I growled, reacting to the tension in the air. They were mine, and they were scared. No… angry. Worried… I growled again, unable to pick out the emotions in the air.
“Gabriel,” the voice said. “Come inside.”
Gabriel.
The name triggered a visceral reaction.
Mate.
Mine.
But the smell was all wrong.
I snarled.
“What the fuck have you done to him?”
I growled again, and the voice laughed.
“You know what I’ve given him.”
“Why? Why are you doinganyof this?”
“Why?” The voice hissed, “Because you ruined everything, Gabriel. Every fucking thing that mattered to me.”
“I left your group. How does that warrant any ofthis?”
“Because you were mine, Gabriel. I saved your life when you were lost and alone and gave youeverything. You took that and threw it all back in my face. All because you couldn’t handle doing your fucking job.” Silence, then the voice said, “Take his phone and tie him up next to that one.”
I snarled a warning as the second man went to grab him. They both turned to look at me. I snarled again, this time at my pack member.
Run.
“Why’s he acting like that?” the voice hissed, uncertainty in his tone. “In that state, he shouldn’t recognise anyone except pa—Fuck! That’s not Gabriel.”
* * *
Gabriel
I looked at Max in horror.
“Go!” he yelled, bursting out of the car and setting off at a run down the street.
The illusion had been Nick’s idea. Zane had confessed that he’d made some for Tombs. It was probably how he got so close to all his victims.
The plan had been simple.
Send in Talis, looking like me.
Rys would recognise him as pack, and regardless if they’d given him Blue Alhuirn, he wouldn’t kill him. He wouldn’t listen to him either, but at least Talis stood a chance of containing him. Talis could also handle Tombs.
He’d called Max before he went inside and left his phone in his pocket, so we heard everything. And recorded it for evidence.
I don’t know how they knew it wasn’t me, but our plan was out the fucking window now.
Max was almost at the house as Talis’s roar echoed out of the phone.
“That doesn’t sound good,” I yelled.
