Page 77 of Hunted

“Perhaps. I’m unconcerned with how you label me. I have a job to do, and I do it by any means necessary.”

But the drug was opening her mind, augmenting her white wolf powers, her consciousness spiraling wider and wider. Encompassing Thanatos, and the man behind him, and even the wolves in the doorway.

But it was Thanatos she had to focus on now. And she was starting to get a feel for who he was.

Strong. Ancient. Cold. Determined. Dangerous. “No,” she said slowly. “Not evil. You just don’t understand wolves. And you really don’t understand mates.”

She wondered what had made him choose to create a wolf pack—and how, in all these years, he’d managed to learn so little about them.

He said, “Perhaps not.” It didn’t seem to bother him. “But I have lived a long time, and I do know how to accomplish my purposes.”

“No matter who you harm along the way?”

“I cause harm to as few people as possible. I would have left you alone, if you had not insisted on coming here and turning Gunn away from his duties.”

She shook her head. “I’m not the one who made him choose. You did that.”

“Nonetheless.” He waved a hand toward the wolves at the back of the room. “Leave us.”

There was some growling and muttering, but she heard the wolves leave. She was alone with Thanatos, and the man who wanted to wipe Gunn not only out of her life, but out of her memory.

Not happening.

Thanatos gestured, and the shadow man came around the end of the table. Michelangela tried to turn and run, but her body suddenly wouldn’t obey her.

She lost her balance, and the shadow man caught her. He put his hand on her head, and pain knifed through her skull.

Chapter 34

Gunn and Switch rode into Outlaw Ridge on the edge of the storm. As they approached the airfield, gusts of wind buffeted the helicopter from side to side.

They set Gunn’s stomach churning, but when he glanced over at Switch, he had a wild grin on his face.

Crazy motherfucker.

Nobody shot at them, so they radioed down to the ground. To his relief, Rex was on the comms.

“Gunn?” There was a lot of static—wind, and electricity in the air. Gunn could barely hear him. “Holy fuck! They made it.” He muffled the mic with his hands. “Guys, it’s Gunn! He’s okay.”

He came back on. “When Hawk showed up, we were just about to take off and search for you. Against orders, just so you know.”

“Whose?” Gunn asked.

“Sugar’s. He said, not without Thanatos’s authorization.”

“Which you didn’t have.”

“Didn’t care.”

“Thanks.”

Someone switched on the lights around one of the helipads, and they landed. Gunn jumped out, immediately surrounded by his friends.

His wolf was beginning to calm down already, going from crazed to focused. We must find our mate. Fight for her.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Where’s Mikey? What’s Sugar done with her?” If Sugar was here giving orders, then Mikey had to be here too.

Rex and Dobe glanced at each other. “He took her to the Big House,” he said. “Thanatos wanted to talk to her, and he didn’t want you around while he did it.”