The Alpha Target

Sixteen

“They’re not going to be in here,” Bishop grumbled, unfastening his seatbelt. His patience was wearing thin, no matter what they did they couldn’t seem to pin the trafficking ring on Knox and it was infuriating him beyond belief. The man was smart, calculated. He hadn’t left even a speck of evidence behind and the need to finally find proof had quickly become insatiable.

Cora sighed, conceding that. “We have to check anyway.” And that was final. They wouldn’t be doing their job right if they didn’t. So, as reluctantly as Bishop, the group of six warriors forced themselves out of the SUV and headed into the warehouse.

Night had fallen and no streetlights were around, allowing them to sneak into the building undetected. As with Knox’s other premises, they’d scouted the area for any signs of movement before they went ahead with their plan. Of course, Knox now knew they were investigating him, but it didn’t mean Cora wanted her team to face an ambush. Just because Knox had taken kindly to her didn’t mean he would have the same regard for her team.

This was the final building on the list of Knox’s properties. Each night this week they had snuck into the buildings to try and locate the women he was moving from the auctions. It was a long shot, but he had to be moving them somewhere and Rocco had deemed the best place to start would be in the architecture Knox owned. So, now on day seven, the group split off into pairs as they scoured the area and searched for any clues which may lead them to the girls.

But Cora knew before the week had started they wouldn’t find anything that aided their investigation. While she still had much to learn about Knox, she knew he wasn’t careless. Everything he did was calculated, premediated. There was a reason behind each step he took. Including the steps he had taken into her bedroom a week ago.

She hadn’t heard from him since, which she assumed was because he was allowing her time to come to terms with what had happened. Though, no amount of time would allow her to do that. If anything, the interaction had only left her mind more puzzled than it was prior. Her body spoke an entirely different language to her words when it came to him, a language filled with desire for devil himself. It made her feel dirty and wrong, yet she couldn’t seem to stop herself from begging for more.

Moreover, confused as she was, she could no longer deny how much she wanted him, despite how much as she hated herself for it. And what she had hated even more than her longing for him, was her longing to see him again. The man had a magnetism about him that shook her to her core, shifting her entire life out of balance. Even his voice alone had a physical effect on her body. She’d be lying if she said the anticipation of what he would do next didn’t stir something in her chest that felt sublime. The chill. The adrenaline. The rush. The danger. It stirred something deep in her core, too. It called to her and she was too weak to ignore it.

But despite the realisation, she would be damned if she let Knox know he was managing to worm his way inside her mind. She refused to let him have the satisfaction of thinking he’d won, because he hadn’t. Besides, as much as she accepted his control over her body, it didn’t make her hate who he was any less. He was a murderer, and she was the fool that couldn’t stay away. But he didn’t need confirmation of that.

“Northwest entrance clear,” Trey ushered through the earpiece.

“Southeast clear too,” Joni added.

“Keep me updated and stay vigilant,” Cora told them.

She and Darca crept along the northeast, keeping their backs firmly pressed against the wall and their footsteps light. While they were positive any staff had left for the day, they were also prepared for that not being the case. As they reached the towering steel door, Cora signalled for Darca to stand post at the other side of the frame.

Their eyes locked, alerting the other that they were ready, before Cora swiftly kicked open the door and opened the hallway to them. Both Cora and Darca returned their backs to the wall, waiting to see if anyone ran out from the building at their intrusion, but when moments of silence passed, they continued their search.

Cora lead the way through the dark corridor, with Darca close on her tail keeping an eye out behind them. Dim lighting along the ceiling guided them through the bland hallway as they treaded deeper and deeper into the building. There was an eerie silence that had goosebumps spreading along Cora’s skin, as if something from a horror movie was going to suddenly pop out and try to murder them.

Finally, after what seemed like minutes but was only seconds, the corridor opened up into a large factory with dozens of production lines scattered throughout the opening. Conveyor belts were positioned in rows, with chairs stationed along either side for workers who took part in the process. Emergency lighting lit up the warehouse, illuminating a faint glow over the machines. At the end of each conveyor belt was a huge wooden box filled with polystyrene and bottles of vodka, one of Knox’s businesses.

“Well,” Darca huffed. “That was anticlimactic.”

Cora couldn’t help but chuckle as she carefully inspected each box, ensuring they weren’t decoys for anything else. Moments later, the rest of the team found their way to the service floor and joined Cora in investigating the packages.

“It’s just alcohol,” Bishop frowned, leaning over the edge as he rummaged through all the polystyrene that stopped the glass from shattering during transit.

Joni deadpanned at the male, looking up from the wooden package she was double checking. “Did you expect to find the girls curled up beneath bottles of vodka?”

Trey and Declan sniggered, while Bishop tsked, ignoring Joni’s sarcastic wit. “What if this is what he’s using to drug the women?”

It wasn’t, but Cora couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a little fun. “Only one way to find out,” she shrugged, encouraging Bishop with a pat on his shoulder. “Why don’t you have a sip from one in each casket?”

Darca hummed in agreement, not missing the chance to play on Bishop’s determination to prove Knox’s involvement. “If it is, we have the evidence against him.”

Eagar to prove his suspicions, Bishop takes a swig from a bottle in the nearest packaging. His face contorts as the pure vodka slides down his throat, the liquid burning his insides. He blinks away the discomfort before moving onto the next box. “Not that one.”

Cora shakes her head, giggling at her friend when her phone vibrates in her pocket. Oxygen dissipates from her lungs as notices the messengers ID. Turning her back from the group, Cora retreats to the corner of the room for some privacy as she unlocked her phone.

Unknown: Having fun, little rose?

Cora’s eyes flickered around her, inspecting the ceiling as she searched for his source, only to see a camera angled directly above her, giving him the perfect view of her from wherever he was watching. She wasn’t sure what came over her, and she’d ask herself later in her deathbed, but she then glared directly at the camera and flipped him the bird.

He was toying with her, again. If he knew they were there, why wasn’t he doing anything about it? It was as if he liked her investigating him, and maybe he did. Maybe she did too.

Seconds later, her phone vibrated again.

Unknown: Next time you do that, your clit is going between my teeth.

Unknown: I can still taste you from last time and it’s f*****g nirvana. But I wont be that gentle again. So push me, I dare you.

Reading his texts, she sucked on her lip sharply in shock by his nerve. The pure audacity this man possessed. Yet, equally, she was now just as turned on.

She squeezed her hand around her phone, hating herself more and more as her fingers twitch with the need to flip him the bird again. The bastard probably didn’t realise how oppositional she was. Telling her not to do something only made her want to do it more. And with a threat like that, especially with the memory of how he’d just used his tongue against her still fresh in her mind, she was so f*****g tempted.

Knox had already proved her followed through with his threats, so why did she want to push him so badly? Again, she’d ask herself that later, but for now, she glares back up at the camera and flashes him her middle finger.

Then, her phone vibrates again. Goddess help her. Shivers wracked through her body as she lifted her phone to her eyeline.

Unknown: Oh, little rose. I can’t wait to eat you.

Unknown: I’ll see you soon.

Goddammit.

Cora: Preferably in silver handcuffs in our cells.

Unknown: You don’t need to get me in handcuffs, baby. I’ll let you do anything you want to me.

Cora determined she was going to suffer from a heart attack with the severe directions her blood kept rushing too. Her core pulses from the illicit thought of him handcuffed to her bed, a smirk on his face, dripping with sin. And those goddamn piercing blue eyes looking up at her the way he did the other night. Like he wanted to devour her.

Cora shakes her head, ridding the thought from her mind. But it doesn’t ease the steady throb between her clenched thighs or the wetness pooling between them.

Cora: I hope the council make you rot to death in jail.

Unknown: Will you be my last meal?

With a shaky breath, Cora squeezes her eyes shut as she tries to steady her breathing. Her heart was thundering in her chest and her pulse was throbbing. Her body was rippled with need and she needed to calm herself down before she joined the rest of the team. Shifters had an incredible sense of smell and the last thing she needed was them sensing her arousal.

After a moment, she glared at the camera before marching off and rejoining the group, only to find an amused Bishop slurring his words as he used Trey to steady his balance. Trey, on the other hand, didn’t appear as amused.

Darca, Joni and Declan were gathering the bottles Bishop had drank from and shoving them in the duffle bags they’d brought. They might not have found evidence on Knox, but they didn’t want him finding evidence on them. Cora thought about telling them it was a pointless task, he already knew they were there, but Darca was the only one who knew about her situation with Knox and frankly, she could use the drink anyway.

Looking back at her drunken friend, Cora brought her hand to her mouth, attempting to hide her giggle, as she reached out for Bishop’s free hand. “Let’s get you home,” she grinned.

As she and Trey lead Bishop back to the SUV, Bishop leaned down into Cora’s ear and whispered, “Don’t worry, Cor. We’ll find the proof we need to bring him down.”

Cora smiled up at him, refraining from saying what she was really thinking. No, Bishop, I don’t think we will. And that didn’t scare her for the omegas, it scared her for her.