Chapter 15

Chapter15

Despite leavinga warm bed with a sexy, naked dryad, Baptiste found himself whistling as he walked across the resort property and headed for the greasy spoon across the road.

Last night had been unexpected in a good way.

Best day ever! Garou chimed in.

It had been. Daphne’s sudden seduction, while surprising, had allowed him to finally accept something Garou had been saying all along.

One, he didn’t have to forever punish himself. Yes, he could feel guilty about what happened, but that didn’t mean he could never be happy. And secondly…

She was meant for us.

Having been with his fair share of women, Baptiste could safely say he’d never experienced the mind-blowing, out-of-body pleasure he’d found with Daphne. She fulfilled him in the way he’d heard of but never expected. At first, she’d come across as abrasive, but he’d come to appreciate her forthright nature. There was no bullshitting in her world. She told it as it was. She didn’t tolerate idiocy, nor did she hold back. It made her choice of taking him as her lover all the more special.

Even better, she made him feel happy. Hopeful. Excited about the future.

Blah. Blah. Stop being so sappy and move faster. That witch is still out there somewhere.

A reminder that hastened his steps across the street. How long would it take Circe to heal from a broken neck? A month? A week? A day? Last time he broke a leg, it took him seventy-two hours from getting the fracture to nothing showing on his x-ray. Would she heal that quickly?

He hoped not. At least they’d destroyed her base of power. Circe now would only be able to draw on her innate power and not the pool she’d been accumulating. Still, there was cause for concern as Circe’s sadism made her wily. Baptiste might be tough, but not invulnerable. It would take just a well-timed lightning strike that would temporarily fry his nerves, or a sleep spell while he was unprotected for his ass to get taken out, leaving Daphne vulnerable. Marissa had made a good point that they could use help. But who could they trust if the CA had been compromised?

Having reached the diner, Baptiste ordered some pastries, hashbrowns, and breakfast sandwiches—minus meat for him—along with some freshly squeezed juice. While he waited, he sat on a stool, staring out the big window overlooking the main road. While it was still early, the restaurant had more than a few patrons. A prickling at his nape had him turning to scan the folks inside. No one appeared to be looking in his direction. Must be his paranoia.

No, I sensed someone watching too. Beware, Garou cautioned.

“Here’s your order,” stated the woman working the cash register.

Baptiste gathered the bag of food in one hand, tray of drinks in the other. As he exited, he eyed the cars parked. No dark-tinted SUVs like his uncle employed.

He waited for traffic to pass before starting to cross the road, noticing a sedan sitting at the exit for the resort. At his back in the diner’s parking lot, he heard the sudden start and purr of an engine as someone prepared to leave. His stride quickened to get out of the way.

He didn’t move fast enough.

A vehicle slammed into him from behind, scooping him onto the hood. The drinks flew, and the paper bag ripped. As Baptiste rolled off the hood, he had to hold on to Garou lest he shift in front of an audience. The world might know about werewolves, but the Garou? He was usually kept under wraps.

Danger!

No shit. Baptiste hit the pavement on his feet but hunched over as he tried to recover. He didn’t feel the pain yet. That would come later when the bruising blossomed.

He heard more than saw the driver’s side door of the car that hit him open. He lifted his head, ready to give the person shit, only to pause.

“Jules?” He recognized the man, part of his Pack.

“Don’t make this hard,” Jules said, holding up the dreaded tranq gun.

“How about you walk away?” Baptiste countered.

“You know I can’t do that,” Jules replied, his gaze flicking to something over Baptiste’s shoulder.

Run, you idiot.

Before Baptiste could whirl to flee, the dreaded silver net came down over him.

Not again!

“No!” he roared, pulling at the burning silver strands. Before he could even start removing it, a lasso landed over him and tightened, pulling his arms to his side. “Release me.” A growl that went unheeded. His laser-like glare didn’t do anything to deter his uncle who strutted across the road, having emerged from the car waiting by the resort exit.

“Hello, nephew.” Uncle Frederick wore a suit and sunglasses that did little to hide his emotionless face.

“Don’t you fucking hello me. Tell your goons to untie me.”

“I think not.”

“How did you find me?”

“As if I wouldn’t be watching your credit cards,” Frederick chided.

“What do you want?” Baptiste snarled, angry at his own stupidity. Blame his distraction with Daphne. The woman had him all twisted up and not thinking straight.

“You know what I want. The Garou to lead the Pack as he was meant to.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not interested.”

Speak for yourself. I’m meant for greatness.

His uncle shook his head. “I’m aware of your lack of goals, and that’s unfortunate as it means I’ll have to resort to drastic measures.”

“You mean like assaulting and kidnapping?” was his sarcastic reply.

“We both know neither of those will be enough to convince you to take your place as leader of the Packs.”

“Then what? Going to lock me up until I agree?”

No more cages! Garou bristled at the very suggestion.

“You’re too stubborn for that.” His uncle shook his head. “It’s a shame really. I had such high hopes for you when you were a child. But then you started rebelling.”

“By rebelling, you mean getting a job that wasn’t Pack-approved?”

“The Pack had positions you could have filled that would have been better suited for an Alpha in training.”

“Ever think I wanted to earn my position and not have it handed to me?” Baptiste had issues with how the Packs were run. It shouldn’t be about being the strongest. Why not someone who cared and wanted the Pack to thrive instead?

“Your ideals have no place in the Pack.” His uncle’s reply was cold. “Which is why you’ve left me no choice. Jules, Plato, load him up and quickly. We’re drawing unnecessary attention.”

Hands covered in thick leather gloves gripped his arms and tugged him to the rear of the vehicle.

Baptiste didn’t go willingly.

Don’t let them take us alive!

A little drastic even for Garou, who howled in his mind as they got tossed in the trunk. His uncle stood over the opening, blocking the rising sun. “I am sorry it came to this, nephew. But you left me no choice.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“The compound of course.”

To which Baptiste replied, “You know I’ll just escape the first chance I get.”

“I’m well aware, which is why I’m done giving you chances. The Pack needs the Garou.”

“Too bad. He’s not yours to have.”

“Not yet. But he will be. Once you die, he’ll be free to choose another.”

Die? “You’re going to kill me?” He couldn’t stem his incredulity.

“It’s the only way.”

“And how does that help you control the Garou? What if the next scion the Garou chooses resides in another Pack?”

“Birth isn’t the only way for the Garou to be reborn.”

“What’s the supposed to mean?” Because for once, Garou remained silent.

“You’ll soon see, and most likely regret, but by then it will be too late.” With that ominous announcement, the trunk shut, leaving him in the dark with his thoughts and an angry Garou.

Does he really think when I reincarnate, I will help him?

How about we worry about the fact he’s planning to kill me? Baptiste snapped to his other side.

Not ideal, I’ll admit. You’ve been a rather interesting host. Not to mention it took me decades to choose you.

Then help me stop him.

Maybe if you’d let me eat his face like I asked we wouldn’t be in this spot. Now, as you humans like to say, we’re fucked.

An ominous reply. Would this be how his life ended? How unfair. Especially after such an epic night.

And what of Daphne? What would she think when he didn’t return? What would happen to her? What if Circe found her?

He had to escape.

Hours later, bound to a fat tree with ropes weaved in silver, in the midst of the well-guarded compound, he’d yet to find a way to do so.

Was nice knowing you. Garou thought their fate a foregone conclusion.

However, Baptiste wasn’t ready to give up, not when he heard the Earth Mother whisper, All things happen for a reason. Have faith. Help is coming.

Which could only mean Daphne. Daphne against a Pack about to shift with the full moon.

They’d tear her apart.

And there wasn’t a fucking thing he could do to stop it.

Awoooo!