A new argument was on my lips when both Nix and Leo’s father came into view, flanking me on both sides, each wearing a transport button as well. Shit. They had me surrounded, the only option for escape was to head back into the lodge. And that wasn’t happening. I had things to do. “Listen, Leo. I’m doing everything now to protect Faith, not hurt her.”
“I know,” he said calmly, as if being a mated male himself he understood.
“My family is a disgrace. My mother was a traitor. She tried to have Trinity killed and tried to poison my—” I stopped myself before I used that word. I couldn’t say that word ever again. “She tried to poison Princess Faith on Lord Wyse’s orders. He has to be stopped.”
“I know,” he repeated. “And you’re still coming with me to the palace.”
“I can’t take down Wyse from the fucking palace.” My voice was calm, but inside I was roiling with rage. Aggression. I had to get out of here and protect my mate. The need was critical, primal, more important than breathing. “Don’t get in my way.”
“Too late,” he countered. “And it’s not me standing in your way. Fuck that. If it were up to me, we’d be blasters firing, straight in the front door of the Optimus unit. We’d kill him and be done with it.”
Both Nix and Leo’s father nodded.
“Then let’s go.”
Nix stepped closer, but it was Leo’s father who spoke. “It’s not up to us, Thor. Trinity and Faith are in charge, and they have other plans.”
No fucking way. Run. I had to run. They didn’t want to kill me, that was clear. If they had, I’d already be dead. Which meant they wouldn’t be willing to use lethal force to stop my escape.
I’d go back inside. Head for the roof. From there, I could track their locations and—
“Don’t even think about it, Thor,” Leo warned. “Faith needs you. She’s your mate. You are not going to fuck this up.”
“I’ve already fucked it up by being a Jax. I’m ruined. She’s not mine. She must choose another.”
He sighed. “Well, she disagrees. So let’s go.”
I moved faster than I ever had before. Pivot. Turn. Door open.
A sharp pain struck my ass cheek, followed by a burning sensation in my muscles.
Before I could process that, my feet refused to move like I wanted them to and I fell, smashing into the door on my way down. Twisting, I felt an odd projectile sticking out of my flesh. I pulled it free to see a needle on the end of an odd dart. I had never seen anything like it. “What… the… fuck?”
My voice sounded far away, down the end of a tunnel, and the sky was spinning.
“One going to
be enough?” Nix asked as all three of them loomed over me.
One what? And why was that bastard laughing?
Leo’s father squatted beside me, no menace in him, just curiosity. “Looks like it.”
“I like this weapon.” That was Nix and I turned my head just far enough to see the fuzzy outline of some kind of short rifle resting over his shoulder.
My lips went numb and I blinked several times, trying to keep my eyes open. It wasn’t fucking working. “Leo? What the fuck have you—”
My tongue was too thick to finish the sentence.
“Tranquilizer gun.” Leo grinned and stared at the weapon I had to assume Nix had fired at my ass. “Better than the stun setting on an ion pistol.”
“Impressive,” Leo’s father commented.
“Let’s transport him out of here. Trinity said to strip him naked and tie him down on Faith’s bed.” That was Leo.
“Shooting him in the ass was fun, but stripping him naked?” Leo replied. “Not the best part of the job.”
The last thing I heard was Leo’s laughter and then everything went black.