Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Chapter 23

"Get Matthew here at once. Have several guards guarding the exits to the pack house," I growl. "We can not let her escape."

"Yes Alpha," Xander replies. "Do you want Matthew to meet you out here or should we ambush her?"

"Ambush her in a narrow corridor if possible."

He nods.

I reenter the room after talking to Xander to see Carrie and Iz talking. Or rather, Carrie talking and my mate listening. Iz's relief at my return is apparent. She doesn't conceal it at all and I notice Carrie's nails lengthen, as if she's struggling to hold back her vampiric talons.

She knows Isobel knows. She knows I now probably know.

She's not going to attack yet; she knows better than to go face to face with an Alpha wolf with no plan. Even so, I'm not convinced I could take her and I'm not risking a fight when Isobel can't fight back.

We also have a large group of wolves downstairs equipped to take her out, Nate comments, rolling his eyes.

That too.

I silently watch the pair of them, resisting my urge to rip Carrie away from my mate. Despite knowing the truth of Carrie's nature, I can't help but to admire her for managing to keep up her act of being an innocent child and playing the role so convincingly that she managed to fool all but my Beta. The fact she managed to fool Jack is impressive as she trusts next to no one, treating everyone as a potential threat until they prove otherwise.

I hate this. Isaac, we need to get her away from Iz.

No. We have to be patient. We can't risk Iz getting hurt.

My heart goes out to her. I wish I could talk to her properly, for her to be able to talk back again. I already miss her disregard for rules and I even miss Jack's arguably bloodthirsty nature. I give a small sigh of regret; if I'd never let the Praetorian take her, we would still be able to talk. Iz hears me and she beckons to me and I walk over, seating myself in the other chair beside her, taking her hand again.

I glance outside the small window to see it's starting to get dark, and a shiver of fear crawls up my spine. Vampires are strongest at night, especially when it's a new moon like tonight; we are running out of time to safely capture her. However, the time also gives me the perfect excuse to get her downstairs and away from my mate.

"Carrie where do you want to sleep tonight? You can stay with Gwen or the other children."

"Gwen."

"I'll tell her and ask her to pick you up."

Is everyone ready?

Yes Alpha, Matthew answers. We are ready to ambush her in the main reception area. Everyone in that area has been vacated to a safer part of the pack house.

Good. I'm on my way.

"Gwen will be here to pick you up in ten minutes. Say goodbye to Iz and we'll go and wait for her."

"Okay. Bye Izzy!"

Carrie hugs Iz's free arm and I give Iz a parting smile and a wink, and I lead Carrie out the door, a pair of guards locking it behind us.

Good. Isobel's safe if this should go wrong.

Not that it will.