fulfilled when the woman started becoming fearful of something. Certainly not himself in all his collared, concussed glory.
“What’s wrong with her?” Arnold asked, both repulsed and fascinated.
“Max turned and tortured her. Destroyed her voice box, made her into an obedient little puppet. Alec saved her from him,” John replied, tucking his sword into his belt, following Mouse’s example before he crept away from the wall toward Ashi. There was a hungry glint to his eye, and he didn’t seem to care that Royce was frowning at him. “You’re afraid Alec’s going to hurt him just like Max hurt you, aren’t you?”
She didn’t answer him, shifting her glare from Royce to John.
“Leave her alone,” Royce ordered as he eased into a chair. “Mouse, if you want him, you can have him. John, please see Arnold out and then find a place to stick the other one, would you? Oh, and call in a contractor to get this window repaired.”
John nodded, looking all too pleased to carry out his orders.
Ashi, for his part, was slowly scooting backwards. He stopped with a quiet thump against the wall, one hand on his collar. His eyes darted around in search of an escape route. The window was no longer an option. He started sliding across the wall, inch by inch, toward the stairwell.
Mouse relaxed marginally when Royce’s attention went elsewhere. John escorted Arnold out, though the look he gave Ashi before he left promised a great deal of something probably involving pain to come. He deliberately shut the door behind him, leaving Ashi and Christoph alone with Royce and Mouse.
She still clung to Christoph as if afraid Royce might change his mind and drag him away. It hit too close to home to see someone helpless and going through the same kind of mental torture she’d been subjected to. Her actions weren’t simply possessive; she was being protective. She loosened her grip, but that was all. She stroked his curly hair like one might soothe a frightened child. It was more a comfort for her than him, though he didn’t mind so very much.
Royce pulled up a number in his phone and dialed. He sorely hoped the alpha of the Goliaths was ready to negotiate a price to pay for the stupidity of his pack members. A very hefty price.
* * *
Gregory snarled furiously, his teeth bared and the hair on the back of his neck fluffed out. Bowser and Wario careened around a turn, got stuck in the dirt, and lost speed. Baby Mario and Baby Luigi shot past, cheering. The alpha was laughing.
“Ha! Even as infants, I can still defeat you on Yoshi Island!”
“Wait until we get to the D.K. track,” Gregory growled. His cell phone started buzzing. The race was lost anyway. He kept his eyes on the screen as he picked it up. “Gregory speaking. If you’re asking about our next meeting, hang up and text before I tear your face off because I have told everyone this seven times and I am counting.”
The alpha grinned, shooting across the finish line to chipper victory music as Bowser wept. He glanced at Gregory who was turning very, very pale.
“They. Uh. What? They just—okay. Okay. Please wait one moment.”
Gregory turned to the alpha, whose expression was curious and expectant. He placed his hand over the receiver. Swallowed.
“Ashi and Christoph have just broken into Royce’s house.”
The alpha exploded. “They what?!”
Gregory cringed.
“Why are they in New York?! They are supposed to be on lockdown until they’re needed! Wasn’t Barry watching them?! Who is in charge of troop scheduling?! Give me the grid!”
Gregory scurried over to the desk, got the scheduling grid, and handed it to the alpha, who looked it over. His long hair was growing thicker as it became a mane. “Look right here! Look at this gap! Who made this grid?!”
Gregory looked down at his phone. Royce was still on the line. “Um, I think Todd.”
“He is dead!” The alpha threw the grid at Gregory and stalked the length of his den. “Have they forgotten we are in the middle of a damned war?! They could start another! We cannot afford two at once! We’ve got a cub-hide, half of our troops are not even—”
Gregory made frantic “shush” motions. The alpha backhanded him into a bookshelf.
“We cannot afford to have those two in New York! That is it. I name them codebreakers and exile them!”
Gregory ran a hand down his face. “That might be a hasty decision—”
The alpha bellowed, growing larger with each