Bound to Kill

Alexa

It takes two hours for the healers to get our critically injured packmates, Hunter and Amanda, stable enough to travel. We enter the back of the packhouse and traverse a long hallway; hurried footsteps, the slight rattling of gurney wheels and the strong scent of disinfectant overload my senses.

Following the healers, Darius and I rush through the double doors at the end of the hall and enter the pack infirmary. “Alpha, you’ll have to wait here. Take a seat. I’ll update you when I can,” Lana says before entering the operating theatre.

Darius growls but doesn’t argue. He paces while I flop into a seat, hands shaking profusely. It’s my fault; this is all my fault.

Sensing my hysteria, the Alpha kneels, grabbing both my hands. “Lexi, this isn’t on you. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’m Alpha. I made the final call.”

I stare at him through watery eyes, biting my lip to hide how it trembles. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I say, “If I don’t get to blame myself, then you don’t, either.” He looks off to the side, unable to bury the guilt eating him up any more than I can. The difference is it was my plan. “Hunter will be alright, won’t he? They both will, right?”

Darius sighs, then sits in the seat beside me. “I want nothing more than to give you the answer you need to hear, but I don’t want any more lies between us. All we can do is wait and hope.”

It’s hard to hope with a mountain of dread burying you, sinking you deeper by the second, so deep it’s impossible to breathe. I close my eyes and try to ground myself.

I must have fallen asleep in the waiting room because I startle awake, heart pounding, and find myself alone in Darius’ luxury bed; rays of sunlight beam through the vertical blinds. The soft mattress, fluffy throw, and his sandalwood scent calm my racing heart but don’t settle the nausea brought on by my nightmare. The worst part is I’m awake, living the nightmare.

Hunter.

I mind-link Darius. What happened? Where are you? Is it Hunter? Amanda?

They’re both out of surgery but not out of the woods yet. I’m helping bury those we lost.

The pain in his voice makes me want to hold him and never let go. Why didn’t you wake me? I could have helped.

It takes a minute for him to respond. You finally looked peaceful. I didn’t want to take that away from you.

This man.

Get showered and meet me in the foyer in half an hour. I had someone pick up your things from the hotel. You’re pack now; you need to be here with us.

Shocked, I don’t know whether to thank him for saving me the trouble or throttle him for deciding for me. How did he even know where I was staying? The truth is, I’m happy he wants me here. To finally be part of a pack and be accepted. However, giving up control doesn’t come naturally. I’d chew his ass out, but he’s going through it, so I bite my tongue.

I make my way to his shower. Are we going to the infirmary?

Yes. Then, we have five wolves to interrogate.

Darius leads me to the lower-level tunnels. Sconces line the walls. It’s clean as far as tunnels go. “Straight ahead leads to a hidden exit in case of emergencies,” he says while nodding in that direction. “Left leads to the cells, and right is for interrogations. We head toward the interrogation rooms. “The enforcers have already brought in the suspects.”

The tunnel opens up into a large stone chamber with ten metal doors. Enforcers stands in front of five. Not waiting for Darius to take the lead, I jump straight in. “Where’s is she?”

“Who?” Neil asks.

“Stacey.” Even I hear the venom in my voice.

He points to the room in the left corner. “This one.”

Charging over, I open the door and give her my most sinister smile. Darius follows me inside, closes the door and leans against it with his arms crossed. It’s a plain room with one table with a chair on each side, no windows or one-way mirrors in sight.

Stacey is sitting, her foot tapping the floor. “What’s going on?” Her eyes dart from me to Darius. “I felt some of our wolves die, but nobody will tell me anything,” she chokes on a sob that I ain’t buying.

Leaning on the table which divides us, I leer down at her. “Let me start by saying this will be easier and less bloody if you’re honest with us. Are you working with Paul?” All my senses are trained on her, analysing her reaction.

“Of course not!” she spits out. “Who are you to come in here and throw accusations around? I’m loyal to my pack and Alpha!”

No sign of deceit. “What did you do after the pack meeting?”

She leans back, crossing her arms and sneering. “Michelle and I had a couple glasses of wine, then I turned in for the night.”

Another truth. “Are you in contact with anyone in Lakeside?”

A laugh of disbelief escapes her. She turns to Darius as if to say ‘the audacity’ but must not like the look on his face. Her focus quickly returns to me. “No! Are you? Since you showed up, it’s been one problem after another.”

She has me there, but the feral hybrid set this shitshow in motion, not my appearance.

“We ask the questions, you answer!” Darius growls. Pressure builds in my ears as I feel the weight of his command. A pleasant shiver travels down my spine. “Let me see your phone, Stacey.”

Gaping, she’s quiet for a moment. Her gaze flicks between us. “You can’t be serious! What the hell is going on?”

Darius sits in the spare seat, elbows on the table, body rigid and gaze burning into her. His gigantic frame makes the table look child-sized, anger radiates from him. I’m glad it’s not me on the receiving end of his wrath this time. Stacey averts her eyes, submitting.

“Five wolves died at three o’clock this morning, and we could lose another two before the day ends.” My eyes never leave Stacey while Darius takes over the interrogation. “Because someone informed Paul that Lexi would be visiting his cabin. It’s no secret that you would rather my mate wasn’t around. Did you leak the information, hoping Paul would harm her?” His eyes darken, his wolf just beneath the surface.

Stacey gulps but straightens her posture and attempts to look him in the eyes. “I may not be a fan of your mate, but I am loyal to you, and hurting her would hurt you,” she whispers. Her eyes meet mine, her face morphs in distaste, but she covers it before looking back at the Alpha. “I have never been anything but loyal to you and this pack. It’s insulting you think so little of me.”

“Did you tell anyone else about the plan?” he continues.

“No. Michelle and I discussed it briefly over a glass of wine in the lounge, but she was at the meeting. Nobody else was around.”

Either she deserves a nomination for best actress, or she’s telling the truth.

“If you have nothing to hide, you won’t mind letting me look at your phone,” Darius states.

She rolls her eyes, pulling it from her back pocket. “Ugh, fine!”

Leaning over Darius’ shoulder, I watch him browse her call log, messages and emails; nothing seems suspicious.

I link him. Stacey could have deleted the evidence or have a burner.

True, but I think she’s telling the truth. The search team just finished looking through her room; it’s clean.

Darius hands her phone back. “You’ll be restricted to your room until my investigation is over—with guards stationed at your door.”

“Fine! Will you at least tell me who got hurt? Who died?”

I tune out while Darius answers, not wanting the reminder. Stacey looks genuinely upset. If it’s not her, who could it be? A chair scraping across the ground snaps me from my thoughts.

“How bad is it, Alpha? Will Hunter survive?”

Darius’ eyes soften a little. “There could be permanent brain damage caused by the shrapnel. He’s in an induced coma.”

She gasps, eyes watering along with mine. I can’t help but think of all my encounters with Hunter: laughing over drinks, him standing up for me when Darius was being an ass, his kindness and charm. I may not have known him long, but he quickly burrowed a way into my heart. He has to be okay!

“You can stop by medical on the way to your room, but it’ll be a short visit. Say your goodbyes, just in case.” His voice wavers at the thought of the worst happening.

Two guards take Stacey to visit our Beta before confining her to her room.

Four hours later, our other interrogations conclude; no signs of deceit, no traitor revealed. Each suspect is confined to their room while Darius and I head to his study.

“Fuck! It has to be one of them; nobody else knew about the plan,” he growls before kicking a chair across the room. It crashes into the wall, leaving a dent before falling to pieces.

“If it’s one of them, they are very skilled at lying,” I admit, then slide down the wall, sitting with my head resting on bent knees, willing away the hammer-to-head sensation plaguing me.

My plan failed epically; all those deaths and Paul is still at large, the traitor unexposed. Shame and self-deprecation leave me feeling nauseated. Choking back a sob, I try to get my shit together. A glimmer of hope sparks as I remember finding a journal at Paul’s. Maybe it will reveal some answers. Reveal the traitor.

I’m about to retrieve it from my backpack when a vicious tug in my chest steals the air from my lungs. I stare at Darius in shock, searching his face for answers. I know it’s something awful. He swallows before croaking out words that make my vision blur.

“Hunter just died.”

Sad face! Let me know what y’all think so far. Who do you think the traitor is? Stay tuned to find out.

Thanks for reading :) xx