Trayis (VLG Series Book 11) Read online

  Trayis would be looking for her but she was too high to find by smell. Even if she screamed, she doubted anyone would hear her this far out. It was up to Shay to save her own butt.

  * * * * *

  Trayis hated the slower pace of the pack as he followed Arlis and a few of his enforcers. Sentries had also joined them. Their numbers grew to over twenty. He kept sniffing, hoping to pick up any trace of Shay’s scent on the wind. It hadn’t happened so far.

  They reached the river and everyone began to shift. Trayis did too, standing quickly. His gaze went to Arlis.

  “This is where our territory ends. Tegan was assigned to guard this area.” His brother looked at his pack. “Spread out and find him. Keep him alive. We need to make him tell us where he’s taken Shay.”

  Frustration welled in Trayis. “What’s around here? Any caves or somewhere he could stash her to hide her scent?”

  Arlis walked toward him. “A few. The sentries know them and will search those first. We’ve all done patrol time here.”

  Trayis turned, staring at the river. “What if he killed her, Arlis?”

  His brother put a hand on his shoulder. “He wouldn’t dare.”

  “You didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to grab her, either, did you?”

  Arlis flinched and released him. “I should have locked him up instead of sending him out here. I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t think he’d do something like this. He’s always been a bit of a hothead but his temper cools fast. Maybe he’ll bring her back.”

  Trayis turned to face him. “I’m going to kill him for hurting Shay. She was bleeding.”

  “We’ll find her. Everyone is looking for them. He must be around here somewhere. It’s the most remote area of our territory but more of the pack are arriving every second. We’ll cover the area faster with such a large group. Shay will be found.”

  “What if he’s seriously injured her?” It tore Trayis up inside, imagining Shay in pain, held captive by a crazy Lycan. There was so much the bastard could do to her. “If he raped her…” He snarled, killing mad.

  “I can imagine what you’re thinking. Tegan is rash but not flat-out stupid. He knows that’s a death sentence.”

  “We need to find her fast. What else is out here? He’d know we’d try to track her, right?” He stared across the river. “Is there a way to the other side? A boat your pack keeps nearby? Maybe he’d take her into another territory.”

  “Doubtful. We don’t keep boats this way. Damon’s territory borders ours here. Tegan knows that’s one alpha he doesn’t want to fuck with. The last time one of ours ventured that way, Damon had a little fun with the youth who was stupid enough to trespass.”

  Trayis scowled.

  “Damon didn’t hurt him, but he returned him with an escort and…um, the kid was wearing a dress and makeup. That’s Damon’s idea of a joke. They don’t hurt females, so rather than beat on the teenager as punishment for crossing his border without permission, they dressed him like a girl. An adult male would be another matter. Tegan knows that.”

  “What if Tegan sent Shay that way? What would Damon do to her?”

  “Nothing bad. She’s a woman. Hell, you know Damon. He already knows Shay can’t shift. He’d hear her out then just call me to have her picked up. He’d offer up some of his trackers to help find Tegan if he knew about this. It would piss him off if anyone hurt a woman.”

  Trayis nodded, agreeing. He and the alpha weren’t friends but the male had honor. “He hasn’t called?”

  “No. That’s why I’m thinking Shay is still in our territory.”

  One of the sentries rushed out of the woods. “We got a scent lock on Tegan!”

  Trayis shifted and ran toward the sentry, who turned, shifting as he ran. Arlis followed him that time, on all fours. More of the pack ran toward them and a howl filled the woods. The scent of male fear filled Trayis’s nose. It was Tegan.

  More howls rose, giving them a better location. The pack was hunting the male, and it didn’t take long to figure out Tegan had become aware of it. But once Trayis had his scent, he increased his speed. He outran all the other Lycans, swiftly gaining on Tegan.

  He spotted the male running toward a ridge and snarled, bursting into more speed. The male turned, spotted him in VampLycan form, and Trayis heard a whimper.

  Then Tegan stopped abruptly, spun around, and pulled a gun.

  Cold fury filled Trayis as he kept racing forward. Let the man put bullets in him. It would hurt but he’d still reach the bastard.

  Instead, the crazy Lycan raised the muzzle of the gun to his own head, using a bandaged hand to grip the trigger. “I’ll blow my brains out! Stop!”

  Trayis came to a halt with just ten feet between them. He shifted, rising to his feet. “Where the hell is Shay?” he shouted.

  “You’ll never find her on your own! You need me.”

  Trayis glanced at the gun pointed at the male’s head. “That won’t kill you.”

  “It’ll take days for me to heal, if I don’t scramble my brains. Days Shay won’t have. She’ll die. You’re fucking her, right, VampLycan?”

  The other Lycans approached from the woods, and Trayis held out his hands, motioning for them to stop. They did, staying behind him. Only Arlis shifted and reached his side.

  “What are you doing, Tegan? Where’s Shay?” At his silence, Arlis growled, “Answer! That’s a fucking order from your alpha.” He threw vibes toward the male.

  Tegan trembled but didn’t lower the gun from his head. “I should have become your enforcer. Not Kale! He and that cunt Marcia plotted together so you’d pick him instead of me!”

  Arlis stepped a foot closer, frowning, his tone quieter. “Tegan…are you still doing drugs?”

  “What do you think? You broke my arm in two places, and my fucking fingers! It hurts. Especially since I have to keep using them.”

  Trayis wanted to lunge and grab the asshole, rip the gun from his fingers, and then torture the truth out of him. He couldn’t risk the gun going off though. The bastard was right. A bullet to the brain would put him down for a few days and he’d be unable to answer questions until the injury healed. Even then, that kind of damage to his brain might make him forget shit. Like where he’d put Shay.

  “Tegan,” Arlis pushed more vibes at the male, “drop the gun and tell me what you did with Shay. You’re pack. We don’t harm females. Especially our weakest member. Enforcers would protect her. Not hurt her. You want to be an enforcer? Show me you have the instincts to be one.”

  Tegan shook his head and stared at Trayis. “Kill Arlis—and I’ll give you Shay.”

  Trayis gawked at him, beyond stunned by the demand.

  The crazy Lycan nodded. “She’s still alive. You want her, right? Kill that unfit fucker who calls himself our alpha, and you can have Shay.”

  “You fucking moron,” Martin muttered behind them.

  “You always hated me!” Tegan screamed, lifting his other arm and motioning toward Martin. “Kill Arlis and all his enforcers! I’ll make a better alpha.” He glared at Trayis again. “You get the bitch. I get the pack. Sounds fair, right? Do it now. Kill them all! Show them just how brutal a VampLycan can be.”

  “Lock your knees,” Trayis hissed to Arlis—then he unleashed every drop of his rage, sending vibes in every direction.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Arlis sway but manage to stay on his feet. The Lycans behind them hit the ground fast, going to their knees.

  Trayis lunged as Tegan began to fall…

  The gun went off before he reached him.

  He caught the bastard and used his claws to rip the gun away. The weapon and part of the Lycan’s hand flew out of sight, into the bushes.

  Tegan didn’t scream from the pain. He was already out cold, his body slumped. The bullet had hit its mark and blood poured out of a hole in his temple.

  “FUCK!” Trayis roared.

  Arlis struggled toward him, still swaying like a drunk. “Control it!