The Wolf Within (Purgatory 1)

“We won’t let that end game play out.” Pate’s voice was hard.

Duncan narrowed his gaze.

“All of the most dangerous, most powerful paranormals are here. But they aren’t getting out. No matter what plan is in place, you will stop it.”

The guy had to be insane. “Just me?”

Pate stared back at him. “Just. You.”

“You know I won’t survive. I’ll die here.”

“No, you can’t die. Not any longer.”

Right. Like he was supposed to believe—

“You’re a werewolf, and you’re a vampire. You don’t have the weaknesses of either, but you’ve got the strength of both. You’re the only paranormal of your kind in existence. Hell, most would say you shouldn’t be able to exist.”

Duncan didn’t have a ready comeback.

“I told you before…you’re an alpha, and that’s what paranormals understand. You go deeper into the prison, you face the bastards who think they’re in charge, and you damn well wipe the floor with them.” Pate’s shoulders heaved. “That will get the others to follow you. You’ll find out who’s helping to stage the escape. You’ll stop it. Hell, man, you’ll wind up saving the world.”

“Why me?” Duncan demanded. “And why the hell didn’t you tell me all of this sooner?”

“Because I didn’t trust you at first. I’d planned to do the deed myself. I’d even been getting injections of Shane’s blood so I’d be stronger, but then you had to get yourself bit.” Pate exhaled. “That sure changed up all the plans in place.”

“You were using me.”

“I’m fighting to keep this world safe,” Pate said, holding his gaze. “Sometimes, the things I have to do aren’t always pretty.”

“You’re a bastard, you know that?”

Pate nodded. “That’s what Holly told me when I took you away.”

Holly. “Where is she?”

“Do the mission, and I’ll tell you.”

Sonofabitch. Duncan surged forward and found himself right in front of Pate. The silver bars—he’d ripped them away. “How the hell…?”

“Told you,” Pate said, rocking back on his heels. “Only strength. No weaknesses.”

The bars fell from Duncan’s fingers.

“Now do the job. Stop the escape, and if you want, I’ll even damn well sing at your wedding to my sister, but we have to stop this nightmare first. Do you understand?”

Duncan wrapped his fingers around Pate’s throat. “I understand that you’ve been using me.”

Pate’s eyes widened.

“And I understand that I don’t f**king trust you.” How many lies had Pate told him? “You shot me.”

“Only after you’d taken Holly’s blood.”

He remembered the sweet taste of honey on his tongue. No, not honey. Better. So much better. He’d gorged on that taste. I want more.

“If I hadn’t shot you, then you wouldn’t have stopped drinking from her.” Pate tried to pry Duncan’s fingers from his throat. “I saved her.”

Had he been hurting Holly?

Duncan released Pate.

Pate didn’t back away. “In five minutes,” Pate said, “a guard will come in here for you. He’ll take you to general population. The werewolves there are supposed to all have collars and the vampires aren’t let out during the night. During the day, the vamps will be as weak as humans. Controllable.”

“I won’t be controllable,” Duncan said.

Pate shook his head. “No, you won’t be.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I’m even hearing rumors that the vamps are being starved and the werewolves are being tortured by silver—all to make them angrier, to get them ready to fight back against their guards.” His face was haggard. “We have to stop this. Will you do it? Will you stop the escape and help me figure out who’s pulling these damn puppet strings and trying to start a war?”

It looked like he didn’t have much of a choice. “Holly’s safe.” Not a question, a demand.

“Yes! I left agents at her place to keep an eye on her. She’s protected, okay?”

A light scent teased Duncan’s nose. Sex and honey. In hell. He gave a sharp negative shake of his head.

“What?” Pate barked. “What is it?”

“Holly.”

“She’s—”

“Here.” His snarl. Pate had betrayed him for the last time. He would cut the bastard open.

“That’s not possible!”

“I smell her.” Not just her sweet scent, but also her fear. Holly was there, and she was terrified.

Footsteps echoed, the tread coming toward him. The prison guard that Pate had spoken of?

A growl built in Duncan’s throat.

“Let him take you into the general population,” Pate whispered. “Do it. Dammit, I’ve got a mole in this prison, and he told me we don’t have much time.”

“Why didn’t he tell you who was behind the setup?”

“Because he’s a weak werewolf, the runt of this joint, and he doesn’t have that kind of power.”

Duncan inhaled again on a deep breath. “Holly.”

“Are you f**king sure?”

The guard was almost on them.

Duncan nodded.

“I’ll get her,” Pate promised. “I’ll search the prison, and I’ll get her out, I swear. Just do this mission. You can’t even imagine how many lives are at stake.”

He could imagine plenty. Only right then, there was only one life that mattered to him.

Holly’s scent was coming closer because the guard was coming closer. The guard had been near her. Near enough for Holly’s scent to recently rub off on him.

My senses are even more enhanced.

Duncan held Pate’s glittering stare. “I’ll get her,” Duncan said, “and I’ll end this f**king mission.”

Pate wouldn’t use him again.

Pate didn’t get a chance to reply. The door opened, and the guard came in. A middle aged, balding man, he froze when he saw the broken bars—and Duncan.

“It’s all right,” Pate said. The director had a gun in his hand. When had he pulled that out? “I have him contained. Just collar him, now.”

With trembling hands, the guard hurried forward and snapped a collar around Duncan’s neck. When the guard lifted his hands…that was when Duncan noticed the fresh puncture wounds on the man’s neck.