38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

J ax bounced his leg as he watched the unconscious man chained to the chair. He hadn't even fucking touched him; Ambrose passed out like the coward he was before he'd brought him down to the basement.

Everything was taking too long. Layla had been gone for hours and he was no closer to finding the truth.

What business did a man like that have with an organisation like the Hunters? What did they offer him for him to risk his life? Miss Roberts did the same in a bid to join them, but he never had the chance to get answers from her before the Hunters whisked her away.

He heard the sound of the door opening and threw one last look at Ambrose before he left the interrogation room. The door slid closed behind him just as Dylan came down the steps with Gavin, their faces sombre. They'd left their emotions wide open. He could sense their sadness without them having to open their mouths. He could feel their resignation.

They thought Layla was gone for good.

He growled and turned away from them to walk into the security room set up on the other side.

"Jax..."

"What?" he growled as he pulled up a chair and sat beside the warrior looking through the traffic cameras.

Dylan followed into the room and sighed. His fists clenched as he fought not to throttle him. If Dylan said one thing, just one thing about what he was doing being useless, he didn't know what he would do to him.

There was a pause before Dylan spoke again.

"We've cleaned the security room upstairs and the guests are evacuating. We told them there's a gas leak," Dylan said. "The hotel should be secure within an hour in case the Hunters return."

At least he didn't say what was really on his mind.

"But without the humans here, they'll be free to turn the place upside down looking for answers," Gavin added.

He turned around and glared at his Gamma until he lowered his gaze. Micah would never have questioned his decision like that. Like he gave a shit what happened to the hotel. All he wanted were answers.

"Just do as you're told and keep out of my fucking way if you're not going to help."

"I'll always help you, Alpha. I'm yours to command," Gavin said.

Then why the hell hadn't he stopped Layla from leaving?

He didn't scream that out loud the way he wanted to. He didn't attack Gavin and call him useless. That would be hypocritical because he was the one who should have remembered he had a mate waiting in his bed.

He turned around and looked back at the screens in front of him without responding.

"Have you found them?" he asked.

"They headed out of the city in different directions a few hours ago, but I've lost them. I'll keep scanning the cameras until I pick them up again."

"How many of them?" he asked.

"I'd say about half the size of a usual hunting party. They had trucks but no coaches. I'm running the number plates now in case they were stupid enough to register them from the same place."

A small moan sounded through the open warehouse, indicating that his guest was finally awake. He nodded at the warrior at the desk before he pushed his chair back and stood.

"Shall I do it?" Dylan asked. "You might kill him before he talks."

"I can control myself," he growled.

Dylan's gaze lowered to his fists. His claws were digging into him again, and the scent of his blood filled the air. Of course, Dylan would think he was out of control, but he had never been more focused. He and Cain were of one mind.

He pushed past his Beta and Gamma and walked into the interrogation room. Ambrose's eyes were wide open as he looked around the darkened room, and when they settled on him, his breathing became harsh, as if he was about to have another panic attack.

He looked down at his t-shirt and the bullet holes riddled all over it. It was bloody but he'd already dug all the bullets out and healed. Before mating Layla, he'd have needed more time, but his chest was as smooth as it had been before Ambrose's stupidity.

"Oh, don't worry about me," he said as he walked over to a chair on the other side of the room. "You're a fucking terrible shot; you barely grazed me."

He scraped the chair across the floor and placed it in front of Ambrose. The human's heart rate was elevated and his pupils dilated, not just because of the low lighting but because his fear ramped up. His former Head of Security was trembling so much the chains holding him were rattling.

"Forgive my rudeness," he said as he pulled the tape off Ambrose's mouth. "I don't normally chain and gag my guests unless they ask me to."

Ambrose squeaked but didn't say anything as he watched him sit and cross his legs.

"Now, shall we talk?"

Ambrose bit his jaw and looked anywhere other than his eyes. A sure sign that he thought he wasn't going to talk. But he was human, with human weaknesses. Like Costas and all the other men before him, he would speak.

"What did they offer you? Do you even know how deep the shit you've put yourself in is? Was it you who talked those two unfortunate souls into it?"

Ambrose closed his eyes, and by the way he hitched his breath, he had to be thinking about what happened to his fellow traitors.

"Maybe you really don't know what you've got yourself into. Talk, Ambrose, before I get more pissed off."

"You're going to kill me anyway," Ambrose whispered.

"Perhaps," he answered. "I don't give a shit about you; I won't lose sleep about it one way or the other. I want the assholes you work for. Give me something worth my time."

Ambrose opened his eyes and met his gaze for the first time since he'd entered the room. The hope in his eyes was expected. Pitiful. As if he would let this slide. Everyone involved in taking Layla would meet a gruesome end; he was sure of that much.

"They offered me one hundred thousand dollars if I told them of anything suspicious in the hotel," Ambrose answered quickly. "Weird shit like wolf sightings and people with animal characteristics. I didn't believe any of it until that old drunk started going on about glowing eyes."

"So you told them about a man's drunken ramblings, and now Layla has been kidnapped," he growled.

"I didn't know what they were going to do, I swear," Ambrose said, his voice rising.

"Really? Is that why you shot me? Is that why you sent everyone else away so you could delete the security footage?"

There was no way Ambrose didn't see the aftermath of what happened outside, and he hadn't seemed fazed when he'd clawed his friends' throats out. He knew more than what he was saying.

"You're going to have to speed things up, Ambrose. Where did they go?"

"I only have a number. I don't know where they came from."

Whatever number he had would be encrypted, just like all of his, but he asked for it anyway. He already had Ambrose's phone, and his team was looking through all the communication.

"It's saved in my phone under Mr Joey. I didn't know their names," Ambrose whispered. "Please don't kill me. My wife..."

His fists clenched again. His body tightened as the words lit a fire inside him.

"So your wife is more important than the woman I love?" he growled.

Ambrose's eyes widened, and the little bit of hope in them disappeared.

"No... No," he stuttered. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what they were going to do."

Lies! Ambrose had been well prepared for the aftermath.

"Did they tell you they'd kill me so you would be safe? You seemed very surprised to see me walking into my own fucking hotel," he said as he leaned over and gripped Ambrose's knee.

"No..."

Another lie.

His claws extended and ripped through Ambrose's trousers.

"No! Please," Ambrose whispered.

Ambrose wasn't shocked by what he could see. It was clear he already knew about werewolves. It was time for Cain to start the interrogation properly; they had wasted enough time already.

"I'm going to give you one last chance, Mr Ambrose," he said, his voice deeper as Cain assumed control.

His claws pierced Ambrose's skin, and the scent of blood tipped him over. There was no going back now. Ambrose's scream echoed through the basement and fed his depraved soul.

"Tell me again. Who do you work for?"

"Please don't kill me," Ambrose whispered. "Please don't kill me. Please..."

"Tell me everything you told them. Everything you said. Anything you overheard. Tell me what I want to hear, and I won't torture you," he growled.

His t-shirt tightened across his chest as his body morphed to accommodate the beast. Ambrose didn't miss anything. His eyes widened as he saw the fur on his arms, and the hand gripping his knee became even larger, the claws more deadly.

"I didn't think it was true," Ambrose stuttered. "I would never have... I don't know where they are. They promised I could join them and I would keep making the same money if I remained helpful. They want to get rid of all the wolves. I swear I don't know anything else."

His claws slowly sliced through the flesh like butter until he hit the bone. Ambrose ground his teeth and bit back a scream.

"I'm sure you can do better than that. Let me give you a little more motivation."

Ambrose slowly lifted his head. Tears ran down his face, and he looked every bit the weak human that he was. He met the beast's eyes, the red eyes of the man who would take his life, and his face paled. Something trickled to the floor.

And such a man was responsible for the situation he was in.

Ambrose pushed himself back as if he could move even an inch. The chains rattled more. Sniffles turned to sobs.

"Let's play a little game," he started. You tell the truth, and I won't do this."

The sound of bones crunching under his hand came before the screams. They didn't move him. Nothing would move him until his mate was back in his arms.

"I can keep you alive while I break every bone in your body. And if you don't give me anything, I will go after your family. Talk, Ambrose. The truth this time."

"They want to find out what she is," Ambrose shouted. "I don't know why, but they were very interested in Miss Layla. I didn't know it was her until her father saw her. They said she's important to their work. They're somewhere up north; that's all I know."

He released Ambrose's shattered knee and sat back. His heart started to hammer as loud as the human's.

Did they come specifically for her?

So they knew what she was?

All the strength left his body as that detail mashed his head. Layla's fear came true after all. They came for her. And if he didn't find her...

The red haze returned to his vision as rage took him over. He would not rest until he rescued Layla. Until he brought Hope's mother back home where he belonged. They would all pay for what they had done.

Starting with Ambrose.

He had no other thought as he wrapped his fingers around Ambrose's neck and lifted him above his head.