>When we wre dropped back to the hotel last night, we did what we had been doing for the last few days. We got ready to meet at the warehouse for mission debriefing.My guy was gone. The plan had not worked the way we had imagined it to. But that was a part of the job. We were all aware of the risks before we got into it, especially without my cloaking ring which Eva had lost on Peterson's pack house grounds.Lawrence showed the phone and flash drive that our guy had given him before running. We spent the rest of the night working out what the numbers and lists in the photoes meant. Trying to decrypt the flash drive without our guy was hard. Peterson knew how to keep secrets. I'd give him that.But I was going to keep no stone unturned from finding out what he was hiding.Lawrence had to return to his undercover job. I ordered most of my entourage to get back to the hotel undetected and cover for the ones staying behind to keep researching. We needed to have found so
>It had been a few weeks since the grand wedding.I had joined the office team and was introduced to the rest of the people on my floor. The work was great. Misha and I were paired up for most tasks since we already had some fieldwork practice together. I rarely saw Rory since she was busy with higher-ups and had moved to the next great project with another team.I made Dad start a few hobbies since he was usually home alone till I got back from work. I hadn't seen Angelina much either. She had left for New York to find herself a college of choice for further studies. I couldn't get Xavier out of my head. No matter what I was doing, his words, his touch, and the way he was looking at me were burned in my brain. Why did he have to say all those things? Why did he suddenly care? Hadn't he given up on me? On us? And what did he mean that Richard was dangerous? No, I don't know why he said that. But as far as I had known Richard, he couldn't be that bad, could he? Why coul
>"Where is Xavier?" I asked. If it truly was his operation, where was he?"Where do you think?" Lawrence raised a brow at me sarcastically.Before I could retort in annoyance, Eva answered calmly, "He is on the other side of this compound, with another team.""Why?" I asked."Stop asking that and be patient. We are waiting for a signal." Lawrence said annoyed.I was the one who had been kidnapped, why was he annoyed?Eva made me change my shoes. She gave me a pair of sneakers because my stilettoes were going to be noisy. I had no idea what that even meant. But I did as I was told. Not like I had much of a choice.I remembered Eva's ring and asked, "Where's my bag? I had the ring that you dropped when we met at the guest reception."Her eyes lit up and she grabbed something from under her seat. She handed me my bag and I took out the ring. She visibly relaxed at the sight of it, "Thank you for keeping it safe. Alpha was so mad that I had lost it.""Did Xavier give this to
>Eva was freaking out.One moment, she was listening to Richard's conversation with the traffickers, and the next, Zoe was gone from her side.She noticed Zoe turn the corner on the far side of the compound and instantly tried to mind-link her. But like the last few times she had tried, Zoe's mind-link was closed. It was unreachable. But Eva didn't have time to stay confused.She rushed after Zoe. She had no idea what the young girl had in mind but Eva mind-linked Xavier."What do you mean she was gone? What were you doing?" Xavier thundered. His anger made Eva wince.'I was listening. And I thought she was too.' Eva tried to explain as she noticed Zoe hiding behind a few large crates."Where is she now?" Xavier asked.'Inside the compound, Alpha. She's got your cloaking ring. But if I get any closer I'll be found.' Eva felt guilty but there was no time to point fingers yet."Make sure Zoe doesn't get seen. And don't get yourself caught either." Xavier ordered and motioned
>"Zoe?" A familiar voice echoed through the silence that had settled in the compound hall as everyone was waiting for the other to make the first move.We looked at the troubled newcomer."Dad?" I asked in disbelief. Who called him? Why was he here? No! He was not supposed to be here."Sweetie, what is going on here? You didn't come home and your phone's GPS said you were here," Dad looked worried but I was more concerned for him."Well, well. What an unexpected turn of events." Richard smirked, getting more and more confident with each passing second."He had nothing to do with anything. Keep him out of this!" I growled while on my knees and then shouted to Dad, "Dad, please leave!"A swift sharp slap cut my cheek, "Nobody asked for your opinion, you wolfless Omega!"My eyes widened. He knew. How long had he known?"You will pay for that!" Xavier started walking towards us determined and in a flash, I had been pulled up to my feet, my back to Richard's chest as he held a
>Everything hurt.I couldn't focus on which pain was more unbearable. The ache in my heart at the loss of my last family member, my only shelter in the cruel world. Or, the pain from the bones that kept breaking on their own for some reason.I wailed with everything I had until the pain consumed me. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything. All there was, was a terrible, unbearable, red-hot pain, all over me.I felt like my brain was being boiled. It was like my skull was about to explode. I couldn't think straight. I couldn't focus. The pain was overwhelming all my senses. I couldn't move. I wanted it to stop. I didn't know how to stop because I had no idea what was happening. It was like every bone in my body was breaking. From my fingertips to my guts, I could feel all my nerves getting stimulated at once. How could one be conscious of one's gut? I wanted to scream. I opened my mouth. I don't know if any sound came out. I wanted to cry.I closed my eyes.
>Alphas had similar strength levels. During alpha to alpha combat the difference usually came from training. But Richard couldn't have more training than me. No one could. No one had a madder father than me. No one could've started as young as I did or trained as hard as I was forced to do.That is why I was confused about how Richard was able to overpower me. I could feel him trying to knock me unconscious as he tightened his head lock on my neck stopping air flow to my body and circulation to my head.I glanced to the other side and saw Zoe bloodied and bruised holding her father's dead body. I had failed her.She yelled and I looked around. Most of my men were dead or dying. We were losing. I was going to lose Zoe.That thought woke up something inside me.Spike took over without a warning.The transformation took Richard by surprise and we were able to get out of the headlock. We kicked him back and took a deep breath. A few seconds more and we would've passed o
>The pain had started again and this time the creature wasn't there. I wanted to cry. I think I heard my scream echo through the woods.I don't know how long it went on. The bright day of the woods had once again shifted to the night. I had curled up in a fetal position and closed my eyes in pain. The feeling of shifting guts was back but worse.Finally, I heard it again.'I'm sorry that I had to leave like that.'I looked up and saw the creature and I could feel empathy radiate off of it."Where were you?" I asked as the pain slowly eased and I could breathe again.'Our fated mate needed saving.' It said in a matter-of-fact tone."We have a fated mate?" I asked in surprise and disbelief.'You didn't know?' It asked surprised at my reaction. I shook my head.'So, you've never met the tall, guy with the grey eyes and his wolf called Spike?' It asked curiously.My eyes widened."Spike?" I asked in disbelief. Xavier's wolf was Spike. How many wolves were named Spike? The d