The Luna’s Choice by Kat Silver

Chapter 124: Ayla

My wrists and shoulders stung. My head was pounding as I tried to open my eyes. Someone had stripped me down to my undergarments. I could feel my thighs touching cold stone and something hard against my back. The smell of wolfsbane burned my nostrils, but it was almost better than the fowl smell filling the rest of the room.

I finally pried my eyes open, lifting my head as my vision focused.

I was in a dimly lit large room with a high ceiling. It was too dark to see how high it went, but there was enough light to see the body that hung from it. I gasped at the gruesome scene. Bile rose in my throat as I recognized the tattoo on the forearm.

It was Conner Elkins. What was left of him.

“Ayla,” a terrified voice called.

I turned to see Kylee and Ma. They were locked up in a cage on the other side of the room.

“Kylee. Ma,” I croaked, wincing as I moved.

I managed to look up. My arms were tied over my head by thick, tight ropes. From the smell and the sting, they must have been soaked in wolfsbane. It was seeping into my bloodstream through the raw open sores on my wrists.

“Kylee,” I said hoarsely, “how long have I been out?”

“Over two days,” she said, tears running down her face.

“Are you hurt? Ma doesn’t look too good,” I said, hearing her writhe in

the cage next to Kylee.

“I’m okay,” Kylee replied. “Ma’s struggling. We’ve been here for four or five days now.”

Shit.

“She’s going through withdrawal, Kylee,” I told her.

“I know,” she said softly. She had finally accepted Ma’s addiction.

you have water?” I asked.

giving her

”

trying to stay conscious. “Good,” I replied. “If she starts seizing, make

bonds, testing for any weakness in the ropes. I was tied against a wooden post with a metal ring fixed on it. I tried to wrap my fingers around the ring. If I could work it out, I could get to Kylee and

familiar voice echoed through the

could hear footsteps coming toward me through the dark. A wave of shock ran through

***

Theo

over

volatile as it was. For this asshole

this wolf before me.

teeth as he advanced on Lennix. He was smaller and leaner than us. Kieran almost relished how

he wouldn’t get

wolf appeared between us,

in

have Ayla. Kieran growled one more time before relinquishing control, allowing

fuck is he doing here?” I

help,” Pierce said firmly. “You need all the help you can

handed me a pair

bro,” he said. “Now’s not

shorts on and went back to the table.

I know what he’s using to mask his scent.” She pulled a labeled spray bottle out. “We use this

he get it?” I asked.

He’s not using this specifically. This stuff doesn’t eliminate our scent entirely. Just makes it faded

the area. It could eliminate a scent in large enough concentrations, but

does this help us?” Kingston inquired.

help tell us why,” Mina replied. She had brought the rest of the stalker’s messages with her and she pulled a couple out of their evidence bag. “Something about these bothered me. I studied handwriting analysis in school. Whoever wrote these was trying to disguise their handwriting in these last few messages. If you consider that, plus them eliminating their scent completely,

last statement at