The Wolf Within (Purgatory 1)

And, in an instant, he was on his feet. On his feet, with one arm locked around her and with his claws at her throat. “You should have stayed back.” His body trembled against hers, but his hold was incredibly strong.

She tried to yank away from him, but his claws cut over her skin. The wet warmth of her blood trickled down her neck.

“I thought the FBI wasn’t supposed…to be…in for torture…” The arm around her waist tightened. “Guess it doesn’t count…when it’s just against…the animals?”

She tried to press back against him, attempting to move her neck away from his claws. “I didn’t do this! I’m here to help you!”

“Bullshit.” He turned her body, positioning them so that they stared through the cell’s bars—and right at a silent Duncan. “You wanted him to be top dog in this town, so you were getting rid of the competition.”

She tried to shake her head. When she felt the slice of claws on her skin, Holly froze. “I don’t—don’t care about who is alpha…”

His head bent toward hers. “You should,” he whispered. “Because only the alpha will be able to save you.”

“Let…her…go…” Duncan’s order. Growled. Barely human.

“Come make me,” Connor taunted.

Duncan didn’t move.

Because she’d told him to stay back? Her stupid compulsion?

Now Connor was the one to growl. “Vampire. I know what you did.” She felt the angry rumble behind her. “You think he’s your…dog…on a leash?”

She shook her head. No, she hadn’t thought that. She’d just been trying to stop Duncan from killing Elias.

Connor spun her around. Yanked her up on her toes. Glared down at her. And that was when she realized that his collar wasn’t glowing anymore. Not at all. Deactivated. There was nothing to hold him back now.

“You don’t control us,” he snapped at her. “We destroy you.” Then he lifted his hand, and she knew he was going to cut open her throat. Maybe even take her head.

That would sure teach her to play good Samaritan.

Since she wasn’t in the mood to lose her head. Holly slammed into him with all of her might. She kicked and punched with her vampire strength. He stumbled back, just a few steps, and she used that opportunity to race for the entrance to his cell.

“Duncan!” Holly yelled. “Help me!”

And he was there. Bellowing his fury. Pulling her against

him, holding her tight. Shane was right behind him, with fangs bared.

“Mine,” Duncan gritted as he pushed her behind him. “You don’t hurt…mine.”

A little late for that part. Her throbbing neck told her that, yes, she’d most definitely been hurt.

But then bones began to snap. Duncan was shifting. Connor was shifting. Their bones popped and bent. Reshaped. Fur exploded along their bodies.

“We need to get out of here,” Shane said. “Now.” Then he was hauling her out of striking distance. Once she was clear of the cell, Shame slammed the door closed. The wolves were locked inside.

And they were wolves now. Fully transformed. Fully beasts. Completely pissed off as they faced each other.

Brothers shouldn’t battle like this. “No,” Holly whispered. “We need to get Duncan out of there.”

Shane caught her hands. “His wolf needs to prove he’s alpha, or you’re a dead woman.”

“I’m a vampire, I’m already dead.” Wasn’t that the way the story went? But Duncan wasn’t dead. “He needs—”

The wolves were attacking each other. Claws were flashing, snarls filled the air, and the scent of blood deepened.

Duncan was about to kill his own brother, and even if Connor was a psychotic ass**le, she couldn’t let Duncan carry this weight on his shoulders. She leapt forward and yanked open the cell door.

Shane shoved it closed again in an instant.

She shoved him. “Okay, you’re older than me, stronger, but you will not stop me from helping Duncan! He needs me!” She pointed toward the door. “You’re an agent—where are all the humans? Why are the wolves so quiet? Go help them.” Her chin lifted. “And leave Duncan to me.”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. But he knew something was wrong in the facility, just as she did.

“Are you going to let them all die?” Holly pushed.

The answer was on his face. No, he wasn’t. “Don’t get yourself killed,” he ordered, then he ran from the room.

“I can’t make that promise,” she whispered.

Elias scrambled out after Shane.

And she opened the cell door and prepared to walk between two werewolves.

***

Leaving a woman on her own with two snarling werewolves wasn’t exactly the way Shane would normally operate.

But the situation wasn’t normal.

Pate should have come to find them by now. The guy hadn’t showed, and there was only one reason why Pate wouldn’t be searching for his little sister.

Because he’s dead.

Shane inhaled deeply. He caught the scent of blood and ran faster.

Or close to dead.

He’d heard a gunshot before. Two blasts. The wolves in that place would be fighting with fangs and claws, but any humans there—like Pate—would be using guns.

Shane whirled around a corner. He’d headed back toward Holly’s lab. He took another turn and—

Saw Pate’s body slumped in the hallway. A thick pool of blood was around him. Hell, no.

He sank to his knees beside Pate. The director’s breath rasped out, weak, and Pate groaned when Shane touched him.

Too much blood.

Humans weren’t equipped to survive this kind of attack.

It was a good thing that Pate wasn’t exactly human. Shane bit his wrist and forced his blood into Pate’s mouth. Pate’s eyelids flickered, but he took the blood. The guy knew better than to fight in a situation like this.

He’d give him a little more blood, get Pate to tell him what the hell had happened and—

He heard the faint rustle of a footstep behind him. “I knew you weren’t human.”

Fuck.

He lunged up and whirled to face the threat.

But a wooden bullet sank into his chest.

Chapter Ten

“Stop fighting!” Holly yelled.

And Holly’s blood…the scent was around him. Driving him insane. The bastard before him had dared to use his claws against her skin. He’d cut her. Would have killed her.