002

RYKER 

My fists pummelled the dummy before me relentlessly, till brutal dents and fissures slithered over it. 

My eyes turned red, all I could see was blood. I didn't stop.

Howard's face appeared before me and I increased the force, my roar shaking the reinforced gym. 

Finally, the dummy exploded, unable to bear the force anymore. 

I staggered backwards till my back hit an obstacle, and slowly slid to the floor. 

Blood dripped down steadily from the wounds on my knuckles and fingers. I didn't notice the pain. The agony tearing my insides faded every other sense to a distant hum. 

After thirty minutes in solitude, my head cleared up. This wasn't time for blind rage. I needed to sort things out. One thing was certain. Summer won't enter that wolf's lair. 

I carefully pried the metal splinters away from my hand, reopening the already closing wounds. Once everything had been picked clean, I used my pheromones to repair the torn tissues, till the injuries faded to thin lines. 

I picked myself and entered the en suite bathroom to clean up.

The shower didn’t help. Neither did the silence. I could still hear the echo of her weeping from the night before — my enhanced hearing turning memory into torture. 

The third floor was ours. The only territory I had managed to secure in this house. If not for that, Beatrice would have carved it up piece by piece. Leaving no place for us in our mother's estate. 

Sometimes, I wonder if my advanced hearing that came with being an S-grade alpha was a blessing or a curse. 

****

The moment I stepped out of my training suite, wicked giggles filled my ears. My legs moved on instinct, rage bubbling in my chest. 

“Oh? Isn't that the unfortunate little omega about to be offered to the grim reaper?” I heard Lily say. No doubt, here with her clique again to bother Summer. 

Laughter followed her words and my fists clenched. 

In a second, I reached them. They had backed Summer to a wall, Lily's eyes glinting. 

My hand shot out, grabbing her by the hair. She let out a little yelp and I kicked her to the floor. 

“Lily, you're truly bold.” I took another step towards her, watching her shrink back. 

“The next time I see you here, you will be the one meeting the grim reaper.”

Her friends looked at me wide eyed, throats constricting from panic. I turned to them. 

It took all my self control to restrain myself from tearing them apart. Hitting weak little beings weren't part of things I could stomach. 

They helped each other up, and scrambled towards the stairs. Like lambs escaping a tiger. 

“If I see you in my estate again, you will be leaving with broken limbs and a lawsuit in your hands.” I shouted after them. 

I turned to Summer. Her lips were trembling, and she kept staring steadily at a spot before her, refusing to blink. Valiantly holding back her tears. 

“They're gone, come here.”

I led her to her room and sat her on the bed. She crumbled instantly, tears flowing steadily down her face. “Ryker. I'm so scared. I will really die in a few hours. One day has already gone by. His other…”

“Shh!” I tightened my arms around her, letting her cry on my shoulders. 

“Summer, I will never let you marry him. No matter what I do, no matter what I sacrifice, I must keep you safe. I promised mom I will ensure you lead a carefree life.”

She nodded amidst her tears. I gently lowered her head to my thigh, lulling her to sleep. When I was sure she was out cold, I lowered her to the bed, and carefully covered her with a fur blanket. 

My heart clenched as I gazed down at her weak form. I thought as long as I worked hard, was smart and ruthless enough, I would be able to protect her, pamper her like the princess she is, and raise her in the lap of luxury. Yet, this happened. No, I have to find a way. 

Or I could swap her out for someone else. With the thought swimming in my head, I entered her dressing room and hastily packed a small backpack with minor essentials, focusing on her jewelry and cards linked to my accounts. 

Once I had checked around to make sure the road leading to the side exit was empty, I returned to wake her up. 

She grunted, pulling the blankets over her face. “Leave me alone. I still want to sleep.”

“Summer, wake up.” I roused her vigorously till she opened her eyes. 

“Brother.” 

My palm clasped her mouth, my jaw motioning towards the already packed bag. 

Her dull eyes brightened and she jumped out of the bed, understanding my intentions. 

I tore open two packs of pheromone scent inhibitors, patching them over our glands. 

Her fingers clenched slightly, grabbing fistfuls of her skirt, eyes laced with worry. 

“Brother, father multiplied the guards last night. Can we really…?”

“We'll never know if we don't try. I already scouted. The guards are sleeping.”

I grabbed my laptop, quickly hacking into our electricity system. 

In two minutes, the lights would go out, that should be enough time.

My feet moved briskly on the marble floors, Summer held firmly in my right hand. The moment we reached the stairs, the light went off as programmed. 

Good. 

I could feel Summer trembling behind me, but she remained silent, following me. 

Just as we reached the side exit, a crinkling sound shattered the stillness of the night, and I heard someone curse out, just a few centimeters away from me. 

My feet froze. How come I didn't scent them? The next instant bright light flooded the narrow passage. 

My lids instinctively drifted shut, my hand raised to shield my face. I felt Summer flatten herself against me. That level of fear…only Howard could ignite it in her. 

I forced my eyes open, squinting against the harsh light. Howard was right before me, with seven beta warriors holding anesthetic guns filled with toxins specifically targeting top alphas. 

My blood turned to ice, eyes narrowing to slits. Howard had this lazy grin on his face, hand clasped behind him. 

“My good son, out for a night stroll?”

Shock was an understatement. I personally added heavy doses of sedatives to his dinner, and injected toxic fumes into his room to knock him out. How come he's wide awake? 

“I told you not to try anything funny, Ryker. You never listen.”

A sharp inhale from Summer jolted me to attention. 

“Step aside. I already told you to use Lily instead.”

He seemed adamant, his gaze calculating and dangerous. “I warned you, Ryker. If you try to ruin this cooperation, I will kill your sister while you watch. Even if you're an S-grade alpha, can you handle everyone here alone? This deal is important, sacrifices are necessary for success. This is your final warning. If you cross me again, the people closest to you will pay for it.”

I rolled my eyes, and made a quick calculation. Seven beta guards, plus Howard, a lower tier Alpha. 

I can fight out of their encirclement. Malik was already waiting outside the main villa with his boys to take us to safety. How hard could it be? 

My hand went to the pheromone inhibiting patch at the back of my neck, decisively tearing them off. 

“Before you attack, you might want to see this.” Howard drawled, turning his phone towards me. 

On the screen, Grandma Tessy lay on the bed, a man's tattooed hand grasping her throat as she struggled in futility. 

My heart jumped for a second, my breath leaving my body. The next instant I scoffed. Did he think I would buy his little trick? 

I already sent Caelum to rescue my grandmother from the hospital where he trapped her. 

The entire day was spent investigating her whereabouts. Now, I've gotten everything prepared, and he dares pull a fast one with an old video. Laughable. 

“Howard, do you think I'm stupid?”

I didn't have time for his nonsense, and tightened my hand around Summer. Time was of the essence. My phone vibrated in my pocket. 

“You might want to take that call.” 

The confident tilt of his jawbone, the arrogance in his stance and the casual way he crossed his arms, like he's got everything figured made my fingers curl with dread. 

I answered. It was Caelum. 

“Bro, there's trouble.” Caelum said, panic audible in his tone. “When we got there, we couldn't find grandma. All efforts to find her failed. Even the hospital's CCTV cameras were broken. I'm so sorry.”

My palms turned sweaty, and I bit my tongue, forcing myself to remain steady.

“Son, you're predictable—and sentimental. You can never win against me.” He made a tut tut sound with his tongue, condescension dripping from his tone. 

“If you want your family to be safe, let Summer marry Zarek like a good daughter. Don't try me again. I won't show mercy.”

Despair swallowed me whole, defeat seeping deep into my bones. Useless. I failed again.