Chapter 15

Maya struggled awake, her head pounding and her mouth dry. She was lying on a thin pallet, and it was cold and damp. She shivered and opened her eyes to see damp rock all around her and the worried eyes of a familiar teenager.

"Sloane! Oh, my goddess. Are you okay?"

Sloane looked thinner, dark circles under her eyes, and a haunted look in them. Maya didn't want to ask about the nightmares that lurked there, that should never exist for a teenager, or anyone for that matter. Sloane wordlessly helped her to a sitting position and then sat next to her.

Maya scanned the surroundings only to see that there were three pups huddled in a pile in the corner under a thin blanket, appearing to sleep. She wanted to go to them, but she was a little shaky and Sloane held her back.

"Let them sleep. It's the only escape from this nightmare. How did they catch you?" Sloane's voice was harsh, raspy from disuse, or maybe something else. Screaming, perhaps.

"We've all been looking for you. They snatched me in the parking lot. Who was it, Sloane? Where is everyone else?"

"You're finally awake. Nice of you to join us, Maya." An oily voice spoke from the entrance to the small cave where they were seated, and Sloane shrunk against Maya.

Maya wrapped her arms around the younger female and hugged her close. "What the fuck are you doing, Colvin? So much for not being involved."

He shrugged negligently. "Whoops. I guess some of my pack were involved. Or maybe it was rogues. Or maybe it was the Tri-State pack remnants. Either way, no one will tie it back to me."

Fear gripped Maya's chest, but she got to her feet, shielding Sloane and the now awake pups behind her. "What's your end-game here? What are you trying to accomplish? Another war? What will that do for you?"

He moved so fast that she had no time to prepare. She was pinned to the wall and his snarling face was inches from hers. "What do you know about it? You'll be mated and under my nephew's control, which means my control, or you'll be dead. Choose wisely because there are a lot of lives resting on your decision."

He flung her to the side, and she collapsed next to the Sloane and the pups, who were crying. She gathered them up and soothed them as best she could. After a moment, Linc and his nephew, Brandon, exited, leaving them alone.

"Are you okay? Where are the rest of the pups, Samuel?"

Sloane shook her head sadly, and Maya wanted to howl her anger and grief at the loss. She gripped the younger female's hand, hesitant to ask but knowing the Saranac pack's proclivities. "Are you okay?"

Sloane nodded. "They left me alone. For now. They spent their time with Samuel. I think he made himself a target to save the pups and me." She swallowed hard. "He died last night."

Maya pulled her close to comfort her for the pain the younger wolf was feeling. "He's with the goddess now. We will avenge him. I promise you."

Dully, Sloane nodded, as if all hope had faded. Maya only hoped she wasn't too late.

* * *

Garrett followed his father through the forest, along the game trail to the old mining entrance. A couple of wolves stood at the entrance, wolves he didn't recognize and didn't scent of pack.

"You're using rogues now for your dirty work?"

His father glared at him, but the dominance in Garrett's voice was still controlling the other male. "Plausible deniability. No one can tie attacks back to us."

"Until you need to get your jollies and join in the attack," Garrett muttered. How had his pack gotten so sick? Was the alpha condoning this, unaware of it, or worse, encouraging it? The answer was unsettling at best, disturbing at worst.

His father grumbled, but they walked past the sentries and down the shaft into a large cavern where his uncle and cousin waited. His uncle was seated on a boulder, out of place in his tailored charcoal dress slacks and burgundy sweater, while his cousin stood to the side, in jeans and a sweatshirt. No one else was in the space.

"Where is Maya?"

His uncle jutted his chin to Brandon, who grinned evilly and went to a smaller side cave and emerged with Maya, her arm twisted behind her in a painful hold.

Garrett stared impassively. "Let her go or I'll kill you."

Brandon sneered, shifting Maya until she was in front of him like a human shield. "Try it, asshole."

Garrett's wolf had been leashed too long, angry for far too long to be held back. He met Maya's gaze, and she gave an imperceptible nod. In one motion, he was across the space, lashing out with his hand, partially shifted to claws. Maya sagged, dead weight, at the last moment, throwing Brandon off balance and distracting him. It was just enough to expose his throat. Garrett's claws slashed right through his throat clear to his spine.

Blood sprayed in a fountain across the cavern. Brandon's body fell, his eyes wide in shock. Maya stumbled in the opposite direction, away from his uncle and father. When it was over, Brandon lay at Garrett's feet, dead, Maya behind him, and Garrett faced them.

"You should have managed him better."

His uncle only shrugged. "You took care of a problem we had. Now you can step into his role as my second."

His father's head whipped around and glared at the Beta. "I'm your second."

Uncle Linc laughed. "Your son is stronger than you are. Don't think I haven't known that since the day he was born. He just proved his strength by coming here and handling a problem you couldn't control. He has the will power, the determination and ruthlessness you could never demonstrate. He is a worthy second to me."

"You mean a third. You aren't the alpha. You are just a beta, not strong enough to be the alpha," Garrett reminded him, knowing it was a sore subject with his uncle, who liked to throw around his weight and power in the pack.

And the mark hit its target. His uncle narrowed his gaze. "Show some respect, boy. I am still stronger than you and the Beta of the pack."

"A Beta who needs to attack pups and females to prove his strength. Any male who needs to attack pups and females to prove his strength may not be as powerful as he thinks. Maybe you only need to scare people so they don't find out the truth."

His uncle's face turned purple with rage and he stood, his fists clenched at his. Before he could respond, a choked laugh to the side made them both turn.

Garrett's father was laughing. "He's not wrong. Bullying everyone to show what a big man you are. All these plans were your idea."

"You're not much better, going along with them," Uncle Linc countered.

"Like I had a choice. You'd kill me otherwise," Garrett's father retorted.

Uncle Linc waved his hand. "You came up with this plan. Focus on the boy. He's our problem, especially since it appears he won't join us."

"You're damn right I'm not. You threatened my mate. You attack females and pups, noncombatants. That is not the kind of pack I want to belong to. I reject the Saranac Pack."

The words felt right, and he felt his bonds to the pack shatter in that moment. A weight lifted from his shoulder and he felt lighter, free. Maya's hand settled on his back, anchoring him.

"Where do you think you'll go? The Dirigo pack? They'll never accept you. The Council won't take you either, not again. Not as a mated male. Enforcers can't be mated. You have nowhere to go," his uncle sneered.

"Anywhere is better than here. I assume the pups are in that side cave?" Maya nodded. "Fine. We're leaving with the pups and survivors of the attack. You can deal with the Council."

"You're damning your father if you leave."

"He made his choice when he orchestrated the attack. Now he has to pay the price." Garrett walked toward the cave opening, Maya by his side.

A movement out of the left corner of his eye made him shove Maya to the right and out of the way. His father attacked, partially shifted, his claws raking Garrett's side, shredding his jacket and nicking his skin, not severe enough to cause major damage.

Garrett turned and faced his father, who snarled. "Is this how you want to end it?"

"You made this choice."

"Don't make me kill you." Regret tinged his words, but he would do it to save Maya and the pups. Even now he could see her edging her way to the smaller cave to stand between them and the fight, in case anyone went for the pups in the chaos.

He shrugged out of his jacket. Even though it offered protection, it would constrict his movements at the same time. He faced his father, keeping his uncle in his line of sight, not trusting that either of them would keep it a fair fight.

"You have never been able to defeat me, boy. You won't this time. And then I'll kill your mate, slowly, painfully."

If his father's words were supposed to make Garrett angry, they only did the opposite. Garrett smiled, a baring of teeth that visibly shook his father. "I wasn't trying to defeat you before and if you try to touch Maya, she will gut you like the coward that you are. She doesn't need me to fight her battles for her."

His father roared and lunged for him, claws out, death in his eyes. Garrett neatly sidestepped and slashed his father's arm with his own claws, drawing blood. The old wolf howled in pain and backed away, clutching his wounded arm. Garrett stood his ground, his eyes locked onto his father"s, daring him to come closer.

But the older male didn"t move, his eyes flickering with a mix of fear and anger. "You ungrateful pup," he spat out. "I raised you, taught you everything you know, and this is how you repay me? By siding with that bitch?"

Garrett"s grip on his claws tightened, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Maya is my mate, and I love her. And I won"t let you harm her."

His father sneered, "Your mate? You"re nothing but a pup, barely out of your mother"s den. You don"t know how to handle a mate." He advanced towards Garrett again, but this time, Garrett was ready. He shifted into his wolf form, his fur bristling as he growled at his father.

The old wolf snarled back, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light. They circled each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Garrett's heart pounded in his chest, but he refused to back down.

Suddenly, his father lunged at him, but Garrett evaded him easily. He darted to the side, biting down hard on his father"s hind leg. The old wolf yelped in pain, trying to shake Garrett off, but the young wolf held on tight.

With a fierce growl, Garrett released his father"s leg and backed away. The two wolves circled each other once more, their eyes locked in a deadly stare-down. The tension in the air was palpable as they both prepared for their next move.

Garrett"s father was the first to make a move. He charged at Garrett, his jaws open wide as he aimed for Garrett"s throat. But Garrett was too quick. He spun around and dodged the attack, then lunged forward and sank his teeth into his father"s throat.

The old wolf let out a howl of pain as Garrett"s teeth dug deeper into his flesh. He tried to shake Garrett off, but the young wolf held on tight. Finally, with a powerful burst of energy, Garrett tore through the flesh and leaped back just in time to avoid his father"s claws.

Garrett"s father collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing in his death throes. Garrett shifted as his father"s body twitched and spasmed, then finally went still.

A yell tore his attention away, and he saw Maya crouched in front of the small cave, his uncle in front of her holding his cheek, blood streaming down. "You fucking bitch."

Her claws were out and bloody, and she snarled. "Get the fuck away from those pups."

Chaos erupted from the entrance, and they turned. Garrett whirled back to see the back of his uncle disappear down a tunnel. "Fuck!"

She raced over to him. "Are you okay?"

He nudged his father's body with his toe as people streamed into the cavern led by his old partner, Caleb. "I'm fine. Check the pups."

"They're okay. Your uncle never got near them. He was going to kill them."

"No witnesses," Garrett replied, dully.

She nodded. He pulled her against him, as excited voices demanded answers from all around them. How long would he have with her before they were pulled apart again?