Finn's mind was filled with a commanding, deep voice that asked, "Who are you?" He could feel the authority in the words and instinctively knew that the speaker could only be Fane Lupei. He’d never felt such tremendous power in any wolf before.

  “My name is Finn. I’m a rogue wolf, and I need your help.”

  “I don’t remember you. You obviously didn’t fight me.” Fane didn’t sound angry, just curious, if not a little wary.

  “I didn’t fight you, nor did I join the wolves that converged on your home. Me and mine remained in hiding. I’ll not deny the fact that I didn’t want to submit to your rule. I’m an alpha, and the idea of bending my knee to another doesn’t sit well with my beast.”

  “I don’t fault you for that,” Fane said. “But if that’s the case, then why are you asking for my help now?”

  Finn hit the door again, feeling the metal dent, taking on the shape of his shoulder. “The vampire, Cain, has my mate. She’s a dormant, and he’s just injected her with vampire and gypsy healer blood.”

  Immediately rage filled the strange bond that connected Finn to the alpha of alphas. “How the hell does Cain have a gypsy healer?”

  “No offense, Fane Lupei, but that’s not really my biggest concern at the moment. My mate is dying, or at least I think she is. All I know is that they have her, and Cain is attempting to—”

  “Turn her into a hybrid,” Fane finished.

  “Yes, but I don’t think it’s working.”

  “Where are you?”

  Finn growled as his wolf fought to take over. But Finn needed the man to stay in control so he could think clearly. “I’m at Area 51, the human military base. That’s where Cain is doing his little project.”

  “Did he capture you?”

  Finn didn’t want to chat. He wanted action. “Well, sort of.” He heard the unease in his voice and felt it in his gut. “I am his prisoner.”

  “Finn, you’re going to have to level with me.” Fane snarled. “Now is not the time to try to cover your ass. What am I dealing with?”

  “Dammit,” Finn yelled out loud. “I agreed to do this damn hybrid thing he’s doing because he told me it would break the connection I have with you. I didn’t want to be duty-bound to you. I had no intention of fighting you. I just wanted to be the leader of my own pack.”

  He could feel Fane’s frustration, but not because he cared that Finn didn’t want to bow to him. Fane was irritated because he didn’t like the fact that Finn hadn’t trusted him not to abuse the power that had been given to him by the Great Luna.

  “We can deal with that later. I don’t know if we can get you out. I’ve had one of the packs looking into what’s going on there, but the place is heavily guarded, not just by human military but by vampires, lots of vampires, and a few fae.”

  “I can get myself out if you’ll just give me some of that power you’ve got coursing through your veins. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but—”

  Fane stopped him. “You have every right to ask, Finn. I have no desire to lord my status over anyone. I realize it’s hard for many alphas and dominants to trust me. But all I want to do is the Great Luna’s will. I want to live out what she has called me to do, and believe it or not, that is not only to lead you but to serve you, as well. I just need the chance to prove that to you, and if this is what it takes, then I will do that.”

  Finn choked on the emotion that rose inside of him at the alpha’s words, not just because of what they meant but because he could feel how genuine Fane was. The alpha truly wanted to help. He expected nothing in return other than loyalty to their cause—a cause that didn’t include having any race bow at his feet. How could Finn have been so foolish? Pride. He growled at himself. It was the downfall of even the greatest of men and wolves alike.

  “You’re going to have to give me some time, but I’ll give you what I can. Just don’t get yourself killed.”

  “Why do you care?”

  Fane’s concern flowed through the pack bond. “I care because you are the Great Luna’s child, and she has put you under my care. I’ve claimed all Canis lupus as my own. And I don’t leave my pack hanging out to dry. I will do what I can to help you and your mate.”

  A massive flood of power filled Finn’s body. This time, when he rammed his shoulder into the door, he heard the bolts creak. He looked and saw that they’d begun to bend. A few more hits like that and they would snap like cheap plastic.

  “Do you have a plan of any kind?”

  “Nope,” Finn admitted. He ran at the door again.

  Fane sighed. “Apparently, you’re just like the rest of my pack. Excellent.”

  Finn’s lips turned up in a feral grin. “You know that bonded males aren’t exactly rational when it comes to their females.”

  Fane chuckled. “I understand that more than you know. Can you still feel…” He paused, and Finn felt the alpha searching for his mate’s name.

  “Lizzy,” Finn supplied. “Her name is Lizzy Fairchild, soon to be St. James.”

  “Can you still feel Lizzy through your bond?”

  Finn paused and reached out. He could see the cord that connected them, still bright and strong. “Yes, but she’s unconscious and in a lot of pain.”

  “I know you want to get out. I understand. But what happens if you get free? It’s you against hundreds of vampires. Have you completed the Blood Rites?”

  Finn wanted to growl, but he bit it back. “No.”

  “If they kill you, then you will leave your mate to live a half-life—a life without the other half of her soul. Don’t do that to her.”

  He knew the alpha was right, but it went against everything inside of him to just sit there while his female suffered. “You don’t know what you’re asking of me.” A sudden flood of images filled Finn’s mind. There was a redheaded female in the hands of a male that was obviously not Fane, and she was being tortured. The turmoil that came with the images almost brought Finn to his knees. “Stop, please.” He breathed out.

  “I know exactly what I’m asking of you, Finn St. James.” Fane snarled. “My own mate has been tortured, hurt far more than anyone should have to suffer. I know exactly what it is to feel helpless while she endures horrific things. But you will do her no good dead. Wait for us. We will figure this out. I give you my word.”

  Finn’s wolf wanted to argue. He wanted to tell the alpha to go jump off a bridge, but the man knew Fane was right. If Finn got free, he wouldn’t make it ten feet before he was subdued again. If not by sheer strength of the numbers of vampires, then by the guns of the humans. He could heal fast, but not from dozens and dozens of bullet wounds. That would kill even a werewolf. “Fine.” He forced his feet to stand still. He glared at the door as if the inanimate object was his enemy. In a sense, it was. That door was the first thing keeping him from Lizzy. “I’ll wait. But please”—his voice broke, even in his mind—“hurry.”

  “We will,” Fane promised, his voice full of urgency. “Trust us, Finn. We may not know each other, but I care more than you understand, and I will show you that. I will prove that I am not your enemy.”

  “I want to believe that. I won’t lie and pretend that it’s going to be easy to trust you. But I don’t have a choice at this point.”

  “Sometimes that’s the best place to be—forced to rely on others so that you can realize you’re not alone. We’ve got you, Finn. You’re a part of my pack, as is your mate, and we will do everything we can to help you.”

  “We?” He moved away from the door until his back was against a wall. He slid down until he sat on the floor, his body humming with pent-up energy but exhausted at the same time.

  “Me, my mate, and my closest trusted pack members. They have stood with me against impossible odds. They have faced loss and continued to fight the good fight. We don’t walk away simply because things are scary, hard, or seem insurmountable. We run into danger, not from it. We fight for those who can’t fight for themselves or find themselves in impossible situations. That’s what pack does, Finn. And you are pack.”

  Finn clenched his jaw when emotions welled up inside of him. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay.”

  Chapter

  Two

  “You would think that once you’ve dealt with one vampire, then you’ve dealt with all vampires. But no. That’s not the case. Like humans, vampires have varying degrees of suckiness, pun intended. The ones with extra suckage need extra ass kicking.” ~ Myanin

  “So, what are we going to do with him now?” Myanin tossed one of her daggers up and then caught it unerringly by the handle. Over and over, she did this while she walked in a slow circle around the vampire sitting in the chair in the center of the room. Thanks to Tenia’s magic, he was immobilized and had stopped trying to get away, not that he would have made it very far. They were deep within the dungeons of the warlock mountain. And regardless of how ancient and powerful the vampire was, he wouldn’t have been able to fight his way past so many warlocks… assuming he could even make it past Myanin.

  “Should she be allowed to have daggers?” Lilly asked as she stood with her arm folded across her chest, the other arm resting on it and her chin propped on her fist.

  Tenia shrugged. “It’s more dangerous to try and take them away.”

  “Okay, I’m not saying you should do this…” Tanya’s lips turned up in a mischievous smile. Myanin fully appreciated the sadistic glee on the woman’s face. “But considering Tenia can make him do whatever she wants, I say we have some fun with him.”

  The djinn raised her eyebrows. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well, how hilarious would it be to make him sit there dressed up like a little old lady? We can make him knit us some sweaters.”

  Dillon’s brow drew low. “Are you bored, babe?”

  The warlock queen sighed and shook her head. “Oh dear. When we decided to hold him, I didn’t mean for our own amusement.”

  Myanin chuckled. “Entertainment around here is lacking, no offense, queenie. And she has a point. We have someone who has to do whatever we say. He’s completely in our power. That opportunity doesn’t come along every day. The possibilities are endless.”

  Tenia shook her head and grunted. “My ability is not a sideshow act for your amusement.”

  Tanya’s smile dropped. “You’re right, Tenia. I apologize.”

  “Don’t let her cow you too easily, Tanya,” Myanin said. “She’s as sadistic as the rest of us. She just hides it better.”

  “Maybe you should take notes on that,” Lilly offered. She hadn’t said much in the way of how she felt they should deal with the vamp, but then for all they knew, Lilly had had a vision and couldn’t say crap about it, so she was choosing to stay quiet instead.

  The djinn looked thoughtful. “I appreciate your insight, your majesty. I’ll take it under advisement.” Myanin bowed her head and smiled.

  “Maybe you’re right, Tanya.” Tenia assessed their prisoner. “He is an ass, and he deserves to be tortured. I’d say instead of making him sit here knitting us sweaters, I make him sit butt-ass-naked on a busy street during rush hour.”

  “Again,” Lilly said, “he’s not here for our daily dose of entertainment.”

  Myanin knew that everyone was mostly joking, which is why they were brushing off Lilly’s comments.

  “Wow, that would be worse than the beating Myanin already gave him,” Dillon said.

  The vampire appeared nonplussed. “You do realize that I’m centuries old, don’t you? Do you think I care about being naked in front of a few humans? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “Shut it, Claude.” Myanin turned to her best friend. “Why didn’t you take away his ability to talk?”

  Tenia sighed. “Because at one point we actually needed him to talk.”

  “Right, right, right…” Myanin nodded. “But not now. Now, we don’t need to hear his smarmy, vampy voice.”

  Claude’s eyes moved to look at Myanin, which was the best he could do since he couldn’t actually move his neck. “Do you think being a vampire actually affects how my voice sounds?”

  Myanin tilted her head as she looked at him, continuing to toss her knife. “I don’t know. Was your voice this annoying when you were human?”

  Dillon chuckled. “Never a dull moment with you, is there?”

  She blew out a breath that puffed her cheeks up. “Life’s too short to be dull.”

  “Umm,” Tanya’s face scrunched up. “You’re immortal. So, life isn’t actually short for you.”

  “Technically”—Myanin kept her eyes on Claude—“I’m human and only as immortal as my mate.” She pointed to Gerrick, who stood with his arms folded in front of his chest as he leaned against the wall. “So, if he dies then—”

  “Don’t die.” Tenia snapped and glared at Gerrick as if he was the one who’d nearly gotten himself blown up in cold fire.

  The fae held up a finger to Myanin. “And don’t you dare bring up the damn cold fire. I had no choice, and you know it. Now make like that icy movie chick and let it go, or you will never eat another piece of cotton candy in your life.”

  “Ouch,” Dillon breathed out.

  Tanya frowned. “You watched a human kid’s movie?”

  Myanin shrugged. “Tenia told me to stop letting Torion watch all the good stuff. What are we left with? Let it go, icy chick.”

  Gerrick raised a finger. “Actually, I think it’s Fro—”

  “You were letting him watch adult shows.” Tenia cut him off and practically growled at Myanin. “With language and violence that was entirely inappropriate for a six-year-old.”

  “I think we’re a tad off topic,” Lilly cut in, but Myanin just kept going.

  “And he was becoming a better fighter because of it. But now he’s learning how to sing ridiculous songs and talk to snowmen.” The djinn snorted. “Great parenting move, Tenia.”

  Tenia ground her teeth. “Fine. No cotton candy.”

  “Ohh, sounds like there’s a story behind this little drama.” Claude purred. “Do tell. It’s not like we’re going anywhere, and I’m bored.”

  “Oh, you’re going somewhere,” Dillon assured the vampire. “I’m just waiting on the go-ahead from the alpha.”

  Claude’s eyes took on a hooded quality as he looked at Dillon. “I thought you were an alpha.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Myanin saw Lilly pinch the bridge of her nose. “And now we’re reverting to adolescent mean girls.”

  Dillon shook his head and chuckled. “Do you really think I’m so insecure? It doesn’t bother me that the Great Luna has seen fit to put a leader over all the packs. Taunting me as if I’m a pup won’t work.”

  “E for effort, though.” Tanya gave Claude a thumbs-up, and her voice was so perky she sounded like she was speaking to a child who had tried to draw a dinosaur and ended up with a deformed turkey instead.

  “Did Fane say how long he expected us to keep him alive?” Gerrick addressed the warlock queen. “Now that we know Cain is trying to make hybrids, what more do we need?”

  “Fane didn’t mention it the last time we spoke,” Lilly answered. “I imagine there are lots of pieces in play, and he must take care with his moves, including decisions about who needs to die and when. We also don’t yet have the location of Cain’s new hideout where he is performing his so-called experiments.”

  Gerrick smirked. “If you talk to the alpha again, please let him know I’m happy to dispense of this piece.” He nodded toward Claude.

  Myanin glanced at her mate. “Are you feeling bloodthirsty? I know this thing between us is still relatively new, but um … I’d be lying if I said that didn’t turn me on.”

  Dillon coughed, and Tenia cursed under her breath.

  Gerrick smirked. “Noted.”

  Myanin laughed as she balanced the tip of her blade on her finger, holding it straight up and down.

  “Did you hit your head when I wasn’t around or something? Because you seem even more unstable than usual.”

  “Is that even possible, Tenia?” Skender stalked into the room.

  Tenia looked at her wolf mate. “Good point.”

  Skender pointed to Claude. “What are we doing with him?”

  “Everyone keeps asking that,” Tanya pointed out. “And I’ve given what I thought was a decent idea. But nobody wants to play. They just want to off him.”

  Myanin tilted her head at the Colorado female alpha. “I didn’t know you were so wicked. We should hang out more.”

  Dillon shook his head as he pulled out his phone. “Not happening,” he muttered. “Let’s find out if Fane has any more information that can help us move this thing along.” A moment later, a ring filled the room. Dillon had put the phone on speaker, so they’d all be able to hear the conversation. As if the other’s supernatural hearing wouldn’t have kept it from being a private discussion, which meant he did it for her benefit. Dumb, nice werewolf. Myanin didn’t like liking people, and she found that more and more, she was actually liking more of them.

  “Dillon.” Fane’s voice filled the space.

  “You’re on speaker,” Dillon told him. “Claude is in the room with us. As is the warlock queen.”

  Myanin figured Dillon had pointed Lilly’s presence out as a way to show the queen respect. They were in her territory, yet it was Dillon calling Fane instead of her.

  “Noted. Does Tenia think there is any way we can use him?” Fane’s voice sounded urgent as he spoke.

  Myanin’s eyes jumped to her friend.

  Tenia shrugged. “I could use my power on him, then send him back to Cain to see if we could gain some intel. But I don’t know the limitations of my magic when the subject leaves my sight. And his age might affect how long my magic would work.” She tapped her chin, appearing to weigh her options. “As an ancient, he could possibly fight it off easier. I might need to see him frequently to re-enforce the commands. I’ve always avoided using my powers as much as possible, so I don’t exactly understand all the ins and outs.”