Page 87 of A Second Chance for the Beta
I blink.Wait a moment… are they here?
Looks like it. Be careful.
You too. Are you protected?
Yes,she says.Jun and Raffy are here, and some warriors. Silas just left to follow you. It doesn’t look like anyone came onto pack grounds.
Now Marcellus’s actions make much more sense to me. Annie said that no one came onto pack grounds, and at the same time the guards are easily able to fend off the rogues. It means it’s just a distraction and Marcellus caught on.
I allow Nefeli’s senses to spread further, scanning the surrounding area until her mind slowly touches upon another being. Someone’s there!
I can’t communicate with Marcellus, so instead, I pick up my pace, rush right before him, and then make a sharp turn. Marcellus proves to be a capable alpha once again, instantly understanding what I’m getting at and following me instead of taking the lead. I can sense the moment his senses take up the real intruder.
He gathers his strength, lunges forward, and jumps over me before tossing himself right into a few bushes. Growls and snarls can be heard. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a man with a gun coming closer. I take a backseat and allow Nefeli to take control. She doesn’t waste much time. Dodging a bullet, she rushes forward, tackling the man and ripping his head off. It’s then that it strikes me that it’s probably not a good idea to kill them all.
I make my way back to Marcellus, shifting to my human form before he can kill the she-wolf he is fighting with. “Please don’t kill her!” I yell. “We need them, Alpha Marcellus. They are some of the mercenaries. We need to take them back with us to question them.”
Marcellus’s wolf pauses, tilting his head to look at me. Then he lets go of the she-wolf’s neck. She is unconscious, slowly shifting back to her human form. Marcellus and I turn our attention to two more guys approaching us. I shift back to Nefeli before Marcellus and I attack, knocking one of the guys unconscious and killing the second one. We have more problems at hand, as four more werewolves are approaching us, all of them in their human form. They are equipped with guns and tranquilizers. Before I can think of a strategy, I feel a strong aura engulfing us. Seeing how Marcellus doesn’t look threatened by the strong presence, I relax too. Soon enough, Silas appears next to us, his posture regal as usual, but the look in his eyes is hard now, angry. His whole aura changes to something darker and more sinister. He narrows his eyes to a glare. “No one threatens my coven and pack,” he snarls before a cloud of dust seems to form around him. He lets go of it, knocking the other four men unconscious.
Marcellus shifts back to his human form, and Silas turns to look at him. A smirk curls the vampire’s lips as he eyes the alpha and shifts his gaze to his dick. Wow, they are really subtle. I decide to remain in my wolf form, not because I’m embarrassed to be naked around fellow wolves, but because Nefeli’s senses are more alert that way.
Marcellus has linked a few warriors to help him carry the bodies and prisoners back to the pack. It’s then that my eyes finally land on the she-wolf Marcellus almost killed.
This is… Imogen!
Fucking yes. I can’t even believe our luck. Maybe she thought that Charlie would be with me, which is why she led her men here. Marcellus and Silas head back first, and I link Annie to tell her what happened. I’m about to follow the warriors when something catches Nefeli’s attention. It seems like one of the men or Imogen dropped something during the fight. Nefeli digs through the dry leaves, revealing a sheet of paper. Once more I shift to my human form before taking the paper in my hands. There is the draft of an amulet scribbled down on it. It takes a moment for me to register what it is until it hits me. It looks exactly like mine!
It’s the one I found in my parents’ possessions. It belonged to my mom and she left it behind for me. I make sure to fold the paper and then stick it into my broad bracelet. Stella and Jazz got them for the ranked members. They are enchanted, making it possible for us to shift with them and carry around small items.
When I turn around to walk back to the pack, I suddenly feel a presence behind me. Oh, damn it, I can’t believe I was so reckless and so focused on what I found that I forgot to check my surroundings. The aura of the person approaching me feels oddly familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. I have only seconds to make a decision.
Silas’s words ring in my mind again about the only way we can protect Charlie. If I don’t find a way now, Dante, Charlie, and I will constantly be forced to go into hiding.
I turn around to face the man behind me, instantly recognizing him as the vampire from the photos Richie took. It’s odd that he is here now… Did he work with Imogen? If yes, why wasn’t he part of the attack? It doesn’t look like Imogen’s group was a true distraction; they were out there for a goal.
But this vampire here… What’s his deal?
“If you run, you could still make it,” the guy says. He doesn’t sound impolite or even threatening.
“I doubt that’s true,” I say calmly.
Can we attack him?Nefeli asks.
I doubt it. You saw what Silas just did.
“I have a deal to propose,” the man says. “Or rather, my master has one.”
“And if I don’t want to hear that deal?”
“Then everyone in this pack will die,” he says shortly.
“You are bluffing,” I say. “I know your master won’t attack the coven leader here.”
The man’s face hardens, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. “Damn it,” he huffs before I can feel him spraying something into my face. While I still battle with the effect of whatever it is he sprayed onto me, I can feel his aura expanding. The world goes dark around me.
*JULIANUS*
The thick walls surrounding me used to give me comfort; now they just feel like a prison. I drag my feet down the several staircases until I reach the dining room Lord Aloysius has summoned his high-ranking guards and most loyal subordinates to. I am one of them, I guess. Back in the days when Lord Silas was still around and wanted to leave, it was me who told Lord Aloysius about his brother’s plan.
