No one answers.
Hudson leads us down a hallway I’ve never been in before, toward what I assume is a back exit of the lake house. Axel brings up the rear while Damien scouts ahead. The distant sound of glass shattering makes me flinch.
A deafening crack splits the air—gunshots.
What the actual fuck is happening?
The smell hits me next: acrid smoke burning the back of my throat. Not just smoke—I can detect the chemicals in it, the accelerant. My nose wrinkles at the assault.
“They’re setting fire to the place,” Damien hisses.
Hudson’s jaw clenches. “Fuck. We won’t make it. They’re already between us and—”
An explosion rocks the house. The floor beneath my feet vibrates, and I grab the wall to steady myself. My ears ring from the blast.
“Plan B,” he snaps, yanking open what looks like a storage room. Hudson pushes me inside.
“Stay here. Don’t make a sound. We’ll come back.”
“You can’t just leave me—”
Before I can say more, they’re gone, the door shuts firmly behind them. I stand frozen in the darkness, my heart hammering so loudly I’m sure it can be heard throughout the house.
The sounds of fighting grow louder: crashes, gunshots, shouts, growls.
I back away, bumping into shelves. My hand closes around something solid, a flashlight. It’s not much of a weapon, but it’s better than nothing.
The minutes drag by like hours.
And then, silence.
The doorknob turns.
I raise the flashlight, ready to swing.
The door opens, and a man I’ve never seen stands there.
Not Hudson. Not Axel nor Ethan, Oli nor Damien. He’s wearing tactical gear, a gun holstered at his side, his eyes are cold and assessing, finding me instantly in the dark.
“Found her!” he shouts over his shoulder, then turns back to me with a smile that makes my blood freeze. “You’re coming with us.”
I swing the flashlight as hard as I can. It connects with his shoulder—not his head, where I was aiming—and he grunts, more annoyed than hurt.
“Cute,” he says, grabbing my wrist and twisting until I drop my makeshift weapon. “Boss said you might be feisty.”
I kick out, aiming for his groin, but he sidesteps. My scream is cut short when he clamps a hand over my mouth.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he growls in my ear.
I choose the hard way, sinking my teeth into the flesh of his palm. He curses, loosening his grip just enough for me to wrench free and bolt for the door.
I make it three steps into the hallway before strong arms wrap around my waist, lifting me off my feet.
“Hudson!” I scream, fighting like a wild animal. “Axel!”
No answer. Just the crackle of flames and the rough hands dragging me backward.
“Your wolves aren’t coming to save you,” the man holding me laughs, his breath hot against my neck. “They’re a little busy trying not to die.”
