Thane
‘I don’t want to be here.’ As his voice fills my head, I squint my eyes a little at Caleb, Lennix’s Gamma. I’m not sure if he’s talking to himself or me. ‘I only stayed for those poor girls. I love them as if they were my own, and I promised to help them. I tried so hard to make it all stop, but I’m a failure.’
What the hell is all that about?
‘My King?’
I block out Caleb when Bolton links me. As much as I would like to continue listening to his little guilt fest, Bolton has news.
‘What is it, Bolton?’
‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but the whole pack has gathered.’
‘And?’
‘No one is saying anything against Lennix. They all seem loyal to their Alpha, and none seem to be hiding abuse against them. I’ve reviewed the list twice, and it seems two members are missing.’
‘And who might they be?’
‘Lyric and Harmony Ryker, twenty-year-old twins. Every pack member insists they don’t know who I’m talking about, but they’re clearly lying. Even Blaze can’t get them to obey and give us answers.’
Blaze is my cousin, the same age as Theo, and just as important to me as my brother. Blaze is also my Gamma and brilliant at his job.
‘They’re obviously hiding something, Thane. Things don’t add up; something feels very wrong. Those girls were the late Luna’s nieces, her younger sister’s daughters. When their parents died, Lennix’s mate took in her nieces and loved them as her own. The Luna died, and the girls... Goddess knows what happened to them.’
I grit my teeth. I should have known it would be challenging!
‘Keep everyone there until I’m done here. No one is to leave. If they try, put them down. No exceptions, Bolton.’
‘Sire.’
My eyes snap to Lennix, who swallows hard. “Your pack members are on the training field. However,” I scratch my jaw with my thumbnail. “It seems two are unaccounted for. Care to tell me where Lyric and Harmony Ryker are?”
Lennix shakes his head. “King Thane, the girls died along with my mate five years ago.”
‘Thane,’ Theo groans inside my head.
‘Brother?’
‘I can’t control Hendrix much longer.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I can feel her pain.’
‘You’re not making any sense, Theo.’
‘My mate, she’s here, and something bad happened to her. I sensed her presence outside, but it got even more intense when we walked into the packhouse. Please help me find her before it’s too late.’
‘Shit!’ I cut him off and round on the three men in front of me. “Where are the girls?”
Theo’s mate can only be one of them unless there’s someone else in the packhouse. No, that wouldn’t make sense; every pack member is documented because it’s the law. Unless they have rogue prisoners here. I hope Theo’s mate isn’t a rogue.
“You have three seconds to answer me before I free your miserable head from your shoulders!”
“A-Attic.” The Gamma stammers, to which Lennix growls at him. Caleb doesn’t cower, he rounds his shoulders, and his jaw clenches.
“If I find what I know I will, you’re dead.” Lennix’s eyes widen, and his Beta shifts on his feet. They’re both scared, but I don’t give two f.ucks! “Don’t think about running; you won’t get far. You,” I tip my head at Caleb. “Lead us to the attic.”
“Yes, King Thane.”
‘Blaze?’
‘I’m here. What’s up, cousin?’
‘I need you inside the packhouse now; we may have a problem.’
‘Already with you.’
Blaze is already waiting in the foyer when we leave Lennix’s office. He says nothing and follows like a loyal pup, his eyes on the Alpha and Beta, who I sense are fearful right now. Good, they should be.
The further we walk up the stairs, the louder Theo’s growls become. It didn’t take long to reach the wooden attic stairs, and a scent hit me, one I hadn’t smelled before this moment; the scent of my mate.
How did I not smell her before?
The only way that could happen is if my mate is locked in silver. If I find that to be true, I’ll do far more than kill these motherf.uckers!
“Open the f.ucking door!” I demand. Lennix reluctantly takes a key from his pocket and unlocks the door.
As the door opens, Theo pushes past everyone and rushes into the room. “No!” He screams so loudly my ears ring and my heart hammers.
“Theo,” His name dies on my lips at the sight that befalls me.
A raven-haired girl is kneeling, cradling a white-haired girl in her arms. Their features are identical, but their hair color makes them look like night and day.
The lighter of the two is passed out, bruised, and bleeding everywhere. The dark-haired one is injured and bleeding also, but nothing like her sister.
The darker one looks at me, and her green eyes hold so much pain. My eyes widen upon seeing the thick silver choker locked around her neck.
Oh, f.uck, she’s my mate!
Then her aura hits me. She’s an Alpha, but her sister is an Omega; she is also my brother’s mate, from how he’s looking at her. The girls are in filthy rags, and they stink of the Alpha and Beta’s scents.
I’ll f.ucking kill them!
“Oh, my Goddess! What the f.uck?” Blaze mumbles. “What the hells been going on?”
“Why the f.uck is she collared in silver?” I growl at Lennix while ignoring Blaze.
“My King, we must keep Lyric collared because her wolf is feral.”
Lyric.
Just the sound of her name sends shivers down my spine.
‘He’s lying,’ I hear Caleb in my head, though he doesn’t need to tell me what I know. Lennix is a liar. ‘My King,’ I look at him as he speaks in my mind. ‘Lyric isn’t feral; she’s an Alpha who tries to protect her sister. Lennix collared her in silver to weaken her wolf so she wouldn’t fight back.’
I turn my angry gold eyes to Lennix. My Lycan is fighting hard to get out and kill this man in the worst way.
“You lie, Lennix. That girl is not feral, and you swore they were dead!”
“We have to keep them locked away because they’re disturbed and attack pack members.”
“The lies just keep falling from your mouth, don’t they?”
Lyric growls loudly at Lennix, and all eyes turn to her.
‘Keep your f.ucking mouth shut, b.itch!’ I hear his mind link to Lyric. ‘You tell the King what I said about you is true. If you don’t, I swear, your sister will be dead before you can blink!’
My eyes widen.
How dare he!?
I’ll kill him!
But before I can react, Lyric starts laughing sarcastically. “You sad, deluded old f.uck!” Goddess, her voice! “You think I’ll lie for you? That I believe the King won’t believe what I’m about to tell him?
“What’s wrong, Uncle? Scared, I’ll tell the King how you and your minions have raped, tortured, starved, and beaten us for the past five years?”
“Why you,” Is all he gets out of his filthy, lying mouth before my hand is around his throat.
I pin him to the nearest wall. My Lycan flashes in my eyes, and Lennix struggles to breathe. “You lied, just as I knew you would. You laid hands on my mate, on my brother’s mate!”
“Mate?”
I don’t answer the asshole.
‘Lyric,’ I hear her gasp upon hearing my voice inside her head. ‘Did Caleb ever hurt you?’ I listened to what he said about loving the girls as his own. I wouldn’t want to kill the man if he did nothing.
‘No.’ Is all she says, but that’s good enough for me.
“Blaze?”
“Yes?”
“Call some warriors and have these two taken to the cells. I want them locked in silver and pumped full of wolfsbane. I’ll deal with them later.”
“My pleasure.” I heard the smirk in his voice.
Then I hear Lyric yell, “Get the f.uck away from my sister!”