LOGINCHAPTER 98: HostageDerek’s POVThe knock came again and harder this time in a sharp impatient rap of knuckles on wood that ripped me out of my shocked daze.I was standing over Kate’s naked unconscious body, a heavy brass lamp still clutched in my hand and my heart was beating so loud I was sure they could hear it outside. I’d done it. I’d actually hit her.“Ms. Kate?” a man’s voice called from the hallway. “You okay in there? I heard a noise.”That was a guard.Panic tried to take over but I shoved it down. This wasn’t the time to freeze.. this was the time to move.I dropped the lamp and my eyes scanned the room, looking for anything, everything. The knocking came again now turning into a pound. “Ms. Kate? I’m coming in!”No, you’re not. I lunged for the door. My hand found the old-fashioned bolt and I slammed it home just as the doorknob began to twist. Next, a heavy velvet-upholstered couch. I threw my shoulder into it, gritting my teeth, grunting with the effort as I shoved
CHAPTER 97: Busted HardwareAllison's POVThe car tires crunched over loose gravel as I pulled into a spot in the hospital’s near-empty parking lot. The engine ticked as it cooled, the only sound in the deep creepy silence of the night.I killed the lights and just sat for a second, my fingers still tight on the steering wheel. My wolf was pacing under my skin, all snarling teeth and itching claws. It wanted out. It wanted to find the bitch who did this and redecorate the walls with her.“You good?” Ashley’s voice was a tight nervous whisper from the passenger seat. She looked about as ready for this as I felt... which was not at all but we were doing it anyway.“Peachy,” I grunted, shoving my door open. “Let’s go do some totally legal investigating.”We moved fast, our footsteps echoing way too loud in the quiet. The automatic doors hissed open like we’d just walked into the belly of some giant, sleeping metal beast.Inside, the hospital was a weird mix of bright and dead with the ha
CHAPTER 96: The Midnight RunAllison's POVMy heart was trying to claw its way out of my chest. I swear to God it was like a tiny boxer in there, going ten rounds with my ribcage. And the wolf? She wasn’t much better.. pacing and snarling with growl vibrating in my soul like a bad engine. The note was on my coffee table and it might as well have been a live grenade.I snatched my phone off the counter, my thumb practically smashing Ashley’s name in my favorites list. It rang once and twice. Come on, come on.“Allison?” Her voice was heavy with sleep. “You know what time it is? Did something happen? Are you okay?”“Ashley. Get over here. Now.”A pause. “What? Why? What’s going on?”“Just… get your ass to my house. If you can. Okay?” I didn’t wait for another question. I just hung up. Subtlety wasn’t my strong suit on a good day and tonight was a long long way from a good day.I couldn’t sit. Pacing was the only thing that kept the wolf from clawing her way out. Back and forth acro
CHAPTER 95: The Taste of VengeanceDerek's POVThe room was my world now. Four walls, a cold floor and the ever-present hum of the collar around my neck.. a constant mocking reminder that I was no longer Derek, the Alpha. I was a thing.. a pet and a toy.I paced with my claws... useless, dull things without my power... scraping against the metal band. Every second in this cage was a fresh hell. My skin still burned from her touch, my muscles ached from… from fucking her and lower down… damn, I was still sore from last night's session.The lock clicked and the door swung open.A guard shoved a tray inside. The smell hit me first. Roasted meat, rich gravy, fresh bread. It was good food.. the best. My stomach twisted.I knew what this meant. This wasn’t dinner. This was fuel.The guard stood there watching and waiting for me to eat. I thought about throwing the tray at his smug face. But what was the point? Refusing just made it worse. She’d use her magic, that twisted witchy crap and
CHAPTER 94: Tension and ReleaseAllison's POVMy hand snapped back from his grip like I’d been burned. His touch was electric.. a jolt that went straight to my core and set every nerve on fire and my wolf practically purred inside my head which was seriously pissing me off. Who the hell did this guy think he was?“You,” I breathed out, my voice a little shakier than I would’ve liked. I squared my shoulders, forcing some steel into my tone. “Who are you? And what’s your deal with popping up right before shit goes down?”He didn’t even flinch. Just stood there, all calm and infuriatingly composed like we were discussing the weather and not a potential ambush in a creepy parking garage. His eyes, those weirdly intense eyes, scanned our surroundings before landing back on me.“The ‘deal’ is that you need to be more careful,” he said, his voice low. It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a fact. “Stand back.”“Excuse me? This is my car. I think I’ll decide if I stand back or...”“Allison.” He sai
CHAPTER 93: The Wolf at the DoorAllison's POVMy entire staff was packed in, a sea of faces looking at me like I was about to announce we were all being shipped off to a penal colony. Which, given the last week, was kinda fair.I leaned against the edge of a desk, crossing my arms. “Alright listen up you beautiful pack of nerds,” I started and a few nervous twitches turned into genuine smiles. Gotta break the ice, right? “I know you’ve all seen the news. I know you’ve heard the rumors. So let’s just… cut the crap.”I pushed off the desk and walked through them. “Sarah Jenkins was my friend. She was a lot of your friend. And she didn’t ‘overdose at a wild party.’ Someone killed her. Someone who then planted a bag of Apex in my goddamn birthday cake to make it look like we’re running a drug ring out of the servo-motors department.”A few people gasped and most just nodded grimly. They knew the score.“The cops shut us down. Now, thanks to our terrifyingly competent allies, we’re open
CHAPTER 17: The Morning AfterAllison's POVI woke up tangled in silk sheets with sunlight slipping through heavy curtains, painting golden stripes across the bed. My head was pillowed on something warm and solid... Jacob’s chest. His heartbeat thumped steady under my ear, slow and deep like he d
CHAPTER 16: A Witch's Brew and a Broken VideoVictoria's POVMy heart was still trying to beat its way out of my chest as I slammed the car door. I could still hear Theo’s terrified little gasp echoing in my head, see the wild, unrecognizable look in Derek’s eyes and my ass throbbed with an aching
CHAPTER 18: Public Disgrace & Private PainAllison's POVThe New York office was everything I’d ever wanted with floor-to-ceiling windows showing off a killer view of the skyline and that sweet, sweet silence that only comes from being the boss.. my new throne.. Headquarters for LunaTech, officiall
CHAPTER 19: A Mother's AgonyAllison's POV “Theo,” I said, my voice coming out as this choked-up whisper. I dropped to my knees in front of him and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into this hug I’d been dreaming about for what felt like a lifetime.And his little arms… they just hung ther







