Page 30 of The Alpha

Her eyes widened at the thought, but she still didn’t move away from him. She sensed that if she did, he’d wake up and have that desperate look in his eyes. The one that confused her.

Pari’s own eyes ran down the length of his body. His knees were slightly bent, and she absently wondered if his heiney was as muscled as the rest of him. She reached back and tried to cover hers with the hospital gown. Apparently, their captors didn’t care about their prisoners’ modesty.

Pari went back to studying his face. He looked so peaceful, and she wondered at the destruction he could wreak when fully awake. Is that why they kept him so heavily sedated? Good grief, the poor man couldn’t even stand yet. How he managed to get to his knees earlier she didn’t know. But they’d both stayed in that position until they sank to the floor and fell asleep.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

He opened his eyes, startling her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He stared at her, and she noticed his eyes weren’t as bright blue as before. In fact, they looked almost gray.

He blinked back sleep, his face an expressionless mask as his eyes raked over her. When his eyes locked on hers again, he smiled.

Not a big smile, but a smile, nonetheless. And he looked pleased for some reason. But for the life of her, Pari couldn’t figure out why.

11

Dallan opened a door through time into the basement of Pari’s building. Raina and Halden came along to stay with Maida. They’d wait in Pari’s apartment with Simon Kells and Geran. If there was any sign of trouble, they were to get the three to safety.

Markhel stepped through first, Maida at his side, followed by Kwaku, Zara and Archer. Raina and Halden followed with Lany. Tylahs on his shoulder. Dallan and Shona brought up the rear.

Archer unceremoniously dumped a large, black duffle bag onto the cement floor. “It’s bloody dark in here!”

“Quiet,” Dallan hissed. “It’s a basement, ye clot head. Of course it’s dark.” He flipped a nearby switch and closed the door he’d made. The sunlit meadow of the library faded, and there was only the light of a single bulb above them.

Halden looked at it. “Why am I not surprised there’s only one of these down here?”

“Pari’s uncles are cheap?” Lany asked.

“Frugal,” Halden corrected.

“Enough,” Dallan said. “Let’s get upstairs and prepare to search.” He led them to the staircase and up they went. Theyemerged in the hallway, and as soon as everyone was out of the basement, Halden took a key from his pocket and locked the door. “I’ll have to figure out how to get this back to Al,” he told Raina.

“Dinna worry over it now,” Dallan advised. “Let’s go.”

They went to the staircase and climbed to the fourth floor and Pari’s apartment. Halden unlocked the door, having gotten another key from Al, and let everyone inside.

Dallan entered first, and at his signal, the others followed.

Halden and Raina entered, and Raina sighed. “I feel so awful.” She turned to Dallan. “Thank you for letting us come. I know we might not be able to do much but at least Pari knows us.”

“Aye, I ken the two of ye are worried about the lass. But when we find them, we might be leaving from wherever they are in a hurry rather than bringing them back here first. King Jaireth’s orders.” Dallan sighed. Jaireth had been so angry when he found out Melvale had been taken, his heart took over, made him shift, and he ran off into the woods as a huge wolf. Shannell could still communicate with him, and he gave orders. Now here they were, setting up a base of operation in Pari’s apartment. If the men that took Melvale got any ideas to come back here, they were in for a big surprise.

Archer took out a Muiraran device from the duffle bag and switched it on.

“What does that do?” Halden asked.

“It detects other electronic devices or machines. I want to see if the men that took Melvale’s mate left behind any presents.”

“Presents?” Maida said in confusion.

“Bugs or hidden cameras?” Shona asked.

“Aye, Princess,” Archer said. “The bloody bast…” his eyes darted to the women. “Um, I mean, thosewicked men. I wouldn’t put it past them to have planted some.”

Dallan looked at the rectangular device in Archer’s hand. It had what Shona called a meter and was moving a little. “So far so good,” Archer said. He went into the living room and turned a full circle.

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