Chapter 44
But as we ran, exhaustion began to overwhelm me. I had taken so much damage that my stamina was basically zero. There was no way I could keep up with an Alpha like Ethan.
With my body screaming, I anxiously urged, “Let go of me!”
But Ethan didn’t respond, his focus entirely on the fight as he kicked down a wolf clutching a blade to make our escape. His movements were precise and merciless, a deadly dance that seemed almost effortless to him.
I could barely stand now, my legs trembling with exhaustion, the deep ache in my muscles dragging me toward collapse. Every breath felt like a laborious task, and I wanted nothing more than to crumple to the forest floor and let the chaos wash over me. But Ethan wouldn’t allow it. Wherever he went, I had to follow.
His grip on my hand was unyielding, as though the connection between us anchored his resolve. Despite my weariness, there was something grounding about his strength.
As an Alpha, Ethan was formidable, exuding a presence that screamed dominance and control. Even with me–an injured Omega–dragging him down, he held the upper hand, But every time the enemies surged forward, my heart lurched, and icy panic coiled in my chest.
“Where’s your phone?” I asked, my voice trembling as much as my legs.
Ethan’s eyes flickered to me, a brief crack in his otherwise unshakeable focus.
“Why do you need a phone now?” He asked sharply, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Without waiting for my response, he threw one wolf aside like it was nothing, the sound of its body hitting a tree echoing through the night.
“To call Keith. We need him to take Ken away before this gets any worse,” I managed, the urgency in my voice surprising even me.
Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he yanked me forward toward a black
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Chapter 44
car half–hidden in the shadows of the trees.
Kai’s car.
Reaching into the backseat through a shattered window, he pulled out an iPhone.
“Why did you leave your phone here?” I asked, my brow furrowing in surprise.
than glanced at me, his expression unreadable.
“Relax. I wasn’t spying on you,” he said flatly, as though reading my thoughts.
My cheeks flushed. Shoot. How did he always manage to do that?
I took the phone from him, my hands trembling as I fiddled with it. When I tried to use the facial recognition, it failed, the phone refusing to recognize his fierce, wolfish appearance. With no other choice, I had to unlock it manually.
“What’s your password?” I asked, struggling to focus amidst the chaos surrounding us.
Ethan hesitated, his voice dropping lower as he leaned closer. “Your birthday.”
“What?” I asked, startled and unable to hear him properly over the noise.
“It’s your birthday,” he repeated, louder this time, his tone slightly sheepish.
I almost rolled my eyes but felt my heart flutter despite myself. A cliché. Straight out of a romance novel.
“Got it,” I murmured, focusing on entering the code. My fingers danced over the screen: 0407. Success. The lock screen disappeared, revealing a photo I hadn’t seen in years.
The image made me pause. It was Ethan and me, both in sportswear, grinning brightly as the ocean sparkled behind us. The picture tugged at my chest, memories of a simpler, happier time flooding back. I couldn’t even recall the day it was taken, but it was clear Ethan had kept it close.
“Keith, can you make it into the forest?” I said into the phone, shaking the nostalgia off.
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“We’ve found something important.”
“Claire… I’m sorry… the roads are blocked… We’re trying…” Keith’s voice crackled through the phone, distorted by static before the line abruptly cut off.
Damn it. The signal was useless.
“Come on,” Ethan muttered, tugging me back toward a nearby Passat. My pulse quickened as the sound of distant howls reached us.
Reinforcements.
Before I could react, the forest seemed to shift around us. Shadows moved unnaturally, and suddenly, a pack of at least thirty Gamma guards emerged from the treeline. Their howls split the night, their predatory forms closing in with terrifying speed.
“Keith!” Relief flooded me as I recognized the booming voice cutting through the chaos. For once, things might go our way. Behind him, the forest authority’s Gamma team had finally arrived.
The sight of them filled me with hope and dread all at once. They were battered and grimy, their clothes torn and stained as if they’d clawed their way through hell to get here. Despite their exhaustion, they radiated a fierce determination.
“You’re just in time!” Mandy’s shrill voice rang out, dripping with feigned indignation. “This Alpha has been abusing his position, slaughtering innocent wolves!”
I whipped my head toward her, fury boiling in my veins. The nerve of her to twist the narrative so boldly.
A brutish–looking Beta stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with cunning as he surveyed the scene. He feigned concern, his voice sickeningly sweet as he called out to the injured wolves. “What happened here? You’re hurt so badly. Let me take you to Moon Valley for
treatment…”
My stomach churned as I realized his true target.
Ken
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The Beta inched closer to the unconscious boy, his theatrics escalating as he wailed dramatically, “My son! Are you all right?”
Snake…
My wolf snarled bitterly in my mind. The urge to lash out surged, but Ethan’s hand on my arm kept me steady.
Finally, Ethan released me, stepping forward with a chilling smile that froze the air around us. “None of you are going anywhere,” he said, his tone calm yet deadly.
His words sent a ripple through the crowd, the tension so thick it was suffocating.
Keith didn’t miss a beat. “Back off! No one touches these criminals!”
The Beta’s smirk faltered as Keith stormed forward. With one swift motion, Keith grabbed him by the collar and slapped a pair of specialized handcuffs on him. The Beta snarled, but the sight of the gleaming silver shackles silenced his protests.
The remaining wolves hesitated, their bravado crumbling under Keith’s glare. One by one, they began retreating, their steps cautious and quiet.
The tide was finally turning in our favor, but my relief was short–lived. My instincts screamed that something was wrong. The night wasn’t over.
Ethan turned to me, his eyes dark with unspoken words. “Stay close,” he commanded, his voice softer now but no less firm.
I nodded, my fingers tightening around his sleeve. As the chaos quieted around us, the oppressive weight of the forest seemed to grow heavier. Shadows lingered, and the silence felt more ominous than comforting.
Whatever was coming, I wasn’t sure we were ready for it.
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