Page 8 of Bait Wolf
Back through the corridors, back down that dark staircase to a more familiar landscape; the Lunar City Fight League’s underbelly. The system of tunnels and corridors and cells that had become my home.
Maple was living in luxury by comparison; he was healthy, fed regularly, had a kitchen and bathroom and even a bed. He wouldn’t be able to handle the things that I had already endured or would endure.
I was already weak. I was on the verge of death. If one of us had to do this, better me than Maple.
But if this was my legacy, my ending, then one thing was for sure: no matter how big or how strong the alphas I would face were, I would not go down without a fight.
ChapterFour
Coal
I paced the back room like a caged animal. It was exactly what I would be soon enough, when they released me into that fight ring, and it was already exactly how I felt.
In the stadium beyond, I could hear thousands of people. Their seats rose above me, but as much as I wanted to see Asha, I couldn’t go out there yet.
I wasn’t alone. My team was all with me. The other alphas that I usually trained with were normally there to pump me up and help me get ready, but this time none of them approached me.
They could all tell I wasn’t myself today. I hadn’t slept a wink last night. I hadn’t been able to. I’d been too angry. Normally rest and recovery was important leading up to a fight, but this time, it didn’t matter. Not when I was planning to lose it anyway.
I still couldn’t quite believe that my own manager had sold me out in exchange for a cut of this twisted deal. Whenever I thought of it, my claws kept extending spontaneously, fury pumping through me. I could barely contain my wolf at all.
I was so angry I didn’t know how the hell I was going to walk into that ring and not completely lose it on Lambert.
If not for the fact that they had Asha, I would tear the other alpha limb from limb simply because I was in that mood.
A strong hand landed on my shoulder, and I swung without thinking. Luckily, my friend Everest was as quick as he was large, and the big man managed to duck out of the way.
“Careful there,” he said, holding up his hands, baring his wrists and showing that his claws were withdrawn.
“You should know better than to sneak up on me,” I growled anyway. “Especially right now.”
“He didn’t,” Seymour said from the other side of the room.
Seymour and Everest always backed each other, so I only glared over at him at his interference.
“I said your name several times,” Everest insisted. “So didhe.”
I looked where Everest gestured, toward the door, surprised by the presence of one of the club employees.
“Five minutes until your fight,” the beta said awkwardly.
I managed to nod before looking around at my other friends.
Seymour, Aspen, and Aurora shrugged helplessly.
“We’ll make sure they don’t leave with Asha,” Seymour said. “I’m watching the front door, and Aurora will be on the back door.”
She nodded in agreement.
“And I’ll be in your corner, as usual,” Everest added.
They had offered to do more when I’d updated them, such as going as a team to tear down every door in the city until they found her.
I loved the sentiment, but if I could somehow get Asha back while protecting her from seeing anything too violent, then that was the way to do it.
Seeing me get cut up wasn’t exactly much better, but at least it was in a controlled environment.
Five minutes until we would see each other...
