Untamed - Book 1
Chapter 26

Coralie

Running through the forest, I can’t shake the feeling of unease that is threatening to swallow me whole. Maybe it is because I could feel how much it bothered the alpha to stay behind, or maybe it is the fact that I am running into the darkness alone. I catch Darius’s scent which helps to ease the nervousness slightly. I cross the border to find him leaning against a large tree with his arms casually folded over his chest. I shift quickly and walk up to him, noticing the smile on his face.

“Your Lycan is beautiful, Coralie. I see you finally got rid of that cursed ring.” I glance down at my hand the back to his red eyes.

“I assume there is a reason to call me to the middle of the forest in the middle of the night?” I raise my brow and fold my arms over my chest. I can see the moment for pleasantries end as his expression becomes serious.

“Things are far worse than we had expected. The council moved Luca. He was taken to Alpha Laurent’s pack. From what my sources are telling me, the witch’s council has made a deal with Laurent. If he catches you, they are allowing him to keep you as his prize. Luca is the bait.” I feel the blood in my veins turn to liquid fire and each earthshattering beat of my heart pounds violently against my sternum.

“How long go did they transfer him?” As my mind plays over everything, I feel the pieces of my life’s puzzle slowly snapping into place and I pray he doesn’t confirm what I already suspect to be true.

“A few days before you first came here.” I clench my fists tightly at my side, trying to focus on taking deep, calming breaths, but each one feels like I am inhaling shards of glass.

“I need to go. Thank you for your help, Darius.” He moves quickly to grab my arm, turning me to face him.

“Coralie, when the time comes for you to go for Luca, call on me. My people will be with you. We will get your brother back and we will make Laurent pay for his crimes against not only your people, but the alpha’s and ours as well. The man is a monster, but it is he who should fear us most.” He places a phone in my hand and folds my fingers closed around it. He pulls me into a quick hug before vanishing and I quickly turn around and begin the journey back to the pack house, slipping the phone into my pocket. It takes almost thirty minutes to reach the pack house in my human form, but I dare not shift since I cannot trust my anger to not overrun my ability to control my beast. Much to my surprise, the alpha is sitting on the steps in front of the pack house when I walk up, looking lost and worried until his eyes find me walking toward him.

“Cora?! Are you okay?” I nod as he rushes to me. He holds out his hand, my ring resting in his palm just as I left it.

“Hold onto it for me. I need to speak with Lady Laurent.” He slips the ring into his pocket while giving me a look of confusion and worry.

“I can take you to her. Is everything alright?” I can’t bring myself to look at him, to see the struggle in me that I can’t even try to hide.

“That is what I am trying to find out.” He leads me past the pack house to a large brick building, taking me through the front door and leading me down a set of stone stairs to a room with several cells. I can smell the bitch before we even fully enter the room, her stench is a mixture of fear and rage. We reach the door to her cell and she is sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

“I would be excited to see you, Jordan, if it weren’t from the disgusting creature you brought with you.”Wicked smile rests on her evil face and I step closer, letting the faint light shining through her window illuminate my face enough for her see that I am barely containing my beast. Her eyes become wide and the scent of her fear becomes stronger.

“You are the one who sent Danny to me.” Her brow furrows before she pulls on a mask of indifference, hiding the appearance of her fear, but she can’t mask the smell.

“So, what if I did. I needed a witch to perform the spell and you are a witch, or are you?” I allow my beast to come forward just enough for my claws to extend as I wrap my fingers around the bars.

“A witch, yes…and SO much more. Where is your father hiding Luca?” Her face drops slightly, a clear indication that she is fully aware of the fact that her father has my brother.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who is Luca?” I smile, a wicked and sinister smile.

“I would threaten your father, but I know you don’t care about him. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. So I am going to make this real simple. You tell me where my brother is, or I will begin filleting your flesh from your bones, little by little. I will allow your body to heal and then I will start over again. I will make you suffer until you are begging me to end your life, but princess, the end will never come. Not for you.” Her eyes are the size of saucers by the time I finish speaking and her mouth hangs open as she stares at me.

“You wouldn’t dare lay a finger on me. My father will kill your brother if you even hurt so much as a single hair on my head.” I snarl at her as I slam my shoulder into the door, breaking the lock and sending the door slamming into he brick wall. I stalk toward her, each movement cold and calculated as I eye her like a hunter watching its prey.

“So, you ARE aware of the fact that your father has my brother. You have proven to be useful already. Where is he hiding him?” Her body goes rigid as I stop right in front of her.

“I don’t know where he is keeping him, but if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” I use one of my claws to force her chin up so that she is looking me in the eye.

“Then you will become the bait in our trap. I am not sure if you know, but the bait usually doesn’t survive. I think we would be doing the world a favor if we removed you from it. Take care princess. We will meet again very soon.” I turn and walk out of the cell as two guards walk past me to move her to a new cell. Once I step out the door, I take a moment to calm myself, breathing in the cool night air. I feel my claws retract and my beast retreat with each breath.

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