Page 23 of Wolf Claimed
Tiernan had never really considered how Maddox felt about Alyssa, but it seemed she’d made quite an impression on him. Until now, he’d thought Maddox looked at her like Kingsley had, as a conquest. Unlike Kingsley, who was in the back of the room with his group joking about Alyssa, Maddox’s jaw remained tight, as did his entire body.
“Quiet. Both of you,” Rafe snapped. The alpha was as tense as Maddox.
“What’s happening?” Lincoln, a shifter from South Dakota, asked as they caught a glimpse of the second agent in the room handing a black leather kit the size of a pencil case to Gallagher, who moved to block the camera. The interrogation room fell silent.
“Truth serum,” Jason said. “It’s illegal in other federal agencies. Not sure about the DSA, though. They have more latitude in how they run their department. I’ve heard the drug is quite effective, causing pain if the subject resists. The subject learns to tell the truth rather quickly.”
When Maddox moved toward the door, Rafe intercepted him. “You’ll start a war.”
“If they harm her, that will be the least of their worries,” Maddox replied.
“No!” Alyssa’s voice slammed through the speakers as the needle sank into her arm.
Gallagher glanced at his watch. “You’ll tell me the truth or suffer, Artemis.”
“Go to hell. You have no right drugging me.”
“What was in that file folder?”
“I don’t know,” she said. Her face cringed, and she doubled over in pain.
“And that’s the effect of lying. What was in the file folder, Artemis?” he repeated.
“A picture,” she blurted out. Her body eased for a split second until Gallagher grabbed her by her hair and pulled her head up.
“Who was in the picture?” he demanded.
“Me.”
“Who else?”
“My dad.”
“Did you steal the picture from Graves’s office?”
Sweat rolled down her face as she shook her head.
“Did you steal the picture?” he asked again.
“Destroyed it.”
“Why?”
“Personal,” she said, her breathing labored.
“Don’t fight it,” Tiernan mumbled, wishing she’d tell Gallagher whatever he wanted to hear, so this torture would stop. They’d deal with the consequences afterwards. “Just tell him, baby.”
“What’s your real name?” Gallagher demanded. The agent moved aside, and they could see Alyssa again. She was writhing in pain, and her fingers had contorted as she pulled against her cuffs. “What is your birth name?”
“Can’t!”
Tiernan’s wolf rose up with a viciousness Tiernan had never encountered. He pushed and wrestled with his wolf, finally forcing him down. He’d taken him down quickly, but had exerted too much energy in the process. Instinct told him his wolf had not completely given in, either, as if he were lying in wait for the slightest slip-up on Tiernan’s part.
“The longer you hold out, the worse the pain gets,” Gallagher warned Alyssa.
“Let me pass,” Tiernan threatened Rafe, who blocked the door.
“If you attack them, you’ll destroy this treaty.”
