Chapter 2

I woke up to the smell of burnt instant coffee. For a second, I thought I was dreaming. Maybe it was the alcohol. Or the stress. But then the sharp throb in my head reminded me, nope, not a dream. I actually met a werewolf.

And the man, the wolf-king, apparently was standing by the window, arms crossed, staring out like he was expecting war to march right up the street.

I sat up on the couch, blinking.

He turned his head slightly. “You’re awake.”

"I really hope I didn't." I mumbled rubbing my temples. "So.... you are really a werewolf?"

"Yes." He casually said. 

“So what now? You gonna turn me too? Bite me under a full moon or something?” I was so done in this sh*t. I just really hope this is only a dream. 

I saw he looked amused. "You are not my type to be my mate..." 

I feel offended. My brows furrowed and got more angry. He was so rude. 

"Then tell me what you want? What do you want from me?" I crossed my arms around my waist. 

He sat down at the other couch in front of me, elbows on his knees. "Be my driver." 

I blinked twice. "Excuse me? I already get it. I am not your type but that was so out of the belt...." 

Is he saying that I look like an uber driver? 

"I am serious... I need a driver. Someone who is good at driving. And I saw that last night. You're fast and clean to drive and so I know you can get me from point A to point B without getting killed.” He pointed it out. 

I frowned. "Why me? Are you out of your mind?"

“As I said, you are good at driving and I need it… I need someone who can drive me well.” he looked me dead in the eyes 

He reached his wallet, pulled out another wad of cash, thicker than the last.

“You’ll get paid. Very well.”

My mouth went dry. Money always had that effect on me. But I’d be lying if I said it was just the cash. There was something about him. Dangerous. Unpredictable. Like I was standing too close to fire and couldn’t decide if I wanted to pull away or jump right in.

“What’s the catch?” I asked.

“You’ll be in danger,” he said, not sugarcoating anything. “They’re hunting me. If they find out you’re helping me, you become a target.”

I sighed softly. As always I can't say no when it comes to money. 

“Just make sure you pay upfront. No promises, no excuses.” I pointed at him with a glare. 

"Got it... " He smirked like he won a game. 

I stood up and walked close to him. I get the coffee at the table and drink it at once before I put it back at the empty table. Hoping that coffee makes me calm somehow from everything that was happening. 

“If you let anyone point a gun or whatever at me, I'm throwing your ass under the bus.” I said what I said. 

"Fair enough..." He didn't care about what I said at all and just agreed. 

I rolled my eyes and left him there, heading straight to my room. I needed a damn shower after the night I’d had. A good, hot one. Maybe it would wash off the madness clinging to my skin.

After a quick shower and throwing on the cleanest clothes I could find, I stepped out of my room, only to freeze mid-step.

Eryx wasn’t alone anymore.

There was another man standing in the middle of my living room. Tall, built like a tank, with piercing eyes that flicked to me the second I walked in. He looked military, ex-bodyguard type, with a scar slicing across one brow and a presence that screamed “don’t mess with me”.

How the hell did I not hear the door open?

"Who is he?" I asked sharply, my voice cutting through the air as I closed the distance between us.

Eryx looked over his shoulder, completely unfazed. “Relax. He’s with me.”

The man gave me a small nod, but his eyes never stopped scanning the apartment. Like he was already calculating escape routes, checking for threats. 

“I didn’t give you permission to bring people into my place,” I snapped. “You don’t just get to waltz in and play king in my house, wolf-boy.”

Eryx raised an eyebrow at the nickname but didn’t argue. Instead, he gestured toward the man.

“This is Kade. Old friend. Former Beta of my pack. He’s here for our safety. Yours too.” He was trying not to have an argument with me. 

Kade finally spoke, his voice deep and calm. “I'm Kade, nice to meet you.” 

He was hot! My eyes twinkled and greeted him back in my sweetest tone. “Mira, nice to meet you as well. I'm single.”  

“Wow, you're being kind out of nowhere… “ Eryx argued and shook his head like he can't believe I can be that sweetest tone. 

“Just shut up wolf boy!” I argued back. 

Kade laughed at us. Kade stepped toward me and pulled something from his jacket. A phone. Brand new. Still in the box.

“Use this. We’ll ditch your current number. Can’t risk them tracking anything.” Kade. 

I looked between the two of them. The one built like a wolf king, the other like his war-hardened shadow, and realized just how deep I was getting. But that cash… and the fire in my gut that had been dull for too long… it was all flaring up again.

“You boys better not get me killed.” I muttered, taking the phone from Kade and sliding it into my pocket. 

Eryx gave a crooked grin. “You’ll be fine.”

“Fine is not the word I’d use,” I grumbled, being scared of my life. 

Kade tossed me a set of keys. “Come on. My car’s downstairs. You’re driving.”

Of course. 

We headed out like some kind of mismatched crime squad. Kade’s ride was a sleek black SUV matte finish. It looked fast. Good.

I slid into the driver’s seat, adjusting it while Eryx took the drivers seat and Kade went into the back.

“Where?” I asked, already easing out of the lot.

“Let's buy you a new car, just outside of downtown,” Eryx said. 

My eyes shine. "Okay, let's go!" 

I saw Kade stopping himself to laugh while Eryx was in his serious face as always. We drove in silence for a while. Not until I caught it in the rearview mirror. A black van. Slowly closing to us so suspicious. 

“Eryx? Kade? It looks like... ” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

They looked out the back window, jaw tightening. 

“They got us.” Eryx straightened in his seat, all the ease draining from his posture. “Step on it.”

Without question, I slammed the gas and the SUV surged forward. I took a sharp left, tires screeching as we nearly clipped a streetlight. My heart was in my throat, but I didn’t slow down.

Bullets cracked behind us starting. What the hell am I putting myself through?!

“Are they seriously shooting at us?!” I shouted. 

"Yep!" Kade was like having fun with them. He rolled down the back window and pulled his gun to shoot them back. 

I was shocked when the bullets hit a trash bin next to us. Eryx returned fire while Kade handed me a phone with a map open.

“Go left! There’s a tunnel shortcut!” Kade said and went back to help Eryx wipe them out. 

Without a hesitation I turned left so fast Eryx hit the window with his shoulder. 

“Warn me next time lady!” Eryx yelled.

"She is better than me, nice." Kade was laughing that he almost got hit. 

"I will be the one who will shoot you if you don't shut up." Eryx glared at him.

Kade raised his both hands but still refraining himself to laugh. How can they be so calm in this situation while I almost can't breathe? 

Eryx leaned out his window and returned fire. One shot, clean, fast and I heard a loud pop from behind us.

“You hit their tire!” Kade said like he won a lottery. 

“Of course I did,” Eryx replied, like it was nothing. 

The van jerked sideways and slammed into a parked car, smoke curling from its engine. I rolled my eyes at them. I didn’t stop. Not until we were five blocks away and the streets were quiet again. I stopped the car and faced them. 

“This is my life now?” I said through gritted teeth. “Gunfights? High-speed chases? This is what I signed up for?”

“Only when they catch up,” Eryx replied like it was no big deal.

I laughed bitterly, exhausted. Kade handed me a bottle of water from the back. I drank half in one go, trying to steady my shaking hands.

Eryx turned to me, more serious now. “You don’t have to do this. If you want to go out, I’ll understand.”

I looked at him at this cocky, infuriating, ridiculous man with eyes like a storm and a past darker than his wardrobe. And then I thought of the one thing that had been clawing at my chest for years.

“I’ll stay, I am already here.” I said in determination. “But I have one condition.”

He waited. Even Kade was curious. 

“You need to help me find my parents.” My voice was quieter now. “I have never met them even once in my life. If I’m going to keep risking my life for you, if you promise me that you better help me find out who they are." 

Eryx didn’t flinch or even create an emotion. Kade was just quite at the back after she heard that from me.

Until he suddenly nodded."You can have my word on that." 

"Then I’m in. Even if it kills me.” I nodded, satisfied and started the engine again. “Now let’s get that damn car before someone shoots at us again.”