His Moonsilver Mate (Abby and Kade) novel Chapter 60

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Sloane

Chapter 60

Nit me.’

Jax stared at me. For once, I had managed to wipe the smile off his face.

“What?”

“I said hit me.”

We stood in the old maintenance tunnel beneath Moonhaven, far enough from the hidden entrance that daylight no longer reached us. Moisture darkened the stone walls, and the only light came from the small lamps Jax’s men had brought with them.

When Liam, Kade, and I had found it as teenagers, it had been an adventure. We had used the tunnel twice before Cassandra discovered where we were disappearing and threatened to have the entire thing sealed.

Apparently no one ever got around to it.

He folded his arms. “You’re serious.”

“She probably knows what happened at the equinox. Liam saw me wearing the collar. If I contact Abby looking perfectly healthy and tell her I escaped, she’s going to wonder how.”

Jax’s eyes narrowed. “So?”

“So she needs to believe I barely got away.” I pointed to my face. “The bruises from before are

fading.”

A slow smile returned. “I could fix that.

That was why I had asked him instead of one of the others. He enjoyed hurting me enough to make

it convincing.

Jax stepped closer. “How hard?”

“Enough.”

He caught my jaw before I could brace. The first punch drove my head sideways. Pain exploded across my cheek, and I staggered into the wall.

Rhea surged inside me with a snarl. She had been back from the moment Malachi removed the collar

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Soon, I promised.

Jax looked pleased with himself. “Again?”

I tasted blood, “No.”

“Shame.”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

The collar hung from his belt. Seeing it made Rhea recoil.

Malachi had removed it because I had convinced him I needed my wolf and the ability to mind-link

Abby.

When he refused at first, I had stepped closer and said quietly, “If you want me to prove you can trust me, you have to trust me enough to give me a chance.”

That had worked.

For a few seconds after the clasp opened, I had barely been able to stand. The return of the mate bond had nearly dropped me to my knees, and Malachi had caught me before I fell.

I hated remembering the concern in his voice when he told me to breathe.

Then he had handed the collar to Jax.

A reminder that the freedom was temporary.

Jax noticed me looking at it. “Thinking about running?”

“Yes.”

His smile slipped. I almost enjoyed that.

“But I’m not stupid enough to try while you have that.”

“You might surprise me.”

“I doubt it.”

He stepped closer. “You bring us the girl, this ends quickly.”

I looked toward the darkness leading back toward the packhouse. “That was the agreement.”

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He knew I was supposed to lure Abby into the tunnel. What he didn’t know was what I intended to do afterward.

My plan was simple enough to sound possible when I repeated it to myself.

Get Abby close.

Let Jax see her.

Make it obvious I had done what Malachi demanded.

Then create enough confusion for Abby to run back through the tunnel.

After that, Malachi could do whatever he wanted to me. I wasn’t under the illusion that he would

forgive it.

I only needed Abby to get home.

Jax gestured deeper into the passage. “The others are in position.”

That made my stomach tighten. “How many?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“I need to know where they are if you expect me to bring her in without spooking her.”

He smiled. “You bring her here. We’ll handle the rest.”

I didn’t like that answer.

I looked down the passage again. I had insisted that his men remain well back from the meeting

point.

Far enough that Abby wouldn’t scent or hear them.

Far enough, I had hoped, that when the time came she would have a real head start.

Jax had agreed too easily.

I should have realized that meant nothing.

I reached for her. For a moment, I found nothing. Then the connection caught.

Abby.

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12:09 Sat, Oct 31 MO

Abby, can you hear me?

Her answer came quickly.

Sloane?

Relief hit me hard enough that I had to close my eyes. Hearing her voice did something parful to my chest.

Yes.

Where are you? Are you okay?

Of course those were her first questions.

My cheek throbbed where Jax had hit me. At least that part would be honest.

Abby, you have to listen to me.

Her alarm sharpened.

What happened?

I forced myself to breathe unevenly. I barely had to pretend.

I got away. I don’t know how long I have.

Abby was silent for half a second.

I’m getting Kade.

No. The answer came too fast. I softened my voice immediately. Please. Listen first.

Why wouldn’t I tell him?

I glanced toward Jax. He stood several yards away, watching every change in my face.

The border attacks are a diversion.

She went quiet.

I continued. The men out there aren’t trying to get into Moonhaven. They’re keeping Kade and Liam busy.

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That was enough to make her listen.

‘s about me, she said.

Yes.

A long pause followed. Then Abby said, Tell me where you are. I’ll call Liam.

My throat tightened.

Please don’t.

Why?

Because I don’t know who is watching the packhouse or how close they are. If Kade or Liam suddenly turns back with warriors, they’ll know I contacted you.

Then come inside.

I can’t. This time the fear in my voice didn’t need acting. I’m underneath the east side of the grounds. In the old service tunnel.

Under the packhouse?

Close to it.

How did you get there?

There’s another entrance near the old supply building.

Jax’s eyes stayed fixed on me. I chose the next words carefully.

There’s a door behind the shelving in the old storage room near the kitchens. It opens onto the

tunnel. If you come down, I’m only a few minutes away.

Why don’t you come to me?

I swallowed.

They followed me part of the way. I’m scared to cross the last open section alone. I don’t know if

someone is waiting above.

Abby’s response came immediately.

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No. I made myself continue before she could cut the connection. Abby, please. If a guard comes through that tunnel and they see him before he sees them, I’m dead.

pressed my hand against the wall.

I don’t know where else to go. Kade or Liam won’t listen long enough before they come after me. You’re the only person I thought might actually come first and ask questions later.

The irony made me sick.

Abby was quiet for so long I thought I had lost her. Part of me hoped I had.

I felt her weighing it.

This was different from asking her to walk through the forest alone.

She wasn’t thinking of it as leaving Moonhaven. She was going beneath her own home to bring an injured woman back upstairs.

Exactly as Malachi had known she would.

I’m not leaving the grounds, Abby said.

My throat tightened.

You won’t have to.

That was the worst lie yet.

I’ll come to the tunnel. If you’re not where you said you are, I’m turning around. And if I think something is wrong, I’m calling Kade.

I closed my eyes.

Okay.

She hesitated.

Stay there.

The connection faded.

Jax pushed away from the wall. “She’s coming?”

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“She believed you.”

She believes I’m hurt.”

“Well.” His gaze moved over my swollen cheek. “You are.”

I stared at him. “Move your men back. That was the agreement.”

“They are back.”

“How far?”

“Far enough.”

I didn’t believe him, but it was too late to change the plan now.

Whatever happened to me afterward was mine to deal with.

***

I heard Abby before I saw her. Her footsteps echoed softly along the tunnel, cautious and uneven.

Jax had moved out of sight around the bend with the others.

At least I thought he had.

I stood beside the wall with one arm wrapped around myself, trying to look as frightened as I actually felt.

A small light appeared farther down the tunnel. Then Abby rounded the corner.

She wore jeans, a sweater, and sneakers. Her hair was still slightly messy, and she held her phone in one hand with the flashlight turned on. She stopped when she saw me.

“Oh, Goddess.” Her eyes went straight to my face. “Sloane.” She hurried toward me.

“Wait.”

She slowed. For the first time, she properly looked around the tunnel. Then back at me. Her gaze moved over the bruises near my wrists and the raw skin around my throat.

“What happened?”

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Something in my voice made her stop.

er eyes searched mine. “You said you escaped.”

Her face barely changed, but I saw the exact moment suspicion entered. “Sloane?”

I glanced toward the bend behind her. The route back to the packhouse was still clear.

For now.

My heart hammered.

I had brought her far enough. Jax had seen her. Now I only needed to get her back to the packhouse.

“You need to go back,” I said quietly, low enough that only she could hear.

Abby stared at me. “What?”

“Turn around.”

“You said-”

“I know what I said.”

Her grip tightened around her phone. “What’s going on?”

“Go back to the packhouse.”

“Sloane.”

“Now.”

She looked behind me. I saw understanding beginning to form.

“You didn’t escape.”

I couldn’t lie anymore. “No.”

The color drained from her face. “They sent you.”

“Yes.”

The word hurt coming out.

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Keep going.

lowered my voice. “They want you.”

“I know.”

“No, Abby. You don’t understand. You need to turn around and run.”

Her eyes dropped to my throat again. “Come with me.”

For one second, I couldn’t speak. “What?”

“Come back with me.”

“Abby-”

“Liam saw the collar at the equinox. Kade knows you weren’t there willingly.”

I hadn’t allowed myself to think about that.

Abby continued. “We know about the rogue too.” Her expression hardened slightly. “You hired him. You had me kidnapped. And you helped them get into Moonhaven.”

There was no point trying to make any of it sound better.

“Yes.”

Abby swallowed. For a second, neither of us spoke. Then she said, “I’m still not leaving you here.”

I looked at her.

“I don’t forgive you. I don’t even know if I can.”

She shouldn’t.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m walking back upstairs and leaving you with them.”

Something broke painfully behind my ribs. “You really are unbelievable.”

“I’ve been told.”

Despite everything, my mouth almost moved.

Then I heard the scrape of a boot against stone.

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Jax stepped around the bend behind Abby.

She spun.

Two more men appeared from the passage leading toward the old supply entrance. A fourt emerged from a shallow alcove between us and the route back to the packhouse.

My blood went cold.

Jax had lied. They hadn’t stayed back. They had surrounded the meeting point before Abby ever

arrived.

He smiled at me. “You took long enough.”

Abby backed toward me. I moved in front of her.

“You said they’d stay out of sight.”

“They did.”

“Move.”

Jax laughed. “Where?”