Zara
His voice swirled in my mind, wildly stirring my thoughts. I knew what he was asking, what he wanted from . What scared most was how easy the decision was. My life for Alpha Kane’s life, a worthy exchange.
Every intimate mont between Alpha Kane and flashed through my mind, causing a pleasant flutter in my stomach.
My feelings for Alpha Kane had changed since I t him, and I tried to ignore them. Once I realized how far I was willing to go for Alpha Kane, the decision was easy. "I don’t care," I breathed. "I agree."
An icy breeze caressed my mind, as if they were thanking . One by one, the brown wolves froze, their glassy eyes rolling back in their heads. Each one fell to the ground with a loud thud on the wooden floor.
Sohow, I knew they were still alive, just incapacitated. I saw shadows flit from wolf to wolf, and each one fell to the floor.
I t Alpha Kane’s gaze, and this ti his emotions were clearly written on his face. I could taste his rage and sense his worry. He saw the darkness gathering behind and could only guess what I gave in return.
My eyes widened as an icy voice penetrated my mind, and its words brought to my knees.
"Will you give your life, princess?" they hissed, sliding across my head. "You don’t get to choose."
The power of our deal rolled through the air, sending an icy wave through my body. The wave rippled and cracked as if made of ice. Instead of passing through , it penetrated my skin and deep into my bones.
A heavy shudder ran through my body, my teeth chattering as the cold penetrated my bones.
Goosebumps ran across my skin as the shadows fell silent.
The power coursing through my skin faded as the shadows returned to their usual places in the room. Their whip-like voices faded from my consciousness as the shadows frozen in the room fell silent.
The cold lingered, and I wasn’t sure it would pass. I felt as if I were in a freezer, and I was surprised not to see the hot breath escaping my mouth.
"What have you done?" "Alpha Kane growled, his voice turning animalistic.
I froze in place, rooted to the spot where I’d made that damned deal. I succumbed to the shadows, not trying to find an alternative.
"He would have died, Zara..." Nova’s voice was quiet, but the weight of my decision was palpable.
"What have you done, Zara?" Alpha Kane growled, grabbing my arms. "What did you give them?"
Alpha Kane was the only one keeping upright. His grip was rough, but I was too numb to notice if it hurt.
I slowly glanced around the room, watching the dozens of brown wolves fall to the floor. No one moved, and yet I could hear their every breath. My gaze settled on Ryan, who looked far more exhausted than I rembered.
His hair had grown long and stood out in unruly clumps, his face covered in dirt and deep bruises. His shoulders were hunched with fatigue, but his expression remained determined.
"We don’t have ti for this," I shook my head, my voice wavering as the weight of emotion threatened to crush . "We need to get Ryan out; more could show up any minute."
Carter and Wade rushed into action, thankfully without asking questions, staring at the twenty-five unconscious brown wolves sprawled on the floor. Smoke still seeped into the utility room, thick and suffocating, sealing us inside.
The sprinklers continued to spew water, and I wondered when they would finally stop. Pools of water mixed with the blood on the floor, turning the deep black wood a disturbing pink. Water stread down my face, mingling with the tears streaming from my eyes.
Murderer, murderer, monster.
The words flashed through my head; my inner voice was filled with hatred. This was different from self-defense, from everything I’d planned.
I assud I’d give my life, my death, in exchange for Alpha Kane’s. I didn’t ask, didn’t consider that they might be talking about soone else. Soone innocent had to die, and this was it.
It’s my fault.
Carter and Wade helped Ryan stand, using their weight to keep him upright. Alpha Kane’s eyes were wild as he studied my face, and I wondered if he could see I was crying.
"Back door, out the back door," Alpha Kane growled, tearing his gaze from mine.
Alpha Kane released my shoulders and grabbed my hand. Clasping our hands, Alpha Kane and I ran across the room, stepping over the immobilized brown wolves. The exit was at the end of the room, on the far wall, a red sign blinking impatiently.
We rushed out the door and found ourselves in a dank alley. Puddles we hoped were water ford large pools, soaking our shoes. The sickly sweet sll of blood faded as soon as we stepped out, quickly replaced by the sll of wet trash.
A large group of people had gathered at the end of the alley. Everyone inside the club had evacuated and was crowded around the entrance to the building.
"Sofia, are you out yet?" Alpha Kane asked, still holding my hand.
"I’m out," Sofia breathed, her voice as worried as mine.
"Looks like they got the fire under control." A couple of n just ca back inside. "Get out of there!" Sofia whispered urgently.
"We’re going around the front of the building. Be prepared, we’ll have to act fast," Alpha Kane replied.
Alpha Kane pulled forward, dragging along with him, and we raced down the alley. We rged into the crowd outside, trying to blend in as we headed for the car.
My heart was pounding in my chest, but not from the thought of being caught. I just kept spinning my mind, pushing away all other thoughts. If Alpha Kane hadn’t been dragging along, I probably would have gotten lost in the crowd.
The car was parked far enough from the warehouse to go unnoticed, but close enough to reach. My bare hand brushed the cold tal of the SUV, but I didn’t feel it.
Icy shards dug into my bones, crushing and chilling my blood. The shards reminded of my deal, reminded of the price of Alpha Kane’s life.
Alpha Kane swung open the passenger door. He lifted like a rag doll and sat down in the seat. His hands quickly fastened my seatbelt.
A second later, he was already behind the wheel. The SUV roared, and I could have sworn every man in the club heard it. My own paranoia and guilt kept on edge, balancing between shock and denial.
Killer, killer, monster.
"Focus on Ryan," Nova muttered, sensing my inevitable panic. "Focus on him for now. We’ll worry about everything else later."
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