by Anna Santos
The girl threw a jab and a left hook. Jenna moved left and right and kicked the side of the girl’s knee. The girl jumped back, avoiding the blow.
“You move too fast for a human,” the girl muttered.
With her lips curled into a smile, Jenna said, “I guess my secret is out. I’m not just human.”
Daniel asked from behind Jenna, “Can you handle her alone? I need to keep moving,”
Jenna glimpsed at him and noticed that the other werewolves had been left unconscious. The girl was the only threat left.
Waving her hand in dismissal, she assured, “I can handle her.”
“Good. As much as I would love to watch a girl fight, I need to get to Jade.”
“Just leave already,” Jenna muttered.
“Don’t take too long.” Daniel signaled for his two remaining men to follow him down the corridor.
“You aren’t going anywhere,” the girl said, making another move to attack Jenna.
Jenna was fast enough to evade the first punch but was unable to prevent the second one hitting her cheek. Before the werewolf could land a punch on Jenna’s stomach, she grabbed the girl’s wrist, only to receive a knee to her stomach. It was enough to make Jenna let go and step back to assess the situation. The girl was faster than Jenna anticipated. She had to stop fooling around and take their fight seriously. The girl wasn’t soft like the other werewolves she had encountered so far. She had been trained and was set on winning that fight.
“I didn’t know that werewolf packs let girls become fighters,” Jenna teased.
“Our pack isn’t like a normal pack,” the girl clarified.
“I’m Jenna, by the way,” she said, moving back when the girl tried to punch her again.
“I couldn’t care less,” the girl hissed, coordinating her steps with her punches.
Jenna kept ducking and holding up her fists.
“You are quite fast for a human girl.”
“You werewolves think you’re better than the rest, don’t you?”
It was a rhetorical question. Jenna didn’t like werewolves. They were cocky and judgmental of the other races. They didn’t like to mix their race either. She had more than a plausible excuse to despise werewolves. Hence, she wasn’t going to let a werewolf beat her and prevent her from saving her best friend.
“We,” the girl said with the same sarcastic tone, “don’t think anything. I’m just here to stop you from hurting my alpha.”
“Your alpha?” Jenna mocked. “Your possessive, narrow-minded, and probably womanizing alpha is going to regret the day he decided to kidnap my best friend,” she muttered, grabbing the girl’s fists in her hands and pushing her back into the wall.
The girl grimaced in pain. She only had time to tilt her head to the right before Jenna’s fist left an imprint on the wall.
“It’s kind of rubbery,” Jenna complained, staring at the wall that had absorbed her hit.
The girl pulled Jenna back and a sequence of punches and kicks started between them. Jenna backed up and moved forward to throw punches and find an opening for a takedown or a powerful kick.
Jade was trying to delay her captor, making it hard for him to get her to supposed safety. But he was much stronger and was set in obeying his alpha’s orders.
“You are hurting me,” Jade complained. Sam was bruising her shoulders while pulling her.
“Stop trying to run away then. I have no intentions of hurting you, but I won’t let you run away. You will follow me, and we’ll wait for Alexander in the submarine.”
Jade growled.
“Do you want me to carry you over my shoulder?”
As loud as she could, Jade screamed, “Daniel.”
The guy’s hand covered her mouth. She shook her head, so he would release it. It had no effect. She bit him and screamed again.
Sam spoke in a lower tone. “Are you trying to get us killed?”
Jade stepped on his foot and struggled for release. The guy was a rock, too strong for her, and she eventually started to cry.
“For crying out loud, missy, I’m not trying to hurt you. You need to stop fighting me,” Sam said, turning her around to face him. “Look at me. I’m just obeying my alpha’s orders. Please, don’t fight me.”
“I want my husband,” she sobbed.
“He’s an evil vampire.”
“He is not,” Jade protested.
“Jade,” a male voice screamed her name.
Jade’s head snapped back, recognizing Daniel’s voice.
“Daniel! Da—”
Sam’s hand covered Jade’s mouth a second time.
“They are closer. Sabrina must have failed,” Sam muttered, pulling Jade into one of the laboratories where scientific machines were working with test tubes. “Stay here and don’t scream. I need to go…” He pushed Jade into a corner. Raking his fingers through his hair, he sighed. “I need to help my alpha.”
Jade’s breathing was heavy, and she felt her face burning. Her eyes were stinging from the tears, but she tried to control the sobbing. Using the back of her hands to wipe away her tears, she looked around as she tried to figure out what she was going to do.
Her captor was clearly stronger. For once, she wished she wasn’t a fragile human girl.
“I need to help Alex,” Sam mumbled with a blank stare. “But he said not to. I need to get you to safety and then get the boy.”
Jade leaned against the wall and folded her arms. “Alexander isn’t being logical about this. He could trade me for the safety of his men. You could do that instead of him. Trade me, and Daniel will let you leave.”
Jade hoped that fear would make Sam want to fight for his life and let her go to Daniel.
“I’m not a fool. Vampires don’t keep their word. I know what you are trying to do, and I’m not going to fall for it. I get that you are in love with the guy. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t trust a vampire so willingly.”
“I don’t trust them. I trust Daniel.”
“Why?”
“He’s my mate.”
Sam’s face became pale. His lower lip trembled when he spoke again. “Wasn’t it a lie? You are really soul-mates?”
Unfolding her arms, Jade assured, “We love each other. I’m his beloved!”
Jade’s eyes moved to the exit with the sound of her name being called. Daniel’s voice was echoing along the corridors. “Jade!”
“He’s here for me. Please let me go,” Jade begged, feeling her heart beat so fast, she thought it was going to come out of her mouth. She wanted to see him, touch him, and hold him. The pain of not being able to run to him was excruciating.
“Don’t you have a mate? Don’t you love her?” she asked Sam, wanting him to relate to her pain.
He shook his head. “Not yet, but I want to find mine.” His voice was a whisper and his eyes seemed sad and lonely.
Jade felt sorry for him. “You won’t find her if you keep me away from Daniel.”
“Stay there,” Sam ordered. His emotions took over, and he couldn’t leave his alpha alone.
Opening the door, he listened to the sound of punches and bodies being thrown against the wall of the compound. They assured him that the walls were resistant. Yet he became afraid that they may crack and the water would come in. It was a silly fear, but he wasn’t ecstatic to be underwater with nowhere to escape in case of a disaster.
At the end of the corridor, he saw Alexander fighting some armed men in black camouflage clothes. His alpha was a skilled fighter, but Sam couldn’t help running to assist in the fight. The two of them had better chances in taking the girl out of there, even if Sam knew that she wanted to return to her vampire lover.
Chapter Thirty-Three: No Escape
Daniel could swear that he had heard Jade calling him. His mind might be playing tricks. Screaming her name was a way to cope with the pain that threatened to shred his heart.
His other team had reported that they had seen the alpha. He was heading their way. Despite tr
ying to reach them, the comms were down.
Daniel and his two men headed down the corridor. His eyes were on his phone, following the red dot that would lead him to his beloved.
Every time he opened a door to another division, or entered a new empty corridor, he knew he was closer to finding her. So far, all he found was scared scientists.
“Jade!” he shouted. Even if she couldn’t reply, he wanted her to know that he was coming for her.
He paused and listened. All he heard was fighting. There was a guttural sound of animals at the end of the corridor. Not far from where the red dot placed Jade.
Daniel rushed and turned right. He suddenly stopped, seeing his other team unconscious. Two big werewolves had snapped their heads and were looking at him.
The beasts smelled powerful and had put out of commission five of his best vampire men. Daniel’s guards began shooting darts on sight, but the werewolves were faster. They picked up velocity and ran at them with black eyes and feral speed, escaping the darts unharmed.
“Take the other one. I’ll take Alexander,” Daniel ordered his men, showing his fangs as his eyes darkened.
If the werewolves wanted a fight, he was going to give them one.
Alexander locked arms with Daniel. Their hands locked on each other’s forearms and their eyes showed a clear demonstration of power. Neither Alexander nor Daniel moved. They seemed to be too caught up in measuring strengths and going nowhere with the staring contest.
Alexander growled, and Daniel growled back. When one took a step back, the other followed. It was a pointless strength showdown. They matched in power. Therefore, both started to growl in frustration.
The vampire made the first move. He turned his wrists around, so he could twist Alexander’s arms, leaving his chest open to take a low blow.
But Alexander wasn’t stupid. Daniel must be trying to drop him to the ground. He let go of the vampire’s hands and stepped back, evading Daniel’s quick punches that were aimed at Alexander’s face.
The werewolf ducked and leaned back several times, dodging every blow that the vampire threw at him. He was fast and was studying Daniel’s movements and strength. Vampires were deadly and devious. Alexander needed to use Daniel’s frustration and rage towards him to knock the vampire out. The vampire wasn’t thinking straight. Alexander knew he was furious because he had lost his beloved. He could use that in his favor.
“Where is Jade?” Daniel asked between gritted teeth.
Alexander stopped Daniel’s strong punch with his opened hand. He backed away maintaining his distance.
The vampire growled and twisted his fist inside his hand, pulling down Alex’s arm and counterattacking with his left hand, which Alexander blocked with his arm.
“Fight like a man,” Daniel ordered him.
“We aren’t men,” Alexander said nonchalantly. “And you just became outnumbered,” he stated, looking at Sam, who had broken a vampire’s neck and put to sleep another one with the vampire’s gun. “You’ve invaded my compound and attacked my men when I called you to make a deal.”
“This is my compound, and I don’t deal with people who harm what’s mine. Where is Jade?” Daniel said, stepping back and looking at both werewolves with dark eyes and menacing face.
Alexander’s stern expression suddenly changed. His nose moved, sniffing the air.
Daniel’s voice interrupted his unexpected distraction. “Where is my wife? Give her to me, and I might consider letting you live.”
“We aren’t afraid of your empty threats, vampire,” Sam said.
“I’ll show you how empty they are,” Daniel barked. He balled his hands and moved in front of Alexander’s beta.
A door opened behind them, and Jade ran with a heavy object in her hand that she crushed against Sam’s head.
“Leave him alone,” she shouted.
“Ouch!” Sam complained, cradling his head and closing his eyes.
It didn’t knock him out as Jade expected.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” the wolf asked, turning around to face his attacker. “I told you to stay put.”
“Jade… Jade!” Daniel’s voice changed from surprise to shock.
Alexander opened his eyes in disbelief. “Sam, calm down!”
Looking at Jade’s mate, Alexander saw his expression change. Sam only had time to remove the object from the girl’s hand before Daniel grabbed her by her waist and pulled her away from the werewolf.
“You touch her, you die,” Daniel growled as he protected Jade with his own body and glared at Sam.
Once again, Alex’s vision blurred and his senses were drawn to the entrance of the corridor. There was a pull in his chest that made the air escape his lungs and burn his nostrils. For a few moments, it became hard to breathe until all he could do was close his eyes and almost kneel. His head kept spinning. He secured his hand against the wall as his eyes focused on the figure that was coming their way.
The sound of Sam’s worried voice reached his ears, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything but the young blonde who was heading their way. She seemed to be dragging Sabrina’s body.
Alex heard a growl, a powerful and angry sound. Snapping his head, he saw Sam drooling as he bared his teeth and his fingers turned into claws. His beta was in attack mode after seeing his sister unconscious and being pulled.
Before Alexander could order him to stop, Sam was running to the blonde beauty with deadly intentions.
The alpha’s heart stopped beating. He felt the deadliest pain shattering his soul only to revive his heart with a burst of adrenaline. Anger flooded his veins.
“Sam, stop!” He used his alpha voice on his pack member in a futile attempt to reach him. It was in shock that he witnessed as his beta rushed to tear the blonde goddess apart.
He had waited for her for so long and now it was too late! His best friend was going to murder her.
Stopping at the entrance of the new corridor, Jenna let go of the werewolf’s arm and watched how a big and growling guy ran in her direction. He didn’t look pleased to see her. Maybe he was the hot brunette’s mate. The girl wasn’t easy to knock out. It had been fun, though. She was just dragging her, so she could ask Daniel to take the girl to the infirmary. It had been foolish of her to attack Jenna. Although, with a bit more training, the girl could become a worthy fighter. Of course, first, she would need to leave her pack and stop depending on a chauvinistic alpha.
Jenna had no idea why she was worried about the girl who tried to kill her when there was a big scary guy coming her way. His eyes were changing and his face was becoming dangerously feral. He moved fast, but for Jenna, it was like he was running in slow motion. She had time to study his intentions and glimpse the hot guy at the end of the corridor who was watching her. Behind him, Jade and Daniel were sheltered in each other’s arms against the wall. She almost rolled her eyes at the scene. Those two should stop cuddling in public. Daniel should deal with the hot guy, Alexander, before reaching for Jade. The guy was hotter in person than in his picture. He was also, without a shred of doubt, the alpha of that pack.
Sam ran to tackle the blonde against the wall, wanting to crush her and then snap her neck. He would do much worse if she wasn’t a girl. And if Sabrina was dead, he was going to rip that evil bitch apart for hurting his little sister.
The woman ducked when he reached her. She used her arms to grab him around his waist and, before he understood what was happening to him, Sam flew over her shoulder and landed with his body turned around against the wall. His head faced the ground and his feet the ceiling. Dizziness took him over and his body slammed against the floor.
The blonde straightened up and gazed at him from above.
He growled at her. He should have understood that she had fighting skills, or she wouldn’t be able to beat his sister.
“Did I hurt your mate?” she asked as she tilted her head and smirked at him.
Sam gritted his teeth, embarrassed by being so easil
y handled by a young woman. He picked himself up, brushed off his clothes, and observed the stunning blonde from head to toes. She was freaking hot for a vampire. She didn’t smell like one. Was he just beat by a human? Alexander would tease him for life!
“Sister,” Sam explained.
“She’s alive. She was a worthy opponent. You should be proud of her. Did you teach her to defend herself?”
Sam tilted his head to the right, confused by the questions. Was she trying to be nice to him or distract him?
“I don’t like it when people hurt my sister,” he declared, moving closer to grab her. He was reluctant in hitting a female, especially now that he knew his sister was okay. Any other wolf wouldn’t be so concerned. But he didn’t like to hurt women. He was just going to restrain her and stop her from helping the vampire.
“Hey, I don’t like hugs from strangers,” the female complained, ducking away from his arms. “Be a nice wolf and let me talk to your alpha.”
Before the woman could say another word, Sam’s body was slammed into the wall.
Alex growled menacingly at his beta. “Don’t ever do that again.” His gritted teeth and glowing eyes made Sam lose his breath.
“Alpha,” Sam gasped, assessing what was going on. His alpha had flown to him, bunching the front of his shirt to lift him from the ground and make him look into his dark eyes.
“Mate,” Alexander growled, his breathing becoming heavy.
Sam’s face became pale in understanding. “Mate?”
“Oh, you are both mates. That’s cute.” The girl clapped her hands.
Sam looked at her, puzzled, as she checked out Alexander’s butt and grinned.
“A bit of a shame, though,” she added.
Due to the two werewolves acting strangely, Jenna momentarily forgot her purpose.
Regaining her focus, she turned to face Daniel and Jade. She could hear the background noise of their whispers. Daniel should be helping her deal with the two werewolf lovers instead of trying to calm Jade and ask her a million questions. Lovers! Cute but nerve-racking.