me. “He’s the only Were to fight Rohrik Donovan and live.”
“Give me a break,” Seth said, his anger shifting abruptly into an amused smirk. “Rohrik didn’t want him dead. Somewhere under the influence of the Focus, he had to have known what you were there for. Why don’t you just sit down, get comfortable, and shut up. We’re not going to hurt you unless you do something stupid, and he won’t be here for a while.”
Cursing softly under my breath, I took a look around, wondering how far I’d get if I bolted. They were alert now, watchful for escape attempts. It wouldn’t do me much good, since I already knew they were faster and stronger than I was. They might tie up my ankles if I ran. Or possibly take a more violent turn. I wouldn’t put it past them, though they hadn’t actually hurt me—yet.
Irritated, I stalked over to a fallen log, sitting down on that instead of in the mud. Wrenching at the ropes around my wrists, I brought the knots up to my teeth to work myself free. Nobody made a move to stop me, and I guessed that they didn’t consider me much of a threat with or without free hands. One of them even pulled out his cell phone and started fiddling with it, like he was playing a game or texting. Genius.
“Why this cavalier shit?” I asked again after the rope loosened and I didn’t need to tug at it with my teeth anymore.
Seth ran a hand lightly over the scruffy stubble on his jaw, not paying me much mind. “I want control of the pack. I won’t get it unless I fight him for it. Too many back there would make it into a bloodbath instead of letting us work out right of ascension.”
“Too many of the pack would try to stop you, you mean.”
He glanced in my direction, giving me a wry grin. “That’s what I said. I want a pack to lead, not a bunch of broken bodies and sore losers who would fight me for right of ascension as soon as Chaz is out of the way.”
I curled my lip in a sneer, taking the rope up into a snarled tangle and throwing it as far from me as I could. “What makes you think you can beat him? He’s bigger and stronger than you.”
“Big and strong doesn’t always equal faster or smarter. We’ve got you. He might just turn over leadership without a fuss if we press him right.”
Meaning, if they threatened to do something to me, he might just give in and turn over leadership without a fight. I rubbed at my chafed wrists, staring down at my hands while I tried to think of how to get away.
“Why are you talking to her? She’s just bait,” Gabe asked, peeling the leaves one at a time off a branch he’d broken from a tree.
“You have anything better to do? I’m bored; she’s listening.”
“She might use it later.”
“How?” The guy who had tied up my wrists earlier asked, looking up from his cell phone. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“She fought Rohrik and that vampire, asshat. She’s tougher or smarter than she looks. She’s dangerous.”
I rolled my eyes, stopping when I saw Seth doing the same thing. Making a little mulch pyramid with the toe of my sneaker, I propped my elbows on my knees and put my chin in my hands, staring at Gabe. He might be a danger to me later. Maybe I could use his wariness of me somehow. That in mind, I gave him a grim smile, narrowing my eyes.
“You afraid of little ole me? Big, scary Were like you? Jesus, Seth, you need friends with backbones.”
Gabe straightened, dropping the branch and clenching thick fists at his sides. “Shut your mouth. Nobody asked you.”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here, then. Later, just you and me, we’re going to have a little talk. I’ll make sure you walk away with a lesson in manners you’ll never forget, you dumb shit.” Lord knew how I’d manage, but sometimes the threat was as good as the deed. Royce had taught me as much.
Gabe clenched his fists together so tightly, I could hear his knuckles cracking. He looked at Seth, silently asking permission for something. The other Were shook his head, a smile quirking his lips. “I see why Chaz likes you. You are one brass-balled bitch.”