My scream echoes through my skull as the beast shakes its head violently, flinging me toward the kitchens. My body flies through the air, and I crash heavily on the floor. Groaning, I scramble to get to my feet, and slip on the tiled floor that is drenched in blood. Bodies are strewn across the restaurant floor, and I run for the kitchen doors just as I am tackled to the ground—another wolf upon me.
The wolf’s teeth tear into my thigh, and this time, when I hear my father’s panicked voice ring out, I know he has shifted back to find me.
“Dad!” I scream for him.
“Samuel, get to Cleo!” I hear his gurgled cry from another room before I hear the snapping of bones again. I kick out, trying to get the wolf mauling me off while keeping my arms over myhead, knowing if he gets to my neck, I am gone. Claws rake down my sides, and I scream in agony as the wolf drags me closer.
I thrash, screaming and kicking when his weight is suddenly gone from on top of me. I gasp, only to see a massive black wolf standing over the rogue that attacked me. The rogue now lies dead at his feet. I crawl back on my hands and feet, my leg throbs as my blood spills onto the floor, mingling with the rest of the bright red stains. I shriek when I notice another rogue lunge at my face, only to stop midair when the black wolf mauls it. I try to escape, but I am now caught beneath the black wolf.
He takes down the rogue, and I clutch his fur, wondering which Alpha it is because I haven’t seen this wolf before. He doesn’t snarl as I use his body to pull myself out from under him so I can stand. The wolf sniffs my leg and whimpers, more rogues spill in through open windows. The wolf snarls, spins on his feet before snapping his teeth at me, telling me to run without the mindlink.
I don’t need to be told twice. I clamber to my feet, ignoring the pain and run toward the kitchen to find somewhere to hide, catching glimpses of rogues everywhere. They are going to kill everyone, there are too many. Sliding along the floor, my leg throbs to its own beat, and my arm gushes blood when four rogues come into the kitchen from the other end. I come to a halt before spinning, only to find my exit is now blocked, and I am surrounded.
“Cleo where are you?”my father calls through the mindlink.
“Dad, I’m…”a snarl pulls me from the mindlink.
“Hold on, Bub, I’m trying to get to you!”he calls back, while my gaze tracks the movement of the wolves surrounding me.
Glancing around, I grab a knife off the counter, trying to watch them as they stalk toward me. The one at the exit I justcame in from charges at me, and my eyes fly wide, a shriek leaving my lips when it, too, is attacked, mere inches away from me.
The huge black wolf from before starts ripping it to shreds and knocking me out of the way before the other four join the fray, trying to kill him. Scrambling back on my hands and feet, I turn, looking for a way to escape, when I see one wolf tear into the black wolf’s hind leg. Panic ripples through me at the sight, the black wolf is the only thing keeping me alive.
I stare at my hand and remember the knife. Getting on my hands and knees, I scramble to my feet. I rush toward the one ripping at his rear leg while two try to get at him from the side, the other dead on the ground. I plunge the knife into the filthy gray wolf. It rears back and snarls, then wheezes when I pull the knife out just as quickly.
Only it doesn’t kill him. It only to piss him off. Panic rushes through me as he stalks toward me. The black wolf is busy mauling the other two when more come in. By the time I turn back, it is too late. The wolf pounces and tears into my shoulder, knocking me backward. I scream, pain flooding through me, and the sound rings out loudly as it shakes its head.
Teeth tear through my flesh easily when it lets go. I groan, rolling on my side. Blood coats the floor, making it slick as I try to drag myself away.
I crawl toward the huge walk-in freezers and grab the handle, attempting to rip it open. The savage fighting grows louder, and I hear their bodies drop just as more come crashing into the kitchen. They knock the steel benches over and send utensils flying. The black wolf that saved me is now severely outnumbered and surrounded as he puts himself between me and them.
Yet, no matter how many spill into the kitchen, he keeps attacking them with surprising finesse. Although, he’s slowingdown, limping and bleeding in several places. I feel powerless, unable to shift, and of no use to him. All I can do is watch and slowly back up, watching them intently. Who is this mysterious wolf? And why hasn’t he abandoned me to save himself?
I yank on the freezer doors, trying to get them to open. In my panic, I realize there is a button on the handle on the third attempt. I jam my thumb on it, it clicks open, and I grip the frame, using it to help pull me to my feet. Turning back, the wolf is covered in blood as he takes on three rogues at once. I peer around and find no exit for him, I call out to him. The freezer would be secure if we could jam the door closed.
“Hey!” I scream at him, and he glances back only to be attacked. He attacks back, tearing into the wolf, only for another to replace it.
He retreats, backing up toward me, and I push the door open. If he doesn’t hide in here, they will kill him. We can block the door and wait for help to come. Unable to shift and join the fray, it’s our only hope.
Not given a choice, he turns the moment he gets a chance and barrels toward me. I shriek, darting out of his way before slamming the door shut the moment he is inside. The wolves hit the door and nearly toss it open while I push back against them.
“Help me block it!” I shout at the wolf while gripping the handle and digging my feet into the ground, trying to hold it closed. I scream as it pushes inward, my shoulder and arm protesting as the door rams back at me; my injuries threatening to make my whole body collapse. I can’t lock the handle, a body hits it. Likewise, I click the lock in place, only for it to unlock instantly. One of the rogues has shifted back. Paws would struggle to manipulate the lock.
“Move!” a man’s voice growls, I jump back as he slams his body against it. Hearing the lock click back in place, the handledrops to the ground with a loud clang. I try to catch my breath, relieved he got it locked, just as my legs give out from under me.
I clamp my hand over my bleeding thigh, internally cringing at the way it is ripped open. My consciousness fades, and I feel like I am going to faint as I stare down at my blood-drenched blouse.
“Show me,” the man’s deep voice comes as he swats my hands away. I look up to see who the man behind the mysterious black wolf is, who saved me. I gasp when I recognize him as Alpha Zayn. Looking very handsome and absolutely exhausted. Plus, he is naked with his hands holding my leg together.
“Why didn’t you shift?” he snaps at me, pulling me from my shock.
“I haven’t shifted yet,” I blurt out, and his head snaps up to look at me.
“You’re under twenty?”
I nod. He appears shocked, pressing his lips in a line. He nods once before a rumble sounds in his chest.
“Avert your gaze, jailbait, while I find something to cover myself with.”
