Page 40 of The Hunt: Emerald

My eyes fly open, but I’m not still. The world spins, shapes flickering past as trees zip by. Wind crashes harshly into my ears, and one arm is locked under my knees, another around my back…wait, am I being carried?

Murdoch?I look up, wondering when I passed out while I was just fighting, but panic snaps me fully alert when my nose wrinkles. I don’t need to see the face to know whose foul scent is clinging to me.Garven! What the fuck? When… how?

I try to wrack my brain to think about what happened, but my breathing stills and a lump rises in my chest when I hear it. Cheers, voices, the hum of the finish line. His stride is fast, andway too fucking purposeful not to know what he’s going to do. He’s taking me to be claimed.

No!

Not without a fight! Or so I think. When I try to summon my power, I feel a dull hum in my veins as if something is blocking it. That’s when I move and feel cold steel. Fucking shackles bite into my wrists, runes carved deep into the metal, and I know instantly this is the thing binding my power.Shit!

With each step he gets closer and closer to the finish line, my brain flickers to Murdoch, but I can’t afford to do that right now. I need to stop this mother fucker from claiming me. I need to make him feel safe.I need to make him think he’s won!

I need to stall because I know Murdoch would never leave me. I have all faith that my man, my Alpha is coming, and he’s not going to get taken out by some pussies ganging up on him! I just need to do my part and stop this fucker from ruining everything Murdoch and I have built!

My heart races and honestly, I thought he would hear it. Murdoch’s hearing is so good, but it seems his brother can’t even measure up on that! I use it to my advantage and I wait…timing my move until we get close enough to the finish line. When the time is right, I kick out of his arms and shoot up, slamming my knee between his legs as hard as I can.

A strangled grunt comes from his throat as he falters, and with a loud, sharp cry, I roll to the group, dirt getting into my mouth as he drops me, but I waste no time and scramble to my feet with a snort.His nuts ain’t even that big, what’s the big deal?!But as much as I want to laugh in his face, I turn to run, hearing a gasp come from the at the sudden change of events.

I run as hard as I can… not toward the cheering crowds at the finish line, but towards where my heart pulls me …towards Murdoch.

“I’m coming!” I gasp, sprinting through the trees. But before I get too far, Garven grabs my leg, pulling me down, but I break my fall with my hands.

“Not so fast,”he switches up, huffing as he drags me by the foot, trying to act nice.“Where are yu goin’? Let’s cross the finish line tugetha! Yu can take the prize money! I’m not here tu hurt yu. I jus’ want tu break ’im!”Garven tries to explain, but I can see through his lies. I’m sure another Omega would jump at his tempting words, but my nails claw at the dirt. Pain be damned, I know the implication of letting him get a better grip on me. Rage boils my blood and I twist, kicking the fuck out of his face with my free leg.

Crack.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH! YU BITCH!”he roars and I smirk at the satisfying crunch from the impact of the bones in his noseshattering beneath my foot. Not even the blood that sprays me stops me from rejoicing, but pain sinks into my ankle, and I glance down to see his claws digging into my legs, blood spilling onto the ground like a red river as he yanks me back with a scream coming from my lips.

“FUCKKKK!” I kick him again, but this time he blocks me and lets his guard down. He releases me and I scramble to my feet, already running, looking for a twig to pick the lock of these shackles. However, when nothing works and he gets a grip on me, I spin out of his grasp, chest heaving, fists clenched despite the cuffs.

“Come on,” I spit at his feet. “If you want me, you’ll have to do exactly as your brother did, asshole. You’ll fight for this,” I glare and he throws his head back laughing, blood streaming down his face, eyes wild. His lips twist in a cruel smile as he lunges for me, but I sidestep him, gritting my teeth when I land on my fucked up foot, but I bare it and smash the cuffs into his nose again.

“AHHHHHHHHH YU FECKIN’ BITCH! I’LL KILL YU!!!!!”

“Oh please. Stop being a pussy. Your brother took worse,” I goad, lying, knowing damn well I couldn’t get even a lick in on that big mother fucker, but he don’t have to know that! This teasing is good enough. I can smell the bitch in him… the inferiority complex is strong with this fucker and that’s perfect! I eat dogs like him for breakfast! I’ll never lose against a weak bastard like him.

“Feck… I see why he’s so crazy about yu. Yer not so easy tu tame, are yu?” he mocks, circling me. “Not like’er. No, no, no, yer much better t’an t’at poor, pathetic t’in’ Murdoch played wit’ befer yu. She was so desperate fer ’is attention, blind wit’ jealousy weneva ’e so much as looked at anotha woman, t’inkin’ he’d claim ’em an’ not ’er… it made it easy tu get ’er tu betray him.

It was fun tu see the look o’ betrayal on ’is face wen she stabbed ’im, but the fun dinna last because he cut ’er off, not even botherin’ tu look fer ’er after she left. She quickly ran ’er course, so I disposed o’ ’er but yu…”he pauses and shakes his head.“I see yu will’na just break ’im, but yu’ll feck ’im up completely. Now Ireallymust ’ave yu. Come on, join me! Yu can ’ave the prize, I dinna even care. I jus’ need tu see ’is face wen ’e sees yu ’ave betrayed him!”

Fury surges in me, sharp as steel at his words.His very presence repulses me…

“You disgust me.” I meet his gaze head-on, voice steady. “I can hardly believe you share the same blood as Murdoch! And you’ll never witness such a thing. I’llneverbetray him. EVER!”

Garven’s smile deepens, dark with lust.

“Iknow,”he speaks softly.“T’at’s why I want yu.”He steps closer, voice dripping poison.“T’at’s why I’m goin’ the other route… I can jus’ see it now… me brother’s face wen I parade yu across the stage like a trophy! ’is soul mate, claimed by law tu me, yet bound tu ’im . The perfect way to break ’im… the only way tu own ’im.”

My heart thunders in my chest, but I stand tall, not faulting at his vile words.

“I’ll never let that happen,” I spit and he chuckles.

“Oh?”His eyes gleam.“An’ who’s goin’ tu stop me?”

“Me.” I crouch, ready to fight, but I know deep down I can only hold out for so long. “Now bring it on, you ugly son of a bitch!” I lunge for him, ready to kill him or die trying. However, I’m not worried. I know without a doubt…he iscoming for me.

Chapter 16

Mine

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