Page 23 of Falling for My Shifter Boss

I fight to stay conscious, but the wolfsbane pulls me under like quicksand. Time becomes fluid, marked only by brief moments of consciousness between waves of nausea and pain. The pitch darkness of night eventually gives way to a pale glow of dawn through the high window, and then the harsh glare of afternoon sun. Nearly a full day has passed since they grabbed me outside the kitchen.

Heavy boots scrape against concrete, and the metal door groans open. Three shadows stretch across the floor – the hunters returning after leaving me alone for hours. The leader steps into the shaft of sunlight, his clean face throwing harsh shadows. Behind him, two others flank the doorway.

"Ready to talk yet?" Knuckes' voice comes from somewhere to my left. "The gala's security details. That's all we need."

I manage a weak laugh, though it sounds more like a wheeze. "Still not happening."

"Your loyalty to Blackwell is touching." It's the leader again. His footsteps echo as he approaches. "But misplaced. You really think a corporate alpha gives a damn about some pack wolf? Men like him use people like you as shields."

The words sting more than they should. I know what Adrian and I are to each other, even if we've both been fighting it. But doubt creeps in anyway, aided by exhaustion and pain. Would he really come for me? After everything?

"Do you have any idea who's going to be at that gala?" The leader continues, his voice taking on an almost conversational tone. "Lucien D'Arcy. The entire supernatural council. Pack alphas from three states. It's a perfect opportunity to cut off the head of the snake."

My heart pounds harder. Lucien. The council. All those powerful supernatural beings in one place—it would be a massacre.

"Fuck you," I say, because it's easier than examining the fear building in my chest.

A hand grabs my hair, yanking my head back. Knuckles' breath is hot against my face, reeking of cigarettes and coffee. "Watch your mouth, bitch. We've been patient, but that can change real quick."

I bare my teeth in what I hope is a threatening smile, even though my fangs won't descend with all the wolfsbane in my system. "Try me."

The punch catches me across the jaw, snapping my head to the side. Pain explodes through my face, and I taste blood, copper-bright and warm. But I don't scream. I won't give them that.

"You wolves," the leader sighs. "Always so stubborn. But everyone breaks eventually. It's just a matter of finding the right pressure point." He pauses, and I can hear him moving closer. His expensive shoes click against the concrete. "We have people watching your pack, you know. That little sister of yours—Sofia, isn't it? Sweet girl. Always walking to school with her friends, stopping at that little café for hot chocolate. Be a shame if something happened to her."

Ice floods my veins. The thought of Sofia—bright, fierce Sofia—in their hands makes my wolf surge against the wolfsbane, howling in helpless rage. "Touch my family and I'll tear your throat out."

"Bold words from someone who can barely lift their head." His footsteps circle behind me. "But I believe you mean them. Which is why we're going to try something different."

The needle slides into my neck before I can react. More wolfsbane, stronger this time. The room spins violently, and I can't hold back the whimper that escapes my lips. My wolf, already weak from the previous doses, retreats even further into the recesses of my mind, leaving me feeling hollow and vulnerable.

"We'll let that sink in for a while," the leader says. "Think about your choices. About what matters most. The gala's in a few days. We don't need you alive to make our point—just visible enough to serve as a warning to others who might stand in our way."

Footsteps retreat. A door slams. Darkness swallows me whole, but not before memories of Adrian flash through my mind—his rare smiles, the warmth in his eyes when he thinks no one's looking, the way his hand felt against my cheek.

I don't know how long I drift in and out of consciousness. The wolfsbane makes everything hazy, dreamlike. But in the depths of that chemical fog, something stirs. A pull. A connection I've been trying to ignore since that first kiss in Adrian's office.

Adrian.

I reach for him instinctively, not even sure if it's real or just desperation. But I picture him anyway—those storm-gray eyes that see right through me, the slight curl of his lip when he's trying not to smile at one of my jokes, the warmth of his hands when he touched me like I was something precious.

Please,I think, though I don't know if he can hear me.Please find me.

My head slumps forward as exhaustion takes over. I can't fight anymore.

Chapter 12

Adrian

The world has narrowed to a single truth:Maya is missing, and I will tear this town apart to find her.

It's been nearly twenty-four hours, and every second without her grates against my sanity like broken glass under my skin. I haven't slept. Haven't eaten. My wolf is relentless, snarling beneath my skin, demanding blood. The beast wants to shift, to hunt, to destroy everything in its path until we find her.

I stand in my office, hunched over a spread of maps and reports, trying to make sense of the scattered leads we have. The paper crumples under my grip, my claws threatening to emerge. Eli and Sawyer flank me, their expressions grim in the harsh fluorescent light.

"Theo's scouts found activity in the warehouse district near the industrial zone," Eli says, voice tight. His usual easy manner is gone, replaced by coiled tension. "No confirmation yet, but it's our best lead."

I nod, barely registering his words. My hands clench into fists, nails biting deep enough to draw blood. The metallic scent only feeds my rage—a rage I can't unleash until I have something to sink my teeth into. Until Ifind her.

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