Broken Chains

Chapter 10

I moaned as the alarm of my bedside table beeped in an irritating tinny way and my hand began striking out virtually at random slapping the clock until it finally shut up. I rolled over and nuzzled back down into my cold pillow. A second later the alarm began to beep again. I rolled over with a snarl and grabbed the clock flinging it across the room where it hit the far wall and shattered. Carl chuckled from across the room.

"Honey why do you even bother setting that thing?" he asked smiling. I swung myself out of bed rubbing my head.

"Anything?" I asked vaguely knowing Carl would have been up clicking away for hours on that computer of his he always was. It had been six days since we had chased Derek to the borders of the next territory. We had since retreated safely back into the neutral territory and 'replenished' our money supplies. We were now just holed up in a hotel while Carl tried to monitor where those guys were. We knew that we couldn't set one foot into their territory without being the walking dead. I think the both us understood that we had lost them but we weren't going home yet. I had no doubt that we would go home what else was there to do but right now we were just holled up in this hotel pissing out money trying to convince ourselves that this wasn't over. But how many more days we could spend waiting here I didn't know but not much longer.

"I think so." Carl said "but it's hard to tell from here. it looks like they are still in their territory kicking up some hell." I sighed,

"Carl how much longer are we going to do this?"

"I don't know hon." He said looking around the non-descript room we were in which pretty much confirmed our last week. A non-descript existence in a non-descript room in a small non-descript hotel. Once we had been out and found a large collection of fields to shift in just so we could run, but it wasn't a nice area to have to run in. that compared to what we had at home just made me want to weep.

"We can't do anything as long as they stay where they are and even when they do leave if they ever do what then were always a step behind. What did he even do this time?" Carl hesitated "that bad huh?"

"It's not him it's them."

"Right." I said pulling on a white fluffy hotel bathrobe as there was a knock at the door. I picked up my gun and shoved it casually in the pocket, but one glance in the peephole told me that was unnecessary as our guest was just a porter but that did make me frown he must be at the wrong room. I opened the door with a nice polite fake smile. He held out a letter.

"Miss Jessica Armstrong."

"Yeah." I said baffled I took the envelope. "When was this left?" the guy shrugged indifferently "by who?" he shrugged again with a snort,

"Wouldn't that be written in the letter miss?"

"Congratulations you just lost your tip." I snapped retreating inside my room and slamming the door in his face.

"Shit." Carl snapped as he looked at the envelope in my hands he jumped up and slammed his laptop closed. "We have to go."

"Calm down." I said placidly but Carl ignored me and rushed around the room scurrying about picking up our various bits there wouldn't many of them we still had just one bag but everything in it was now scattered about the room.

I sighed and opened the letter easing out a single sheet of snow white paper the second I saw the neat slanted hand my heart fluttered it wasn't from Derek. My eyes slid down the script.

"Carl." I said nothing "Carl." I echoed louder "CARL" I Shouted he looked over vaguely, "it's not from Derek."

"Huh?" he said thickly and I held the letter out it was short but puzzling.

Dear Miss Armstrong,

Salutations from the pack of Paolini. Apologies if this letter distresses you in anyway I felt that this form of written introduction would be less stressful than a face to face introduction. Let me introduce myself I am Bryce Paolini 1st heir to the pack. So greetings and my salutations upon you. I am aware of your current situation especially regarding your mate and his current status. At the risk of sounding less than official his little pack of rogues are a royal pain in my ass. I know you won't trust me your pack no doubt will have taught you not to, but I don't trust you either however I think in this instance we may have a common goal. I give you my word that I in no way intend to harm you, after all we are in neutral territory I will not be permitted to harm you, and I wouldn't anyway as I say we have a common goal I need your help. I would like to invite you to dinner this evening; there is a place in town called Giovanni's I will be there at 8pm. There is no need to bring your bodyguard I will be alone and unarmed so I would appreciate it if you would extend me the same courtesy. Please note that if you're now thinking that this is a trap I know exactly where you are if I wanted to hurt you I would have already, and note your still breathing. Please feel free to ignore this invitation if you wish to but I don't know what other leads you have to work towards your goals for the last six days you seem to be making little if any progress. I hope to see you this evening, but if you do decide to come wear a dress.

Regards

Bryce.

"What the hell does that mean?" I asked Carl blankly. He just gaped back open mouthed,

"Um...I...um." Was all he managed as he stared at the letter wide eyed and open mouthed, he really did look like an i***t.

"What do you think?" Carl sighed,

"I don't have a f*****g clue honey." He rubbed a hand across his forehead "obviously your not going but should we run. I think it would be for the best."

"I think I should go." I said calmly

"Are you insane?"

"It's a public place. I'll take a gun and you'll be there anyway."

Bryce Smiled at me as I approached his table my posture as alpha as I could make it though of course I couldn't stop being aware of exactly how female I was and that made me more than a little at risk here. I sat down across from him taking care to keep myself as upright as possible.

"You can relax princess." He said flipping his long locks out of his eyes "believe me you're really not my type." I frowned honestly puzzled we females are such a rare breed I was pretty used to the idea that I was every male wolf's type. Bryce chuckled "no offence meant by that princess but I'm not here with some sort of intention of raping you or something."

"I didn't," I gabbled thickly,

"Yes you did." He said brightly flashing a set of very nice bright white teeth but then again he was the son of the Alpha of a very big pack, physical perfection must have been important, all his genes would be optimum. "Oh course that boy of yours outside." he leaned back in his chair slightly "he is a very different matter." I felt my eyes widen and my cheeks began to burn,

"Oh." I said, witty "I um...you...your...oh." Yeah smooth Jessie. Bryce smiled clearly pleased by my discomfort.

"The one outside he's related to your boy isn't he. I confess I understand completely why you want him back I would too. Do you want to bring him in?" he asked casually and snickered as my eyes widened. "It's ironic isn't it you're the wary one and yet I'm the one whose unarmed and alone. Plus let's consider here that you are the one who has killed a member of my pack." I bit my lip not knowing what to do should say, was Zac part of his pack I honestly didn't know I was spared the necessity "it was very disappointing I mean Isaac damn he was hot! I mean obviously I wasn't his type" he shrugged, "and I know he was going through a very rebellious time so I understand exactly why that had to happen and I have no intention of seeking retribution for him, he had gone rogue and trespassed in your territory but he was a member of my pack after all."

"He was trying to kill my mate." I said firmly deciding on impulse that there was no point in lying, and he'd understand the bond between mates even though he was clearly unmated he'd crave his mate as we all did.

"Well he was after you and Derek was simply in his way." Bryce flipped his hand as if brushing away the subject, "let's speak plainly here though I'm being truly honest you can relax just a little because he was a rogue, whatever else he claimed to be. So as I said as a pack and personally were not seeking retribution in any way. So hot as he was its unfortunate but that's it."

"How do you know this anyway?" he just flashed me a devistating smile.

"I can't reveal all my secrets my lady but as you can see I am fairly well informed on the situation so what do you think do we have an alliance?"