Page 36 of The Blind Hordesman

The male from the forest runs and throws a rope.

It catches the hound around the neck, and the hound’s head jerks, nearly throwing us off. Arkin snarls, and suddenly, the weight of him is gone. The hound falls headfirst into the snow, throwing me off. I land at the forest male’s feet. Hounds come rushing out of the trees, only two to the Collector’s five, and just when I think the animals will fight to the death, the five Collector hounds raise their hackles, but only one, the one the Collector Alpha rode, steps toward the two hounds that emerged from the forest. One of the two new hounds is scarred, but he’s bulky and the biggest hound I’ve ever seen. He lifts his upper lip, hackles, and tail.

The Collector’s hound whines, glancing toward his owner, who’s covered in a gray net, clawing to get out. The four Collectors are down, their red robes blanketing the fresh snow.

I look up. A mean scar runs across this older Alpha’s eye, and when he smiles, he reminds me of Seer. He wears fur, a blacktil, and a belt with a hound insignia. This male is Horde. He extends a hand. I grab it thinking he’ll help me up and explain. Nope. He yanks me, bends me, balls me up somehow, and throws me—throwsme!—across the snow. I scream and land in some other Alpha’s arms. Eyes wide, shocked, I stare at him, mouth slightly agape. This Alpha, also older, puts me down, and we’re in the forest watching the Scarface Alpha approach the Collector struggling under the net.

Another Alpha steps next to me, and I move away, nervous. I don’t know any of these males. Omegas get kidnapped. Alphas enter challenges for the right to breed one. They could be worse than the Collectors. I jerk to the right, thinking I can run, but trip over something and fall into the snow. Hands wrap around my waist and lift me up, and an Alpha slings me over his back, then threads his head through my tied hands. He turns his profile to me. This one has a pierced nose and a killer smile showing all his sharp canines.

“A tied-up redhead,” he says. “Today must be my lucky day. “

“Shut up, Vemlox,” the red-haired Alpha says. “We’re on a mission.”

“Aw, the cold’s getting to you. What’s the matter, Kinre, your dick shrunk?”

Kinre shakes his head. “Stay focused. This is gonna flip Arkin’s crazy switch.”

“Who are you?” I ask.

“We are Horde.”

“I got that part on my own.”

Kinre glances at me. “Then why ask?”

“I’m asking who—”

“Quiet, Omega, or I’ll gag you.”

Damn.

Scarface Alpha slashes the net, and Seer’s brother claws his way out of it, leaping up, snarling. His eyes immediately find me, and I almost duck behind the Alpha’s shoulder.

Arkin glares at the Scarface. “What the fuck, Dad? Give her back right now.” Arkin points to the ground.

Dad? Serpent’s fine linens, this is Loven, the Scarface Horde Alpha who infiltrated the place Father and Grandma were kept but didn’t rescue them. He only took his own people, namely the Telean general and the Alpha female. Father swears Loven saw him and simply moved on to the next cell. But what if this Alpha never saw him? What if Father imagined it? What if they could mend the old wounds?

“There’s fumes coming out of your ears,” Vemlox shouts.

“Uncle V,” Arkin says, “this is not funny. Give her back.” He points. “You stole Junior for this. Really, Dad? I can’t believe it. What are you doing?”

“Are you really the imposter’s kid?” Vemlox asks me.

“Yeah.”

Kinre rattles. “Pay attention, Vemlox.”

“He’s not gonna attack us,” Vemlox says.

Arkin lifts his armor.

Uh-oh.

These Alphas don’t, and neither does Loven, who stands there facing his son. “Can’t have her, boy. Your brother needs new armor.”

Ouch. I’m gonna be delivered to give Seer red armor. Is that all he wants from me?

“My brother needs to complete the mission. He’s already led the Warlords in the wrong direction. Dad, come on, you know the law.”

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