Carrion just nodded toward the seats in the corner.
“Come.”
He sat in one, then set the pink bunny down beside him, beckoning me toward him. I remained standing, watching, trying to focus on anything that could give me information.
He was calm, though there was a slight edge to his scent as he watched me. It wasn’t anger—it was something worse. The curiosity of a predator analysing its prey. His scent was dry and metallic, like burnt sage ground into iron—desert heat and blood, clinging sharply to the back of my throat.
He glanced at the pink bunny. “Your Alphas brawled the day they bought this. One of my men bugged it while they were distracted. I thought it would be a gift for you. Unfortunately, it took a while for it to do its job—or before it crossed paths with enough of your security to compromise their phones.”
I glanced up at the second floor, to the huge arches and balcony that overlooked us.
“Most of them are gone; they believe they’re meeting Ace at his old mansion. The rest are dealt with.”
It was then that I spotted a shape between the pillars: a limp arm hanging over the edge, traces of crimson stained the fingertips as they dripped onto the floor below. The droplets spattered the marble, sharp and rhythmic.
A security guard.
My stomach dropped so hard I almost retched. We were cornered.
“I like to make casual visits, but your Alphas did make it quite difficult.”
“Then why drag me here?” I snapped, trying to keep my voice steady, but the words scraped raw in my throat.
“First, I wanted to meet you.”
“Why?” I had to calm my mind enough to think. What would Ace be doing right now? I had to make him proud or this would be the end of us all.
Bambi wasn’t here. That’s what mattered. Everything else I could handle.
“I was curious how your scent was in person,” Carrion said. “Wanted to see your temperament—and it didn’t disappoint. I wasn’t at your auction, though perhaps I should have been.”
Uh… I stared at him. “Are you… flirting with me?” The words spilled out before I could stop them, reckless, jagged, like my brain had grabbed the first distraction it could reach.
Carrion tilted his head slowly, and I thought there might be amusement in his eyes. “I’ve never met a slave who has sosuccessfullygraduated to a different status.”
We were interrupted by the sound of the door at the far end of the hall opening. The groan of the hinges was like a warning across the space.
Oh… no...
Ace had his hands up, a guard at his back. His eyes darted around the room as he took it all in. I could already see too many guns to fight.
Rogue followed and they were herded before Carrion.
Rogue’s eyes were darting between me, and the Alpha I was with.“What is happening?”
“Do you know who I am?” Carrion asked.
Ace was the one who answered, tone flat as he examined the mask. “I’d imagine you’re Carrion.”
I heard Carrion’s breath of amusement. “It’s good to finally meet the pack who’ve been causing me so much grief, but before we get started, we’re missing someone.”
I swallowed.
Had Knox escaped?
Could he be getting help?
But it was then that we heard a shout from a far set of doors—the same ones I’d come through from the Misfits’ quarters. There was an audible scuffle, boots scraping against marble, then the doors burst open and Knox was dragged in.