Sadiestalked across the room and stood before the girl. “That’s my friend in there!”Sadie bellowed. Sadie and Tara had been in the same pack in Seattle for awhile, they must have become close. The two girls stared into each other’seyes. A dominance battle. This was a disaster waiting to happen. Ten werewolvesin a room, all from different packs. No Alpha. We needed to be working together,not tearing each other apart.
Istrode over to them, knowing this would come to blows if I didn’t intervene.These girls were both dominants.
“Enough!”I snarled and let power ooze from my voice. “We’re all on the same side. No oneis getting killed. Not Tara, not you. No one. I’m getting us out of here.”
Theblonde girl broke her stare to look at me, and laughed. “Oh yeah? How you gonnado that?”
Isquared my shoulders. “I’m working on it,” I told her.
Sherolled her eyes and turned her back to me. My wolf didn’t like that. I grabbedher arm and spun her around to face me. “If you rush the door or do anything toendanger Tara, I’ll rip your head off. Are we clear?” My voice was animalistic,as fear flashed in her eyes.
Withthis many wolves in a room, my dominance was ramped up. There was no leader andI felt the need to fulfill the spot.
Shecontinued to stare at me, no doubt curious of how dominant I was. After amoment she began to sweat, her breath hitched, and she lowered her eyes andnodded. “I don’t want to hurt your friend. I just want to get this freak out ofmy belly and go home!” She grimaced and pointed at her stomach.
Ilooked at Sadie, eyes wide. “What is she talking about?” No. Don’t say it.
Sadiegave the girl a look of pity. “She is carrying the queen’s baby.”
Shittyshit shit.
Thebreath whooshed out of me as my mouth hung open in shock. There went my hopesthat none of them had been impregnated yet. I glanced at her baggy clothes andsaw the hint of a bump. Oh God. Then I scanned all of the girls. One of themwas still in wolf form. She must have refused to shift.
“Anyoneelse?” I needed to know just what we were getting into.
“Notyet. Just me,” the blonde said, bitterly.
Mymind was racing. How far away was Tara? The next room? Another floor? Could mymagic reach that far? Could I protect her somehow? Could I protect her while alsokilling Layla? I doubted it as I tapped my foot nervously. Sadie tugged at myarm, leading me into a corner to talk privately.
“Weneed to get out of here,” she told me, looking vulnerable. Her eyes had darkcircles around them; she looked weak. She looked worse than the rest. This wasnot the usual Sadie I was used to.
“Wewill,” I told her with confidence. God, please let that be the truth. I wasalready feeling claustrophobic under these tons of rock.
Shegave me a weak smile as I looked closer at her arms; they had pink prick scars.
“Youlook gorgeous,” I joked with her and she laughed. The laugh sounded hollow andher face looked haunted.
ThenI became serious. “What happened? Give me the scoop.”
Sherubbed her arms. “Every few days they switch out which one of us gets tortured.I was first, then Tara, who knows who will be next. They’re very careful not tokill us. They won’t hurt blondie because she is pregnant with the queen’sspawn.”
Oh,shit. Now I knew why Sadie was so affected by seeing Tara in there. She knewwhat it felt like firsthand.
“Thereare multiple floors to this place. It’s an old cold war bunker or something.All of us have had our lady parts checked out. One girl was already pregnantwith her mate’s child. They aborted it.” Sadie’s voice shook as she deliveredthis last news.
Evilbastards! My hand went to my mouth. Suddenly, I feared they would find out Iwas pregnant and take my baby. Tears lined my eyes and my throat constricted.
Sadienodded. “They don’t care. They want baby growers. If you aren’t of use to them,they kill you. If you fight back, they hurt one of us. They have us trapped!” Shepounded her fist on the wall.
Shit.I turned and scanned the girls. Some sat together, some alone. The one wolf whohadn’t changed was staring at me.
“What’sher deal?” I gestured to the wolf.
Sadieshrugged. “Refuses to shift. Been like that for days.”
Ifrowned. “No one has talked to her? Is she okay?”
Sadierolled her eyes at me. “None of us are pack, so obviously we can’t talk to herwhile she is in wolf form. I’m sure she’s fine. The vampires have left heralone.”
