Page 101 of Their Mate

The medic unslung his bag, producing a slim case. Inside, half a dozen darts nestled in padded foam. He handed four of them outone by one to the girl, small, wicked things filled with that same blocker that had already saved me from myself.

I clenched my jaw as the lass slipped past me into the chamber. Logan’s eyes followed her, narrowing, but he didn’t speak.

“Hold still,” she ordered, calm and cold. Then—pffft. The dart hit his thigh, He hissed, but didn’t flinch.

“What the hell are you doing?” Logan demanded.

“Keeping you alive,” she said simply. She moved to Aidan next.

He bared his teeth at her. “Try it, and?—”

Pffft. The dart thudded into his shoulder before he could finish. He snarled, jerking against the chains, then sagged, breathing heavier.

Declan whispered hoarsely, straining against his bonds. “Don’t you dare put that in me!”

Pffft.

The dart pierced his pectoral muscle. He grunted, the sound echoing off the walls, but then his eyes blinked clearer, the fever in them dulled.

Edward eyed her like a hawk, suspicion carved deep into his face. “If this kills me…”

“It won’t,” she said flatly, and shot him without hesitation.

The four of them cursed and growled, but I could see the difference already. Their breathing evened out. The gleam bled away from their eyes. The wolf still burned in them, aye, but steadier now and far more under control.

I stepped into the room finally, the scent of Sera’s arousal still heavy, but not crushing me. I kept my eyes on her.

“Sweet mate,” I said quietly. “We’re here.”

Her eyes locked on me, relief flashing briefly before they turned angry. “You shouldn’t be.”

“Not exactly the welcome I’d hoped for,” I muttered.

“Listen,” she hissed urgently. “The lycans—they’ve been spotted in the water. Hundreds. Maybe more. They’re heading straight here.”

Griff swore under his breath, hand tightening on his weapon.

Sera’s words tumbled out faster. “And it’s not just the lycans. The British army’s coming too. Commander Dane, he engineered this. All of it. He dosed me to force me into heat, to bait you here, to lure the Elder Lycan across the sea. He thinks when the lycans arrive and take on the Watch, it’ll kill all of us—wolves, lycans, me. Everyone.”

The mystery woman’s head jerked up. “And where is Dane now?”

“Commanding his forces,” Sera spat. “He left me here—leftushere—to die.”

The chamber went still.

Bishop’s voice broke the silence a second later. “Then he intends to sacrifice his own base as well.”

Sera shook her head. “No. He thinks the lycans will break on the cliffs, that the British will mop up what’s left, and that none of us will survive long enough to tell the story.”

The walls shuddered faintly then, the distant echo of explosions muffled through stone. Boots pounded in the hall outside, voices rising in sharp shouts. The first wave must have hit.

Logan snarled, rattling his chains. “Finally. A fight.”

Declan slammed his shoulders against the wall, rattling his chains so hard the bolts groaned. “Get me out of these, Jamie, before I rip them out myself!”

Griff stepped forward, grinning like a boy let loose on a candy stall. “Step aside, lad.” He braced one hand against the wall, the other wrapped the chain at Declan’s wrist, and with a grunt the steel linkssnapped. Declan stumbled forward, shaking free, his grin feral.

Nox slid to Logan next, pulling a slim tool from his belt. He worked the cuffs with quiet skill, and in two heartbeats Logan was free, rolling his shoulders and wrists, dark eyes burning like coals.