Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“Sure.” Raya shrugged. “It wasn’t hard, although I would’ve expected more casualties. Not bad for my first couple of tries, though. The next time will be spectacular.” She glanced at her watch. “After I kill him, you can take over both packs, Victor.”
Victor blanched. “I don’t know that I have enough soldiers to go to war.”
“You do,” she said. “I’ve sent most of their good fighters away on different educational trips.” Her gaze flicked to her watch again. “There’s going to be a phenomenal explosion in the mine, right between the morning and afternoon shifts. They’ll lose most of their best fighters, including Thane, and then the entire territory will be ours. We can base headquarters here.”
Emily’s breath caught as realization dawned. “This is the Embervault Mine.”
“Sure is,” Raya said smoothly. “It’s the new headquarters of the Granite-Slate Pack, which Victor will rule.”
Victor stepped away from her. “Wait a minute. What do you plan to do with my cousins?”
“Do you really care?” Raya snarled. “You’re the one who had Emily kidnapped the first time.”
Victor blanched, his gaze sliding to Emily and then down. “That was just to show Philip how vulnerable she is and that she can’t be the Alpha. I told them not to hurt you, Emily. Even if you hadn’t escaped, they would’ve let you go.” He glared at Raya. “I can’t believe you told her. That was a secret.”
Fury focused Emily. “You told Raya about the garlic?”
Raya snorted. “He did, so I made sure my guys employed the same props. But you weren’t supposed to walk away the second time. Damn Jackson Tryne for finding you. I guess third time is the fucking charm.” She straightened to her full and rather unimpressive height. “Now Victor, I have everything in place. All right?”
He looked from Emily to Nadia before turning back to Raya. “Sweetheart, I love you with my whole heart, and I’ll give you everything you want in this life…but I don’t want you to kill my cousins.”
Raya planted both hands on her hips, her brown eyes sparking. “Vic, you’ve beaten the heck out of more than one female lover in your past. You told me all about them.”
“I told you I was drinking and that I felt horrible about it whenever I sobered up,” Victor snapped. “I have a bad temper. I’m trying to work on that. But that doesn’t mean I want you to kill my cousins.”
Raya’s lips pressed into a thin line. She slowly backed away, eyes glinting dangerously. “Are you messing with me right now? I’ve given you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“I don’t want this,” he said, his voice rough with conviction.
Nadia groaned from the floor, drawing their attention.
Emily worked harder on the cuffs, but she couldn’t find a way to loosen them with the knife. Every time she slipped, she nicked herself, exposing her skin to more silver. Pain pulsed through her wrists, sharp and relentless. “Victor, you have to get us out of here. Nadia needs a doctor,” she said, her voice urgent.
Victor hesitated, looking between them and Raya. His shoulders tensed. “Yeah, I know. You’re right.” He took a step toward them.
“No!” Raya shrieked.
Victor muttered something, but before he could move, a gunshot echoed through the room. Emily jumped. Victor slowly turned.
Raya lowered a gun after shooting at the ceiling, her gaze hard. Pieces of plaster and dirt drifted down around her. “I can’t believe you’re not more appreciative,” she shouted, her voice wild and cracking. “I brought them here as an offering to you. A promise of our future.”
Victor shook his head slowly. “Raya, this isn’t the way. I’ll go to war with the other pack if that’s what you want. We’ll take them over and just move both territories to one spot, whether the packs like it or not. But you can’t kill two defenseless females.”
“You don’t love me.” Raya’s tears streaked down her cheeks.
“I do,” Victor said, stepping closer. “But I’m not going to let you do this.”
Her eyes gleamed with madness, and she pointed the weapon at him. “You can’t stop me. If you’re not going to be the Alpha, I know who will.”
“Who? Your hired muscle?” Victor spat. “The one who stabbed a defenseless female in the back? That’s who you want to align yourself with?”
“Yes,” Raya hissed and fired four shots center mass.
The bullets hit Victor with brutal force. His body jerked with each impact, eyes widening in shock. He dropped to his knees, gasping as silver veins crawled up his neck and across his face. His skin paled to an ashy gray as agony twisted his features.
“Oh, God,” Emily whispered. “They’re silver.”
Victor pitched forward, landing face-first on the floor. Blood spread from beneath him, dark and thick against the stone floor. The sharp metallic scent mingled with the cold air.
Emily’s heart pounded as she lifted her gaze to Raya. “You’re insane.”