Chapter Ten

Emmaleigh

My heart is beating wildly in my chest as Caine leads me down a set of concrete stairs. My wolf whimpers in my mind, not wanting to be here, but I push her aside. I know the fear she feels at being back inside a prison like this once more, but I need to do this. Not just to get some form of vengeance but to keep Rose and Thomas safe. If I can get this asshole to spill the beans, we can use it against the Hunters. If we’re lucky we may even be able to take them out for good.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Caine asks, standing before a solid iron door. He is offering me a way out, one we both know I won’t take.

Nico places his hand on my shoulder, offering support. My anger at him has long since left me but he doesn’t need to know that. I need to focus on what I am doing. We can sort out our problems afterward.

“I need to face him and my fears. If that means you all get the information you need to take care of the rest of the Hunters, I’ll take that as a bonus.”

Caine nods, turning the key and pushing the heavy door open.

Taking a deep breath to steel my reserve, I step over the threshold. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, the room brilliantly lit.

“The lights?”

“Max’s idea,” Nico explains. “He saw somewhere on the Internet that the overstimulation could be used as a form of torture.”

I nod in understanding, looking over the man before me. Number Two has a few bruises on his face and what looks like a couple of broken fingers. He looks no worse for wear, though, and I’m just a little disappointed.

“You look good,” I say as I approach.

“Fuck you,” he says with a glare.

Nico growls behind me moving to step forward, but I hold him back with an outstretched arm.

“No, thank you,” I reply, syrupy sweet. “I’m just here for a little chat.”

Taking my time, I walk around the man where he is bound to a chair in the center of the bare room, running my hands over his chest and through his hair. My skin crawls at the interaction but I know it will be a necessary part of my plan in a moment. Nico glares at me as he tracks my movements, unhappy to see his new mate touching another man.

“You know,” I muse as he tries to get away from my touch. “All my years locked up, I always liked you.”

“Don’t touch me, you fucking mutt!”

The man squirms and fights against his bonds to no avail. He won’t be breaking free anytime soon.

Bending down I whisper in his ear, “I dreamed of you at night. Hoping you’d come to me, save me, love me.”

I watch Nico bristle at my words, and I shake my head almost imperceptibly.

Wait.

Nico steps back and I send him a small smile. I continue with my plan.

“I wanted to apologize for lying to you.”

“Lying? What the fuck are you talking about, you crazy bitch?”

The man turns his head from side to side, trying to catch a glimpse of me, but I’m directly behind him. I don’t want him to see my face, I’m afraid I’ll give something away.

“Yes, my love,” I purr, once more playing with his hair. “I swore I didn’t know how to change a human into one of us, but I do.”

Shock crosses Nico’s face. I smile at him, trying to offer a little reassurance.

“What?” the man gasps. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am. And now that we’re away from all the others, I want to change you. I want to spend my life with you.”

“No!” His cry of outrage echoes around us. “You can’t do that.”

“But we can be together,” I say placing a kiss on his neck, swallowing down the bile.

“I’d rather die than be a monster like you!” the man shouts, fighting his bonds with renewed vigor. “Just kill me,” he begs Nico. “Please.”

“Such pretty words. Why do you beg if you know it won’t work?” I throw the words I heard hundreds of times back at him.

“Please,” he sobs as I tilt his head to the side.

“Fine,” Nico says, finally catching on to what I’m doing. “I won’t let her turn you, but I want something in return.”

“Anything!” The man grabs the opportunity with both hands and I can’t help but smile in triumph. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

“You’re going to give me the passwords to the laptops we collected from the compound. You’re going to unlock the cell phone you had when we took you, and you’re going to answer any questions we have. You can and you will,” Nico says firmly before an argument can be voiced. “Or I will give you to the female. She suffered immensely and deserves a reward.”

He smiles darkly at the man and I know we will get everything we need from him.

****

Nico

Three hours later, I lead my mate inside my home for the first time. This will become our home once I grovel enough for her to forgive me. I want to take her to bed and fuck her until she forgives me, but I’ve seen a different side of her in the past few hours and I know that won’t work. So, I lead her into the kitchen.

“Want some coffee?” I ask, not knowing what else to say.

“Do you have anything stronger? I feel like I need it.”

“Beer?”

“It’ll have to do, I suppose.”

I hand her one and take another for myself. In the silence, we stare at one another, not quite sure where to go from here.

“I’m sorry I lied to you,” I say. “I thought I was protecting you. And I swear I never for one moment wanted to trap you into a mating. I was going to tell you today before I got carried away.”

“I know,” she says with a smile. “I may have overreacted a little.”

“A little?” I chuckle.

“Bite me, Nico,” she jokes. “You would have felt the same way.”

“Oh, baby, I am more than happy to bite you.”

The atmosphere in the room shifts, turning slightly feral. Placing my beer on the counter, I stalk toward my mate. Her breathing accelerates as I stare down at her.

“Are we done fighting?” I murmur, my lips almost touching hers.

“I’m not sure,” she whispers. “Aren’t you supposed to make up for being a jerk?”

I grin at her before throwing her over my shoulder. Smacking her ass, I take the stairs two at a time. Emmaleigh giggles.

“I’ll make it up to you. All night long.”