Page 65

DAMON

“ H ave the prisoners spoken?”

Amber, my beta, shook her head. “Not yet. The torturing is effective, Alpha. They are weakening.”

My upper lip curled in frustration. I walked past Amber and went down the dark corridor of the underground prison cell my father built for werewolf prisoners of war. But no wolves filled the cells today. Rage licked through my blood like a windswept flame.

Some of my bears had defected, betrayed me and the Stoneclaw Clan by following Rick and attacking Sasha’s pack.

A raw ache twisted my heart as Sasha’s tear-stained face came to mind.

The hatred that had darkened her brown eyes, turning them near onyx.

My fangs jabbed through my gums. Someone was going to talk and reveal why they had attacked the pack of latents.

And I knew who the hell I was seeing first.

I stopped in front of a door. Two of my sentinels flanked each side, keeping sentry. I nodded to them and opened the door. I closed it behind me, my gaze locking on the only bear inside the room.

Rick lifted his head from where he sat chained to a chair bolted in the concrete ground. Iron made up the bolts and chains restraining Rick—a substance that paralyzed our beast forms, weakened us.

I stepped toward him, my lip coiling in disgust at the sight of my former friend.

A small pang shot through my heart—my soul aching over his treason.

I hated how I still held a deep affection for my supposed friend.

Blood slicked the side of his face and matted his hair.

Bruises, both new and old, bloomed across his exposed skin.

No doubt, more evidence of torture appeared on his body beneath his torn, dirty clothing.

“Damon,” Rick wheezed. “I swear, I?—”

My fist connected with his cheekbone. His head snapped back. I straightened, fist and jaw still clenched.

“So, you can speak,” I said. “The sentinels said you lot were mutes.”

Rick’s head turned, his gaze hesitant as he met my scowl. I lowered my head until we were at eye level.

“Now I’m only going to ask this once.” My voice dropped, sounding frigid and deadly. “Why did you attack Sasha and her pack?”

Silence descended. Rick swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. I let my claws slice out. My features hardened. I struck out a hand.

“Okay!” Ricked howled, flinching, his eyelids slammed shut. My hand stopped mere centimeters from his face. “Okay!” He cracked open an eye. “You’d really attack me, your friend since cub hood, for her?”

I knew who he referred to. And Rick must’ve read the answer in my icy stare, for sadness flickered across his expression. Then his gaze transformed, anger replacing the earlier emotion.

He let out a dark chuckle. “What the hell. You’ll kill me, anyway.” His eyes glinted with hatred. “Might as well tell you all the juicy details.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

“I would not let you ruin our clan mates, bring dishonor to the Stoneclaw Clan,” Rick growled out. “You may be fine with bedding the enemy, but I sure as hell wasn’t gonna roll over and let it slide.”

“So you came up with this insane plan to attack the latent pack?”

His eyes brightened, a crazed grin spreading across his lips. “Not me, though the idea was solid. I didn’t come up with that plan.”

A niggling suspicion wormed through my mind. My lips thinned. “What did you do, Rick?”

“Oh… I think you know what I did,” Rick said. “You can smell it on me.”

I inhaled a deep lungful of air. My blood froze over. “Shit, Rick,” I replied with an exhale. Metallic ice clung to his battered body.

Rick cackled. “I formed an alliance with the Dark Lord. One forged in blood. I figured if I couldn’t bring you to your senses and I couldn’t beat you in a duel, then I’d find a foe that could overpower you.

The Dark Fae. I went to a were-club and met with a witch who gave me the ingredients to summon a portal to take me to the other realm.

There I met a Dark Lord by the name of Dargon Vensteel.

He swore he would reward me handsomely if I aided him in killing Sasha. ”

I snarled and lunged, throwing my palm out, claws bared.

“Don’t you want to hear the best part?” Rick exclaimed. “About Sasha.”

My claws paused a hair away from Rick’s jugular. He smirked in sick satisfaction at having found my weakness.

“Your…” His nose wrinkled in disgust. “Precious Sasha has a unique power. Light Fae power.”

“Stop spouting bullshit,” I growled, lowering my hand.

“I’m not. It’s not bullshit. You know it’s not. Bet you’ve seen evidence of her powers.” He lifted his brows, wagging them.

My thoughts flashed back to the night Sasha used her lighted wolf to defeat the werebear who’d attacked us. Such unbelievable power.

Rick gave a slow smirk. “Yeah, I thought so. She’s a threat to the Dark Fae.

They wish to take over this realm, the planet, and kill the humans.

Only the Light Fae abilities can rise against the Dark Fae powers.

Sasha’s ancestors are the Light Fae, and she’s the only werewolf in existence to possess their magical influence. ”

My stomach rolled in disbelief. “You…” I shook my head. “You’re sick enough to betray not only me, but your entire race?” I allowed my inner bear to roar. “And hand us over to the Dark fae?”

For the first time, a glimpse of regret crossed over Rick’s face, his eyes diminishing a fraction. Then the look was gone, only to be replaced with furious indignation.

“The Dark Fae promised not only refuge, he swore to bring my family back from the dead.” Rick bared his fangs. “And I will be damned if I give up on the opportunity to see my mate and cubs again. I lost Sahara once to the werewolves. I won’t lose my mate this time because of your love for one.”

As my gaze bled amber rays, my vision turned golden as rage sank its talons into me. “The ingredients,” I growled, my voice garbled by primal fury.

Rick cocked his head. “What?”

I snapped my teeth at him. “The ingredients, you sick fuck! Tell me the ingredients you used to open the Fae realm?”

Rick just stared at me, slack-jawed. Then realization dawned in his eyes. A spark of fear flitted across his gaze, then disappeared. He kept silent, jaw clenched.

I bared a smile that was all fangs. “You fear the Dark Fae Lord,” I growled. “I can smell it on you.” I lowered at the waist, till I was eye level with him. “But in a moment, you’ll learn to fear me more .”

Rick hissed in defiance. A scream punched from his lungs as my claws sank into his thigh. Blood splattered, pelting my face. I didn’t give a shit.

Rick wheezed, but remained silent. I gave a coy smirk, then twisted my hand, claws slicing through tendon and bone.

Rick howled in agony, his head thrown back, veins distended along his neck.

He’d threatened Sasha. Had put her life in danger.

I imagined the vibrant brown of her eyes going dull as they ripped the life out of her.

Rick would yield. I punched out my arm, my claws digging into his scalp.

He cried out, thrashing in his chair, seeking to evade me.

But there would be nowhere to go, no denying what I’d do next.

I raked my claws down his head, the fringes of his scalp lifting into ribbons. A pool of blood ran down his face, dropping into his eyes.

“Okay, Okay!” Rick yowled. “Gather some snakeskin, mandrake root, myrrh, burdock root, nightshade, and fae or witch blood.” He wiped at his eyes and trembled beneath my dark glare. “Crush them into fine pieces and pour them on the ground. That will open a portal into the Fae Realm.”

I bared my fangs.

“Please,” Rick begged. “I’m not lying. I swear.”

I eyed him through narrowed eyes for a moment longer.

“But no, it’s too late,” Rick uttered. “The Dark Lord knows about your precious Sasha. She’s as good as dead.” He lifted a shoulder.

A tremor rippled through my muscles. My vision brightened, turning crimson red as the inner bear pushed just beneath the surface of my skin.

He roared within, lusting for Rick’s blood.

In this, man and beast were both in agreement.

My fangs stabbed out. Rick met my glowing eyes, his own flashing with defiance.

I inhaled a deep breath. No, I wouldn’t… couldn’t end it this way. My anger rode me hard. I tattered on the edges of rage. So easy would it have been to give into my primal violence and tear him apart into tiny chunks of bloody flesh.

I took in several more breaths, steadying myself.

“Oh, can't you kill me?” Rick asked in a mocking tone, grinning. Already his wounds were beginning to heal, his regenerative powers kicking in.

I allowed a wicked grin to lift my lips in response. Then I turned from him and headed for the exit.

“Where are you running to, Damon?” Rick jeered.

I paused before the door. “Just rounding up the other prisoners.” After opening the door, I said, “We’re all going to have a brief visit.”

“Where the hell is he taking us?” one of the captives asked a nearby werebear prisoner.

I ignored the questioning murmurs and kept prodding through the thick underbrush. My sentinels flanked the werebears who had betrayed us—encircled them to prevent escape.

The sun had dipped below the mountain; the moon hovering in its place. Shadows lurked within the trees. Darkness closed in around us, only thin shafts of moonlight illuminating the way. But our night vision made up more than enough for it.

Another prisoner hissed, “I-I smell wolves and… and latents!” A tremor shook his voice. “Where are we going? I don’t like this.”

Dark satisfaction rippled through my insides.

“D-Damon…” Rick’s voice crested above the whispers behind me. “Why?—”

I whipped my head around. “Silence!” My eyes narrowed and his expression clouded over.

The prisoners drew up short. As if they feared to step any closer to me—though they trailed a few yards behind. My sentinels paused, claws sliced out at the ready.

Rick’s gaze skated away. His hard audible swallow, heard by all. No one dared to say anything more. I spun around and resumed trekking through the woods. The others followed. I clenched my jaw. Sasha’s teary eyes flashed to mind.

Sasha…

I only hoped it wasn’t too late.