Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Sinclair

“We have to get to them,” Roger snarls, moving towards a window intending to bash it to pieces, I know – but I grab his arm as he goes, pulling him back.

“The priests are not that stupid,

Roger,” I say through clenched teeth. ” If they can make the door disappear, they can make the windows solid – ”

“So what do we do,” Roger growls, frantic, as our remaining healthy men take advantage of the momentary reprieve to attend to the men who are wounded. I glance around, doing a quick survey and finding that about eight of our men are down. I grimace when I realize that two are not moving at all, or making any noise. But I look away from them fast, not needing the distraction.

“We retreat, I say, holding Roger’s eye, “or we move further in. But there’s a reason why they’re not attacking here – they’re letting us stay in relative peace because they want us to stay here. Which means they don’t want us to leave, and they don’t want us to go further.”

“What?” Roger asks, frantic and a little baffled, looking around. “Why don’t they just kill us? Why don’t they just -”

“Because they can’t,” I say, nodding as I figure it out. If they had more priests to send – enough to take us out – they would do it. But the fact that they’re not sending them…

It means that we’ve got enough force on us that they can’t risk it. That we, somehow, outnumber or outmatch them. My wolf bares his fangs within me, eager now, on more secure ground now that we know more about what we’re facing.

“What?” Roger asks, his brows knitting together, still looking frantically for a way to get out, to get to her to his mate-

“Roger!” I shout, shaking his arm, making him turn to me. “If you think I have any less concern for Ella than you do Cora, then you need to check

need to pull it together. You’re not going to help them by acting on impulse, all right? We need

for just a second, his jaw clenched, but then he turns back to me and

staircase and the second level

they can’t hold us forever. So the only question is – do we

mind. And frankly, I’m tempted too. The idea that – well, that they want us to stay here means that they knew we were coming. And if they knew that

us than we thought they did.

of the bunker. I groan inwardly at the possibility, but I force

me, putting the pieces together. “If they

I ask, steeling myself

nods his head.

to assemble where possible. Those who are able again line up before us, two of our healthy men falling back – as is part of their protocol – to continue tending to our wounded. I give brisk orders for the men to press forward no matter what. The men nod, steeled for what’s

as one, Roger and I turn towards the stairs, determined to continue the

presents itself immediately as we start to climb, considering that there is a blank wall at the top of the stairs instead of a hallway or a door through which we can pass. When I get to the top, I press a hand against the barrier, which feels as real as any other wall

brings his face close, sniffing it.” It’s off,”

say, crossing my arms over my chest and looking it up and

he speaks again, his voice low and considering. “We know, from our research, that the priest’s power comes from

do you mean?” I ask,

at me askance. “That…I mean, we forget

the goddess. They’re magic, as much as we don’t generally describe