“He’s awake, bring him,” Lockland said.
The chain holding him upright was released without warning and he slammed to the concrete amidst laughter.
Someone grabbed him by the hair and yanked him up to his knees.
“You can walk or we’ll drag you.”
Unable to help it, he shivered.
“Fuck, he stinks like shit,” someone muttered.
In the next instance, he was doused with cold water and he slid his swollen tongue through his parched lips to suck gratefully at the wetness.
Another bucket was tossed over his head and he welcomed it. They pulled him to his feet and then a man was in front of him.
He opened his one good eye and met the hunter’s compassionate gaze. Without a word, the hunter slipped a dark cloak over his nakedness and Jonas knew without a doubt that this was the one called Lockland.
“Thank you,” he tried to whisper, but it came out garbled and he wasn’t sure Lockland had heard him until the man gave a small tip of his head.
Not all hunters were bad, he reminded himself. This one reminded him of Jace and if he could have smiled, he would have.
Two others, not as gentle, pulled each of his arms over their shoulders. He cried out at the pressure on his injured shoulder. Only his size kept it from completely breaking through like his calf, but it was still massively bruised.
Hopping on one leg, he was taken out of the dungeon and up the concrete stairs.
Light at the top burned his good eye and he closed it.
“I don’t know why you’re being nice to him,” one of the guy’s muttered.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to show some fucking compassion, Franz,” Lockland muttered.
“Why should I? It’s just going to be another session with Leopold and Cornelius using us to beat the shit out of him.”
“Yeah,” someone else said. “And him not talking again.”
Again? He blinked. He had no recollection of them beating him. Had they brought him up here before? He was surely losing his memory. Or was it his mind?
“You gave him the shot, right?” Franz said to Lockland.
“Don’t be stupid. Of course, I did,” Lockland returned.
Yet, Jonas couldn’t remember any prick of a needle.
Shoved into one wooden chair of four that sat around an outdoor table, he waited.
Movement to his left came with a swirl of a cloak and then Leopold was sitting across from him.
“It seems you have a memory problem or you’re being stubborn.”
“What?” he rasped.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Where are the wolves?”
“What wolves?” He met the hunter leader’s gaze with a flat stare.
The blow came from his left and snapped his head so hard, he fell from the chair. Someone hit him in the ribs with the iron bar from below. He lifted his wounded arms and hands to shield his face as brutal hits rained down on him until he lost consciousness.
Something snapped him awake and he found himself slammed back in the chair. He’d lost his robe the nice hunter had given him. His fingers of his left hand were crushed as well as the hand and a long string of bloody spit spilled from his mouth. He didn’t have the strength to suck it back in, so it pooled before dropping into a puddle on the table.
“By the time I’m finished with you, Jonas, you’ll be begging me to give you peace,” Leopold whispered close to his face.
He slowly lifted his head. Leopold’s smile was sinister. “And then I’ll make you my lap dog like Marcus. You’ll be falling over yourself to offer your ass up,” the man continued conversationally.
He shifted in his chair. Had they raped him? His whole body was on fire, but his ass felt fine. His wolf couldn’t heal his injuries, so that meant no, he hadn’t been violated. Still, though, he drew in a sharp breath.
“Did you?” he whispered through swollen lips.
“Not yet. Trust me, you’ll be awake when I do.” The hunter licked at his wet lips and smiled.
“What do you want to know?” Jonas rasped.
“That’s better.” The hunter’s smile grew. “Bring me the map.”
One of the mages rushed forward and spread out the map on the table.
“Show me the path they are taking.”
He glared at Leopold through his good eye, but lifted his finger and pointed to a trail in the lower part of Idaho. “You’ll never find them.”
“I will, because you’re going to help me.”
“How?” he whispered hoarsely.
“You’re coming with me, of course, and if you lead me astray? I’ll take your ass in front of the whole camp.”
Jonas shuddered and swallowed. He kept the tears inside, but he thought maybe, just maybe, his wolf was howling.
Alister
Pethious entered the library where he and Ian were making plans.
“What is it?” he asked, taking one look at his father’s face.
“I just received word that your Jonas was indeed captured.”
Alister sucked in a deep breath and then blew it out.
“How do you know that?” he asked through his clenched teeth.
Pethious arched one dark eyebrow.
Alister wanted to scream, but he held it in. Now was not the time to fall apart nor go to war with his father. He spun and tapped a finger on the map and then glanced at his father.
“This is where Marcus thinks they held him. It could be the same place they have Jonas.”
Ian leaned over the map. “Looks like middle of nowhere.”
“It’s not,” Pethious murmured, moving closer. “That’s Cornelius’ compound, but you’ll never get inside. His wards are ancient and too strong for you both without an elimination spell,” The high wizard tapped his chin. “And we don’t have time to make one.”
“Then how the hell are we going to get inside?”
“They come in and out through here.” His father’s long, elegant finger pointed to a ridge about a half mile away.
“A tunnel?” He moved closer.
“Mhmm. Same magic, but they open it there to exit and enter the place.”
“How close can you get me to that spot?”
“I don’t need to portal you to that exact spot.”
“Why?” The word came hot and fast. “You can’t keep me from him.”
“Since when have I ever tried to keep you from Jonas?” Pethious frowned impatiently. “If you remember correctly, I’m the one that encouraged you.”
“You did?” Ian said this time.
“How do you know all this?” Alister scowled, crossed his arms, and glared at his father until the man sighed.
“I have an inside person. He’s… collecting data as we speak. According to his last report, Jonas is alive but fading fast and they are forcing him to lead them to the wolves,” Pethious ended.
“Jonas wouldn’t lead them to the wolves,” he argued.
“No?” Ian cocked one eyebrow.
“No!” he growled at his uncle.
“Take Ian. And this time,” Pethious leveled a hard gaze at them both, “don’t fuck up.”
“What are you going to do?” He stepped closer when his father’s traveling cloak covered the man’s broad shoulders.