Page 20 of Never Submit

“Will it make you feel better if I agree to this?” Torin sounds smug.

He slides his hands into the pockets of his coat as I move into position at his side again, chastised and furious. Inclined to step in if necessary.

And judging by the look Dax wears? It might be fucking necessary.

“None of this makes me feel better,” Mathis argues. “Do you think I’d give a rat’s ass about you if I had a choice? No. I’m out of options.”

I shiver but it has nothing to do with the chill in the air and everything to do with the mate bond and how every single one of us here wants to get her back. Not just me.

“I’m not sure what you think we know, but we’re running blind here.” I take a risk in speaking before Torin and earn a warning glare from my alpha. “And we have much more of a reason to find Ren than you do.”

“Eyes on the prize there, huh,Nobie?” Dax says with his eyes narrowed on me. Firelight glints in the black depths.

“Of course. And don’t you worry, I plan to be the one to get her back, too,” I snap back to him.

Mathis sighs.

He might have found Dax in the woods, but a tragic backstory isn’t going to make me lower my guard, like it did for the alpha of the Grey Valley pack. I don’t care how many good memories they have together.

Dax is my enemy.

He killed my sister with his fucking power play bullshit.

“I’m a better tracker,” Dax grunts, more wolf than man. “I’m the best we’ve got. And I’m coming up blank. So Mathis thinks we need your help.”

As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. And unlike Torin, I can push aside my own damn pride. I’ll use him as a means to an end if his skills with tracking can find Ren.

I’m glaring daggers through him but each one bounces off. I’m not sure if he simply doesn’t care, or if he’s oblivious, lost in the fantasy in his head where he’s the hero and not the villain.

“What’s that face? Poor sad little Noble. Is he the onlyone of us here who hasn’t had his cock in the woman?” Dax laughs. It’s not a nice sound. “No wonder he’s so desperate to find her and break off a piece.”

Torin’s voice darkens. “Control your animal or else I’ll have the pleasure.”

Mathis nods, his hands clenched at his sides before he turns to Dax and barks out a warning.

“I might not have fucked her, but I’m the only one of us with a mate bond,” I reply.

Torin sucks in a breath then growls, but Mathis and Dax are still. Silent.

They must have suspected, at the very least, but it takes Dax a second to actually understand me. Emotions play across his face before his eyes go stormy.

Murderous.

Without warning, Dax releases a hiss of air like a popped balloon and launches himself at me.

I stop him dead in his tracks before he has a chance to land a hit, reacting with a right hook to his gut. Watching in glee as Dax doubles over before I kick him in the knee to get him back a step.

There’s a reason that Mathis unleashes Dax when it comes time for punishment. The big bastard doesn’t back down.

I’ve fought him several times and even though we both left bruised and bloody, neither of us has broken any bones.

No time like the present.

His scarred knuckles drive right into the side of my face and split my lip. “You motherfucker! You had no right!”

“I haveeveryright!”

Pain blossoms across my cheek, and I clamp my palm against his throat, loving the sight of Dax starting to choke.

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