the same time. Valerius and Trent did the same. Impotent anger flowed through him. They needed to get out of here if they wanted to save Drew. Lucius sounded completely serious, and that always spelled trouble.
The wolves lunged toward Valerius and Trent, snapping their jaws at them. Valerius dodged and as fast as lightning, struck back. His fangs bit into the flesh of one of their attackers, tearing tendons and muscles and effectively immobilizing his opponent. Seconds after, two more pounced on Valerius. He managed to roll away from the first, but the razor-sharp claws of the second nicked his hind leg.
The wound didn’t prevent him from fighting back, however.
Behind him, Trent attacked with unleashed savageness. The thought of their mate in danger drove them both crazy with fear.
Unfortunately, in spite of their experience and superior strength, Trent and Valerius were outnumbered. Assaulted from all directions, their bodies soon showed countless wounds, the loss of blood debilitating them more and more. Valerius tried to ignore it, and he thought he’d succeeded, but all of a sudden, a large, familiar wolf pounced on him. Valerius scratched at his new opponent’s belly, but in spite of his efforts, his father’s superior strength won out. Darkness began to encroach on his vision. In the distance, he heard Trent’s tormented howl, and he knew all was lost.
* * * *
Trent awoke to a strange sensation of déjà vu. He spent far too much time unconscious lately. For a few instants, he thought he could reach out and feel Drew’s comforting touch in his fur. But when his vision cleared, he didn’t see the white walls of Drew’s clinic, but the darkness of a cell.
The memories hit him, and he recalled going to pick up Val, then running into Val’s father, Lucius. The man had set his soldiers on them, and the last thing Trent remembered was Val going still under his father’s larger bulk.
He could still sense his mate through their connection. In fact, he smelled him nearby. Trent shifted and rushed to the door of the cell.
Predictably, when he touched it, he found it to be made of a silver alloy. Just great.
Beyond the grate, he spotted another cell. Inside, Val stood, looking at him. Val let out an audible sigh of relief. “Thank the Spirit Mother you’re all right. I was so worried.”
“I’m fine,” Trent answered. “You?”
“Nothing a few hours won’t mend.”
Trent knew that, but he still felt relieved when he heard it from Val’s lips. Still, his most pressing concern continued to be Drew. “We have to get out of here somehow, Val.”
Just as he spoke, Trent felt someone approach. The man made no attempt to disguise his arrival or identity. When he reached them, Lucius stood between their two cells. “I see you haven’t completely understood your position. You cannot get out. Be thankful I allowed you to be close to each other, in deference of your mate bond.”
“If you believe in the mate bond, why are you doing this?” Val said. “Drew is our mate as well.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Lucius answered. “I’ve told you a million times. A human cannot and must not be a spirit wolf’s mate.”
“Why not?” Trent asked. “Give me a reason.”
Lucius stared at him in a mix of amusement or disgust. “Do you truly not know? A bite from one of us can turn a human feral. Can you imagine what would happen if these matings were allowed? We would be overcome.”
“There’s always another way, father,” Val said. He paused, seemingly hesitant. Trent knew what Val meant to reveal. Perhaps if Lucius knew about their plan, he’d stop being so unmovable. Because Val and Trent wouldn’t be able to get out of here without a key, and by the time Trent’s parents found out about this, it would probably be too late for Drew and the others. Trent had no doubt Lucius would harm Drew, just like he’d said.
“Drew is a doctor,” he said, hoping he wouldn’t make things worse. “He
The wolves lunged toward Valerius and Trent, snapping their jaws at them. Valerius dodged and as fast as lightning, struck back. His fangs bit into the flesh of one of their attackers, tearing tendons and muscles and effectively immobilizing his opponent. Seconds after, two more pounced on Valerius. He managed to roll away from the first, but the razor-sharp claws of the second nicked his hind leg.
The wound didn’t prevent him from fighting back, however.
Behind him, Trent attacked with unleashed savageness. The thought of their mate in danger drove them both crazy with fear.
Unfortunately, in spite of their experience and superior strength, Trent and Valerius were outnumbered. Assaulted from all directions, their bodies soon showed countless wounds, the loss of blood debilitating them more and more. Valerius tried to ignore it, and he thought he’d succeeded, but all of a sudden, a large, familiar wolf pounced on him. Valerius scratched at his new opponent’s belly, but in spite of his efforts, his father’s superior strength won out. Darkness began to encroach on his vision. In the distance, he heard Trent’s tormented howl, and he knew all was lost.
* * * *
Trent awoke to a strange sensation of déjà vu. He spent far too much time unconscious lately. For a few instants, he thought he could reach out and feel Drew’s comforting touch in his fur. But when his vision cleared, he didn’t see the white walls of Drew’s clinic, but the darkness of a cell.
The memories hit him, and he recalled going to pick up Val, then running into Val’s father, Lucius. The man had set his soldiers on them, and the last thing Trent remembered was Val going still under his father’s larger bulk.
He could still sense his mate through their connection. In fact, he smelled him nearby. Trent shifted and rushed to the door of the cell.
Predictably, when he touched it, he found it to be made of a silver alloy. Just great.
Beyond the grate, he spotted another cell. Inside, Val stood, looking at him. Val let out an audible sigh of relief. “Thank the Spirit Mother you’re all right. I was so worried.”
“I’m fine,” Trent answered. “You?”
“Nothing a few hours won’t mend.”
Trent knew that, but he still felt relieved when he heard it from Val’s lips. Still, his most pressing concern continued to be Drew. “We have to get out of here somehow, Val.”
Just as he spoke, Trent felt someone approach. The man made no attempt to disguise his arrival or identity. When he reached them, Lucius stood between their two cells. “I see you haven’t completely understood your position. You cannot get out. Be thankful I allowed you to be close to each other, in deference of your mate bond.”
“If you believe in the mate bond, why are you doing this?” Val said. “Drew is our mate as well.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Lucius answered. “I’ve told you a million times. A human cannot and must not be a spirit wolf’s mate.”
“Why not?” Trent asked. “Give me a reason.”
Lucius stared at him in a mix of amusement or disgust. “Do you truly not know? A bite from one of us can turn a human feral. Can you imagine what would happen if these matings were allowed? We would be overcome.”
“There’s always another way, father,” Val said. He paused, seemingly hesitant. Trent knew what Val meant to reveal. Perhaps if Lucius knew about their plan, he’d stop being so unmovable. Because Val and Trent wouldn’t be able to get out of here without a key, and by the time Trent’s parents found out about this, it would probably be too late for Drew and the others. Trent had no doubt Lucius would harm Drew, just like he’d said.
“Drew is a doctor,” he said, hoping he wouldn’t make things worse. “He
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