Page 41 of Alpha Chained

Get up, goddammit!

But my body refuses to obey me. I’m panting with exertion, sweat cooling on my skin. I go tense as I wait for the bullet that will end me.

Until a sound catches my attention – paws pounding against the ground. Raura’s wolf form charges back toward us with surprising speed.

“No! Run!” I yell hoarsely.

She doesn’t listen.

Raura leaps at the second guard with a ferocity I didn’t know she possessed. Her teeth sink into his arm as he cries out in pain and surprise. With a swift movement, she pulls the guard to the ground and finishes him off with a vicious bite to the throat. His scream turns into a gurgling rasp as blood pulses from the wound. Raura’s wolf form stands over him, lips curled back in a snarl until the light fades from his eyes. She releases her grip, panting heavily as her muzzle glistens crimson.

She’s fucking magnificent.

Breathing heavily, I look at Raura in awe. She’s saved my life when I was certain it was over.

I owe her everything now.

Chapter 15

Raura

I stand over the guard panting – not from exertion, but from the shock of what I’ve just done.

I’ve never killed before.

But it all happened so fast. And when I saw him about to shoot Riot, instinct took over. Now, anxiety flares as I see him sitting on the floor, his hands clasped over his thigh. Blood pulses from the ragged tear in the soaked fabric of his sweatpants and through his fingers. From the pallor spreading from his face down his throat, I can tell that this isn’t an ordinary bullet.

Silver.

I know it. It’s what Parker has threatened me with since I got here. All of his team are equipped to deal with us in the same way. I growl low in my throat.

“Get out of here,” Riot says. “You can go on without me.”

I shake my head. If he thinks I’m leaving here, he’s out of his freaking mind.

“I said go!” he repeats more firmly. It’s an effort. There’s sweat beading on his forehead. I growl again, planting my ass on the ground and sitting in front of him. “Dammit, Raura! You can’t stay here.”

I cock my head and whine.

“I’m just going to slow you down,” he grits out. His jaw is clenched. I can almost feel the pain radiating through him. I paw at his knee and whine again. There’s no way I’m going to let us get this close and then abandon him.

“You don’t have to worry about me. Parker will just put me back in the fucking cage. I’m useful to him.” He’s breathless, speaking quickly. It sounds like he’s trying to convince himself. I’m not budging, and I see annoyance darkening his eyes.

“Please, Raura! You have to listen to me, for fuck’s sake! He’ll kill you if he gets his hands on you!” There’s desperation in his tone.

I ignore it. I lean forward and nudge him, then lick his face. When he pushes me away, I nudge him harder, using my weight to unbalance him. He’s strong. Even in his human form, he’d be stronger than my wolf…but not with silver flooding his veins.

He needs to shift.

I keep pushing him harder until he topples sideways, weak as a kitten. I nudge and paw at him until he’s half on his belly. He groans as the snow hits his leg.

Shift, dammit!

“Why are you so fucking stubborn?” he mutters.

Fucking shift!

I growl in his ear and then paw at the snow. Frustration gnaws at me. Impossible man! Does he plan to let them drag him back in there like some sort of martyr?