Page 37 of Beast

He screamed like a dying animal and I tossed him aside.

I took out one man after another until finally the last of them lay unconscious at my feet.

Breathing heavily, I stood up and looked around at the wreckage of the bar. It was clear that these men weren’t going to talk, at least not without some serious persuasion. But I wasn’t done yet. I had to find Vladimir, no matter what it took.

I grabbed the nearest guy moving and dumped an abandoned beer over his head. He sputtered.

The same guy that had the tremor in his voice.

“Talk.” I bared my teeth at him and his eyes bulged out of his head. “Where can I find Vladimir?”

“I-I d-don’t know,” he stammered, and I let my wolf fangs extend.

His shriek had me shaking him. “Tell me or I will kill you right here.”

He nodded his head hard and fast. “There’s a guy who-who I think works for him. He comes here to play poker in the back. I spot him in the corner—he usually waits for his girl to have lunchevery day at the corner of Main and First. I-if you go now, you can catch him.”

“I’ve called the cops,” the bartender shouted. “You’re not welcome here.”

“If you’re lying to me”—I leaned down in his face—“I will come back for you. I’ve got your scent and can track you down no matter how far you run.” Not entirely true, but as a wolf, I could smell him within a mile.

“I swear I’m telling the truth. H-he just left here about five minutes before you came in.”

Not wasting time, I pushed the guy out of my way and rushed out the door.

Finally, I spotted the goon standing on a corner, like the guy in the bar told me, his face etched with worry. I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward me.

“Where is Vladimir,” I said urgently. “I need to talk with him.”

He jerked his arm from my hold, reaching into his jacket pocket, but I slid my knife under his chin.

“I have no beef with you, man, but this is urgent.”

“Why should I believe you?” He huffed, clearly not believing me.

“Listen up, buddy. You ain’t got a clue what this is about, but I’ll make it quick. His daughter is in trouble and I’m here to save her. You with me?”

I gritted my teeth, pushing the tip of the blade into his skin. “You think I’m lying? Explain to Vladimir when his daughter is dead because you were too much of a coward to help me out.”

His eyes widened in fear as he nodded, and I followed him down the murky alleyways of the city. I had no idea how we were gonna escape the mafia and get Natalia to safety, but I wasn’t giving up. We needed to stay one step ahead of them if we had any chance of surviving.

He finally stopped outside of a fancy hotel and my stomach tightened. Of course, her dad would be living in the most luxurious place in town.

I strode into the lobby, a surge of adrenaline coursing through me. My wolf howled inside me, as though warning that we were in enemy territory. Couldn’t be helped. I had to get his assistance if I had any chance of me and Natalia living through this.

I’d been part of the mafia for years now, but this situation was different. She was my mate and I’d rip out the throat of anyone who laid a finger on her.

“He’s on the top floor, penthouse,” the man said nervously, nodding his head toward the elevators.

I grinned menacingly as I waved my blade in his direction. “Lead the way, bucko.”

“My name’s Rex.”

“I don’t fucking care,” I ground out.

After Rex entered his keycard, the elevator continued up, then the doors opened up with a ding.

We stepped out into a posh office with a mahogany desk, leather chairs, and her father sitting behind a stack of papers.

---