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I won’t run. I won’t hide.

Because this time, I have something to fight for. Something more than my own life. I have Caelan, and the promise I made to keep him safe.

And the swirling, silver pool that churns furiously at the mere sound of Father’s voice.

Chapter 17

Caelan

“Iknew it. I fucking knew she was working with him.” Dax curses between panting breaths that tell me he’s running. “Fuck, Caelan. We’ll be there in thirty minutes. Just hang on.”

I can’t respond. Can’t take a chance to explain that Idril has nothing to do with what’s happening. That she’s as much a pawn as I am. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t dare bring attention to the device in my ear.

I can’t chance that Dax or the others might miss something important if Varenthrall finds the unit.

Varenthrall.

My fangs fucking throb at the thought of ripping his throat from his neck.

The asshole’s got Idril by the wrists, arms yanked behind her in a grip that’s obviously meant to be painful.

My brave girl refuses to let even a whimper pass her lips. Her silent defiance in the face of her father’s brutality is louder than any sound of pain she could make.

At Varenthrall’s order, three males step forward to strip me of my weapons and gear. Knives clatter as they’re thrown to the marble. My sidearm follows and I wince.

I stay silent, despite Dax still barking in my ear, demanding answers.

If he takes a fucking second to think, he’ll realize why I’m not answering. The comms is flesh-toned and small. If I get lucky and these assholes are as dumb as I suspect, there’s a good chance they’ll miss it.

All I have to do is keep my mouth shut and play my cards right. I’ve been in much tighter spots than this.

Another utility knife goes flying into the growing pile, and one of the Alphas pulls out the curved dagger I keep in the side of my boot. Another idiot yelps when he snatches a pair of cuffs that Dax rigged with a particularly painful electric charge that can be triggered up to thirty feet away.

He bites out a curse and drops them to the floor, flapping his wrist like it’s on fire. I cough out a laugh. I wish I could see his expression, but unfortunately, I’m belly down, face pressed into the stone.

My outburst earns me a swift kick to the ribs. I roll my eyes.

Sure, these guys are Alphas, but unless they’re packing silver, there’s very few ways they could get me down and keep me there.

They might slow me, even make it hurt as they do, but I can shake off most injuries—including a bullet wound.

The poor saps never have accepted how much fucking higher on the food chain we are than them.

For now, I force myself to go along with this charade. I just have to keep calm and play the game until the Bastards show with backup.

I especially can’t do anything to put Idril in more danger than she’s already in. That’s one line I won’t cross. My instincts scream at the thought of more harm coming to my Omega. A protective rage simmers through my blood, impossible to ignore.

Apparently, I’m not the only one feeling protective.

Our Bond is pulsing with indignation, radiating straight from Idril. The fact that this tiny Omega is seething with incredulity as she watches her father’s men divest me of my weapons has me falling for her even more.

Every part of me—the Alpha, the vampire, the male—is urging me to snatch her up, tuck her into my body, and run. Leave, get her somewhere safe, then come back and rip every fucker who’s ever looked at her twice to pieces until nothing remains her, me, and the fire raging between us.

“Stop.” Varenthrall raises a hand, putting an end to the chaos. Instead of simply releasing Idril, the useless piece of shit uses his weight as leverage and tosses her to the floor.

She barely gets her hands out to catch herself before she falls on her face. The smack of her palms hitting the marble is loud. My muscles tense, ready to attack.

Varenthrall crosses the floor like he’s got all the time in the world. His expensive shoes appear in front of me, and he crouches down to loom over me. His lips curl into a patronizing smile, and he leans forward.