Page 17 of Secret Wolf Baby

Reacher nodded. “If that’s what you want, then of course.”

This was horrible. Not horrible—surreal. I wasn’t going to go with this man.

“No,” I said. “I’ve already said it once. I’m not going anywhere.”

All five shifters again turned their attention to me. My skin prickled as my wolf snarled, wanting to claw each of these shifters for even considering treating me like a commodity. Even if she wanted to go with Jackson, to be with the wolf who used to drive her wild with need, she wasn’t going to take this transaction lying down.

Reacher glowered at me. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, signaling the danger I was wading into. I knew that warning look in his eye. It was the one he gave me when he wanted me to shut my mouth and mind my business. Part of me wanted to shrink back from it as I always did, to cower and go along with whatever he wanted. Except I couldn’t. Not this time.

“Would you excuse us for just a moment, gentlemen?” Reacher asked, his eyes locked on me. “I think Audrey and I need to have a quick conversation to go over logistics.”

Without waiting for permission, Reacher stalked forward, his eyes shooting daggers at me. He took me by the arm, guiding me with surprising gentleness out of the room.

The instant we were out of sight of the other shifters, his grip tightened. I sucked in a breath as he squeezed my bicep painfully and jerked me down the hall. He walked at such a fast clip that I stumbled to keep up as he dragged me along. He didn’t so much as glance at me as he marched me down the hall, but I could sense the anger radiating off him in sickening waves ashe steered me toward an empty meeting room. He shoved me inside before following me in, closing the door behind him.

I backed up until I hit the wall. He stalked toward me, only stopping when he was inches away, effectively pinning me in place.

“Do you have a death wish, you little brat?” he snarled. “Or are you just that stupid?”

“I’m not going with him, and you can’t make me,” I bit out.

“The hell I can’t. I don’t know where this back-talking is coming from, but you better knock it off right now.”

“Please don’t do this,” I said, pleading now.

“Why not?” Reacher sneered. “You should be thrilled. You’re getting a mate out of this. A powerful one. It isn’t like anyone else is going to want you. I don’t know what he does, but I don’t particularly care. You should be thanking me.”

“Let me go.” I reached out and pushed him back.

The instant I did, I knew I had made a dire mistake. His eyes darkened, and before I could apologize or run or do anything, his hand lashed out and grabbed my forearm, squeezing tight enough for me to wince.

“Now you listen here,” he hissed, his face so close to mine that I could see his every pore. “You’re going to go with this man whether you like it or not. Take your bastard daughter with you if you want. I don’t give a fuck. But you’re going with him whether you like it or not.”

“You’re basically selling me,” I said. I meant to sound angry, to have some kind of bite to the words. Instead, they came out feeble and timid, a slight tremor in my voice that I hated.

“Damn right, I’m selling you. And your father’s already backing me up, so you don’t have a choice in this. Do you understand?”

“I’m not going with him,” I repeated, though the words sounded feeble even to myself. I could feel myself shrinking inward. “You can’t do this.”

“I can. I just did. Get used to the idea and stop whining. Be grateful some shifter wants anything to do with you.”

I stayed silent, jaw set as I looked up at him in silence. There were plenty of ways I could get around this. I could run away. I could attack Jackson. I could—

As if he could read my thoughts, Reacher snarled, “This deal needs to go through. If you do anything,anythingto jeopardize this, I will take that daughter of yours and make sure you never see her again. Do you understand?”

At the threat, all the fight I had been able to muster died in an instant. My shoulders sagged, and I glanced away, looking down at the floor.

“All right,” I muttered.

“Good.” He gave my arm another squeeze, this one tight enough to make me wince. “And just to make perfectly clear that we are on the same page, if you breathe a word of anything you think you might have heard from me or your father about what we may or may not be planning, then I will make sure both you and your daughter regret it. Do you understand?”

And there it was. Why I was being sold. I didn’t know all the details, but I was basically a bribe. Something to stop Jackson and the other shifters from looking into the Blood Moon pack and discovering what Reacher was planning.

“Do you understand?” he repeated when I remained mute.

“I understand,” I said.

A knock sounded on the door. Reacher’s head whipped around, eyes narrowing. He released me and marched to the door. My hand went to the place on my arm where I could still feel phantom fingers gripping tight. I didn’t need to look to know that there were red marks there that would ultimately turn into long, thin bruises.

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