Page 50 of Deadly Ties

Kill.

I pop both sets of claws, but the guy in the chair just taps his gun. A light flares on the top, and I follow the barrel down to where it’s pointed at Kelly’s sleeping face.

“Your alpha’s down.” I can feel him looking at the bite mark on my throat. “Messy fucker, isn’t he?”

It probably looks like Rory gnawed on my neck, since it’s two bites together, but I don’t educate him. Kelly is twitching in his sleep, and Rory isdown.

I retract my claws, but I can feel my wolf staring out of my eyes. “If you killed him, everyone you care about is dead.”

It’s not an idle threat; if Rory’s gone, Arben will hunt them all, and I’ll help. Not to mention what Kelly, Link, and Cam would do to avenge their brother.

Still, the vow must sound strange coming from an omega. I’m crouched in a nest, silver spray still matted in my hair and my whole body is crusty with slick and cum. But he doesn’t laugh. “I’d expect no less from Bisha’s baby,” he says instead, and I cock my head. I know that voice. Different clothes, different gun, but that same air of weary violence.

“Darius Raptis. You’re Glo’s alpha.”

He reaches out and clicks on the lamp, pulling the black gaiter he’s wearing down to his chin. Tired black eyes stare back at me before dipping to his lap. My breath catches as I realize he’s holding the framed picture of his pack. “She’s gonna kick my ass for doing this.”

He means Glo. But there’s a world of emotion in his eyes as he stares at her, his thumb swiping over the pale oval of her face.

“Then don’t. Let me talk to her. I bet we can work something out.”

But he just places the picture on the desk and gets to his feet. “That’s just it. I need you to get her back.” He looks down at Kelly, who’s just starting to wake up. “I always knew Erikson was a greedy shit, but two omegas?”

“Rory isn’t my alpha,” I tell him, putting a hand on Kelly to keep him quiet. “Whatever argument you have with him, it has nothing to do with us.”

But Darius just presses a button on his headset and rattles out some command in code. I can hear noises from downstairs and I bite the inside of my cheek. Did Rory go down to investigate, and they ambushed him? “Doesn’t matter,” Darius says, and I realize he means about who we’re mated to. He tosses a backpack at my feet. “You’re a trade, and he’s a bonus. Now get your asses up and dressed. You’ve got two minutes.”

I wake Kelly just as another soldier appears in the doorway, wearing the same tactical gear. Kelly gives me a sleepy smile until my tension sinks in, and then he scrambles to his feet. “It’s okay,” I whisper, gripping his hand. “We just need to keep calm. Look for our chance.”

His head snaps over to Darius and his pack mate, who are now huddled in the doorway. Kelly’s nostrils flare as he takes them in, and I catch the glint of silver in his eyes. I’m glad he’s angry and not panicking, but we don’t need him tipping into an omega heat right now. To distract him, I start pulling clothes out of the bag. There’s an expensive black dress for me and black pants and shirt for Kelly. The labels are still on them and my heart dips as I realize they’re from Slick, the boutique Bisha owns.

But Kelly is still glaring at the guys in the corner, and I can scent the sour edge of fear under his rage. He’s gone through so much, and to have to wake up to this… anger burns through me, lava hot. I grab his face, pulling him down for a hard kiss. I can feel the alphas watching us, but Kelly just gives them his back. “What’s going on, Angel?”

“I think it’s Bisha. Here, get dressed.” I hand him the clothes but leave the black dress and walk towards the alphas. Darius immediately lifts his gun, earning a quick glance from his pack buddy. “Watch her hands. She can half-shift.”

“Not with these,” the guy responds, tapping a pair of silver cuffs on his belt.

I focus on Darius, since he’s clearly calling the shots, and because I’ve already got some connection to him through Glo. It’s not much, but I need to keep things as calm as possible until I know what we’re up against. “Will you tell us where we’re going? We just woke up and we need to shower…”

Cuff Guy snorts. His face is mostly hidden by the mask he’s wearing, but his eyes rake over my body. “Don’t worry, princess. You’ll fit right in.”

I don’t try to hide my disgust. If this is one of Glo’s alphas, I feel sorry for her. “Where? We deserve to know.”

But Darius just points the gun back at the nest. “I’ll drag you out of here like that, or you can get dressed. But we’re leaving now.”

I glare at them but scurry back for the black dress. It’s short and tight and the opposite of cute, but if Bisha’s involved, I don’t want to be dumped somewhere half-naked. Kelly provides a bit of a shield as I wriggle into the stretchy material, and I use the cover to catch his gaze. Thinking of the way I talk to Arben through the bond, I pinch my lips closed and try to project my thoughts.Kelly? Can you hear me?His eyes go wide and I smile.I take it that’s a yes?

He goes to nod his head, but then scrunches up his brow.Can you hear me, too?

Perfectly, Sunshine.I give him a quick wink.Looks like our bondlink is adaptable. But don’t let on. We might need to use it to our advantage.

Okay, but I want you to know something now. Before anything else happens.His whiskey eyes stroke my face, but it’s the emotion flooding through the bond that has me blinking back tears.I’m completely crazy about you, Angel. I know it’s fast, but I think that’s just because it’s so real. My heart is yours, and always will be.

Well, crap. Now I want to wrap myself around him and never leave this nest, Darius and his asshole friends be damned.Same, Sunshine. You’re my dream come true. And I’m going to protect it with everything I have.

He grins, but then Darius calls time and we’re marched bare-foot out of my room. The second guy fits the cuffs over my wrists while Kelly stares daggers into the side of his face. But the cuffs are the least of my problems. Yes, it will stop me shifting, but as we head downstairs, I see a big brown wolf slumped on the floor, two other guys standing over him.Rory.

Kelly gives a strangled sob, but Darius just steers me towards the door. “I made sure it was a half-dose,” he says into my ear. “If your alpha wants to storm the Tower in a few hours and throw away his life, that’s up to him. But if you so much as twitch until I get you there, I’ll come back and put a bullet in his head. Got it?”

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