The Alpha's Captive (4 page)

As he peered down at Aiden he could see the marks his brother had bestowed on their captive. A snarl bubbled in his throat, but he swallowed it down. Aiden looked innocent, but he may be just like his father.

“What’s wrong with me?” Viktor advanced on him. “What’s wrong with you? This kid is our prisoner. He doesn’t deserve any mercy from us.”

“What good is he to us if you kill him?” Devon handed an unconscious Aiden over to Josef. “Chain him up in the small room opposite mine. I’ll check on him when I get back to the house.”

Josef nodded his understanding and took Aiden out of the room. Once they were gone Devon rounded on his brother. Viktor’s face had become distorted with anger. Sweat beaded across Viktor’s forehead, and his body began to tremble. Devon could sense his brother’s change was right at the surface.

“I don’t give a shit if he dies!” Viktor shouted.

“Well I do!” Devon advanced on his brother, and Viktor took a step back. “We’re not killers. Killing Aiden will just prove the hunters’ point that we are wild animals in need of being put down. Is that what you want, Brother?” Devon’s voice had grown low as he spoke. His patience with Viktor was growing thin. Devon didn’t have any proof yet, but Aiden could very well be an innocent in all this.

No! Stop! You can’t blame yourself for Aiden’s pain. Think about Erik and the pain he must be going through.

“Who cares what they think? They won’t stop coming after us. Hunters killed our parents. Maybe killing the brat will provide my need for vengeance.” Viktor shoved at Devon’s chest.

Devon charged forward and pinned Viktor to the wall. “You kill Stefano’s kid, we have nothing to trade. You could very well be signing Erik’s death warrant if you harm Aiden. Do you get that? Does your fucking brain comprehend the severity of this situation?”

Viktor’s eyes widened and he stopped trying to fight Devon. “Got it,” Viktor said through clenched teeth. His brother gave in, but he wasn’t happy about it.

Devon could relate but what other choice did they have? Plus, he couldn’t bring himself to hurt Aiden.

Devon released his fist from Viktor’s coat and dusted his hands down the front. “Brother, I know how worried you are, and so am I. But hurting our only chance to maybe get Erik back is counterproductive.”

“I know,” Viktor growled. “I’m just sick of sitting around and waiting for something to happen.”

“Me, too.” Devon pulled his brother into a hug. “We’ll get him back, I promise.” It was an unrealistic promise to make, but Devon didn’t need Viktor going all Rambo on Aiden again.

Switching subjects, Devon asked, “Since you knocked out the only one who knew where Stefano is, did you happen to find anything at the house indicating to where he might be?”

“No, we didn’t. We found a note from the kid’s mother saying that she loved him and would see him in a few days.” Viktor released a heavy sigh, and his head fell forward. “Sorry, Devon.”

“It’s okay.” Devon hugged Viktor one more time. “We’ll just call Dominic and have him look into Stefano’s phone records. I’m sure he can work some of his hacker magic to find something. Don’t sweat it. If he can’t find anything, Aiden will wake up soon and he can answer our questions. You just have to promise to not hurt him anymore.” Devon pulled away from Viktor and headed for the door.

Yes he wanted Viktor to keep his hands off of Aiden for fear he might kill the man but also because Devon wasn’t certain he could stand idly by and watch Aiden be harmed. The thought frightened him just a tad. He’d just met Aiden, and the man was nothing to him. He should hate Aiden for what his father has done, but he couldn’t find it in him to say it and mean the words.

He was just about to cross the threshold when Viktor spoke. “I can smell it on you.”

“Smell what?” He turned around, facing his brother and his accusations.

“You think you’re hiding it, but you can’t mask that scent.”

“Brother, stop speaking in fucking code.” Devon fisted his hands in anger. Deep down Devon knew what scent Viktor was referring to and what it meant, but he was choosing to ignore it. Why couldn’t his brother? “Spit out whatever it is that’s on your mind.”

“Don’t play coy with me.” Viktor nudged his chin toward the door where Aiden had been carried out of earlier. “You guys stink of it.” Viktor shook his head. “He’s your fucking mate.”

Devon took a step back like he’d been punched. His brother put voice to what he already knew, but it didn’t change anything. Aiden was their means to get Erik back, plain and simple. Keeping Aiden wasn’t in the cards.

“You’re being ridiculous, Viktor.” Devon shoved past his brother and headed for the door.

“Are you denying it?” Viktor grabbed his arm and Devon spun around to face his brother.

Devon’s jaw clenched, and his teeth ground together. He didn’t like to be questioned. It was an alpha thing. His orders were to be followed without question or hesitation, but his wayward brother felt the need to constantly challenge him. “No, are you happy now?” He shook off his brother’s hold.

“No, I’m not. You can’t mate him, Brother.” Viktor gave him a pitying look. “I know finding your mate is a sacred thing, but this isn’t meant to be. His father would hunt us down until we’re all dead. You can’t bring that on the pack. You just can’t.”

“Do you not think I already know this?” Devon shouted. He felt like he was being split apart on the inside. Loyalty to family was battling with the attraction he felt for Aiden.

Wolves were given one mate in their lifetime. It was a very special thing to them. It was the one person that would love them no matter what and would stand by their side until the very end. Most wolves, when they hit a certain age, started searching for their mate. It’s said that everything was enhanced in a wolf once they found their one true mate. Food tasted better, colors seemed brighter, the sex was earth-shattering and unlike anything they’d ever experienced before. Basically heaven on earth.

Devon remembered how in love his parents had been and longed to have that kind of love one day. But as fate would have it, it wasn’t meant to be. Being mated to a human wasn’t unheard of. In fact a lot of wolves had human mates, but Aiden was not only human but a hunter’s son. Devon didn’t see any way around that one simple fact.

“Devon, I’m not questioning you, just reminding you of what’s at stake.” Viktor rested a hand on Devon’s shoulder. “When the time comes will you be able to give him up?”

The thought of never seeing Aiden again stung deep. Devon could feel his soul weep for what would never be.

“Of course I will be,” Devon managed to say with a straight face. “Good night, Brother.”

Devon walked calmly out of the barn. His body ached from the stress of the past week. They’d been attacked and his little brother taken, and now the only person they could use to help them was passed out in a room next to his. Not just anyone but the man destined to be his mate. But planning for a future with the petite creature was a waste of Devon’s energy because it would never happen. Devon would have to sacrifice his chance at happiness to get Erik back and to keep the pack safe.

It would be just another hardship he’d have to bear. Devon had gotten good over the years of hiding his sadness. This time shouldn’t be any different.

Devon reached the house and wrenched open the back door. He went straight to his office and placed a call to Dominic. They needed to locate Phillip Stefano. Once they did they could play their hand and see just how much Stefano loved his son.

Dominic said to give him an hour to see what he could do and he’d call Devon back with the information. After hanging up the phone Devon turned his chair around to stare out at the night sky. Stars twinkled and shed their light down to lighten the earth below. Living out in the country had its benefits besides providing cover for the wolves.

In the city so many lights lined each street that it drowned out the beauty of the night sky. The further in the country a person went the more in touch with nature they could become. The fresh air, full and brightly colored trees, and open space to run free. It was beautiful.

Wolves that chose to live in the city typically moved back within a year’s time. The call of open spaces to run and Mother Nature to surround them pulled them back home.

Devon, his brothers, and his pack resided in a town called Nehalem. It wasn’t small, but it wasn’t large either. Nehalem was ideal for a wolf. It provided a lot of wooded area to run under the moon and hunt without the fear of hunters. Well that was what Devon had thought up until a week ago.

After his parents were murdered Devon moved to Nehalem hoping to get away from the hunters that had attacked them. But Devon couldn’t move too far away. His father owned a construction company, and Devon wasn’t willing to close the business his father had built from the ground up. Plus, quite a few people relied on Carsten and Son’s Construction for their jobs. So Devon couldn’t just uproot everything and move to a different state, and a part of Devon didn’t want to be too far away from his parents’ gravesites.

The night of his parents’ murders, Devon with the help of a few pack members staged a car accident that looked like it took his parents’ lives. They put his parents in their car and pushed it down a steep ravine and it ignited instantly. There couldn’t be any evidence or the hunters would track Devon, his brothers, and the pack down. There had to be nothing left.

The next day Devon reported them missing, and a few days later the police found the car. The sheriff said it looked like his dad had fallen asleep behind the wheel and ran the car off the road. The tears that Devon shed that day were real, not rehearsed, because it didn’t matter how they died, just that they were dead and never coming back.

Devon slammed his hand down hard on his desktop. He didn’t want to have to move again. Erik loved Nehalem. He had made friends and was living a normal life all things considering. The poor kid watched his parents get gunned down, and Devon wasn’t willing to take away the place Erik called home.

Why are you getting so worked up? He might already be dead.

That inner voiced piped up, reminding him that Devon didn’t even know if Erik was still alive. He hoped and prayed but didn’t have any solid evidence to the contrary.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Devon saw Josef’s reflection in the window and turned to face his friend. “My thoughts are worth a hell of a lot more than a penny.”

“Okay.” Josef sat in the chair in front of Devon’s desk. “How about you just tell me what has you all worked up.” When Devon opened his mouth to speak Josef held up his hand. “Besides the obvious.”

“Isn’t that enough?” Devon asked.

“Yes, but I thought it might have something to do with our little prisoner upstairs.” A knowing grin split across Josef’s face.

Devon cursed low under his breath and shook his head. He should have known. “Do I smell that bad?”

Josef started to laugh. “It’s not a bad smell and if it weren’t for the strong scent of your arousal I probably would never have noticed it.” Josef sobered and stared Devon in the eyes. “But what gave it away was that kid’s smell went from the bitter stench of fear to full-blown arousal once you got near him.” He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s how I figured it out.”

Aiden was human, and Devon wondered if he could smell it, too, or if the kid just thought Devon smelt really good. A smile curled his upper lip. He’d love for Aiden to like his scent. Maybe it’d lure the innocent little human right into his clutches. The things he’d teach Aiden.

“Yo, Dev.” Josef leant forward across the desk to wave a hand in front of Devon’s face.

Devon blinked his eyes. “Huh?”

“You want him don’t you?” Josef asked bluntly.

He rubbed a hand across his jaw and tried to think of the best words to explain the situation but came up empty.

“You don’t have to answer that. I know this isn’t the ideal circumstances for a mating, and I also know we need this kid to get Erik back but…”

Devon held Josef’s stare as his words trailed off. But what? Nothing Devon did or wanted could change what had happened and what would happen. There was no future for him and Aiden.

“But nothing, Josef.” Devon opened his laptop and pretended to look through his email. He needed a distraction. “He’s the son of a hunter and probably wants us all dead just like his daddy.”

Devon wasn’t sure he believed the words coming out of his own mouth. Aiden looked so young and naïve to the world. He also seemed confused from the questions Viktor had been asking him when Devon walked into the room. Even with the blindfold covering Aiden’s eyes he looked genuinely stunned when he informed the man that his father had taken Erik.

“Maybe but maybe not.”

He was just about to respond to Josef when someone knocked on the door. “Come in.”

“Hey, Devon,” Dominic said as he rushed into Devon’s office. He set his computer bag in the empty seat next to Josef and pulled out his laptop. As if just noticing Josef he said, “Josef. Sorry about that. Didn’t see you sitting there.”

“No worries.” Josef shifted in his seat. “What did you find out?” Josef asked what was sitting on the tip of Devon’s tongue.

Dominic pushed the chair closer to the desk and took a seat. He started to click away on his keyboard, and Devon looked to Josef, who just shook his head. Dominic was a whiz on the computer, and most of the time Devon felt like he needed an instruction manual to understand the young wolf.