War of Hearts(107)
He’d lose control entirely.
Instead Conall hurried across the car park where he knew his warrior wolves, along with three of Peter Canid’s, were waiting to set their plan in motion.
Before he could reach it, the Coach House door blew open and Sienna Canid ran toward him, yanking a gag from her mouth, stumbling as if she were weak. Her eyes flared when she saw him, and concern had Conall hurrying toward her.
He caught her as she fell against him, panting, her eyes wild. Dried blood marred a cut near her temple. “Sienna?”
“Conall,” she gasped, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him, but he knocked me out and when I came to, he’d tied me up. I’m so sorry—”
“Who? What?” Conall cut off her rambling.
But before she could answer, they both spun at the sound of squealing tires as an old Honda blew into the car park and skidded across the concrete to a halt. The doors flew open and Conall’s heart lurched at the sight of James and Callie.
Callie!
She ran toward him.
Ran.
Glowing with strength.
“Conall!” She threw herself into his arms, knocking him back on his feet. Disbelief and joy, along with mounting fear, overwhelmed him. If Callie was cured— “Conall.” Callie pulled back to grab his shirt, her gray eyes bright with anxiety. “He has her, Conall. Ashforth has Thea at Castle Cara. We have to save her. I know she’s your mate. I recognized the scent. Ashforth was going to throw James and me out but Thea wouldn’t let him until she’d cured me. She cured me, Conall.”
Thea was with Ashforth.
She’d cured Callie … and she’d done it because …
Conall stumbled back, remembering her expression as she turned to him in bed last night.
“And you know I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She was sacrificing herself for him, for the pack.
Well, fuck that!
His claws shot out, his gums aching as his canines slid down. He bared his teeth as Callie gave him a dark grin and released her claws in support. His next words were guttural but clear. “Let’s end this bastard.”
“As your reinstated lead warrior”—Callie tipped her chin back—“I hope you know I’m coming with you.”
He wouldn’t dare deny her. His sister was one of the fiercest wolves in his pack. And she was saved—alive. Thea had done that. Thea gave him that gift. Emotion threatened to overwhelm him, but he pushed it down.
“Thea told me to tell you who betrayed you.” Callie glowered at Sienna.
Conall turned to the American.
Sienna flinched. “It was Richard, Conall. I tried to stop him.”
Richard Canid. Fuck.
“Why?”
“Richard gambled away a significant amount of the pack’s assets, which is a catastrophe on top of the pharmaceuticals fiasco. He hoped he could play hardball with you for our betrothal. That he could get enough money for my dowry that would cover the debts so that my father would spare him. But with the betrothal broken, Dad told Richard that when we returned home, he was to be demoted to enforced omega status. Early this morning, I awoke and found Richard sneaking back into the Coach House. He had a package with him, and he told me he’d gone to Castle Cara to make a deal with Ashforth. Ashforth would give him the money we needed in exchange for Thea.” Her gaze turned pleading. “I tried to stop him. But he attacked me. I just came to … I’m so sorry.”
“No.”
The word was harsh with grief and torn out of the mouth of another American.
They all whipped around to see Peter Canid at the entrance to the Coach House, his pallor ashen from overhearing his daughter’s tale.
“Dad.” Sienna’s face crumpled. “I’m so sorry.”
Peter’s expression hardened as he turned to Conall. He seemed lost for words.
“Where is he now?” James demanded.
Sienna shook her head.
Peter said, “I can’t find him anywhere.”
Conall respected Peter … but his rage was too great. “You find him, you tell him he comes back here. I have his scent so I can find him, but it would be in his best interests not to make me hunt him down. Get him back here, Peter. When I have Thea back, when this business with Ashforth is dealt with, your son will meet me in Challenge.”
Canid suddenly looked haggard as Sienna whimpered. But he nodded his consent.
“I’ll understand if that means you want to withdraw your warriors.”
The older alpha shook his head. “The least my pack can do now is offer you aid.”
Conall looked to Callie and James. “We had a plan to rescue you—now we use it for Thea. Get familiar with it, and quickly. We leave in ten minutes. Even that is too long.”
Ashforth would die today. Conall knew he’d promised Thea she’d be the one to drop the killing blow but Conall was a six-foot-six mountain of wrath, and Jasper Ashforth would never survive the avalanche about to be set loose upon him.
That’s what happened when you kidnapped an alpha’s mate.
Thea … Conall wished she could hear him through the bond. Thea, I’m coming for you.
The drug wore off completely and her wrists no longer burned from where the iron shackles had been.