“Take the deal. I’ll meet him,” Macey growls.
“So the girl, what’s her name?”
“Her name is Macey.”
“Ah, the rogue whore. I heard about her—quite the brute.”
Macey growls, snatching up the phone. She gives Carter her number, and Everly starts calling banks to empty accounts to come up with the money.
It just makes no sense. And who is the mole in my pack? There is only one way for him to know I used the mind-link—one of my men is with him.
“One person follows her, and I kill Ava,” Carter snarls as Macey hands the phone to me.
“Yeah, yeah. I fucking heard you.” I’m about to hang up when he speaks again.
“I’ll hand the little one back; send the rogue to get her. But Ava stays until you stand down and hand the city back over to Valen. And don’t forget my money,” he snarls into the phone before hanging it up.
“He had them all this time,” Everly says, her hands shaking as she rubs her face with them, wiping the tears away. “I have to tell my father” she murmurs, getting to her feet and passing me the phone that she was on the bank with.
I send Officer Derrick to retrieve the cash and bring it here while I have Doc sent over to give Macey a dose of the cure in case Carter tries anything. Then we wait by the phone for it to ring.
John comes over with my father, and the moment the phone rings, he pounces on it and begs to swap places with Ava. According to my father, John had called Carter on the way here, but Carter refused.
This whole scenario is bizarre, and I can't figure it out—none of us can. We thought Carter was a victim in this. That’s how he portrayed himself when his father fled. We found him in a padded room for fuck's sake. Was it all an act?
“Put the girl on,” Carter snarls, obviously getting sick of John's begging. John hands the phone to Macey.
“Get in your car. I will tell you the directions. One person follows and Ava is dead, so don't try anything,” he snarls. Macey swallows and looks at us.
Taylor comes out from up the hall, tears brimming in her eyes. My father instantly tends to her, escorting her off.
“Do as I say and no one gets hurt,” Carter says, and Macey lets out a shaky breath.
Everly goes to pick up the duffle bag, but I take it from her and place it over Macey's shoulder. Officer Derrick stops Macey as she passes him and holds a finger to his lips. He pulls his gun from his holster and turns the safety off and on to show her. She nods before he tucks it down the back of her pants.
Macey’s also wearing a tracking device and voice recorder tucked in her bra and the council is already alerted—there is no way he’s leaving this city once I stand down. But what’s the point of that if he intends to leave? All it would do is sever my ability to mind-link, and I know my people won't bow for any other Alpha. Except, of course, whoever the traitor in my pack is.
It just makes no sense. I watch helplessly as she walks out the doors, knowing he’s watching from somewhere outside. I want to go with her, but it isn't worth the risk; I know Ava would be killed. For now, I’ll play his game until the council returns.
Then I will kill him.
* * *
Macey
My stomach is in knots.
The gun digs into my lower back as I follow Carter’s directions—he has me driving around the city for ages like he’s wasting my time.
“Turn at the next roundabout and double back.”
This is the sixth loop of the city. I know he’s making sure I’m not followed, but Valen won't risk Ava and Zoe, I know that much. Carter’s an idiot if he thinks Valen won't come after him for this, though. And Marcus will kill whoever hurt Zoe when he wakes. Even the rogues will hunt the bastard down for what he did.
“Pull over by the post office sorting facility.”
I do as he says, yet I see no one, not even any cars.
“Get out of the car, walk up the alley, and place the bag by the bin.”