Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary Book 4)

We didn’t hang around in Kalia after Sin had murdered Pike, instead following the lead she’d given us and heading to the strip of land closest to the distant island of Grimolda. The lodge we’d claimed as our hideaway from the world was nestled on a cliffside on the western coast of Solaria overlooking a bay with the glorious blue sea cresting upon the golden sand in lazy, sultry waves.

The Oscuras owned plenty of safe houses like this one, each used in times of need by various members of the pack or just as a quiet vacation spot for some members of our inner circle. They were off the record locations, their ownership bought for in cash without any kind of paper trail to lead the FIB to their doors and, like this one, most were set away from other houses. It meant that we could come and go around the house without having to worry about being spotted despite our spreading notoriety.

Instead of news of our escape from Solaria’s deadliest and supposedly most impenetrable prison dying down in the days that had passed since we’d achieved the previously assumed impossible, the story was only gaining momentum. Each day that passed drew more scathing criticism of the FIB, the rulers of our kingdom and even the members of the public who had failed to spot so much as a hair on any one of the escaped convicts’ heads. I had hoped the interest in us would fade faster than this, but there was little I could do to combat it. Perhaps in a few weeks they’d get bored of us but for now we had to remain vigilant at all times.

The news of Warden Pike’s death had been widely publicised too, the newscasters speculating that both Cain and Hastings were likely dead at the hands of the ‘unhinged and psychotic escapees.’

Which probably made the plan we had concocted utterly idiotic. But I couldn’t find it in me to care.

Grimolda Isle was a supposedly unoccupied island way off the western coast of our kingdom, surrounded by nothing but ocean for miles around and apparently home to an endangered colony of sea urchins, meaning that no Fae was permitted to approach it.

The invitation Pike had given us claimed different.

“Do you think the sea urchins were relocated?” Hastings asked, concern lining his brow.

“I doubt there were ever any sea urchins to begin with,” Cain grunted in answer, leaning against the doorframe and looking out at the ocean just as I had been from my position standing on the wooden deck which surrounded the squat, white lodge.

I glanced at the two of them then back towards the sea.

“The moon is whispering to me,” I told them because here by the ocean, where the power of my most adored celestial being called the movement of the sea itself into action, I could always hear her murmuring more clearly.

“Oh yeah?” Cain asked, perking up. Of course the stronzo would be interested in what the moon had to say – the rose vine mark on his arm stood out clearly against his bare skin as he stood there in a grey tank. As ever, he was hoping I might be focusing my efforts on providing him with a cure to it. “What’s it saying?”

“She,” I corrected because an entity as powerful as the moon was obviously female. “Is warning me about what awaits us in that place.” I bobbed my chin in the direction of the island even though none of us could see it from here.

“And what’s that?” Hastings asked, tugging his fringe down over his eyes and peering out through it.

“Death,” I replied with a shrug. “A foul wind blows from that island, tainting all who breathe it in.”

“Well isn’t that just reassuring as shit,” Cain grumbled, folding his arms so his biceps bulged.

“At least we’ve been warned,” I purred while Hastings paled so much that he blended in with the paintwork.

I brushed past Cain and moved back into the little house. It smelled of the wood it had been built from, carved decorations hanging from the walls, beams exposed overhead. There was a large bed in the one room which led off of this one, and a kitchenette and a bathroom that required water magic to be fully functional. Luckily for us, we had Ethan and Hastings to help with that.

“That’s a scheming face if ever I saw one,” Sin commented as I moved to the kitchen counter and pulled a pen and notepad towards me.

“When isn’t she scheming?” Ethan retorted and the corner of my lips hitched up a touch.

“She’s baking a cake in her mind and I want a slice of it, a juicy, cream-filled slice.” He licked his lips. The guy was obsessed with cake sometimes, I swear.

“Has Jerome pulled through on any intel?” I asked Sin who shook his head.

“Nothing. All he said was that he has the full layout of the compound, the entrance points to the island and the movements of around sixty boats which have recently docked at the island – along with a count of how many Fae departed them. It’s as if he didn’t even try.”

I arched a brow, exchanging a look with Ethan who rolled his eyes.

“Any chance you have those figures written down?” I asked.

Sin sighed. “Your little Wolfy was listening and scribbled a thing or two down,” he said, reaching across the counter and flipping my notebook open to reveal six full pages of notes and a damn good sketch Ethan had done based off of Jerome’s information.

“And this is…disappointing to you?” I asked in confusion, scanning the detailed information which included notes on guard rotations that Jerome had managed to track using a satellite he’d hacked, as well as four different proposed points of exit he’d noticed that weren’t watched well enough.

“Do you see any kill notices on there, kitten?” Sin asked. “Is there a single green flag beside any of those names with an asterisk stating ‘this-dude-is-a-piece-of-shit-whose-head-would-look-better-off-in-a-cabbage-patch’?”

“There…is not,” I agreed.

“And do you know precisely how long it’s been since I killed a deserving motherfucker, wild girl?” Sin pressed.

“Like…eighteen hours. I’m pretty sure you still have Pike’s blood under your fingernails.”

Ethan snorted and Sin sighed dramatically.

“That barely counted – it was a pity kill for old rod-up-the-ass Vamp out there. I haven’t been let loose in a long time and I have all this pent up murder in me which needs fulfilling.”

I looked into Sin’s desperate eyes and shook my head.

“Fine. Seeing as every asshole in this place is clearly a piece of shit willing to deal in the dirtiest of contracts and must at the very least be compliant with whatever the fuck is happening to Roary there – I will give you a green light on killing whoever the fuck you want-”

Sin opened his mouth wide, joy lighting his features and I held up a single finger to stop him before he could explode in celebration.

“But,” I said firmly, cutting that shit off before it could begin. “You wait for me to tell you when it’s time. If you murder so much as a flea before I tell you I’m ready for your brand of carnage, then I swear to the stars, Sin, I will dump you back on Jerome’s doorstep and you won’t ever see me again. Nothing is going to fuck this up. We will get Roary out or die trying.”

“We’ll get him back, love,” Ethan swore, moving around the counter to stand behind me, his hands falling to my shoulders and rubbing firmly. “One more night and we can go to him. I swear we won’t fail you or him.”

I nodded but despite his efforts at massaging the tension from my shoulders, I couldn’t even pretend I was relaxing.

“Stop,” I growled, batting him off but he gripped the edge of my stool and spun me to face him, his growl matching my own as he dipped his face to mine.

“Roary wouldn’t want you dwelling in pain, love,” he snarled. “And don’t go giving me the little girl lost bullshit because I know you well enough to know that despair just isn’t your style.”

“Oh yeah?” I challenged. “So what is my style, stronzo?”

I shoved to my feet, knocking the stool over behind me and smacking my chest into Ethan’s in an attempt to force him back a step. Of course the bastardo didn’t move, didn’t cave, just stared me down with his blue eyes sparking like this reaction was precisely what he’d wanted from me.

“Anger,” he said simply. “Red hot, volcanic, burn the fucking world down rage. So hit me if it will help. Punch me, kick me, bite me, I can take it.”

“This tension in me won’t be relieved like that, stronzo,” I growled, shoving him aside and making to stride away but he caught my wrist and yanked me back to him, moving so close that his mouth was a breath from my lips, his forehead pressing to mine.

“We’ll get him back,” he growled again, glaring into my eyes, daring me to deny it.

“That pain you feel over losing him is nothing,” I hissed my reply. “I spent ten years drowning in that agony, searching for a way to undo his fate. I planned and plotted and schemed and sold my fucking soul to any and all bidders in my desperation to free him from that place. It was my fault he got put there in the first place and whatever is happening to him now is my fault too – he was taken trying to leave with me, following me, trusting me.” My voice cracked on those words, but Ethan didn’t shy from them, gripping my waist and pulling me closer.

“This isn’t on you, Rosalie,” he swore so vehemently that I might have even believed him if my guilt hadn’t already permeated every piece of me. “I want you to hear that, to know it and feel it. But most of all, I need you to believe that we will get him back. This fear, this pain and suffering you’re experiencing isn’t helping him and he would hate to think of you feeling this way.”

“Half of my life has been drenched in pain and suffering,” I replied bleakly. “I’m more than used to weathering it by now.”

“But you deserve more than that, wild girl,” Sin said, his eyes on us from across the room. “We want you to have more.”

Ethan kissed me before I could protest any further and my anger rose sharply at the heat of his lips on mine.

I pushed my tongue into his mouth, shoving him back against the counter, my fists tight in his shirt.

Ethan groaned into our kiss, his hands finding the hem of my shirt and yanking it up.

I let him pull it from me, baring my body to him in the warm light of the setting sun which was shining brightly through the open windows. His hand roamed down the tattoos and scars lining the left side of my body as he kissed me again and I sank my teeth into his bottom lip.

His fingers moved to the button of my jeans, flicking it open before he shoved them down.

I grasped his shoulders and pushed him to his knees with them, letting him take my shoes and socks from my feet before stepping out of the jeans.

I knotted my hand in his blonde hair as he looked up at me from his knees, my heart pounding heavily in my chest, my lungs expanding on ragged, painful breaths.

Ethan parted his lips to say something to me, but I didn’t want to hear it. I only wanted to feel something other than this pain.

Sin’s eyes were fixed on us as I dragged Ethan forward, guiding his mouth to my core over the lace of my black panties and releasing a rough moan as he ran his teeth over my clit.

Ethan grasped the backs of my thighs, tilting my body so that he could worship me better. I rolled my hips against his mouth, the bite of his stubble grazing my inner thighs and making my skin prickle with the heavenly sensation.

He tugged my panties aside with his fingers, his mouth colliding with my core as I yanked him to me by his hair.

Ethan growled against my clit, licking and kissing me, making my heart thrash with want as pleasure began to build within me.

Sin made no move to join us, simply watching with a heated expression, his jaw ticking as I turned my head and met his dark eyes.

“Easy there, kitten,” he murmured, taking a step closer and reaching out for me across the counter.

I let him take my hand, steadying myself with his strength while Ethan’s tongue sank into me before riding up and over my clit.

My body was alight with tension, this coiled ball of anxiety demanding release but even with Ethan working miracles between my thighs, his mouth hot and demanding against me, I couldn’t break through that wall.

My breaths came harder, my throat thickening and my grip on Sin’s hand tightening so much that it had to hurt.

“That’s enough,” Sin growled. “Let go, wild girl.”

My body hummed in anticipation, bliss lingering just out of reach but as I looked into Sin’s dark gaze, I found my own eyes burning, tears blurring my vision.

“Fuck,” I cursed, shoving Ethan back and stumbling away from him. “I can’t do this,” I panted, my chest rising and falling heavily, panic racing through my veins as I stumbled back again. “I can’t. I just…I need…”

“Roary,” Ethan finished for me, pushing to his feet and I burst into tears which felt so powerful that I was certain I’d be consumed by them entirely.

I tried to bolt but the two of them were there before I could take so much as a step, strong arms wrapping around me, holding me close and murmuring low agreements in my ears.

“A few more hours, love,” Ethan said. “Just few little hours and we can head after him. I don’t care what’s standing between us and him because whatever it is won’t be enough to keep us away. We’re a pack. And tonight we’ll be reunited come hell or high water.”

“Fuck yes to that,” Sin agreed.

And as my sobs fell still and my tears ran dry in their arms, I found myself believing in those words at last. We were a pack and we were one member down, but tonight that was all going to change.