Chapter 155

Alyx

He ran beside his brother, his eyes trained on the trees in front of him. He knew this territory like the back of his hand, but something about it felt different. Something didn’t belong. Beside him, Rocky ran with his nose pressed close to the ground. It was rare for him to be separated from his twin, and Alyx could tell he was uneasy.

They stopped for a moment to sniff around, and Alyx nudged his flank with his nose. It had been so long since he’d run with one of his brothers, and he was thrumming with excitement. Rocky picked up on his energy and gave him a playful snap.

Rocky nipped at his heels, and they took off into the trees. They followed a long loop around the property, looking for any signs of intruders.

It had been a long time since any of the Peacekeepers came out this way. Ronan kept him and his brothers away for many years, especially those directly following the war. They moved around a lot, always staying hidden. Only when the Peacekeepers started to grow lax did they move back into their ancestral home–keeping up appearances of an abandoned compound.

It seemed their secret was out of the bag. He didn’t know how Matt tracked them down so fast, but Alyx was confident that he was the wolf his brothers chased. He must have guessed they’d come back here. It annoyed him, but he would admit that Matt wasn’t an idiot. He was fast too, apparently. Very few wolves could outrun Noah.

Suddenly, he caught his scent. He’d recognize it anywhere. He changed course, and Rocky followed him. They trailed the scent through the trees, stopping where it was strongest. Jack’s scent was there too, all over the dirt and trees. It was near the gate, not so close that Alyx would have noticed them when he left, but close enough to watch. They were waiting for their opportunity. The thought almost made Alyx smile.

He turned and followed the trail again. It ended at the road. They must have taken a car. He growled but forced himself to lead Rocky through the rest of their route and back to the compound. They shifted the minute they were safely in the gate, taking the pairs of jeans one of the guards offered them.

Rocky trailed him across the property and into the house.

“They’re watching us,” he said, his voice a growl.

“Let them. It’s just two of them. They’re not getting anywhere near this place.”

“Still, we need to tell Ronan.”

Alyx nodded. He was already headed for his brother’s office. Lane stood at the top of the stairs, and he visibly relaxed the moment Rocky came into sight.

“Any luck?” he asked, focusing on his twin.

“We caught their scent. It ended at the road,” Alyx snapped. He was exhausted and frustrated. He was dying to get his hands on Matt, and he wasn’t known for his patience. The fact that Jack was with him only made him angrier. He still owed him for that fight.

Rocky and Lane exchanged a glance before Rocky knocked. “Come in,” a low voice called.

Ronan was up and pacing when the two of them walked into the room. He was dressed in a black suit, and a scowl sat heavy on his face. He wasn’t in a good mood, and Alyx felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Kai lounged in one of the office chairs, his eyes tracking his brother’s movements. He didn’t look at Alyx or Rocky, and they both knew enough to wait until they were spoken to.

“Well?” Ronan growled. Alyx stood up straighter.

“We caught their scents. They’ve been watching the compound,” Rocky said.

“But you didn’t catch them?”

“No, sir. They were gone by the time we got there. Their scents ended at the road.”

“They being?”

“Matt and Jack,” Alyx answered. “Jack Schreiber.”

“I see.” Ronan’s smile was downright frightening. It was the sort of look Alyx hoped was never directed at him. He didn’t know why Ronan despised Matt so much, but he wasn’t about to ask. “Well, we’ll catch them, eventually.”

“I’ll kill them for you,” Alyx said. “Happily.”

Ronan shook his head. “Not Matt. I want you to bring him to me alive. The other one I don’t care about.”

Alyx almost asked why, but the look of warning Kai gave him made him hold his tongue.

Another knock on the door interrupted them. A moment later, Jeremy strode into the room. He gave them all a bored look. “Am I interrupting?” he drawled.

“No,” Ronan said, waving his hand. “How is she?”

“Despondent,” Jeremy replied. Alyx knew he was talking about Celeste. It was his job to bring her dinner tonight. They were rotating duties for now. Alyx was glad. He didn’t know if he could handle an entire day with her. Pretending to be her boyfriend was torture enough.

“We need to find a way to cheer her up,” Ronan said. “Get her head in the game.”

“She’s a bit stubborn,” Alyx offered.

“I don’t care. Break her if you have to. We need to find a way to make her embrace her wolf and her powers.”

“She doesn’t even know how to control her shift,” Jeremy said. “She can’t defend herself. Jack taught her nothing.”

“I know. A real shame. That’s why you two are going to teach her.”

“The two of us?” Jeremy said slowly. He didn’t look pleased.

“You and Alyx.”

“No offense, Ronan, but I have better things to do with my time,” Jeremy intoned. Rocky couldn’t hide his wince. “I’m supposed to be studying the rogues.”

Ronan stopped pacing. “This is more important.”

“I don’t–”

One moment, Ronan was standing completely still, and the next, he was gripping Jeremy by the neck. He squeezed hard, and Jeremy’s face turned red. Alyx couldn’t help but flinch. Kai looked unfazed. Rocky looked hard at the floor.

“Your job is to obey orders. If I say something is important, then it is.”

Jeremy struggled to breathe. “Yes sir,” he managed.

Ronan dropped him, and Jeremy gasped. He wheezed a little, rubbing at his throat. Angry red marks stood out across his pale skin.

“Anyone else have an issue with my orders?” Ronan asked to the silent room.

No one answered. Ronan had a hair-trigger temper, especially when he was in a foul mood. The fact that Jeremy spoke out against him at all astounded Alyx.

He glanced over at Jeremy, but now that he could breathe again, he had that bored expression back on his face. He’d always been like that, even in the face of their father’s anger. Something that made Alyx cower and even gave him nightmares.

“I suggest you get started first thing tomorrow,” Ronan said, circling his desk and sinking into his office chair. “We don’t have time to waste.”

“Yes sir,” Alyx said.

Jeremy was silent. Ronan turned to look at him. “Yes sir,” Jeremy drawled.

“Good, now get out of my office. If you see Zoe, tell her I need to speak to her.”

“Yes, sir,” Alyx said again.

The three of them left the minute they were allowed.

“This is going to suck,” Alyx said to Jeremy the moment they were alone.

Jeremy just rolled his eyes. “Think of it this way. You get to lay a beating on her in a controlled setting. In fact, it’ll be a way to help her.”

Alyx grinned and nudged his brother with his elbow. “I like the way your twisted mind works.”

Jeremy just shrugged.