Page 130 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

Blood and pieces of flesh splattered across his face.

And then Amber's lifeless body fell in front of him.

Chapter 64

Shock rippled through Layla as she watched the light dim in Amber’s eyes.

She brought a shaky hand to her hair and pulled something out. She knew what it was but her mind had short-circuited. It felt like a dream. Everything sounded muffled as she watched the blood seep into the ground in front of her. Since she had started living with Jackson’s pack, this wasn’t the first dead body she had seen.

But it was the first that made her understand just how brutal her new life was.

Her heart pounded as she looked from what was in her hand to the man holstering his gun. Evil. Not human. Not human at all.

The wolf inside her rose, her self-preservation instincts kicking in. She understood now that her plan would never have worked. She had been prepared to die for Hope and Jackson, but the darkness inside the Hunter wouldn't have let him stop at just her. It wouldn't have stopped until it consumed everything she loved.

It was Andrea’s sobbing that brought her back to reality. She quickly shut the wolf away but couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Was this the life she was leaving for her child? Her mother had been running away from these men her whole life; how would Hope survive it?

Jackson knocked the bloody mess off her hand and pulled her into his arms, but she was stiff and unable to accept the comfort he offered. Her eyes returned to Amber’s body.

“Why are you out here, Mr King?”

They knew his name. Of course, they knew his name. They probably knew everything about him. She looked up at the man as he put his hands behind his back and stood with his feet apart.

“We wanted some time alone without the noise of the city,” Jackson answered. “We like camping when I have a spare five minutes.”

The man’s eyes moved to something behind them. She remembered they had fallen next to an abandoned tent, but she would never have thought to use it as their cover story. She thanked the stars that Jackson was the one answering the questions because she was still trying to process the gravity of their situation.

“Where is Costas Markopolos?”

Jackson looked calm, but his heart still pounded as he tightened his arms around her. They were going to die next; she could feel it. They had passed the silver test, but no one would leave witnesses after committing such a heinous crime.

“He’s dead, sir,” Jackson answered without hesitation.

Miss Roberts’ sobs turned to wails.

“See? He’s a monster,” she said. “I was right.”

The man looked at Miss Roberts and then at the two men who had blocked Amber. They secured their guns before they grabbed Miss Roberts by her arms. She was trembling so much that Layla felt a little pity for her. But she had chosen to get involved with such men. She had let evil into all their lives.

“Aren’t you going to do something to him?”

“I’m not here to judge your human crimes. You call the police for such matters, not us,” the man answered. “You’ve wasted our time looking for something that was under your nose all along. There will be consequences.”

Miss Roberts’ started to panic. She became hysterical as the two men half carried, half dragged her down the trail heading into the city. The Hunters ignored her screams and pleas for mercy as if they couldn’t hear her. Something told her that would be the last time she would see Andrea.

Two more people came forward and picked up Amber’s body to carry her in the same direction.

Were they next?

She looked up at the man who held their lives in their hands and met his cold, brown gaze. She didn’t have to fake the trembling that rocked through her.

“It’s a dangerous forest to camp in. Pack your things; we’ll take you back to your hotel.”

Just like that? Were they being let go, or did the Hunter have ulterior motives? Her instincts rang like crazy, telling her they were still in danger.

Jackson seemed to agree with her assessment because he tensed and looked back at Amber’s body before they disappeared through the trees.

“We’ll... Thank you, but we’ll manage,” Jackson said tersely.

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