Zara

"Do you even have him?" Alpha Kane’s voice was as cold and patient as my own.

"You’ll see soon." The wolf’s gaze hardened as he darted toward Alpha Kane. "My friend will come to discuss our terms." With a smooth, graceful movement, the wolf stood up and left us alone. Alpha Kane’s gaze met mine, and I could have sworn we were thinking the same thing.

"Agreement?" Sofia frowned, her voice worried as she spoke through the mental link.

"That sounds suspicious," Carter’s voice flashed through my head, followed by Wade’s approval.

"There will be no agreement," Alpha Kane’s voice was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. "We’ll wait for them to bring Ryan out. As soon as I get someone to distract us, we’ll grab Ryan and fight our way through."

"We might have to go out the side door. If we can, we’ll go around to the front and meet there," I interjected, earning Alpha Kane an approving glance.

Ignoring how close we were sitting and the heat spreading across my skin, I glanced around the room. "Hello, beautiful." The voice called to that small part of me that longed to be touched.

Marcus approached the couch where Alpha Kane and I were sitting. His blond hair was as light as snow, and his eyes were a light blue. He was well dressed: black slacks and a black button-down shirt.

The top buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a glimpse of his firm chest. I felt a mixture of attraction and repulsion, my own emotions churning in my head. Alpha Kane tensed next to me, sensing my inner turmoil through the mental link.

Marcus’s eyes darted as he looked me over, but they hardened as they met Alpha Kane’s gaze. Marcus sat down next to us.

I was acutely aware that Marcus had chosen to sit next to me, as close as he could without causing trouble. A small part of me cooed, "He won’t hurt me."

"Are you okay?" Alpha Kane transmitted through the mental link, unable to hide the hostility and worry in his voice. "Don’t let him into your head. It’s your mind; kick him out if he tries."

"I can handle this," I reassured him, gathering my scattered thoughts. I focused on Nova, clinging to that part of myself with all my might. Instead of imagining a library, I tried a different approach. Iron doors towered before me, impenetrable and unbreakable. Layers of iron and steel blocked out whatever lay within. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Marcus’s seafoam-colored eyes met mine, a smile playing on his lips. A dull tingling sensation formed at the base of my skull, irritating and persistent. I could have sworn I felt his fingers sliding along the door in my mind, lightly stroking it, as if he were trying to force it open.

After giving myself a terrible headache, I felt Marcus leave me. I held the door tightly, but not without consequences. It felt like I’d run a marathon, my head throbbing, my limbs weak.

Not wanting to show my fatigue, I pressed myself against Alpha Kane, resting some of my weight on him. Marcus watched, his light eyes sparkling at the spectacle. Nova grumbled smugly, practically screaming her hatred for Marcus.

I didn’t need to look to know that Alpha Kane’s face was smug, aimed directly at Marcus. After an irritated growl, Marcus turned his gaze to me.

His blue eyes burned into mine, calling to that tiny part of me that craved him. I turned away, determined to chase away the trace of heat his gaze left on my skin.

"Don’t you like it here, beautiful?" Marcus asked, his face impassive, his eyes blazing.

Marcus waved his hand, and the wolf we’d spoken with earlier approached him. The raven-haired wolf with emerald eyes smiled at me, and that smile was too intimate and familiar for me to feel comfortable. Without a word, Marcus pulled a wad of bills from his pocket and handed it to the man.

"Let’s see if the wolf is smarter than the alpha." Marcus smiled, looking down at his mark. I felt nauseous, ready to drink all the champagne I’d consumed tonight. My skin was clammy, slippery with nervous sweat.

"I want to see Ryan first." I frowned, my gaze slid over the mess in the room.

"Of course." Marcus’s velvety voice caressed my skin, but it couldn’t soothe the burning disgust in my stomach.

My heart leaped as two more men were pushed into the corner. Ryan’s face came into view, haggard but defiant. One eye was black and seemed to be slowly healing.

His lip was split, a thick trickle of blood running down the center. Judging by the angry glint in his eyes, Ryan hadn’t been broken by these wolves.

"What deal?" I asked without thinking, but I didn’t care. My heart pounded wildly at the sight of Ryan.

His skin was pale from lack of sunlight, his hair dirty and unruly. "What do you want for him?"

"What I want is you," Marcus breathed, his voice calm, his gaze fixed on me. I rushed to Marcus, reading the sincerity in his eyes. Marcus didn’t move; that much was clear. "Name something else," Alpha Kane snapped, anger shining in his eyes.

"A life for a life. Zara for Ryan," Marcus muttered, his gaze burning through me. He didn’t pay a single ounce of attention, focusing entirely on me. "Is your brother worth your life? How far are you willing to go?"

Alpha Kane tensed, his anger rolling through the mental link in waves. I felt Sofia tense up, overhearing our conversation through the mental link. Marcus’s words played in my head, bouncing between us.

"Don’t you dare, Zara," Alpha Kane growled over the mental link, sensing my hesitation.

I wanted to deny I’d even thought about it, but I couldn’t. I hadn’t had time to properly mourn my mother’s death, but I refused to mourn Ryan’s death. I refused to let him suffer because of who I was. Alpha Kane sensed just how far I was truly willing to go.

"Sophia, we could use this distraction right now," Alpha Kane growled over the mental link. I suppressed the surprise that flashed across my face, wondering what Alpha Kane was planning.

"Okay, give me a minute," Sofia snorted, getting down to business. "Detain him or something."

"Why do you need me?" I stared at Marcus with a hard, unwavering gaze. "Because of my father?"

If Marcus was surprised, it didn’t show. His lips merely curled into a mischievous grin, his seafoam-colored eyes dancing.