Free Web NovelChapter 56: Chapter FIFTY SIX — A VISIT TO BLACK BARRACKS
Candace
The video was grainy but clear enough. We watched it on Reign’s phone, the three of us crowded around the small screen on the bed, and it still felt strange being wedged between him and Ragnor while we watched footage of my attempted murder.
Wait. They had actually listened to me and believed me? No shouting and no accusations and no one calling me a liar.
Where was Deidre? Had she gone on vacation or something?
The video showed a figure dressed in dark clothing entering my room and my stomach twisted as I watched him jab a needle into my neck the moment I stepped through the door.
A wave of nausea rolled through me. The man lowered his hood and his face was fully visible and my pulse spiked. Then he lifted my unconscious body from the floor and dumped me onto the bed and I swallowed hard.
After that he set up a camera and then climbed on top of me and took photographs and I let out a small horrified sound.
Who was he and why would he do this? Two savage growls rumbled on either side of me, startling me.
"Evan Sanders?" Reign spat.
Ragnor surged to his feet. "We’re going to the Black Barracks now."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Black Barracks sat on the far edge of the packhouse grounds and housed the pack’s enforcement division, the men and women responsible for handling problems ordinary guards couldn’t.
Ragnor stalked ahead of us with Victor and several other guards at his heels and I was tucked securely in Reign’s arms because the moment Ragnor had stormed out of my room Reign had scooped me up and followed and I hadn’t possessed enough strength to argue.
A blanket was wrapped around me and every now and then his arms flexed as I shifted trying to get comfortable.
"Find Evan Sanders and bring him to me."
Ragnor’s voice cracked across the courtyard like a whip and his entire body radiated fury and his expression was carved from stone. "Now."
"Yes, Alpha!"
Victor and the others bowed before hurrying into the building and almost immediately soldiers poured from the barracks and lined the courtyard and bowed their heads. "Alphas. To what do we owe your presence?"
"Oh?" Reign’s voice was dangerously calm. "The fool was trying to run."
My attention snapped toward the entrance where guards were dragging a struggling man into the courtyard. Travel bags spilled from his hands as they shoved him forward. His eyes went wide with terror the moment he saw us.
"We caught him attempting to leave through the rear entrance," Victor reported.
The guards threw Evan to the ground and Ragnor crossed the distance between them in a single stride and his fist connected with Evan’s face.
The impact echoed across the courtyard and Evan slammed into the wall hard enough to rattle the bricks and before he could collapse Ragnor grabbed his collar and hauled him upright until the man’s feet barely touched the ground.
"You touched her." Ragnor barked and even from where Reign held me I could see the vein pulsing in his temple.
"You put your hands on our mate." He slammed Evan into the wall again and the plaster cracked.
"On our woman." Evan cried out in pain as blood poured from his nose and split lip and he struggled against Ragnor’s grip.
"On my Daisy." The growl that left Ragnor sounded almost inhuman and he yanked Evan forward and drove his fist into the man’s face again and again and again until blood sprayed across the courtyard stones. "You will pay for touching her."
Star, are you seeing this?
I’m as shocked as you are, she chimed and her voice sounded stronger now but still weak.
Shocked wasn’t nearly enough. She fell silent and the poison had clearly done more damage than I’d realized.
I stared at Evan and I didn’t know him and I couldn’t remember ever speaking to him. Why would he poison me? freewebnovёl.ƈom
Against my back I could feel Reign’s chest vibrating and his entire body was rigid and his gaze never left Evan. If Ryker had been here—
Wait. Where was Ryker?
A crash jerked my attention back. Ragnor had hurled Evan across the courtyard and the man slammed into the opposite wall before crumpling and Ragnor caught him by the arm before he could hit the ground and spun him around and drove him into one of the stone pillars.
"Who sent you?" His hand clamped around Evan’s throat and he lifted him clean off the ground and the man’s feet kicked helplessly. "Who’s behind this? Who sent you to hurt our mate?"
Evan coughed up blood and his eyes rolled as he fought for air.
"Who?!"
Ragnor tightened his grip and a sickening crack split the air and blood leaked from Evan’s nose and mouth and ears and the sight made my stomach lurch.
I coughed and the metallic taste of blood coated my tongue.
"Candace?" Reign’s attention shifted instantly and his arms tightened around me and another cough tore through me and pain ripped across my chest and the courtyard blurred around me and faces smeared together.
"Candace!"
Ragnor released Evan immediately and the man hit the ground in a heap. A second later Ragnor was kneeling in front of me with his bloodstained hands cupping my face, Evan’s blood streaked across his knuckles and soaking parts of his shirt.
"Daisy." His voice roughened and the fury vanished from his eyes and was replaced entirely by worry. "Look at me."
Daisy. That was twice now and whilst the familiar sound of it had silly butterflies dancing in my belly, somehow I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.
"Candy." Reign’s voice was hoarse and his chin rested lightly against the top of my head and his arms tightened around me. "Stay with us. Come on."
"Lock him up." Ragnor’s head snapped toward the guards and the command came out sharp.
"I’ll interrogate him later. Don’t let him speak to anyone and don’t let anyone near him." His eyes narrowed and his voice turned deadly. "If he tries to run, break his legs."
"Yes, Alpha."
The next thing I knew Ragnor was lifting me from Reign’s arms and gathering me against his chest and his heartbeat thundered beneath my ear, fast and hard and relentless, and then he turned and strode from the barracks with me cradled securely against him.
