Page 32 of Wolf

“Whatever happens,” Alice says. “We stick together. We fight together.”

I nod, a flood of determination running through my veins. We’re about to be in the middle of a fucking cartel war, and anything could go wrong. If we make it out alive, then it’ll be a miracle. But I must believe we’re strong enough to survive after everything we’ve endured.

It feels like forever ticks by until we all hear distant gunshots.

Alice clears her throat. “This is it.”

“Shit,” Luna says, her face paling.

I hate myself for wondering where Matias is and if he’s okay. Anyone could get caught in the crossfire. And the fact is, Taren might fail.

The gunshots echo through the auction house, shattering the tense silence. Chaos erupts as people start scrambling and shouting. Amid the commotion, a man in a black suit suddenly appears, his eyes fixed on Alice.

“No!” I cry out, lunging forward to stop him, but he swiftly pulls a gun and aims it at me.

“Don’t even think about it, sweetheart,” he growls, his finger tightening on the trigger.

I freeze, my heart pounding in my ears. Luna grabs my arm, her eyes wide with fear.

The man turns his attention back to Alice, who’s shrinking away from him. “Time to go,” he barks, grabbing her roughly by the arm.

“Let her go!” I yell, my voice cracking with desperation. I can’t bear the thought of being separated from another one of my friends.

The man sneers at me. “Shut up, or I’ll put a bullet in your pretty little head.” He drags Alice out of the holding room.

I look to Luna, my mind racing. We’ve got to do something, but with a gun pointed at us, our options are severely limited. I clench my fists, hating how helpless I am.

As the man nears the door, a loud commotion erupts nearby. Gunshots ring out. The man’s grip on Alice momentarily loosens.

“Now!” Luna yells, and without hesitation, we both lunge at the man to pry Alice free from his grasp.

The man swings the gun around, shoving us back with a furious roar. “I said, stay back!” He tightens his grip on Alice, dragging her out of the holding room and into the main auction house.

I watch in horror as they disappear through the door, Alice’s terrified gaze burning into my soul. Panic and despair threaten to overwhelm me, but I refuse to give in. We have to find a way to save her.

Turning to Luna, I see the same fierce determination in her eyes. “We have to go after her,” I say, my voice trembling with emotion.

Luna nods, her jaw set. “Then let’s go.”

Without another word, we race toward the door, only to find that the bastard has locked it on his way out.

“Fuck! We’re locked in here,” I shout.

Luna’s face pales. “We must have faith that Taren’s plan will work out.” Her throat bobs as she swallows. “He won’t let anything happen to Alice.”

I pace the locked room, my heart pounding in my ears. While I want to believe Taren will save Alice, I can’t shake the sinking feeling that he’s not entirely in control. He’s going up against his boss, Ileana Navarro.

The distant sound of gunfire and chaos heightens my anxiety. I need to do something, anything, to help my friend. But with the door locked, we’re trapped like caged animals.

Turning to Luna, I see the same worry etched on her face. “We’ve got to find a way out of here,” I say, my voice laced with desperation.

She nods, her brow furrowed in concentration. “There has to be another exit, something we’re missing.” Her gaze sweeps the room, searching for any sign of an escape route.

I join her, eyes scanning every inch of the small holding cell. The walls are bare except for a single barred window above our reach. The door is our only way out, and it’s locked tight.

Frustration bubbles within me, and I kick the solid door in a futile attempt to break free. The impact sends a jolt of pain up my leg, but I barely feel it, my mind consumed by the need to save Alice.

“Kali, stop!” Luna grabs my arm, her eyes pleading. “Hurting yourself won’t help.”

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