Carnage Island (Reject Island)(90)

Tieran considers me a long moment. “I’ll have my father confirm his scent with one of the Nantahala Wolf witnesses.”

I frown, not understanding what he means, but Volt distracts me by shifting back into his human form. His strong legs trap mine as he moves to lay more firmly on top of me with his elbows on either side of my head. He doesn’t speak. He just kisses me. Hard.

Caius clears his throat.

Volt grunts in response, then buries his nose in my hair, inhaling deeply.

“Tell me everything,” Tieran demands. “From beginning to end.”

Alpha Ebony obliges, reiterating all the facts of what happened up until the attack. Then Alpha Dirk takes over to fill in the missing pieces, about how he went to the telecommunications tower to investigate the power outage and realized Alpha Kin sabotaged it all and followed him here.

Where he found him attacking me.

I listen, partially numb to it all, and sigh as Volt begins to purr.

“We could hear you through the phone,” Alpha Dirk concludes. “We chose to wait here for your return. It’s deep underground and not many wolves know how to breach Alpha Duncan’s security.”

“But you did,” Tieran points out.

“Yes. I know how to breach a lot of security on the island, but that doesn’t mean I use that knowledge.”

“No, you just shared it with Alpha Kin,” Tieran accuses.

“He was my clan mate.” Alpha Dirk doesn’t voice it as an excuse, just a fact. “I… I trusted him.”

Silence falls.

The concept of judgment is heavy in the air as Tieran evaluates everything they know.

“Someone helped Beta Gafton reach the island,” Tieran says. “I want to know who it was. Find out for me and I’ll consider lessening your sentence.”

Alpha Dirk nods, accepting the task.

Tieran is quiet for another moment.

Then he throws his head back on a howl that scatters goose bumps down my arms and legs. Volt and Caius immediately join in, answering his call and empowering it with their energy and strength.

My wolf purrs in response to their joint song.

Ours, she’s saying. These males are ours.

Volt nuzzles my neck when the howling finishes, his tongue laving my pulse. Only for his head to snap back on a snarl in the next second.

I flinch.

Caius and Tieran are there in an instant, both of them burying their heads into my throat to sniff whatever inspired Volt’s reaction.

Both men growl.

“Did Alpha Kin lick you?” The words are from Tieran, anger making them come out in a low rumble of furious sound.

I swallow, then nod.

All three of them snarl now, Volt jumping up off the floor and lifting me into his arms like I weigh nothing.

“Bring the bodies with you,” Tieran snaps at Alpha Dirk. “You have ninety minutes.”

I have no idea what he means.

That howl must have been a signal for something.

“Don’t you dare help him,” Tieran adds, looking at Alpha Ebony.

“He’s not touching Duncan,” she replies, her gaze intense as she challenges her superior. “He’s mine.”

Tieran considers her a moment, then concedes with a nod. “Only Alpha Duncan.”

She immediately relaxes, her gaze leaving his. “Thank you, Alpha.”

He steps toward her, his palm wrapping around the back of her neck.

She tenses.

And he pulls her into a hug. “Thank you,” I hear him whisper against her ear. “Thank you for taking care of our Clove.”

She shudders, her shoulders losing their stiffness.

“Alpha Duncan was a good man,” Tieran continues. “He will be honored.”

She wraps her arms around him, returning the hug as another tremble works through her.

He embraces her, lending her his strength for a long moment. Then he kisses the top of her head. “Alpha Pan will be here within the hour. He doesn’t know yet.”

“I’ll tell him,” she replies.

Tieran nods again, slowly releasing her. “Place Alpha Duncan near the water. I’ll take care of the rest.”

She visibly swallows and dips her chin in acknowledgement.

It’s the first true sign of pain I’ve seen from her since she woke up. She’s been holding herself together this whole time, her focus on protection.

Alpha Dirk’s been the same, his expression stoic as he waited for Tieran, Volt, and Caius to return.

Volt carries me into the hallway, leaving Tieran to say a few final words to Alpha Ebony and Alpha Dirk. I don’t know what they are because Volt and Caius start to purr so loudly that their rumbles are all I can hear.

It doesn’t seem intentional, just them wanting to offer comfort as we move through the scene of carnage around us.

“I can walk,” I tell Volt as he reaches another corridor.

He grunts in response. “I’m never letting you go again, Clove. Better just get used to being carried everywhere.”

“Yep,” Caius echoes.

Another battle I really don’t want to fight.

Although, I could point out that they’re both stalking through these halls naked when they just told me I’m not allowed to go without clothes in front of other people.

But I really don’t want to argue about that either.