Chapter 22 Sydney

Chapter 22 Sydney

 

 

Three months later

I watched Alex walk through the door, heart thumping. Anxiously, I waited for him to close it. He paused and turned back to pin me with a hard stare.

“What?” I asked, legs folded, as I sat on the sofa with a book in hand. I had to ensure I was the picture of innocence.

“I’ll be back in two hours, tops.” Pointing a finger, he ordered, “Do not leave this apartment. No, you know what? Do not move from that couch.”

Rolling my eyes with dramatic flair, I sighed. “Jesus, Alex, where would I even go? Just go to your Alpha already. He needs you more than I do.”

Alex received a call from Damian five minutes ago. Apparently, there was a scuffle—Alex’s words—with members of Adam Blackwell’s pack. Things got out of hand. Cole wanted his most trusted pack members with him. I’d learned that Cole’s inner circle consisted of Damian, Violet, Alex, Dominic, and Stephan. They were completely loyal to him and only him, which was why they were the only ones from the pack who knew about me. I hadn’t seen much of Stephan because he was the one who always stayed on the pack’s compound to oversee things.

Tonight, with all my bodyguards and Cole occupied, I’d get a little time alone. Being watched twenty-four-seven had me ready to tear my hair out. And being stuck in one place drove me up the wall. I couldn’t wait for Alex to leave. But he stood in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed, still watching me.

“I don’t know, Syd. I don’t like the idea of you being here alone. I’m going to call Cole. If I tell him I’m not comfortable leaving you, he’ll allow me to stay—”

“Alex, I’m not five. I’ll be fine on my own for a couple of hours. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

He gazed at me for a moment longer before nodding. Finally, he left.

“Yes!” I jumped from the sofa and hurried to the window. From there, I’d be able to see him drive out. I waited until I saw his car move out of the parking lot and speed off down the street. “Freedom at last.”

Within two minutes, I had on jeans and a t-shirt, comfortable boots, and a hoodie to hide my face. If any of the guys found out I went for a little walk, I’d never hear the end of it. That’s why I’d be back in thirty minutes before Alex or any of them got here. They’d never know I left. I just needed fresh air and to see something other than this apartment or Cole’s office, which I visited a few times so I could get out of the house.

Although staying inside was for my safety, I was starting to feel like a prisoner. The fact that I was Cole’s dirty secret from his pack made me feel worse. With the exception of his few trusted friends, no one from the pack knew he was helping to keep me safe from hunters. If they knew he spent time and energy protecting the half-breed mate he rejected, the elders would be upset.

From what I heard, they thought he should be putting his effort into finding a suitable mate to be Luna and to produce the next Alpha. The continuation of a true alpha bloodline was a big thing for most packs. I guess they didn’t want a nobody half-breed like me sullying Cole’s pure, mighty bloodline.

Sometimes, I wondered if Cole got tired of keeping me safe. Just because he and I slept together a few times over the last three months didn’t mean he was all that interested in me. I was probably just a convenient sex buddy who was living in his apartment. Maybe he wanted to do as the elders said—forget about his fated mate and find a more suitable woman from the pack to marry. I imagined he wanted to start working on producing the next Alpha to eventually take his place.

The thought of him with another woman had me gritting my teeth and shutting the apartment door with unnecessary force. “Stupid pack rules,” I grumbled as I stomped to the elevator. “Stupid pack. Who needs them anyway?”

I sighed. Who was I kidding? I still longed to be a part of the pack. Though I considered a few of the Moon Guardians my friends, I felt like they only accepted me because they were loyal to Cole. When I stepped into the elevator, I decided I’d push all negative thoughts aside and enjoy my walk. I bet a change in environment would help me clear my mind.

In the lobby, I shoved my cell into my pocket and hurried through the exit. The night breeze caressed my face, and I inhaled deeply and smiled. There was a park a block from Cole’s building that I often admired from his top-floor apartment. I could head over there and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes.

“God, how long has it been since I had a stroll down a sidewalk like a normal person?” The further I got from the building, the more I let my guard down. I didn’t know why the guys made such a fuss about me staying inside. No way did the hunters know where I was hiding out. My location was top-secret. Tomorrow, I’d plead with all of them to at least allow me to walk around the neighborhood—accompanied, of course.

Titling my face up, I enjoyed more of the breeze and the picture of the night sky. The park was in sight, and I hurried toward it. There were still a few people out, which was good. Hunters or shifters would probably think twice before attacking with witnesses. As I readied to cross the street, someone grabbed me from behind.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A male voice asked.

I gasped. The question made me initially think it was a pissed-off Alex who had caught me in my act of rebellion. But it quickly registered that it wasn’t his voice and that he’d never lay a hand on me like this. Most males were reluctant to touch a female they knew was mated to another. Panic clawed its way up my chest to come out as a scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth.

Immediately, I regretted leaving the safety of Cole’s apartment. The hunters must have known where I was all along, but they couldn’t get to me. I foolishly left the apartment and made it easy for them. As I was dragged away from the street and to a darker area, I thrashed and kicked. Someone else grabbed my feet.

“Just do it, Sebastian. Kill her already,” the one holding my feet said.

That made me double my effort to scream, but the sound was muffled.

“No, you idiot. The elders were specific about not having any human witnesses. We can’t just off her on the sidewalk.”

My heart stuttered. Elders? Human witnesses? It wasn’t hard to do the math. This attack wasn’t from hunters but from werewolves or some other shifter faction. Confusion mixed with my fear left my mind jumbled. What was going on?

As soon as the one holding my feet let go, I jumped into action. Using the one holding my upper body for support, I reared up and kicked the other in the chest. My wolf surfaced as soon as it detected danger, and I got a burst of strength. It wasn’t like that of Cole’s or

Damian’s or the other full shifters, but it was certainly more powerful than it would have been if I’d used just my human strength.

The man staggered backward. I then jammed my heel into the one called Sebastian’s foot. He grunted, and his hold on me slightly loosened, so I took the opportunity to jab him hard in the ribs with my elbow. Whipping around to face him, I pulled out the blade hidden in my belt. I may have stupidly broken Cole’s rule not to go outside alone, but I’d been smart enough to bring the hunter’s blade he’d given back to me.

“What the fuck? I thought they said she was a helpless human,” the one I’d kicked said.

I felt a sliver of smugness, knowing I could defend myself. Cole had been acting weird around me ever since we slept together, but he didn’t shy away from teaching me a thing or two about self-defense. He was a security specialist, after all. While we hadn’t gotten far after only two months, I packed quite a punch. And he’d taught me how to wield the blade so I could use it against the same hunter from whom I’d stolen it.

“No, I’m not so helpless, boys,” I said, slashing after one of them.

He jumped back, barely avoiding the blade. “She’s got a hunter’s knife. The elders were right. You are embracing your hunter-father’s ways.”

That caught me off guard. “Who are you?”

“We were sent to correct our Alpha’s mistake.”

My heart somersaulted. “By the elders…? Of which pack?” Deep down, I knew the answer, but I had to ask anyway.

“The Moon Guardians,” the one named Sebastian said. “Alpha Cole should have killed you. Instead, he has you stashed in his apartment. It would seem he’s a traitor to his people, just like your mother was. The elders were right. He’s no longer fit to lead.”

Dread settled in my gut. It seemed an insurrection was brewing against Cole, and it was my fault. “How did you know where to find me?” I asked. My mounting fury had wiped away my fear.

The other shifter came up behind me, and I positioned myself to keep an eye on them both. I didn’t recognize either of them from my first and only visit to the Moon Guardians’ compound.

“We’ve been following Alpha Cole and Damian as the elders instructed,” one of them shared. “We were disappointed to discover they really were up to no good. They’ve been helping you instead of taking the elders’ advice to make you disappear. Cole has been lying to the elders and the pack for months. He said he’d gotten rid of you. Once we kill you, he’s done as our Alpha. When he’s tried and sentenced to death, I hope I get to kill him myself,” the man snarled.

I got the impression of my wolf crouching low, snarling her anger. She didn’t take a threat to her mate kindly. “I’ll see you dead first,” I told him, lunging at him. With a few strikes, I drew blood. Satisfaction surged through me. I evaded the other’s attack from behind. With swift, practiced movement, I stuck the knife into Sebastian’s side.

His roar of pain distracted the other one. Even though my wolf had gotten a little stronger, I knew I couldn’t defeat two full shifters. I had to survive to warn Cole about what was happening with the elders behind his back. So, I turned and ran like hell, aiming for the apartment building. I didn’t get far. Something sharp pierced my leg, and I went down hard. My head hit the sidewalk, leaving me dazed.

“Son of a bitch,” I moaned. Of course, I couldn’t outrun werewolves. I didn’t stand a chance now, but I refused to make it easy for them. Only of them had shifted. The one in wolf form still had my leg in his mouth, and he hauled me back into the darkness. The harder I fought, the deeper he sank his fangs. I moaned in pain but kicked him in the nose with my free foot. He growled and was probably about to rip in two, but Sebastian said, “Don’t you dare. The bitch is mine. She stabbed me.”

“Can’t say you didn’t deserve it,” I spat.

“You’re a feisty little half-breed, aren’t you? I guess I can see why Cole keeps you around.” He held the blade I’d wounded him with. It was stained with his blood, and I guess he was about to do me in with it. “He won’t miss you for long, considering he might be dead soon, too.”

My eyes widened as he came at me and grabbed my collar, pulling me to my feet. A backhand sends me flying into a wall. “That’s for stabbing me,” he hissed.

Winded, I dropped to the ground in a helpless heap. I was going to die tonight, and the only thing I could think about was how disappointed I was that I couldn’t warn Cole and the others. I didn’t want anything to happen to them because of me.

Through my blurry vision, I saw Sebastian approach. Before I blacked out, the strangest thing happened. He stopped in his tracks, and the blade fell from his hand. He looked down at his chest, and I followed his gaze. I was in so much pain I couldn’t even gasp at the hole in his chest. He dropped with a thud. Adam Blackwell stood with something in his hand… Sebastian’s heart. That gruesome sight made me welcome the darkness.