Rescued by the Pack by Leah Knight Page B

such force that Logan staggered backward and nearly toppled. Logan rubbed his cheek and lowered his eyes in submission.
     
    “Don’t ever question my authority again,” Luke snarled. Then he turned to Allison and said, “Let’s go.”
     

Chapter Nine
     
    Their approach was obviously heard well in advance, because Victor and his cronies were already waiting outside when they arrived.
     
    “Hello, boys,” Victor said with a wicked grin curling his lip on one side. “What can I do for you today?”
     
    Phillip’s hands were balled into fists, and when he clenched them, his knuckled cracked like popcorn. Earl grinned a wide, stupid grin, and his nasty teeth were riddled with cavities and a few teeth were conspicuously missing. Allison shivered.
     
    “We’re not here to start trouble,” Luke said, holding his hand up peacefully. “We’ve brought this woman to you.”
     
    “A gift?” Victor asked. “How lovely.”
     
    “Not a gift,” Luke said. “Simply returning to you what’s yours.”
     
    Victor grinned widely and said, “Finally came to your senses, eh? It’s about time. Where’s your Alpha, anyway? I sincerely hope he’s not lying in wait somewhere planning an ambush. That would be incredibly stupid on all of your parts.”
     
    “Michael is no longer Alpha,” Luke said coolly. “I am Alpha, now.”
     
    “My, my, my,” Victor said. “This is a development, isn’t it?”
     
    “Anyway, she’s yours now,” Luke said. “We’ll be going, now. In peace.”
     
    “Wait,” Victor said. “Before you go, I’d like to introduce you to our new pack member. I believe you know this person quite well.”
     
    The door of the rickety cabin creaked open and a woman with flowing black hair stepped out, grinning even wider than Victor.
     
    “Lydia!” gasped Luke and Logan in unison.
     
    “Brothers,” she greeted them with mock warmth.
     
    “I thought you were…” Luke’s voice trailed away.
     
    “Dead? Oh, no, no, no!” Lydia chastised them. “You should know better than that. It takes a lot more than five little wolf hunters to take a girl like me down!”
     
    “What are you doing with this scum?” Luke demanded.
     
    “Scum,” Lydia commented flatly. “Let’s see. Scum is someone who abandons his sister and leaves her to die, running away like a coward. Whereas Victor here gave me a home, fed me, nursed me back to health. No, dear brother. Victor isn’t the scum here. You are .”
     
    “Lydia, I thought you were dead!” Luke cried out. “I saw you… they were… I never would have left you if I didn’t think…”
     
    “I never would have left you like that!” Lydia shouted, her cool disposition melting under the heat of rage. “I’d have torn every last one of those hunters apart or died trying! And if you were dead, at least I’d have had your body to bring home and give a proper burial!”
     
    “I’m sorry, Lydia,” Logan piped up meekly. “I tried to come back for you, but…”
     
    “I know you did,” Lydia softened, looking at her youngest brother through a thick veil of lashes. “I heard you trying to get back to me. But there wasn’t much you could have done on your own… considering our brother here abandoned us both!”
     
    “Lydia, I…” Luke tried to explain.
     
    “Enough!” Lydia shouted. “I’ve a job to do, and it’s time.”
     
    Lydia balled a fist in front of her and blew through the opening. Then she laid her hand out palm up, and blew across it, scattering a glittering golden powder into the air.
     
    “Run!” Luke shouted.
     
    Luke and Logan immediately turned to run, but roots rose from the ground and entangled their feet, spilling them both onto the ground. Allison was frozen with confusion, and she watched the powder slowly fluttering through the air until it tickled her nostrils.
     
    She started to sneeze, but an overwhelming exhaustion suddenly gripped her, pulling her into slumber and sending her tumbling