Chapter 4

SHADOW

“Please, just let me go. I wanna bring him home and take care of him.”

“No.” One word— just one word made my world crumble.

“What do you want from me then?” My tone was stern, but I didn’t give a shit right now.

“Who are those people?”

“I was tranquilized before I could even see their faces. I was in the elevator, about to go out for a run, before we left town. Do you think I wouldn’t tell you to be with Kent if I knew something? I would do anything for him. You should know that.”

“Let’s say I believe you. I will take care of Kent, but the payment is you will stay here until you pay your debt.” Tempting.

“How long would that be? How can I be so sure you would keep the end of the bargain.”

“I’m an Alpha of Night Stalker Pack, Shadow. I don’t break my words.”

I gulped, diverting my gaze. Everything made sense now.

“Alpha Califf.” I thought I mentioned his name. I only heard about him through my old pack, and he was ruthless, heartless, and torn a wolf apart without a blink.

“You’ve heard about me.” His voice toned down, which was calming.

“Yeah. In my old pack, Black Arrow.”

“That motherfucker is your alpha?” His voice was harsh and filled with disgust.

I met his gaze as anger filled my chest. His jaw locked hard. “Unfortunately, yes. Keane Locke.”

“I want you to identify the sketches of the men who grabbed you.”

“What is it for me?” I was still negotiating even if I had no hope of winning this.

“For Kent.”

“I wanna be out of here.”

“No.”

“Out of this hellhole? And I want to eat.” I thought I saw his upper lip curve up, or it was just me hallucinating with hunger.

He took a step forward, closing our gap. It had me gasping as his scent made my skin burn, made me crave his sweet touch, and I’d never felt this physical urge before, and he did, fisting my hair at the back of my head and giving it a hard yank as he cast me a disgusted look. “You will behave and follow my order and respect me just like everyone in my pack.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

”Yes, Alpha.”

”You will be under supervision. One wrong move, and you will be back here with silver bars.”

“Got it the first time.”

He groaned before he let my hair go and swore under his breath.

“Follow me.” He took me to the huge kitchen, like the one in the hotel where his omegas were preparing food.

“Come here.”

I followed him past through busy cooks. “I’m starving. I could barely walk straight and keep up.”

“Sit.” He didn’t have to bark orders. I was grateful he let me out.

I sat down before the long wood table. He sat to my left and handed me the sketches.

I only recognized one. “I went to college with him. He and his mate recruited me.”

“Name, Shadow.”

“Jag Powell.” As soon as the bread basket was placed on the table, I grabbed two pieces and took a huge bite. “He’s a scout.” I talked even though my mouth was full. I was so hungry and thirsty.

The next thing placed on the table was a plate of grilled chicken. I didn’t give a damn even if I sat next to the most powerful Alpha. I had to eat. He didn’t care, though. So I picked one thigh, and the guy from the kitchen placed a plate for me.

“I want water,” I told the man, and he just looked at me.

“Give her water and fruits,” Alpha Califf said.

“Yes, Alpha,” he said before he left.

“Slow down.”

“I’ve been there down for three days without food. Sorry, but I’m starving.”

“So Jag Powell is from Black Arrow?”

“Yeah. He was one of the men who grabbed me?” I looked like shit, probably with sauce all around my lips, but I had no time to be pretty in front of the handsome Alpha.

“Yes.”

“Was that picture you showed me real?” I was referring to Kent’s picture in the hospital bed with bruises and patches on his chest.

“Yes. He had claw marks on his chest. Powell and the rest probably tortured him to give up your location, but they didn’t kill him to send a message to you. The question is why Locke wants you back.”

“I asked the same thing the moment I saw Jag’s picture. I honestly have no clue.” I finished two pieces of bread. I bit another piece of lamb rib. As werewolves, we had strong appetites and consumed loads of carbs to burn up during shifting.

“Think, Shadow. You need to give me something.”

“Or you will leave my only family to be slaughtered by those dogs? I get it, but I couldn’t think of anything. Ask me again after an hour or tomorrow.”

“Is Keane your mate? Did you reject him?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Fuck no, but I would be glad to reject him if he was.”

“Language,”

”My apology,” I said with an eye-rolling.

”Were you two sleeping together?”

“It’s none of your freaking business, but no. We didn’t get to that point. The reason why I left was because he wanted to sleep with me. He may have been my Alpha at that time, but I still believed in finding my mate, and he was a useless alpha. He was only good at ordering people around but was reckless, greedy, brutal, arrogant, and only cared for himself.” I chugged down a glass of water. Damn, it felt good. “Unless he changed. What’s your deal with him, anyway?”

“He almost killed my men.”

My jaw dropped. “Well, shit. So we have a common enemy, after all. An enemy of my enemy is my friend. Isn’t that what they say?”

“Who killed your parents?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”