Rage flared in his chest, but he tamped it down. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now if you’ll excuse me—”
“The plan has changed,” he declared. “I want you to bring me Grant Anderson’s daughter.”
Fuck! “I don’t know what—”
“Don’t take me for a fool, Ransom!” he warned. “You’ll do as I say.”
Now he was mad. Did this man not know what he could to him? What his animal was capable of? “No one tells me what to do.”
“You’re going to take the girl and bring her to me … or else I’ll have to take someone else. Your pretty little sister would make a good substitute I bet. Or how about your mother? She—”
“Fuck you!” he roared. “Touch a hair on their heads and I’ll—”
“Bring me Grant Anderson’s daughter now!” the man bellowed. “Or I’ll—”
Ransom barely felt his wolf reach for the surface, but by then, it was too late. His animal was filled with hate and rage for this insignificant creature who dared to threaten anyone under his protection. It lunged for the man, who screamed as gigantic claws raked down his face and shoulder. The wolf rolled away, then turned back for a second attack.
The man got to his feet, cursing as he clutched at his face. “You’ll never get away with this you filthy animal!” Blood ran from between his pale fingers. “When my colleagues find out that you’ve betrayed us, they’ll kill you and every last one of your family!”
The wolf howled and reared back, then sprang forward. The animal was quick, but it didn’t see the man take something out of his pocket and toss it at them. Something hit the wolf’s snout then exploded in a flash of light. Pain shot straight into its brain. However, massive limbs managed to stretch out and found its target, claws ripping into flesh and bone as a blood-curdling scream tore through the quiet evening. The wolf tumbled forward, its paws clinging to its victim as they both hurtled over the wall and fell down, the waters of the Hudson River swallowing them up.
They’re safe. Ransom’s thoughts began to muddle as water filled his lungs and his vision turned dark. Isabelle. Silke. Joanie. This sacrifice was worth it if it meant they would live.
Chapter Three
Present time …
Isabelle started as her phone’s alarm woke her up from her dreamless sleep. “Oh God!” Outside, it was already light. Turning off the alarm, she got up from where she had fallen asleep on the couch and stretched her arms out.
Must have fallen asleep right after the call from Sofia. Last night had been the big battle between the Lycans and their enemies, the mages. Having had no combat training whatsoever, Isabelle had no choice but to stay at home. However, she stayed up until past midnight, waiting for news. Finally, at just before two o’clock in the morning, Sofia had called her and relayed the news that everything was fine and that no one was killed, though there were some injuries. Exhaustion had taken over and she closed her eyes, then she must have fallen asleep right there on the couch.
Pulling on her robe, she made her way toward the nursery. As she ambled toward the cribs at the far end, she breathed a sigh of relief as she looked in and saw both Evan and Kier were still fast asleep. She sank down on the rocker in the corner.
Everyone was safe, she told herself. Still, tears burned in her throat at the memory of last night when her sister had dropped off her son. “Isabelle,” Julianna had said. “If anything happens to me and Duncan, will you take care of Kier?”
“What?” The words had shocked her. “Julianna, nothing will happen—”
“Promise me.”
But they were safe. They all were. She leaned back and closed her eyes, placing her hand over her chest as all the tension and worry she’d been holding in began to ease away. If anything had happened to Julianna or Duncan, she didn’t know what she would do. The two of them had been her rock, her support since she found out she was pregnant with Evan. They’d been there through everything—even flying back from one of their missions when she was about to give birth. Julianna was always there to kick her in the butt when she was feeling sorry for herself, and Duncan never failed to make her laugh. When Julianna wanted to go back to Scotland to give birth, Isabelle had gone with them, bringing one-month-old Evan with her so she could be there when Kier arrived.
A sharp cry caught her attention. Evan. She knew every cry and sound he made. As she got up, a second voice joined her son’s, and she smiled to herself. Kier, on the other hand, didn’t seem appreciative of being woken up as a fierce frown marred his cute little face.
“All right, my loves,” she cooed as she reached the two cribs set together side by side. Evan had already sat up and propped himself in the corner. “How about breakfast?”
She picked up Evan first and then Kier. Despite being the youngest, Julianna and Duncan’s son was longer and chubbier than Evan or his older cousins. Good thing she was a Lycan, otherwise Isabelle wouldn’t have been able to pick up both boys.
After cleaning them up, she set the two pups into their highchairs and prepared their food, taking turns to feed each boy equal amounts of the mashed bananas and cereal she prepared. Watching the two boys made her smile. Though they had identical mismatched eyes—a trait from her mother’s side of the family—they looked so different. Kier had gotten Duncan’s smile and his mother’s nose. While Evan …
She swallowed hard, trying not
