Gemma’s mouth fell open.
Trinity felt a little smug at beingable to stun the woman. “You ran back home after that, and youdidn’t tell anyone what you saw. You told your parents that youweren’t attracted to Greg, and no matter how much they tried topush you together, you refused. A few weeks later, you and Veltriscrossed paths.”
Gemma wrapped her hands around thebars. “I was afraid to tell my parents about what I’d seen. They’dhave been angry that I followed him and went into vampireterritory. In our settlement, it’s strictly forbidden to feedvampires. Only poor people do it as a way to get money, but no onetalks about it. I was honestly afraid that if I told anyone, Gregand his family might come after me to shut me up.”
“I’d say that’s a prettygood bet,” Trinity said. “His whole family’s fortune was built onfeeding vampires, hidden behind a facade of banking andfinance.”
Gemma stared at Trinity for a quietmoment. “Veltris is going to kill you. Either before he killsWrath, or after. The man I mated isn’t usually this cruel. He’snever, ever harmed an innocent. But in his eyes, because Wrath isevil, that makes you evil by association.” She closed her eyes witha sigh. “His wolf won’t allow him to let what happened to me go. Hewants to avenge me.”
“I know. I’m sorry thatWrath abducted you, and I’m doubly sorry that you wereterrorized.”
“In your dreams... did yousee me in their prison cavern?”
“I did.”
“Did you tell Wrath to letme go?”
“I couldn’t. Wrath and Ishared dreams about once a month. When I saw you, it was afteryou’d already been freed. I told Wrath how pissed I was that he’dtake an innocent, but he said that was how it worked in this world.He didn’t want to kill you, he wanted to use you as leverage tomake Veltris move the pack so Wrath could take over the territory.You were a means to an end. But I was pissed, trust me, and Wrathknew it.”
“He was under the influenceof the blood lust.”
“Yep. Even though we weremates in the dreams, neither of us knew if the other was actuallyreal. I mean, hell, I thought I had a great imagination. Imagine mysurprise when I woke up in his arms.”
“I don’t like beingafraid,” Gemma said. “Can I... can you take me to Wrath? I want totell him what I think about what he did. I know it won’t changewhat happened, but I might get some closure.”
“Of course.” Trinity’sheart soared. Gemma was going to set her free! “I promise he’ssorry for what he did. And not just because I told him how angry Iwas about the whole thing. After being abducted myself, Iunderstand your fear.”
Gemma unlocked the gate and then thecuffs on Trinity’s ankles. “You guys have a healer in thepack?”
“Yes,” Trinitysaid.
“Good. I’d offer you ours,but I can’t do that without alerting everyone to what we’re doing.So let’s get the hell out of here and find your mate, so I can givehim a piece of my mind.”
Gemma led the way out of the cell tothe door. She looked out the window first, and then opened the dooran inch, listening carefully for a moment before finally openingthe door enough to slip out entirely. Trinity felt the sweet tasteof freedom for the first time, never more grateful for theknowledge she had thanks to the dreams.
They moved quickly around the side ofthe building. The trees—and safety—were so close Trinity couldn’tkeep the smile from her face. Once she was in the woods, she’d getout of pack territory and find Wrath before he did anything stupidin retaliation for the purebred’s actions.
“Stop right there!” A man’svoice cut sharply through the quiet, and Trinity cringed. Sheglanced at Gemma, who looked guilty and worried as she turned toface the man behind them. Trinity wanted to just make a run for it,but more men moved out of the woods, their faces carved in anger,their fangs and claws at the ready.
Her shoulders dropped and she squeezedher eyes shut for a moment. She’d been so damn close.
Turning to face the man, she sawVeltris, who looked furious.
“What do you think you’redoing, Gemma?” he demanded.
“Setting things right,” shesaid.
Trinity heard a howl. It wasn’t thesound a wolf made, but the battle cry she’d given Mytan, an“arrooo” unique to huskies from her world, and the way her dogMontana had talked to her.
Mytan was coming for her. And judgingby the relief that she suddenly felt, she knew that Wrath was withhim.
ChapterFourteen
Wrath first saw the line of wolves ashe and his pack stalked from the woods into the cleared area wherethe wolves lived. They were all growling, claws showing from theirfingertips. And each one was focused on something.
Mytan moved stealthily next to him. Hestopped suddenly and lifted his head in a howl that made the treesshake.
Wrath felt the connection to Trinitybloom within him again. She was close!
“Let’s get her, pup,” Wrathsaid.
Mytan bowed his upper body and Wrathswung himself up onto his back. Grasping two handfuls of thick fur,he leaned forward and said, “Go!” Mytan took off with greatstrides, his claws digging into the ground as he moved likelightning through the trees. Behind him, his males roared a battlecry and raced after them. Mytan ducked and wove between thepurebreds, bounding into the cleared area.
Trinity was on her knees, Veltris’sclaws at her throat.
Wrath pulled up sharply on Mytan’s furto stop him. He whined as his head kicked back, but he obeyed,claws digging for purchase and tail swishing angrily.
“Let my mate go,” Wrathsaid. “She’s innocent.”
“So was Gemma,” Veltrissaid, squeezing Trinity’s neck. Blood dripped down her throat, andshe gasped, her cheeks darkening and her eyes wide.
The purebreds came out of the woodsand surrounded them. Wrath and his males were vastly outnumbered,even with Mytan’s help. Seeing Trinity at the mercy of a male hedidn’t trust did strange things to Wrath. He was simultaneouslytempted to shift and kill Veltris, and also to drop to his kneesand beg for her life.
The blood lust had driven him to doterrible things, but he knew it wasn’t just that. He’d
