Page 2 of Trick's Elite

Her attention returned to him. “How does it feel to know that your mate is going to be killed by the people you love?”

“Better question.” He took a few steps toward her and uncrossed his arms. “What would you do to save your life?”

Stella

Save my life?Stella stared at Matthew and waited for him to expand on the question. When he didn’t, she took a deep breath and released it anxiously. Was there a way to save herself? If so, was it something she would be willing to do? And why wouldn’t he just tell her what he wanted from her?

“What would I have to do?”

Slowly, his chocolate brown eyes shifted, and his gaze locked on hers. The softness there surprised her after the way they had spent the rest of their time in that room, but it was definitely there. His voice was gentler when he answered, “Help us gather intel and fight against BFA.”

He wanted her to be a turncoat? Betray what she believed in? Turn on her fellow Elites? As she contemplated his request, it wasn’t lost on her that she had essentially done that when she slipped out of that farmhouse and headed for the Howlers compound to tell the shifters where to find their friends. She had turned on the academy, as well as her fellow Elites, in order to attempt to save her ass. Sure, she thought what the Elites had done had crossed the line and felt it was only right to let the Howlers know what she knew about the situation, but that wasn’t the same thing. Was it?

“If you have to think about it that hard, maybe you don’t have a shred of decency left in you.”

She scowled at him. “You’re asking me to go against my brothers and sisters in arms.”

Those brown eyes rolled as he scoffed. “It’s a fucking academy of wannabe soldiers, not the actual damn military.”

“I don’t know how much help I can be. The others will make sure Cox knows I took off.”

He crossed his arms over his chest again. “Unless they sent a message before Shortcake and Rex were avenged, I highly doubt you’ll be singled out. He won’t know anything until his little package arrives.”

“What? Avenged? Package? What are you talking about?”

“They’re dead.” Before she could even begin to process that information and figure out how she felt about it, he started to pace in front of her and continued, “Here’s the deal. You either help us, or the Claws are going to demand your head. The only reason you are still breathing is because you’re my mate, and the clubs are offering you a chance to redeem yourself. This is it, Messer. Take it or hand over your life to the Claws.”

As the realization of her situation settled over her, as well as admitting to herself that she was relieved the other hunters had paid for what they had done, Stella battled the conflicting emotions swirling inside of her. It was the feeling of defeat that surged to the front. “So, it’s either die or help shifters kill humans?”

That gold light shot from his eyes again, and a growl sounded through the room, echoing off the concrete walls. “We don’t kill humans who don’t fucking deserve it. Taking out that damn academy is the only way tosavelives, including your own.” The light faded, and his brown eyes were gazing at her again. His tone was softer when he said, “Don’t make me hand my mate over for death, Stella.”

Chapter Two

Stella

Anachingpainslicedthrough Stella’s heart as his words hit her. Despite the hurt she still felt over his betrayal of her trust, she didn’t like the subtle pleading in his tone. As angry as he may have been at her, he was doing his best to keep her alive. It had to be the mate thing he kept bringing up, but it was something she could use to her advantage.

If the only way to get out of that room was to agree to help them, she would agree, but she didn’t have to mean it. She could promise to do it and keep her eyes open for the chance to cut and run.

“So… I sit in this room and tell you what I know, then sit around here and wait for a fight?”

He shook his head. “No. The two of us would leave here. We’ll stake out the academy, while you also tell me everything you know. I’ll report back to my club. As long as you prove to them you’re trustworthy, they won’t treat you as a threat.”

Stella’s heart began to pound harder. If he was taking her away from the Howlers compound, it would be easier for her to find the chance to run. He couldn’t watch her every moment of every day. Eventually, he’d have to take a shit or sleep or whatever. When his attention was diverted, she’d slip out. Where she’d go from there was another matter, but it was something she couldn’t worry about in that moment.

“Okay. I’ll tell you what I know about the academy… but before I do anything else, you need to prove to me that shifters aren’t monsters.”

“For fuck’s sake,” he grumbled under his breath. After running a hand over his bald head, he nodded. “If you don’t know that from what you’ve already seen, I don’t know how I can prove it, but I’ll give it my best shot.”

He stopped pacing, and Stella took that moment to try to calm herself. The thought of being so close to getting out of that situation with her life intact kicked her adrenaline into overdrive, but she couldn’t let it show.

When his gaze met hers again and he raised a brow, Stella nodded. “So, when do we leave?”

Trick

His mate was not as savvy as she thought. Trick didn’t believe for a second that she would blindly follow him wherever he led her. He knew she planned to go along with the plan only until she found a way to escape him.

Shaking his head, he couldn’t stop the small smile from growing on his face. It would make the trip interesting, but he had no intention of letting his mate get away. Either they would learn to trust each other, or they would die together. There really was no other option. If he had to turn her over to Crush for death, he’d find a way to follow her. Watching Emerson’s descent into despair and drunkenness after Gigi died taught Trick all he needed to know about that. He was physically strong, had worked damn hard in the gym to bolster his shifter strength and hone his muscles, but emotionally, he knew he wouldn’t be able to take it.

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