“You tricked us,” accused Misha, switching to English, looking weirdly impressed.
Yes, they had been tricked. Derren had suggested not revealing that Ally could speak Russian; to let them think they could speak freely to each other because no one understood them. “Not so smart, are you?” she asked them in English, paraphrasing their remarks about Nick. They narrowed their eyes.
“Roni, get me the tubes,” ordered Nick. Roni obligingly retrieved two tubes from a tool bench. Ally had no idea if they were props or if Nick truly intended to use them. Given that she wasn’t sure if Nick was totally sane, and his sister had just been shot, it was possible that it was the latter.
Misha and Andrei both stiffened.
Nick glared at them. “I warned you that if I didn’t get a name your punishment would be mine.”
“You have the truth.” Andrei spoke in English. “The female told you.”
“Exactly, she told me. You intended to lie to me.” Nick gave them a disapproving look. “That’s very disappointing.”
“They don’t want a quick death,” Ally told the Alpha. “They plan to escape.”
Derren arched a brow. “Do they now?”
“That won’t be happening,” Nick stated. He turned to Eli and Bracken. “Secure their noses. Marcus, hang back until their stomachs are full. Then you can hit them as hard as you want.”
“Wait,” said Misha desperately in English, “we will give you a name.” Andrei nodded, just as desperate.
“Why would you suddenly want to do that?” Ally tilted her head. “Before, you said you didn’t want to, because if the hit was canceled there would be no one to avenge your deaths.”
“That sadly means I can’t trust a word you say.” Nick shrugged. “Besides, I don’t need a name. There’s only one female Seer who hates both my pack and the Phoenix Pack badly enough to put out a hit on both.”
“I’ll find her, and I’ll kill her,” vowed Roni.
Beside her, Marcus clenched his fists as he growled. “But first, we take care of these two bastards who dared to shoot my mate.”
Eli strolled toward the bears, obviously eager for vengeance on behalf of his sister. “With. Fucking. Pleasure.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
She either thought he was dumb or she believed that he didn’t know her well.
She’d be wrong on both counts. Derren would wager he understood Ally better than most people did, despite only having known her a short time. You could have someone in your life for years but never really know them; others you could come to know in a matter of weeks.
It would be fair to say that Ally wasn’t an easy person to read. She didn’t wear her emotions on her face. But Derren had come to know her so well that, with a single glance, he could tell if she was tired or hungry or pissed or had something on her mind.
Right now, as he leaned against the counter watching her prepare them lunch, he could sense that something was wrong. “What’s eating at you?”
Her almond eyes landed on him for a mere moment. “Nothing.”
“When you lie, you shrug your left shoulder.”
Ally’s shoulders suddenly locked in place. “If you’re going to bug me while I’m cooking, get out of my kitchen.”
Instead, Derren took a sip from his mug. The woman made excellent coffee. “You’ve been off since yesterday.” After the interrogation, she’d turned uncharacteristically quiet and pensive. When he’d questioned her, she had assured him that she was fine. Of course he’d been fully aware that she was lying, but he’d given her the emotional space she needed, trusting that she’d talk when she was ready. But . . . “I gave you time. That time is up, baby.”
“Time to do what?”
“Time to share with me of your own accord.” He moved to her as she was plating their chicken-fried steaks and mashed potatoes. Not prepared to let her go on hurting, he pressed, “What’s bothering you?”
She swallowed. “My kind caused your pack pain again.”
He cupped her chin and turned her face to his. “Hey, that’s not on you. Kerrie didn’t do it because she’s a Seer. She did it because she’s jealous, bitter, and apparently suicidal. It’s all about the individual, remember?”
Ally was conscious of that. But she was also mindful that it had taken a lot of time to make the Mercury wolves see that. She worried that Kerrie’s actions would undo what Ally had done and would make these people she’d come to respect and care for turn away from her. It would hurt a lot more than she was comfortable admitting even to herself.
“No one is going to blame you for this, Ally. Things aren’t going to go back to the way they were at the beginning.” Derren wouldn’t allow it.