Page 44 of Blood Pack Beginning

It took a few minutes before he whistled. “I don’t think these people were kidnapped from the packs.”

“They’re Lycan,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, they are, but I don’t think they were stolen and dumped here.”

“What makes you say that?”

Diego pointed to a corpse. “See that tattoo on the arm? I saw it recently on a dude named Brian who came knocking at the compound last week. Claimed his pack wouldn’t let him back in, and when he complained, his alpha told him to come here. Only Brian hadn’t known he’d have to follow the orders of a vampire, and when he learned it, he didn’t like it and went on a rant about how he’d rather be a rogue than take orders from a bloodsucker.”

“So this Brian left and got ambushed on his way out.”

“Maybe. I never actually witnessed him leaving. One of the compound’s other vampires took him aside, and that was the last I saw of Brian. Could Thaddeus have ordered him executed so he wouldn’t blab about the vampires?”

She shook her head. “No. He’s not one to kill wantonly. Thaddeus would have wiped his mind of anything he’d learned and given him a compulsion to leave and never return.” Something about the situation nagged, but it refused to coalesce. “Do you recognize anyone else?”

Diego went hunting through the bodies, hauling them from the heap, laying them out on the ground for easier perusal. Eight in total.

“I don’t know any of the others, although that marking on his wrist?” He indicated an outstretched arm. “Is the one commonly used by the Redwood Pack on the West Coast.”

Sasha stood, a finger on her lower lip, staring at the faces and startling as she recognized one. “That’s Dylan.” The young man had been one of the first Thaddeus collected when he started his new pack.

“When did Dylan leave the compound?” Diego asked.

Her brow furrowed. “He didn’t. He was assigned to Anabel, and, as far as I know, there’s been no issues. He seemed eager to learn and work with us. Mind you, that was a few days ago. Perhaps something changed.”

“Maybe he went for a run and got caught by someone in the woods.”

“Maybe.” When she finally grasped why the situation niggled. her stomach tightened into a cold knot. “We need to return to the compound.”

“You just thought of something.”

“I did.”

“Well? Spill.”

“No, because I might be wrong.” She attempted subtlety, but Diego caught on.

“Holy shit, you think one of Thaddeus’ vamps did this.”

“It would be rather unlikely. They are loyal to him.”

“He wouldn’t be the first dude betrayed by those he trusted, and it just so happens, Anabel was the one to take Brian aside.”

“Anabel has been with Thaddeus for years. She’s always been the perfect flock member.”

Diego stood and waved at the bodies. “Someone killed them.”

And that person would be held accountable.

CHAPTER TWELVE

As they travelled backto the compound, they came across Amir, who’d been watching the side gate instead of the tunnel. A good sportsman, Amir shook Diego’s hand in congratulations and headed off—most likely to hit something. Diego figured he’d have to wait to collect his reward since Sasha had to attend to business, but to his surprise, she insisted he stick with her when she called Anabel in for questioning.

“Shouldn’t Thaddeus be the one interrogating?” he asked as they waited in her boss’s office.

“He’s gone into the city to conduct business, and I don’t want to waste time. If we have a traitor, then they must be unearthed.”

Diego sat on the edge of the desk. “And then what?”

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