“What if something has happened to her?” his beast challenged. “What if rogue wolves attacked or they were in a car wreck?”
“We would have felt the emotions something like that would have emitted,” he reminded his wolf. “She wouldn’t have been able to keep the bond shut so tight in either of those traumatizing situations.”
His wolf didn’t like the fact that Dillon had a point. He was angry that they’d hunted her and failed. The man was proving to be quite a shitty mate. Then again, she’d told him not to come after her, and he’d made it clear that he would. So, it was most likely that she’d not come home by choice in an effort to avoid him.
“Think, Dillon.” He ran his fingers through his wavy hair and gripped it before releasing it and dropping his arm to his side. A knock sounded at the door, and his feet froze. Dillon should have heard the person approaching, but he’d been so caught up in his thoughts of Tanya that he’d let his guard down. Stupid in a place where the alpha wasn’t exactly trusting or trustworthy.
Dillon walked to the door and pulled it open, revealing a young woman standing on the other side. She clutched a tray of food in her hands, and her smile seemed nervous as she held it out to him. Dillon saw her hands shaking. He quickly grabbed the tray, afraid she might drop it, and wondered why she was scared. Despite her tense smile, he could smell and see her fear.
“I figured a hamburger was a safe bet since you didn’t tell Alpha Jeremiah anything specific.”
Dillon tilted his head. “Thank you…” He let the words hang in the air, waiting to see if she would give her name.
“Oh, I’m Penelope. Nell for short.” She pointed at herself as if he wouldn’t know who she was talking about.
Dillon took a breath through his nose and frowned. “You’re a dormant.”
She dropped her eyes and seemed to shrink in upon herself. The woman’s voice shook when she replied. “Yes.” Dillon detected the scent of shame filling the air.
“Why on earth would that embarrass you?” Dillon was puzzled, and he hated to see the woman feeling ashamed of who she was.
She lifted one shoulder and bit her bottom lip, her eyes still cast down and to the left. “I’m nobody. You shouldn’t even concern yourself with me.”
Dillon stepped to the side and put the tray on the small table near the door. He didn’t invite her in as that would be inappropriate, but he wasn’t done speaking with her. “Who the hell told you that you're nobody?” Her eyes widened at his tone. “Being a dormant doesn’t make you any less valuable to a pack than a full-blooded wolf. Surely you know that.”
Nell still didn’t lift her head. “It’s fine. I have my place here, and it’s better than being vampire fodder or living without the protection of a pack.”
Dillon placed his hands on his hips and considered her words. She shifted on her feet and turned slightly away from him. It was then that Dillon saw the bruises on her neck, which looked suspiciously like finger marks from where she’d been held too tightly. “Do you have a mate?”
She paled. “No.” Nell shook her head. “Of course not. Dormants don’t have true mates. I don’t even pretend to think of something so wonderful happening to me.”
Dillon had to fight down a growl as he took in this female with such a beaten-down countenance. She’d been cut to the quick by a sharp tongue and firm hand. Neither of which was needed for one so submissive. “Listen, Nell, and listen good.”
She nodded and clasped her hands in front of her.
“Nobody has the right to put their hands on you in a hurtful way or any way that you don’t want, for that matter.” He sighed, his heart feeling sorry for her knowing this had most likely either happened at the hands of Jeremiah or, at the very least, someone he’d ordered to do it. They’d beaten her down until the woman had become a she-wolf who didn’t know her value. It seriously pissed Dillon off.
“Can I get you anything else?” She suddenly changed the subject. It was obvious Nell wasn’t comfortable with the conversation, but Dillon wanted to press her for more information. He wanted to know for sure who had allowed this to happen.
“You can.” Dillon nodded and watched as her shoulders relaxed. He lowered his voice as he said, “You can tell me who put their hands on you, and you can tell me where Tanya is.”
Nell looked left and then right. Dillon stuck his head out and followed her gaze. It took him a minute, but using his wolf’s eyesight, he saw the small black dot on the ceiling about five feet down the hall. Fantastic. Cameras. He saw more of them farther on. Dillon pulled himself back into his room and looked around the ceiling. He saw no cameras, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.
Looking back at Nell, he mouthed, “My room?”
She shrugged, showing she didn’t know. “You don’t need to worry about me.” He saw her eyes flicker once again to the camera, and then she said, a little louder than necessary. “The alpha took care of it.”
Dillon bit back all the words that wanted to spew forth about Jeremiah Ellis. No alpha would allow any member of their pack, dormant or otherwise, to be treated in such a way, especially a female. His mind briefly jumped to the thought of Jeremiah putting his hands on Tanya violently, and he felt claws push out of his hands as his wolf shoved forward. The man and the beast were on the same page. If Dillon found out that Jeremiah had laid a single finger on his mate, he would kill him.
“If you need anything else, you can just pick up the phone and dial 4695.” Without another word, Nell turned and rushed away.
Dillon sighed and closed the door. He looked at the hamburger and found that after his interaction with Nell, he no longer had an appetite. He picked up his bag and headed into the open door, where he could see the bathroom beyond. Dillon needed a shower and sleep. He also needed to figure out how the hell he could find his mate without anyone becoming suspicious. That is, of course, if no one saw and heard the conversation he’d just had with Nell. Guess he’d know soon enough if Jeremiah came knocking on his door. Part of him wished he would. His wolf could use a good fight. But he wasn’t sure how Tanya would feel about Dillon killing her father. It might not go over too well, especially since she hated Dillon.
He dropped the bag on the white countertop and looked in the mirror. “Then again, since she already hates you, what’s one more little thing, like taking daddy dearest out?” He ran a hand down his face. Bloody hell, now he was talking to himself in the damn mirror. He’d officially lost his mind. Thinking about taking out an alpha when he’d been a lone wolf for a decade? “You need rest,” his wolf reminded him. “We are useless to protect her if we are not strong.” Dillon agreed, but then again, how the hell did he protect his mate when he had no clue where she was?
Jeremiah hung up the phone and turned to face the window of his office. He scratched his chin as he thought back on the conversation he’d just had with the Montana alpha. Dillon, the lone wolf staying in one of his guest rooms on the second floor, had indeed left his pack, but it had been over a decade ago. The male hadn’t bothered to offer up just how long he’d been a lone wolf. And the Montana alpha admitted that at this point, they didn’t think he’d ever come back.
"So why do you suddenly want to be a part of a pack again, Dillon?" Jeremiah said out loud as he stared out over the grounds of the compound. "And why my pack?"
