Page 37 of Alpha's Baby Girl
“Help me,” I said.
“You could be leading us all to our deaths,” Conall warned. “Kato has it in for you, and he has her on his side. It could be a trap.”
“Conall. She’s gone—she’sgone, and if he has her…” I shook my head. “I either go alone or you can all come with me. You said you’d have my back. It’s your choice, but I’m not wasting another second.”
I barely made it out of the hotel before I shifted, my suit shredding into pieces on the floor. I didn’t want to cause a scene by running through town so in my head, I mapped out the quickest route to find where her scent led. It lingered through the streets, heading to the outskirts of town.
The harder I sprinted for my mate and the second scent that entwined with hers, the rage settled into me, spurring me on. I couldn’t believe how, only weeks ago, I had resented the Games and being duty-bound to my mother and pack to enter. Now, I would stop at nothing to rescue my mate. I halted, my paws skidding on the street, as I followed Thalia’s scent to the abandoned warehouse. I had to believe it was Kato setting me up, not Thalia. Her scent was so strong, leading me inside.
As soon as I stormed open the building, I realized I had been a fool for not waiting for my pack. But all I could think of was protecting my mate and getting her back. Nobody wouldevertake her from me again. I would kill the male who dared to even do it this time to get back at me.
Whatever Kato wanted he would have it if it meant Thalia would be returned to me.
The only blessing I counted was that I couldn’t smell blood. There was that chemical reek still lingering, but no bloodshed. Conall’s warning once again rang in my head but my blood roared at being so close to her.
Before I could track her further into the warehouse, two wolves darted out of the shadows. I let out a roar and swiped my claws at one while slamming my body into another. One of the wolves snapped for my neck but I twisted, throwing them off where they tried to find purchase on me. I lunged for it, ripping out its throat.
Blood coating my tongue, I let out a bellowing growl for Thalia. If any of these men had laid a single finger on her, I would kill them all. The second wolf came at me, and I skidded, letting its own speed and weight send it careening into the wall on the far end. It gave a pained yelp as it smashed into the wall and I leapt after it. I pounded my whole weight on its flank, feeling bones collapse beneath my paws. I growled, pinning the wolf beneath me, baring my teeth at it.
Eyes that were afraid but also trying to keep hold of the challenge against me stared up at me. I snarled, shoved it away, and let it lick its own wounds. He would stay down with those broken bones.
I ran the way they had come, my body carrying me far easier than my human body ever would. While I could fight with guns and knives as a human, my wolf would fight better in these situations. I needed every instinct to save Thalia.
Her scent led me down a flight of stairs. I hated how quiet it was. The warehouse was so abandoned and quiet that I could hear a faraway drip of a leaking pipe. Voices murmured from a basement where I followed her scent to. When I burst through another set of doors, I skidded to a stop.
My mate—my mate—was on her knees, her dress torn, as she opened her eyes. They were filled with tears, and her whole body trembled. Her arms were curled protectively around her stomach.
A low growl came out of me as Kato, head of the rival pack that had been after Silverlake Valley since my father was alive, cocked a gun aimed at Thalia.
“Oh, well, isn’t this a glorious reunion,” he drawled. “I can’t deny, I had expected to meet with Fenrys, head of the town, not the alpha wolf. But if that’s what you want then we can fight as wolves or speak as men.”
I took a step towards him, snarling a warning.
“Actually, no. I want you to hear her story first.” He shoved the barrel of the gun into the back of Thalia’s head. At her pained noise, I took another step forward, my eyes on Kato.
A wide grin split Kato’s hard face. “Make another move towards me or her, and you’ll be burying both your mate and your baby.”
Baby.
Thalia’s cries tore through the air, a beg on her lips as she reached for me with one hand. The second scent, her sickness, her tears. Her need to leave. She would have taken my baby from me in order to protect me from whatever mess she’d gotten into with Kato.
My blood boiled. A man dared to threaten both my mate and child.
I snarled again but stayed put.
“Go on, then, Thalia.” Kato shoved Thalia’s head with the gun. It took everything in me to only watch and not pounce. But the safety was off, and one wrong move would have him pulling the trigger. “Tell him.”
But Thalia could only hiccup on her sobs as she looked into my eyes. I wished I could talk to her, tell her I would keep her safe, but I needed my wolf form more than anything. Where was my pack? I needed them to stay in the shadows. Any sudden movement from them arriving could have Thalia in more danger.
“Silent so suddenly? You wouldn’t shut up earlier.” Kato tutted mockingly. “Sorry about the rag, as well. It smeltawful.”
I gave him another warning noise. I had no time for games.
“Fine. If she won’t tell you, then I will.”
Kato swung the gun up, barrel facing the ceiling as the floorboards above us creaked with my pack arriving. He aimed in different areas as if guessing where any of my pack would be.
He aimed and shot. Thalia screamed, arms wrapping around her stomach.
