Page 54 of Deadly Ties

“Wait!” Glo is gaping at me. “Do you have a bondlink with him? An omega? How is that possible?”

“Our alphas.” Why didn’t I think of them before now? Arben has to be here somewhere. And Rory could be waking up now, trying to come after us… Another wave of nausea sweeps through me, but puking with a broken nose and possible concussion would hurt like hell. So I focus on my breathing, even while I turn my mind inward. I’m careful this time, inching down the bond. “Rory?”

The static in my head is so loud, it takes me a moment to realize he’s shouting at me. “Rory, are you alright?”

Jesus, little wolf. I’m fine. Just fucking pissed! But how are you? Are you hurt? You feel weird. Tell me where you are and what’s happening.

His emotions are as frantic as his thoughts and I back up until I’m sitting on a sofa. “I’m fine. Calm down.”

Then why is my wolf going ape-shit? If Raptis so much as breathed on your wrong…

I cast a wary glance Glo’s way and switch to an internal response.Don’t worry about me. It’s Kelly. I think he’s going into heat.

Rory’s emotions suddenly coil into a hard, furious ball.Yeah, we expected that. We didn’t have much time to plan, so Cam took out the regular fighter. Well, Link took him out, but Cam shot his manager up with some drug shit and then went in as the headline act. He’s not bonded to any of us, so I can’t check in, but they should’ve put them in the ring together.

“Cam is fighting Kelly?” I’m so shocked, I squeal this part aloud.

Well, he’s letting Sunshine beat the hell out of him. Doubt Cam’s doing much to hold him off. We couldn’t let anyone else into the ring with him, and Cam knows how to take a punch.

And he won’t fight back – or probably even defend himself - because he feels guilty. I shudder, remembering the last conversation I had with Cam. I’d called him a cold, heartless prick. Accused him of never putting himself on the line for anyone else. Faking his friendship. Faking everything. And now he’s here, faking a fight and maybe getting himself killed in the process. Because what will Bisha and the other assholes do if their headline act doesn’t fight back?

I rub my throbbing temple. I can’t think about that now. At least Cam and Kelly are together, but Arben is still here somewhere, and the lack of response down the bond is starting to freak me out.What about Arben? Is he here, too?The silence is so unnerving, I stagger to my feet.Rory, what aren’t you telling me?

I can almost feel him shudder through our connection.He contacted me back at the house. That’s what got me out of your nest. He said Bisha was on to him, and I needed to get you guys to Boston. I’m sorry, little wolf.

I suck in a ragged breath, my heart twisted with so much pain I don’t know how it keeps beating.Do you know what they did to him?

I’m not sure, but Link thinks he’s in the basement. Bisha has the place set up to hold his enemies, so I’m guessing he’s down there.

Fuck. He means a torture chamber. And Bisha won’t take any chances with Arben. He knows how powerful he is. I lunge towards the door. “I have to go. I have to help him!”

Wait, little wolf. Link is on it. He said to tell you, he’ll get him out… or die trying.

A sob rips out of me, and Glo rushes to my side, but I barely see her.Don’t fucking tell me that, Rory! Goddamn alpha bullshit! We’re not losing either of them. And when we get out of here, I’m going to kick Link’s ass…

The door handle suddenly twists under my hand, cutting off my rant and making me leap back against Glo. I shove her backwards, leaping for the sofa right as the door pushes open. I sense her dropping to her knees as I close my eyes and a fog of alpha scents swarm into the room. “She can barely breath!” Glo jumps straight into traumatized omega mode. “Her nose is all swollen and her lungs don’t sound right… She needs to heal if you don’t want your alpha’s daughter to die on this sofa!”

The command in Glo’s voice is tinged with hysteria, and I imagine it’s the only reason the closest alpha doesn’t knock her to the floor. “Move aside.” A rough hand grips my chin and my eyes sag open, hooded and cloudy. Glo isn’t the only one who can channel an Italian screen goddess when she has to. “Can you sit up, Omega? If I have to carry you, I will.”

Fuck that. I flutter my lashes, but let him prop me up against the back of the sofa as I look into his face.

Uncle Miko! As my gaze sweeps over his dark brown eyes and neat beard, his name is on the tip of my tongue. My hands twitch in the cuffs, desperate to cling to someone safe and familiar, but there’s another alpha standing right behind him, glaring down at me. He’s a tog, and one of Bisha’s most hardcore butt-kissers… Shit. I lower my eyes to my lap, forcing my voice to come out low and frightened. “I think I can stand, but everything hurts. If you could just free my wrists…”

My voice is nasal enough to make Uncle Miko wince, but he shakes his head. “The cuffs stay on. But you can lean on me until you get your balance back.”

The tog is still glaring at me, and when Uncle Miko urges me to my feet, I get the message. He can’t do much to help me with the enemy looking on. But if I could get him alone for a moment…

“Hurry the fuck up,” the tog growls, grabbing Glo’s arm and yanking her to the door. Uncle Miko follows, but before we step out of the room, he presses something into my hand. “It’s the key,” he whispers, “but only use it if you get a real chance.” I can hear the nerves in his voice, but he leans in closer. “I’ve very sorry, my dear. For this… and never helping you before. Your mother…”

But his words are cut off as we enter the main room and a wave of noise rolls over us. I can hear distant thuds, like someone is getting the shit beaten out of them, and I blink back a wave of tears. They’re as much for Cam as they are for Kelly, and I try to push some love down the bond, praying they don’t hurt each other too much.

But I’ve got problems of my own, because we’re being led towards the stage at the end of the room, and all eyes have swung our way.

Every table and booth are full, the air shimmering with the sharp musk of alpha aggression. My gaze sweeps over the familiar faces of togs and pack alphas from neighboring territories, daunted by so many hard eyes staring back at me. There are plenty of men I don’t recognize, but enough to convince me Bisha has called all of his top wolves to the Tower. And as we mount the stairs to the stage, most look like they’re salivating at the sight of my injuries, although a few others frown or glance away.

Not that anyone does anything to stop them from shoving Glo and me onto our knees. My short dress doesn’t protect me from the hard wooden floor, and I wince, but Uncle Miko just gives me a sad look as he walks away. I clench my jaw, pushing the glimmer of hurt down deep as I clutch the key in my sweaty palm.All I need is a chance…

I take a deep breath and look around, feeling my wolf peer out of my eyes. It’s smaller than the stage at the auction house, but everything else feels sickeningly familiar. A spotlight is burning down on me, but I use my wolf’s sharper vision to blink through the glare and look around for Arben. I can survive anything they throw at me, just as long as I know he’s alive. But then Glo gives a low moan and I follow her gaze to a table right at the back. It’s surrounded by togs, one hand on their guns as they stand guard over Darius Raptis and Cuff Guy. Whatever is about to go down, Bisha has made sure they’re here to see it.

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