Sylvia's Torment (Enforcers and Coterie Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

the same way as his victims had, torn apart by wolves.
    Whispers rose and fell as excitement buzzed through the crowd.
    He glanced around, more familiar with this building than he’d like. As a Top Alpha, he met with the Coterie on different issues regarding werewolves. He helped enforce the rules and punished those who broke them.
    Derek had no illusions as to why his pack obeyed him: many due to fear, some because of respect and a tiny handful out of love.
    The whys didn’t matter, so long as they fostered obedience. An iron fist without the velvet glove. His harsh rule meant harmony amongst his pack and the different races. Fifty years as an Alpha had taught him much, including the need for structure and hierarchy.
    Clearing his thoughts, he focused on the stage.
    Mara and Roan, the two Mage Coterie leaders, stepped forward, demanding everyone’s silence. When the person asking for quiet can turn someone into a toad, teleport the unruly elsewhere or permanently remove the offending voice, it’s best to shut up and listen. Derek had witnessed too much over the years to even think about irritating them.
    Roan had been a Viking in his previous life. Or perhaps in his much younger years. No one knew his age. Just that he was really, really fucking old. His massive, reddish beard reached mid-stomach with two thin braids hanging down on either side. A girly look, except that the short dirty-blonde hair, penetrating green eyes and towering, muscular body was anything but. Roan was one of the few people Derek knew taller than he was. A rare occurrence, given Derek’s own height of six feet eight inches. As Roan strode to the front of the stage, several sighs were hastily converted to coughs.
    Roan didn’t seem to notice.
    His tiny counterpart, Mara, hovered just above the five-foot mark. Blonde curls framed her face, lending her an angelic appearance. All sweetness and light. Derek knew better. He’d seen her unleash incredible amounts of power, a sight that made his skin crawl to this day. When she smiled at the crowd, the scent of lust peppered the air.
    He grunted in disgust. Some days having a werewolf’s sense of smell worked against him.
    Derek skimmed the crowd, wondering if any of them would be distracted. The yearning on his second-in-command’s face caught his attention. He elbowed Zmitro in the ribs. No good ever came from a mage/werewolf union, especially when one was on the Coterie.
    “Pay attention,” he hissed. Distractions would not be tolerated.
    Zmitro slanted him a glance and nodded. All expression was wiped from his face. He wouldn’t fuck up.
    Aaron, currently the sole Werewolf Coterie leader, allowed the mages to take charge. Although Sylvia was technically one of his, Europe and Asia were his territories, not the Americas. He stood motionless near the back of the stage, missing nothing. His amber eyes reflected the light, a silent predator stalking his prey.
    His shaved head, sharp canines and facial piercings all created the image of a mean motherfucker. Heavily muscled, he looked willing and able to tear someone apart with his bare hands. Menace rolled off him, daring anyone to challenge him. Derek, with all his power and strength, doubted he could take the other man.
    Roan’s voice rumbled through the crowd. “We’ve found Sylvia, and today we’re bringing her home. Mara will mind-speak the location and battle plans to everyone in this room. She’ll give you an image of the building along with the blueprints. Pay attention to your role and, damn it, follow instructions. Punishment will be high if you fuck up.”
    Markus stepped from the shadows, underscoring Roan’s threat upon failure. An audible gulp echoed in the room as many realized the consequences. Markus, the embodiment of Mage Enforcer. Smart, ferocious, a master at his craft – illusions – and absolutely loyal. When his younger partner, Julia, had gone missing, he’d torn the city apart looking for her.
    Ruthless and