In front of her the forth man shook, his eyes wide with fear. He opened his mouth like he might speak but no words came out. Fight or flee. She hoped it would be the latter but she was prepared for the first option. If she had to, she would kill him too.
The man backed up three paces before turning tail and taking off in a full throttle run. Summer silently sighed. That was a relief. Now she just needed to decide if she was going to remain here in the hallway and fight the last remaining healthy captor or if she was going to run away. She dug deep inside to where she held Cullen’s soul to look for some advice. When she found it, she smiled. Cullen would stay and finish everyone off, feeling slightly ill about it later. But he would expect her to run like the hounds of hell chased her.
Deciding she’d had enough death and destruction, one kill had practically sated her on the subject, she turned and ran. She put her nose to the floor. Could she smell as a wolf did? After a moment, she shook her head. No. She was stuck as a human in a wolf’s body like Tristan had been. Only Tristan had been able to call out telepathically and she couldn’t do that. Maybe Kendrick’s scientists improved the spell.
Which made her very unlucky.
Clearly, she was not leaving the Institute without Cullen. If she had to kill every person in there she would find him. Perhaps she needed to retreat and figure out a plan that could get them both out of there with less chance of death.
Panting, her tongue hanging out of her parted jaw, Summer made her way towards a staircase. Should she go up or down or was she already on the ground floor? She jumped a foot in the air as a sudden screeching alarm went off. Great, she could be pretty sure they were now alerted to her escape or almost-break-out as the case currently was.
She whirled around but didn’t see anyone running into the hallway to search for her. What was going on?
She barely had time to struggle when the bag came down around her body from behind.
“I’ve got you. I can prove it now.”
A woman’s voice. Summer couldn’t identify the speaker. She growled and tried to struggle but it was no use as she was scooted into some kind of container. She heard the bars clamp down and she knew she was stuck.
“It’s not your fault, whoever you are. They’re doing strange things to people here. They’ve made you a wolf. But we’re going to get you to America and then you’ll be safe. We’ll find a way to turn you back.”
Whoever it was who talked to her had a kind cadence to her voice. But there had obviously been some kind of mistake. She thought Summer was one of the wolves Kendrick and Claudius had created. Did she want to rescue her?
A scene overwhelmed her eyes. Summer blinked to try to clear the sensation but it was fruitless. She had no control of when she had these occurrences and no control over them either.
She could see the woman who held her. She knew it was her. Tall with straight dark hair and cheekbones a model would envy. She stood in the woods. It was snowing. She called out to someone but no one answered. After a moment, she shivered from the cold and turned as if she would walk away. A howl filled the quiet night and Summer’s whole body vibrated as she heard it. One of the Westervelt Wolves was in terrible pain. Tears filled Summer’s eyes. They were pack and Summer couldn’t escape the physical reaction of his pain. She wanted to help but she knew she wasn’t really there. This hadn’t even happened yet and the only person who could fix whatever was wrong was this woman who held her hostage now.
Summer’s head swam as she returned to the here and now. Two thoughts occurred to her. The first was that if she could still receive visions then her wolf-half must be somehow still inside of her even though she couldn’t access her. Summer took a deep breath and felt tension leave her muscles. She wasn’t all alone and her wolf wasn’t dead.
The second thought that occurred to her—and she wasn’t sure if it was her own or Cullen’s soul talking to her—was if this woman was pivotal to a member of the pack then Summer couldn’t kill her or let any harm fall to her. She was going to have to just go along with this situation and see where it took her.
Summer whimpered and the woman cooed.
Good gods, would she ever get a break?
Chapter Twelve
Cullen’s nose twitched. He knew the man was there. He could smell him. For the better part of his life, he had followed that scent like the man was a god. And as Alpha of his pack, he practically had been. But, no more. The aroma that was Kendrick Kane evoked no sense of loyalty in Cullen, just a deep-rooted awareness of betrayal and hatred the likes of which Cullen had not felt since he’d witnessed his family’s murders three centuries ago.
He knew Kendrick knew he was aware of his presence. The fact that the man refused to speak first was some kind of mind game, and petty though it might be, Cullen had no intention of acknowledging Kendrick’s attendance in the room first.
If he took a step back, he would have to acknowledge that in a sick, twisted way the whole thing was sort of amusing. Kendrick had certainly gone out of his way to create an inventive scene. Cullen, now restored to his human form, was strapped to a metal table. His arms above his head as if he might be crucified. A needle poked out of his left hand, currently unattached to an intravenous unit but ready for action should they decide to dose him with any number of horrifying substances.
His feet had been pushed apart and belted down in the same manner as his hands. Two steel bars covered his waist and neck, making it impossible for him to even raise himself up to look around. The lights dimmed just enough that he couldn’t entirely trust his eyesight and meant he was entirely reliant on his wolf senses to see him through whatever events were about to unfold.
When he’d passed out he’d been in his wolf form. Now he was back in his human state. So whatever spell they’d zapped him with they, evidently, could undo if they wanted to. He filed that piece of information away for later.
“You know I’m here, my old friend.”
So, Kendrick caved first. Another piece of this strange puzzle Cullen would eventually work out. His former Alpha would never have let him win even that small victory. He noted Kendrick’s voice sounded gravelly and strained.
“I do know you’re here. But I would never call you my friend, Kendrick.” Cullen’s throat felt dry and he cleared it. “Just the opposite.”
“Oh come now Cullen.” Kendrick took the opportunity to walk out of the shadows. “Is that any way to speak to your Alpha? The man who faithfully led you for years, cared for your welfare, taught you everything you know?”
Cullen strained against the restraint on his neck. “I’ll give you that, Kendrick. You did teach me quite a lot. But everything I know? Not hardly. I still have some tricks up my sleeve.”
Kendrick laughed, the sound a cold, hard noise that filled the room for seconds before it disappeared. Kendrick continued his slow pace towards Cullen. Strangely, Cullen had to hold back his grin. Kendrick had certainly picked up a flair for the dramatic these past thirty-three years.
“You don’t have anything up your sleeves right now, Cullen. You’re completely naked, strapped to my table. I’d say you’re entire existence hangs on my goodwill.”