Eight

I*****R 8

Nicholson’s pov 

Axel ran in the next second, throwing his weight against the wolf, down to the floor, cursing as his gun took a long ride from his pocket across the floor, leaving him with nothing but his bare arms which he wounded around the wolf, curling his leg around for further preventive measure, taking care to pull back so It wouldn’t be able to bite him as the wolf already had Its mouth open, revealing large canines that sent a chill through me as I realized what could have happened If he hadn’t been stopped in time before he snapped one of my cousins into half with one snap of his jaw. 

“Nichole focus..” Hearing Shirley’s vice, I snapped from my reverie, once again, realizing I had gotten distracted again. I raised my head to see my cousins weren’t in the room with us and Axel, although losing control, was doing his best trying to keep the wolf in place even though It trashed around badly, sinking its claws deep into his arm.

“Where are they?” I could feel my voice turn hoarse, my hand still trembling as I remembered just a few seconds, how I would have witnessed the wolf kill my cousins in front of me and I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. 

“Nat. and Amira are fine. Not a single sceatch on them, I promide you.” She tried to reassureme .” Backup is coming in soon, but at thr moment, I could only ask Axel for help. He was the onlyu ome I saw at the hallway.”

“I waqs having lunch. So you know ou owe me big time. I’ve lost a lo of blood at this oint. Fucvk..” Axel lookled pale despite his utter harsh words and true to his words, I could see his own blood pooling on the floor where he lay backl still ho,di ng onto thw eolf. 

Shirley started ayi ng something, but I wqasn’t lksteneing asI approached the two and upon raising my leg, I brought it down heavily on the head of thw wolf and Axek instictuively released his grip, rolling to the other side when the sole of my boots had crushed his grip as well. 

“Nichole stop..” Sjierly aid as she went over to aid Axel but I pulled my gun from my pocket and shiot it rifght at the leg. The howl of the wolf was epiceing upon yhe bullet connecti ng with its leg bvut I wasn’t planning on illing it. I would have shot it in the head or heart idf I jhad the chance to do so but I didn’t want thast. I’d wait for ackyup to take it. We could run ex[eroments on it..f probably find out how jhe was able to enter in to out territory wiothout security catching y to hi and how he was even able to enter this headqyratwrs without anyone noticing.. not even getting a wiff of its scenet even for a second.

I grabbed It by the ear and landed a hard blowe on the face, heavily on the nose, almost right at thr eyes. “Nicholson!” Someone hugged me from ehind and began dragging me away while I struggled, giving the wolf hard kicks, breathing heavuky as I waa finally pulled out of this room to see Joel. 

I pulled out of his grip and tossed his hands around me to the side, breathing hard, my eyes intemtly staring into his with anger. “The mission.. call It off Joel.”

He looked confused for a few seconds. Some medical staffs  rushing into the room we had just exited were followed by specialists who were going to take the wolf away. 

“What?” 

“You heard me.” I try to leave. I wanted to find m couins, to hug each and evruone of them and tell them It was okay and thry had nothing to be scared off.. to soothe them. They had seen something they souldnt have and must have beem traumatized from almost havi ng been killed. 

Joel however dodn’y have that in mind as he had other ideas as he reached out fotr my arma and oulled me back. “Calm down. You’re angry, you’re still in shock, but most importantly, you’re scared. Think this through carefully before...”

“Joel...” I wring my hand from his grip and took a slow easy breath in before I exhaled, eyes closed  before I opened It to see his staring into mine so blankly I doubted he could experience what I was feeling right now. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out my chest and had only put it back in, still leaving a sore after feeling which was too heavy to ignore. “Colonel, respectfully, this misson idea was shit in the first place. You guys would have just let me have ,y own way the entire time. Instead, you really expect me to leave everything behind and go play wife and husband with my enemy? After what hapepened today, I won’t be convinced ghat my couisn’s life aren’;t on the line now. For fuck’s sake, that wolf was aiming for them. It waa like Its intention was just to hurt my sibnlings. I’m sorry, but this was stupid and dI don’t intent to follow through with It and risk loosing the only family you have,.”

I walk past him, knocking him by the soulders as I walked by before I rushed iover to where my cousins’s could be. Howeber, on getting to nther room, there was no sight of them.

“Nat? Amira?”

 The smile on mu face slowly began wading off as I looked around, noticing that It didn’t look like they had even entered the room, so where could they havw gone. I turn around so see Joel standing at bthe door, leaning on the door frame with folded arms,. 

I wanted to walk right past him like I DID BEFORE, BUT THERE Ws so ething about the way his eyes flinted with mischief as he looked at me with a kniowing look. Withiut thinking, I come for him, gritting my teeth so harda agint each other, felt it would break, reacing up to grab the collar of his and oulling on it so hard, our foreheads were this close to colliding

“Where the fuck are they, Joel?”

He grabbed the two arms this close to choking him, but rather than pull, he just held onto it, that anmoying calm look on his face portrayin innocnecse, when I knew he was up to. 

“Your couins are safe. Trust me.”

“That’s bullshit Joel. Fuck you and fuck the other colonels who came up with this shit. I don’t kniw what you guys are playing at, but bring my 5 year old cosins into this is just low, even for someone like you.”

“We’re only doing what’s best for you and for the country. And for our people.”

“Joel… a fucking wolf was just here… not just in our territory, nit just in our city but here.. in our territoty.. in my apartrment. You don’t know a single thing that’s best for me.”

“Niochole!” His voice was soft but I hated he was this way. He looked so unbothered.. so careless about whatever I waa doing, how I nwas reacting. It was so annoying I was affected by this and he was jjst standing there with a blank look in his eyes.”

I released him and backed away, glaring at him. “Joel… I’m not begging you…”

“Of course. Nicholson Asred would rather break her own neck and fall to her death down the bottomless pit than beg. So let me guess.. you’re ordering methen?”

“Do you realize what would happen If words gets out what you and the other colonels intend to do. You used this situation to your advantage you sick, disgusting..”

“Nichole… you know how I feel about insults..”

“…motherfukcing, conceited bastards.”

I push past him and leave the room to see Shirley at the hallway. She looked petrified and worried for me as she searched me all over, noticing my disorientated state. 

“Are you okay? What about Nat? Ans Amira… Are they…”

“They’re fuine,” Before  I could reply, Joel had already done sdo and was even standing behind me with a hand to my shoulder. “What about Axel”

That’s right. Axel? I had been so bothered about my vouisn and then with Joel and evryuthing that I had forgotten about him. I owe that guy a huge favoru. He literally saved my ciuin’s kife. 

“He’s not looking too goodf. He’s already been taken to the hispiotal, but from what I heard, he’s lost a lot of blood and has been wounded badly…

“ She then looked at me. “And so have you, Nichole.  You need to be treated.”

“Yes, Nichole. Why don’t yu head aslong the hospital with her and thern  maybe later we  iuyld co mp,ete out vonversation.” Joel placed his oter hand on my shoulder before squeezing and flashing me a small smile just as he walked away, not even giving me a chance to say banythi ng. 

I glared so hard at his retreating back, that I wished It could send him falling on the floo rot his death. I hated him. And the fact that he could do this ony oroved that I was right about hati g his Ass. 

Shirley touhed my arm and I only realized then the reality of the suttauon. “I get you’re scared of whatvhapened, But just be happy NAT AND Amira are okay at least. Are they alsep?”

I didn’t know how to reply that question, but I knew I c ouldn’t tell her what Joel had done so I just swallowed down the pain in my voice before forcing a smile, holding her by the soulders and leading her away. 

“We should head to the hospiotal.”

“You sure you don’t mind leacing them alone again?”

“It’s okay. I’ll just text Kieran to come chevk on them.” Kieran was a seargent and althoight she’s usually out hunting, she was around. I wasn’t going to call her since obvsult, Joel haf them, but I had to reassure Shirley who seemed more worried about the ciusins. 

“What about th specialist. Have tey gotten okd of the wolf? Have they began running experiments…”

Suddenly, Shirley bit doen guilty on her lips as she whispered.. “The weolf… “

“What happened. The wolf what, Shirley?”