Fox Rematch (The Madison Wolves Book 10) by Robin Roseau

Scarlett.
    “Angel, that was your mate discovering I have reinforced the walls of her escape route. Very clever, by the way, building that into the house when she had the house built.”
    Then there was a creaking sound. I’m not sure anyone else would have heard it.
    “That is the sound of a trap door being opened.”
    There was a thump.
    “And that was Scarlett dropping into the narrow space directly below.”
    There was more banging, and then Scarlett yelled my name again.
    “Oops. Those walls are reinforced, too. Lara tested them for me. Scarlett could get through, but not in the time she has.”
    There was a bang and the sound of wood cracking.”
    “Go, Scarlett!” Angel yelled.
    “Ah she found the wall we didn’t reinforce,” I said.
    There was more wood cracking, then a moment of silence, then a loud metallic clang from outside followed by Scarlett swearing at the top of her lungs.
    “And that, Angel, is the sound of your mate discovering that Sophia and Ava were waiting by the cage we left in front of the only weak spot in the wall. The clang was the door slamming shut, presumable with Scarlett inside.”
    I walked over to Angel, struggling in Lara and Elisabeth’s arms. I smiled at her.
    “Angel,” I said. “We have your mate. The ransom is one million dollars, three major favors to each of us involved, and babysitting services on demand for the alphas. Will you pay this ransom?”
    “I respectfully decline, Alpha,” she said to me.
    “Very well. Lara will remain with you. Elisabeth will leave with us, but we have a wolf to truss first. Enjoy your evening, Angel. We will be in touch.”
    I turned around and calmly walked out of the room, Lara and Elisabeth chuckling.
    “Damn, she’s a cool one,” Angel said quietly. I grinned.
    Outside, Scarlett was in the cage, slamming against it. Ava and Sophia stood next to it, making sure she couldn’t escape.
    “Hello, Scarlett.”
    “You!” she said. “You did this.”
    “Your hair is safe, Scarlett. That was an admirable plan. I am impressed. But let this be a lesson to you. You can not outfox the fox.”
    She grinned at me.
    “I’m not trussed yet.”
    “I had this cage constructed special for you,” I said.
    The cage was full size, seven feet high, three feet wide and six feet long. It was built over a steel platform, and there was a power cord extending out of the side and plugged into an exterior outlet of the house.
    Karen and Abigail finally joined us, having crawled out of the hidden passage in the house. I stepped to the cage and flipped a switch. There was the sound of motors coming from the base of the cage, and the cage began to vibrate as the top of the cage began to descend.
    “As you can see, the top is suspended above you by these remarkably large threaded rods, which are now rotating.”
    Scarlett looked up, then lifted her head and tried to push upwards as the top descended.
    “You can try, but Lara and Elisabeth helped to test it. They couldn’t hold it up. I don’t think you will.”
    She dropped to the floor and tried to reach for the switch, but I immediately pulled out one of my daggers and stabbed at her. She snatched her head back.
    “No no no,” I said.
    “The lid goes down to one foot from the floor,” I said. “You can lie down now or wait until it shoves you to the floor.”
    She looked at me wildly.
    “I told you, you will not outfox the fox, Scarlett, but I am impressed at your efforts.”
    “Michaela, don’t let it squish me!”
    “I’ll stop it if you put your back to the cage and thrust your arms out behind you.” I paused the top. “Decide.”
    “Will you bind my arms comfortably?”
    “Well tape your arms outside the cage. We will come inside and bind your legs completely. Then if you promise to cooperate, we will allow you to place your arms where you want them when we bind you.”
    “My hair is safe?”
    “Yes.”
    “I will cooperate.”
    I smiled. “We are going to have fun, Scarlett. I