Sauter (Ironside Academy, #3)(42)

“This is a lot of dirt,” Mikel growled, shooting a glare at the phone. But then again … they hadn’t held back in their recruitment attempts with him either.

Those secrets were worse.

If this was the Track Team, then they were actually going easy on Carter. Elijah didn’t respond to him, instead choosing to watch as he came to the realisation himself.

“We have to do something.” Theodore was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes growing dark and cloudy.

“Go work out.” Mikel’s order came out as a bark. “We’ve got this.”

Theodore didn’t even pause to argue—despite the slitting of his eyes indicating that he wanted to. He spun and stalked out of the room, his movements jerky and sharp.

Despite everything, Mikel had to quietly admire the younger Alpha. Theodore was completely enamoured with Isobel. Obsessed, possessive, and territorial in the way Alphas could get. But he was holding himself remarkably in check.

Mikel wouldn’t have been able to hold himself back.

When a woman was his—no.

Nope.

None of that.

“Were they in the shower?” Elijah asked, the second Theodore was out of earshot, raising his brows at Mikel.

Maybe he was echoing Mikel’s thoughts.

“Mhmm.” Mikel pulled out his phone, hovering over Tilda’s contact, pausing there and turning over all the scenarios in his mind.

“Would you?” Elijah asked quietly, watching him. “I know it’s a big ask.”

“I can handle her,” Mikel promised, before punching the button.

She picked up on the third ring, her tone curious. “Why are you calling me from Reed’s room?”

He immediately strode for the door, sharing a quick look with Elijah before slipping into the hallway and walking back toward his office. “Was just leaving. You free later?” he asked, closing himself into his office.

“I’m not available at your beck and call,” she snipped.

Usually, he played this game with her. Tonight, he had neither the time nor the patience … so he let that darker part of him take over.

All of them had a demon of some kind. It was what had drawn them all together, and it was what bound them, still. It was why several of them were drawn to Isobel like they couldn’t help themselves.

It wasn’t the bond. It was the darkness … because she was just as damaged.

They all had monsters living beneath their skin: proverbial cloaks they could shrug on and off when the mood struck, the material woven with obscure malevolence. They could use it to do unmentionable things, or they could use it to do the impossible. Isobel didn’t wear her darkness the same way. She couldn’t seem to control it or demand it serve her.

Maybe that was what drew her to them. She needed someone to bring it out of her.

Enough about the Sigma.

He dropped his carefully walled composure and welcomed that caged beast into his skin with practised ease. He felt the change in his stance, and when he spoke, he could even hear the silken cadence that edged his usually guarded tone.

“It’s time to leave work,” he said. “Go back to your apartment, Tilda.” A calm, cool emotion drifted over him. Control. Beautiful, sweet fucking control. “I want you waiting on your knees four steps from the door. You’ll be punished for every article of clothing left on your body. You have twenty minutes.” He hung up, pausing a moment to give her enough time to leave her desk as he had ordered before he made his way back toward Theodore’s room.

He didn’t need to question whether or not Tilda would obey him. She would. Despite everything, she would. Despite her own nature, even. This was what she wanted, what she was always begging for, always trying to push him to give to her.

The one piece of him he wasn’t always willing to share.

Theodore’s room was dark as he closed the door, the figures on the bed tensing. All of them except Carter. Even in the darkness, he could clearly see her curled up in a rumpled mess of blankets, her cheek resting on Oscar’s arm, her fists curled in Kilian’s shirt, pulling it close to her face.

“What is it?” Kilian asked.

Oscar didn’t say anything.

“I need her scent.” Mikel stopped at the end of the bed, holding out both hands. It wasn’t a request.

Oscar lifted to his knees, bundling Carter into his arms. “The fuck for?” he asked quietly, his chest rumbling with a warning.

“Kilian filled you in.” Mikel crooked his fingers, fixing Oscar with a cold, steady, demanding gaze. He wasn’t asking a question, but Oscar nodded anyway. “I need information from Tilda.”

The two of them stared at him for a moment, Kilian’s pale eyes widening, Oscar’s dark eyes narrowing tightly.

“Now.” Mikel’s tone turned low and velvety, almost a whisper, his power flexing out and expanding across the room. He didn’t bother with Alpha voice.

Oscar knee-walked to the edge of the bed and Mikel reached out, carefully taking the sleeping girl from his arms.

“I don’t think that will work,” Kilian said gently. Hesitantly. “Mikki, I don’t think you can just trick your system like that.”

“We’ll see,” Mikel rumbled out, keeping his voice soft so as not to stir the Sigma.

He held his breath, carefully rearranging her to drape across his front, held up by his arms banded across her thighs and back, her head falling into the crook of his neck.