Un.Requited (Claimed Series)

by Morgan, Reese

  Before they disappeared fully from sight, Devan’s glassy eyes slowly rolled toward Hayden. The silent apology was there, a fleeting surge or remorse, but it soon extinguished as the woman’s eyes closed shut.

  16. Chapter Sixteen

  Hayden hardly had the time to dwell over Devan’s condition or the chilling departure as Nicolas approached. The man carefully tucked Joseph’s gun into his long coat and crouched down in front of her. He placed a single finger against his bottom lip, appearing contemplative.

  “Such eyes,” he appraised as he looked through her. “So full of hatred.”

  “You killed a member of my pack,” she said monotonously.

  Her fear of Nicolas was still there, but underneath it all, the issue with Devan still shook her. It was also hard to ignore the anxiety she had over Cole walking into a trap.

  “That was her choice. She was the one to jump in front of the bullet meant for her lover.”

  Nicolas slid his finger into his mouth and bit the edge of his glove. Leisurely, he pulled off his leather glove with his teeth, somehow making the simple action seem seductive. “You are far more composed than I would have believed. I see Cole hasn’t extinguished you, but only encouraged you. I like it,” he approved before reaching for her neck with his bare hand.

  She flinched as his thumb rolled seductively across the mating mark, his mating mark. “It’s pointless,” she grounded out. “Cole doesn’t want me like you think he does. He won’t risk his life by rushing into a trap.”

  The rogue Alpha chuckled. “I highly doubt that.”

  His hand then cupped her throat before sliding down to her chest. His fingers caressed the wire coiled around her torso before they uncovered the torn clothing underneath her left breast. Keeping his eyes on her, he boldly caressed the smooth skin with possessive glee.

  Hayden jerked underneath his touch, feeling violated at his ministrations. Fortunately, his cold hands were relocated near the wire before she could properly react. Sullenly, she watched as the nail of his index finger elongated into a sharp claw.

  “Besides,” Nicolas continued, “even if Cole has decided to deny his affections, he’ll still willingly come rescue you, just as he would come to rescue Fergus, Nathan, or any other member of his pack.” With his claw, he severed one wire and proceeded down to the other coils. “But having you as the damsel in distress means I kill two birds with one stone. Destroying Cole will be easy enough and I get to have you afterward. A fair trade, I believe.”

  “You underestimate him,” Hayden argued.

  She remained sitting against the tree even after he cut through the wires, suddenly remembering the wolves waiting in the trees. They shifted and growled lowly, reminding her of their presence. Her confidence in Cole began to dim. She had forgotten about them.

  “No, I don’t underestimate him. How can I when I know him too well?” Nicolas stood and curled his hand around the collar of Hayden’s shirt. He hauled her off the ground with a simple lift of his arm. “His pride will be too great. Asking the other werewolves for assistance will not even be an option for him. That is why it will be easy to destroy him.”

  She knew what he was insinuating, and he was right. Cole wasn’t one to ask for help, not when he wanted to do things himself. His stubborn streak would be a factor in his decision to come alone. In the end, his enemies would outnumber him.

  Just thinking about Cole’s demise made her extremely fearful. Hayden needed to find a way to get out of this herself. She didn’t want to be responsible for luring Cole here.

  Nicolas abruptly unsheathed a silver dagger from his coat and lunged at Hayden. She stumbled back, holding up her arms defensively. Only, no attack came. A soft laugh startled her enough to lower her arms. She peeked far enough around her curled fists to see Nicolas offering her the hilt of the dagger.

  “Take it,” he encouraged lightly. His tone may have been light, but the wild gleam in his eye told another story. “We wouldn’t want you defenseless, now would we?” He accentuated his words by nudging the dagger closer to her hands.

  Warily, Hayden lowered her arms completely and eyed the offered dagger. She didn’t know what Nicolas was playing at, but knowing him, he was playing something.

  “Come now,” he groused huskily. “Tracer told me you were pretty efficient with a dagger.”

  “Why?” Hayden asked doubtfully.

  Nevertheless, she found herself grabbing the dagger. As soon as her hands curled around the hilt, she quickly extracted it from Nicolas’ open palm. A part of her wondered if it would have been better to turn and run without taking it, but then she’d have a pack of rogue werewolves on her heels without any sort of protection.

  Nicolas’ toothy smile was predatory. He raised his arm and pointed at the endless abyss of dark woods, ignoring Hayden as she crouched defensively.

  “Cole must have taught you how to fight by now. I’d like to see you in action.” His blue eyes turned from the forest to her dubious expression.

  As soon as the words left his mouth, the hidden wolves shifted and slowly closed in. Their sharp canines were as equally as unnerving as their greedy eyes. With each step they took, the unrestrained tension was obvious, their movements stiff and jerky.

  Hayden’s back straightened in horror when she realized what Nicolas had in mind. She observed the number of rogue werewolves before looking back at the Alpha. Unrepressed anger washed through her as she lunged at him, hoping to catch him across his smirking face.

  “Cole hasn’t taught me anything,” she denied fiercely.

  If Joseph, who had enough influence to be Alpha, couldn’t even stand up against Nicolas, Hayden didn’t know why she had even considered attacking the man in the first place.

  The cold leather of his glove curled around her plunging wrist, intentionally waiting until the dagger was an inch from his face. He rotated her arm around in an arc, a similar fashion to how he twisted Joseph’s arm. Only, he didn’t snap it from the joint. Instead, he twisted her body around with her arm, pressing her back against his chest and holding her wrists captive.

  She slumped in front of him, aware of the rogue wolves silently jeering from their places.

  “Then let’s see what I have to work with,” he breathed into her ear. After releasing her, he allowed her to stagger once before pressing the heel of his boot against her back. He nudged her forward, deeper into the woods and closer to the salivating rogues. “Show me your natural instincts, my dear.”

  Shame colored her cheeks as she clutched a neighboring tree to keep from falling. She was only allowed a moment to recover before she was forced to sprint into the woods. Her strides were short, choppy and ungraceful from the lack of use. She couldn’t morph into her wolf because of the serum, but she could feel her other half at the surface, giving her enough strength to overcome her drug-induced haze.

  Clutching the dagger hilt, Hayden began to increase her speed as she dodged around a lunging wolf. Besides Cole, she was the fastest wolf in her pack, and even now, as her strides evened and quickened, she seemed to gain the upper hand. Yet somehow, the wolves kept up with her, nipping at her heels and attempting to take a bite out of her legs.

  As she ran, she felt Nicolas’ unwavering gaze from the depths of the woods. His laugh was distant, a mere echo, but it chilled her to the bone. It was too dark to see much of anything in these woods, much less his blurring and shadowy figure. The heavy foliage was knee-length and it took all her concentration to avoid tripping over it and colliding into the trees.

  Up ahead, one of the rogues seemed to materialize from the surrounding trees and lunge at her. Her pulse spiked in fear, but she was too hesitant to use the blade in her hand. She dropped to the ground, rolling underneath his soaring figure and leaping back on her feet before he had the chance to drop back on his paws.

  Her acrobatic tumble lost her the lead. As a result, huge and powerful jaws closed around her ankle, razor-like teeth piercing her flesh and bone. A strangled gasp es
caped her lips as the teeth pulled her to the ground and forcibly flipped her onto her back like a ragdoll.

  Hayden cried out, sitting up and slashing the dagger at the wolf. Unexpectedly, the rogue hardly flinched and continued to gnaw and tug at her ankle, his warm saliva almost warmer than the blood cascading from the punctured wound.

  She stared into those dilated, amber eyes, shaken and pained. The memory of her blade sinking into Tracer’s stomach was fresh in her mind, his anguished howl just as memorable. Her reluctance to kill and wound was admirable, but it was causing her to suffer.

  A dark-colored wolf leaped over the tawny rogue at her foot, intent on attacking her neck and face. It was the same color as Cole, but the eyes were a clear indication that it was not her Alpha.

  Hayden shut her feelings down completely and flattened herself on her back, letting the wolf soar over her. Gathering her resolve, she raised the hand that clutched the dagger and aimed the blade at the leaping wolf over her. The tip of the dagger embedded into his belly and proceeded to slide down to the wolf’s groin as the rogue descended in his leap.

  She whimpered as the blood from the rogue poured down her hand and splattered across her face. The wolf whined sharply and collapsed heavily on the ground near her head. Her pure survival instincts were what encouraged Hayden to continue defending herself.

  She sat up, snarling and swiping the edge of the blade across the tawny wolf’s face at her feet. The silver caught the rogue across the eyes, forcing him to release her ankle.

  Hayden scrambled up off the floor, only achieving a half-crouch before another wolf lunged at her. Out of instinct, she dodged just barely, feeling her hair rustle against the fur of the rogue next to her. As her head turned, she noticed several rogues encircling her, their eyes bright and eager to play.

  At her blind side, a strong jaw took possession of her arm and pulled it cleanly out of her socket. Hayden tipped back her head and screamed. Her useless hand opened instinctively around the dagger and the blade dropped to the ground.

  Frustrated tears blinded her as she lashed out with her other hand, hoping to dig her sharp nails into the rogue’s neck. Before her claws ever made contact with the wolf, the animal howled in shock.

  A hefty hand came out of nowhere and grabbed the wolf by the scruff of the neck, promptly tossing the animal aside as if it were weightless.

  Hayden jerked in surprise as she spied her savior, who appeared both ravishing and vicious. Her heart leaped in her throat as she watched Cole bring back his arms and knock aside the wolves with terrifying ease.

  Strands of black hair stuck to his face, his expression drawn into something frightening, unapproachable. His amber eyes were wild as he targeted one rogue right after the other, creating an untouchable perimeter around Hayden.

  At Cole’s presence, the wolves seemed to grow more careless with him, aiming for the kill rather than the rough play they had given Hayden. They all banded together and leaped at him in pairs, crowding around him and executing cheap shots to his exposed legs.

  The cruel attacks hardly seemed to faze Cole, as he only needed to curl his hand around their necks and simply squeeze. Cole merely flung their bodies away after the snap of their necks resonated across the woods.

  Hayden jumped to her feet, grabbing the dagger with her left hand as she spied the lone wolf charging at Cole’s back. It would have been a critical blow if the wolf’s canines were able to reach Cole’s neck. Oddly enough, Hayden felt no remorse for attacking the rogue this time around.

  Cole’s protection was her number one priority.

  Angling the dagger, Hayden swiftly swiped it across the rogue’s neck. The wolf collapsed, staggering, before limping off into the woods with a whine. She didn’t know the true extent of a werewolf’s healing. In fact, she even spotted a few retreating werewolves who’s necks had been snapped earlier.

  “Hayden.”

  The hands that curled around her shoulders were warm and protective, easing her out of her panic. She allowed herself to be turned, but her left hand remained curled tightly around the dagger hilt. She wanted nothing more than to collapse into Cole’s arms, but for some reason, she was still hunched and ready to flee.

  Cole’s hands cupped her dazed face, stroking her greedily as his eyes ran the length of her body. They were alone with several unconscious rogues, but other than that, the rest of the wolves seemed to have slinked away. Despite his protective presence and the lack of immediate threat, Hayden’s pulse was still racing.

  He fisted her hair and brought her flush against him, embracing her. “You’re safe,” he promised throatily. His hand then found her limp arm and pressed against her dislocated shoulder. At her flinch, he held her tighter. “We need to set it right before it heals incorrectly.” The words were hardly out of his mouth before he snapped it back into place with a firm, guiding hand.

  Hayden barely flinched and never made a sound. Her emotionless eyes stared over Cole’s shoulder, somehow not surprised to see the flash of silver that descended toward her Alpha’s exposed back. Her hand moved on its own accord as it embedded her dagger into Nicolas’ arm, hoping to knock his aim off course.

  She had been too late.

  Cole grunted once, slumping into Hayden as Nicolas’ blade speared his back. She reached out to catch him, gripping his biceps in desperation. As she spied the pain creasing his features and the way he leaned on her for support, Hayden grew almost desperate.

  “Cole,” she whispered frantically.

  Behind them, Nicolas staggered backward, cursing as he yanked out the dagger Hayden had stabbed into his arm. Because both Alphas had been stabbed by pure silver, they were both experiencing the effects of the poison. Doubtless, they were able to push away the pain in order to face one another.

  Hayden exhaled noisily as Cole reached behind him and tugged the dagger out of his back. The wound was open and it wouldn’t close anytime soon without the healing tonic Cole had given her for her own stab wound. She had remembered the delirious pain she had gone through then. No matter how resilient Cole was, no werewolf could withstand the touch of silver without being treated.

  She stood at Cole’s back, looking between the two brothers and waiting to see who made the first move. The tension between them was incredibly potent, it wouldn’t take much to set the either off. Nicolas had adopted his proud façade and Cole kept his face blank, his hand extended to prevent Hayden from getting any closer.

  “You brought others with you,” Nicolas observed softly.

  It took Hayden a moment to comprehend his words, but when she heard the distant sounds of combat, she realized Cole hadn’t come alone after all. Her relief was overwhelming and she took a step back to lean against the tree for support. Her earlier adrenaline was diminishing, affecting her body negatively.

  “She must mean a great deal to you, for you to bend your neck and ask the Alphas for help.” Nicolas’ blue eyes looked over at Hayden, only to be foiled as Cole stepped in front of her. The rogue Alpha’s lips parted in a silent laugh. “Despite your insistence to never form attachments, you seemed to have made an exception.”

  Cole’s stony face darkened considerably and he tightened his grip on his weapon. “You’ve already made your point. There’s no need to continue.”

  “And what is my point?” Nicolas inquired. He cocked his head slightly, the silvery scar on his left cheek becoming more noticeable. “That you need to protect her better? Or perhaps my point is, that no matter what you hope to avoid, she’ll still end up like our mother?”

  The snarl coming from Cole’s throat was purely animalistic. He charged at Nicolas, being the first to lose his cool and the first willing to spill blood. Hayden took another step back, gripping the tree next to her. Even if the attack was brutal and sudden, Cole’s movements were graceful and fluid. The stab wound on his back must have been troubling him, yet his poise was unaffected.

  Nicolas dodged the attack, landing in a dignified crouch. He looked smugly u
p at Cole through his lashes. “I hope you can do better. Is this really how you defend your pack?” He tsked. “Pathetic.” Angling his dagger, Nicolas pivoted into a fancy feint and lunged.

  Cole was quick to catch the attacking arm before flipping the rogue Alpha around in the air. Nicolas’ coat trailed after him like a short cape but it didn’t seem to hinder his movements. As soon as his toes touched the ground, he brought back his foot and swiped at Cole’s ankles.

  For his part, Cole didn’t go down hard. Instead, his hands touched the ground first, thrusting his body into a type of backflip in order to get himself back on his feet. Their movements seemed to blend together, making it hard for any onlooker to distinguish between the two.

  Hayden watched closely, feeling something akin to shame and jealousy. They set the bar far above any other werewolf when it came to physical combat. It would be impossible to reach Cole’s level. She had never really thought about learning to spar, but after tonight, it was certainly on her list of things to learn.

  The two brothers seemed equally matched as they danced around each other, testing the waters. Nicolas seemed more proficient with the blade and Cole seemed to prefer hand-to-hand combat. Already, Nicolas had taken possession of Cole’s dagger and was successfully wielding one in each hand. As Cole blocked an oncoming swipe from his brother, Nicolas used his opposite weapon and sliced a long lesion across Cole’s forearm.

  In retaliation, Cole kicked Nicolas in the chest, slamming the rogue against a tree. Rather expertly, he slipped one of the daggers from Nicolas’ grasp and swiped it down his older brother’s chest.

  Nicolas bared his teeth as his shirt and skin tore from the blade. Blood seeped from the wound, a deep, almost black crimson. “Getting better,” Nicolas spoke crisply. He was hardly out of breath as he pushed Cole away, ducking and rolling back on his feet.

  Cole was just as composed, his face blank as he circled the rogue Alpha. He readied himself as Nicolas slashed at him again, the dagger a spitting flash of silver. Before anything could come to pass, a stampede of rogue werewolves suddenly ran parallel next to them, a clear indication of a retreat.