Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Nick smiled. “You’re right. Shay’s stronger than you’ll ever be—and certainly a better Alpha than you could ever hope to be.” Miranda’s eyes flared with a simmering anger that scalded Ally.
“But it’s not Shaya you need to worry about,” promised Roni. “It’s me.” No one wanted Kerrie caught and punished more than Roni did, and Miranda was in her way.
One of Miranda’s enforcers cleared his throat to catch everyone’s attention. He cast his fellow enforcer a brief look before speaking. “Clark and I can take you to Kerrie.”
Miranda whirled on them. “Do not dare betray me, Jason!”
“Everything these wolves said is right,” Jason said to her, looking defeated. “Our pack was strong until you took it over. We’ve watched friends leave because of you. I don’t want to see any others leave. And I don’t want to be forced to go one day just because I might have been blessed to find my mate and she turned out to be dominant.”
“All that aside,” began Clark, “betraying our neighbors like this . . .” He shook his head. “It’s wrong.”
Nick didn’t appear totally convinced that their sudden willingness to cooperate was authentic. “If that’s how you both truly feel, you can tell me what I want to know.”
Jason nodded. “Kerrie’s on our territory.” Miranda gasped, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. Ignoring her, Jason went on. “She’s been staying in one of the guest cabins.”
“She’s obsessed with getting vengeance,” said Clark. “We thought about coming forward sooner, but . . .”
“But you’d pledged an oath, and it felt wrong to dishonor it,” finished Shaya, her tone one of understanding, though her facial features were still etched with infuriation.
Jason straightened his shoulders. “We caught the foxes that shot the grenade on your territory. We . . . disposed of them.”
Nick inclined his head. “It’s appreciated.”
Miranda went to lunge at her enforcers, but Jesse caught her and held her back as she ranted and raved at them for betraying her. She was screaming so loud that Willow woke up, at which point Shaya looked close to diving on her.
“Jesse, put this bitch in the toolshed,” ordered Nick. Jesse immediately—and happily—obeyed. Miranda could still be heard screaming from outside the lodge.
“We ask that you don’t punish our pack for Miranda’s actions,” said Jason.
For a moment, Nick remained silent. “You would need to leave this lodge without your Alpha female.” It was clearly a dare. Any reluctance by them to do so would indicate that their loyalty still lay with her. “And you would need to vow that your pack will not challenge ours to avenge her.”
“There will be no challenge,” swore Jason, to which Clark nodded.
“And we want Kerrie,” stated Roni.
Again, Clark nodded. “We’ll take you to her. It was never our wish to give her sanctuary.”
When Nick raised a brow at Ally, she knew he was asking if they were being truly sincere. “You can trust them on this. They’re being honest,” she assured him.
“All right then. Jason, Clark—wait outside while I have a quick talk with my pack.” Nick didn’t speak again until the enforcers shut the kitchen door behind them. “I’m not willing to rely on these guys handing Kerrie over. Not that I don’t trust your judgment, Ally, I do. And I think Jason and Clark genuinely want to get rid of Miranda. But there’s no saying the rest of their pack will feel the same. One of them might warn Kerrie before we can get to her. I won’t risk that.”
“I’ll go with them,” offered Marcus.
Roni sidled up to her mate. “Not alone you won’t.” When an odd expression crossed Nick’s face, she glared at him. “Do not go all overprotective on me right now. I need to be part of this.”
The Alpha male sighed at her in resignation. “Fine. You, Derren, Marcus, and I will go with Jason and Clark. We’ll get Kerrie and we’ll bring her back here to deal with her and Miranda together.” Nick addressed everyone else as he said, “If something goes wrong, we’ll howl.”
It was no secret that Ally wasn’t the most patient person in the world. The fact that she was also worried for the safety of Derren and her pack mates meant that she was beyond edgy as she took Bruce for a short walk through the trees near the border of Miranda’s territory, waiting for them all to return. She was hoping to catch a glimpse of her mate making his way back, but she was also hoping to walk off her pent-up restless energy.
Her wolf was just as anxious, pacing and flexing her claws. She didn’t like being apart from her mate at the best of times. Being apart from him while it was possible that he could be walking into danger wasn’t something her wolf was handling too well. Ally had asked to go along, but Nick had said that it was important to him that Shaya and Willow were adequately protected. And Derren had backed him up. Not for Shaya and Willow’s sake, she knew, but because he didn’t want Ally walking with him into what could be a dangerous situation. He was being his usual overprotective self.