Page 13 of Seduced Wolf

As I think that, the phone jitters and everybody tenses up. Holly speaks for a while, glancing around as she hunches her shoulders. I duck back against the wall so she doesn’t see me. I count my breaths, trying to slow them and my pulse. When I next peek around, she’s walking out the entrance to the club.

Moving fast, I leave the club through the hidden door, then down the alley. I hide behind a dumpster as I watch her exit.

A man steps from the shadows, making my eyes widen. Holly stops, then passes him the cell phone.

“Well done, my dear,” he says quietly.

Holly doesn’t respond, simply walking away. I blink, watching her leave as if nothing’s wrong.

When the man is wearing all black, from his suit to his gloves to the full-face mask.

When I just recognized his voice.

A voice that’s disturbingly similar to the man threatening me.

He turns sharply, walking away, then turning again into another alley on the other side of the club. I don’t give myself time to think, I move. Holly’s not currently in danger, and this man is part of this, I know it.

I follow at a distance for several minutes as he weaves through the redlight district, his steps steady, his gaze straight ahead. He takes a left and I wait a few seconds before following. Rounding the old building, I find him before a warehouse. It’s closed, the shutters down, a single lamp post lighting the area.

He turns, that voice filtering from his mask. “How charming. You chose to come yourself this time.”

I freeze as ice skitters through my veins. His voice is cold, chilling. The hairs on my arms stand on end, and subconsciously, I start to back away.

Only to hit what seems like a wall. I don’t tear my eyes from the masked man, knowing it’s not a wall. There wasn’t one there. And walls don't breathe.

Spinning around I find myself staring into crimson eyes, bloodthirsty ones. This man is big, almost as big as Chase. And just as menacing when angry. But there’s something different about him, a madness in his eyes.

At his side is a gleaming machete with a blade longer than my head. It’s streaked with dry blood.

Was this the thing that sent me Peter’s finger?

“What wonderful timing,” I hear the masked man say and I spin back to face him. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about our arrangement, Aria. But with that man rarely leaving your side, it’s been difficult.”

He knows my name, which confirms it. This guy is the ringleader. Moreover, he’s far more dangerous than the man behind me. He knows Chase, he knows what he’s like and he knows the nature of our relationship.

The red-eyed man grabs my shoulder and tosses me straight towards the warehouse. My spine slammed against the cold steel with a large enough bang to echo through the alleyway. But I doubt anyone will come looking. People will assume it’s someone closing up…or they won’t want to know if something darker is going on.

I straighten, wiping the grimace of pain from my face. I need to stay focused. The masked man knew I was following him. He was just leading me somewhere secluded. What his intentions are, I don’t know. All I do know is that this man before me has Peter as hostage, and I could be next.

The red-eyed man starts walking towards me, his lip curling in anticipation. Terror and adrenaline fill my veins as I connect with my wolf. It’s the only way I’ll survive this.

“Stop.” The single command from the masked man has red-eyes instantly stilling.

He approaches leisurely, tsking. “You’re scaring her,” he says disapprovingly.

“What would you like me to do about that?” red-eyes snaps.

“Either leave or stand somewhere we can’t see you,” the masked man says, stopping in front of me and bending at the knees so we’re eye to eye. He’s trying to seem less threatening than the man with the machete, but it’s not working. It’s clear he’s ruthless. I can feel it. “You won’t get rid of that crude blade even if I ask,” he says with disgust.

If the red-eyes bristles at the command, he doesn’t show it. He walks away and stands at the other side of the alleyway with his arms crossed, staring at me.

“Is that better, Aria?” the masked man croons. “Shall we get down to business then?”

I focus back on him, trying to make my voice steely. “What do you want from me?”

“Many things,” he answers. “I want my money, I want everyone else’s money, and I’m starting to want your brother’s head on a pike. Although that’s what we’re trying to avoid, isn’t it?”

I grit my teeth. He’s mocking me.

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