Page 47 of Wulf's Pack
And she got him to promise to leave her alone. My beautiful, brave, brilliant mate. I smile at her. “You were amazing.”
I pull her mouth to mine. She melts against me for a moment before I end the kiss quickly. If I don’t, I won’t be able to stop, audience be damned.
When we pull apart, we find Samuel watching us. Skylar’s cheeks heat. He sees the beautiful blush and sighs wistfully. “If you were a vampire, I’d make you my queen.”
Now that the deal has been struck, the tension is completely gone. Still, the small smile she gives him is surprising. “Will you settle for allies?”
I startle, and he cocks an eyebrow at her. She blushes again. “For better or worse, you did practically raise me. It wasn’t the best life, but it was better than it would have been had I been left to my parents’ supervision, and you never treated me the way Victor did. You’re not a monster. I don’t feel I owe you, but I have no hard feelings.”
Samuel cocks his head to the side, studying Skylar like she’s an unsolvable puzzle. Really, she’s brilliant. Where we could have gained enemies, she’s creating a powerful relationship with a strong, well-connected clan. As a small, untested pack that has an omega to protect, being known allies with Samuel Osborne can only help us. He’s not exactly an upstanding citizen, but then, my ex-clan brother is an assassin. I don’t mind a few shades of gray here and there.
Samuel’s mouth tugs up into a crooked smile. “I always did have a weakness for you,” he tells Skylar ruefully. “Very well. Allies.”
He holds out his hand to her as if to shake on it. Skylar looks to me before making it official. I shrug and hold my hand out to Samuel. “We’re a small pack, but well-connected. So long as you never ask anything of us that would break the law or hurt innocents, we’ll help you however we can.”
He considers my offer, then takes my hand and shakes it firmly once. After that, he takes Skylar’s and brings it to his lips for a kiss. The action isn’t 100 percent innocent, but I let it slide. He then keeps hold of her hand and leads her to the kitchen island where Felix, who must be his second, waits with a laptop. Introductions are made with the four other vampires, who he explains are his most trusted advisors and all vampires he sired personally. Then Skylar gives him all the known information she has on Victor’s pack. The location of his home and several safe houses. Security codes and protocols. Numbers and names of his pack. Locations of his weapons cache and drug stashes. Businesses he owns. Other known associates and allies. She gives him Victor’s entire empire, and judging from the look on Samuel’s face, there will be nothing left of the Vail, Colorado, pack soon enough.
By the time she’s done, it’s getting late. I’m exhausted and starving, and Skylar must be dead on her feet. I don’t know much about omegas, but I assume it takes a lot out of her to use her power as much as she did this evening. “That’s everything,” she says with a yawn.
Samuel and Felix eye her with approval. “That was very thorough,” Felix says.
She still shies away from him, but her fear isn’t as potent as it was. I want to know their history, but I’d never ask. “I was nothing but a tool to Victor,” she says. “No need to hide things from a possession. He involved me in just about everything he did and never once considered I would pay attention and use what I learned against him. He’s arrogant.”
“He’s a dead man walking,” Samuel says.
Skylar bites her lip. “I’m okay with that.”
So am I. More than okay. I regret I won’t be able to strangle the man myself, but I trust Samuel to make him hurt.
Skylar yawns again, and I wrap my arm around her. “Let’s get going. It’s late.”
“Stay the night,” Samuel says. “We have guest housing in the building.”
Skylar shudders, and Bree stiffens. I share their apprehension. We may be allies now, but the thought of staying in the home of a vampire clan is a bit much. “Thanks for the offer, but we’ll get a place close to the airport. We need to catch an early flight.”
Samuel nods, accepting this as if he expected it. “I’ll see you out.”
Chapter
Fifteen
The ride down to the lobby is as quiet as the ride up had been, but without the feeling of impending doom. I still can’t quite wrap my head around everything that happened. I hadn’t been sure we’d make it out alive tonight, and now here we are, allies with the enemy. All thanks to my mate.
We reach the lobby, but before we get to the front doors, Skylar stops us. “Samuel?”
He lifts his brows, surprised to be addressed and even a little pleased. His voice turns to silk. “Yes, Pet?”
I grit my teeth, but hold back my growl. I suppose using the old term of endearment isn’t as bad as him putting his hands or his damn mouth on her.
Skylar wrings her hands and bites her lip. “There’s one other thing.” She hesitates, then blurts, “You have traitors in your ranks.”
His eyes flash with shock, then anger, and then denial. “Impossible. My vampires would never betray me like that. They wouldn’t dare.”
Skylar gulps nervously, but nods. “I’ve seen them with my own eyes. I’ve witnessed them spill clan secrets to Victor. Three of them that I know of. It’s how Victor is able to intercept yourshipments. It’s how he gets to your contacts before you do. It’s how he’s been able to do it without getting caught.”
If I thought Samuel looked dangerous before, I was wrong. He looks downright murderous. This lethal creature is frightening. This is the master vampire strong enough to rule a clan nearly four hundred strong.
Skylar scoots closer to me, terrified, even though he’s not mad ather. “I’ll give you their names with no conditions,” she says. “As a show of good faith. I meant my promise to be your ally. But I’m hoping you might give me something in return.”
