Page 95 of Midnight Hunt

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Page 95 of Midnight Hunt

It wasn’t as strong anymore, but the pheromones were still dancing in the air, tempting even the most stalwart male to give in to his baser instincts.

Firming his grip on my arm, Ivan breathed the pheromones in for another moment before rumbling, “Mark my words. You will be mine.”

I didn’t comment. I didn’t need to. He’d played right into my trap, and I was inwardly cackling with glee right alongside Sable.

You’re absolutely wicked, she chortled.I love it.

Keeping a straight face was nearly impossible, but I managed not to smile as Ivan released my arm and gestured for me to follow him down the hallway. The other females fell into line behind me, Jensen bringing up the rear. When we reached the end and a door buzzed, allowing us to pass into a stairwell, adrenaline shivered up my spine.

Were they letting us above ground? Dare I hope that they were letting us gooutside?

That would definitely make it a lot easier for us to escape. Once we were topside, I could focus all of my efforts on getting our collars removed. The plan hinged on Atticus, though, so I replayed all the scenarios I’d spent the past several hours concocting, making sure I had solid backup options in case my original plan fell through.

When Ivan took us up a flight of stairs, my hope grew, but when he opened a door to the outside world and the first thing I saw wassnow, my heart blipped to a halt.

Snow in Alaska this time of year could only mean one thing. As I stepped into it with my bare feet, breathing in fresh, cold air for the first time in what felt like forever, my fears were realized with a single glance.

A mountain. We were on top of a freakingmountain.

Dismay settled in my gut, but I straightened my spine anyway and forged ahead, knowing that the other females were counting on me to stay strong. Being on top of a mountain wasn’t ideal, but with our collars removed, we would be stronger,faster.

We could still do this. Wehadto. I wouldn’t accept any other outcome.

Our boys will come for us, Sable reassured me.

I knew they would, but our time was running out. The Claiming was happeningnow, and I couldn’t wait for them to rescue us. No way was I letting these terrified females be claimed and mated against their will. It was up to me to save them. There was no other option.

A few snow flurries struck my face, the chilly wind teasing my hair and bangs. If I was human, the cold would no doubt have me shivering and blue within seconds. But despite the silver still lingering in my veins, my werewolf DNA kept me toasty warm, including my bare feet.

“Come, females. Your destiny awaits,” a loud voice boomed from up ahead. The females behind me crowded in close, their hearts pounding like jackrabbits. We could all sense it, could all hear the dozens of excited heartbeats just around the bend.

The entirety of Rogue Pack was waiting for us.

Sure enough, as Ivan led us to the front of the ugly cement building, at least thirty males were standing in the snow, each of their faces hungry for what was to come.

In front of them all was Atticus Bane, and his expression lit up at the sight of me. Bile climbed up my throat, but I forced it back down and scooted a little closer to Ivan. Atticus saw, and I watched with satisfaction as his eyes darkened.

When we were still several yards away, Ivan stopped, and so did we. The males ahead shifted on their feet, clearly impatient for The Claiming to start. After a few more moments of tense silence, Atticus took a step forward and said, “My fellow rogue brothers, I know you’ve been eager for this moment for a long time. With no females to call our own, our existence has been lonely and rife with tension. Our needs have gone unmet, our desire for connection and family denied. But today, we finally have hope. Today, we become atruepack.”

Dozens of males howled in reply, raising their faces up to the night sky. The sound was so feral that goosebumps erupted over my flesh.

Atticus lifted his hands to quiet them down and continued, “I’m aware that we currently don’t have enough females for the entire pack, but the strongest among us will claim their mates tonight. After The Claiming is complete, we’ll seek out more females until everyone here has a mate.”

More excited hoots and howls echoed through the air, along with a jubilant stomping of feet. The females behind me cowered, scared witless by the males’ hungry response.

Disgusted by their primal display, I took my own step forward and loudly said, “Why kidnap hybrids?” Complete silence descended over the crowd. Every hair on my body stood on end as dozens of unmated males paused to look at me, but I plowed ahead anyway. “You could have pursued willing females. There are hundreds of them all over the world looking for mates. So why take hybrids? Whyus?”

Reading Atticus’s growing obsession with me correctly, instead of punishing me for speaking out, he rewarded me with a response. Still, there was a clear warning in his eyes as he replied, “I thought that part was obvious. We’ve seen the power hybrids wield and want to populate the world with more of you. Imagine how great Rogue Pack will become once we’ve sired hundreds of new hybrids. We’ll be the world’s most powerful pack, and there won’t be a single werewolf who would dare turn their back on us.”

Before I could process his horrific words, he added, “One day, Miss Rivers, you’ll thank us for this incredible opportunity. We’re changing how werewolves see us outsiders. Together, banished rogues and hybrids will become the new superpower, but we’ll need a strong alpha female for that to happen. After tonight, I’m hoping that female will be you.”

I stiffened, all too aware of what he meant. He wanted me to be his mate and rule beside him, dangling the proposal before me like it was a prize. But I knew all too well what hisrealintention was—to bribe me into cooperating so the other females would follow suit.

Sick to my stomach by his twisted vision, I couldn’t help but say, “You know hybrids aren’t created that way, right? The celestial beings inside uschoosewho to share their spirits with. Just because the parent is a hybrid doesn’t mean the child will be gifted a spirit at birth.”

I thought forsurethis would pop his delusional bubble, but all Atticus did was smile a little and reply, “Either way, every single male here is willing to take that chance. The mere hope of siring a hybrid is enough to make them try several times over. I myself am willing to sire dozens of children if it means becoming the father of even one hybrid.”

As hunger burned in his eyes, hunger forme, an overwhelming need to run trembled through my bones. I couldn’t imagine what the other females were feeling, but if I didn’t act soon, I was going to lose them. They would panic, and my flimsy escape plan would crumble to dust.


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