Ryker growled at his mate, warning him to stop working against him. He was restraining himself from using his teeth or claws, and William would heal from a few knocks and bruises in no time.
“You know something,” August said, holding William up against his chest. He had the younger man’s arms twisted behind his back, his claws on his throat. “We’re not going to hurt you – we’re not looking to start a fight with your pack – but we know that you took him. Now tell us how to get him back.”
William slumped, flinching when Ryker walked up to him, trapping him between his and August’s body and grabbing him by his chin.
“You heard him,” he growled, his claws digging into William’s cheek. “Tell us.”
“I don’t know!” William said, sounding like he was going to start crying. “I told my dad that Dylan was Steve’s omega, and all the rest of it, and he just said he’d fix everything and get Steve to come home. He didn’t tell me what his plan was.”
Ryker tightened his grip, drawing pinpricks of blood and making William whimper.
“I told him that Dylan was your mate, and that he was your omega, too. He said that was a small problem.”
“A small problem?” Ryker growled, leaning in and pressing his face right up against William’s. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“I don’t know!”
William sounded two seconds away from pissing his pants.
“Where is Steve?” Ryker demanded, letting go of William’s face and taking a step back. He wasn’t getting anywhere, and as much as it killed him, he believed William when he said he didn’t know what his dad was planning.
“He’s at work.” William sniffled. “I told you that.”
Ryker pinched the bridge of his nose. “August, let him go.”
August released William, sending him scrambling away from them and rubbing at his face where the cuts from Ryker’s claws were already healing. He pressed his back against the wall, as far away from him and August as he could get.
“What do you think your dad is planning?” August asked. Somehow, he managed not to sound furious, though Ryker knew he was.
His calm tone seemed to relax William. He didn’t know August well enough to pick up on the potential for violence.
“He wants Steve to come home, that’s all I know. How Dylan factors into his plans I don’t have a clue – he doesn’t tell me that kind of stuff.”
“Well, if you don’t know, I think we should call your father.”
Ryker’s words were met with a hand on his arm, August stepping close to him and muttering, “Is that a good idea?”
“He took Dylan!” Ryker growled.
“And if we call him now, he’ll think we’re holding his son hostage to get him back.”
Ryker gritted his teeth, but August was right. If they contacted the Northwestern pack alpha and implied that they were holding his son hostage, they’d be dead within the week.
William cleared his throat, drawing their attention. He shrank back but then gathered his courage and asked, “Are you?”
“Are we what?” Ryker asked.
“Holding me hostage to get Dylan back?”
Ryker bared his teeth and growled, “No.”
William nodded. “Oh, that’s good then. I just figured with the punching and the kicking, maybe I should be a little worried. But I’m glad we cleared that up.”
Ryker shook with fury. “Is this funny to you?”
“No!” William shook his head furiously. “I’m just stressed. This is a very stressful situation, that’s all. I’m glad I haven’t been taken hostage. I’m sure that when Steve gets here you can all call my dad and get this all sorted out. My dad is crazy, but he isn’tcrazy. He’s not going to keep you away from your omega.”
Ryker wasn’t so sure, and from the look on August’s face, he wasn’t either.
