Lahat ng Kabanata ng Running Wild : The Cruel Alpha Kings: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Darius.A thunderous crash ripped me from sleep, instantly slamming my senses wide awake.I shot upright, my hand already tearing toward the bedside table. My fingers locked around the cold, heavy steel of my gun, leveling it at the dark bedroom door as my heart hammered against my ribs.Down the hall, a door creaked violently, followed by Jace’s rough, urgent shout: “Enemy on the perimeter! The gate is down!”My stomach clenched into a hard knot. Elise.Fury and a sickening surge of adrenaline propelled me out of the bed. My legs tangled in the heavy blankets, nearly sending me crashing face-first into the floor. I kicked them off with a low, animalistic growl and charged for the doorway. I needed to get to her before anyone else did.I hit the hallway, my bare feet skidding on the tiles as I reached her door in record time. My hand hovered over the brass handle, ready to throw my weight against it, when the mechanism twisted on its own. The heavy wood swung open, and the breath died

The van was moving.My paralyzed body rolled helplessly across the freezing metal floor, every sharp lurch and corner hammering into my ribs with bruising force. But something was entirely wrong. The engine had been switched off, and no rhythmic crunch of gravel sounded beneath the tires.There was, however, the tortured, screeching groan of structural steel straining against its own weight, punctuated by a savage, familiar roar outside.Darius.A spark of hope flared in my chest, only to be choked out a second later as a deafening, metallic crash ripped through the chassis. The entire van went airborne for a terrifying second before slamming back down onto the earth. The impact reverberated violently through my frame, metal biting into my jaw and ribs as I hit the floor flat.A moan of pure agony swelled in my throat, raw and desperate, but it remained trapped behind my lips, neutralized by the wolfsbane burning through my veins.The vehicle had scarcely settled before the rear doors

I hammered my fists against the steel until the skin on my knuckles hurt, my voice growing hoarse, but no response came through the insulation. Just dead, mocking silence. Tears finally spilled over my cheeks as the claustrophobia pressed down on my chest all over again, heavy and suffocating. I screamed until my throat burned, until my voice cracked into nothing but silent, ragged sobs against the cold iron.They were going to pay for this. Every single one of them.When the deadbolts finally clicked open hours later, it was Hunter standing at the door. The moment the seal broke, my muscles gave out, and I practically tumbled out onto the basement floor. I lay there for a second, my chest heaving as I dragged in the fresh air, my limbs shivering from the hours spent in the pitch black.The evening sunlight was streaming through the high basement windows; they had left me in there for the entire day. From upstairs, the rich, savory scent of melted cheese and baked pasta wafted down, ma

“I’m here to enroll in classes,” I informed her, keeping my tone even. I handed her my forms, the edges slightly crumpled from how hard I’d been gripping them.She took the papers but didn’t look at them right away. Instead, she studied me with an expression that was equal parts suspicion and pity. Behind her, I caught sight of a younger staff member leaning over to whisper something to a colleague, their eyes darting in my direction. My stomach churned, but I kept my face blank.The receptionist finally looked down at my forms, scanning them quickly before nodding toward a row of chairs by the wall. “Take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly.”“How long is shortly?” I asked, but she was already turning back to her computer, pointedly ignoring me. I clenched my jaw and walked over to the waiting area, plopping down on one of the stiff wooden chairs. The cushions were thin and uncomfortable, the fabric scratchy against the back of my thighs.Minutes dragged into what felt like hours

I slammed the door shut with one hand, the heavy wood rattling in its frame, and pinned her straight against it with my body.The sharp gasp that escaped her lips hit me right in the chest.“Not so fast, princess,” I growled, crowding into her space until my arms locked her in place against the solid wood. There wasn’t an inch of air left between us. Her breasts pressed hard against my chest with every ragged breath she took, the friction sending a jolt of pure heat straight down my spine.“Get off me, Darius!” she snapped, writhing against my grip. She fought hard, but it wasn’t enough to break my hold.My eyes narrowed onto the file she was still clutching. I reached down, peeling the folder from her grasp. She dug her nails into the back of my hand in resistance, but I gave one firm tug and took it.“Darius, give it back!” she hissed, her face flushed dark with anger.Ignoring her, I flipped the folder open with one hand. My eyes scanned the contents quickly, and my chest tightened