Page 16 of Sinful Shifters

Stumbling, he admits, "Rina has to go into heat for Teller's plans to work. I know that much."

"More."

I shake him. He cringes away.

"I don't know why he's doing it. I just know that he's willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen."

I promised her. I told her she would never be hurt by an alpha.

Summoning fire, I burn the inside of Eli's nostrils and underneath his fingernails. The pain is tiny but exquisite. No matter how quickly he heals, he can't take it.

After this round, he's begging to confess.

"I gave Rina to my brother because I was hoping that their connection in their past lives would help with her heat. Teller—he was going to do it one way or another, but he's distasteful of the actual act. So he wants another alpha to go first."

"Go first—what?"

"General Teller has managed to give himself a knot."

It can't be. I stumble back. It'sinsane.A knot wouldn't give him pack bonds—it wouldn't give him pheromones—

But he doesn't need either, I realize. "He's going to kill Klaus and use magic to take the bond once it exists."

I spoke aloud, and the traitor heard me. Realizing that his brother will die again, Eli cries out in guilt, but all I can think of is her.

Her pain. Her agony. Her sacrifice.

I won't let it happen. The bastard will burn instead.

Chapter13

Thale

What the general and Klaus plan is unconscionable. The fact that Eli went along with it infuriates me. As I stalk out of the ruins of the mansion, I tell the others, "We're going in after Rina."

"Obviously."

"I'll burn them to the ground."

"There has to be a way through those shields," Everett says. "And if there isn't, we'll make a way."

Once again, we're all in agreement. Though we know Ali made it into the war camp, we haven't felt her draw on our power yet. And there's no time to waste, especially with Morgan dead and our warriors half-defeated.

"We need a bigger army, though," I observe, looking down at the ruined territory of the Mountain Pack with despair in my heart. "We don't have much fight left in this one."

Of course, Everett points out, "There's an easy way to shore up the armies right now. If you take over as alpha, you can lend your powers to all the warriors. And they'll be stronger with an alpha at their head."

Adar snarls. "But the ceremony will take too much time. She could be dead, or worse, before it's finished."

"As much as it pains me to admit, Adar is right." I sigh, hating my lack of options. "I will become the Mountain Pack's alpha in due time. But the alpha ceremony would require too much time and energy."

Everett sighs as well. "Later, then."

First, we get Rina back.

* * *

The witches areour only help in this. Our kind of magic won't get through the shields, but they might be able to do what Ali did, if they all work together.

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