Bound in Death (Bound #5)(39)

On its own, Keira’s blood was useless to him. The power was only active when she bonded with the werewolf.

So I let the werewolf have you, for a time. He could have taken Keira from that little bar at any point. He hadn’t. He’d waited. He’d let Alerac get to her because he needed for those two to exchange blood once more.

He was sure that the werewolf had given into his hunger for Keira by now.

So I have to get the blood now. The blood, and Keira.

Since making the discovery about the vampire and werewolf matings, Lorcan had drained his share of werewolves. He had received a slight strength increase from that wolf blood, but nothing like what the stories said the mated pairs enjoyed.

Lorcan didn’t want a sliver of power. He wanted everything.

Keira was his key.

“You get to her,” he told Heath and he smiled, letting his fangs flash. “Or you die.” Simple fact. Either the werewolves would kill the doctor for stumbling onto their land— Or I’ll kill the fool when he fails.

Heath jumped to his feet. He hurried for the door. But then, he stopped. Glancing over his shoulder, the doctor said, “When I do this, when I bring her to you, promise that you’ll turn me then.”

Hell, no, he wasn’t turning this prick. But he vaguely remembered making some sort of offer, so he just said, “Of course.”

Heath’s eyes became suspicious slits. Maybe he wasn’t as dumb as he appeared.

“You’ll live forever, never aging, never changing,” Lorcan murmured, with a bored wave of his hand, “once Keira is brought back to me.”

Heath nodded and reached for the door once more.

“Not so fast,” Lorcan said. This was going to be the fun part. “If you go running to them with a sob story about me, you have to at least look as if you suffered a bit while in captivity.”

The color bleached from Heath’s skin.

“If you go to them all hale and hearty, then they’ll never believe you were my prisoner.”

The human’s pulse was racing.

“So, let’s make sure they believe,” Lorcan said. “Let’s make real sure.”

He attacked.

***

“We have traitors in our midst.” Alerac’s voice boomed out into the night. He wanted to clear the air, f*ckin’ then. If any others had turned on him, Alerac wanted to face them.

The werewolves—all in human form—were gathered around him. At his announcement, there were uneasy murmurs from the group.

Jane stood just behind Alerac, with her brother close at her side.

Ryan. That man was going to keep being a f*ckin’ thorn in his side.

But Alerac owed him. Because it seemed that Ryan had saved Jane’s life at that stream.

“What do you mean, traitors?” Finn demanded, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed.

“Liam attacked my mate tonight. He took her blood. He tried to take her from me.” The rage was still there. The rage and the pain of betrayal. Liam had been at his side for so long. How had he missed this? How? “Three werewolves were with him. Saul. Benjamin, and Mitchell.” He let his gaze sweep the group. “Those three are dead, killed by my claws, but Liam escaped.”

Because Alerac had made a choice. Track Liam or follow Jane’s scent. He’d followed Jane.

More murmurs and whispers swept through the group.

Did they doubt what he was telling them?

Yes.

Fuck, yes, they did.

Finn stepped forward. “We don’t like having vampires in our midst!”

There were nods. Growls of agreement. They growled, even when in the form of men and women.

Suspicious stares were cast toward Jane and Ryan.

“Maybe Ben and Saul were the ones attacked,” Finn added. “Maybe your vamp was the one to—”

Alerac had him by the throat before he could say anything more. “You question my word? The word of your alpha?”

Finn couldn’t speak to respond, mostly because Alerac was crushing the guy’s windpipe.

But Finn did manage to shake his head—no.

“No one threatens Jane and lives.” Simple. His word—his pack law. He released Finn. The guy sucked in a deep breath.

Suspicion churned within Alerac. He’d been blind to Liam’s betrayal. Was he still being blind now? “If there are others helping Liam, siding with him, I will learn the truth.”

There weren’t any murmurs then. Just considering glances. No, those were suspicious glances. The wolves seemed to weigh each other.

“I brought you here,” Alerac said, voice strong and cold. “I created this pack. If any of you think to turn on me—then challenge me, now. Come at me. See if you have what it takes to be alpha.” Because he was sure ready to kick the shit out of someone.

Only none of the wolves approached him.

Their heads lowered in submission.

He’d found these wolves over the years. They’d been alone, lost. He’d brought them together.

No, not just me. Liam was at my side. Would the wolves feel they owed their allegiance to him?

Or to Liam?

His gaze swept the group once more. Stopped on a pair of angry brown eyes.

Zoe. She and Finn were the two newest members of the pack. Finn had seemed to fit in with the others instantly, but Zoe had remained aloof.