Chapter Eight

Quinn

Quinn felt uneasywalking down the semi-dark hallway, but she really had to pee.When she reached for the doorknob to the women’s restroom, a hand covered her mouth.Quinn struggled, but whoever was at her back was stronger than her.The back door opened, and she was shoved through.Quinn struggled with all her shifter strength.

“Grab her feet,” the man behind her demanded, and the other did as he was told.Quinn squirmed in their grip, moving her legs back and forth until she was able to break one foot free.She kicked out, hitting the one holding her legs in the nose.He dropped her other leg to cover his bleeding face.With her lower body now free, Quinn used the momentum of her legs falling to carry her forward, flipping the man behind her over her back.As soon as she was out of his clutches, Quinn called forth her Wolf, and then she ran.

The convenience store backed up to dense woods, and Quinn headed that direction instead of circling the building where humans wouldn’t react well to seeing wolves.The vegetation was thick, but Quinn bullied her way through the branches and undergrowth.Snarls and snapping of jaws sounded close behind, so Quinn urged her Wolf faster.The trees opened up slightly, and Quinn had a moment of hope until she caught sight of more wolves.These weren’t your garden variety timber wolves either.Like her, they had silver fur covering their backs, with black on their bellies and legs.She was no match for six dire wolves, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t hurt as many as possible before they finally took her down.

Quinn shifted, biting and clawing until they turned loose.She took off running, but they were hot on her trail through the woods.Then there were more of them.Quinn fought as hard as she could, but she was outnumbered.If the males were regular wolves, she might have stood a chance.But they weren’t.She let out a howl, knowing Mercy and the other Ozark wolves would hear.Kyllian would as well, but since he wasn’t lupine, he wouldn’t know what her call meant.

Once they subdued Quinn, they shifted back to their skin and bragged about how their father would reward them for finally bringing Quinn to him, which meant they were both her uncles.But how the hell had they known she was there at the store?Or in New Mexico for that matter?Fuck.Someone had betrayed her, and when Quinn found out who?She was going to tear them apart, adding another shifter to the long list of those she wanted to see dead.Her grandfather for having her mother killed.Blake for taking Nikita from her.And now, whoever told the River Canyon pack she was headed their direction.

Her uncles dragged her to an SUV and tossed her in the back seat.Her beast wanted her to fight, but Quinn needed to be smart.Kyllian would come for her.

“What the fuck is that?”Henry, the driver of the SUV, was intent on something in the rearview mirror.Quinn turned to look out the back window.A large eagle grabbed one of the bikers following them and tossed him off his motorcycle.

Kyllian.

“Shoot that fucking bird,” Henry instructed his brother.

Quinn lunged for the male sitting in the passenger seat when he aimed a pistol out the window.Henry swerved before regaining control of the SUV.Bradley cursed as he turned the gun on her.“That was a mistake.”She didn’t respond.Instead, she glared at her uncle who was snarling at her.

No, the mistake had been leaving the safety of Kyllian and the wolves to go into the store alone.There were only a handful of pack members who knew she was there.Mercy claimed she and Jeremy were on Quinn’s side, but were they?And Scott...Quinn remembered him from her time with the pack.If Blake hadn’t gotten to Quinn and declared them mates, she would have fallen for Scott’s easy smile and boyish good looks.He had been one of the first to befriend her, but as soon as Blake claimed Quinn, Scott’s presence had been scarce.Had he seen her being with Blake as betrayal?Enough to hate her and try to ruin her life?If so, she would be the one to ruin him.First, she had to get away from her mother’s people.

The drive would have been gorgeous if Quinn wasn’t being taken against her will.The road leading away from civilization wound through lush trees, and the farther away she got from Kyllian, the more dread filled her heart.Kyllian, her tatted guardian.Her fierce Gryphon.Her mate.Quinn regretted not claiming him the moment he strode through her front door.True mates were scarce, and she’d denied hers.

He’ll come for us.

Her Wolf was right.Kyllian wouldn’t stop until he found her.With him taking down the bikers, she had no doubt he was using his Gryphon voice to find out exactly where they were taking her.It was a matter of him and his Hound family getting to her without getting shot.Quinn needed to be smart.To bide her time in captivity until Kyllian came up with a plan.She would do whatever it took to stay alive, and that meant she couldn’t attack her uncles.Not when one of them kept his weapon trained on her.

Quinn was expecting living arrangements like the Ozark pack had with a subdivision of similar houses.Instead, small cabins dotted the tree line, and those didn’t appear to be in top condition.When Henry pulled to a stop in front of a massive structure reminiscent of a lodge, she guessed that’s where all the pack’s money went.

With the pistol aimed at her chest, Bradley opened the back door.“Get out.And if you try anything stupid, Iwillshoot you, niece or not.”

Quinn could tell her Wolf was trying to communicate with Kyllian’s Gryphon.She didn’t know if it succeeded, and she didn’t have time to ask.An older man strode out of the lodge, his alpha pheromones licking the air.Quinn had no doubt this was her grandfather.Several more wolves followed.Only a couple were female.Every single one of them had the same coloring as Dennis.Were they all Quinn’s aunts and uncles?Cousins?Her mom made it clear the RC pack didn’t accept outsiders, so did that mean...No, that was too disgusting.

Her uncle nudged her back with the barrel of the pistol.“Bow to your Alpha.”

“He’s not my Alpha.”

Dennis glared but didn’t argue the point.“You look just like your mother.”

“Are you going to kill me for that?”Okay, so maybe Quinn only thought she would be able to remain calm until Kyllian got to her.

“I didn’t kill the bitch.She did that to herself when she betrayed the pack.”Dennis spit tobacco juice onto the ground, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.She wasn’t impressed.Looking down the driveway he asked, “Where are the others?”

Her uncles glanced at one another, and the one with the gun shrugged.“They were right behind us, but a big ass bird attacked them, and they wrecked.”

“A big— Bradley, you’re shitting me right now, right?”

“No, Alpha.”Bradley bared his neck to his father.“I swear that’s what happened.”

Dennis narrowed his eyes, looking from one son to the other.“Henry?”Quinn now had her uncles’ names.Henry nodded.

Dennis spit again.“Well, if five fucking wolves can’t handle one fucking bird, it serves ‘em right.”Turning his attention back to Quinn, he asked, “Did she give you any trouble?”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle, sir.”Bradley waved the gun in Quinn’s direction.

Tags: Faith Gibson Crime
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