Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(20)

“I have nothing to say,” Holden said as calmly as he could. Ariel’s fingernails dug into his back but she didn’t make a sound. Good girl. This had to be scary as hell for her, but there was nothing he could do. She’d never see the cruelty of those who thought they owned the shifters. She’d seen the depravity of her own torture, and that was enough. He hated that he had to show her this as well—that he’d brought her fully into the fold with the bites that had saved her life.

The guard moved into Holden’s space, trying to look bigger than he was. In reality, Holden stood a good four or five inches taller than the little-pricked bastard.

“Do I sense an attitude, Alpha?”

Holden smiled broadly, making sure he showed as many teeth as he could. The guard’s eyes widened, and he took a few steps back. “I have no attitude. I am merely doing what I was told. I’m a good, powerless shifter.” He let his eyes change to wolf, a subtle power play that might not have been smart, but was needed.

The guard paled and scurried back to his friends.

It didn’t matter they were collared and caged; they were still wolves. One on one, he could slice the little bastards up before they could even reach for a weapon.

And the guards knew that.

That was why they always came in force. They knew with one move, the tables could turn—at least until the other guards showed up with the big guns. These guys didn’t much care for risking their lives to wait on the others to save them. They were frightened underneath all that bluster.

And that’s exactly how Holden wanted them.

He stood there, glaring at the guards who thought they held the shifters’ lives in their hands. Only that wasn’t the case. Not now. These individual guards could be taken easily, while some of his soldiers protected the young and those who couldn’t fight. Holden had his own sentries, his own soldiers and fighters who would lay their lives on the line for the good of the Pack.

And it was with that in mind that no one moved.

It wasn’t the time to fight.

The humans would find nothing and then be on their way. And one day soon, they’d find the perfect way to take back the control they’d long since lost because they’d refused to kill those that were weaker than them. That mistake, in some shifter’s eyes, had caused their branding, and Holden wouldn’t allow that to happen again.

More guards joined the others and Holden frowned. These must have been the ones who had been searching their homes and outlying areas for the body they would never find.

The guards grumbled, and Holden shifted ever so slightly so he could keep them in his sight. One of the older guards, who had never once hit a member of Holden’s Pack, came forward.

Holden didn’t like this man—he didn’t like any of them—but he knew this one wasn’t as cruel as the others. This was a job to him and didn’t take pleasure it in. One day, Holden would use that.

“It seems there isn’t a body in any of the homes or wooded areas,” the guard said slowly. He narrowed his eyes at Holden but didn’t move forward. “We’ll be back later to check again, but for now, you are free to go about as you were.”

He nodded at Holden and moved back to the others. Soon the guards were gone, and the tension within the Pack eased marginally. Holden nodded at a few of his wolves who loped off after the guards. He wouldn’t put it past the humans to lie and say there were leaving when they clearly weren’t.

When the shifters were first captured, they had no freedoms and no privacy or breathing room. Now they could at least run within their territory and shift when they needed to. Yes, the guards could come in at any time and for any reason, but they didn’t often. It gave a sense of peace to the young ones who had never seen the outside world. If Holden could make that peace a reality, then one day he’d earn the name of Alpha.

“Holden,” Ariel croaked out.

He turned on his heal at the sound of fear in her voice and cursed. Her skin had paled to an almost greenish-gray color and her teeth chattered.

He picked her up and brought her to his chest. “What is it, Ariel? They’re gone. You’re safe for now.”

Soren frowned at Ariel in Holden’s arms and shook his head. “They didn’t notice her. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Holden ground out.

“I…I remembered some of them.” Ariel closed her eyes and pressed her face to his chest. “They were there. In the room. I remember.”

Holden froze, his body straining as pure rage poured through his system. “You’re saying some of those that hurt you were here today?”

She nodded then shook her head. “Maybe? They wore the same uniforms.” She wrapped her arms around herself in his arms and shivered. “I’m sorry. I…I don’t mean to react like this.”

Mandy, Theo’s submissive friend, walked forward, her hand out. She met Ariel’s eyes then Holden’s. He gave her a nod and she put her hand on Ariel’s arm. “Honey, it’s okay. We’ll protect you, darling. Now go with your mate and take a nap or cry it out. We’re here for you, Ariel. You’re one of us now. We won’t let them take you.”

Ariel sighed and relaxed slightly in his arms. Damn, he loved the submissives in his Pack. They knew how to soothe when all Holden wanted to do was rip the limbs off of whoever had hurt his mate.