Chapter 23.-1
Rhyson
My eyes narrowed, but before I could say anything, there was a shout from the cabin next to us. I raced to the door and threw it open just as Duke and Nash came out, dragging a young teenager with them.
“What the hell is going on?”
Duke threw the boy at my feet. “We caught him breaking into the cabin.”
“Fuck off. It’s my cabin,” the boy slurred. Bending down, I caught his chin and stared down at him.
His pupils were the size of saucers.
“Gideon,” I roared.
He cringed. “Wait, no, you don’t need to call him. We’re all good here.”
“Then explain what the fuck you’re doing in my cabin.”
The boy started to shake. “Your necklace. Looked expensive. Wanted to pawn it.”
The amulet. I narrowed my eyes. “Bullshit. What do you need money for?”
“The serum. I need the serum,” he whispered.
“You expect me to believe that you’re buying your drugs with actual money?” As far as I could tell,
money was not the currency of the mountain. The boy didn’t answer. “What’s your name?”
“Victor.”
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
“Victor, I have a feeling that Gideon is on his way. I suggest you tell me the truth before he gets
here.”
“Magic,” Victor whispered. “I can sense the magic. He likes magic. With that necklace, I could be set for life.”
“What’s the meaning of this?” Gideon demanded as he arrived, with three wolves trailing behind him. “Victor? What are you doing to him?”
Letting go of the boy’s chin, I straightened and turned to him. “We found him trying to break into our cabin,” I said calmly. Behind me, the teen started to sob.
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Chapter 23-1
Gideon snarled. “Damn it, Victor, I told you earlier what would happen if you stepped out of line one
more time.”
“I’ll take him.”
Behind me, Duke nearly choked. Gideon scowled. “Excuse me? I’m not in the habit of giving teen boys over to men.”
“That’s not what this is about. He’s an addict. He needs to get clean. While he’s traveling with me,
he won’t have a chance to find his drug.”
Gideon narrowed his eyes. “And you’re planning on doing this out of the kindness of your heart?”
Hardly. The last thing I needed was someone else who needed caring for, but I could sense Victor’s wolf behind the haze of the drugs. He was incredibly strong, stronger than most men that I knew. Once the drugs were out of his system, he’d make an excellent warrior. Not to mention that he was a native here. He could tell us what to expect.
And he could sense magic.
“We’ve never been to this side of the mountain before. He’s been leaving your territory regularly. He’s probably an excellent navigator. He’ll work off his crime by helping me, he’ll get clean, and he can return when he wants.”
Gideon shook his head. “Absolutely not. I don’t know you. I’m not about to make one of my own go
off with you.”
“What were you going to do with him if he stepped out of line again?”
“Exile,” Victor said behind me with a shiver. I raised an eyebrow, but Gideon didn’t refute him.
“Excellent. Consider him exiled. Now, Victor, my way of dealing with wolves who try to steal from me is to kill them. Do you want to die or do you want to work off your crimes?”
“Just one fucking minute,” Gideon roared. “This is not-”
“I’ll go with him,” the teen whined. “I’ll go with you.”
“Duke. Nash. Take him to Tessa. See if she can do anything to help him with withdrawal. Does he
have family here?”
Gideon shook his head. He still looked a little dazed at the transaction. “No. I found him alone
about three years ago and took him in. I don’t feel right just letting him go. I wasn’t really going to
exile him.”
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