Free The Alpha's Heart (Wilde Creek Two) by R. E. Butler Page B

on his shoulder, not to restrain him but to reassure him.  Acksel inhaled deeply and cleared his mind.  He believed she was alive.  Hurt, but alive.  He was going to hold onto that belief.  Once she was safe and in his arms, he’d allow himself time to rage against the ones that had hurt her and get final justice for her.
    Within minutes they had surrounded the small house, staying in the shadows as much as possible so they didn’t give Taylor or anyone else who might be there an opportunity to kill Brynn or escape.  It was an hour to midnight.  Just minutes earlier, the protectors that Acksel had dispatched to the Boat House said that Barry had shown up and the scent of Brynn’s blood was on him heavily.  They were waiting for the word from Acksel that the house was secure before they captured Barry.  They didn’t want him to have a chance at alerting anyone in the house that their plan was not working.
    As silent as moonlight cutting through the forest, Acksel entered the home.  Ren and Sam were ahead of him and three wolves in shifted form took up the rear.  The others, including his dad, were outside making sure no one escaped.  The house was completely dark save for the light from the basement that showed underneath the closed door.
    At Acksel’s signal through his cell, his dad cut the power to the house through the electrical box outside.  The light went out in the basement and Talia shouted in alarm as Taylor barked and then growled.  But it was already too late.
    Acksel didn’t need the lights to find his way to Brynn.  He followed the scent of her blood to where it was heaviest, behind a closed door.  Kicking the door open, Acksel howled loud enough for his dad to hear him, and the lights flickered back on.  Talia stood frozen next to Brynn, whose naked body was covered in blood as she hung from chains attached to the ceiling.
    The human side of his brain stalled out at the sight and his wolf took over.  Talia had harmed his woman.  The bloody knife that tumbled to her feet and rang out as it struck the concrete was testament to her part in it.
    Talia screamed as Acksel crossed the room to her in two long strides and grabbed her hands.  Squeezing hard and fast, he smiled in smug satisfaction as her bones shattered and she screeched in pain.  Red hazed his vision as he grabbed her by the throat and threw her across the room.  She hit the wall with a loud thud and crumpled to the floor.  He would deal with her later — if she was alive.
    Outside the room he heard growling and snarling, but didn’t investigate.  His men would handle Taylor.  Turning to Brynn, he knelt and snapped the chains around her ankles.  They weren’t thick chains, but they were strong enough that she couldn’t break them on her own.  Banding one arm around her waist in support, Acksel reached up and broke the chains that had held her arms over her head.  Deep purple bruises and cuts marred her wrists.  Brynn slumped in his arms, and she exhaled softly in pain as he carefully lifted her into his arms and cradled her close to his chest.
    “Dad?” he called, keeping his back to the door so her body was shielded.
    His dad appeared at the door.  “Yes, son?”
    “I need your shirt.”
    He heard the sound of fabric rustling and he handed it to Acksel over his shoulder.  “Taylor is dead.  He attacked when he saw that we’d come for him, and I think he wanted to die now instead of later.  Ren alerted the males at the Boat House to take Barry alive for questioning.  Rufus isn’t here.”
    When Brynn was covered, Acksel turned and said, “Barry will tell us where to find him.  Or she will.”  He jerked his head back towards Talia.
    He strode through the door and paused.  The dead wolf lay in a pool of blood.  He was tempted to kick him for good measure, but he refrained.  Barely.
    “Ren, head up the interrogation.  Find out where Rufus is and stake him out.  When I’ve taken care of Brynn,