She gave me a wolfish grin and I could feel that she was wolf born and had no special gifts.

“What’s going on?” the blonde girl who was pregnant said, stepping closer.

My arm had already healed; the vampires watching the cameras wouldn’t know what was going on. It looked like Sadie and I were old friends and shared a long hug.

I looked around the room and ever so slightly flicked my eyes to the camera light in the small air vent. Then I locked eyes with the blonde. “It’s a shame we can’t communicate together, like a pack.”

She frowned, then realization dawned on her face. She nodded and looked at the others.

“Go rogue,” she whispered. I think I had my third, she was already giving orders.

One by one, the girls saw what was happening. They bowed their heads in concentration and then cried out with the pain of ripping away from their packs by force. Leaving their mates, their beloved Alphas, it hurt, I knew it did, but in the end it was for the better. As a pack we could be stronger, take care of each other and have the upper hand. They looked at me like lost puppies.

I went one by one and gave them each a hug bringing them into the pack. I didn’t have time to focus on their thoughts, their rank in the pack or anything yet. I wanted to bring us all together first in case the vampires caught on and split us up. I came to the last girl, the wolf who wouldn’t shift. She had been crouched in the corner watching us the entire time. Eyes yellow, fur standing on end.

I lowered my voice to barely a whisper, I was pretty sure the camera had a microphone but it couldn’t be that good, all the way up in the air vent. “I won’t force you, but I’d be honored if you would join our pack so we can get the hell out of here.”

Her eyes flared yellow and then she winced, letting out a little yelp as I assumed she went rogue from her pack. She panted and then rolled over to show me her belly. I took that as a yes.

Reaching out, I swiped her lightly, disguising it as a belly rub and brought her into the pack. The second her energy merged with mine, I jumped back in shock at what I felt, what she was showing me.

‘You’re changed. Your gift, it’s incredible.’

She looked at me with big yellow wolf eyes. ‘It’s horrible,’ her small, submissive voice said.

‘How does it work?’ I asked.

‘When I touch someone while I’m in human form, I wipe all of their memories. It only works when I’m in human form, so I stay a wolf all of the time.’

My mouth hung open in shock. I could feel her deep loneliness, her longing for a mate a best friend, anyone who could touch her. Her madness at staying wolf all the time; she felt like a dog. I wanted to hug her. That must be a hard life, I rested my hand on her wolf and patted her fur.

‘Can you target certain memories?’ I asked her. The abilities she possessed were incredible. She could make a drug addict forget they were addicted, a murderer forget their past, a victim of abuse forget the abuse.

She shook her head. ‘No, everything goes. They know how to eat and talk and all of that. They know what an apple is and basic information but their personality is gone, personal memories, families are forgotten, desires, fears. All gone. A blank slate.’

Jesus! I frowned. That would be a hard gift to live with but it made a damn good weapon. What if I could have her take Layla’s memory? Could I trust that Layla wouldn’t turn evil again? That she wouldn’t remember her dark motives. I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind for later. I was Alpha now, my pack needed me. We were a small, all female pack who barely knew each other, but I was Alpha and this was my new family. Mine to protect. Mine. I could talk to any of them without words. I could control them, ease their fears. I felt all nine of them, all strong females and I wished I had Tara in the pack, so that I could communicate with her too.

I turned around and met each woman’s gaze, slowly walking to each one and asking them the same question.

‘Changed or born?’ I asked them.

‘Changed,’ one with brown curly hair said.

‘Gift?’ I prompted.

She smiled. ‘I don’t feel pain.’

My eyes widened in shock as I nodded, making a mental note. She would be next to go into the torture chamber.

After going around to each girl, I found out in the end that there were only four changed females including myself.  The memory taker whose name was Karissa, the girl who didn’t feel pain was Kylee and then Amanda who could heat her hands to 400 degrees. I had the makings of a fine escape plan.

I felt empty without Kai’s voice here to guide me. His energy was frantic, I could feel his desperation, but I couldn’t communicate with him, no matter how hard I tried. So, I took a deep breath and tried to focus on getting us out of here.

I glanced over at Sadie. ‘Okay, now tell me how this place works.’

She met my eyes. ‘Every couple of days they come grab one of us to torture. They will open the cage and take out Tara and then shove the new one in. There will be about six vampires that do the switch. Tara will be too weak to fight.’

Shit. They really had this planned out. They were playing on our humanity, our pack mentality and togetherness. An idea struck me and I grinned. Sadie gave me a look that said she thought I was crazy.

I looked at the blonde dominant one that was carrying Layla’s baby. Her name was Chelsea. If they wanted to hurt one of ours, I would hurt one of theirs.

Just then, the door opened quickly and five vampires with silver bullet guns walked in and surrounded me.