Page 75 of Cursed Wolf

As he lowers me to my feet, I look down at my arms and body and discover I’m only wearing a tank top and underwear. My skin’s normal, more of a pinkish-white hue instead of freaking white with blue veins.

“I’ll explain everything, but you need to get ready. Martell is here.”

“Fuck, he’s here?” I’m suddenly wide awake. Adrenaline pulses in my veins, pounding in my ears. “Does he know where we are? I’m so confused. I don’t even know where we are.” I rattle off questions that pop into my head as I quickly grab the clothes from the end of the bed. I hate this surreal confused state. “Where are the others?”

“Just get ready, and I’ll quickly explain.” Bringing me my boots, he sets them near my feet as I pull on my jeans, jumping up and down to drag them up my legs because, of course, they’re skin-tight.

“After you took out the zombies at the Bane Wolves’ home, you passed out. We rushed you to the closest pack we had a partnership with, and you’ve been sleeping ever since. In the meantime, Martell arrived to claim this pack, or he’s tracked us. We need to sneak out the back and get out of this pack.”

I’ve never moved so fast in my life, purely on adrenaline and fear.

When I’m ready, Stone grabs my arm, and we fly out of the room toward the back door. I keep looking over my shoulder, unable to spot the others.

“Are they already outside?”

“You could say that,” Stone whispers as he slowly opens the door and sticks his head out.

My stomach trembles. The urgency I pick up from Stone worries me. He suddenly swings back inside, shutting the door and locking it. We stand still as my heart beats a million miles an hour.

“Please tell me what’s going on,” I whisper. I’m trying my best to be calm and not drown in the desperate terror clawing through me.

“The only way for us to escape was for the others to confront Martell to a Lup Challenge, a fair fight between a handful of men from each pack. Ragnar wins when Martell dies.”

Blinking at him, my head spins.

“And if Martell wins?” I gasp.

“Narah… nothing you do now will stop the events that have already begun. They’re already out front with Martell.” He lifts his chin at the door at the opposite end of the hallway.

My heart in my throat, I turn and run down the hallway, barely holding back my tears. Stone’s feet pound the floorboards, and I’m in his arms so fast, I lose my breath. “Put me down, please.” Tears are already falling, and my throat thickens to the point it hurts.

“Please, Narah. They are risking everything. Don’t take that away by not leaving with me.” The ache in his voice adds to my guilt.

“I want to see what’s going on… please.” When he sets me down, I go to the window by the door and move the curtain ever so slightly to peer outside.

In the distance, people are everywhere. In truth, I barely see much because of the trees in my way, but there’s definitely something happening. I can hear people cheering and hooting. My stomach drops, and the tears come, stinging and blurring as I picture my three men being beaten to death while these assholes shout for more.

I hate everyone—the world, the Alphas, the stupid games people rule. Most of all, I hate that I was so weak, I passed out taking out a handful of zombies.

“I’m sorry, Narah, but we have to go now.”

Gasping for air, it takes everything in me not to run out there and help them, but I know I’d fail against so many.

Fingers gently curl around my wrist, and Stone pulls me back down the hallway to the rear door.

“All they have to do is win, right?” I ask, clinging to him.

“It’s four against four.”

“Four?”

“One of Ragnar’s men has been living with this pack. He’s taking my place, so Martell doesn’t ask where Ragnar’s other warrior is.”

My head spins out of control. Evidently, I missed a lot while I was passed out.

“I promise when we are safe, I will explain it all to you from the beginning. Okay? Now, I just need you to trust me. We have to get out while they’re in the challenge, and everyone is occupied.”

Heartache carves its way all the way to my soul, but I begrudgingly nod.

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