Chapter 16: The Attack

Andres grabbed my arm. "Come on."

He pulled me down the hall. Away from the stairs.

Behind us, I heard shouting. Growling. Fighting.

"What about the others?" I tried to stop.

"They can handle it. You're the target." He opened a door at the end of the hall. "In here."

It looked like a storage closet. But he pressed the wall and a panel slid open.

Behind it was a small room. Concrete walls. No windows. Supplies in the corner.

"Stay here. Don't come out until I get you." He pushed me inside.

"Wait! What if something happens?"

"Then Cole will come. Or Alex. Or Stacey." He started closing the panel. "Lock it. Code is 2847."

The panel slid shut.

I was alone in the dark.

I found the keypad. My fingers shook as I entered the code.

The lock clicked.

I sat on the floor. Pulled my knees to my chest.

Outside, chaos. Crashes. Screams. Snarls.

The pack was fighting. I was hiding.

My wolf stirred inside. Angry we weren't helping.

I'd only known about my wolf for an hour. But hiding felt wrong while my pack fought.

Not pack yet, I thought. You don't even know how to shift.

The wolf didn't care. It wanted out. Wanted to fight.

Sounds got louder. Closer.

Someone was in the hallway.

"She's got to be up here!" A man's voice. Not one I knew.

"Check every room." Another man.

Footsteps. Doors opening and slamming.

They were searching for me.

I held my breath.

The wolf inside me growled. Low and angry.

No, I told it. Stay quiet.

Heat built in my chest. Spread through my body.

Not now. I couldn't shift now.

The footsteps stopped outside.

"What about this closet?"

"Already checked. Just cleaning stuff."

They moved on. Down the stairs.

I let out my breath.

The heat faded. The wolf settled.

I waited. Minutes felt like hours.

Then sirens. Police sirens far away.

Someone called the cops.

The fighting downstairs got quieter. Then stopped.

Footsteps running. Car engines starting. Tires squealing.

They were leaving.

Silence.

I waited for someone to get me.

No one came.

Five minutes. Then ten.

Something was wrong.

I stood. Went to the keypad.

Cole said to wait. Andres said stay locked in.

But my gut screamed something was wrong.

I entered the code. The lock opened.

I pushed the panel.

The hallway was empty. Dark.

I stepped out. Listened.

Nothing. No sounds.

Wrong. Even if the fight was over, there should be voices.

I walked to the stairs.

"Hello?" I called quietly.

No answer.

I looked down.

The gym was destroyed. Equipment everywhere. Blood on the floor. Windows broken.

But no people. No pack. No Cole.

My heart raced.

"Stacey? Alex?"

Nothing.

I went down. Stepped around broken glass.

"Anyone?"

Still nothing.

Where was everyone?

The front door hung off its hinges.

I walked to it. Looked outside.

Police cars in the lot. Lights flashing.

But no officers. No people.

The cars were empty. Doors open.

Like everyone vanished.

"What the hell?"

Behind me, something moved.

I spun.

A man stood in the doorway. Not Brian. Someone new.

Tall. Muscular. Cold eyes.

"There you are," he said. Smooth voice. Dangerous. "Been looking for you."

"Who are you?"

"Marcus Chen. I work for your mother." He smiled. No warmth. "She sent me to bring you home."

"I'm not going."

"Not your choice." He stepped closer. "Your mother's worried. Says you're having a crisis. That these people brainwashed you."

"That's not true."

"Doesn't matter. Matters what we prove in court." He pulled out a needle. "This will help you calm down."

I backed away. "Don't."

"Don't make this hard."

He lunged.

I dodged. Barely.

My wolf surged. Angry.

Heat built in my chest. Fast.

"Stay away!" My voice sounded different. Deeper.

Marcus stopped. Eyes wide. "You're one of them."

"I said stay back!"

"Your mother didn't mention this." He pulled out his phone. "I need to call her."

"No."

I didn't think. Just reacted.

I jumped at him. Fast.

My hands grabbed his wrist. Squeezed.

He dropped the phone. The needle.

"Let go!" He tried to shake me.

But I was stronger. The wolf gave me strength.

He swung at me.

I ducked. Shoved him.

He stumbled. Hit the wall hard.

I stood there. Breathing heavy. Shocked.

Marcus looked at me different. Fear in his eyes.

"Stronger than you look," he said. "But you're still coming."

He reached in his jacket. Pulled out a gun.

"Come quietly or I put you down."

Behind him, shadows moved.

Cole stepped out. Full wolf form. Massive.

Marcus spun. Saw the wolf.

"What..."

Cole's lips pulled back. Showed long teeth.

A growl came from his chest. Deep. I felt it in my bones.

Marcus raised the gun.

"Don't!" I shouted.

He fired.

Loud.

Cole dodged. Bullet hit the wall.

Then Cole jumped.

Marcus screamed.

I turned away.

The screaming stopped.

Silence.

I turned back.

Marcus was on the ground. Knocked out. Blood on his shoulder. Alive.

Cole stood over him. Still wolf. Brown eyes found mine.

He started shifting. Bones cracking.

Seconds later, Cole stood there. Human. Naked. Blood covered.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded.

"The others..."

"Safe. We led them away. Away from you." He grabbed a jacket. Put it on. "Didn't know your mother sent someone."

"He has a gun."

"Had." Cole picked it up. "Not anymore."

"What do we do?"

"Call cops. Report break in. Armed intruder." He looked at me. "He tried to kidnap you. That's illegal."

"She'll deny it."

"Maybe. But we have proof." He nudged Marcus. "He's got your mother's lawyer's card. That proves connection."

Sirens got louder. Real police.

Cole pulled me close. "Tell them the truth. He broke in. Threatened you. Pulled a gun. I stopped him."

"What about you being a wolf?"

"They didn't see that. Just a guy protecting someone." He kissed my forehead. "We'll be fine."

I wanted to believe him.

But as police cars pulled up, I knew this was just the beginning.

My mother wasn't done. Brian wasn't done.

And I was caught in a war I didn't know how to fight.