Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Marco slams his fist on the desk, yelling, “Where the hell did that girl vanish to?” His shout makes the nearby guards jerk in surprise.
Stephen looking away from the papers he’s been reviewing, raises an eyebrow. “What’s all the fuss?”
“She’s disappeared,” Marco snarls, striding back and forth, restless as an animal in a trap. “It’s like she just up and vanished.”
Tilting his head, Stephen looks confused. “Odd. Aren’t you supposed to sense her presence?”
“Can’t deal with this anymore,” Marco blurts out, sweeping his hair back with his hand. “Feels off, y’know? I can’t feel her at all.”
“Could it be the rejection hit home?” Stephen suggests kicking back in his seat. “Stuff tends to simmer down after a bit. More so when you neither accepted nor rejected her.”
Marco halts mid–stride, eyes drilling into Stephen. “That’s why her smell turned so really repulsive all of a sudden?”
“Might be,” Stephen responds with a casual lift of his shoulders. “It accounts for the switch.”
The annoyance in Marco ratchets up a notch. “I gave the order to get that girl. Is carrying out commands that tough?”
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The door squeaks as it opens, and a nervous guard tiptoes in. “Alpha, we looked but couldn’t spot her,” he mutters, shaking a bit under Marco’s scary
stare.
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“How come you’re telling me ‘couldn’t spot her‘?” Marco loses his cool, his anger pretty obvious. “She’s got nowhere to hide. Go search one more time. Every nook and corner. Right now!”
The guard pauses, his mouth moves like he’s gonna talk, but Marco’s fierce look silences him.
“Get going!” yells Marco, and the guard almost stumbles in his hurry to get outta the room.
“Marco mumbles as he gets his jacket. “I better not find her out there messing around. I promise, if she’s messed stuff up once more, she’ll be sorry.”
Nana trips on roots and dodges branches in the forest feeling her legs tired out from the running. It’s super quiet, except for the huffing of her own breath and leaves crunching under her.
She stops to breathe and props herself on a tree. Looking around, she tries to spot something she recognizes.
“Damn it,” she whispers to herself, noticing the packhouse is still a good distance away. She senses Marco’s rage even at this range, and the idea of being caught by him knots up her belly.
Out of nowhere, a low snarl pierces the quiet, and she feels a chill. From the dark, two rogue wolves appear, their eyes bright and set on her.
“Crap,” she mumbles, stepping backward.
The initial rogue makes a dive for her, fangs aiming for her arm in a near miss. She sidesteps it, but the other one is already sneaking around to block her way out.
She puts up a fight scratching at the nearest rogue with whatever power she’s got left. But it’s no good. She’s too drained, and they’re way too quick.
Right as the initial rogue lunges forward, an earth–shattering bellow upsets the trees. Something hazy crashes into the rogue hurling it against a close
tree.
Lowell is standing in front of Nana, him in his giant lycan shape standing guard over her. In the dim light, his claws shimmer as he shreds through the first rogue, tearing if to pieces like it’s nothing.
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Chapter 15
The other rogue tries to run away. No chance. Lowell’s got speed on his side. He pounces, and with a horrid snap, he tears his head from his body.
The woods go quiet once more leaving only the sound of Nana’s labored breathing. She locks eyes with Lowell, shock locking her limbs in place.
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Lowell changes back from beast to man, his intense stare growing tender as he watches her. “Are you hurt?” he questions, his manner cool yet strong.
Nana’s head gives a shake even as her legs threaten to collapse. “I’m alright,” she claims, but her quivering voice spills her true emotions.
“It ain’t safe for you to wander these parts alone,” Lowell remarks, mixing kindness with a hint of scolding.
“Well, it wasn’t my choice,” she retorts, letting her fear and annoyance spill out.
Lowell just lifts an eyebrow but says nothing. He then points to where the packhouse is. “We’ll head back together, I’ll make sure you arrive safely.”
Nana pauses before giving a nod. With pain in every step, she trails behind him.
15
Back at the packhouse, Marco’s all caught up in a whirlwind of rage and frustration. He’s tearing through the place snapping orders at anyone he bumps
into.
He ends up at a small house right behind the main building and comes to a halt. The smell isn’t strong, but it’s unmistakable.
With a forceful kick, he busts the door open looking around the lit space. And there she is stretched out on a rough bed faking sleep.
Marco walks in, his boots smacking the wood beneath his feet. “Found your little hideout,” he mutters, a threatening tone in his words.
Nana pretends to wake up stirring. Plopping up, she rubs at her eyes. “Marco?” she mutters, all confused. “Why are you here?”
“Cut the crap,” he snaps. “Where have you vanished to?”
“Been right here,” she fibs, keeping her tone even though her heart’s hammering away. “Just wanted a bit of room to breathe.”
Marco isn’t convinced at all. He steps closer looking down on her with a skeptical squint. “Do you think I’d believe that? You’re acting all weird these days. Spill it—what are you hiding?”
Nana digs deep to look him in the eye, her thoughts racing. “I
Wear nothing weird is happening,” she insists, her voice steady.
With a critical eye, Marco gives her the once–over ticked off yet keeping a lid on it. “You’re not writhing in agony from the rejection pain anymore,” he grumbles, kind of talking to himself.
Nana goes still, her veins icing over.
His squint gets even sharper. “You ought to be in pain from the rejection, unless…” His voice fades, and his face gets all stony.
Nana’s heart races while she scrambles to come up with a good lie. “Could be it’s just… getting dimmer?” she says, not sounding too sure.
“No way,” Marco retorts. “You’ve got a secret, and I’ll advise you to say it before I find out myself.”
Nana gulps trying to think of an escape. She realizes the trouble she’ll be in if Marco learns the fact–she has a different mate–there’s going to be serious
trouble.
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