Chapter Twelve
Two days after the brake lines were cut and Paul disappeared, Karli had gone to visit his mate and family to reassure them that everything possible was being done to find him. She prayed it wasn’t too late. Her men had accompanied her. One of them had stayed nearby constantly since the incident. But not today. She and Sara were walking toward the community center, with their chaperone Jerome, to check on the work being done.
Rowl was busy at the mill, and Joseph had meetings most of the day, so Karli took the opportunity to enjoy a sunny day in the community. The three passed by pack members as they walked, stopping to talk for a moment with each. It still hurt Karli to think there were those among them who would sooner see her dead.
Karli shook the troubling thoughts from her mind and carried on. I’m strong and confident. I will not allow this to stop me from helping the rest of the pack.
“What would you like to do after we check on the progress with the center?” Sara asked as she walked beside Karli on the trail through the forest.
“I’m not sure. It’s a gorgeous day,” Karli answered. “Jerome, do you have any ideas?”
When he didn’t respond, she turned to find him lying flat out on the ground, a spot of red expanding on his back. He’d been shot, and she hadn’t heard a thing. She didn’t have time to check to see if he was still alive. She knew whoever it was would be on them soon.
“Run, Sara. I’ll lead them away from you.” Karli ordered. She wasn’t about to lose anyone else.
“But—”
“Just go.” Karli pushed Sara to get her moving as she took off in the other direction, weaving in and out of the trees to make it harder to get a clear shot at her.
Mates. That was the last thing she got out before something hit her on her right side. She didn’t have time to register the pain before it took her down. She was unconscious before she hit the ground.
Karli woke to the sound of an argument coming from the other side of the wall she was propped up against. She didn’t move a muscle, taking everything in from where she sat. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back, the burn of dark magic sizzling against her wrists, but she held it at bay. Karli glanced around the dark, damp room, careful to keep her head from moving and alerting anyone to the fact that she was awake.
Across the room lay a wolf unmoving on the dirt floor. Paul. He’d shifted into his wolf form and had blood covering his fur from what must have been one hell of a fight. Karli was reassured when she saw his chest rising with every breath he took. At least he wasn’t dead…yet. She wasn’t too sure what the next few hours would bring, but it couldn’t be good.
Karli wrapped as much of her hand as she could around the metal links between the cuffs and began heating them with the electricity in her body. If she could weaken them just a little, she might be able to break them apart. The yelling was getting louder from the other room, and then she heard voices she had hoped to never hear again. Atilia and Ferone. Shit. Why hadn’t I thought about them being responsible before now?
“We told you to kill her,” Atilia’s voice screeched with anger. It didn’t take much to figure out it was her they were talking about.
An unfamiliar voice spoke calmly, “The original contract was to cause damage to her mates and find a way to get your daughter away from them. That is all.”
“She’s of no use to us now that she’s mated.” Ferone’s angry voice joined the mix.
“If you want to change the terms of the contract, that will cost you,” the unknown man said.
“More money, that’s what you want.” Atilia gasped as if she were insulted. “You reapers are all the same.” Karli couldn’t help but shake her head. Her mother was offended that it would cost more to kill her. What the hell? These were her parents.
“Well, thanks to Karli, we don’t have any more money coming from those alphas that we promised her to,” Ferone raged, his voice spiking with anger.
“That’s not my problem. Now pay me what you owe me so I can be done with this.” The reaper’s voice deepened and had taken an ominous turn, and Karli knew this wasn’t a man to be toyed with.
She looked down at her right side where she’d been hit. Her shirt was bloody and ripped, but the pain was easing. Karli knew she was healing, but if the bullet was still in there, the doctor would have to cut it out anyway. It was smart for them to put her hands behind her back. This way she couldn’t use her hands to send a bolt of electricity through them, but they didn’t figure she could soften the metal. Karli could feel it starting to give way.
Then it struck her. She hadn’t even tried to contact her mates. Joseph, Rowl, can you hear me?
Karli, are you hurt? Where are you, love?
I’m in a basement. It seems run down. Paul is here. He’s unconscious but alive.
Rowl and I, along with the rest of the pack, are searching. Who has you?
Atilia, Ferone, and the reaper they hired to kidnap me, but plans have changed and they now want him to kill me.
Those bastards—I’ll tear them apart, Rowl growled through their bond.
I’ve been shot. She figured she might as well get that out of the way, and then she remembered. What about Jerome? Is he dead?
You’ve been shot? How bad is it? Joseph’s angry voice shook.
The good news is I’m healing. The bad news is I think the bullet’s still in there somewhere. What about Jerome?
He’s alive and healing with Doc’s help, Rowl answered.
Karli, are there any windows in the basement? Joseph asked.
She looked around, no longer concerned if they knew she was awake. Besides, they were still in the other room. Above her head and slightly right of her was a small window with three panes of glass, two of which were broken.
Yes, there’s a small one. Give me a second to see if I can stand.
Karli could feel the suppressed rage coming from her men. Atilia and Ferone wouldn’t have a chance. She couldn’t help but smile. It was about time they got what was coming to them. They weren’t her parents; they were monsters. She got her legs under her and pushed up, using the wall to balance herself. Even though pain was ripping through her side at the movement, she remained silent, not wanting to alert her kidnappers to what she was doing.
Once she was standing, she took two careful steps to the right and looked out the dirty window. I can see out of the window. It looks like we’re in the forest. The trees are close to the building I’m in.
Is there anything else to distinguish where it might be? Rowl asked.
She leaned close to the window and looked off to the left as far as she could and caught a glimpse of a row of old, rusted out cars. She relayed the information to her mates just as a shot rang out from the other room and her door opened.
“Well, I see you’re awake,” Atilia sneered at Karli. “Why can’t you just die?”
“Sorry, dear mother, that everything isn’t going to plan,” Karli quipped. She kept her link open with her men so they could hear the conversation. “Where have you taken me?”
“You’re right under their noses. We haven’t even left pack lands.” Atilia laughed, her face taking on an almost deranged look. How had she not noticed that her mother was insane before this?
We know where you are, Karli. We’re on our way, Joseph’s voice whispered through her mind.
Please hurry. I think I’m out of time.
“Your poor mates will be devastated when they find what’s left of you littered across their lands. I’m just sorry that I’ll miss it,” Atilia muttered as if she were talking about getting her car cleaned. No emotion, only facts.
Karli moved closer to Paul. She would try to defend him if she could. The metal of her handcuffs was weakening, but she needed more time. “Did you ever love me, or was I your meal ticket and nothing more?”
“Don’t be silly. Love is a useless emotion, wasted on fools,” Atilia hissed before pulling out a handgun and pointing it straight at Karli.
“Did you kill the reaper?” Karli asked, trying to stall as she pushed so much heat into the handcuffs that she was starting to burn her hands, but the metal was giving way.
“Of course. Nobody screws us over. He got what he deserved, as you’re about to.” Atilia raised the gun and pointed it at Karli’s head. “Goodbye, daughter.”
In the same instant, her handcuffs gave way. Without thought, she brought her hands forward and sent a bolt of electricity straight through Atilia’s chest who didn’t even have time to scream. Her body crumpled, and fell to the floor, her eyes open but unseeing. Ferone came through the door, saw his wife’s smoking body, and reached for the gun.
“Go for it. I dare you,” Karli threatened as her hands glowed, ready to strike him dead.
Ferone thought better of it and pulled his hand back. Pity.
A loud crash was the only warning as the room filled with wolves. The large, golden alpha shifted, and moments later, Joseph held her gently, careful of her side and burnt hands. Rowl turned upon seeing that she was safe and went after Ferone, backing the coward into the corner. Karli had never seen Rowl this angry; his wolf looked twice the size of the wolves around him, his sharp teeth inches from Ferone’s throat.
“Take him outside to be dealt with by our pack, Rowl,” Joseph spoke calmly. “Let him shift and defend himself, as is our law.”
“Defend myself? Against all of them?” Ferone asked.
“You took their omega. It is only right.” Other members of her pack, all in wolf form, began snarling and snapping their sharp teeth at him. “Seems they’re more than ready to dispense justice.”
Rowl backed off, and let the wolves drag Ferone from the room. Rowl shifted and joined Joseph and Karli while a few pack members were seeing to Paul before carrying him out of the basement. Joseph released Karli to Rowl, who lifted her into his arms and kissed her softly. She knew Rowl needed her to calm his wolf.
“Karli, my mate.” Rowl’s voice was still growly from his wolf. She knew it would take a while for him to settle down. He buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath.
“Let’s go home, my mates,” Joseph directed as he ushered them toward the door.
That sounded perfect to her.
Home, with her pack and her mates was all she needed.