Cricket had known Dr. Becker since she moved to the LIA. Could he be the human mole Jack said had infiltrated their packs? Yet, he’d saved so many of their lives. Risked his own.
“Nothing a shower won’t heal,” said Slade.
Cricket smiled. “And a pizza.”
Becker nodded. “Rylee’s treat.” He gave Cricket an injection and dressed her wound.
She winced, but focused on warm cheesy pizza. “Thanks, Doc, I’m salivating instead of screaming.”
Rylee looked at Becker. “After you’re done, take them to the safe house.”
“Going after them, ma’am?” asked Cricket.
“Off to roundup the traitors at Wolf’s Lair Castle. Our helicopters are on their way to pick us up.”
“The boom earlier. You obliterated the lab facility and drones?”
“Yep. Nothing left but one giant crater.”
Slade straightened. “I’ll go.” His bruises and gashes already healing. Alpha blood advantage.
“And me, too,” said Cricket, ignoring the pain beneath the bandage. She meant her promise to stay together. At least on the mission. Once home, who knew?
Rylee glared. “No. I’m ordering you to the safe house. Disobey and I’ll lock the two of you up.” Her eyes softened. “Besides, you did more than enough. Saving mankind from the Ragnarok apocalypse earns you some R and R.”
Cricket lowered her head. “But, Henrik, the lycan who ran the amnesia brainwashing experiments is still out there.”
Slade snorted. “He won’t get far, Cricket hamstringed him.”
Rylee’s eyes widened. “You did?”
“Yes, he was about to cut Slade’s ear off.”
Slade’s eyes widened. “He was?”
“Yes, Prince Slade, I stopped him from maiming you. Not bad for an accident prone runt, eh?”
“You are no runt, but an amazing team member,” he said.
Nik addressed Rylee, interrupting their mutual admiration society. “We must find Saskia.”
“Don’t worry, if she’s an oath breaker, we’ll find her.”
Cricket cocked her head. “The mate Wolfstrom assigned to you?”
He swore in Russian. “The bitch should stand trial.”
Rylee sighed. “Since they’ve been brainwashed, we’ll work on returning them to normal.”
Nik’s lip curled. “She was Wolfstrom’s niece and devoted to his cause.” He stared toward the forest as if searching her out. “She believed in bathing in virgin girl’s blood to enhance her youth.”
Cricket swallowed. “Like Countess Elizabeth Bathory.”
Slade tilted his head. “Who?”
“A human woman in the 1600s also tortured and bathed in virgin girls’ blood, thinking it would make her immortal,” explained Cricket.
Nik scowled. “Yes, Saskia preferred torturing to make the blood more potent.”