“Because you’re already in enough pain.” Lyle’s hand came up and clasped his shoulder. “I didn’t want you to see just how far your sister has fallen. I didn’t want any of the other hunters to see just how twisted she’s become. They thought she was a friend, but the truth is, she’s been working with Gage Riley. She’s been planning—” His hand tightened on Jonah’s shoulder and his words broke away.

Jonah frowned at him and knocked that comforting hand away. “Just what has she been planning?”

“She was selling us out to her wolf. Telling him where our compound was located. You want to know the real reason all of Gage Riley’s pack mates vanished from the city?” The faint lines around Lyle’s mouth deepened. “They’re planning to attack us, and Kayla was going to help them destroy every hunter here.” The briefest of pauses, then, “Every hunter, including you.”

Bullshit. Kayla would never turn on him. No matter what else had happened, he wouldn’t believe that. Kayla wouldn’t hurt him, wouldn’t turn on him—

Not the way I turned on her. He could still see her eyes. When she’d realized that he’d shot her . . . betrayal.

She was the only family he had. When he’d been in that hospital, wired to those constantly beeping machines and drugged out of his mind, Kayla had been there. Every day. Bandaged and bruised herself, she’d held his hand.

“Everything’s gonna be all right, Jonah, I promise . . .” Kayla’s young voice. A voice that he still heard late at night, when the memory of pain and death came to him.

Jonah cleared his throat. “What’s gonna happen to her?”

Lyle turned away and headed for the door. “Come now, Jonah. Do you really think I’d kill a human? Her?”

Yes. Because Lyle could be the coldest SOB that Jonah had ever seen.

And as his boss walked out of the room, Jonah knew . . . nothing would ever be all right again.

I’m sorry, Kayla.

“He’ll be back early,” Kayla said as she adjusted her clothes. “No way is he going to give us an hour. The guy will be coming back—”

“Now,” Gage told her because he could hear the tread of footsteps in the hallway. Lyle had a hard step. Pushing forward with too much eagerness. The guy was hurrying down the hallway in his rush to return.

Cause you want to watch us bleed.

Kayla spun back to face him. Her lips were still swollen from his mouth, but her face was so controlled, so determined. She was a brave one. “Once we’re out of the cage, that’s when we have to attack.”

As long as they didn’t get tranquilized or shot first, yes, that was the plan. Not a very good plan, but all they had for the moment.

She pulled on the chain.“They think this will keep us in check.”

Because silver could be such a bitch to his kind.

“But you can stand the pain.”

Yes, he could.

“So the silver’s not a weakness. It’s our advantage.” She lifted the chain and met his eyes. “It’s our weapon.”

Hell, yes, it was. Because Lyle might not be so good at handling the pain. The bastard wasn’t an alpha, no matter what he might be telling himself.

Gage smiled at her. “Anyone ever told you . . . you’re beautiful when you’re planning to kill?”

Her lips seemed to curl, just a little. “Only you.”

The metal screeched as the holding room door opened.

More footsteps. Lyle came in, wearing that smug grin of his. He inhaled, then laughed, “I knew you’d just have to take that one last chance to fuck her.”

And Gage had known that the guy would catch the scent of sex on Kayla. A human wouldn’t have known, but a shifter’s nose . . . no fooling it.

Kayla’s shoulders stiffened. “You’ve got it wrong. I’m the one who wanted the chance to fuck him.”

Now Lyle’s grin slipped.

Good.

But then Lyle pulled a gun out from the holster on his hip. “This isn’t loaded with tranqs, Kayla, my dear. And you know I’m one damn good shot. After all, I taught you, didn’t I?”

The chain hung between Kayla and Gage.

“So this is what’s gonna happen,” Lyle said as he came closer to the cage. “I’m gonna open the cage and Kayla, you’re gonna come out. I’ll unchain you, and if either you or your wolf try to come at me . . .” He lifted the gun. Aimed it at her. “You’ll get a shot right to the head. Between those pretty gold eyes of yours. Then Gage can howl over your cold, dead body.”

Fury and fear swept through Gage. He’d been worried the guy would try some shit like this—

“So you’ll free me from this cage, and then do what?” Kayla demanded. No fear from her. Just anger. “Let me waltz out of this place?”

Lyle laughed. “No, of course not. I’m gonna torture you until you break.” His gaze met Gage’s through the bars. “Or until he does.”

“I’m not the breaking type!” Kayla snapped.

“Everyone is, after a while.” Lyle punched in a key code on the cage’s lock, then scanned his left thumb. A soft click and whir sounded. Lyle stepped back and aimed his gun at Kayla’s head once more. “Now push open the door and come on out. Then I’ll un-cuff you.”

So the torturing fun could begin.

Kayla glanced back at Gage. “I’m not afraid of pain.”