Page 46 of Their Mate
A huge lycan lunged toward Logan first, jaws snapping viciously toward his throat. Logan pivoted smoothly, his blade flashing in a deadly arc, and his body slamming the creature backward withnothing but brute strength. Blood sprayed hot and thick across the concrete, and the lycan collapsed with a strangled roar.
Edward moved quickly, dropping low beneath another attacker’s vicious swipe, his combat knife burying deep into the creature’s flank. He twisted the blade upward, severing vital tendons and the lycan crumpled heavily, howling in agony. A quick follow-up swipe across the throat and there was one fewer lycan to deal with.
Jamie spun and ducked fluidly beneath flashing claws, his blade dancing in swift, deadly patterns. Each strike was agile and remarkably devastating. He wounded his attacker again and again until it finally dropped, bleeding out rapidly onto the concrete.
To my right, Aidan fought through his obvious pain, snarling ferociously. His knife plunged into the lycan, again and again, movements driven by pure survival instinct, stubborn willpower, and possibly a driving need for vengeance against these creatures who had taken so much from him.
I moved fast, breath rasping as I dodged and spun, attacking with the accuracy I’d honed over years of training. I took out an ugly lycan with a quick stab through its eye and into its brain. My heartbeat thundered, adrenaline singing wildly through my veins as I watched it crash to the ground in front of me, dead before it impacted.
I’d worked my whole adult life for this. I could do it, but even as I fought, my heart lurched sharply, a sudden prickle of warning zinging up my spine. I turned a split second too late, breath catching harshly in my throat as a massive lycan lunged violently toward me with its claws extended and its fangs bared.
I stumbled backward, suddenly off balance, eyes widening in startled horror as death charged toward me. Before the killing blow landed, Edward dove between us, eyes blazing, and plunged his knife ruthlessly into the lycan’s throat. Logan appeared instantly at my side, his weapon driving deep into the creature’s chest, an angry snarl escaping his lips. Jamie moved just as swiftly, tackling another beast from behind before it reached me.
My heartbeat hammered erratically in my chest, breath shaking unsteadily as I stared in stunned silence. They’d saved me without hesitation, fierce protectiveness clear in their every movement.
The final lycan fell beneath Aidan’s blade, silence descending abruptly once more. I stood, trembling slightly, blood rushing in my ears. My eyes flicked swiftly toward Logan, Edward, Jamie, and Aidan, all four of them alive, breathing heavily, but unscathed.
“Are you alright?” Logan’s voice was edged with concern, his eyes dark and intense.
I nodded shakily, too stunned to offer anything more coherent. “Fine.”
Edward stepped forward carefully. “That was too close, Sera. You need to stay near us. Don’t let your guard down.”
I bristled slightly at the implication of weakness, my pride flaring briefly, but beneath that more primal instinct, gratitude stirred quietly within my chest. They’d placed themselves in danger to save me.
Aidan limped forward carefully, his expression one of grave concern. “We all need to be careful. Stay close, Sera.”
Jamie flashed a faint, crooked grin, his breathing still a little uneven. “Aye. Can’t let anything happen to you, love. You’re a member of our pack now, whether you like it or not.”
His words sent involuntary warmth flooding through me, confusing, unsettling, but impossible to deny. I swallowed hard, my defenses rattling beneath his unwavering gaze.
“Pack,” I whispered, as if testing the word carefully on my tongue. It felt dangerous, unfamiliar, yet strangely fitting.
Logan’s eyes softened fractionally, though fire still burned behind them. “Exactly. We protect each other. Always.”
I hesitated briefly, conflicted emotions twisting inside me. Every instinct still screamed to be cautious, to not trust them, but they’d saved my life. A treacherous feeling deep within whispered that maybe I wasn’t alone anymore.
I exhaled slowly as I reluctantly nodded once in acknowledgment. “Let’s just find Declan.”
Logan’s lips twitched faintly into a brief smile, understanding passing silently between us. “We will. All of us together.”
I stepped forward once more, warily but with renewed purpose, blade grasped firmly in my hand. I’d fought these wolves, defied them, rebelled against them at every turn, but now, trapped beneath the city, surrounded by monsters, I couldn’t deny the quiet gratitude for their protection blooming in my chest.
No matter how much I wanted to resist it, the bond forming between us was real and quickly becoming impossible to ignore.
And right now, fighting together was our best chance at survival.
The darkened tunnels closed in tighter around us, walls slick and damp, dripping with moisture that echoed eerily through the gloom. I walked carefully between Jamie and Logan, their strangely comforting presence an anchor I reluctantly appreciated.
We’d survived the lycans, but none of us had delusions that the worst was behind us. The silence following the fight felt oppressive. Edward led the way, eyes narrowed intently in the flickering glow of our flashlights. He paused, crouching down suddenly, signaling for us to halt. My pulse spiked instantly, adrenaline prickling beneath my skin.
“What is it?” Logan’s voice remained calm and quiet, which I greatly appreciated.
Edward gestured carefully ahead, his voice lowered to a tense whisper. “Laser tripwire. Look closely.”
I peered cautiously forward, barely making out the thin, nearly invisible line stretched across the corridor. It shimmered faintly beneath the lights of our flashlights, almost imperceptible. One wrong move and we’d trigger whatever explosive waited beyond.
“Can you disarm it?” Jamie asked softly, careful to keep perfectly still.
