Wolf Hunted

by Sadie Moss

  Wolf Hunted

  The Last Shifter #1

  Sadie Moss

  Copyright © 2018 by Sadie Moss

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or had, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Also by Sadie Moss

  Chapter One

  The new orderly was really cute.

  At least, I assumed he was new. I’d never seen him before, and after ten years here, I was pretty sure I knew everybody at the Strand Corporation medical treatment complex. Patients came and went, and staff did too sometimes, but the turnover was slow enough that new faces always stood out.

  And holy shit, this guy’s face would stand out even in a crowd.

  He had gray-blue eyes like clouds roiling with rain, framed by long, thick lashes. His features were even, dominated by a strong nose and full lips, and the tiniest hint of stubble shadowed his jaw. But the most striking thing about him was his smile. It was knock-your-sock-off brilliant, infectious, and kind. A row of even white teeth peeked out from between his lips, which quirked up a little higher on the left than the right.

  And he was currently leveling that adorable, lopsided grin at me.

  “Are you finished?” he asked, humor in his tone.

  I blinked, realizing I was holding an empty fork halfway to my mouth. I was, in fact, finished with my dinner. There was nothing left on my plate, and I silently prayed that I hadn’t been shoveling imaginary food into my mouth for the past five minutes while I ogled him.

  Come on, Alexis. Be cool!

  “Oh. Uh, yeah.” I set the fork down gently beside my plate, then pushed the cafeteria-style tray across the table toward him.

  “Thanks.” He scooped it up, balancing the orange tray on one arm. He glanced down at it, quirking an eyebrow. “You must’ve enjoyed it. Is the food here any good?”

  My heart thudded a little harder in my chest, and I tried to ignore it. Every time I thought I’d gotten used to my quiet, boring life in this medical complex, something came along to remind me how desperate I was for a normal life outside these walls. A life where a cute guy saying more than two words to me didn’t cause my pulse to skyrocket and my mouth to dry out like sand. A life where I was more than just a patient. Where I was a normal twenty-one-year-old, going out to bars with friends on the weekends and studying for exams—all the regular things twenty-one-year-olds did, according to the shows I watched on the small TV in my room.

  “Or… maybe not.” The guy, whose name tag read Cliff, unleashed his devastating smile at me again.

  A blush warmed my cheeks as I realized I’d zoned out. Again.

  Shit. I must look like a total freak show. But a decade of living in quarantine will do that to a girl.

  “Um, it’s okay,” I answered, forcing my mouth to form words. “I think the staff food is probably better. We have to eat exactly what Doctor Shepherd recommends. There’s not a lot of variety.”

  He tilted his head, studying me curiously. “And you don’t mind that?”

  I shrugged, sitting back in my chair. My private room felt strangely small with him inside it. Orderlies stopped in every day, but they didn’t usually linger to chat. I liked it, but it put me on edge too.

  “It’s not really a question of whether I mind or don’t mind,” I said. “Doctor Shepherd and his staff are keeping me alive, so I pretty much do what they tell me. If they told me to eat raw meat or tree bark, I’d probably do it.”

  The orderly ran his free hand through his dark blond hair, tousling the short spikes. He dipped his head in a nod, a serious expression crossing his face. “Huh. Makes sense, I guess. Well, I hope they at least have the decency to let you have dessert once in a while.”

  I smiled broadly. “Don’t worry, they do. Life isn’t worth living without dessert.”

  He chuckled. The sound poured over me like warm honey, sparking a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. Not that I had a whole lot of experience with this sort of thing, but I was beginning to think he might be flirting with me.

  That thought made me so nervous my throat threatened to close up, so I shoved it away. Besides, why would a guy like him flirt with a girl like me? It wasn’t like I was hideous or anything. The brown hair that fell to my mid-back was a pretty chocolate color, and although I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup—in case any of the ingredients caused a negative reaction—my mom assured me I didn’t need it. She said my golden eyes and high cheekbones did all the work for me, and makeup would only get in the way of my natural beauty.

  Thanks, mom.

  Still, I couldn’t imagine this guy would have any problem finding a date out in the real world—where he could actually, you know, take the girl out. The closest thing to a date in this place would be a trip to the cafeteria or the exercise yard, under the watchful eyes of half a dozen doctors and lab techs.

  Not the most romantic activity in the world.

  Which was why dating was off the table for me until the day when—or if—I finally got out of here. Doctor Shepherd was always careful to remind me and my mom that my treatment had no end date set in stone. He was optimistic that one day they’d cure me, but he refused to make any promises.

  I appreciated that. I didn’t want him offering platitudes or false hope. But even though he reminded me often that I might not ever be able to survive outside this place, I couldn’t believe that. I knew someday I’d walk out of here completely healed. I had to.

  “Well… I’ll get out of your hair. Didn’t mean to distract you; you look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

  The orderly flashed me another smile and backed away from the small table in my room, turning toward the door.

  Damn it! I’d zoned out again. What on earth was wrong with me? It wasn’t like I’d never encountered another human being down here. My mom visited me weekly, and I saw staff and other patients often. So why was I so completely brain-fried around this particular guy?

  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that most of the Strand staff were at least twice my age, and the patients tended to keep to themselves. Some of them were much sicker than me, which made socializing hard.

  “No, it’s fine!” I blurted, too emphatically. “I like the company. You can… stop by anytime.”

  The grin he tossed back over his shoulder practically made me melt.

  When he closed the door behind him, I hauled myself off my chair and face-planted on the twin bed in the corner. Rolling over onto my back
, I draped an arm over my face, shoving my long hair out of the way.

  “Seriously, Alexis. What is wrong with you?” I muttered.

  My only consolation was that if he was a new staff member, he would most definitely be back.

  Not because of my lame invitation, but because it was his job.

  Whatever. I’d take it. And next time he came, I wouldn’t be such a goofy mess. Maybe I could actually string a few words together and sound semi-coherent. I’d spent enough hours in this room reading and re-reading the books my mom brought me that I should be able to hold my own in intelligent conversation.

  Just so long as he doesn’t smile.

  Rolling my eyes, I groped around on the nightstand until I found my current novel, Pride and Prejudice. I’d read it before, but since I could only fit a limited number of books on the bookshelf in my small room at one time, I’d given it to my mom a while ago in exchange for something new. She’d brought it back on her last visit, and I was halfway through Darcy and Elizabeth’s love story. Right around the part where Darcy was acting like a huge dick, actually, which inexplicably made me like him even more. Maybe it was because I knew the twist was coming, where his softer side would be revealed.

  Or maybe I just found something attractive about assholes.

  That orderly, Cliff, didn’t seem like an asshole though.

  My stomach warmed again at the thought of him. Definitely not an asshole. He’d radiated warmth and kindness, and despite my awkwardness and nerves, his presence had made me feel at ease.

  I read for a while, getting lost between the pages, but my mind kept wandering back to a pair of startling gray-blue eyes. Finally, I put the book back down, glancing over at the clock on the wall. 8:45. In fifteen minutes, the medical complex would begin shutting down for the night. We didn’t have an official curfew here, but considering all the doors locked at 9 p.m., the end result was pretty much the same.

  But if I hurried, I could still make it to the cafeteria and swipe a snack for later.

  Sliding the bookmark into place, I set Pride and Prejudice back on the nightstand. Then I hopped up from the bed and pulled a pair of simple black flats from the closet. I no longer had to wear hospital gowns all the time like I had the first few years I was here, but my wardrobe choices had never moved far beyond yoga pants and simple t-shirts. Who was there to impress down here?

  When I stepped out of my room, the hallway was empty. I wasn’t surprised. This place was quiet as the grave at night. I didn’t consider myself a particularly adventurous person, but I was a downright wild child compared to some of the other patients who lived here. We were each allowed to decorate our private suites with small alterations, but I was the only person who had any posters or art on my walls.

  Those things and my books were my ode to the outside world, a reminder to myself that there were bigger things beyond these walls.

  The Strand Corporation medical complex was a windowless structure, built underground to make it easier for them to shield us from airborne pathogens. There were levels below us that housed labs, operating rooms, hospital beds, and medical equipment, but I rarely left the main floor. Everything I needed for day-to-day life was on this level, so there was little reason to.

  As I walked down the brightly lit, gray-tiled hallway, I sent up a silent prayer of gratitude for the millionth time. I had no idea how much it cost to house me in this state-of-the-art treatment facility, but I knew it was way more than my mom earned on her teacher’s salary. If the Strand Corporation hadn’t offered to treat me at no expense, I definitely wouldn’t be here now.

  I likely wouldn’t be alive either.

  Most of my childhood memories were fuzzy, but I vividly remembered the sight of lights flashing overhead as I was wheeled down hallways into what seemed like an endless stream of emergency rooms. After dozens of baffled doctors and near-death experiences, I’d finally been diagnosed with an incredibly rare autoimmune disease called Speyer’s Syndrome.

  The diagnosis would’ve been a curse, except for the fact that my illness was interesting and strange enough to garner the attention of the Strand Corporation, one of the largest biomedical research firms in the country. They’d approached my mom with an offer—their doctors would undertake my treatment for free as a means of studying my disease. They never promised to cure me, but it was still a no-brainer for my mom. It was a chance at hope when we’d had none left.

  And so far, the treatment seemed to be working. They hadn’t fixed me permanently, but with the regimen of meds, exercise, and limited contact with outside pathogens, I felt fine most days and was able to live a normal life.

  Or as normal as possible while locked away from human society, anyway.

  I knocked on the wall as I passed, hoping there was wood somewhere under the plaster. I’d developed a few superstitious habits over the years, and I was a huge believer in staying on luck’s good side. She’d helped me out a lot so far; I saw no reason to piss her off.

  Picking up the pace, I cut through the large, open room that formed the hub of the entire complex, turning down another hallway toward the cafeteria. If I didn’t hurry, I’d miss my chance. I had a key card to my own room, but I’d be locked out of every other room in the place at nine o’clock sharp.

  Half the lights in the cafeteria were already off. The kitchen was closed down, but an array of snacks and small meals—all Doctor Shepherd-approved—were on display in an open refrigeration unit.

  I grabbed an apple and a banana. A little boring, but they’d have to do. All that talk of dessert with the cute orderly had made me crave something sweet.

  As I turned back toward the entryway, the grate that closed off the cafeteria at night began to drop from the ceiling with a grinding, rattling sound. I’d cut the timing too close.

  “Fuck!” I muttered under my breath.

  Clutching my fruit, I raced toward the wide doorway, dropping to the floor at the last second and rolling under the descending metal partition. I felt it brush my shoulder before I emerged on the other side, feeling so much like Indiana Jones I almost reached back for my hat.

  I let out a little whoop, then snapped my mouth shut when the sound echoed too loudly in the quiet, empty space. I raised my prizes triumphantly, taking a bite of the apple as I strode back down the hall. I felt strangely buzzed, excitement thrumming through my veins and making my heart beat faster.

  Maybe tonight I’d stay up late and finish reading Pride and Prejudice. Doctor Shepherd was always hounding me about getting enough rest, but I wasn’t tired at all, and I didn’t have anything pressing to do tomorrow. Maybe I’d live a little and—

  A wave of dizziness hit me out of nowhere. I staggered to a halt, sweat breaking out on my skin. Sharp pain tore through me, lighting up my nerve endings like a hot poker. My muscles contracted, and I stumbled, falling to my knees and pitching sideways.

  The hand holding the banana squeezed too tightly, crushing the yellow skin until white fruit oozed out from the cracks like pus.

  As my body jerked and twisted in a seizure, I watched the apple roll away from me across the smooth marble floor.

  No. Not like this. Please, not like this.

  Chapter Two

  My limbs jerked and spasmed, no longer under my control.

  The warm yellow lights set along the hallway wall bounced in my vision as my eyes began to slide out of focus. I could feel myself being pulled under, my body shutting down. Pain lanced through me in sharp jolts, gone one second and back with agonizing ferocity the next, as if an invisible knife were stabbing me.

  No. This can’t be happening! I’ve been doing so well.

  The fuzzy thoughts ricocheted through my brain, trying to find a place to land. I couldn’t focus on anything but the lights flashing in my periphery. I hadn’t had an attack this bad since right after I came to live here, and this was worse than anything I remembered. It felt different. More terrifying.

  As if some part of me was trying to rip its way
out—like my body was tearing itself into pieces.

  An alarm sounded, and footsteps pounded down the hall.

  “Alexis?” a male voice yelled in the distance, but the sound reached my ears as a muffled whisper.

  Doctor Shepherd. Help.

  “Damn it! She’s seizing!”

  “When did this happen?” Doctor Shepherd demanded. “What went wrong?”

  “I don’t know, sir. She was fine, then she just went down.”

  “Shit. Help me! Hold her still.”

  Fingers lifted my eyelids, and a new bright light assaulted my senses. I was vaguely aware of muffled grunts and groans coming from my mouth, and of strong hands latching onto my arms and legs.

  “We need to get her downstairs.” The light shining in my eyes cut off, and Doctor Shepherd’s pale face swam in front of me. His blue eyes were anxious, and his eyebrows pinched together. “Put her on the gurney. Now!”

  The hands holding my limbs lifted me, and I was placed on a new, higher surface. My body kept thrashing and jerking, and my brain felt like it was rattling in my skull. I tried to speak—to apologize for letting them all down, to beg for help, to scream my frustration to the heavens—but I could barely form thoughts, let alone words.

  Tight leather straps pressed across my chest, midsection, and legs, restraining the movement of my body. Then the wheels of the gurney began to roll, and I was carted swiftly down the hall, surrounded by doctors on all sides. Tears spilled from my eyes, rolling down the sides of my face, as I stared up at the ceiling tiles gliding by overhead. The sight was so horribly familiar it sent dread spiraling through me.