Page 48 of Wolf Trapped
“Carter?” Patrick bellows betrayal thick in his voice. “But he was injured by the wolf.”
“We think he did that to push any kind of suspicion away from him,” I call out over the chattering crowd. Eventually, I will allow myself to feel betrayed by the shifter who was quickly earning a place as an enforcer, but my pack needs me right now.
Patrick steps forward and crosses his arms over his chest. “Are we going hunting, Alpha?”
“Yes, Patrick, we will be going hunting very soon. Everyone else, go back to your homes and report to me if you see Carter.” I call out to the crowd, and they disperse.
“Let’s go search his house first to see who he could be working for,” I say to the group—striding across the town center to the far side of the pack village. His cabin is somewhat isolated but still close enough not to be in the real forest.
“He’s a cocky one, isn’t he?” I reach out, turn the doorknob, and push the unlocked door open.
“If he’s not locking his door, my bet is there is nothing here,” Alex grumbles as he follows me inside.
“Probably not or he just thinks he will never get caught.” I stomp into his bedroom, turning on the lights as I go.
I wrench open the closet and stop in my tracks. There are pictures of my mate on the inside of the closet with red exes on her face. His phone sits on the dresser next to the closet, and I grab it. There is no unlock code on that, either. He must just hate locks. I open his text messages, and a number I don’t recognize is at the top.
Unknown: You are out of fucking time. It needs to be done tonight.
Carter: I’m working on it. I almost had it earlier, but I was about to get caught.
Unknown: I don’t care if you have to blow your cover. Get it fucking done.
Mother fucker.“This is a godsdamn distraction so that he can go after my mate.” I roar. I knock over the dresser in my rage and sprint from the bedroom. Without even stripping down, I shift, shredding the shorts I was wearing from my body. My wolf howls out his desperation, and I can’t blame him at all.
Jara is in danger, and I will tear down the world to get to her. But what will I find when I get there?
17
JARA
Ahowl in the distance has my eyes springing open. What the fuck is going on? Shuffling in the room has me relaxing back into the bed. Archer is finally back, but I still ignore him. He went for a run and left me here. Granted, I am tired, but my wolf is still anxious and wants out.
The bed dips, and something cold presses against my neck. “Don’t fucking move,” Carter growls.
“Carter? It was you? Why?” I ask softly. I need to get him talking so I can think of a way out of this. I have only met him a couple of times, but his eyes are the same eyes I saw in the wolf just outside. It makes so much sense now.
“Shut up. The fucking alpha could figure it out at any time, and I have to do this tonight.” He growls. I roll so I can see his face and put my hands up in surrender. Carter is fidgeting and scanning the room anxiously. He doesn’t look like he actually wants to be doing this.
He raises a hand, fisting it in my hair as he pushes the blade harder on my throat. I gulp, trying desperately not to nick the skin there.
Panicking, I scan the dark room the best I can without turning my head and cutting myself on the knife pressed firmly into my skin. “You’re doing this to hurt Archer?”
Why would Carter want to hurt Archer? He has always seemed to want the man’s approval. What could have possibly sent the man over the edge? I take a deep breath through my nose, and realization hits. I can’t smell him. I should be able to scent him. How the fuck is that possible?
“Alpha Kyle wants you dead. It will cause Archer to lose his mind, and they can take over his pack.” He says, tightening his fist in my hair. Fuck, Kyle was behind this but not how we thought. He hired one of our own to kill me.
“You don’t want to do this, Carter. Archer will come after you,” I plead with him.
“He already will be after me. I’m sure he knows it’s me by now. I created a distraction. He won’t be here until you are dead.” His hand at my throat shakes slightly. He didn’t have a problem being a coward and attacking Jacob from behind. Is it harder for him to kill in human form?
“What was the point? Why kill Jacob?” I ask because that is bothering me. It was just senseless.
“I didn’t want to, but they needed proof that Archer is losing touch over his territory.” He grumbles.
You don’t want to kill me, Carter. It will hurt Archer even more if you kidnap me and take me to Kyle.” I need to buy some time. Maybe if I can get him to take me outside, I can shift and take him down. Where the fuck is Archer? I’m now positive that was his howl.
“Why would you want me to take you to Kyle?” he asks suspiciously.
