Page 48 of Wed Or Dead

“No.” Gage spoke so instantly that Davis relaxed. The blond started to look confident.

But Billy quickly shook his head, obviously thinking the blame was coming his way. “No way, alpha, it wasn’t?—”

“I think,” Gage said, cutting through Billy’s words and still staring right at Davis, “that you’d betray me to a wolf.”

Had Davis tensed at that charge? Yes, he had. His hands were straining against the cuffs. The shifter was desperate to break free. Not that Kayla blamed him. If she were burning, she’d be feeling pretty desperate, too.

But just how strong were the bonds on Davis? If another one of his pack mates had chained him, would that individual have felt some sympathy for the shifter? Maybe not tightened the silver chains enough?

“A wolf?” Billy asked, frowning. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Kayla stepped forward. Gage had brought her in there, so she figured it was time she did her part. “Lyle McKennis, the leader of the hunters…He’s actually a wolf shifter.”

Billy started to laugh. “You’re shitting me.”

“No, I’m not.” Carefully, she studied the chained wolves. Davis had widened his eyes and the blondlookedsurprised. But his hands were still twisting within the bonds.

“And you knew?” Billy threw at her. “You knew what he was and you were still working for him?”

“I didn’t know. I thought he was human.” She’d been blind. Only seeing what she wanted to see. And was that why Gage had brought her in? Did he think he was blind where these two wolves were concerned?

She could understand that fear. When you trusted someone so much, it was easy for the person to mislead you. To lie right to your face.

But this time, things were different. It wasn’t just about blind faith. Because this time, Kayla had a way to help Gage. After all, this really was her area of expertise. “Lyle’s sent other operativesundercover in packs before.” He liked to do that. Divide and conquer, that was his strategy.

“Like he sent you?” Davis demanded. His hands stilled as he looked up at her. “He just tossed you right at the big boss.”

“I’ve been working with Lyle for years, so he didn’t track me like he does others under his charge.” No, when Gage had first asked her about a tracking device, she’d immediately denied having one. But, actually, years before, Lyle had implanted one just under her right shoulder.

She’d dug it out. She wasn’t a dog to be tracked. Not even by the man she’d put up on a stupid pedestal.

And he sure did fall.

So Lyle checked in with her via regular calls. He didn’t use the calls with his other hunters. That would have been too risky. Or so he said. He’d given her special privileges because she’d been his top hunter.

So he’d said.Lying asshole.

“They all have trackers,” she whispered. “All the other hunters. In case they’re ever captured or for when they find a target so they can be located easily.” The better to apprehend the prey they’d caught. The better to send in the team for retrieval.

Just like the team that had come for her and Gage.

The chained men frowned at her. The silence in the room seemed heavy. Too thick.

“And youdon’thave a tracker, Kayla?” Gage asked, voice deep and rumbling as he broke through that silence.

She shook her head. But, hell, maybe that wasn’t good enough. She pulled over the neck of her shirt, revealing the thin scar that sliced around her shoulder. “I took it out two years ago.”

She’d thought it would be hard to figure out which member of the pack was betraying Gage. Checkingallthe pack fortrackers? She didn’t see that going over real well. Like they’d all be willing to strip for a hunter and let her search their bodies.

But with just two men, finding the tracking device would be a piece of cake.

“Who has it?” Kayla asked as her gaze darted between Davis and Billy.

“Search me all you want, sweet thing,” Billy invited, his slight accent thickening. “Strip me. Feel me up. I don’t have anything to hide.”

Davis lunged away from the wall—and his hands were free. Tricky wolf, hehadbeen breaking out of his bonds.

But she’d suspected that. She dodged when he came at her, slicing with his claws. Kayla hit the floor and missed the claws that could have cut her open. Davis twisted and tried to come at her again.

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