Chapter 29 The Attack
I flipped through the pages of the documents one after the other, glancing briefly at the figures that were starting to double in my eyes from how long I’d been at it.
I sighed, lifting my hand slightly to rub the side of my shoulder that ached badly. My gaze stayed fixed on it for a moment before drifting to the stack of documents still waiting for me. My stomach groaned in exhaustion.
“Are you sure you’re going to be fine staying here alone?” Cora asked for the fifth time, adjusting the brown bag on her shoulder. She had wanted to leave with the rest of the staff, but she didn’t want to leave me behind.
“Yes, I’ll be fine,” I replied. “Alpha Warren said I have to submit the report by morning, and I’ve barely reached the middle of this stack. I have to stay up all night, and I don’t want to bother you.”
Cora rested her hand on the desk, leaning slightly to look at my monitor. “I’m not complaining, am I?”
I looked at her tired eyes. Even without her saying anything, I could see she needed rest. “I know you’re not, but you’ve already had a stressful day. I don’t want you to add to it.”
She sighed, giving me a sympathetic look. “Okay, if you say so. But don’t refuse my offer to bring you dinner… and maybe a nice coffee to keep you up.”
I gave her an appreciative smile as she turned to leave. The corridor fell quiet along with the lobby as the staff began exiting the building. I let out a deep sigh and looked back at the stacks of documents.
The clicking sound of heels on the marble floor pulled my attention. I looked up to see Jane walking toward me with a smug smile.
“What are you pulling at now, pretending to stay in the office all alone to work?” she said, her eyes full of disgust and hate. I was tempted to ask why she hated me so much, but I held back. I needed my energy for the night, and talking to her would drain me.
I pretended not to hear her and continued typing. But when I felt her shadow behind me, I had to turn.
“Is there a problem, Ms. Jane?” I asked politely.
“Nope,” she said with a smirk, a fake smile pulling at her lips. “Nothing, Diana. I came to drop this.” She placed a bag on the table. “This contains fifty more files. Review them along with the rest.”
I shot her a deadly stare as she walked away. My wolf stirred violently inside me, ready to emerge and tear her apart. But I clenched my fists and forced my eyes back to the screen, pretending it was the only thing that could ease my frustration.
The building grew quieter as the last staff members disappeared. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, and for the first time, doubt crept in. I was here alone. Completely alone.
I shook the thought off and continued typing, trying to ignore the empty hum of the office. But soon, the quietness began to feel heavy, almost suffocating.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
“Diana?” It was Mr. Harris, the security guard.
I looked up. “Yes?”
“You’re still here?” he asked, stepping inside. “You shouldn’t be alone this late. It’s almost night, and this building… it’s strange when it’s empty.”
I forced a smile. “I know, but the Alpha asked me to stay behind and work. I can’t leave.”
He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alpha Warren isn’t that heartless. He wouldn’t do this to you. I'll talk to him on your behalf.”
“Please don't,” I said softly. “I’ll be fine.”
He gave me a long, sympathetic look. “Alright… but call me if anything feels off.”
“I will,” I said.
He nodded slowly and left, the click of the door echoing in the empty office. I let out a shaky breath. Once he was gone, the silence returned, heavier than before.
I went back to my work, typing until my fingers ached. Midnight came, and I glanced at my phone. 12:03 AM.
I sent a quick message to Layla: We need to find time to meet and talk.
My eyelids were heavy, my body begging for rest, but I refused to give in. I focused on the screen, forcing my eyes to stay open.
A faint sound from the lobby made me looked up hastily. Something shifted, scraping against the floor. My wolf stirred violently inside me, rising in alarm. My chest tightened, my heart thundering.
I immediately reached for my phone to call Cora, my fingers shook as I dialed her number. It rang once…
Before she could speak, a huge black wolf leaped from the shadows, the same one that had attacked me the night I was returning from work. My phone slipped from my hand. Fear gripped me like a vice.
Instinct took over. My bones cracked and shifted as my wolf emerged, tearing free from my human body. Fur erupted across my skin as I lunged at the wolf, growling and snarling. I fought with everything I had, but he was stronger and faster.
Then I realized, they weren’t alone. Two more wolves appeared from the darkness, circling me with glowing red eyes. My body tensed as my wolf tried to protect me, but fear and exhaustion were already weakening her.
I slashed, I bit, I fought, but it wasn’t enough. One of the wolves pinned me, pressing his claw against my head, digging deep. Pain exploded in my skull. My wolf whimpered, weakening with every second.
I howled for help, a desperate cry that echoed through the empty halls. My throat burned, my chest heaving. But no one came.
I thought of my mate.
If he was still out there, if he even cared, he would come. My wolf cried his name inside me, but the echo came back empty. Nothing.
The wolf above me pressed harder, his claw digging closer to ripping me apart. I closed my eyes, surrendering to what I thought would be the end.
And then, I caught a glimpse of movement. Wolves, charging down the hallway, coming straight toward where I was. Before I could react, my wolf’s strength gave out completely, and I shifted back into my human form. Pain tore through me as my body hit the cold marble floor. Everything went dark.