The Wolf Within (Purgatory #1)(45)

A snap came from the back corner. Like a bone breaking or—or a collar breaking. Being ripped apart. Because the collar wasn’t glowing around Duncan’s neck anymore. Two glowing chunks of silver were on the floor now.

“Ah, damn,” Shane muttered. “This is gonna hurt.”

Duncan’s glowing eyes were locked on him. Then Duncan was coming for Shane. Rushing forward. There was a thud as their bodies hit. They slammed into the floor. The scent of blood rose from the men, and Holly didn’t know which man was hurt.

The werewolf?

The vampire?

Her own fangs were out, and she wasn’t just going to stand there while they battled in front of her. These guys, they were the good guys, weren’t they?

Yes.

At least, Duncan was. She’d figure Shane out later.

So Holly yelled, “Stop!”

For an instant, they did.

Then they went right back to fighting. So she reached down and wrapped her arms around a body—a body with broad shoulders and a scent that had started to haunt her.

Duncan turned at once, and his arms curled around her, holding her tight. She could feel the rage vibrating in his body, but his hold on her was controlled, so careful.

“You shouldn’t…be here…” Duncan gritted.

“This is exactly where I need to be.”

“The moon…”

“It’s not all the way up yet.” Not yet. But close. They were running out of time. “So instead of you and Shane trying to beat the crap out of each other, let’s go find out who’s trying to kill the werewolves.”

His eyes widened. “The wolves?” Then his head jerked up, as if he’d just heard their cries.

“They’re howling. They’re hurting.” Her nails bit into his arms. “You’re an alpha. An alpha takes care of the others.” Your brother is out there.

He shuddered, then rasped, “Help…them…”

That’s what they had to do.

“Uh, you sure about this?” Shane muttered. “His collar is gone.”

And the moon was rising. Yes, she got it. But they didn’t have any options.

“Take us to the wolves,” Holly said.

Duncan’s fingers laced with hers. He ran from the room, pulling her with him. Shane rushed behind them.

Holly inhaled. There was more blood. So much more. Coming from all around them. Her fangs were out, fully extended, and her body was held on a razor’s edge of tension.

“Pate…” Her whisper. Duncan was heading after his brother, and she was worried about her own.

“The man knows how to take care of himself,” Shane said from behind her.

Pate was strong, resourceful, but he was still just a man. In a building full of howling werewolves and at least two vampires.

“We’ll find him,” Shane told her, “just follow your werewolf first, okay? I don’t think he can hold it together much longer.”

Duncan’s hold had tightened around her fingers. He was pretty much dragging her behind him. She rushed to keep up. As they headed through the darkness, the howls began to die away. One. A second. A third.

At first, those howls had chilled her, but for them to just stop…are the wolves dead?

Then Duncan was snarling and breaking away from her. He ran forward into the darkness. “Duncan!” She yelled after him and blindly raced straight ahead.

Metal shrieked. Bent.

Shane swore.

Then—then there was a faint glint of light. A hum broke the air and the generator finally switched on.

The backup lights were fainter as the power ran low, but Holly was so happy to be able to see again that she wasn’t about to complain. Her legs pumped faster as she ran.

The door to Containment Area Five had been busted down, courtesy of Duncan. He was inside that room now. She could hear his snarls and also hear—

“Stop!”

That voice—Elias?

She hurried into the room. Saw that Connor was still in his cell, but he was on the floor, lying facedown. He didn’t even seem to be breathing.

Duncan was on the other side of the area, and he had knocked Elias off his feet. As she stared in horror, Holly saw Duncan’s hands—his claws—go for Elias’s throat.

“Stop!” Elias yelled. “Dammit, Duncan, it’s me! Don’t!”

But those claws were inches away from the agent’s throat. Holly leapt across the room and tried to wrench him away from Elias. “Don’t attack him!”

Too late. His claws slashed across Elias’s neck even as Holly and Shane yanked Duncan back.

The scent of the blood flooded through Holly’s nostrils.

“Kill…” Duncan growled and he fought against her and Shane. Duncan slung Shane across the room, and the vampire rammed into the side of Connor’s cell.

Then Duncan’s hands wrapped around Holly’s shoulders. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. His gaze glowed so brightly that the sight of it stole her breath.

“Duncan?” Holly whispered. “That’s Elias you’re attacking. He’s on our side.” Elias wasn’t armed. Didn’t have any weapon at all that she could see.

He wasn’t trying to fight back. He just huddled on the floor, with his hand over his throat. His eyes were on Duncan, and, there was no mistaking the horror in his gaze.