Penance (Dark Alpha #5) Read Online Free Page B

than trust any wolf claiming to love her. Jak stood straighter. “I left my pack, betrayed my alpha, and risked my life all to get Arianna free.”
    Marco lifted one eyebrow. “So that was you? She said someone helped her.”
    Jak choked as he realized: Arianna had already spoken to Marco. She must have called them after he took off. “Yes, that would be me. I fought four wolves and betrayed my alpha to break her free of the estate. And now I’m prepared to do whatever I have to in order to break her free of the mating bond.”
    Marco’s face opened with surprise before he shut it down again with suspicion. He threw a glare at Circe. “Did you tell him?”
    The witch, for her part, looked amused. “No.”
    Marco leaned back, appraising Jak. He looked to his brother, the fresh-faced Kalis, and they exchanged a wordless conversation of pointed looks and head shakes. Jak didn’t understand what it was all about, but the tension was ramping down. And when the elevator dinged and opened, neither of them made a move to board it.
    After the door closed again, Jak asked, “Tell me what?”
    Marco’s lips were pressed tight, and Jak could tell he was debating whether to come clean about something. It was then that he saw how young these wolves really were. Arianna was twenty, but Marco was nearly the same age—maybe a year older or younger. Would he really be able to care for her after Jak was gone? But Marco’s and Kalis’s fierce loyalty to their sister, the risks they had already taken, contracting with Circe and the bounty hunters to get her back… Jak had to trust that once they were reunited, they wouldn’t ever risk losing her again.
    Finally, Marco looked to Circe, who nodded her encouragement. To Jak, he said, “We contracted with the witches to get Arianna back, but I’m not an idiot. I knew that wouldn’t be enough. We’re just two wolves, hardly even a pack. Against the Reds, we’d have no chance of keeping her free. The bond had to be broken or her mate would keep hunting for her… until eventually, he would find her. And then things would be worse than before. Much worse.”
    Jak nodded, relief washing through him. Marco may be young, but he understood what was at stake. “Arianna would never truly be free. Even if you went on the run, you’d always be looking over your shoulder. All of you. Because Mace isn’t just any mate—he’s a bastard dark alpha. He’ll tear through anything and anyone who stands between him and what he wants, and he really doesn’t care who he has to kill to do it. And Arianna deserves better than to have the specter of him haunting her. She shouldn’t have to go on the run for the rest of her life. And knowing Arianna, she’d never be able to live with that. She wouldn’t want to bring that risk to you.”
    Marco looked surprised. “That sounds like something Ari would say.”
    Jak smiled. Ari. It was a beautiful name, just like her. At the same time, it made his heart ache. He wasn’t going to get the chance to dream up his own nickname for her. “The things she’s been through with Mace… honestly, Marco, I’m not just in love with her. I’m kind of in awe of her. People like her—surviving the worst that life has to dole out, yet coming out as sweet and kind as she is, untouched by the darkness all around her—well, let’s just say, those are the kind of people worth fighting for. Worth dying for.”
    Marco exchanged a glance with Kalis. “She needs someone like that looking after her.”
    “She does.” Jak held Marco’s steady gaze, and he could see that internal debate raging again as they both studied each other.
    After a moment, Marco gave a short nod. “The witch has a spell. It will draw out the essence of her mate from her blood.”
    Jak glanced at the witch, who was keeping quiet. “I’m familiar with it.”
    Marco tipped his head to Circe. “I contracted with the witch to break Arianna free, not just because she could find the bounty