Once again, the hall silenced as they walked out. She held her breath as she passed Slade’s table. He kept his gaze lowered, but she heard his pounding heart. Please, Slade, chill before they kill us both.
After they left the dining hall, Cricket released a breath. Whatever plans Jack had in store for her, best Slade didn’t know. Anyway, if Jack had any thoughts about raping her, he best bid his balls farewell. Runt or not, her claws were sharper, longer and deadlier than any alley cat.
They went down a set of spiral stairs to the lower level. Someone who went through the trouble to create a realistic castle must have a dungeon. Yet, the hallway looked modern. One of the guards flashed a keycard in front of a door. The door opened to a futuristic-looking apartment like the one back at the lab headquarters. “Welcome to my digs.”
The guard glowered at her. “Harm Henrik’s human and you will be gutted in front of Prince Slade.”
She lowered her head. “Got it.” So much for neutering Jack, just yet.
The guard left, and the door closed.
Alone with the still intact male.
Jack went all perfect host. “Hey darlin’, want a beer?”
“No, thank you.”
He drew her in and kissed her neck. “Good. I hate wasting time.” He threw her against the bed.
She straightened. “Your foreplay needs work.”
He snorted and went into the bathroom. He returned with a towel and draped it over a camera.
Odd. “Not into home porno tapes, I see.”
“I don’t like being watched, but trust me they’ll hear your moans of pleasure.” He opened a drawer and took out a small pad of paper and pen. “Take your clothes off and get under the sheets.” He sat on the desk and wrote something while she removed her shoes and coveralls. Maybe he was into writing porn as a form of foreplay.
Jack put his pen down and scowled. “In bed. Now!”
Neutering him and then being disemboweled as punishment wasn’t an option. What if I knock him out and then convince him we had great sex? Or better yet, convince him he could end up on the menu if he doesn’t join my side.
Jack approached, still dressed. “Go wolf on me bitch, and I’ll sound the alarm.”
“Me? You’re the one going bitch.”
He glared at her, but then grinned. This is not going to go well. For him.
Chapter 15
Slade sat on the bed of his locked suite and pressed his hands against his head. Watching Cricket leave with Jack tormented every fiber of his being. He should have killed Jack at the biker bar. His nostrils flared and with each loud breath, he imagined tearing him apart limb from limb. Yet, killing him wasn’t possible. Slade heeded Henrik’s warning. Try anything, and we’ll dissect her in the lab while you watch behind the bars of a werewolf proof cage.
He had to trust Cricket wouldn’t let Jack rape her. Knowing her, she’d use her charm to manipulate him. Or not. Jack had to be psychotic. Why else would he betray his kind to serve lycans? Then again, plenty of human serial killers murdered for no reason other than a sick thrill.
Slade glanced at the cage provided for him next to his bed. Henrik had ordered him to enter it if he chose to go wolf. No choice. He’d go mad and possibly go into phase trauma if he didn’t shift. Phase trauma would cause him to remain in a killer hybrid human lycanthrope form. He’d then progress again into clinical morphopsychosis. Again. Maybe that was their plan. At least then, they might be able to control him with force or drugs.
Slade snapped off his coveralls, stepped into the cage, and slammed the door. It locked on impact. He shifted into wolf form. His beast understood one thing, protect Abella. He rammed against the cage. The bars took the impact without a dent.
A camera outside the cage aimed on him. Wolfstrom laughed. “We used the strongest alloy. Even stronger than the rods your enforcers use to cage their prisoners.”
Slade lunged for the camera, only the bars stopped him from reaching and crushing it with his extended claws. He growled at the oath breaker. Cold hate emanated from every cell of his body.
“Magnificent. Prince Slade, you are a fine specimen. Pity, you’re the last of your pack.”
Slade shifted back to human form. “What the fuck do you want with me?”
“You and Agrippa will make strong alpha pups.”
“She’s not my type.”