Free Robert by Sam Crescent

Fully bonded mates, where you took sole responsibility for her. Could you cope with such a connection after Emma?”
    At the other end of the phone, Robert heard the shattering of glass. William had smashed the bottle.
    “Emma has nothing to do with this. I’ll do it, but don’t be thinking that I want anything more from Katie than her help in fighting this war.”
    Robert said nothing, but he knew William and the demons he’d been fighting for far too long.
    “Get your witch up to speed. I’ll sort this out. You know they’ll be punished, I can’t stop that,” Robert reminded him. His power against the Council was limited.
    “But you can stop them being killed.”
    “Take care, brother.”
    “Happy mating.”
    The call ended. Robert threw his phone against the wall, the small device smashing under the force of his anger.

Chapter Five

    An empty warehouse, somewhere in Beyer West

    “She got away, sir.” The soldier bowed, going onto his knees, asking for
    forgiveness.
    James, the leader and the greatest power among their pack, let out a ferocious growl and lashed out, and the soldier before him was no more. James was brutal—the pieces of the soldier lay spread around them on the ground as if he’d never been alive.  
    “I wanted that witch. What part of that statement did you mongrels not understand?” His voice carried along the ranks of his army, an army of both men and women, pure-bred wolves and mongrels—mongrels had originally been humans, who had been made into wolves by a ferocious bite from a pure-bred wolf—strong and weak. The thing with mongrels was, they were stronger than humans but weaker than any pure immortal.
    One of them dared to raise a hand. James moved, his speed and presence obviously scaring the young man who would dare to interrupt while he was speaking.
    “What could you possibly have to say to me right this second? You failed me. You failed me and you failed in your mission.”
    A whimper escaped the young man.
    “There was someone else there, my leader.”
    James turned to the female guard who had spoken.
    He walked over to her and shot out his hand to squeeze her neck. What he had learnt early on was to show these bastards that he didn’t accept weakness. They did as they were told or would forever suffer the consequences.
    She didn’t flinch; her gaze never wavered. She stared at him with respect. He liked that—he deserved respect.
    “What did you say to me?”
    His anger was in control…barely.
    “A vampire was there, sir.” She spat the word ‘vampire’.
    He released her and glanced around the room. “Did anyone manage to see who this vampire was?”
    The room was silent for a moment.
    “It was a Valentine, sir.”
    He growled at the room. ‘Valentine’ was a disgusting word among his kind.
    “Which one?” There were four Valentine brothers.
    “William, sir.”
    They knew all the family—they had detailed files on every member.
    “How did they know about the witch?”
    “We don’t know, sir.”
    James sneered at them. “Don’t any of you read the reports? Three years ago, a Miss Sophie Ford was offered up to the Valentines by her parents as payment for protection.” He circled the group, reciting his information. “Up until that time, the Fords had been a prosperous and established family. Overnight, their millions just went. It was completely unexplained. The humans believed it was down to bad business decisions and gambling, but the head of the Ford family has never gambled in his life. Magic provided this cover.” Mumbles erupted among the group.
    “What do you mean?” one of the soldiers called out.
    “What I mean is that Katie, the witch you failed to obtain for me, cast a spell that rid the Ford family of all of their money. Overnight, it was like a global recession but for just one family—everything gone. Only, if you look at all the correct figures, it shouldn’t have been possible. I don’t know why the witch did it, but I’m