Page 111 of The Alpha King's Fate

Cain remained quiet in his head, which he would have taken as acceptance if it wasn’t for the fact that both he and the beast were lost in uncharted territory. He was a King who focused only on his mate and his rage. He wouldn't be able to worry about anyone else.

“Alpha Jax,” Brax said, stepping forward. “We’ve been taught all our lives not to fight them. To hide and tuck our tails between our legs. The Circle destroys packs that even come anywhere near the Hunters’ radar. We’re all tired of the uncertainty. Isn’t it time we fought back?”

“And we know you can turn around and order us to head back home, but shouldn’t this be our choice? We have to fight them,” Ryker said. “For all our kids.”

And that included the kids he brought to his pack for protection. Their parents were probably in that warehouse with Layla.

He looked at the whole group, less than a hundred wolves. They were right; he didn’t have the right to stop them, and they had all been tired of the Hunters long before Layla showed up. But he was their King; their lives were his responsibility. His father hadn’t cared about shit like that, but the past year, with Layla’s light in his soul, changed him. His focus was Layla, but she wouldn't want him to leave anyone else behind.

He turned around and started walking back towards the base.

“Do what you want. I’m going in as soon as I find a way. Stay out of my way,” he growled over his shoulder.

The wolves behind him didn’t hesitate to follow him. He could hear their heartbeat and the light footsteps as they entered the woods. Fools. They were willingly heading to slaughter. But he wouldn’t stop them because, as much as he wanted them safe, they were right. He couldn’t fight alone.

Before he made it back to his hiding spot, the sounds of engines running drifted towards him. Did they bring more wolves? Had they devastated more packs with their kidnappings and killings?

Many blacked-out SUVs and trucks appeared at the top of the road leading to the gates. About fifteen vehicles, all full of darkness. He didn’t sense any wolves among them. The front gate slid open before they reached it, and then the heavier-looking second gate was manually opened. Four Hunters stood on either side, standing at attention as the vehicles drove in.

The gates were open longer than when they took Gavin in. From where he stood, he saw a parking lot to the side of the warehouse where several military vehicles were parked. The firepower on the tanks alone rivalled any human military base.

The first vehicles stopped, and Hunters piled out. They looked less intimidating than the ones he’d fought at the hotel—more human.

“What’s going on?” one of them asked.

“The Commander moved up the schedule,” another replied. “Everyone has to come back by tomorrow afternoon.”

“But this isn’t protocol,” another voice said as the gates started to close. “Are we supposed to—”

“Just follow your orders, recruit. You don’t want to miss the show.”

The hair on the back of his head stood when he felt the excitement that rippled in the air. What show? What the fuck were they planning to do to his people?

Chapter 50

The light was more blinding when Layla opened her eyes. She closed them and tried to roll to her side, but something held her in place.

And then it all came back to her.

Her rage. That weird shift when she was half a beast, clawing Hunters’ throats out. The blood and screams. And that gas that had knocked her out.

Her eyes snapped open as she sensed the danger she put herself in. It was all around her, even though she could feel no one else in the stark white room. She looked down at her boundlimbs and torso. Her feet were spread apart, the silver chain holding them in place on bars on either side of the cold, metal bed they tied her to. Her arms were stretched above her head, also connected to some bars at the top. Only a pair of underwear covered her modesty, so she could see her smooth skin where she had previously been covered in wounds. At some point, between escaping her cage and waking up tied down, she had completely healed.

Her wolf did that. It tried to be a hero, killing everyone and healing her before being subdued again. She should have had better control of the beast. She could have picked a better time to try something.

She closed her eyes against the light. Who was she kidding? There was never going to be a better time. And there was no way she would have let them take Faith, beast or no beast.

She opened her eyes again and looked around the room. She was tilted almost upright, facing a white wall, but she could feel that was where the danger she sensed was coming from. It was pressing into her almost like a physical force. They were gathered behind that wall. Was she in for more torture? Would they bring their hounds this time? Would they kill her, too? They were never going to let her get away with killing their guards.

Her muscles started to burn from holding her weight up. Tugging at the chains didn’t help; there was no give, and all she managed to do was rub her wrists raw. They bound her tighter than before, probably because she gave herself away and showed them how easily her wolf could free her. If it showed up again. There was silence in her head as if she hadn’t just spoken to the wolf inside her.

But had they already known what she was capable of? Was that one of the reasons the Commander decided she was the one who would help him with his plan?

They had her mother, who was a lot stronger than she was. But that meant she wouldn’t give up as easily. Rebecca wasn’t useless like she was. She spent over a decade evading the Hunters. But now, her mother was imprisoned like everyone else. Just that thought sent a chill down her spine. She knew nothing about what she could do, but the Commander was excited to have captured both her and Rebecca. He knew more about them than she did.

There was a whoosh sound behind her, and the scent of the man she was thinking of filled the room. Her whole body froze. Would her wolf come to her rescue again? If she attacked him and ran—

“You’re awake. Good,” the Commander said behind her. “You’re just in time.”

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