Page 68 of Savage Fate

Hailey shook her head. “Just some cuts and bruises. Superficial things.” Her gaze lowered while she anxiously twisted the green-and-blue flannel blanket between her fingers. “I wish I could erase these memories, though. I’d rather not relive the terror I felt when I woke up in that basement bound in silver.”

An invisible fist gripped my heart at the pain in her voice. “What happened, Hailey? How did The Collective get you?”

Avery sat on the leather chair in the corner while Saint leaned against the wall, focusing on the two of us. Instead of demanding answers from Hailey or even leading the conversation like most alphas would, he allowed me to take the reins.

Maybe he sensed that Hailey wasn’t as strong as she was pretending to be, mentally, anyway. It was easier for her to address to me since we’d been in that van together.

She swallowed hard and reached for the glass of murky liquid, staring at it as she spoke. “I was leaving my home in Mohan Wilds, headed to the healers for work, when this strange sensation came over me.”

My eyebrow arched as unease filled my gut. “Strange sensation?”

“Like a tugging.” She sipped the tonic and shuddered. “It lured me away from the center of the pack territory, and when I reached the edge, everything went black. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in this dank, dark basement with silver chains on me.”

Had Roman cast a spell to draw Hailey away from safety? The Infernal Sol had been my undoing, but I wasn’t sure the amulet could lure anyone like it had me.

“Did you see Barric or any Collective members?” I asked, my fingers curling into fists.

Hailey gave a jerky nod as her nostrils flared. “Amelia was there. She even taunted me over saving you after Fane killed her son Dominic. She told me if I’d let you die, she might have left me alone even though I’m a bitten wolf.”

A low rumble erupted from Saint, and gold flashed in his irises. “I never trusted Amelia, and I could never fathom why Camus allowed her on his council.”

“Reese probably talked him into it.” Hailey took a sip of the concoction, grimacing as she choked it down. “Tom and Jeff were also there. And you.”

My skin crawled at the thought of being unconscious in the hands of so many enemies. They could have done anything to me, violated me like my foster brothers did in Darla’s home. “How long we were there?”

She shrugged. “I passed out again shortly after they brought you in, and then I woke up in the van.”

Where were they going? Why wait a full day before leaving, running the risk of Fane finding us?

And more importantly, what had they planned on doing with us?

“Do you remember Tom and Jeff’s conversation?” Hailey asked, interrupting my spiraling thoughts.

An icy chill slinked down my spine as their words drifted back. “They were discussing Barric’s plan to cleanse the pack lines.”

Avery sat up straight. “Like what? Killing every bitten shifter?” He scoffed. “That would take decades, if possible at all.”

Saint and I traded quick glances. Was he thinking the same thing? Could Barric somehow use the Infernal Sol to locate, separate, and kill bitten shifters?

My heart crashedinto my ribs at a frantic pace while my breath created clouds of steam. I peered over my shoulder as I ran through the forest, thick underbrush tripping me. The full moon hung high in the sky, but it barely penetrated the shadows between trees.

Something was chasing me. Or rather, multiple somethings.

Sinister laughter echoed, and another layer of fright wrapped around me. How could I get away when there were so many of them?

Tears burned in my eyes, blurring the forest. If I could shift, I could outrun them.

Why couldn’t I shift? Why couldn’t I reach my inner panther?

Wait. Panther?

I didn’t shift into a panther. I was a wolf.

Ominous figures moved through trees, and flashes of flowing black robes nearly stopped my pulse. I quickened my pace, pumping my limbs as hard as possible. Branches slashed at my cheeks and tore at my clothes.

More laughter sounded, and my chest tightened as fear coiled around my throat like a noose. Cold sweat leaked downmy forehead, and as I wiped it away, I caught sight of my long scarlet nails.

These aren’t my nails.

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