Un.Requited (Claimed Series) (38 page)

“Nicolas will be able to handle her,” Devan answered in a collected tone.

Hayden snapped her eyes open and stared into the deep blue gaze of Joseph. The man was crouching in front of her, an indecipherable expression on his face.

She’d hardly interacted with Joseph, but each time she saw him, her dislike for him seemed to increase rapidly. Whatever false pity Hayden felt for him earlier that morning had tarnished into ugly animosity. Everything had been an act.
All of it.

“What did you drug me with?” she asked numbly.

Besides the scent suppressor, Hayden had originally believed Devan injected her with something that would knock her out.
But
based off of what Joseph said, the injection was something that would make it impossible for her to morph into her wolf.

While she did feel weak, she still felt as if her wolf was with her. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to morph, but at least she would have her other enhanced senses.

Hayden searched for Devan over Joseph’s shoulder, finding the woman sitting against a neighboring tree. The woods had darkened into deep blue and black hues, creating an unsettling environment.

Despite the shadowy veil, Hayden was able to discern Devan and her features quite clearly. Like Joseph, Devan didn’t seem to be showing much emotion. There was only a hint of uneasiness, which creased the corners of her eyes.

“It’s a drug that will weaken you and keep you from morphing. You may have enhanced senses in your human form, but
you
aren’t quite as superior as you would be if you relied on your wolf.” Joseph easily caught Hayden’s attention. “We made you vulnerable to the abduction. Amazing, isn’t it?” he asked after spying her astounded face.

Scent suppressants were one thing, but this was difficult to accept. “Only Alphas have the power to force their pack members to morph into their human or wolf forms,” Hayden reasoned. “Creating a chemical for that is impossible.”

Joseph flashed a mocking grin. “You’re still questioning it after experiencing it firsthand? Rogues, who have the sense to rise above traditional werewolves, also have that power.” The dark-skinned beta stood up. “The traditional werewolves are stagnant, underdeveloped. They refuse to change with the times. Eventually, they’ll get run over by their enemies.”

Hayden looked at Devan’s unmoved expression before narrowing her sights on Joseph again. “You sound like you’re supporting the rogues.”

The laugh that came from Joseph was bitter. “Do you even
know
what the rogues stand for? Besides the opinion of the biased werewolves around you, do you even have the slightest sense of what they’re after?” He sniffed haughtily and turned away from Hayden. “You have no idea.”

Hayden immediately went on guard. “I may not have an idea of what Nicolas is really after, but I know I would never betray my pack for
anything
. I would never frame my Alpha and I would never kidnap a pack member in order to deliver them to the enemy.”

As Joseph disregarded her, Devan was the one to stand up, her stance defensive. “I betrayed
you
, Hayden. How can I betray the pack when I never considered you part of it? The others will never have to know about what happened tonight.”

Hayden’s bound arms jerked against the wire and her fists curled at her sides. She wouldn’t deny
it,
the other woman’s remark was harsh and hurtful. “You were with me in the car. How are you going to explain your sudden reappearance to the pack when I don’t return?” Cole would find it suspicious, or at least Hayden liked to think so. 

“So many questions,” Joseph criticized from his position. “I was too devastated to send my father off, so I stayed behind.” He waved his cellphone at her. “A member of my pack called shortly after we entered the woods. He informed me that they found Cole’s car destroyed with your scent leading into Tracer’s van. I reassured him that I would go out and look for you and Devan. Even if they do figure out you’re not in the van, it’ll be too late.”

Hayden paled, closing her eyes.
“Too late?”

Joseph gave a twisted grin, his eyes alighting. “After Nicolas collects you, I’ll bring an unconscious Devan back to the town. I’d tell Cole I was too late to save you from Nicolas’ grasp. I was outnumbered.” He turned to gaze amiably at Devan. “And then life will go on normally. And I now have the authority to take Devan as my mate.”

Eyes widening, Hayden suddenly pieced everything together. “You did all this to be together?” she exclaimed fiercely. Now that Joseph was Alpha, he had the power to declare Devan as his mate. He had no one to answer to, no father, no Alpha to tell him he couldn’t do as he pleased.

“You…” she trailed off, too hysterical to form the right words.
“
You destroyed your pack, your father.” She trembled in fury and glared heatedly at Joseph. “You killed innocent people just to take position as the Alpha. You’re a cruel and cold-hearted bastard.”

“
We
didn’t kill anyone,” Devan argued. She withdrew from Joseph as he tried to reach out a comforting hand. “Joseph asked his father for permission to take me as his mate the day after I was assigned Nathan’s mate. Falco laughed and reprimanded Joseph for even having the balls to ask.”

Devan gave a sidelong glance at Joseph before continuing. “Nicolas happened to be there with an offer. He said he would find a way to make Joseph the next Alpha without killing Falco and we agreed to deliver you to him. The rogues and Nicolas were the ones responsible for the deaths of Robert and Ian. Joseph only planted the scent suppressants in Falco’s rooms.”

“And the attack on Red Donovan?” Hayden asked. When Falco had lost control, it had been the final act to Nicolas’ plans.
But
how could Falco fall into the trap so easily?

“The stress from losing his pack members really got to him,” Joseph responded. He had his head turned to the side, away from Hayden’s repulsed gaze. “Donovan kept accusing him of being the one who murdered Ian and Robert. Coupled with Falco’s hate toward Red and his guilt over his pack’s misfortune, it was easy for his wolf to be taken advantage of.”

Hayden furrowed her brows, feeling something discerning in her stomach.

“Just as there’s a drug to suppress your wolf, there’s also the serum that has the opposite effects.” Devan crossed her arms over her chest, finally appearing remorseful. “When Falco was injected with it, his wolf became too much for him to control properly.”

“And Sasha?
Joseph took her as a mate,” Hayden pressed.

“Grasping for straws, Hayden?” Devan shook her head mockingly. “You’re too naïve. People always have ulterior motives. Sasha has her own reasons of going along with accepting Joseph as her mate.”

“You’re absolutely disgusting,” Hayden whispered hoarsely. She felt immense pity for Falco and Red, and everyone else who
had been caught up
in this sickening scheme. Ironic, really, that they were doing this to obtain love and the consequences only resulted in death and despair.

Devan lost her defensive air at Hayden’s words. She bowed her head, her eyes downcast.

“Everything was Nicolas’ idea.”

“But you went along with it!” Hayden cried out, not willing to let this drop. “You’re a coward. There were other ways to get what you wanted without making a deal with the devil.”

Joseph took an advancing step forward, rage clear in his eyes. He raised his arm and backhanded her harshly across the face. His sharp nails opened up diagonal wounds across her cheek, causing them to sting horribly.

“Joseph!” Devan chastised.

“You talk too much for someone who is ignorant.” He fisted her long hair, tilting her head at an awkward angle. “We didn’t take up Nicolas’ deal just to secure my position as Alpha.” Joseph leered down at her. “Nicolas also granted the town immunity from the rogues. How can you find fault in our decision? We had to sacrifice a few lives in return for a whole town’s worth. Albertville and the packs here won’t be touched by what the rogues have planned for the rest of the werewolf communities.”

He pushed Hayden’s head away and her body strained limply against the sharp wire. She stared lifelessly at the ground, the blood on her check dripping rivulets down her neck and staining her shirt.

If it was any other person Joseph and Devan made the deal with, Hayden could reluctantly understand the reason behind their cooperation. She could never accept how they went along with the murders, but if it granted protection for the town, it would be tempting for many to take the deal.

But
this wasn’t just
anyone
they made the deal with. This was Nicolas. He was extremely intelligent, manipulative. She remembered the first and only time she had met him. He had those
eyes, the predator-like eyes. He had enjoyed initiating a chase with Hayden simply out of fun. It had been a game to him.
And
when he thought Cole was just as interested in Hayden as he was, Nicolas had used her to lure Cole out.

He wanted to lure Cole… It was all a game to him…

Hayden’s heart dropped and she arched into the wire, suddenly afraid when she realized Nicolas’ intentions. “You’re both idiots. He’s just using you. You think you’ll be able to return to town and forget about all of
this?
He never intended to grant the town immunity, he only wanted you to deliver me as bait. He’ll discard you when he’s done.”

Devan began laughing. She leaned her back against Joseph, who looked equally as amused. “You act like you know him better than I do, Hayden. Just because he marked you as his mate doesn’t mean you know anything about him.” She lifted a
finely-shaped
eyebrow. “After all, I spent over fifteen years with him in Xavier’s pack.”

Hayden blanched. “Nicolas was a member of Xavier’s pack? Is that how he was able to kill Cole’s mother?” It would explain how Nicolas got so close to Xavier’s life mate without Cole’s father detecting his movements.

“You mean she doesn’t know?” Joseph exclaimed. Surprise washed over his features before he grimaced. “That’s pretty pathetic.” He curled an arm around Devan’s shoulders and pulled her closer.

The sudden onslaught of confusion caused Hayden to stop pulling at her restraints.

“I never understood why Cole didn’t tell you,” Devan murmured. “I know he doesn’t like to talk about it, but still.” She was silent for a moment before she shifted wearily. “Nicolas is Cole’s older brother.” 

It took Hayden a long time to register the information and even longer to breathe past the initial shock. At first, she was livid that Cole would keep something like that from her. Did he really think it was fair to keep her in the dark about Nicolas? Nicolas had pulled her into the sick and twisted game he liked to play with Cole. Hayden had every right to know the man whose presence was constantly in the back of her mind.

Then her shock turned into extreme sorrow. She could understand Cole’s reasons. He didn’t want to acknowledge Nicolas as his brother, the man who killed his own mother, and by proxy, his father.

She inhaled steadily and slowly raised her head to catch Devan’s eyes. “Nicolas isn’t interested in me like you think he is,” Hayden whispered. Trying to get Devan to understand would be impossible, but she had to try for Cole’s sake. “Don’t you see? He only wants me here to draw Cole out. He’ll do anything to get at him.”

Devan appeared sour for a moment. She tilted her head in order to look at Joseph, seemingly communicating mentally with him. Seconds later, she constructed a poker face and waved a careless hand. “Don’t be stupid. It was Nicolas’ idea to give Cole a false lead. Why would he go through that trouble of luring Cole
away
?”

“You said Nicolas is late!” Hayden roared. Her anger began to manifest and she lurched against the wire strung around her. She was afraid for Cole, for herself. She was simple bait and all three of them were pawns to Nicolas’ intentions. “If Nicolas really wanted
me,
just me, he would have put me in that van. Even if Cole could somehow trace the van initially, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with it.”

Hayden struggled and arched against the restraints, ignoring the pain as the wire cut lesions into her skin and compressed her chest. She ignored the blood that swelled and rained steadily to the ground, the sight of it only renewing her efforts.

Devan cried out, trying to get Hayden to stop. Hayden tossed her head away from the reaching hand, refusing to cease her attempts of escaping. She refused to be responsible for Cole’s demise.

Suddenly, a warm void smothered her frantic anxiety. Startled, Hayden sagged against the trunk and stared unseeingly at the woods in front of her. The void in her mind wasn’t just a bottomless pit that ate her fear, but it seemed to give Hayden its own feelings of comfort and reassurance. The presence in her mind was unmistakably Cole, somehow reaching out to her at a distance.

I’m coming.

“No!” Hayden shouted her denial.

His voice was clear and strong as it resonated inside her head. The thought of him coming for her only caused a whole new wave of panic to surge. Cole’s persistent mental embrace only tempered her anxiety, calming her when she wanted nothing of the sort.