Page 78 of Wolf

“Clear!” I call out, stepping over the corpses.

I scan the room, looking for Kali. Nothing. But she’s here. I can feel it.

I kick open the basement door, the wood splintering under the force. The stairs creak beneath my boots as I descend into the darkness, my heart pounding in my ears.

And then I see her.

My little rabbit, strapped to a chair. Her face is bruised and bloodied, her clothes torn. Standing over her, a knife in his hand is Suarez.

The world goes red.

I don’t remember crossing the room. One moment, I’m on the stairs; the next, I have Suarez by the throat, slamming him against the wall.

“You fucking piece of shit,” I snarl, my fingers tightening around his neck. “What have you done to her?”

Suarez chokes, his eyes bulging. “M-Matias,” he gasps. “I can explain-”

I slam him against the wall again, harder this time. Something cracks. I don’t care.

“Explain? You think you can fucking explain this?” I roar, gesturing to Kali’s battered form.

Suarez’s face is turning purple, but I don’t let up. The rage consumes me like a fire in my veins.

“You made a grave fucking mistake,” I hiss, leaning in close. “You never should have touched her.”

Suarez’s eyes widen in fear. Good. He should be afraid.

I drop him, letting him crumble to the floor. He gasps for air, coughing and sputtering. Turning to Kali, my chest aches at the sight of her. I approach slowly, not wanting to frighten her further.

“Kali,” I whisper, reaching out to touch her face. “I’m here. I’ve got you.”

She flinches at my touch, a whimper escaping her split lips. Fury surges through me anew.

I whirl on Suarez, who’s struggling to his feet. “You’re a dead man,” I growl, stalking toward him.

He backs away, hands held up in a futile gesture of surrender. “Matias, please-”

I don’t let him finish. My fist connects with his face, the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my knuckles. He staggers back, blood pouring from his nose.

But I’m not done. Not even close.

I rain blows upon him, each one fueled by the sight of Kali’s battered face. He tries to fight back but is no match for my rage.

By the time I’m finished, he’s a bloody, broken mess on the floor. I stand over him, chest heaving, my knuckles raw and bleeding. He’s not dead, and I’m not finished with him. He’ll pay when I slice his body into pieces slowly until he finally bleeds out and dies.

“Matias.” Kali’s weak and frightened voice cuts through the haze of my anger. I turn to her, the fury draining from me in an instant.

“I’m here, baby,” I murmur, moving to her side. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

I wrap my arm around Kali's waist, supporting her weight as I help her to her feet. She's unsteady, her legs shaking from the ordeal she's endured.

"Thiago," I call out, my voice rough with emotion. "Get Suarez out of here. Chain him up at the compound. I'll deal with him later."

My brother nods, his expression grim as he hauls Suarez's unconscious form up the stairs. I know he'll make sure the bastard is secure until I'm ready to make him pay for what he's done.

I turn my attention back to Kali, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Let's get you home," I murmur, guiding her towards the stairs.

She leans heavily against me as we make our way out of the basement, each step a struggle. I can feel her trembling, the adrenaline of her rescue fading into shock and exhaustion.

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