Page 27 of The Accidental Assassin's Mate

The music grew louder, and the omegas wearing their necklaces shifted uneasily as the ones I was with danced. Something wasn’t right.

A hand landed on my shoulder.

“Omega, you’re not enjoying your drink. Anything wrong?”

“Well, you know… empty calories,” I said, probably sounding like a human. For some reason, it worked.

“Got you. Skinny margarita time. Come with me.”

He grabbed my wrist and towed me to the bar where he handed me a drink. “This is not optional. Omega, drink.”

Had I been there for a fun night out, I’d have shifted and severed his Achilles tendon before he knew what happened. But I wasn’t, and it was drink or be kicked out. I downed it, forcing a smile. “Delicious.” It was gross, but I think that was the nature of the beverage and not what was in it.

“Good omega,” he said. “I have a present for you.”

It was a necklace like the others wore, not the ones in the gift bags.

I thanked him, but I shouldn’t have. He put it around my neck and instantly felt wrong. Brain fog set in.

“You’ll be thanking me later, omega.” He sneered. “You’ve already got what they need.”

His lips brushed my ear, and I nearly vomited.

“You’re going to fetch a good price.”

I tried to pull away, but my knees went wobbly. I tried to call forth my jackal, but he was gone.

“Don’t try,” the man said. “Between the drink and the necklace, you’re ours now. Come quietly or die.”

I wanted to fight, but I couldn’t. Instead, I did the only thing I could—I tapped where the chip was four times, just as Tyrus told me to do.

I wasn’t sure it would work. Just moving felt impossible.

But something had to give.

I was barely through the doorway and into the back of the room when everything went black.

Chapter Nineteen

Sutton

No part of this plan did I feel even the tiniest bits comfortable with. None. My mate was putting himself directly into harm’s way.

I respected my mate and understood why he felt like he needed to do this, but every part of me wanted to be there, protecting him. Instead, I had to stay back and keep him safe from a distance. It sucked.

It was probably for the best that we didn’t have much time to plan because every second until the mission was over and done with drove me to the edge. Every moment felt like agony that wouldn’t end.

He went to the event “alone,” but we weren’t far behind. We couldn’t enter the pack’s territory—the incursion would be marked, and they’d know, destroying our element of surprise. Between our surveillance skills and technology, we had, the managed to set up a strong perimeter around the property. It wasn’t ideal, but I felt confident no one would be able to leave without us knowing. And just as important, we were ready to move in within thirty seconds if he called.

Instantly, I spotted a problem.

Few people arrived, and no one left. Any party, no matter how great, has people coming and going. But not one person even stepped outside for air, to let their beast out, grab something from their cars, or even a smoke. Once they crossed the threshold, they stayed.

I wanted to crash the party—pretend I’d heard about it and just showed up—but Tyrus pointed out that if I did that, I’d make it worse. I’d put my mate in even more danger.

Instead, I sat in the van, ready to follow the plan to a T. It was the safest way. Every minute felt like an hour. My only hope, my only dream, was that he’d come out safely with information, the people inside none the wiser. We’d be able to go in and take everyone down once Raven was out of harm’s way.

But that didn’t happen.