Chereads / Shapeshifters omega / Chapter 8 - 8. A deal is struck

Chapter 8 - 8. A deal is struck

Slowly I opened my eyes still groggy from sleep I stretched my arms and legs yawning.

'Let me guess you didn't go to sleep at all did you Doran?'

Rolling over I looked to the floor but the space was empty. Frowning I sat up looking around the room.

"Doran?"

The room was empty of any sign of him. Springing out of bed I ran and checked the bathroom just in case. He was gone I frowned. where could he have gone? Surely he didn't leave me? He gave me his word. Maybe while he was here he shifted back to human form and just went for a walk. That's it it had to be it. I tapped into the brand that connected us in an attempt to track him but it wasn't working something was blocking it.

Growling I ran to the door but it was locked. What the hell? Why would it be locked? Then it dawned on me. This whole thing was a trap. Treston betrayed the laws of neutral territory, but why? What reason could he have possibly have had to break such fundamental rule?

"TRESTON!! OPEN THIS DOOR OR ILL BREAK IT DOWN!!"

I punched and kicked but it barely made a dent. My strength had been taken. They must have drugged the room some how because even my sparks were gone. I bashed on the door again.

"TRESTON!!!"

I heard footsteps approaching. Stepping back I grabbed my knife preparing to take down whoever stepped through. I waited as the door knob slowly turned. Lifting the blade I attacked as soon as it opened, however the drug they had used also made me sluggish and I was easily restrained. Still fighting I lashed out only to be thrown up against the wall my knife knocked out of my hand. Using their body they pinned me against the wall.

"STOP TIONA!"

Instantly I froze finally looking at the person holding me my eyes widening.

"Tarlock?"

I growled.

"What the hell are you doing here?! Where's Doran?!"

He still held me.

"I'll explain everything but you have to calm down."

I growled.

"CALM DOWN! You expect me to calm down after I've been drugged and locked in a room betrayed by someone who's supposed to provide a safe haven and you expect me to calm down?!"

I tried to force him off me but he just pinned himself against me more. It was hopeless I was too groggy to be any match for him. Slowly my breathing relaxed as I stopped struggling. Tarlock stared at me his eyes never leaving mine.

"Better now?"

I scowled at him.

"Let me go Tarlock I won't attack but you better start explaining or I'll kill you where you stand."

Slowly he let me go and stepping back I knew he was ready to restrain me again should I attack. Glaring at him I put my hands on my hips.

"Well?!"

He sighed.

"Before I start I need you to know I only did this to save your life. When you came to me I knew Imogen was up to something but I didn't realise how bad till after you had already left. One of my wolves overheard her saying that there was a bounty on your head. I didn't realise how bad it was til I finally got all the information out of Imogen."

I shook my head.

"I already know all this Tarlock that's why we came here to find out who put the bounty out. That doesn't explain where Doran is or why I was drugged and locked in."

"I know I'm getting there. I know who put out the bounty."

He paused as his eyes searched mine, it must be really bad if even Tarlock looks worried.

"Well who was it?"

"It was the alpha of the crescent moon pack."

I stared at him stunned. This had to be a joke right? I chuckled.

"You can't be serious since when does a legit pack alpha put out bounty's. do you really expect me to believe that?"

Tarlock didn't laugh making my eyes widen.

"But that's ridiculous what the hell have I done to them to make him want me dead?"

Tarlock sighed.

"It's not what you did to them it's what you took."

I threw my hands up in frustration.

"I haven't taken anything! I may be crazy but I'm not that crazy!"

Tarlock rested his hands on my shoulders.

"Tiona it's not an object you took, don't you get it it's Doran. Reily wanted you dead because you stole Doran."

I stared at him my mind spinning.

"What the hell would a liget pack alpha want with a wild wolf?!"

Tarlock shook his head.

"I honestly don't know but when I heard I came straight here. Treston told me you had offered a vile of vampire venom to find out who put the bounty out. Since I already knew I offered another option on your behalf."

As he spoke I realised what he had done with each word that come out of his mouth.

"No!"

"There was no way anyone would go against a pack as powerful as the crescent moon pack. I made a deal to give them Doran and the vile in exchange you got to keep your life."

I pushed him away.

"HOW COULD YOU! WHAT IF THEY WANTED HIM DEAD? YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DEAL!"

I pushed him again. How could he do this. Doran had given his word to keep me safe and because of me he had been taken captive. What were they doing to him right now? I had to save him, I had to get him back. Even if they didn't mean him harm the second he got further then a mile from me he would be in pain anyway. I started for the door but Tarlock grabbed my hand.

"Tiona where are you going?"

I pulled my hand from his.

"To get him back of course."

Tarlock wrapped his arms around me.

"You can't the crescent moon pack isn't like the packs you know in the underground. Their stronger and have far more members you'll never get him out of there. You'll die trying."

I struggled in his arms.

"You don't understand he has the raven brand if he gets even one inch more then a mile from me he'll be in unimaginable pain."

Tarlock spun me around to face him.

"You used the Raven brand?! What were you thinking Tiona that brand links you two in everything even death. If he dies then you die and vice versa."

I groaned.

"Don't you think I know that I was planning on adjusting that part once I'd tamed him but Since its only been a week I hadn't got to that part yet."

Tarlock rubbed his hand through his hair growling.

"Why didn't you tell me about his brand when you came to the pack?!"

"I did I showed Imogen when I arrived!"

His eyes turned away his fists clenching.

"Imogen she must of known what I was planning hopeing that they would kill him and in turn kill you. If she wasn't my sister I'd tare her apart."

"Well she's not my sister so I have no problems killing her right after I get Doran back."

I started towards the door again. Tarlock again grabbed my arm when I went to pull away he surprised me his hand going to my cheek. The gentle touch making me freeze in my tracks.

"I'm sorry Tiona I shouldn't have interfered but I just..I just couldn't let you die. This is all my fault so I'll help you get him back."

I stared at him stunned into silence. Why would he care so much? Was Doran right? Did Tarlock have feelings for me? I pulled away no he was just a friend concerned for my life nothing more.

"Your right this is your fault."

I sighed.

"Come if you want but we have to hurry they couldn't have gotten far with any luck they found a way to block the effects distance from me has on him since I can't track him. They obviously want him alive or they wouldn't have bothered having us drugged."

Tarlock nodded.

"Your right if you can't track him then hopefully they know about that particular brand. If that's true they may have found a way to stop at least the minor effects. Getting him back won't be easy though. we'll have to do it before they reach their destination, because once he's there it'll be near impossible to get him out."

I sigh.

"That means we need to leave now."

Grabbing his hand I pulled him out the door. Ignoring everyone else I headed for the exit just as Treston blocked our path. I growled at him.

"Get out of our way Treston you have no right to keep us."

He grinned his hands behind his back as he calmly stepped aside.

"But of course."

I started forward but Des who'd been standing outside stopped us once again. I turned to Treston.

"But there is one issue of the payment that was promised."

I growled.

"If you think I'm giving you the vile now your dreaming."

I tried to summon my sparks but all that came was a quick flash of light.

"Dear me seems those pesky sparks are still just out of reach."

He raised his hand palm up.

"The vile?"

I looked to Tarlock who shrugged.

"You don't have a choice."

"I'm afraid the serpent is right the deal was the vile for your life. Without the vile your life is once again forfeit and if that happens we get the vile anyway so you might as well pay what is owed."

Reaching into my jacket I pulled out the vile and put it in his hand. I didn't let go at first as I glared into Trestons annoyingly smug face.

"I won't forget this. I'll be back and you won't even see me coming."

Treston closed his fingers around the vile.

"Looking forward for it. Now off you go."

Des stepped aside as I ran out with Tarlock right behind. Shifting into a cheetah I started running not even checking to see if Tarlock was behind me.

'Tiona wait!'

A few years ago I had worked on a job with Tarlock it was then that we had created pack brands in the form of a falcon with a serpent in its claws. Well I'll be honest I created it laughing at the time because our inside joke was that I always had Tarlock by the claws. With this brand we were able to mindlink just like any other pack member but without me having to actually join his pack.

'I can't wait we need to find Doran.'

'You don't even know what way they went you could be running in the wrong direction.'

'I know their going to their pack house if we head in that direction we're bound to find them along the way.'

'Just think about this how do we know they are even going to the pack house. You said it yourself they need him alive. There has to be a reason for that.'

I roared as I slowed down and waited for him to catch up. As much as I hate to admit it he did have a point. Once he was beside me again his wolf form a Black and Tan colour complete with his usual snakelike eyes that really did not fit with a wolf body.

'What do just suggest then?'

He sighed.

'What do you know of this wolf? Where's he from? What's his real name?'

My tail started to swing to and fro a trait most felines have when they are anoyed.

'How the hell should I know I never asked and he never said'

Tarlock growled.

'Seriously Tiona don't you think you should've ask or even I don't know checked to see who he was before you branded him with the raven?!'

I roared at him the feline sound out of place in the woods of Virginia.

'Who he was didn't matter to me all that mattered was that he was a wild wolf since only a wild wolf can bare the raven brand.'

He snarled at me.

'And its for this very reason that brand was outlawed by the king eons ago when they used that brand to make an army of them. God Tiona if I had known when you came to me I would've told you to release him.'

'Tarlock we don't have time to argue right now we need to figure out where their taking Doran.'

He growled then turned east.

'Come on there's a bar in Buena vista if there's news of anybody travelling with questionable cargo they are the ones to talk too.'

I sighed shifting to wolf form as we both started east. How could I have let this happen? Doran knew we couldn't trust Treston but I didn't believe him too arrogant to realise they were up to something. Now he's the one in danger and not once did I give him my word the I would keep him safe. As soon as we find him I'm releasing him from the raven brand. I owe him that much, if it wasn't for me he wouldn't be in this situation.

Stay alive Doran we're coming.