’s face and see how pale he is.

“Whatever happens, we stick together,” Lark whispers, urgently. “I’ll protect you. If there’s any punishment, then I’ll draw it onto myself.”

Before I can disagree, the passenger door swings open.

Antonio is smiling down at me and bouncing on his toes with excitement.

He’s grinning widely. “Home, sweet home!”

He steps to the side, and I poke my head further out of the blanket to look up at the largest log cabin that I’ve ever seen.

It’s a fucking log mansion.

It’s surrounded by high trees on two sides and a roaring creek on the other. It’s five levels high with staircases zig-zagging down its exterior sides in a dizzying feat of architecture. Balconies run along each level. A wide porch sprawls along the front.

Lanterns hang from its corners, casting a golden light, as if this is a magical home in the middle of a wood in a fairy tale.

By the way that Antonio is smiling at us warmly, I almost let myself believe that this is a fairy tale.

Until a giant, rather than Prince Charming, appears in the doorway with a furious growl.

Instantly, Lark drags me further into the car, half-closing the door again.

We both peer through the crack.

My pulse is roaring in my ears, and my adrenaline is spiking.

“What about Toni?” I whisper.

“Our Beta knows what he’s doing,” Lark says like he’s convincing himself. “And if he doesn’t, then us lying low will give him a couple more moments to explain himself to his Alpha and hopefully, calm him down.”

That makes more sense.

“Antonio,” a deep rumbling voice says with a Scottish lilt.

The Alpha rushes down the steps of the porch toward Antonio.

He’s the largest Alpha who I’ve ever seen, a giant of a man with muscles and smoldering good looks.

I didn’t even know that they made Alphas like him anymore.

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