Kane was a better man than I was, because the temptation to end Varga while I’d had his throat in my grip was strong. A lesser wolf would have let me. But it was too late; we were airborne and not there with the women. Dirge was more than capable of keeping them safe, but I knew in my gut that something was wrong.

“It’s Brielle. Something’s happened. I’m getting pure terror, but she’s trying to block me. Probably in a bid not to distract me.”

I wanted to pace, but I was still strapped in. I grabbed my discarded helmet and spoke into the mic.

“Speed this bird up. Something’s wrong at the castle.”

“Ten-four,” the pilot responded immediately, and the chopper lurched momentarily as it picked up speed. It didn’t do anything for my pounding pulse or sky-high blood pressure.

If anyone so much as lays a finger on her, I’m going to rip their whole arm off and feed it to them.

“Anything?” I asked under my breath so Varga couldn’t hear as another minute ticked past like a snail across an ice cube.

“She says they’re safe, and Dirge locked them in the tunnels.”

“The tunnels? I’d forgotten about those,” Reed said from his position across the aisle.

Kane’s expression was grim. “They’ve very rarely been used over the years, but that’s what they’re for. They’re all four safe, just nervous about Dirge fighting alone.”

Reed snorted. “They haven’t seen Cristian shift yet. Plus, he’s got the perimeter security as backup, but we’ll be there soon.”

“I told them,” Kane said, meeting my eyes. “Leigh is fine. She wanted to make sure I told you.”

Goddess, I envied him in that moment. The mental bond, the security inknowinghis mate was okay. I was sick to death of getting it secondhand, as much as I was grateful that one of us knew.

I was ready for it to be me. I never knew that I’d be so glad to be done with my days of bachelorhood, but as soon as I’d met Leigh, I had no more interest in sowing oats. I wanted her, and our daughter.

My blood pressure lowered a few points, but I was sure itwas still far too high. “I’ll radio the perimeter and get an update.”

“Andrei, come in,” I said, but as long seconds ticked by, there was no answer. “Andrei, we have reports of an attack at the castle. Do you read? Check in.” I tried again, but there was still no response.

Varga laughed again, wearing an unhinged expression. “Don’t bother trying a third time. They’re all dead, or they will be soon.”

What did this shitbag do?

I unlatched my harness, not caring about in-flight turbulence. The space between us was gone in four long strides, and I grabbed him by the throat.

“What the fuck are you up to, Varga? Kane wants a public tribunal, but I’m happy to rip your bowels out on the floor of this chopper if that’s what it takes.”

“You took the bait. The hook is your problem,” the man said with another cackle.

I backhanded him across the face. “Speak!”

Reed dragged me back from our prisoner. “G, this isn’t helping. He’ll get what’s coming to him at the tribunal. You need to sit back down. We’re coming in for a landing, and we’ll get the situation on the ground.”

Blowing out a furious breath through my nose, I realized he was right. The pilot was flashing the light to warn we were about to touch down.

“Fine. You keep Varga on lock and stay onboard. When we touch down and bail, have the pilot take you two back up, hover nearby in case we need a speedy exit, but not so close they can take potshots at you.”

Reed clapped me on the back, seemingly satisfied that my head was back in the game. “Consider it done.”

I braced for touchdown on the handhold nearest to Kane, not bothering to strap myself back in.

“What’s the plan?” Kane asked quietly enough not to be heard by Varga, in case he was passing information via his pack links. He looked pensive, and I knew it must be distracting having your mate’s fear inside your head when you were trying to focus.

“Stay behind me. Then we clear this place out and get to our females.”

“Based on what Brielle has told me, they’re all the way down in the bunker, not in any of the tunnels.”