Dante’s voicemail rangin my ears.
Third time’s thecharm? I hit Heather’s number … straight to voicemail.
Well, I’d tried to becivil and polite, and now I was just pissed off and confused. Notto mention tired. All I had wanted was some answers, and I hadspent hours driving up here just to get them because two grown arsemen couldn’t answer their phones.
I took a deep, deepbreath and exhaled slowly. I would make sure I pointed that out,but for now, all that mattered was I would see Heather.
Exiting the car, Imade my way to the back of the house. As I walked past the emptyspaces where the windows should have been, I could make out thatthe rooms had been emptied of all their furniture. The shape ofthree metal dumpsters met my gaze as I walked along the back of thehouse—items were piled up in the large metal containers which wouldeventually be taken to the dump.
I stopped at the backdoor which stood wide open, only this time, three camping lanternshad been placed around the kitchen which was now missing the islandin the centre. The lights were pale and low, but it was a clearenough indication that someone was here …
A muffled cry met myears. I turned to the pantry archway. The secret door was shut, butall the shelves in the storage room had been emptied. Grabbing holdof one of the shelves I knew was attached to the door, I tugged andtugged, and eventually, it opened.
As soon as my foot hitthe stone stairs, the cry became more distinctive and more painful.The hushed timbre of male voices slid between the agonizing groans,and my stomach started to somersault.
What the hell wasgoing on down there?
My heart hammered inmy chest as I stood frozen at the iron door, which yet again stoodajar. Whispers floated around the large room, but all I could focuson was the panting and groaning of someone in severe pain.
I placed my hand onthe warm metal, hesitant to push. I feared what I was about to see.What if something very personal and Pack-like was taking place andI was about to interrupt?
Then again, I wouldn’tbe interrupting if the Alpha had answered my calls. So clearly, hewould be to blame, right?
Then again, what if ithad something to do with Heather and why I hadn’t been able tospeak to her? The thought made me feel sick.
Taking a deepsteadying breath, I steeled my spine and pushed the door openenough for me to slip through. At least fifteen people stood in theroom, standing in a circle around the cage. I could see Carterkneeling on the floor in front of the bars along with another malewho sat to his left.
“Just breathe,” Cartersaid in a hushed, soothing tone. “Embrace it. Make it part ofyou.”
Without thinking, Istepped closer, invisible to everyone in the room who I now noticedhad their eyes closed as if they were meditating.
Another horrid cryechoed around the room, and I felt the hairs stand up on the backof my neck. The sound was more animalistic than it had been just amoment ago.
Perhaps thiswas something Pack-related? I suddenly feltuncomfortable.
I took a couple stepsbackward, keeping my focus on the room to make sure no one hadnoticed me sneak in.
“Come on,Heather.”
My blood turned to iceat the sound of my cousin’s name, and I halted. It wasn’t Carterspeaking. The male sounded northern, not Scottish. And although histone was as calm as Carter’s, there was something laced in thewords that I couldn’t quite make out.
I moved closer again,peering between the bodies that surrounded the cage. It was theblond who knelt on the floor before the cage. His voice wasstrained and filled with so much sadness.
“Kill … me.” The wordswere strangled and inhuman.
“I’m sorry. I can’t dothat.” Unshed tears filled the man’s voice. He almost sounded likehe was choking on the words.
An almighty growl washis answer, and my head snapped up as a body hit the bars of thecage. Disfigured hands wrapped around the thick iron. Skin crawledon the bones of the face that pressed against the metal. Boneswhich crunched and snapped. The body contorted. Hands spasming. Theindividual fell back on the floor, a groan tearing from them.
“I can’t …” awheezing, terrified voice cried.
Bile rose to my mouthas I rushed past the people who stood there ignoring what wastaking place before them.
My knees hit the stoneby the cage, eyes widening as a familiar, sweat-slicked face turnedmy way.
“Elle?” Ice-blue eyesstared at me under a furrowed brow.
“Heather?” My throatrestricted around her name. She was a mess. Sweat and blood coveredher skin; skin which was wriggling and splitting along herbones.
I looked across at theblond. His focus remained fixated on my cousin. “What have you doneto her?”
A hand landed on myshoulder. I knocked it away and jumped to my feet, standing beforeDante. My eyes were clouded with tears, chest heaving as shockwracked my body.
“You shouldn’t behere—”
“I called,” I growledbetween clenched teeth. “And I called, and called, and called.”
“It’s not safe.”
“What have you donet’her?” Pain twisted around my jaw as I forced myself to stay calmand find out what had happened to my cousin.
He held his hands up.“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” My laughwas hysterical as I side-stepped and pointed at her. “Sure doesn’tlook like nothing.”
“We’re trying to saveher.”
“Get her out.” Ipulled my dagger from its holster and placed it at his Adam’sapple. “Let her out. Now.”
“We can’t do that,Lass.” I looked over my shoulder at Carter who had risen to hisfeet. “Now calm yourself.”
“Not until you tell mewhat’s wrong with her and why you have her in this cage.”
“She’s changing,” hestated simply, as if I knew what that meant.
“Changing? What do youmean, changing?”
“It’s full moon, Lass,and it’s her first. We’re trying to ease her first change—”
“She doesn’t look orsound at ease.” I glanced at Dante who had taken hold of my wristand stepped away from me.
“She’s in the cage forour protection,” Dante commented, his expression grim.
I snorted. Yanking myhand from his grip, I pointed my dagger at the Alpha. “You expectme t’believe that?”
“Lass, we don’t havetime to explain this.” A growl
