Page 45 of Their Mate
Logan growled, frustration clear. “We can’t move forward this way.”
Aidan exhaled in a huff, expression grim. “Looks like there’s another tunnel branching off just ahead, maybe maintenance access. Might bypass these traps.”
I nodded decisively. “Lead the way.”
We moved quickly, slipping into the narrow maintenance tunnel, and moving cautiously through the tight, dimly lit passage. Behind us, the violent hum of electricity faded, replaced once more by tense silence. It didn’t last though. A sudden quiet clicking echoed faintly from further along the tunnel. This time, it was a mechanical, rhythmic sound.
Sera stiffened beside me, and put a hand out to stop us. “I recognize that noise. Those are automated turrets, probably motion-sensored. Another trap.”
I cursed beneath my breath. “Military grade again, standard perimeter defense from the Collapse era. Still operational?”
“Apparently so,” Logan growled.
I glanced quickly at the rest of the group, assessing rapidly. “We need a distraction—something fast, small, enough to draw their fire long enough for us to disable them.”
Sera glanced thoughtfully at me, a calculating gleam in her eyes. Without a word, she crouched swiftly and grabbed a rusted metal pipe from the debris near our feet. Before I could question her, she flung it forward with precise accuracy into the dark tunnel ahead.
Instantly, the turrets whirred to life somewhere ahead in the dark, their targeting lasers sweeping the tunnel walls like red eyes searching. The first burst of gunfire shredded a pipe overhead, showering us with sparks and steam. Using the cover of the hiss and glare, I dropped low and sprinted forward. Sera and the others caught on quickly, hurling debris and metal scraps down the passage, drawing the turrets’ tracking away in short, jerking bursts. By the time their sensors recalibrated, I was already at the control panel, tearing into the housing and disabling them before they could bring their aim back around.
The corridor fell abruptly silent, broken only by our harsh breathing. Logan exhaled loudly in relief, admiration grudgingly evident. “Good thinking, both of you.”
Jamie chuckled weakly, muscles relaxing just slightly. “Remind me not to piss off either of you, aye?”
I glanced briefly at Sera. She met my gaze evenly, the faintest nod passing silently between us. She wasn’t my friend, not yet,but we were allies in this moment, bound by mutual survival. That much was clear.
Logan stepped forward, glancing briefly at Aidan. “We push on carefully. It’s possible the Elder Lycan knows we’re coming now, with all the noise. Maybe all these traps are his design.”
My jaw clenched. My resolve hadn’t wavered, but it was apparent our mission was going to be even more challenging than we’d anticipated. We’d survived the first traps, but I had no illusions this would get easier. The underground labyrinth was filled with dangers, military equipment, automated defenses, remnants of a desperate human last stand and now, possibly even twisted into something even more lethal by an intelligent, dangerous predator. Despite all the dangers, we had no choice but to continue onward.
Declan needed us. Our pack needed us.
“Let’s move,” I said calmly despite the tension still coiling through me, through all of us.
Together, we stepped cautiously forward into the darkness, deeper beneath the city, toward whatever danger awaited us next.
CHAPTER 17
Sera
The underground tunnels seemed endless, each winding corridor stretching further into darkness, each shadow harboring another threat. We moved in nervous silence, boots scraping quietly against damp concrete, weapons clutched tight in our hands in preparation for whatever was to come.
Every instinct inside me was warning me that danger lurked close. I glanced at Logan to see his dark eyes scanning restlessly ahead. Edward led with a military efficiency I begrudgingly respected, his movements calculated and precise. Jamie flanked closely behind, his wiry form brimming with restless energy. Aidan limped slightly, but remained focused, pain hidden behind a mask of quiet determination.
As much as I hated to admit it, they worked seamlessly together, each movement fluid and perfectly coordinated, the silent bond between them unmistakable. I didn’t understand it, but somehow I’d been drawn into that formation, their instinctiveprotectiveness extending to me despite my stubborn refusal to accept it.
My grip tightened involuntarily around the hilt of my blade as the corridor widened abruptly ahead, opening into a larger maintenance hub beneath the subway station. The air felt colder here, heavy with the metallic tang of stale blood and decay. My heart pounded in my chest, a slight edge of terror brewing inside me at the scent.
Logan halted in place, body rigid, voice shaking. “Careful. We’re not alone.”
I heard them a heartbeat later, the guttural, animalistic snarls echoing faintly from the shadows ahead, growing steadily louder.
Lycans. I recognized the savage undertone immediately. My whole body stiffened, preparing for a fight.
Edward’s voice remained calm. “They’ve picked up our scent. Get in position quickly.”
We shifted immediately into a defensive formation, backs angled inward, weapons and flashlights raised in readiness. Adrenaline surged through my veins in quick bursts.
The lycans emerged from the darkness like monstrous apparitions, eyes glowing fiercely with primal rage, elongated limbs clawing the air as they charged forward. In seconds, mayhem erupted.
