Page 61 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
But I had no plans to die without a fight. These idiots had no idea of the shitstorm that was coming.
Bring it on motherfuckers.
Pulling out my phone, I dialled the number I was given. “I have what you want.”
“Your instructions were to come inside.” The voice on the other end of line was cold, sounding almost bored. Beast snarled.He dies first.
I stepped out of the car, keeping the vehicle between myself and the building. Being shot wouldn’t kill me, but I didn’t want them to know that. Reaching into my shirt with my free hand, I grabbed the chain attached to the journal and waved it in the air.
“You want this, you bring Caly out first.”
My skin tightened as Beast strained for release. I was taking a risk and he sure as shit didn’t like it. They might hurt her to get my compliance. They wouldn’t kill her, because they needed the leverage. But they could hurt her. My claws lengthened, punching holes in the metal of the car.
Keep it together dude. Just a little longer.
We needed to get her out first. They couldn’t be trusted to release her once I gave them the book.
“Get the girl.” The words were muffled, as though the speaker at the other end of the line tried to muffle the call, but Beast’s hearing,my hearing, was far superior to a human’s.
I waited beside the car, Beast coiled and ready for violence. As soon as Caly was out and safe, I’d give them the journal, then Beast and I would take down as many of them as we could.
There was a commotion at the other end of the line. I heard whispered words and then a curse. “The girl’s gone.”
Wtf? Gone? Where could she have gone? What did she do? I told her I was coming to get her. For a moment, my chest was tight with panic. And then it hit me. I should have known. She was my mate. Of course she didn’t wait passively to be rescued. She wasn’t afraid of me when I shifted in the parkinggarage. She was powerful, intelligent, beautiful and perfect for me in every way.
And that meant…
We were going to Plan B.
I stiffened as the change rolled over me.
Plan B was fucking simple because I no longer needed to negotiate. Plan B involved killing every single one of these assholes who used my mate as leverage. But first I needed to tell my mate how much I loved her.
Chapter 73
Calypso
The sound of voices trickled down the stairway as I crept forward. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I was going to have to be very, very quiet. Quiet I could do. The bigger problem was that I was still glowing. Now that I’d drawn on all this power, I didn’t know how to get rid of it except to use it. Ok. Fuck it. I’d use it.
I took the final steps at a rush. If anyone was there, I’d brute-force my way through. But when I reached the concrete floor at the top of the stairs, I was met by a wall of large wooden crates. My charge almost caused me to barrel into them and I threw myself to one side, cracking my elbow against the wall, hard enough that pain radiated along my arm, my fingers tingling. I shook the pain off.
But the good thing? The absolutely fantastic thing? Right beside where I was standing; a plain wooden door labelled ‘exit’.
Footsteps sounded nearby and I threw myself sideways into a gap between the crates and the wall. The feet went down the stairs, then up again, pounding past. My escape had been discovered.
I rolled out of my hiding spot and got to my feet.Just as I put my hand on the lever to open the door, a roar erupted from the front of the building. It was so loud that the crates rattled. I felt it in my teeth. In the vibrations in the floor. My heart galloped and I stifled a gasp as my body reacted instinctively to the knowledge that a very large, very dangerous predator was in the vicinity. It was a special sort of thrill, knowing that the beast outside was here for me.
I was too late.
Chapter 74
Luc
CALY!
Her name echoed around the buildings. I was here for my mate. I sent power down the bond, smashing open the fragile barrier she erected in her mind. Never again would she hide from me. Never again would I be bereft of her presence. I was hers. And she was MINE.
I could feel Caly’s shock at the tsunami of emotion I sent her. But her mind opened to me like a flower turning to the sun. I nearly stumbled as I basked in the sensation of her love.
