Daemon’s face split into a devilish grin. Turning, he stalked toward her, his movements vulturine. The look on his face, his movements, had something intense and sharp exploding in her middle.
Reaching her, Daemon hauled her body up against him, one hand clenching the back of her hair, dragging her head back so she was forced to look up at him as he dipped his head, his nose mere inches from hers. Shaking his head, he murmured, “I’m about to kill a whole pack for you, woman. I need more than that.”
Narae swallowed hard, then licked her lips, Daemon’s eyes tracking the movement. “I…I want you too,” she admitted. “And I’ll be waiting for you. Hurry back.”
Daemon sobered a moment, his eyes searching hers. Then he grinned again and bent closer. Narae thought he’d kiss her, but he didn’t. Instead, he brushed his nose against hers before pulling back and releasing her. Turning away, he crowed, “Let’s go get this shit over with.”
Narae watched him head for the door, then glanced at where Koe was saying something to Jury. He was still holding her, but then immediately let her go to turn and follow Daemon. On his way out, Koe shot Thrall a glare. “You still have the thing that Oliver prepared?”
Thrall nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”
“Use it if you have to and keep ‘em safe. Do you understand?”
Thrall nodded again, “Yes, Alpha.”
Then Koe and Daemon were gone, and Narae was aching to follow. Instead, she stood in the doorway beside Thrall,watching Koe and Daemon shift and race from the manor. Narae wanted to confront Bragga. She had a million things she wanted to say to him, and she wanted to watch Koe or Daemon end him. But looking back at Jury, she saw that her little sister was shaking again, tears glistening in her eyes. Narae knew Jury wouldn’t cry because to her it’d be considered weak, but Narae could tell Jury wanted to. Rushing to her sister, Narae grabbed her hands.
“Hey. It’s gonna be alright,” Narae promised, hoping she was telling the truth.
Thrall shot Jury a sympathetic look, then went to the door, where he stood with it open, staring after Koe and Daemon. Narae knew he wanted to be part of the battle, but he was forced to stay with them. She felt bad, but she was also grateful. Having him here had to make Jury feel better because it sure as hell made her feel better. But they needed to be ready too.
Walking Jury toward a wing-backed chair, Narae helped her sit before crossing to Thrall and whispering, “What’s the plan if someone shows up here?”
He looked at her over his shoulder. “You think that’ll happen?”
“I think anything and everything will happen, and I think we need to be prepared.” More quietly, she asked, “Is there someplace we can put Jury where they can’t get to her?”
Thrall looked over Narae’s head to where Jury sat before responding in a hushed tone. “We have a panic room. It locks from the inside and is fire and soundproof. It’s a hidden door like the one to the lower cells.”
“Maybe we should take her there now. She’ll feel safer, and that’ll be one less thing we have to worry about if anything happens.”
Thrall nodded and closed the door. “That’s probably a good idea.”
Chapter 30
Koe raced alongside Daemon to the northernmost part of their territory. In true Biter fashion, the enemies had come in from the opposite direction from where their Biter territory resided in the southern part of the state. So fucking predictable. Daemon broke away and raced off toward the East, while Koe angled toward the West. They’d flank the Biters where Koe’s Enforcers had them help up. It’d also ensure that there weren’t any Biters lying in wait in those areas.
Koe and his pack had come up with plans for a myriad of scenarios. There were, after all, only a limited number of ways for a pack of enemies to come into their territory. Even with Bragga’s greater numbers, Koe wasn’t worried. Not in the least. Hell, he was confident a pissed-off Demon could take them all. But Demon wouldn’t get that luxury, because Koe wanted his pound of flesh from these Biters. Because it hadn’t been just Bragga torturing Jury. It had been every single male in the pack allowing it. Thinking about it now, thinking on the damage done to Jury’s slight body had rage bubbling up. Koe had to be careful, though.He couldn’t go into this with too much emotion because that’s how mistakes were made. No, he’d leave the blind rage to Demon. He’d have to be level-headed if he wanted this done in one fell swoop.
Approaching the border to his territory, his wolf picked up the acrid scent of outsiders…enemies. They stunk. And their presence sans permission was such an affront that it had his wolf’s hackles up. Koe could see them now, a line of shifters facing off against his pack, but no one was fighting. Yet. The area they’d chosen was smart. The Allegiance pack was out in the prairie with nothing behind them but empty fields. Easy marks. While the Biters were just on the tree line of a stand of pines that led up the mountain. They had cover and the advantage, or so they thought. Koe hadn’t comprised his pack of just any shifters. He’d made a place for a specific group of men. His wolves were mercenaries, ex-soldiers, former spec ops. Each of them had at one point been a trained killer and then had later taken their skills to the private sector, where Koe had hunted them down and recruited them. The Allegiance pack wasn’t just another pack of wolves. They weredesigned by the great North American pack Alpha, Dell Blackbird. A weapon formed by the great Council to be commissioned as needed to enforce the unenforceable. It was almost laughable what was happening today. It was tantamount to a street gang strolling into Navy SEAL headquarters and picking a fight.
Koe held back and watched. The numbers were off. The Biters weren’t all present, which meant Bragga was up to something, and Koe couldn’t afford to get baited into anything, even for how badly he wanted to be part of what he knew was coming. If the Biters knew the Allegiance pack numbers, they’d see that all of his men weren’t present either. Even now, there was a sniper in the field behind him with his sights leveled on whichever one of the Biters appeared to be the greatest threat. In the shifter world, guns were taboo, but fuck it. So was abusing females and entering territory unannounced and uninvited. Besides, Koe had no doubt that Bragga had something nefarious planned, and like a good Boy Scout, Koe was prepared. A crack of lightning streaked across the sky, and Koe glanced up. The sky was darkening quickly. Another storm was coming, and thatwasn’t good. The wind and threatening rain would rob their sense of smell and dim their sight and hearing. None of which was good, but none of it wasn’t something his wolves didn’t have extensive experience with. In fact, it’d work in their favor. His men knew the territory like the back of their hands, and even though there were what looked to be sixteen Biters squared off against eight of his Allegiants. Six of those Biters were females, and Jury had warned that they would be forced to fight without any desire to actually do so. Which, in Koe’s estimation, made them hostages. So realistically, it was ten Biters to eight of his wolves, one of those wolves would be Demon. This shouldn’t last long at all.
Out of the corner of his eye, Koe saw a large black shadow slinking across the field and felt a punch of jealousy slam into his gut. Demon had just arrived, and he was about to engage in some fun that Koe would only get to hear about later because, from what Koe could see, the Biter Alpha, Bragga, wasn’t here. Which meant Koe would have to leave this mess for Demon to deal with while he went on the hunt for Bragga.
***
Demon shifted, reluctantly giving his skin back to Daemon as they approached the stand-off, only doing so because Daemon needed to get them one piece of information.
The Allegiance pack parted as he arrived, giving him access to the Biter shifter standing front and center, chest puffed up with a scowl marring his face. Cracking the knuckles on one hand as he approached, Daemon spat on the ground, then demanded, “Which one of you fucks is Lionel?”
Front and center chuffed with a grin, “He ain’t here.”
Mother fucker!
“Then you’ll have to do.” Without another word, Daemon stalked forward. Both packs were silent, tension high as Daemon walked right up to front and center and punched him so hard the Biter flew backward, his hands whipping out and trying to catch on the Enforcers beside him but failing. The women with the Biters gasped. Then it was on!
Some of the Biters shifted, and some of the Allegiance pack did too. But Daemon was throttling his man in human form.He wanted to have some fun before Demon took over and refused to give his skin back.
