Lycan Ian Steel~
"Good work, John," I told my PI, "and send me the information."
"I will fax it to you. When do you want me to go in after Harley?" he asked eagerly.
"I don't, you won't be the one doing the taking." I can tell I have burst his bubble.
"Lycan, with all due respect, I call some absolute bullshit on that! I found her, and I want the bounty for bringing her in!"
"We never agreed to that. You're a PI, not a bounty hunter. You've done your job, and you'll get the other half of your money once you send me the damn profile."
The bug-eyed little fuck hung up on me! Rage surged through me, and I slammed the phone back into the cradle hard enough to push it through my desk. This sweet victory had been coming for a long time; no way I would risk Harley getting away now. I picked up the receiver again, surprised to hear it still worked, and dialed Reins' number. No answer.
"Nick, I have a job—call me!" I growled when the beep sounded.
My gaze settled on her as I leaned back in my chair. My beautiful Harley, she thought she could escape me, silly child. I have kept her photo here on my desk all these years as a reminder of the only thing I have ever wanted but couldn't control. Harley will pay for the trouble she's caused me. My daughter will spend a little time in my dungeon before I ship her off to the training center for her reprogramming.
Under the strict discipline of Durwood Academy, my daughter will discover abilities within herself that she could never have imagined. Only I know Harley is an innately magical guardian of Sauther Lake. I made sure of that. According to legend, guardians are the firstborn child of every firstborn seventh-generation female. Of course, I had known this before her mother conceived.
Ah, Sabrina, I had sought her out once my research revealed she was the generation that would give life to the next guardian. Everything was going fine until Sabrina caught me one day when Harley was about three, searching for which of the four elements my daughter's power lay in. Harley's mind was powerful even then; I can only imagine now.
After that, things went south on a fast train. Sometimes I half regret killing Sabrina, but she had left me no choice. I had not gone to all the trouble of bringing her to my pack and making her my Luna, only to have her take Harley back to her clan, where the lake would protect her from me. One night, after Sabrina had put Harley to bed, I slit her throat from ear to ear and dragged her body out of our house.
What's done is done. My mate shouldn't have betrayed me; it's as simple as that. No one has ever gotten away with it; to be sure, Sabrina would not be the first. It wasn't long before I took another mate and had another child, my son Kyle, my pride and joy. Once I get Harley in line, I can hand the pack over to him, knowing she will protect him as long as she lives.
My cell rings. I take it out of my pocket and check the ID; it's my FBI connection. "Yeah," I say into the speaker.
"I have the documents you wanted," Craig told me. "Harley is investigating Leonard's activities on the island, which, as you know, could lead her back to you. It will not be easy getting to her either. If Nick gets caught or shot, you're both on your own!"
Craig knows I would put only my best man on this mission. Technically, Nicholas hasn't agreed to take on the job. Word was that he'd retired, but I was confident he would reconsider taking this last job once he heard my offer.
"Don't worry about my end," I tell him with purpose. "Just send me the identification as soon as possible."
"Let me ask you, why is it so important to you to force Harley back? She doesn't want to return to your pack."
Because she will make us unstoppable! "Can't a father love and miss his daughter?" I said, lying on as much fake concern as I could muster.
"Ian, I have known you too long. You don't even love what you eat. Either way, I've done my part. I think we are even now. This conversation never happened." The line goes dead.
Craig was referring to the tight spot I helped him get out of a few years back. He'd buried himself and everything he owned in gambling debts, and I made them go away. The phone screen goes black as I toss it onto my desk and sit back in my chair, lacing my hands and putting them behind my head.
My wolf, Colt, has already started his bitch fest in my head. Colt has never approved of my treatment of Harley, he'd rather have us leave HIS daughter alone.
'Why must you do this Ian? Let her be in peace!'
'Give it a rest, Colt. Damn it!' I thunder back.
'Not until the day we both stop breathing! Harley is of our blood, just as Kyle is. How can you justify sacrificing one for the other? You are an unimaginable bastard!'
'No shit, Colt. What's new? Too bad for you, there isn't much you can do about it!'
Colt growls viciously at me before receding far back into my mind. I know if it were possible, he would leap out of me and stand in my way of Harley. I should care that my wolf had rather be dead than trapped inside of me, but I don't.
I smell my Beta, Toby, coming to my office door.
"Yeah, Toby," I say before he can knock. He comes in, closing the door behind him.
"Lycan, have you contacted Reins yet?" he asked after taking his usual seat in front of my desk.
I nodded. "I have. Left a message on his machine." That's what stuck in my craw about Nick. My manipulations had never worked on him. Nick will call back. He damn well better!