by Ruby Brooks
Her scent flooded my nostrils and I sunk my teeth into her throat. Her back arched as I did and I tightened my hold on her, cradling her against my chest. I felt the change in the air as I marked her, and I was fucking obsessed with her.
I thought I was before, but this was nothing like it.
I was frantic as I ran with her, desperate to find our pack. Some of them were helping to protect us while we waited for aid, but they were too young and inexperienced to help with much else. Kian and Mia were taking far too long to find someone to see to us and I should have taken matters into my own hands ages ago.
Anyone that looked at Hayley in my arms received a growl. She moaned against my chest.
“It feels good, Cole,” she sighed.
Fuck. Me. I had never heard her sigh like that, and it stirred at something inside me. This was not the time to be thinking about those sorts of things, but I couldn’t help it.
When Kian caught up to us his jaw dropped.
“What did you do?” he asked.
“What I should have done years ago,” I admitted. I laid Hayley down as Dane came over to us. When he touched her leg, I snarled at him, and he shook his head.
“Cole, claiming her has given her some of your strength. Focus on passing that through your new bond and try to ignore the rest.”
I tried to do what he was saying, but all I saw was red when he ripped her pants off.
“I need access to the wound,” Dane snapped. Kian was holding me back, with Mia supporting him.
“Make sure the pack is covering us. Forget the rest for now, I need defences,” Kian ordered a pack member.
“Relay that to my pack, too,” I added, not taking my eyes off where Dane’s hands were going.
I could feel a bond between Hayley and me, the same bond that had always been there. It was stronger now, almost overwhelming. I could only imagine what it must feel like for Hayley in her delusional state, and I hoped it gave her comfort.
“Shh, Hayley,” I murmured as she stirred. “It’ll be over soon.”
Dane was squeezing her leg where the poison went in, and I saw black seep out of it.
“What the fuck is that?” I hissed. Hayley was passing out.
“No idea. I’ll get it out, don’t worry.”
I watched as he cut a deep gash in Hayley’s leg, draining out the substance. It was like oil, but smelled foul, and it was only adding to my aggravated state.
“I thought claiming her was supposed to help me with the curse,” I said to Dane. He gave me a sad smile when he looked at me.
“Fate has been cruel to the pair of you. I’m not surprised it isn’t working the way I would expect.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Couldn’t I ever catch a break?
“Stop your pity-party, prick. Fix this.” My wolf was furious that the claim wasn’t working and blamed it on me.
I wanted to kill.
“I can’t deal with this, Dane. I can’t lose her, too.”
“You won’t,” he vowed. “She is going to be weak for a while, but I think you need to deal with something else, first. I’ll take care of her.”
“I can’t watch you touch her.”
He sighed. “I have never been interested in her in that way, Cole. Stop it. You need to be the one who takes down this place.”
I narrowed my eyes as I watched him pick her up. He was right. I knew rationally that he was only going to touch her when he needed to, but she was vulnerable right now and I should be taking care of it.
Looking to the hunter’s base through the trees, I thought over Dane’s words. I had to be the one to destroy this place – me.
✽✽✽
I spotted gas cannisters around the back of the building and threw them through the smashed window leading to the training room. Fury took over every action and gave me the additional strength I needed. Whether or not the gas cannisters would help, I didn’t know, nor care.
I was desperate for food, drink, and sleep. Going on a rampage with my wolf earlier drained a lot out of me, not to mention the energy I had to give to Hayley.
Hayley.
Thinking about her again was making me anxious. I needed to focus on getting in, destroying this place, and getting out again.
The staff were easy to spot. Some were cleaning up the mess and I spotted Micah organising others.
“Shit,” he muttered. “I thought you said they were gone?”
Mo wrung her hands. “I thought that they were,” she said. “But I’m not surprised he is back.”
“You tried to make a move on my girl,” I growled, shoving Micah against a wall. “What makes you think you are good enough for her?”
“I never thought that, but she was lonely.”
“So, you thought you would try to come onto her? Because she was lonely? How about because she is beautiful? Strong? Smart? Powerful? Don’t tell me that doesn’t call to you.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, if I had known…”
I dropped him. I had made my point and hearing him sputter wasn’t helping matters. I marched off upstairs, in search of the storage room, and no one made any move to stop me.
The smell of the other recruits was strong here and I realised they all had lavish bedrooms. I was angry again, or maybe that feeling had never left. Of course, they got everything handed to them on a plate while my Hayley was in a prison cell, without any basic amenities, and was being experimented on.
I kicked down every door on the floor, trying to find the documents. When I did, I wondered whether or not I should read them. Hayley was bound to have questions – as did I – but I wondered what peace that would bring us. I grabbed some paper and a lighter, setting off a flame. It would take a short while to take hold and I watched as it did.
I let my anger fall as the flames rose. I needed to be strong and clear-headed, not a fucking bull in a China shop.
Don’t even think about it, I warned my wolf. He was rising, clawing at my insides. We are going to get Hayley now.
As the flames licked up the sides of the room, I had to make a split-second decision.
Please, Hayley, don’t make me regret this.
I sprinted down the stairs to where I’d left the staff members, and easily disarmed the hunters that had arrived as back up. Andrew was part of that group and I enjoyed stabbing him in the thigh. I wished I had longer.
He deserved a long, slow, drawn out form of torture. Being burned alive was going to have to do.
Wrapping an arm around Mo’s waist, I pulled her to my side.
“Wrap your arms around my neck,” I ordered. “I’m saving you, not kidnapping you.”
She did what I said, clinging onto me for dear life as I leapt out of the window, and ran for the trees. My pack was already waiting and I felt pride swell in my chest. They didn’t know me, not yet, but they pulled through for me anyway.
I left Mo with one them and went in search of the quickest vehicle that would take me back to Hayley.
A loud boom echoed across the forest and the birds squawked as they flew overhead. I turned, watching as flames engulfed the hunters’ base in the distance.
“Good.” My wolf growled, satisfied.
Chapter 24
Hayley
My head throbbed as I tried to make out where I was. The last thing I remembered was the searing pain in my leg, but when I looked, there wasn’t even a scratch. I was in a bedroom, but there were scents I didn’t recognise. My wolf was prowling inside me, desperate to be let out. I couldn’t risk it though until I figure out where we were.
“Cole claimed us,” my wolf announced.
Oh no. He was probably torturing himself right now over it. I swung my legs out of bed in search of Cole. Ever since the claiming, the tug that used to be between us had grown in intensity, and I could tell from where I was that he was asleep across from me, somewhere.
“Mo!” I exclaimed, when I spotted her in the hallway. She was carrying a stack of towels. “Where are we?”
�
��Oh, you’re up at last,” she smiled shyly. “We are in your pack house.”
“What? What about the facility? Cole? Why are you here?” I had more questions, but Mo held up a hand, letting out a laugh.
“Slow down. Cole is asleep – for the first time in days. The facility is… gone.”
“Gone?”
“Cole blew it up.”
“Of course he did. Are you housekeeping or something?” I rubbed at my face, my headache getting worse. It was exactly like Cole to do something that dramatic. “I need a shower.”
Mo shoved the towels in an airing cupboard and wrung her hands. “I don’t know what to do,” she blurted. “Cole saved me and told me I could stay as long as I’d like, but I know no one likes me here.”
“What do you want me to do about it?” I stepped into the bathroom and gestured for her to follow. The shower was huge and I’d be able to put a towel around me without Mo being able to see anything. Besides, she had already helped me out of a shower in the past. I switched on the water, waiting for it to get warm as she replied.
“I sometimes wish he hadn’t saved me. I did unspeakable things in that facility and now it is gone…”
“Your sense of purpose has gone, too,” I stepped into the shower stall and undressed, checking for any further injuries. “You can do whatever the hell you want now. What did you do before you worked there?”
“I was born there, Hayley. Most of us were. I don’t know life outside of it,” she sighed, her words trailing off. “What did you do? You know, before.”
I snorted. “My life has been far from ideal. Most of the time, though, I hung out with my friends, Cole and Kian, trying to stay out of trouble.” I nearly moaned when the hot water hit my aching muscles. “Tell me more about the facility.”
“You mean your parents?” Mo sighed again and I heard her move around the bathroom. “Your mum was always interested in the experiments, but she had no idea about the other work the hunters did. We were working on a solution to turn humans into shifters without requiring a bite, and it worked. Your mother actually became an alpha.”
“Wait. So, I’m not a pure-blooded shifter like I thought I was?”
“No. Your father, yes, I believe he was.”
“How did he end up at the facility?” This was quite a lot of information to take in, but I wasn’t surprised. My parents probably hid many more secrets, it seemed to be their thing.
“Same as Cole. He handed himself over. I never did find out why, but I suspect he recognised your mother as his mate.”
I dropped the shower gel I was about to use. “Cole handed himself over? As in, he walked in with his hands in surrender?” I couldn’t imagine it. If anything, I expected him to have set himself up for a capture by killing, instead.
“Well, yes. I thought you knew… He somehow knew you were there and came to save you.”
“Oh. I thought it was more dramatic than that. Being sensible isn’t very Cole-like.” I started scrubbing at my skin, trying to wash off the feeling of death. “Can you get him for me, please?”
I was shaking. I slid on the floor of the shower, replaying the last day over and over in my mind. Last day? It could have been weeks for all I knew. I needed to know everything that happened to my parents, but my brain couldn’t process it.
All I could think about was the number of people Kian, Mia – and I – killed.
“Hayley,” a strong voice breathed. His hand gripped my chin and he tipped my face up to meet his eyes. Those bright blue eyes, that were supposed to be bring me comfort, made me mad.
“You left me again. You promised you wouldn’t let me out of your sight, and you left me.” Bile rose to my throat and I was choking on air. “Do you have any idea how many people came after us?”
“I didn’t let you out of my sight. Yes, I charged off, and I will apologise for that for the rest of my life if you need me to, but do not think for one second that I left you. I always knew where you were. I knew how many people were after you. You were thriving, Hayley, I could feel it. I know how you feel right now, and it will pass, but I’m not going to let you get worked up over me.”
I shook my head, not wanting to hear anymore, but he continued anyway.
“Who do you think protected you while we waited for more pack members came to defend you while you were down? The hunters took out a chunk of Mia's clan. I was angry, overwhelmed by my wolf, but I never compromised your safety. I didn't want to get in your way and stop you from doing something you were born to do. If I had it my way, I'd have barricaded you in your room and taken you home as soon as I could. But you wouldn’t let me do that, remember?”
His expression was fierce and I couldn’t look away.
“I had a flashback,” I admitted. I was still processing what he said. “It was snippets of my parents when I was younger. My mum would tell me all the time that we didn’t fight anymore. I let her down.”
I vaguely registered his hands cupping my cheeks, cradling my face. The water was still on and was making his shirt cling to him, but he didn’t seem to care.
“You didn’t let her down,” he said, vehemently. “Your mum let you down.”
“What?” I snapped. “How do you get to say that?” I tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge.
“Hayley, you are the most powerful female-shifter I have ever met. Everyone knows that and I think that is why people tried to break you. They were – are – afraid of you. Your mum should have taught you how to shift, how to hunt. How to be a fucking wolf, Hales. But she didn’t. Neither did your dad. Instead, they wanted to run away with you and pretend it wasn’t happening.”
More tears slid down my cheeks. He was right. I looked to my parents like they had all the answers in the world, but I suppressed my true nature instead.
“That’s why you took me to the fight club,” I said. “You told Mia I was going to come one day, didn’t you? And that she should offer to fight me.”
“Now you’re getting it.”
“You have been protecting me since the beginning. You even waited outside of my house for me to arrive on my first day.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Always. I told you shortly after we met that we were similar, remember?”
“I remember.”
“I heard the call come in to prepare the house. Tristan owned it originally, but it was empty waiting for rental tenants. When the desperate call came in for a home my wolf went crazy. I hadn’t shifted before, but I was close that night. I think he already knew we are meant for each other, even if it took me longer to catch up.” Cole pulled me into his arms, switching off the shower. “Come on, let’s get you dressed.”
“Can’t we just stay in bed?” I asked, resting my head on his shoulder. I was still processing his words and I wished I had the confidence to ask him how long he had loved me before he did anything about it.
“Oh, don’t tempt me,” he set me on my feet, wrapping a towel around me. I tucked it around myself properly as he grabbed another to rub at my hair. “I want to introduce you to the pack.” His hands stilled.
“What’s wrong?” His sudden change in demeanour made me nervous.
“You do want to meet them, right?”
“Well, yeah. Why are you asking?” A vulnerable look passed across his face, but it passed quickly.
“I just thought… with the way you were working with Kian and Mia, you’d want to go back to the Steelmans’.”
“No, I didn’t even consider it. I want to be a part of your pack. Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
“It’s our pack, Hales. You’re an alpha now. Can’t you feel it?”
After he said it, I did. The pressure that was weighing on me since I woke up must have been the pack.
“Someone’s hurt,” I commented. “Who is it? What happened?”
“A young boy was abused by the previous alpha. I thought I’d saved him, but we have a long way to go yet I think.”
I nodded. “Get me so
me clothes and we’ll go meet them.”
He grinned at me for the first time today and I missed it. “Yes, ma’am.”
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. I had a long way to go yet, too, but this was progress.
✽✽✽
Mo was clutching a steaming mug of tea, completely out of her element. Her eyes were darting around at every move and she jumped when I approached.
“You know, I’m sure there are human science labs around here that don’t involve murder or shifters at all,” I said, sliding into a bar stool next to her. “Maybe we could search for jobs there tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, but how do I answer the previous experience questions? Besides, I don’t have any formal education.”
“Me neither. I haven’t even passed high school English.”
She winced. “Didn’t the school come looking for you?”
“No. I have no doubt Tristan took care of it. Fuck,” I whispered, as I realised I’d never see Tristan again. The weight of all the people I had lost was wedging itself in my chest and I found it hard to breathe.
Cole’s warm hand came to rest on my lower back, “I know, baby.” Of course I didn’t have to tell him. As I caught his eye, I saw the same hurt mirrored back to me.
“How is Kian coping?” I asked him. “I never had a chance to talk to him properly.”
“He's coping,” Cole sighed and shrugged. “Mia is taking care of him. I know it should be us, but if we go there too soon, we may upset his wolf.”
“But we aren’t going to challenge him.”
“I know, but he will be too emotional right now to think rationally.”
I bit my lip and tried to come up with a solution for Mo instead. At least that was one thing within my control.
“What did you want to do when you were younger?” I asked her.
“I wanted to work with animals,” she smiled when we snorted. “I mean, like a vet or something.”
“There’s an animal shelter not too far from here,” Cole said, leaning against the kitchen island we were sat around. “Perhaps there are some opportunities there?”
“But I don’t have any money. I have nowhere to live and no car. I only have the clothes on my back.”
