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FISTS CLENCHED, CHEST heaving, Nadira strode into her secret cavern and kicked the small jar of herbs across the floor. “Isodora I’ll kill you for this,” she yelled while looking up at the crags in the ceiling. Her pack, destroyed. Attacked in her prison, on the run, hiding like a criminal? It was too much.

She stopped, inhaled and muttered an incantation recalling the energy and power she had shared with her men. As her power returned, she calmed. Confidence surged within her. They would pay with their lives for what they’d done.

What manner of magic did they use? Her mouth continued to burn from the poison in Cain’s blood. Why hadn’t it burned when she licked him the first time? Clearly, she sensed female energy but couldn’t pinpoint it. And the bubble? How would she kill the black wolf as long as he remained inside?

She focused and held her palms outward, pulling energy. It swirled and grew into a small ball. Perhaps this would shatter the bubble, she thought as the energy particles coalesced.

“My Queen.”

Nadira glanced over her shoulder at Baez kneeling with his head down. Pity he was the lone survivor and now knew the location of her inner sanctum. She had allowed him to shift for healing and to search for supplies.

Ignoring him, she strode through the natural archway to the waterfall several feet away. Standing close to the edge, the cool water covered her head and washed away the dirt of the cavern floor. More importantly, Cain’s hand-prints on her neck and his scent disappeared beneath the cleansing stream.

Task complete, she returned and pulled out her short tunic, shorts, weapons belt, and boots. “What did you find?” She dressed and sat on the bench to pull on her boots.

“The bodies have been removed. The food supplies are gone. The tents remain.”

She flicked her gaze at him and held back a sigh. Of all the litter-mates, Baez had always been the most useless in her opinion. He said and did the right things, but she always suspected he cheated somehow and didn’t trust him.

“My supplies are low, there’s not enough for us both.” Sage was scheduled to go hunting the same day he died.

He bowed lower. “I give my life for my Queen.”

Of that she was sure. He had no choice. Cain or the black wolf would kill him on sight. Once again, she cursed Isodora for leaving her in this place so long. Being locked in a mountain was punishment enough, did she plan to starve her too?

“What do you know about these full-bloods? Obviously, they are not normal. Not the way they destroyed all six of your brothers. Did you learn anything from the black wolf?” She looked at Baez.

“He mentioned speaking to his Alpha, gaining permission. He still communicates with the outside, my Queen.”

“Some links can’t be stopped,” she muttered.

Baez looked at her and bowed his head again. “Truly?”

“Litter-mates and mates, no one can stop those links because they’re one of the same,” she said wondering what her next step should be. She could ask Isodora what was going on but refused to give her the satisfaction of a discussion.

“Is the Alpha coming to their aid?” she asked. Could she still cut a deal and escape? The idea of besting Isodora and raining down vengeance on that one made her giddy.

“I believe so, Mistress.”

She stood and walked across the floor with her fingertips pressed against her forehead. “How to make this work? Maybe we can still make a deal, gather their assistance to leave here.” She walked back to the bench and looked at him over her shoulder. “What can we use as leverage? A bargaining tool to make the Alpha agree to release us when he comes for his son?”

“You could threaten to kill him.”

She refused to admit the unlikeliness of her success and waved the idea aside. “What good is a corpse?”

“There’s too much water to poison, but you can poison his food and offer to revive him. They would agree for the antidote.”

That idea had potential. She stooped and opened her small cupboard beneath the bench where she kept her supplies. Four jars held her most precious herbs. One was empty and the other three, sorely depleted. The best she could do with what she had was a short-term paralysis that might last three days at most. But the Alpha wouldn’t know that. If she timed it right, she could trick them into believing he was dying and needed her assistance to survive. A perfectly wicked ruse. She smiled and looked at Baez.

“Good idea. You’ll need to go hunting.”

###

ANGUS AND JACQUES MONITORED the choppers flying over the mountains and the Knights on the ground. They’d been searching for five hours and were getting tired. But Angus wanted to tell Silas something when he landed in nine hours and pushed them to continue.

“Coffee?” Angus asked Jacques as he poured a cup.

“No, I’m good.” He took a piece of chicken from the large platter and ate. “The girls are coming home this weekend, well Jewel and Diamond are coming, Ruby couldn’t make it.”

Angus looked up and smiled. “I haven’t seen your jewels in a while. It’ll be good to see them. How long are they staying?” He returned to his seat at the console and took a drumstick.

“I don’t know. They grow up so fast, seems like yesterday they were crawling around the house.”

“Victor’s in France on an exchange program, right?” he asked about Jacques only son who wanted to learn more about his father’s homeland and was completing his degree abroad.

“Yes, yes he is. Talked to him last night, he’s doing well. Sure do miss him.” He pointed at Angus. “Just wait, when Ares and Christian leave for college you and Shyla will understand what I mean.”

Thinking of his teen-aged sons, Angus grinned. They were delightful handfuls that kept him and Shyla on their toes. Shyla’s parents moved closer and often had the boys on the weekends or during school breaks giving him and Shyla time alone. He loved those days. “Maybe, but I’m thinking we’ll be busy traveling, seeing the world together on a perpetual honeymoon to miss them that much.” At least he planned to do his part to keep Shyla entertained. “I have plans to keep my mate to myself once those two are gone, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Jacques laughed. “Sounds good. Your nursery is closed I take it?”

“Shyla is content with two, so am I. No more pups for us. I think grand-parenting is the way to go. Lots of fun for a short period, then send the buggers back home.” He and Jacques laughed.

“I wish you and Shyla well. Victoria has little interest in traveling these days. She’s enjoying the role of Nana too much.” Jacques smiled. “So do I. It’s a pleasure seeing all the wee ones when I go home.”

Angus sat forward, placing his cup aside as he pointed to the console. “Someone said something. Turn up the speaker, have them repeat it.”

A Knight spoke. “Movement on the ground, lone male running, he stopped and is looking up. He hears the copters.”

“Knights move to that area in stealth mood, human deep, stat,” Angus said. “Apprehend and hold for questioning. Do not allow him to escape. According to Cain, there’s only one full-blood left inside, this may be him.”

Releasing a pent-up breath, Angus wished he was there on the ground joining the hunt.

“How many are in the area?” Angus asked, impatient. They couldn’t allow the full-blood to escape or return to the mountain.

“Closing in,” one Knight said, and then another. There were four closing in on the full-blood.

“Just one chopper, the rest pull back and continue surveillance in your assigned areas in case this is a trick,” Angus instructed. “Do not lose sight of him.”

“Yes, Sir. He’s moving slowly but steadily down a rocky path.”

“There are antelope grazing in that direction,” another Knight said. “I’ll meet him there while the others get behind him. We’ll box him in.”

Angus nodded, pleased with their strategy. “Let me know when any of you on the ground has eyes on him.”

Several moments passed. Angus and Jacques sat forward listening intently.

“I’ve got eyes on him.”

Angus released a breath as one of the men coming behind the full-blood saw him.

“Eyes on him, moving forward,” another Knight said.

“Has he seen or picked up on anyone?” The full-blood shouldn’t since they were in stealth-mode, but Angus wanted them prepared for anything.

“Eyes on him and his prey. He’s preparing to attack an antelope, permission to engage.”

“Engage. Do not kill him,” Angus stressed. “Hold him for La Patron. I repeat, do not kill him.”

“Copy, Sir.”

Angus sat back and wished he had Silas’ ability to see through others. Waiting was a bitch. “Any way the copter can give us a visual?”

“I’ll ask but he’s a distance away to keep from spooking the herd.” Jacques made the request. Moments later the monitor flickered, and they saw a man on the ground being held by four Knights.

Angus frowned and looked at Jacques. “No fight? He just gave up?”

Jacques shrugged and asked the Knights.

“There was resistance, we’re taking him to meet the copter and back to the base. We’re changing shifts now and will have him under 24-hour watch until we deliver him to La Patron.”

“Agreed. Good job. Lock him in a collar. I don’t need to tell you how disappointed our Alpha will be if that full-blood is missing when he arrives.”

“Understood, Sir. We will guard him with our lives.”

Angus wiped his face and spoke to the copter. “Mark that area where you initially saw the full-blood. When the shift changes, I want Knights in that area searching every nook and cranny for an opening.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The more information they had for Silas the better. “If that’s the full-blood and he was hunting deer, then Cain and David are alone underground without food.” He looked at Jacques. “Did we just fuck up? Should we have let him take the food inside?” He hated second-guessing himself and tried to reach Silas.

The connection was so patchy it kept dropping. Once Silas landed they’d be able to talk.

###

NADIRA STOOD AT THE edge of the grotto staring down at the camp below. They had taken the individual tents and made a large rectangular one. The insolent pests had robbed her lair of fabrics, herbs and her food supply while she had been training Baez on the intricacies of leaving through Isodora’s veil at the mouth of the cavern. It was tricky and if not done correctly could leave a person stranded in a less hospitable part of the mountain. Even though Nadira couldn’t leave, she had tried for years and failed, Isodora allowed a way for Nadira to receive supplies and company. It had taken months to bring in all seven litter-mates. And mere hours to destroy them, she groused.

Anger throbbed in her chest over everything she had lost because of these two.

Baez should be returning soon with meat and berries. Hunger gnawed at her belly, it had been days since she’d eaten and the aroma of whatever they prepared below drew her. By the time she reached the exterior of their camp, her hunger pains had increased. 

An invisible barrier stopped her from going closer. Rage rippled through her over being denied. She stomped around until she faced the front of their tents and yelled. “You robbed me.” Holding her palms together she drew energy, watched it build and build into a round, fiery ball. Cain stepped out and looked at her. The others stood on each side and touched his shoulder. The bubble shimmered for a few seconds and then stopped.

Pissed by their disregard of her greatness and their supreme disrespect, she threw the energy ball toward them. It sizzled, sparked and was absorbed into the shield.

What? Her gaze narrowed as she stomped forward and pointed. “You will pay for what you’ve done. I will slice the skin from your bones and cut off your balls. Your sire will curse the day you were born,” she yelled.

The black wolf yawned, walked back to the tent and returned with a bowl. He ate a piece of meat, chewing it slowly while watching her.

Her stomach growled. She sneered at him.

“Where’s Baez? He’s been gone a long time. I hope my Alpha’s men haven’t caught him,” the young wolf said glancing at her as he continued eating.

Inwardly she stilled. Alpha’s men? Had the Alpha arrived already? No, he said the Alpha’s men. No one mentioned there were others. Had Baez been caught in a trap? She didn’t know and that pissed her off more.

Hungry but not defeated, head high, she returned to her sanctuary and searched for something to ease her hunger. There was nothing but a few half-rotted berries. For now, that would have to do.

Minutes dragged into hours.

Baez never returned. What would she do now? How would she poison the young wolf and use him as a ransom? The plan seemed perfect earlier, now she had no idea how to go forward.