I have a seat at a table next to Bruin and Penny and order a beer. With my drink in hand, I take a big swig before setting it down on the table. The whole time I stare at Teddy, daring him to get up and make a move. He looks at Deator and then back at me before he gets up and storms out the front doors of the clubhouse. Good riddance. He may be a patched member of the club, but he’s no man. If he was, he would have helped me save that girl all those years ago.
Chapter 3
Mona
I don’t have to get any closer to see Mandala of the Eater’s MC. It wasn’t hard to figure out where they would be since they took over Last Omens’ clubhouse. I parked my bike a few miles down the road and walked the rest of the way in. I needed to walk anyway. I rode straight here and my legs are tight. I’m itching to shift into my wolf, but I don’t take the chance of shifting because I know a wolf would be spotted quickly, especially here in Eater territory where there are nothing but bear shifters. No, I covered my scent and snuck onto the property. Which was easy to do, since I was raised here. I know this land inside and out. I snuck in and out of here quite a bit when I was younger. But looking at it now, it doesn’t look anything like it used to. The property that was once treasured and cared for is now a dump. They’ve let it go and the place is barely recognizable to me now. The only thing that looks the same is the tire swing that still hangs from the big tree in front of the compound. My brothers, sister and I use to swing for hours from that rope. I would guess the only reason it’s still there is because no one has used it.
I lean flat against a tree, peeking toward the figures standing outside. There are quite a few men hanging out and talking. One of them flicks a lit cigarette on the ground and I can’t help but think if my momma had seen that she would’ve made him pick it up. I spot Mandala easily. He’s still wearing my necklace, the one my mother gave me. It was made from the bones of the most violent enemies our ancestor wolf pack had ever faced. It was a badge of honor to her family, to the last Omens, to me. And he took it from me.
Seeing Mandala, bald, covered in tattoos, wearing my necklace takes me back five years so vividly that I feel stiff and frozen as I watch him, remembering the way he abducted and abused me. He would have killed me if it hadn’t been for interference. That was the worst day of my life, and a part of me felt as if I’ve lived it over and over since then. But I haven’t let it keep me down. No, if anything it’s pushed me, made me stronger.
Even then I knew that Mandala was deadly and I’m not stupid enough to think that even in my wolf form, I could take him. I knew that when I left all those years ago, and it’s still true today. Even now when I have so much hatred built up inside me, I know he and I against each other would not be a fair fight. But that doesn’t derail me. I have plans for taking him down, but I’m going to need help.
Not only did he take my innocence, he took my home and my family from me too. And one way or another, I’m going to get my revenge.
I drag my eyes from him and force myself to move. I want nothing more than to go to him, right now, and face him down. But I don’t. I walk back the way I came, looking behind me to make sure that I’m not being followed. When I get to where I hid my bike, I get on and drive the backroads that will take me straight to the New Law clubhouse. If I’m going to beat Mandala and the Eaters, I have to have help. And the only ones I know that want the Eaters dead as much as I do are the New Laws.
I figure the best way around it is to drive straight to their compound. They will know I’m coming, but that’s fine. I don’t need the element of surprise. They are not going to trust me if I try to sneak on to their property. I’ll drive straight for them, like I’m some kind of big army instead of just one woman. My only goal is just to convince them to be on my side and help me with Mandala and the Eaters.