6

ALINA

The field went dead quiet. The world tilted off its axis and stopped for a split second, then I was hearing everything Too loudly in my ears.

A heavy and warm arm wrapped around my waist. Tingles shot up my spike and goosebumps rose all over my skin. I stopped breathing when he fully pressed me against him. He felt hard everywhere. And familiar. And I was close to combusting.

He kept me there by his side as he finished with the rest. Delivering cruel sentences to innocent women and children without a care in the world. He didn’t feel a thing. Didn’t flinch at the sound of tortured screams. Of heads falling to the ground. It looked like a normal day for him.

Bile rose up my throat but I pressed my lips together, holding it back. The punishment he would give me might be worse than what he was doing now. I didn’t think that I was his mate. The man was a monster. The devil was scared of him.

He looked relaxed when it was all done. It was pin drop silent. I don’t know if to refer to the remaking prisoners as lucky people or not. But they were still alive, so I guess that meant something.

“Come with me.” There was no softness in his voice when he delivered that command. My body moved on its own accord, doing his bidding even before my mind could catch up.

He led us to what has been turned into his chambers. From inside, it didn’t look like we were in the same place from earlier.

“You’ll stay here.” He commanded easily. I kept my head down, hoping he wouldn’t recall what happened last night.

His eyes were narrowed. I could feel his hot gaze moving over my entire frame. Like he was pinning me to memory. Or recalling how we first met. My hands balled into tight fists, my foot itches to dance around nervously. I settled for biting my lips instead. It was less noticeable and didn’t threaten the position of my head in my neck.

A small gasp slipped from my lips when his hand gripped my chin. He tipped my head up so I was starting into his dark eyes. They were the shade of the sky when an angry storm was brewing. Angry and destructive.

My throat bobbed on a swallow and his eyes followed the movement. Something flashed in his heavy gaze. Then I felt his thumb press on the underside of my bottom lip before he tugged gently, freeing the bruised skin from my lips.

There was a bit of blood that I missed there. I noticed the red on his thumb. He took it to his mouth. I didn’t know when I let out a shocked gasp. He made a rumbling sound that reverberated in the room.

“Mine.” The possessive words were growled and his eyes flashed again with something hot this time. The storm was gone and the skies opened to a painfully bright day. Looking into his or s felt like gazing at the sun. It burned. But I didn’t dare look away. “From now on, your blood is mine,” he gripped my chin again, pulling me close. “Your body is mine.” He emphasized his comment by pressing me against him. He was hard everywhere. Notably between his legs.

“And I don’t like to share.” There was a menacing tone to his voice. “Has anyone ever touched you?”

My brain short circuited. No answer would be safe. If I said no, he would find out I lied if anything happened, and he didn’t exactly look like the waiting till marriage type. And if I said yes, that too did not sound smart.

“I don’t like repeating myself.” I nodded, my eyes burning with the intensity of just looking at him.

He was too much. Too powerful. Two strong. James was nothing compared to this man standing in front of me.

“Use your words, Alina.” I didn’t have the time to ask how he knew my name.

“Yes.” I stuttered the one word, speaking in less than a whisper. He probably only heard because of his supernatural lycan hearing.

“What’s his name?” His hand moved from my chin to my throat.

I started to shake like a leaf when he added the slight pressure on my pounding pulse.

“He’s dead.” I croaked out the words.

“Good. I would have killed him.” He looked like he was going to say something but a knock sounded on the door. He barely released me before speaking.

“Come in.” The person entered.

A beautiful tall woman with a buzz cut and a sharp angular face. She looked like a warrior. Someone I could probably see myself admiring, if she wasn’t looking at me like I was worth less than the dirt on her shoes. Her eyes softened when they turned to the intimidating man beside me and I instantly put two and two together.

They were probably sleeping together.

“Boss, they captured a few runaways.” She kept glancing at me when she spoke, probably wondering what I was still doing there.

It was the last place I wanted to be, trust me. But I couldn’t exactly tell him that. So I stood there like I was mute while they spoke about things I didn't understand.

“I’ll go deal with this.” The Wolf Slayer said, his voice was all ice. “Watch her. Make sure no harm comes to her.”

“Bo—“ he was out of the room before her complaint was out of her mouth. She swiveled to face me.

The look she shot me made my insides squirm. I have been at the receiving end for a lot of dirty looks throughout my life. But this is the first time it actually scared me.

“Come, Whore. I have better things to do than sit here and babysit you. Stay close.” She walked briskly out of the room. I had no choice but to run after her which wasn’t easy because she had really long legs and she was walking fast.

I wished I had followed Hailey earlier. A loud scream from a different place once caught my attention. My eyes turned in that direction and my heart dropped into my stomach. I lost my ability to move too.

No. No. No. This can’t be.

My feet moved and before I knew it, I was running toward where more people were being killed. The next on the line was Hailey. I knew I was stupid and risking my life, if the angry yelling coming from behind me was any indication. But I wasn’t going to let Hailey die.

If I have to risk my life to save hers. Then so be it.