Page 116 of Savage Hunt

My mouth parted. “He’s the shifter that went missing from this pack.”

Camus leaned over Joseph and rested his hand on the sickly shifter’s bony chest. “What happened, Joe? Where have you been?”

“Locked up.” Joseph breathed heavily, speaking those two words consuming nearly all of his strength.

I inched closer, straining to hear.

“So much torment. So much pain.” Tears welled in his hollow eyes. “They took so much of my soul. Over and over again.”

The air whooshed out of my lungs. If his soul was being sucked out, demons were involved in his disappearance. No other creatures lived off of souls.

A choked sob slipped out of Joseph. “Cells with so many prisoners.”

Cells?

Fane and I traded looks, thinking the same thing. Locked up, torment and pain, crammed cells—that sounded a lot like Heldrok.

“Were you in an Underworld prison?” Fane stepped closer to the bed. “Maybe Heldrok?”

Joseph dragged a dirt-covered hand over his grimy face. “All bitten shifters like me.”

So Saint was right. They were only taking bitten shifters and holding them in an Underworld prison, or some other place fitted with cells.

A dry cough overwhelmed Joseph, and Julia shooed Camus out of the way with a cup in her hand.

“Here, Joseph, try to sip this.”

He took a few sips and rested back on the pillow, his lids closing. “Tate.”

My head jerked back, and the attention of everyone in the room swiveled in my direction. “Me?”

Joseph licked his dry, cracked lips. “There were whispers of a female they were going to bring in soon. They need her for something important.”

Fane inched back toward me, a protective move that would have made my heart melt if Joseph’s words hadn’t sent ice water through my veins. “Need her for what?”

Julia flicked a knowing look at us. Before a few minutes ago, I would have blamed the Infernal Sol, but since shifters were at the center of this mystery, could this have to do with my real lineage and why someone covered it up?

Did they hide me from something horrible? Had that something found me?

A powerful presence filled the room as Head Alpha Barric Hartwell crossed the threshold. “You’re not safe here, Tate.” His brown hair, copper highlights threaded throughout, was more tousled than usual as if he’d been jamming his fingers through the strands.

The moisture vanished from my mouth as his focus remained on me, the multitude of scars on his arms shining under the lights. The one that sliced his eyebrow and grazed his nose appeared even more dramatic as his irises glowed.

I forgot just how intimidating the head alpha was.

“You’re coming to my pack,” Barric said—or more like demanded. “No one would dare attack you at Silver Ridge. Not Princess Venna or this mysterious group targeting bitten shifters.”

Fane stepped around to block half of my body like a shield. “I’m coming with her.”

Deep lines developed across Barric’s forehead as he scrutinized Fane. “Why? I was under the impression you were enchanted to kill her. Is she even safe near you?”

“Tate’s safer with me than anyone.” Fane crossed his arms and opened his legs into a wider stance. “Besides, a whole mess of unmated males live within your pack, and she’s not going without me. Tate is mine, spell or not.”

Goose bumps puckered my flesh as Fane’s power slammed against Barric’s. The head alpha fought back a grimace. He did not want the demon shifter near his pack.

After an intense stare off, Barric finally relented. “Very well. You’ll stay close and protect her with your life.”

Why the fuck did everyone assume I couldn’t protect myself? The Infernal Sol made me one of the most dangerous creatures here. Of course, most of them had no idea what dwelled inside of me

---