Desert Wolf by Heather Long Read Free Book Online

the epicenter of the action he found their leaders —but none of the three wolves with their throats torn out were skilled enough to coordinate such a blatant rebellion against his authority.
    Several of the downed wolves had bullets in them. Who the hell brought a gun to a wolf fight? Sovvan let out a gasp, and he was at her side before he’d even half-acknowledged the sound.
    “This one’s alive,” she said, arm outstretched.
    If he’d hadn’t shed his jacket on the way to the fight, he would have brushed her arm aside. As it was, he snapped at her Hound. “Stop her.”
    Faust caught her wrist and Cassius knelt into the blood-damp earth next to the body. The woman was between twenty or twenty-five, with stringy blonde hair. He could barely make out her features because gore caked her face. Cupping her cheek, he swiped away some of the grime with his thumb. “Give me your name.” Her life force responded to his call, the sense of her barely there—a single, frayed thread.
    “Eileen,” the girl whispered. Yes, girl. Even if she were twenty-five years old, she seemed a tiny, delicate thing. Not a Hunter or fighter, yet corded muscle stretched over her petite frame. She’d been training. The name tickled an old memory in the back of his mind, but he ignored it in favor of her.
    “Family name?”
    “None.”
    None? Cassius frowned. Could they save the girl—Bianca was near enough and his strength could anchor her. “You have no family?” Had they rejected her?
    “Out—sider.” Blood bubbled at her lips, and then she gripped his arm as her milky eyes opened. No, he couldn’t save her. Life fled her too swiftly and she knew. “No…more…reaping.” Her last breath rattled in her chest, and she released him.
    Behind him, Sovvan made an aggrieved sound. He passed his hand over Eileen’s eyes, closing them before glancing at the Omega. Her golden eyes still burned with ferociousness, but her expression seemed more devastated than angry. “Why did they attack us?”
    “That’s a stupid question.” He rose, the reek of death would follow him for days. So much of it needless, yet those who would challenge his authority and outright rebellion could not be allowed to survive. To save many means I must sacrifice some.
    “For someone who wanted me here, so much so you made numerous promises to my Alpha, you are very rude.”
    “I also just killed wolves who belonged to me to protect you.” He had no time for her womanly vapors. Omegas were powerful tools, and Sovvan one of the strongest he knew of, but she needed to adjust her expectations and get up to speed quickly or Sutter Butte would eat her alive. Ignoring her for the moment, he focused on Faust. “Get her in your vehicle, pull around the bodies, and meet me at the entrance. I’ll have my healer look you two over and then we’re back on the road.”
    “Alpha,” Cyril interrupted. Did the wolf need him to hold his damn hand and sing kumbaya, or could he not do his job?
    “What?” That child shouldn’t have been in the kill box. None of them should.
    “My trucks will be here within the hour. Do you want to tell Jose about Andreas or should I?”
    Andreas Garcia. Dammit. Cassius shook his head once. “I’ll do it.” He owed Garcia that much. The man sent his son away and brought word of the rebellion to him at great personal expense. Cassius would have been within his rights to execute them on the spot.
    “As you wish.” The flip nature of his tone grated like sandpaper on an open wound. Especially when neither Sovvan nor her Hound moved to do as he’d instructed.
    “You seem very blasé about this, Cyril.”
    The other wolf shrugged, then his gaze tracked past Cassius to the Omega. “I am hoping she is worth the cost you have committed us to, as this is only the down payment.”
    “If you don’t like it, you know the answer.”
    “I haven’t needed a Reaping in years, Alpha.” Cyril spread his hands wide, surrendering the field.