“Nessa?”
“I’m sorry,” she cried.
Garrick glanced around suspiciously. “What are you doing here?”
She raised her hands toward him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she chanted.
Garrick noticed the blood covering her arms. Then he looked down and saw the blood soaking the legs of her pants. He fought back the rage bursting inside him. They had tortured the poor girl. Swearing, he rushed to her aid.
When he was a foot away, she collapsed. He caught her before she could fall, cradling her in his arms and laying her down as gently as he could.
She was cold and pale. Her body shook violently. Garrick sighed as he brushed the sweat-soaked hair from her brow.
“I’m here, Ness. You’re going to be all right.”
As she looked up at him, tears welled in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Garrick.”
“I know, honey. I know.”
He felt them approach. By his count, five men surrounded him, including Fisher. Not only could he smell the man’s arrogance, but his cheap cologne, as well.
“You’re soft, Garrick.Too soft to be an alpha pack leader.”
Garrick ground his teeth, but didn’t look away from Vanessa. He took in her gaunt face and the blood that still flowed from her wounds. He could smell the silver residue from the knives they had used on her.
She couldn’t heal herself, not without help.
“What do you want?”
“What I’ve always wanted.Your pack. You see, beforeCorin died, we were negotiating the merging of our packs into one power structure.”
“Corinwould never have given you control.”
“No, that’s true. So you did me a favor killing him, but now you’re in my way.”
Garrick raised his head and met Fisher’s gaze. He saw the man’s face pale. Even though Garrick was outnumbered and vulnerable, Fisher was still nervous. That pleased Garrick very much.
Vanessa jerked wildly in his arms. Garrick looked down at her in fear. She was dying, and he couldn’t save her.
She opened her mouth and gurgled, and blood dribbled down her chin. Garrick leaned down to her face and cradled her to his chest.
“Olivia is alive. Fight for her,” she murmured into his ear.
Garrick squeezed her tighter, tears burning in his eyes. He held her until she quit breathing. He could feel her spirit pass from her and felt it tickle him as it passed into the air.
Almost choking with despair, Garrick lowered her body to the ground. The others backed up a step, sensing his trembling rage as he stood. Turning toward Fisher, he snapped his teeth together.
“I will never let you have my pack.”
“Then you will die this night.”
Garrick took a step toward him, his hands clenching and unclenching with fury.“As will you.”
Olivia licked her parched lips and struggled to free her hands from the rope restraining her. She knew her wrists were raw and bleeding from her struggles, but she didn’t care. The pain was mild compared to the burning agony coursing through the rest of her body as she lay on her side on the cold cement.
AfterMalina had subdued her with help from one of the guards, the woman had taken her time with the after-party torture. Little by little, she had sliced almost every part of Olivia’s body with the silver dagger.
Not fatal cuts, but tiny nicks like paper cuts that burned with every movement she made.
Sweat popped out on her forehead, and her gorge rose while she fought to free her hands. If she could just get one hand free, she’d rip that bitch’s throat out with her fingertips when she returned.
The order could come at any time. She could hear the fighting going on not far from where she was being held. She had known the moment Garrick arrived at thepier, could smell him and sense his presence. The agony of Vanessa’s death still lingered in the air. She knew Garrick would never give up his pack without a fight. He loved them too much. He liked to play all macho and tough, but his pack was his family, and he would do whatever he had toto make sure they were free from werewolves like Fisher, who was manipulative, controlling, and cruel. Olivia had been a senseless fool to align herself with him.
Sheshuddered just thinking about the things she had done to remain in his pack and the type of revenge she had plotted against Garrick. Knowing she could never have gone through with it still did not dampen the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach and in the center of her heart. She had very nearly turned out like Fisher.
The rope dug into her flesh as she twisted her hands back and forth. She’d chew off her own hand before she’d let them kill her like this.
Finally, with one yank of her arm and the distinctive pop of her thumb dislocating, she pulled her hand free of the restraints. She sighed, thanking the moon, because now she wouldn’t have to go on having morbid thoughts of her own death.
Quickly she rolled and removed the rope from her other hand and untied her feet, then stretched out her limbs. She’d been tied up for hours, and her muscles were stiff. Pain ripped through her as she pulled and twisted her body. Blood dribbled from her cuts as she reopened them. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Olivia rolled onto her knees and gained her feet. She stumbled, but held on to the wall until her head stopped spinning.
Her stomach rolled over, and nausea overwhelmed her. Bending over, she retched violently from the dark pain consuming her. Stomach finally empty, she shook her head to try and clear it. She needed to focus on something other than the burning agony she was in, if she was going to survive. She hadn’t come this far and fought this hard to have it end so easily.
The sound of approaching footsteps sobered her instantly.Malina stepped into the yellow fluorescent light.
“It’s time ...”
Her sentence cut off as she looked at the discarded ropes on the floor. She growled low in her throat when she noticed Olivia standing to the side.
“Surprise, bitch.”
Gathering all of her reserved strength, Olivia rushed her.Malina raised the silver knife toward Olivia as she barreled toward her.Malina thrust with her knife hand, but Olivia grabbed her wrist with both hands, spun her around, and rammed her against the wall.Malina screamed as she tried to wrench her arm free of Olivia’s grasp, but a wild fury powered Olivia. With all she had, with the thought of Garrick and Vanessa in her mind, Olivia bentMalina’s arm back.
One powerful thrust forward, and she buried the knife inMalina’s throat.
Without pause, Olivia turned fromMalina’s dying form and hobbled toward the warehouse’s front exit.
She had a man to rescue.
Garrick didn’t know how it happened, but by the time he disabled one of Fisher’s burly men, Tommy, Smith, and Puck had appeared with fists flying and legs kicking. Fisher had survived Garrick’s initial attack by hiding behind two of his men, but was now circling nearby shouting instructions to those who still stood. It was now four on four, and Garrick was looking forward to taking out his wrath on Fisher’s skull.
Turning, Garrick spotted Fisher watching the others fight, with trepidation etched clearly on his tanned face. He imagined that Fisher was watching his plans for total domination of the two packs quicklyvanish before his eyes. He had underestimated Garrick’s willingness to die for his pack.And his willingness to believe that Olivia would live.
With a shout of fury, Garrick charged at Fisher. He thought about nothing but twisting the man’s neck in his hands, watching his eyes bulge as his life was squeezed slowly out of his body. Garrick didn’t see the gun until it was too late.
He felt a sharp pinch and burn in his right arm as he collided with the warehouse wall near the open door. It wasn’t until he looked down and saw the familiar gray ooze dribbling down his bicep that he realized he had been shot.
The pain of the silver burning his skin and spreading into his flesh made his head swim and his gorge rise.
He looked back up at Fisher.
Who was smiling and still pointing the gun at Garrick.
“I should’ve known you’d bring a gun, you spineless piece of shit,” Garrick growled through clenched teeth.
“Yes, you should have.” Fisher took a step closer. “I don’t like to lose.”
“Neither doI .”
Garrick dived for the door. The familiar spicy tickle in his nostrils came too late. He was already in the doorway when she stepped out. He wasn’t close enough to grab her and pull her down before the gun went off.
Logically he knew the bullet was going too fast for him to see, but in his mind, he watched as the silver projectile zoomed through the air and pierced Olivia’s chest. He could see the blood spray and feel the impact as if it had pierced his own heart.
He screamed as she collapsed against the wall. Within seconds, he was next to her, grabbing her. He slid to the ground and cradled her in his lap. She couldn’t die. He’d never survive it.
As he stroked her head, he looked over her body, gauging her injury. The bullet had taken her in the upper left chest. He couldn’t be sure how close it was to her heart.
She blinked up at him, shock on her face. She tried to struggle out of his embrace.
“Don’t move, sweetheart. The silver will contaminate your system if you move.”
Olivia visibly calmed, and he could see the reality of the situation swimming in the fiery green depths of her eyes.
“Did you get the bastard?” she asked.
Garrick glanced over his shoulder at Fisher. He stood there in shock, the gun at his feet. Puck and Smith flanked him on either side.
“Puck and Smith have him, and he’ll be dead by sunrise.”
She smiled. “Good. I like a happy ending.”
She went slack in his arms. Panicking, Garrick touched her face. She was growing cold, and her eyes fluttered closed.
“Wake up, darling. You can’t go to sleep yet; you have to fight with me.”
“I’m too tired. I don’t want to fight with you anymore.”
Garrick nearly chuckled at her words and the grumpy way she delivered them. But she was giving up.
He wouldn’t let her. They had come too far for it to end like this.