The Wolf Within (Purgatory #1)(40)

“Get out of my way, Pate,” Duncan snapped. His hands were at his sides. His claws? Most definitely out.

Pate shook his head. “Don’t make us do this the hard way.”

Duncan laughed. “Like there’s any other way now.” He pointed toward the doors. “That * in Containment Five knows about—”

“You mean your brother? The alpha werewolf who’s been clawing his way through the town? That *?”

She could have slugged Pate right then. Holly marched toward him. “You tapped into my computer.”

He nodded. “And your phone line.”

Jerk. She should have known he’d pull tricks like that.

But Pate’s stare actually seemed to hold real sympathy as it turned back to Duncan. “In the morning, I’ll let you grill the guy as long as you want. But the moon is going to start rising soon. Your first full moon. And I can’t take chances with this night.”

“Scared I’ll hurt you?”

“No, scared you’ll hurt her.” Pate’s attention shifted to Holly, then back to Duncan. “The wolf will be in control. What do you think he’s gonna want most?”

“Not me,” Holly said. That had all the guys looking at her. She licked her lips. “Blood. Revenge.” That was what she’d seen in Duncan’s eyes.

“I want to talk to Connor.” Duncan’s voice had deepened. Roughened. Goosebumps rose on her arms.

“In the morning. When the moon is down, and your control is one hundred percent set.” Pate’s mouth firmed. “I have to make sure you control your beast tonight, and that he doesn’t control you. Duncan, you know the first full moon transformation is supposed to be hardest.”

“The one that tells me if I stay sane?” Duncan’s voice made the chill she felt even worse. “Or proves that I’ll be psychotic, just like my brother?”

She so wished she’d never used that word. “Duncan…”

His head inclined toward her. She could see his fangs. So what? She had fangs of her own. Holly reached for his hand. “You can talk to him tomorrow.”

There were no transfer orders on Connor yet. Duncan would get his answers. They had time.

“Just come with us for tonight,” Pate said. “We’ve got a secure cell waiting for you.”

“Like the last one?” Duncan mocked. “I ripped right through those bars.”

Pate’s cheeks flushed. It looked like Shane fought a smile. Elias…he paled.

“You’re going in the holding room tonight.”

The holding room? She sucked in a sharp breath. The holding room was the paranormal equivalent of solitary confinement. No windows. Walls reinforced with a combination of silver and steel. One door. Thick. Heavy. An eight by twelve foot prison.

There was only one light that shone from the ceiling in the middle of that room. It was normally where the most dangerous paranormals were kept before transfer. Where Connor probably would have been housed, if Pate hadn’t been so worried about Duncan’s transformation under the full moon.

Holly’s whole body was tight with tension. “That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?” She didn’t want Duncan locked up. The collar was bad enough. “He’s one of ours.”

“That’s why I’m doing everything I can to keep him safe and to keep him from hurting anyone else.” Pate rolled his shoulders. “How do you think he’ll feel, Hol, if he wakes up tomorrow and finds the dead bodies of his fellow agents around him?”

“That’s not—” Holly began.

“It could happen,” Duncan said at the same time.

No, it couldn’t. Why did she have more faith in the guy than he did in himself?

Her hold tightened on him. “You’re not like that.” Not like Connor.

“It’s time to find out if I am.” He pulled away from her. Damn him, he pulled away. Then he glanced back at Pate. “Take me to holding.”

“No!” Holly sprang between the men. “He’s wearing the collar. Just let him stay here. I can keep an eye on him tonight, I can—”

Duncan’s hands closed around her shoulders. He turned her toward him. Kissed her.

Not a hard kiss.

Not wild.

Not what she’d expected.

Soft. Controlled.

He has control.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said.

No, he wouldn’t. That was what she was trying to make them all understand. If the idiots would just listen to her.

“Stay away from me tonight,” he said as his gaze held hers. “Connor might have set this in motion, but I’ll be damned if I lose what matters most to me.”

Her heart slammed into her chest. Wait. Was he saying that she mattered? That it wasn’t just sex and need?

But then he was pushing her behind him. Heading away with Pate. And Pate was glancing back over his shoulder and giving her a hard glare. “Shane,” Pate ordered, “make sure that Holly gets home safely tonight.”

The home that still sported a broken window? That reeked of safety.

“Make sure she doesn’t go near holding,” Pate added.

Shane gave a little salute and sauntered toward her. “Guess we’ll be getting cozy tonight.”