Reese (Pack of Misfits #2) - Raven Kennedy Page 0,96

charging the air with electricity. Everyone who was shifted into their animal form shifts back into human, and when he sends out another wave of power, every single one of Sid’s pack members take a knee, heads bowed in shifter surrender.

They’ve lost.

Beside me, Luca shifts back into his human form and pulls me against his chest. “You okay?”

I can hear the worry in his voice, and I squeeze him reassuringly. “Yeah. You?”

“Yeah,” Luca reassures me.

He stays by my side as Hugo walks across the yard and stops in front of me. “You good, kid?”

I nod. “A little banged up, but I’m fine.”

He nods and turns, while Igor flanks him. Luca stays right by my side, his hand on my back like he needs to keep touching me to assure himself that I’m okay. I lean against him to remind myself of the same thing.

Hugo’s icy eyes roam over every single one of Sid’s pack. I see several of them gulp and shudder. “You’ve attacked one of my packmates.”

“She was ours first,” a voice snaps out.

I look over and find Sid’s second, Welsh, staring daggers at me even as blood drips from his mouth.

“Out of fear and control. Not loyalty. Forcing someone to be in your pack does not make them yours.”

The shifter seethes. “Alpha Sid had every right.”

“Really? Does Alpha Sid have every right to kidnap and sell members of his own pack?”

Tension fills the air. “What do you mean?” someone else calls out.

Hugo tilts his head at me. “Reese witnessed him selling a female member of your pack. Karina.”

“That’s a lie!” Welsh counters. “Karina ran away with a human.”

“Did she?” Hugo counters. “What about Spencer? Or Riley? Or Jessica? Did they all run away too? Is that really what you believe?”

I gave Hugo and the enforcers all the names of my old packmates who’d gone missing over the years, and I watch as everyone considers what Hugo is implying.

Hugo nods at someone beside his Jeep. “Ask her to come out.”

The enforcer nods and opens the passenger door, and my heart stops when I see Karina step out. “Cheese and mice,” I whisper, my hand flying to my mouth. She looks just like she did five years ago, except today, her eyes are clear and hard. She’s lost the innocent, carefree expression on her face though, and she’s thinner than she used to be. As she stands in front of the Jeep, she crosses her arms around her middle in a protective stance.

“Karina?” A voice filled with disbelief calls out. A mongoose female pushes forward from the others, her auburn hair wild and her lip bloody. “Is that really you?” Tears are in her eyes as she takes in the younger female, and I know it’s Karina’s mother.

“Hi, Mom.”

With a sob, the female rushes forward and gathers her daughter in her arms. Several other packmates are watching the exchange with wide eyes, while my own are filled with tears. I can’t believe that Hugo and the enforcers actually did it. They tracked Karina down. I feel so full of different emotions that I could burst.

After Karina’s mother pulls away, Karina looks back at the others. “They’re telling the truth. Sid’s been selling us for years. None of us ran away. He’s been doing this to profit off us,” she declares, her face turning stony with hardened hate. “If Pack Aberrant hadn’t found me, I’d be dead right now, and I—” her voice chokes out, like she’s unable to go on.

I step forward. “Whatever bullshit excuse Sid gave you guys about me and Karina was a lie. I saw him selling her that day. When I caught him, I threatened to tell you all. He kidnapped me, forced me to stay in my rat form, and dumped me with another shifter, where I’ve been trapped for the last five years.”

I watch as the information sinks in. Most of the faces look shocked. Some of them are doubtful. Others look guilty. My gaze narrows on Welsh. “You knew.”

Some packmates look over at him accusingly. “You knew he’s been selling us?” one male asks, outraged.

Welsh blanches and backs up from the angry packmates rounding on him. “I—”

“Wait...What about Toryn? He claimed she ran away. Did she get sold too?”

More voices shout out, increasing in anger.

“I challenge Alpha Sid!” one male cries out.

“So do I!”

“Me too!”

Karina’s mother wipes the tears off her face, her expression going murderous. “I challenge him and Welsh both. They cannot be allowed to live for what they’ve done.” Everyone