Page 25 of Faith and Fury

I crack my knuckles. “This’ll be fun, then.”

“Jaxon,” Caleb warns.

“Yeah, yeah.”

The bastard must scent my bloodlust the second Caleb and I walk through the door, because he’s on his best behaviour. A true sociopath right down to his core.

“Frankly, I didn’t even know about the tunnels. Boss told me they were unusable—blocked off, too risky, something or other.” He sighs dramatically. “I was as disappointed as you were to hear about the getaways.”

“This boss,” Caleb says, “what’s his name?”

“Now that, I’d be delighted to tell you.” Julius leers. “For a price.”

Here we go.

Caleb must sense I’m about to intervene, because he cuts me a sideways glance, but I can’t stop myself.

“How’s this for a price?” I smack my hands on the table. “You give us the name, and I don’t mention to all the guards at general pop how many minors you kidnapped for your trafficking scheme.”

Julius’s expression falters for a second. “Check your records, sir. You’ll find all the omegas in my care were eighteen or older.”

“Maybe. But the guards don’t know that.”

He turns his gaze to Caleb, as though checking my bluff. It’s no small threat I’ve made here—the other alphas in general pop, not to mention the guards, will eat this guy alive if they think he’s messing with kids.

“Hamish,” Julius says at last. “I never got a last name.”

Caleb is quick to take over the conversation, not letting me get another word in. He asks for a physical description, then mentions the estralide.

“Oh, sure.” Julius shrugs. “I knew about that. Figured it was more humane that way, you know? Keep the rogues from getting too antsy.” He smirks. “Make sure they didn’t go popping out any pups.”

My thoughts instantly go to Faith. Drugged up on blockers every day for three years, her inner omega starved, doomed for an inevitable withdrawal. Best case scenario? She goes through several days of pure hell. Worst case? She’s infertile for life.

“Humane?” I snarl.

Caleb rises, placing a hand on my chest. “Hallway,” he mutters, “now.”

Lip still curled, I storm out, not trusting myself to look at Julius Darke ever again.

What’s wrong with you? I snap at my inner alpha. I’ve dealt with plenty of scumbags before, including the trafficking kind. This guy is no different.

Except for the fact that he’s been keeping Faith, my Faith, in a cage for the last three years.

Caleb shuts the door behind us. “Get your stuff,” he says to me, “you’re going back to HQ.”

I open my mouth to argue. Shut it before I even find the words.

My head alpha is right. The way I’m acting right now, I’ll only be a liability to the interrogation.

If only you’d send me back to the den, I want to grumble. I need to see the omega. Need to put my scent on her.

Then again—maybe that’s the reason he dragged me out of there in the first place.

Chapter Fifteen

Micah

I notice it before the others.

---