“Okay, I think you need to start from the f**king beginning with Chain. I get everything about your pack, and you couldn’t leave because you believed you had to stay to show loyalty, right?”
“Yes. He came out to the barn where we were all working. We were harvesting food to get ready for the winter. He entered carrying this long silver chain. It was thick with each link coiled together. I watched him come inside.” She chuckled even though she found no humor in what she was talking about. “There was a man, Gus I think his name was. He was joking around, having a bit of fun. Chain walked up to him and told him that none of his pack slacked off with jokes.” She stopped as the memory swamped her. Rubbing her wrists, she stared at Scorch to try to ground her. “He raised the steel and used it as a whip. I remember expecting his wolf to come out, but it didn’t. Chain found a way to hurt everyone.”
“How?”
Looking at Scorch she saw the paleness of his face.
“Providing he didn’t touch us, skin to skin, then his wolf didn’t come out.”
“Why didn’t any of you run? Find another pack and report him?” Scorch stood and started pacing.
“A man and a woman did. They got about ten miles out when Chain caught them. He wrapped the steel around their necks and dragged them back to us. While we watched, terrified, he hurt them stripping them of their flesh without once touching them. He warned us all that if we thought we could leave him without a consequence then he would do that to every member of his pack.”
Scorch had his hands on his hips. “This is f**king insane. Chain is f**king insane.”
She wasn’t going to argue with him. He was sort of preaching to the choir.
“What did he want you to do with me?” Scorch asked.
Tears filled her eyes. “I couldn’t do it. You should have let me fall out of the f**king window.” She turned back looking out over the scenery.
In the next instant, she was pressed down on the bed with Scorch over her. “You’re not going to kill yourself. I won’t let you. I’ve let you deny everything else, but it’s time for you to know that we’re f**king mates.” His touch soothed her rioting nerves. “Now, tell me why you were tied to the tree.”
“He wants me to lure you out at some point so he can kill you.”
“Why you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. It’s punishment because I wouldn’t have sex with him. He tried to be with me, but his touch disgusted me. The wolf wouldn’t let him get close to me at all.” Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at him. “I’m supposed to distract you so he can kill you. I can’t do it. He said you were a danger to his pack. I don’t know why. All I know is that I’m to get you to fall for me and lure you out to him.”
“When? Where?”
“I don’t know. I swear, I don’t know the answer to anything else. He scares me, Scorch. I will do anything he says, but I can’t put your life at risk.”
He stared at her for several minutes. “Where are your parents?”
“He killed them. I’ve got no one.”
“You’re wrong about that. You’ve got me.” He climbed off the bed, leaving her to look after him. “Follow me.”
Scorch opened the door, and she had no choice but to follow him.
****
Walking down the hall, he knocked on the door to David’s room. His friend opened the door so only his head was visible.
“I’m kind of busy, alpha.”
“We’ve got pack business to handle. Mandy is in charge of looking after Victoria.” Scorch kept hold of the woman by his side. He was angry at her and at the life she’d led without him even knowing it. Chain made him even angrier. Scorch had heard of the alpha but never actually met him. Some of the other alphas believed there was too much danger and anger inside Chain. What were they going to think when he told them all the truth?
There was no easy way to deal with the situation he’d stumbled into.
“Let me get dressed.”
David closed the door. He heard Mandy asking questions. His friend tried to keep the answers cryptic.
Seconds later David opened the door, and Mandy stood there looking worried.
“Keep an eye on her. She’s your responsibility.”
“Yes, alpha.”
Taking the lead, Scorch headed toward the privacy of his study. The people they passed looked somber the moment they looked at him. Closing the door he headed to the window to stare out over his grounds.
“What is going on?” David asked.
“I started asking questions, and she gave me the whole story.” Running a hand down his face, Scorch couldn’t believe the danger she was in. He believed her when she said she didn’t want to hurt him or cause any problems for his pack or for him. “It’s bad, David. Really f**king bad.”
“Maybe it will help if you tell me about it.”
Hands on hips, he turned back to his friend and told him everything Victoria told him.
“Holy f**k.”
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly,” Scorch said, taking a seat to try and clear his head.
“What would he achieve in killing you?” David asked.
“There is a loophole in everything. We’re paranormal beings, and there are witches and shit out there. Fuck, I can’t think clearly.” Opening his desk drawer he pulled out the file that he kept on the other alphas’ contact details. His father had kept a file on everything, which had been passed down to him when he took over as alpha. “So, I’m bound to my wolf. He’s the alpha, and I’m a vessel for him that binds me to all of you. Anyway, that connection between wolf and man can be broken, but it requires an alpha to shatter their soul, which will break the connection.”
“Which is?”
“Killing another alpha. No one has even tried to do it that I know of. We’re bound by our wolves, and they make us better alphas. Our pack is our main priority.”
“Chain wants to kill you in order to separate his wolf so he can do what?”
Standing back up, Scorch needed to think. “Tori mentioned the fact he couldn’t force himself on her or other women. I’m guessing he wants to separate the two so he can do whatever the hell he wants. I’ve never met him. I know people who have.”
“Then get them on the phone. He can’t hurt you, Scorch. This is too f**king important.”
Scorch agreed. He opened the file and started dialing the first number.