Chapter Thirty-One

KEAGAN'S POV ~

My head snapped in every direction, scanning the hall. Indeed, Sylvia was nowhere to be seen.

Shit!

I quickly rushed out of the hall in search of her, Hector at my side, pointing out the last places people had seen her.

"Did you see her agent as well?" I asked, digging the pads of my thumb into my temple as I paused at the last place I knew she had been.

"No, Alpha." Hector shook his head, and I ground my molars together.

What the fuck!

I was restless, a sense of impending doom settling over me like a shroud—even though I knew I shouldn't be—but where was she?

My attention snapped to a little boy whose mother was scolding him for wandering away from her. 

The boy kept sniffling, his head bowed as she continued to reprimand him.

I was about to pull my gaze away when the boy cried. "But Mom, I was trying to help a lady. A bad man was dragging her to the restroom while she kept fighting him. She didn't look well," the boy complained, and my spine turned to steel. Every muscle in my body coiled tight, focusing on the boy's words.

Hector and I shared a look before I strode toward the mother and son.

"Excuse me, ma'am, may I speak to the little man?" I asked, forcing a smile despite my rapidly beating heart.

The woman blushed and quickly nodded, giving us some space.

I smiled at the little boy before crouching down to hold his gaze. "Hey man, are you good?" I asked. 

He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry about that," I said impatiently. "Do you know where the lady went? Maybe I can help find her. It's really important."

The boy nodded this time.

"This way," he pointed to the left. "I saw her being dragged along. She was wobbling, but I couldn't help or he would've hurt me. That's what I'm trying to tell Mama." His eyes reddened again, but I didn't have the luxury of time to calm the little boy. I stood up hastily and ran in the direction he pointed while Hector muttered a quick thanks to the mother and followed me.

My head pounded as I quickly sniffed around the empty restroom area, trying to draw in her familiar scent, but it was already mixed with several others. The tension in my body tightened, my fingers curling into fists as I fought to control the restless energy coursing through my veins

I groaned in anger, almost slamming my fist into the restroom door when suddenly, from the periphery of my vision, I spotted a discarded heel on the ground.

"Is that hers?" Hector asked. My hands trembled as I reached for the red stilettoes. Just then, my wolf picked up the scent and began to follow it.

"It's fucking hers! Call the cops" I growled to Hector, who gave me a reluctant glance but quickly obeyed, stopping to make the phone call.

I kept tracking the scent until it led me to the back exit of the hotel, intensifying the bad feeling growing in my gut.

"Let go of me! What the fuck! I can walk on my own." A frantic feminine whisper pierced the air, and my stride faltered, my boots hovering above the ground as I froze. 

That was unmistakably Sylvia Reynolds. Who the hell was she talking to in the dark?

"Keep quiet! You'll attract attention. I'll be quick," a male voice said, undoubtedly belonging to her agent. "I've wanted you for such a long time and now I know you want me back too. I've seen the way you look at me. I'll make it good don't worry."

Ice crawled through my veins, my blood running cold. the chill spread, seeping into my bones as my sense of dread increased. something wasn't right...right?

The sound of a belt unbuckling echoed in the dim lighting, and I swallowed, unsure of what to do. I should have turned back—the sounds were from two consenting adults, and I should have minded my business. But my heart felt like it had been doused in gasoline, burning and aching.

"Fuck, you're so soft. For years, I've watched you grow into such a fantastic girl."  The agent said and Sylvia's moans came right after.

At this moment, it was clear the actions were consensual. I shouldn't be surprised Sylvia was fucking her agent. I should just fucking leave.

Clenching my teeth,  I crept back when the sound of tearing fabric pierced the air, followed by the crack of a slap.

"You bastard! Let go of me! Somebody... Help!" Sylvia's slurred voice cried out. I didn't think, I just acted. I raced through the door, anger slicing through my veins at the sight before me. Sylvia was pressed against the bathroom walls and Leon was behind her as she weakly flailed her arms, trying to push him off. Her eyes were unfocused, and her body moved sluggishly.

A lump quickly formed in my throat.

As I watched Leon pinning Sylvia down, a wave of nausea washed over me. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as my heart thundered in my chest, echoing in my ears. A cold sweat broke out on my brow, my skin crawling with disgust and fear.

In a split second, fueled by my wolf's speed, I was on top of Leon, pounding my fists into him. He screamed as I threw him to the ground, and my fist connected with the jaw, the impact sending a satisfying shockwave through my arm. A red haze of fury blinded me, and I unleashed a flurry of punches, each one landing on his face. All I could focus on were the crunching sounds of his bones and the scene replaying in my mind.

Sylvia had almost been raped!

This asshole had almost violated her!

She could have bled to death, killed by this monster, and no one would have known the truth!

Shock fuelled my adrenaline and I pinned him harder to the ground, my grip like a vice and continued to rain down blows. His face was now a mess of blood and bruises, his cries of pain music to my ears.

"How dare you!" Punch. "How dare you touch her with your filthy, condemned hands!" Punch. "You deserve to rot in hell, and I'll make sure nothing's left of you on your way to fucking hell." More punches rained down on him.

He kept yelling, growling, and trying to morph into his wolf form, but I was Alpha, already in control and my pheromones suppressed his weaker Delta ones.

 I struck his neck three times, watching as he choked and cried out before releasing him. He gasped for air, writhing on the ground in pure anguish.

Disgust filled me as I saw his exposed penis from his attempt to force himself on Sylvia. My body shook with terror as I couldn't help but think about how Jessica had been killed. Emma had told me that Jessica's men turned on her and set Emma free. Even though Jessica had been the guilty one, my lungs burned, suffocating under the weight of my own rage. 

Had she been molested by those men?

Did they give her a gruesome death before she died?

My eyes stung, and my vision blurred as my heart pounded with pain and loathing. I pinned my gaze on Leon, who was groaning in utter agony.

A primal rage surged through me, setting every nerve ablaze. My vision sharpened, zeroing in on the pathetic form writhing before me A low, menacing growl rumbled deep in my chest, my lips curling back to reveal my clenched teeth. My muscles coiled tightly.

How dare he lay a hand on her? Sylvia, the woman who had been entrusted to my care—my protection. She was mine to safeguard, immediately she signed the fucking contract with me and this vile excuse for a man had dared to defile her.

 My fists clenched so hard that my nails bit into my palms, drawing blood. I felt my eyes shift—my wolf rising to the surface, demanding retribution. 

The need to punish Leon consumed me, drowning out any rational thought. He would pay for his actions, and I would ensure his suffering was a thousand times worse than what he had inflicted upon Sylvia. The dark, vengeful side of me—the side I kept locked away—had been set free, and there would be no mercy for the fool who had awakened it.

My eyes caught hold of a sharp object glinting nearby and my feet drew me towards it. I picked up the shard of glass. My wolf growled, seeking to be let out but I assured him I got this so I crouched toward Leon with my bleeding fist whose skin had made contact with the sharp edge of the glass. 

“I'm going to make sure till the rest of your life, you'll never go close to a woman.” I made him a dark assurance. 

His eyes widened and before he could beg, I stabbed hard on his exposed penis with disgust and with speed, making him scream almost his lungs out. I drew out the sharp glass, scooted closer and swatted away his trembling hands that were placed on his region.

Raising the glass again, I kept stabbing it, making sure that part would be entirely useless forever. 

“You're lucky I'm letting you leave!" I spat on him and stood, watching blood soak the area where he was writhing and screaming in madness. A dark, satisfied smile made its way to my lips and I turned back to Sylvia who was whimpering, and palming her head. My smile slipped. 

I quit pulled off my jacket and gently wrapped her in it, feeling my heart clenched at how fragile and yet beautiful she was in my arms. 

Fuck! I needed to get my head straight because right now, my eyes were on her lips. Wanting to kiss her, taste her there, and assure her that I got her unlike anyone.

“Get off me! Shit! Save me!" She kept muttering, two drops of tears dropped and I gently wiped it away before leaning to sniff her. 

My wolf howled in satisfaction, and I growled for him to shut up. 

Shit! I needed to get her to the hospital. Just as I made to stand, my eyes landed on the figures who were before me and my throat tightened. 

Fucking Emma!