Smith grinned. “I’ll admit, it was a pleasure to see you squirm on the ground like a dog, River. I would have enjoyed it even more had I known who you were at the time. We’ll have to reprise that little bit of fun. Soon. I’ll save it for when we’ve run out real work to do on you.”
“Can’t wait.” Jaxson gave Smith a bloody-mouthed smile, just to keep him off balance.
Murmurs from the pack’s thoughts washed over Jaxson’s mind. Stay down! Stay down! he broadcast to them. He was their alpha, so the command would automatically carry magical weight—a direct order was almost impossible to disobey—but most of them already knew to play possum until they had a plan.
Their responses echoed back.
Aye, aye, Captain!
Here, boss.
Yes, sir.
Jaxson…that last one was Jared. Their brother, Jace, wouldn’t be able to communicate, even if he was awake, but with Jared at the ready… All I need is a gun, brother. Jared’s thoughts rang clear in his mind. His brother was a sharpshooter in the Marines, but he had shifter-fast reflexes and deadly aim at every distance.
I’m on it. That was Daniel from the Wilding pack. Need a little time.
Time was something Jaxson could buy them. He peered up at the government thug still smirking down at him. “What exactly is it you want, Agent Smith?”
“I’d like to know exactly where you’ve stashed the Wilding kid. And the rest of her pack. I had special plans for her.” Agent Smith’s grin was too much.
Jaxson growled deep in his chest. It took everything he had to resist lunging at Smith. His pack was keeping quiet on the outside, but their mental growls were so loud they almost crowded out Smith’s next words.
“Aww… you’ve got a soft spot for her.” Smith leaned forward, hands on knees, grinning in Jaxson’s face. “Nice. I’ll have to use that at some point.”
“I’m really going to enjoy watching you die,” Jaxson ground out.
Smith laughed and straightened up. “Big talk for a man tied to a chair. And a shifter unable to shift. You’re clearly incompetent in the leadership department as well. You’ve already delivered most of your pack to me—and trust me, we’ll be rounding up the others soon enough. Not much of an alpha, are you, River? And once we relocate, I’ll have the truth serum pumping through you. Then you’ll spill every little thing I want to know. You might as well give up the Wilding location to me now.”
“How about you fuck off instead?” Jaxson held his gaze.
The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Oh, I was hoping you would say that.” He hit Jaxson again, this time hard enough to screech the chair legs against the concrete floor. Jaxson took his time recovering—as if the punch actually knocked him hard enough to matter—so he could gain more situational awareness. Cavernous metal building. Smelled of gasoline. Tanks and industrial equipment lined the edges. A large garage door that constituted most of one wall was actually rolled up and open to the night air. Dark had descended while they were passed out, which was why Jaxson hadn’t noticed the open door at first. Outside was a small plane, built for just a few passengers, but a substantial cargo hold. The only sounds drifting through the open hangar door were crickets, but the airplane lights were on. Was Smith planning on flying them all out? And if so, to where?
Jaxson shook his head like he was clearing it.
“Oh, come on, River,” Agent Smith complained, looking disgusted. “The girl would have put up more of a fight than this.”
Jaxson whipped his glare up to Smith. “What part of fuck off did you not understand?” he growled. I’m losing my patience with this asshole, Daniel. He pushed the thought out to Wilding.
This time, Smith came up from below with a punch to his jaw, then followed that with one to the right and another from the left. Jaxson let Smith beat on him without resistance, but when the last punch slipped off his face, slick with something, Jaxson had to look.
Smith was holding his hand, which was dripping with red. Could be Jaxson’s blood, but the way Smith was holding it, more likely he busted his knuckles pummeling Jaxson’s face.
Jaxson had to fight to repress the laugh bubbling up inside him.
Ready on your signal. Daniel’s thought pinged clearly in Jaxson’s head. Murphy and I have a plan.
Does this plan involve getting Jared a gun? Jaxson still stared at Smith’s cradled hand.
Yes, sir, Daniel responded.
Wait for my move, Jaxson thought. Then we all go. Priority is on getting Jared the weapon, then getting the prisoners out.
Yes, sir!
Jaxson lifted his chin to point to Smith’s hand. “Aww… did you hurt your hand, Agent Smith?” He used a voice so patronizing that even the smallest shifter pup would have been insulted. “Can I get you a band-aid?”