جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Tara knew when she left work at the grocery store something was wrong. Her brother wasn’t there to walk her home. That was warning enough for Tara. He was one of those fly-by-night types, every time his latest job didn’t go well and would run from it. Sadly, she couldn’t rely on him for much more than eating what little food was in their small fridge and racking up her long-distance phone bill with 900-numbers. Tara loved him, truly she did. He was her only family. She’d raised him through his teen years while she wasn’t much more than a teen herself.What worried her was he wasn’t answering his phone. He always answered his phone and he’d give her some lame excuse about why he wasn’t there. This time he wasn’t picking up and it was her seventh attempt. Hid voicemail was also full.The summer night was cool, and the streets wet from the rain which fell while she worked. At two in the morning, Tara watched cars drive past as she walked toward where she lived. It wasn’t home, they

People were walking around. Sure enough, no one was wearing much. A couple of people were even led by her with collars and leashes nothing more. Tara thought that was the floor show until she heard the crack of the whip again. She jumped in response and watched it land on the bare backside of a bound woman. The sounds brought her attention to a woman bent over a bench and restrained with chains. Tara’s body shivered with unfamiliar feelings she couldn't describe. Tara could see the woman’s face and she appeared to be enjoying this treatment. That this was the best thing ever that she’d experienced.As the floor show continued, Tara watched the crowd as the large dark-haired man plied the whip to the women’s flesh. His tanned bare chest gleamed in the club's lights, accenting his sculpted muscles and warrior’s body. His tattoos fascinated her. As she watched, his concentration never strayed from the woman. He ignored everyone else. To him, it was just the two of them. An intimate e

Tara was stunned. This couldn’t be happening. She was supposed to get the money and leave. Or he was supposed to kick her out of his territory to suffer the consequences of failure. Or kill her outright. This wasn’t part of her plan. Tara didn’t know what to do. “Kneel!” Cal commanded loudly. Tara shook herself and slipped from the chair. She was now on autopilot from her fear. “This is what happens to people who cheat. Now, you aren’t a normal gambler, who sent you?” Tara couldn’t tell him. Alpha Elmwood would kill her along with Eddie. Either way, she’d die at an alpha’s hands. Tara couldn’t look at him. His anger now was like a raw force of nature pressing down on her. It was all she could do not to hyperventilate. “So, you won’t say anything. Fine, you can go into a cage for a while and think about where your loyalties should lie.” Cal pulled the door open, and the hulking wolf entered again. “You’ll crawl on all fours to your cage. Guy, take her to the stables

Cal notified the security of a medical emergency in the stables. The pack healer was needed. He hurried to the stables with several men who had emergency medical experience. As he entered, his phone pinged. “Healer en route. ETA two minutes.” Cal announced. His heart pounded still since he heard the panic in Guy’s voice. Cal didn’t have time to ask himself why it was imperative she not die. He knew he’d claimed responsibility for her and now… He’d no time to think beyond saving her and finding out how this happened. If he killed someone in his territory, it was his business, but his reputation would suffer. It also suffered for a murder or crime he didn’t investigate properly. His men rushed to her prone body, lying on the cold concrete floor. Guy knelt beside her, frantically trying to wake her. It wasn’t every day this happened. Cal watched the two men move and take over. “I got it from the fridge like I always do and put it in her cage. She rested and slowly a

“Alright, I’m going to start by saying. Yes, I suspect she’s like the other patsies and doesn’t understand what her stunt would cost us. We can’t be sure she’s not tied up in something with her brother. Tara claims he’s on the run from something. Which could be why she was attacked. Tara appeared unsure of what or if her brother did something wrong. Which leads me to suspect if that she’s a victim. Then we have a third scenario: they attacked her to prevent her from saying something. So she’s a patsy and expendable to whoever is doing this. Or we have someone finally who’s in deep enough to give us answers.” Cal hated most of those possibilities, and most of them didn’t sit right with his conscience. He tried to read the room as he spoke, and it was difficult. “Now, what do you have to say to me?” If nothing else, Cal listened to others before deciding, but he made it, good or bad. It was his to claim responsibility for along with the people and territory he protected. “Wel