“That’s what they all say,” Lyle told her, “at first.”

Gage’s claws were out. He wanted to rip into that bastard. He would.

As soon as that gun wasn’t pointed at Kayla’s head.

Kayla walked from the cage. Because of the chain that bound them, Gage had to step forward, too. Slowly, carefully.

“Stop right there, Gage, that’s far enough,” Lyle commanded and Gage caught the scent of the guy’s sweat. Good. Lyle was afraid. He should be.

As Gage stared at him, Lyle’s left hand lowered and came back up with a set of keys. But his right hand—the bastard lifted his right hand and pressed the barrel of the gun between Kayla’s eyes. “Now be a good girl,” he said, “and unlock your handcuff. Then drop the chain.”

Kayla’s fingers were rock steady as she reached for the keys. Gage couldn’t see her face, just the perfectly straight line of her back.

He hated the sight of that gun barrel pressed against her head. Hated—

Lyle pulled the trigger.

CHAPTER SIX

The shift hit Gage instantly. A wild burst of fiery pain ignited within him as the wolf inside erupted in fury.

He fell to the ground, landing on all fours, as his hands began to twist into claws. The man couldn’t control the beast this time.

Gun. Kayla. Shot.

There was too much fury. Too much pain and rage. Too—

Lyle’s laughter echoed in his ears. “Don’t worry, the first chamber was empty.”

Gage managed to lift his head. The man he’d been was slipping away. Too much hate burned inside of him.

Lyle could have killed her.

“The second one, though . . . it’s not empty,” Lyle promised. “So stay in the cage, wolf, or you really will watch me blow her brains out.”

The silver chain burned against his flesh. Burned even hotter now that the wolf was coming out, but the shift was exactly what he needed to lose the cuff that circled his wrist. Because he didn’t have a human wrist anymore. The bones snapped. Elongated. Became narrow enough to slide from that silver cuff, and, sure enough, the cuff fell from his paw a few seconds later. The lock on Kayla’s cuffs clicked open. She caught the chain, not letting it fall to the stone floor.

Lyle looked back at him. “I knew the beast wanted her.”

More than he wanted breath.

“So I figured I’d see just how much control the man had over—Ah!” Lyle’s words ended in a scream. Kayla had jerked the chain back toward her. Since it wasn’t anchored to Gage anymore, it flew easily into her grip. Then she slammed that silver right at Lyle. Right into the bastard’s face. The gun fell from Lyle’s hands. A bullet fired out, slamming into the side of the cage’s bars.

The scent of smoking flesh filledGage’s nostrils.

And since the cage door was conveniently open . . .

The wolf just leapt right out of the prison.

Kayla kicked out with her foot and sent Lyle stumbling to the floor. Then she jumped on top of him and wrapped the silver chain around his neck. Once, twice. “You’re gonna play Russian roulette with me?” She snarled. “I don’t think—”

Lyle tossed her away. She flew back and her body crashed into the side of the cage.

Lyle grabbed at the chain and the silver burned his flesh. Your turn to enjoy the pain, asshole. Before the guy could get free, Gage was on him. His claws dug into Lyle’s chest as he penned the bastard to the floor.

Then he lowered his head for the kill.

Lyle started laughing again. “D-do it . . .” He dared and Lyle’s face was showing the pressure of his own impending shift. The guy’s wolf wanted out. It was there to see, in the bright eyes, the hollowed cheeks, the lengthening canines. “Do it . . . and her—her brother’s dead . . .”

Like a human was really supposed to matter to him. A human who’d shot Kayla.

Gage’s teeth sank into Lyle’s throat.

And Kayla’s hands closed around the back of Gage’s head. She yanked on him, trying to pull him up. What? Was the woman crazy? You didn’t grab a wolf by the head. She jumped back when he came up snarling.

Then she grabbed him by the tail.

The fuck, no.

“Please,” she begged him, voice strained and desperate. “Let’s just make sure my brother’s safe first, then we can kill him, okay?”

No, that was not okay. He wanted Lyle dead then.

Kayla hurriedly backed away. He’d expected her to keep fighting. Blood dripped down Lyle’s face. “Y-you’re so . . . fucked . . .”

Said the man who was about to lose his throat.

“I’m . . . already in . . . your pack . . .”

Yeah, Gage knew that shit. Betrayal was a bitter, burning pill to swallow. But he’d suspected the truth, ever since the first wolf had gone missing. A wolf, one of his own, had sold him and the pack out to the hunters.

To this wolf in a damn hunter’s guise.

Who is it? The demand of the man inside the beast. But the beast couldn’t speak. He had to shift back to manage that. But...

But he heard the sound of racing footsteps just outside the door. The holding room might not have audio surveillance, but the hunters patrolling the area hadn’t missed the sound of a gunshot. They weren’t that clueless.

And speaking of that gun . . .

Kayla was back at his side. Now her retreat made sense. She’d gone for the weapon. Kayla aimed the gun at Lyle’s head. Payback. She was a sexy bitch.