butler. “When my father gets here, lead him to the office.”
“Understood, Sir.”
Even as the butler said this, a feeling of wrongness encroached on Valerius’s mind. Perhaps they should leave, after all. His father was an enemy to be reckoned with, and even if he trusted Trent to take care of himself, he didn’t want to put his mate at risk in any way.
Lucius’s visit here couldn’t mean anything good.
Confirming Valerius’s suspicions, the lights inside the building suddenly flickered and went out. Trent looked around in shock.
“What the hell? The storm shouldn’t have reached us already.”
“It’s not the storm. Change of plans. You have to get out of here.”
But with the electricity down, the elevator wouldn’t work. As such, they needed to take the stairs. Only, Valerius had the feeling they were running out of time.
He led his mate toward the staircase, but just as they reached the side exit, the door burst open and a stream of soldiers entered the penthouse. Predictably, Lucius was the last one to come in. “Well, well. Look who we have here. My dear son and his supposed mate.
Trent Hart, if I’m not mistaken.”
Trent smiled tightly at Lucius. “That’s right. It’s an honor, My Lord.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Lucius answered coolly. Turning toward Valerius, he frowned. “I’ve heard disturbing things about you.”
Valerius arched a brow. “Oh? Do share them. Then maybe I can understand why you felt the need for this circus.”
“This is not a visit of courtesy,” Lucius shot back. “I come in the name of the Magistrate to demand you surrender the humans going by the names of Andrew Blunt, Paul Blunt, and Daniel Lawson.”
Valerius didn’t even blink. “Well, as you can see, they’re not here, like I said in my report.”
His father laughed. “That report is false, and we both know it.
Thankfully, I still have people who are loyal to the Magistrate.”
Lucius’s gaze shot to Thom, and Valerius at last understood how his father found out about this. What a fool he’d been. He’d known Thom forever, ever since the other man had been a pup. He’d brought Thom to work with him, given him a home, luxuries. Perhaps they weren’t friends, since Valerius long ago gave up any type of affection.
But Valerius liked to believe he at least had Thom’s respect.
Apparently not.
“I’m sorry, My Lord,” Thom said, “but the humans were clearly clouding your good judgment. Something needed to be done.”
“And you thought you could decide for me. Fool.” He shook his head. “At any rate, it doesn’t change anything. The humans aren’t here.”
“Don’t even say it,” Lucius replied. “I know exactly where they are. Do you think I am a fool? The Harts cannot hide them.”
So Valerius had been right. His father had figured them out, and all because of Thom’s betrayal. Once Valerius got his hands on the little weasel, he’d make the man pay.
Soldiers surrounded Valerius and Trent from every direction.
Thom watched the scene in visible dismay, obviously surprised at the outcome of his treachery. “I’m so sorry, My Lord.”
Valerius ignored him and focused on the imminent threat. They would not go down without a fight. “What do you plan to do?” he asked Lucius. He didn’t bother to deny his father’s words, since, at this point, it would only cement Lucius’s resolve.
“You will be arrested in the name of the Magistrate, and you will remain there while I deal with your human.”
Something in Lucius’s tone alarmed Valerius even further.
“Father, what are you talking about? Hurting humans is forbidden.”
“That may well be, my son, but mating them is worse,” Lucius answered.
“You can’t be serious!” Trent cried out. “This goes against everything we stand for.”
Lucius shrugged and waved at his men. “Enough of this nonsense.
Take them.”
Ripples of energy swept through the room as twenty spirit wolves shifted at
“Understood, Sir.”
Even as the butler said this, a feeling of wrongness encroached on Valerius’s mind. Perhaps they should leave, after all. His father was an enemy to be reckoned with, and even if he trusted Trent to take care of himself, he didn’t want to put his mate at risk in any way.
Lucius’s visit here couldn’t mean anything good.
Confirming Valerius’s suspicions, the lights inside the building suddenly flickered and went out. Trent looked around in shock.
“What the hell? The storm shouldn’t have reached us already.”
“It’s not the storm. Change of plans. You have to get out of here.”
But with the electricity down, the elevator wouldn’t work. As such, they needed to take the stairs. Only, Valerius had the feeling they were running out of time.
He led his mate toward the staircase, but just as they reached the side exit, the door burst open and a stream of soldiers entered the penthouse. Predictably, Lucius was the last one to come in. “Well, well. Look who we have here. My dear son and his supposed mate.
Trent Hart, if I’m not mistaken.”
Trent smiled tightly at Lucius. “That’s right. It’s an honor, My Lord.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Lucius answered coolly. Turning toward Valerius, he frowned. “I’ve heard disturbing things about you.”
Valerius arched a brow. “Oh? Do share them. Then maybe I can understand why you felt the need for this circus.”
“This is not a visit of courtesy,” Lucius shot back. “I come in the name of the Magistrate to demand you surrender the humans going by the names of Andrew Blunt, Paul Blunt, and Daniel Lawson.”
Valerius didn’t even blink. “Well, as you can see, they’re not here, like I said in my report.”
His father laughed. “That report is false, and we both know it.
Thankfully, I still have people who are loyal to the Magistrate.”
Lucius’s gaze shot to Thom, and Valerius at last understood how his father found out about this. What a fool he’d been. He’d known Thom forever, ever since the other man had been a pup. He’d brought Thom to work with him, given him a home, luxuries. Perhaps they weren’t friends, since Valerius long ago gave up any type of affection.
But Valerius liked to believe he at least had Thom’s respect.
Apparently not.
“I’m sorry, My Lord,” Thom said, “but the humans were clearly clouding your good judgment. Something needed to be done.”
“And you thought you could decide for me. Fool.” He shook his head. “At any rate, it doesn’t change anything. The humans aren’t here.”
“Don’t even say it,” Lucius replied. “I know exactly where they are. Do you think I am a fool? The Harts cannot hide them.”
So Valerius had been right. His father had figured them out, and all because of Thom’s betrayal. Once Valerius got his hands on the little weasel, he’d make the man pay.
Soldiers surrounded Valerius and Trent from every direction.
Thom watched the scene in visible dismay, obviously surprised at the outcome of his treachery. “I’m so sorry, My Lord.”
Valerius ignored him and focused on the imminent threat. They would not go down without a fight. “What do you plan to do?” he asked Lucius. He didn’t bother to deny his father’s words, since, at this point, it would only cement Lucius’s resolve.
“You will be arrested in the name of the Magistrate, and you will remain there while I deal with your human.”
Something in Lucius’s tone alarmed Valerius even further.
“Father, what are you talking about? Hurting humans is forbidden.”
“That may well be, my son, but mating them is worse,” Lucius answered.
“You can’t be serious!” Trent cried out. “This goes against everything we stand for.”
Lucius shrugged and waved at his men. “Enough of this nonsense.
Take them.”
Ripples of energy swept through the room as twenty spirit wolves shifted at
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