Page 60 of Warrior

“Too dangerous,” he replied, his whiny voice grating on my frayed nerves and heightened senses.

Ms.Beast was winning this round, and I knew I had to push harder.

“I just need to stick my head out a door or window,” I pressed, forcing a hint of desperation into my voice.“What could it hurt?”

Daniels let out a long, dramatic sigh, his shoulders drooping with exaggerated annoyance.“There’s a courtyard through that door,” he finally said, jerking his thumb toward the door we’d passed about ten yards back.“If you want to risk your life, be my guest.Just do it after I drop you at your room so no one blames me.”Each clipped word dripped with irritation.

“Thank you,” I managed, trying to tamp down the growing pressure inside me.Ms.Beast was being unreasonable, and deep down, I knew her tantrum wasn’t going to end in my favor.

Daniels left me at my room a few minutes later.I leaned back against the closed door, trying to catch my breath.The moment he was out of sight, I allowed myself to crumble.The K5 surge Ms.Beast caused burned from the inside out.She wasn’t going to give up her relentless attack.

Something was wrong.

King had told me to listen to her when she was like this and ignoring her wasn’t an option right now.I slipped out of my room, carrying my shoes.Pants and a tee were all I wore, making it easier to shift quickly if needed.

The door to the courtyard was heavily barred from the inside, a solid metal beam meant to keep sane people from venturing out after dark.Hellhounds thrived at night, and the Federation made sure to lock down every vulnerable access point to keep them out.

Good thing I wasn’t exactly sane.

The outside door handle locked automatically, and my shoes came in handy to keep it wedged open.I entered a narrow, steep stairway leading upward.I ran up, lifted the final bar and realized I needed to go back for one of my shoes.It took only a moment, but Ms.Beast screamed inside me the entire time.At last, I stepped outside.

The courtyard was small, walled off by an eight-foot concrete barrier meant to keep anything dangerous out, or maybe to keep people in.I scaled it easily in human form, my enhanced strength making it feel like nothing more than hopping over a low fence.

On the other side, I slipped off my clothes, stashing them in some nearby bushes.Ms.Beast surged forward, and this time, I let her take over without resistance.My muscles quivered with pent-up energy as I shifted, the transformation filling me with raw strength.

I sprinted into the dark and demolished the streets of Washington with speed, leaving what little remained of civilization behind.

I stuck to the outer edge of the city’s protective wall, running as fast as I could.Ms.Beast’s urgency burned through me, driving me forward.Whatever had upset her needed to be found and dealt with.If I ran into a few hellhounds along the way, all the better.I’d welcome the fight.

With any luck, I’d uncover the source of her agitation and maybe even sleep soundly tonight.

Chapter Twenty-Two

King

I mourned Beck’s loss, but Marinah’s absence tore me apart piece by piece.The constant, gnawing sense of danger over her pushed me closer to the breaking point until I couldn’t handle the static void I was in.

I had to act.

Getting away without Nokita wasn’t easy.He’d been trained by Beck who was the best tracker we had.Escaping Beck had always been a near-impossible feat.I bided my time carefully.At dinner Nokita had a lively discussion with a few of the men giving me an opportunity.I slipped quietly into the night.

After evading the perimeter guards, I shifted, and Beast slid to the forefront.My entire body hummed with the release of pent-up energy.I ran at top speed, allowing Beast to lead.He knew exactly where we were headed.

Mate,he whispered into my soul.

In three hours, we covered over seventy miles, avoiding hellhounds and humans.By the time we reached Federation territory, it was a little after eleven.Marinah pulled at every cell in my body, tethering me to her even if she wasn’t aware of it.Beast felt it too, and I was counting on her to listen to her own beast.

Finding her in the sprawling underground compound would be the hard part.It could take hours to zero in on her exact location, and I didn’t have hours.

I slowed to a jog when we reached the massive concrete wall surrounding the capital.Beast’s nose worked the air, and I felt his disdain.The wall was made of nothing but cement, with no steel reinforcements.This wasn’t a stronghold; it was a death trap.Greystone had advised the Federation to use metal.They hadn’t listened.Typical.

“Find her,” I told Beast.

We continued for another mile before Beast leapt over the wall, taking us inside the city.The air here was thick with the stench of sickness and death.Beast’s nose had sniffed out one of the human encampments the government set up.I widened our circle to avoid it.I didn’t need to see what lay inside to know it would only make my rage boil.

Ten minutes later, movement in the shadows caught my attention.

Mate.Beast’s voice was a low growl in my mind.

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