Chapter 8

Zara returns to the underground network, her senses on high alert as she navigates the labyrinthine passages. Being the best tracker in her pack, she should be able to pick up on something, anything, that might lead her to the Ghaurs. But as she enters The Shadowglass Bar, it"s like nothing ever happened. The bar is pristine, every piece of furniture and décor back in its rightful place.

Zara"s brow furrows as she taps her fingers on the obsidian countertop, frustration bubbling beneath her skin. She can"t seem to catch the trail of the Ghaurs, and it"s driving her mad. With a sigh, she pushes away from the bar and heads back towards the exit.

As she climbs the stairs leading to the surface, a scent hits her like a tidal wave. It"s him, Alexi, and her body instantly responds. Her heart races, her skin tingles, and a warmth pools in her core. She hasn"t even laid eyes on him yet, but every fiber of her being is attuned to his presence.

The frustration keeps building until a familiar scent wafts through the air, teasing her senses - dark spices mingled with something uniquely him.

Fuck. Not now. She takes a steadying breath, trying to ignore the magnetism drawing her to him. I can"t afford distractions.

But despite her best efforts, Zara"s traitorous body isn"t listening to logic. It already knows he"s here, hidden in the shadows.

Waiting.

Watching.

Zara"s eyes blaze molten amber as she pivots toward the presence, every nerve ending ignited, muscles drawn taut as a bowstring. "Quit lurking," she challenges, her voice reverberating off the subterranean walls. No more games. "Get your ass out here, Alexi."

Alexi steps out from the gloom, a knowing smirk playing on his lips that sets Zara"s teeth on edge. Her body goes haywire, torn between the instinct to launch herself at him, fists and fangs flying, and the primal pull to close the distance between them in a totally different way.

Dammit.She grits her teeth, hating the effect he has on her. It"s like her inner wolf practically howling with an inexplicable longing that threatens to overwhelm her rational mind.

Alexi"s eyes flash crimson, and Zara knows hers have turned a vivid gold in response. The tension between them is palpable, crackling like electricity in the air.

"Hello, darling" Alexi drawls, his voice a low purr that sends shivers down Zara"s spine.

"Don"t call me that. What the fuck are you doing here, Alexi?" she scoffs, refusing to be cowed by his bravado. " Have you resorted to stalking now?"

Alexi smirks, his green eyes glinting with amusement. "Don"t flatter yourself, little wolf. I"m here for the same reason you are—to find answers."

Zara scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Like I"ll ever share anything with you."

Alexi takes a step closer, his gaze intense and unwavering. "Come on now, darling, we both know that whatever this is, we need to work together if we want to get to the bottom of it."

Zara"s heart races as Alexi draws nearer, the scent of him overwhelming her senses. She fights the urge to reach out and touch him, to give in to the desire that pulses through her veins.

"I don"t need your help," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can handle this on my own."

Alexi reaches out, his fingers grazing Zara"s cheek, and she shivers at the contact. "Can you?" he murmurs, his voice low and seductive. "When you can barely handle this connection between us, the way your body reacts to mine?"

She watches as he breathes her in, his eyes drifting closed for a brief moment. They flash open, burning crimson with a ravenous intensity.

Oh, shit. Zara"s lungs seize as it clicks - he can smell her arousal as heat pools low in her belly and she has to fight the urge to squirm under the weight of it.

Alexi"s hand slowly drifting down to her neck.

The air between them crackles with electricity. Zara knows she should push him away, but her traitorous body leans into his touch, craving more.

She feels his hand tighten on the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair as he pulls her closer. His lips hover just a breath away from hers, and Zara can taste the dark promise of his kiss on her tongue.

He pulls her impossibly closer. Zara"s heart pounds in her ears.

"My she-wolf," his voice rough with need. She can feel the heat of his breath against her skin. "Tell me to stop, and I will."

The words hang heavy in the air between them, a challenge and a promise all at once. Zara"s mind races, torn between the desire coursing through her veins and the nagging sense that this is a line they shouldn"t cross.

But gods, I want him,she thinks, her body trembling with the force of her longing. I want to feel his hands on my skin, his lips against mine. I want to lose myself in him.

Zara can"t form the words, and can"t bring herself to push him away either. Instead, she reaches up, her fingers tangling in his dark hair, and pulls him down to her. But just before they cross that line, something stirs in the darkness.

Her head whips around, eyes blaze as she takes in the telltale scent - the foul reek of Ghaurs. A guttural growl rises from deep within her throat.

Perfect fucking timing.

Alexi is already on the move, twin .45 caliber Glocks glinting under the moon"s ethereal light as he levels them at the threat. "Get your ass behind me. Now!" he barks out the command, voice rough as gravel.

Yeah fucking right.

"Not a chance in hell, bloodsucker. I"m not a helpless maiden in need of protecting."

Claws out, fangs bared, Zara falls into a fighting stance, every sense electrified and screaming danger. The Ghaurs explode from the shadows, all gnashing teeth and malevolent intent.

Not how I pictured us getting sweaty and breathless together.The thought flits through her mind as she rips out a Ghaur throat. But I"m not complaining.

Back to back they fight, an unstoppable force of nature bound by something far deeper than the heat of battle. A connection undeniable, unbreakable.

"Having fun yet?" Alexi glances over, their eyes meeting for a charged moment. His smirk is pure sin.

"Oh, you know it, leech." Her answering grin is feral and fierce.

Zara"s muscles burn with exertion, her claws slicing through decayed flesh while Alexi"s gunshots ring out in rapid succession, each silver bullet finding its mark with lethal precision. They move as one, covering each other"s blind spots, anticipating the other"s movements with uncanny synchronicity.

A Ghaur hurls itself at Zara, snapping its jaws so close she can feel its hot, fetid breath on her cheeks. Zara jerks aside, but the monster"s jagged claws still catch her arm, shredding skin. Blood wells as pain lances through her. A vicious snarl erupts from deep in her chest.

Fuck, that hurts. But I"m not going down that easy.

Adrenaline fueling her blinding rage, Zara seizes the Ghaur"s head in an iron grip. With a primal roar tearing from her throat, she wrenches the monster"s skull from its putrid body in one brutal twist. Ichor sprays, splattering her face with its rancid stench as tendons snap and vertebrae splinter.

Zara moves on and grits her teeth as she slams her fist into another Ghaur, sending it flying into the wall with a sickening crunch. The horde seems endless, a relentless wave of snarling, snapping jaws and razor-sharp claws.

"Hey, bloodsucker!" she shouts over the cacophony of growls and gunshots. "What the hell are these things again?"

Alexi fires off another round, the silver bullets tearing through the Ghaurs" rotting flesh. "First we get out of this alive," he calls back, his voice strained with exertion. "Then we talk."

Zara nods, focusing on the fight at hand. She tears into the Ghaurs with a ferocity that borders on feral, her claws and fangs making quick work of the monsters.

But as she pivots to face another ghaur, Zara feels a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her. She stumbles, her vision blurring at the edges.

What the...?She blinks, trying to clear her head.

That"s when Alexi notices the blood dripping from her arm, the gash deeper than she realized. "Wolf girl, your arm!" he shouts, his eyes widening in alarm.

But before Zara can respond, a Ghaur lunges at Alexi, its claws slicing into his side. He grunts in pain, his face contorting as he fires a point-blank shot into the creature"s skull.

"We need to get out of here," Alexi grits out, pressing a hand to his wound. "You"re losing too much blood."

Zara wants to argue, to keep fighting until every last Ghaur is nothing but a pile of bones. But the edges of her vision are starting to go black, and she knows Alexi"s right.

Dammit.She nods, her jaw clenched tight.

"I"m fine," she insists, her voice rough with exertion. "It"s just a scratch."

Zara wants to protest, to tell Alexi she can keep going, but another wave of vertigo crashes over her. Her legs turn to jelly and she pitches forward, the world tilting. In an instant, Alexi"s arms are around her, catching her against his solid chest. His earthy, masculine scent wraps around her like a steadying force.

"We don"t have time to argue," he snaps, his tone sharp with urgency. "More Ghaurs are coming. We need to leave now, before they swarm us." He"s already moving, half-carrying, half-dragging her down the dank passageway.

The skittering of claws on stone echoes behind them, growing louder by the second. If they don"t reach the surface soon, they"ll be overrun. Fucking perfect, she thinks bitterly.

The Ghaur almost gutted me like a fish, and now I"m slowing us down. But there"s no choice - she has to trust Alexi to get them out of this hellhole in one piece. Assuming she doesn"t bleed out first.

Shit, not again, Zara thinks as another wave of dizziness crashes over her. Before she can even try to protest, Alexi"s swept her into his arms like she weighs nothing. Great, since when did I actually become a damsel in distress? She"d laugh if everything wasn"t spinning.

"Put me down," she slurs, the words tumbling out all wrong. Her tongue feels thick and clumsy. "I can walk, dammit."

Alexi"s arms tighten around her, and she can practically feel the stubborn set of his jaw. "Not happening, wolf. You"re dead on your feet."

Arrogant prick.But even as the retort forms, Zara can feel her grip on consciousness slipping, shadows bleeding into her sight. As much as it kills her to admit it, she"s in bad shape - too much blood loss, too fast.

Motherfucker.Resigning herself, she slumps into Alexi"s grip, her head drooping heavily onto his shoulder as he swiftly carries her from the dank tunnels, out into the inky night.