Sylvia's Torment (Enforcers and Coterie Book 2) (24 page)

“Not wasted. We spent it together, and I think it was good for us to have a relationship that didn’t start off as lifemates. I think you would have consumed me. I would’ve thought I had to be agreeable and peaceful for you, since that’s what my mom is for my dad. But you don’t need a docile little woman.” It was a good thing they’d eased into being lifemates. They were both too stubborn and needed the time to learn each other.

Derek laughed. “Docile is never a word I’d use for you. And you’re right. I don’t want or need that. I need someone who can stand up to me, call me a jackass when I’m being a jackass and can love me for who I am.” He grew pensive. “That is, if you can love me. I’m not an uncomplicated man, and I never will be.”

She smacked him on the stomach then rubbed the spot to make him feel better. “Silly man. Of course I love you. A part of me has always loved you, even when I tried to deny it. Your sweetness, understanding and patience with me made me fall the rest of the way in love with you. You didn’t push me except when I needed it. You’re pretty amazing yourself, and I can’t help but love you.”

She stretched up to kiss him. With him by her side, working through her phobias didn’t seem so tough. She’d lean on him when she needed strength.

Pulling back, the bedside clock caught her attention. “Oh no! I’ll be late for my session with the shrink if I don’t go now. I don’t want to miss any appointments, especially since I’m making some headway.”

She jumped off the bed and ran around grabbing clothes to wear. She tossed a few over her head before she found a nice blouse and a pair of slacks. Next she rummaged through the dresser looking for socks and underwear. Once she had a complete outfit in her arms, she raced to the bathroom and slammed the door.

A faint knock at the bedroom door.

She ignored it as she jumped into the shower. A hot lingering shower would’ve been nice, but she didn’t have the time. She scrubbed shampoo through her hair then conditioned it before she turned off the water. After toweling off, she applied moisturizer and a little bit of makeup, just enough to be presentable.

She pulled on her clothes and dismissed the wet hair. There wasn’t enough time to dry it, which meant dealing with an unruly mess later on. She shrugged. Derek would delight in mussing it after her session.

When she joined him in the bedroom, Derek was dressed and no longer alone.

“Jackson! I’m so sorry I haven’t spent much time with you since I’ve been back. Especially since you’ve been so nice and helpful with paroling for the pack.” She walked over to her old friend and gave him a swift hug. Friendly affection no longer pained her as long as it was in small doses.

Not for the first time, she wondered why she hadn’t fallen for Jackson. He was quite attractive with short brown hair and piercing brown eyes. His strong jaw and cheekbones gave him the look of a Roman emperor. Coupled with his sexy mouth, a thin upper lip with a full lower lip, he was every woman’s fantasy.

Put him and Victor together, and women had problems thinking coherently. And yet not once had she thought of him as anything other than a friend.

“It was my pleasure. I’m just so happy you’re home safe and sound.” He sounded genuinely happy and not in the least bit put out she’d dragged him away from Julia. “Plus, I can teleport back to Julia when my shift is over. Speaking of teleport, Derek said you needed to catch a port over to your therapist’s?”

“That would be awesome! Wait, do you know the place?”

Teleporting only worked if the mage knew the end location. Stuck in a wall, not on her bucket list.

Jackson nodded. “Yeah, it’s not that far from Julia’s place. Well, our place now. I’ve wandered the area, and I checked street view with the online maps. I’ll be able to drop you off and then walk home.”

“Why are you still here? I thought everyone had gone home?” She was sure with the four Alphas either demoted or dead, there wasn’t a need for him to hang around. She glanced at Derek who nodded, confirming her thoughts.

“Oh, I fell asleep in one of the guest rooms and didn’t get the memo. Julia’s doing double duty to make up for missed time and as punishment for helping me instead of turning me in. No reason to waste energy porting home when it’s empty. That, and I’m avoiding Markus.” He grimaced when he said the mage’s name.

Unable to contain it, Sylvia giggled. “Oh no. He heard?”

“Yes. He heard. And let me tell you, it wasn’t pleasant to open the bathroom door in my own damn home and find Markus standing there, glaring at me. I almost had a damn heart attack. He was not pleased with the news, to say the least. I almost lost some very important parts. I’m still not sure he believes me.”

“Someone want to tell me what you’re talking about?” Derek asked.

“Well, after my little freak out at the club, the Deltas though it’d be best to spread the rumour that Julia is pregnant. Throw any challengers off the scent.”

Jackson snorted. “Yeah, great idea. Wished they’d warned me so I could’ve gone into hiding until Julia talked to Markus.”

“Pussy,” Derek razzed him.

“Oh really? You wanna go up against him? I’ll tell him that,” Jackson shot back.

“Hell no. I’m not suicidal or stupid.”

“Give me a kiss so I can go,” Sylvia said as she wrapped her arms around Derek’s neck.

He kissed her thoroughly, leaving her breathless.

Jackson snickered, and Derek reluctantly released her.

“Yep, I know exactly how you feel, Derek. I do the same thing to Julia every time we part. And now I know how awkward it is for everyone else standing around.” Jackson laughed. “Of course, just like Derek, I don’t give a shit if anyone else is uncomfortable. Come on, we better go if you expect to keep your appointment.”

Jackson took her hand, and from one heartbeat to the next, they moved through space. Her stomach clenched and her head spun from the disorienting sensation of teleporting. She groaned and tried hard to keep control of her lunch.

“Oh, I hate porting. I forgot just how much I hate porting. Next time, I’ll just be late,” she whined then felt terrible for doing so. Jackson had gone out of his way to help her. Instead of calling her on it, he just gave her a hug.

“I love you, too,” he whispered before he ported himself home.

With a smile, she entered the low-rise office building, greeted the receptionist and made her way to her therapist’s office.

Chapter Thirty

The inner office
welcomed her with its peaceful and serene atmosphere. How far she’d come from just a few weeks earlier when this room and its implications had terrified her. She settled into her usual seat. The sight of a capped water bottle with the pitcher and two glasses brought a sad smile to her lips. She still had miles to travel before her mind was fully healed.

“Good morning, Sylvia.” Dr. Zayler smiled. “Would you like to discuss how you’re sleeping? We touched upon it in the last session and I was hoping we could expand on it.”

She chewed the inside of her cheek. Why hadn’t he forgotten about her stupid slip of the tongue? Avoidance wouldn’t help, though. With a tiny sigh, she spilled another dirty secret to her therapist.

“Well, I still can’t sleep without the light on. Not even a night-light can help. I need the overhead light to flood the room. I know I’m not getting enough sleep, but I’ve gotten so use to being deprived that it doesn’t register any more. And that honestly scares me. Can I go insane from too little sleep?” It’d become a genuine worry of hers, that she’d go insane from it.

“If you were staying awake for days on end, then yes, it could cause serious problems. You wouldn’t drop into REM sleep, and it could cause hallucinations. Your brain needs REM to recharge. I’ve checked your monitoring software, though, and you have been sleeping, if fitfully. Have you been dreaming at all?”

One of the first things he’d suggested was for Sylvia to wear a monitoring bracelet, and it registered the different brain waves that occurred while she slept. Every morning she downloaded the results and emailed it to him. Well, last night she hadn’t, as she hadn’t gotten the chance to sleep much.

“Yes.  Some of them good, most are bad, though. I’m back there. In the small cell. Can’t touch the walls, or I’ll be burnt. Don’t want to close my eyes, or I’ll wake up in pain. Some nights I dream about the day I escaped, except this time I don’t make it. Captured again, and as punishment, I’m awake when they decapitate me,” she broke off, unable to continue. The memories crowded in, some genuine and some pulled from her dreams. “Am I ever gonna get better? Will I always have this crippling fear of sleeping, of eating, hell, of even breathing?”

Despair crowded in, threatening to suffocate her.

The phantom touch of Derek caressed her. Surprised, she realized the touch was familiar, one she’d felt many times during her imprisonment. He’d comforted her as best as he could. He’d been with her, helping keep her sane.

She took a deep, shuddering breath and controlled the random, chaotic thoughts.

“You may have episodes even after years of therapy. You went through a horrific ordeal, and it’s not easy to overcome. From what I’ve seen, though, you’re a determined person, and as long as you’re willing to fight, then we’ll do everything we can to lessen or even defeat your phobias.” His words, even non-committal, helped.

It depended on how badly she wanted it. Giving up, not an option.

“I had a positive step yesterday. Had breakfast I didn’t make. I even ate an apple.”

Her joy increased when a pleased look lit up Dr. Zayler’s gentle face.

“That’s fantastic. That’s better progress than I’d hoped for. You must trust this person a lot, the one who cooked,” he said as he scribbled some notes on his pad.

“Yes, yes I do trust him. He would never hurt me. I almost refused. Almost walked away but I didn’t want to disappoint him,” her voice softened as she spoke. So much had happened yesterday because she’d trusted Derek.

“That’s good. While much of what we discuss has to do with you learning coping skills, it helps to have someone to lean on. Keep in mind you don’t want to use him as a crutch. Let him give you little pushes, turn to him when you need to, but don’t rely on him to always be there. What good is it to eat when instead of being made by you, it’s now always made by him?”

She nodded at his words.

What use would she be as an Enforcer if she refused to eat anywhere but home or – an even worse insult – didn’t trust the food the Coterie provided?

It was a long road ahead of her, but she wasn’t alone. She had the support of Derek and her pack.

“Next week, I’ll ask another friend to prepare me food. I’ll keep pushing. I won’t let those bastards break me. Derek told me that broken can be fixed, and I want to be fixed. I’m tired of living in fear.”

“Derek is your Alpha, correct?”

“Yes, he is. He’s also…” she broke off, a little shy to put into words how she felt about Derek. She wanted Dr. Zayler to understand the change in her, to make sure she wasn’t using him as a crutch. “He’s my mate, my lifemate. And I love him.” Afraid they’d stick in her throat, she let the words out in a rush.

Her feelings for him were so new and raw. Acknowledging that her crush was something deeper left her vulnerable and exposed. A crush was easy to recover from if things went bad. Losing a lifemate had the potential to destroy.

“No!” A loud, angry yell intruded on their peaceful bubble.

Flesh hit something hard.

She cocked her head, confused. What in the world? She hadn’t realized there was anyone out in the back alley. While the window looked pretty with its gauzy curtains, the view it contained was anything but. It showed the brick wall of another building and a large dumpster used by the surrounding offices. Sylvia had scouted it out during her first visit to map out all possible escape routes.

Breaking glass and furious snarling had her on her feet within seconds. She snagged Dr. Zayler and pulled him behind her. She may have frozen when attacked from behind, but she’d be damned if she let anyone get hurt while she was around. Dr. Zayler, by virtue of his job, was now her pack, and she’d lay her life down for his.

“You’re mine! I told you that. I claimed you. How dare you let him touch you? I should have killed him when I had the chance.” The curtains ripped aside as a crazed man stepped inside, not caring about the jagged pieces of glass. One large, sharp piece sliced his wrist, and he didn’t react, just stalked closer to Sylvia. He ignored the dripping blood, although her gazed latched onto it.

The crimson drops created a trail right to her. Her wolf demanded freedom when she scented the blood. She ruthlessly crushed the urge, now used to denying that side. Even in the past few weeks, she’d changed a small handful of times.

Sylvia forced herself to pay attention. With an enemy so close, she needed to focus. She could handle this. She had to.

“He won’t touch you again,” the intruder snapped at her.

For a moment she didn’t recognize him, as the last time she’d seen him, he’d been cold. Even during their fight, he hadn’t lost his temper or let his emotions affect him. Now his rage was out of control, hatred burning hot. The sociopath, D, had found her, had somehow escaped from the compound.

She quickly assessed him, spotting the knife in his hand and the bulges under his coat. A concealed shoulder holster with two guns. The gunpowder and oil teased her nose. His hair was no longer a brush cut. Instead, it was now several inches longer. Stubble covered his chin and cheeks. His lack of care and personal grooming worried her, as he’d always appeared to be a control freak before.

Damn it. A sociopath was bad enough. One who’d snapped meant the death of her.

D attacked, faster than any human had the right to be. His fist shot out, and acting on instinct, she twisted out of the way. Unfortunately she’d forgotten about poor Dr. Zayler behind her. No longer shielding him, D’s fist made contact with the therapist’s face, and he flew backwards. He landed on the chair, sprawled out and unconscious.

She whirled back towards D. Damn it, she’d been sloppy. The bleeding hand had concealed a small dart gun from her. A dart filled with an all-too familiar drug. She tried to dodge, tried to escape, but she was a hair too slow. The sting in her arm was swiftly followed by numbness. Her eyes grew heavy, her body unresponsive, and she slid to the floor, helpless... again.

Panic assaulted Derek
. His throat locked up, his eyesight dimmed, and his heart raced as Sylvia’s emotions battered him. He tried to stand but fell to the floor, narrowly missing the coffee table with his head on the way down. Unable to move, he tried to force air into his labouring lungs.

Zmitro, Isaac and Emma crowded around him, their voices a distant hum. He vaguely felt hands patting him down as they checked him for wounds. They’d find none. The lifebond was trying to snap into place, and it shared Sylvia’s pain with him. Within moments, the sensations went away, and he knew Sylvia was unconscious.

Swearing, he brushed away his Betas and sat up. He didn’t need their concern. He ripped through his hair with agitated fingers as he tried to think. His synapses were firing off-kilter due to the unexpected overload of emotions, and his gut clenched in fear for Sylvia.

“Get Jackson on the phone,” he barked at Zmitro. “Tell him to teleport to Sylvia’s therapist ASAP. Someone attacked Sylvia.”

Before he’d finished speaking, Zmitro had Jackson on the phone. No one questioned his orders. They were too well trained. Isaac was on his cell calling the office. Both Zmitro and Isaac cursed at the same time when they each received the news.

There’d been a struggle, and Sylvia was missing.

Derek ran to the front door and wrenched it open. He shucked off his clothes, not caring if he tore them, and swiftly changed forms. A few times he’d gone with Sylvia to her appointments, and he raced unerringly to the building. Dodging people walking on the streets, he growled at those slow to move out of his way. He barreled into one man who didn’t react fast enough and kept on going.

Several wolves, responding to Derek’s orders via the pack link, had already arrived at the office. They fanned out, trying to catch a scent. Anything that would help them locate Sylvia. Derek entered the building, grateful the doors were already pushed inwards. It saved him from having to shift forms, which would have wasted energy. He could’ve called more from the pack, but he didn’t want them weakened.

A receptionist hovered nervously near her desk, out of her element. Then again how many times did a mage and a bunch of wolves burst into the office to search for a missing packmate?

Sniffing around, he caught Sylvia’s scent and followed it to the back office. With a growl, he motioned for the woman to assist. Fear and worry poured off her, almost clouding Sylvia’s scent.

She rushed to the door and held it open. Her body pressed tight against the wall as she tried to avoid the scary wolf invading her professional space. Derek padded around the office and ignored the groaning doctor. He wasn’t here to make nice. His priority was bringing Sylvia home.

A sneeze cleared his nose.

And the scent of the intruder filled his senses, one ominously familiar. A deep growl of anger rumbled through his chest, anger at himself and at the bastard who’d taken Sylvia. He’d made a stupid mistake. Shawn hadn’t sent Sylvia the flowers or the necklace.

This scent. This familiar, damn scent.

Changing into human form, he gave no thought to his nudity, didn’t even notice when the receptionist gasped.

“Jackson!” he snapped, expecting an immediate response.

“Yes, I’m here,” Jackson replied, floating through the window, showing off with his damn magic. “I didn’t touch anything, not even the floor.”

“I have the scent,” Derek growled in frustration. “It’s the delivery guy. He’s been at the house several times now. We dismissed him as coincidental.”

How could they catch someone who eluded several werewolves and snatched a trained Enforcer in broad daylight? He’d left his scent behind, but they had no clue what he looked like, where he lived, nothing. Each time, he’d hidden his face. How many times had they dismissed him as unimportant?

“Fuck. That son of a bitch,” Jackson ground out.

“Cameras? Are there security cameras anywhere in the building or outside?” he barked at the receptionist, who continued gaping at him. He sighed and turned back to Jackson. “Any chance you could get me some clothes? I think she’ll be useless until I’m dressed.”

Jackson choked back a laugh. “Well, it’s probably not often a monstrous gray wolf turns into a huge, naked black man. Here, some pants. You’re lucky I have some minor skill in conjuring. Organic only though, so I hope cotton jogging pants will do.”

Derek took the soft gray pants from him not caring if the mage had woven them from broken glass as long as the woman stopped staring at him. He yanked them on and tightened the drawstring.

“Well?” he demanded. “Are there any cameras?”

He snapped his fingers impatiently, and finally she reacted.

“Umm, uh, yeah, I think so. I think there’s some out front and maybe in the alleyway. I’m not sure, though. I’ll get security.” She scampered off and headed toward the front of the building.

“Get our tech team on the phone. Find out where the cameras are in this area and have them go through it. She was unconscious when she left, so they’re looking for someone carrying her.” Derek gave instructions to Jackson, knowing he’d obey without question. While he wasn’t a direct superior of Jackson’s, his position of authority meant the mage followed his commands instantly.

Soft footsteps alerted him to another’s presence. He turned and watched as Zmitro made his way into the room, sniffing the air. He was in human form, as were Isaac and Emma. Both entered behind Zmitro and also inhaled the myriad of scents.