Christian
The truck disappeared around the corner. He knew where it was taking Ellie. He didn’t have to chase it. And it wouldn’t do any good. When he went back to the Quade ranch again, it would be to destroy it.
He padded back to the wide-open door of the hotel room. Ryan was right behind him. Daniel had already shifted back and was getting dressed inside.
Christian glanced around. No one was in the parking lot. He and Ryan both shifted and walked toward their respective piles of clothing.
“This is war. Your grandmother took my mate, Quade.”
“I know.” Daniel’s shoulders dropped. “I can’t believe she’s taking it this far.”
“I’m going to kill her, Daniel. I’m just warning you ahead of time.” Christian yanked on his boots and kicked the hotel room door shut. “Anyone who gets in my way. And your people better get my sister and Ellie off that ranch.”
“I’ve made arrangements to get Molly out of there. I can’t change the plans now. I won’t have a chance to talk to those guards again. Grandmother won’t let Ellie or Kate out of her sight. She wants the trials to happen now and I’m pretty sure she wants me to lose.”
“Fucking hell, Quade.” Ryan punched the wall and left a fist-sized sunken hole in the sheetrock.
“Is Ellie your mate, Christian?” Daniel met Christian’s gaze with gold flickering in his eyes. The pressure behind that question made Christian’s wolf want to bare his teeth and growl. Alpha or not, Ellie was his.
“They’re already half-way bonded, jackass.” Ryan snarled, turning to face Daniel.
A half-snarl-half-growl rumbled from Christian’s throat. He hadn’t planned any of this. He didn’t even know what fated mates were before Ellie had explained. But it made her vulnerable. She was a weakness. And she was in danger already because of him.
“Christian.” Daniel’s voice took on a little more of that powerful quality, and Christian felt his inner wolf get even more pissed. He hated being forced to answer. He hated feeling like Daniel could make him do what he didn’t choose to do.
“Yes.”
Ryan lunged. “You should’ve died at the bottom of that ditch. Now Ellie and Kate are in danger because of you!”
Christian dodged and raised his fists, ready to fight the bigger man. Ellie was his. He wasn’t ashamed to feel that way. Not anymore. He wanted her. He didn’t deserve her, but he wanted her with every single fiber of his being. He would earn her. Every day of his life would be a testament to how much he wanted to be worthy of her.
Ryan came at him with the strength of an angry gorilla, fists balled like rocks shot from a cannon. He ducked the big man’s first throw and ploughed his own fist into Ryan’s gut. His flesh gave little, but there was a slight grunt of discomfort from the overly large bulldogger.
Christian didn’t duck fast enough and caught Ryan’s next fist square on his jaw. The force of the blow knocked him to the floor. The hit shocked his system, but only for a second. He was used to getting tossed around by a couple thousand pounds of rodeo bull. A fist fight was nothing in comparison.
“This will not help get them back.” Daniel’s voice was heavy and commanding and even Ryan paused, fist mid-air. “Hold your anger for someone who deserves it. What happened is done. Stop fighting each other. Christian never wanted Kate, Ryan. He was being blackmailed. Or can your tiny little Oklahoma brain not register that piece of data?”
“Fuck you.” Ryan flipped off Daniel and growled, but he dropped his fists and turned away from Christian. “I’m still angry. My wolf is still angry.”
“Well, too fucking bad.” Daniel bit the words out between gritted teeth.
Christian’s adrenaline was racing through his veins like he’d just gotten off a bull ride.
He hated all of them. They’d made him into something he didn’t understand. They’d stolen his baby sister and hurt her. And then there was Ellie.
He never wanted to get close to anyone. And she had just strolled right into his life and claimed his heart and he wanted her so much it hurt. And now she was in danger too, because of him.
“Where are they taking my sister?” Christian grabbed Ellie’s truck keys from the nightstand and walked to the door.
“They will meet them outside of town. Tonight. They are to sneak her out during the trials. I promise. I already told Will and Dee where they would be.”
Promise. Fat load of good a promise was going to do him.
“Where the hell are you going?” Ryan took a step toward Christian.
“To get Ellie and beat the shit out of anyone who gets in my way.”
“I’m on board with that, but if I show my face they’ll know something’s up.”
Christian nodded. “Can you meet Will and Dee wherever they’re going? I’ll get them back or I’ll die trying.”
Ryan nodded. “I believe you. Give’um hell.”
“Fuck you both. Christian, you don’t know what you’re walking into on that ranch tonight. All hell is about to break loose. Just let me go back and try to talk to my grandmother. Let me see if I can get her to let them go.”
“Nope.” Christian opened the door and walked to Ellie’s truck. “All hell is breaking loose tonight. I’m taking her back, no matter what, even if I have to fight in your fucked up games too. You hear me, Daniel. You can growl and snap and try to make me bow and I’m not gonna. I’m done.”
Daniel followed him out into the parking lot.
Ryan walked out behind Daniel, an amused grin plastered across his face.
“You do what I say.” Daniel shouted the words.
Christian felt the magick. He felt the pressure. He felt his wolf consider submitting, and then he shook it off. Not tonight. Tonight was about saving Ellie and taking back everything this damned wolf pack had taken from him. He was rising up. Apparently, Daniel wasn’t as solid of an alpha as he thought.
“Get in the truck right now or I’m leaving you here.” He climbed into Ellie’s truck and started the engine. Daniel glared at him but walked around to the passenger side and got in anyway. No words were exchanged.
Christian pulled out of the parking lot. Ryan’s truck trailed a few seconds behind him. He followed for a minute or two and then turned off on a different road.
Daniel turned to Christian in the cab of the truck. “You can’t just drive up and demand her back. You’re going to make this messy. Just let me fight the trials. Once I’m in charge the whole pack will obey me without question.”
“You’re already alpha. You should be able to force them already, right?”
“They feel the need to challenge me. Until I win the trials, there will be rebellion and unrest in the pack.”
Which is why the Darth Vader shit wasn’t working as well…Christian squinted through the bright midday sun reflecting up from the black asphalt road. “So, you’re saying none of the wolves are taking orders right now?”
“Except from my grandmother, really.”
“Even though you claimed it.”
“I claimed the bond. We were in pain without an active bond. But our pack…” His voice trailed off, sadness coating each word with a thick ugliness. “Our pack—”
“Is a fucking train wreck.”
Daniel nodded and turned to look out his window. “I know you have every reason to hate all of us, but sometimes you’re just born into a mess and there’s no good way to clean it up. I’m trying. I really am.”
“I believe you. It’s just too little, too late.”
Was Daniel strong enough to fix it? Christian could hear the genuine desire in the man’s voice. But nothing could be left to chance in these damn games.
Nothing.