Forever Taken

Chapter Fifteen

Slowly I opened my eyes. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I knew I was in trouble.

The first thing my eyes could focus on was Mirabelle. She stood a distance from where I sat, visibly trembling. Her eyes, dark with fury, glanced down at me for just a millisecond, then concentrated back on the guy beside me. The leader... I vaguely remembered him introducing himself, but couldn't remember his name. I painfully turned my head and looked around. Huge wolves of all colors surrounded me, focused on Mirabelle. I slowly realized that Wes was beside her, and Ezra was on the other side.

Did they not bring more people?

It was getting dark, and much harder to see than it was when I first arrived, however long ago that was. They must have hit me hard, I was still dizzy.

"I've been waiting," the leader announced. "I had men stationed close by your pack who heard rumors about a Sara that was important to your mate. I knew then how to lure him here. I also knew you would come find him. I thought it would be a treat to let you watch him be torn apart. Maybe afterward I'll let you join him in death."

A growl tore through the back of Mirabelle's throat. I tried to wiggle my arms out of the rope binding them, but couldn't. I could think of much better ways to die than to be torn apart by werewolves. I started working the rope around my wrists as much as I could, praying I could get them loose.

"Take me and not him," Mirabelle said.

"NO," I protested, earning a smack to my already hurt head. It wasn't hard as it could have been, but it earned a snarl from Mira.

"I don't want you just yet," he grunted to Mira. "I want you to suffer first."

"Why? She's never done anything to you," I spoke again, prepared for another hit that never came.

"Kellan," Mirabelle spoke, her tone precariously calm. "I know my father did something to your pack, but I haven't. You took the ultimate revenge from him. Why do you still want me to suffer?"

"You escaped me once," he frowned, stepping closer to her. "I'm going to kill you twice. Once with your mate, then with you. No one gets the best of me."

"You have a 'best'?" I asked. I'd always been a smartass. I wasn't going to stop now.

A sharp kick to my back knocked the breath out of me and sent me toppling forward, my face slamming into dirt and gravel. I twisted my body to try to lay on my side, spitting dirt from my lips. Mirabelle's growl had become a constant sound, radiating from where she crouched, ready to launch herself at the cocky bastard beside me.

"Sounds like your mate thinks he's a comedian," Kellan chuckled, obviously not in a hurry to end his fun. One of his goonies grabbed me up by my collar and sat me back upright.

Asher, Mirabelle's voice came into my head. Keep pushing him. Back-up is on the way. We need to stall.

You want me to act like I have a death wish? What if that makes him kill me faster? I thought.

He's too conceited to let insults go unanswered. You're helping us right now, her voice came back.

"So," I started, smirking for effect, "it sounds like Mira gave you a confidence problem."

He scoffed. "She didn't accept her fate—"

"So now you're wanting to have your guys tear me to shreds—with her watching, and then take her out too?" I asked. "Isn't that overcompensating for something?"

He growled and I tried not to back down. If Mira thought this would help I had to trust her. The rope around my wrists wasn't getting any looser.

"I'm just saying," I started again, knowing I was rambling. "Is there an older brother or someone you are trying to live up to? I mean, you're not that old looking. Are you not getting enough attention at home? Is this how you're getting your parents to believe in you?"