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The man reels backward, wailing with pain that I fear will echo in my nightmares for years to come. I barely get a glimpse of the severe burns on his hands before the adrenaline kicks back in. I keep moving. Room doesn’t exist for me to feel guilty about any of these people getting hurt in the process of trying to hold me captive.
I reach the first floor and hesitate for a split second. I peer out the small window cut into the door, stomach plummeting at the sight that meets my eyes. The first floor is teeming with people who must be searching for me. I can see several headed straight for me. They already know where to find me, so there’s nothing to lose by pushing through the emergency exit door tucked into the cinder block wall next to the stairwell.
The fire alarm blares immediately.
I keep moving.
My hands shake slightly as I dig for the keys in my pocket. If I can get to the SUV I took from the Anchorage Lake Pack, I can get out of here safely. No human will manage to out drive me once we get near shifter territory. I’m too familiar with the roads.
Panic blurs my vision as I run, and I make it to the edge of the parking lot at the front of the building before I realize what’s waiting in front of me.
Dominic, Paxton, Tess, and Dominic’s father, Dimitri, are all gathered next to a SUV in a circle, their mouths moving rampantly as they obviously try to work out some kind of plan. They break, Dominic and Paxton heading toward the front of the building until they realize I’m heading straight toward them.
Dominic has to leap toward Tess to keep her from rushing me, which I’m thankful for. I’m sure my expression already looks wild with panic, reflecting the chaos swimming in my gut. I’m going to lose it completely if I have to face my sister right now.
Paxton doesn’t hesitate. He closes the distance between us at the same time Langston’s team floods through the front doors of the building.
There are a lot more of them than I expected. Where there’s only five of us, there are at least thirty of them.
Who the hell has this much security at an office building?Paxton’s voice across mind link is growly, but he tries his best to soften it slightly for me.What were you thinking, not letting us know about this? We could have been back up for you. Has anyone hurt you? If they have, I’ll—
I interrupt his frantic stream of questions and concerns.We should get everyone out of here. It isn’t safe. Langston will use everyone here as collateral to get what he wants. I thought I could talk to him reasonably, but he’s too far beyond that.
“You want to run?” Paxton asks out loud, voice laced with surprise.
“I think it’s the safest thing we can do,” I insist as Dominic lets out a harsh growl.
“We’re not running.” Dominic’s voice is full Alpha. “This man is a cockroach. I’m tired of being on the defensive.”
A murmur of approval comes from Dimitri and Tess. Paxton is the only one that doesn’t react. His eyes are locked on me as he grabs my waist and drags me as close as possible. I can tell he wants to share an opinion, but he’s holding back.
What do you think?I ask him.
I’ll respect the choice you make.
No, tell me what you really think.Langston’s men converge toward us. In a moment, the decision might be entirely out of our hands. It’s now or never, and as Luna Sovereign, I have the final say.
Paxton tightens his hold on me.I want to destroy anyone who ever thought to target you. I want to see their limbs torn off and the life drained out of them.He hesitates for the briefest second.But I also want to go home with everyone safe when this is over.
There’s the problem. Safety can’t be guaranteed with either choice. Langston already proved he isn’t going to let me walk away without getting what he wants.
I have to make a choice. Now.
Make the choice, my wolf urges. And I know exactly what side of this argument she’s on. My wolf is tired of running from the things that scare us. Fear is what propelled me to follow Tess after she disappeared rather than staying with my own pack to face my grief over losing Jimmy. It’s also what I did when faced with Paxton the first time.
No more running. She’s firm on the decision, and so am I.
I turn and properly face the guards Langston has sent after me. They’ve all stalled out where they stand in a half-circle between us and the building. They seem confused about how to move forward now that they’re not chasing me. They need instructions, but Langston hasn’t appeared yet to give them.
Chaos is dangerous.
Chaos causes people to act out of fear.
And that’s exactly what happens when one of Langston’s guards fires off a round of shots. A spray of bullets hit concrete around us, wild and without aim, but dangerous nonetheless. The shooter’s eyes are wide with panic, and his lack of preparation for a situation like this further shows in the fact that he doesn’t come close to hitting anything. It would barely mean anything at all if it wasn’t for the fact that it creates confusion among the rest of the men, causing several others to aim their own firearms.
“Shift!” Dominic screams, but there isn’t enough time.
I use every bit of strength I possess to shift before anyone else can, pushing Paxton back and leaping closer to the guards to direct their attention at me. Their expressions morph into that of horror. Some of them back away while others set their mouths in lines of grim determination.
