‘Lucas, Jace, you take the two on the left, Orion said in a low voice. “Derek gets the one on the right. Tristan and I go straight up the middle once
they’re down.”
We spread out and moved into position, and I had to force myself to wait for the signal instead of just charging ahead. Every second that passed was
another second Athena was in danger.
Orion held up his hand, then dropped it.
Lucas and Jace moved like shadows, covering the distance to their targets in seconds. Derek’s man went down just as quickly, a throwing knife taking
him in the throat before he could raise his weapon.
“Go, Orion hissed, and we sprinted up the path toward the cave entrance.
70
The moment we crossed into the cave, everything went to hell.
Gunfire erupted from multiple positions deeper in the cave system, and I could hear shouting in languages I didn’t recognize. These weren’t just Daxon’s
wolf allies, he had hired human mercenaries too.
*This way,” I said, following the pull of the bond toward a tunnel that branched off to the right.
A man stepped out of a side passage with his weapon raised, but I was already moving. My claws extended and I ripped his throat out before he could
fire a shot.
Behind me, I could hear the sounds of the others fighting their way through the cave system. Jace was roaring in his half–shifted form, and I could hear the wet sounds of claws tearing through flesh.
“Tristan, go,” Orion called out, and when I looked back I saw him surrounded by
men with silver weapons. Find her. We’ll cover you.”
I wanted to help him but the bond was pulling me deeper into the cave, toward where Athena was being held. I had to trust that Orion and the others
could handle themselves.
I ran deeper into the tunnel system, following passages that seemed to go on forever. The cave had been modified extensively, with electric lights strung along the walls and metal doors installed at regular intervals.
Another guard appeared ahead of me, this one a wolf who had partially shifted. His eyes glowed in the dim light and he bared fangs that were longer
than they should be.
I didn’t slow down. Instead, I let my own wolf come forward, felt my fangs extend and my strength multiply. We collided in the middle of the tunnel and went down in a tangle of claws and teeth.
He was strong but I was stronger, and I was fighting for my mate. I sank my fangs into his neck and tore, tasting his blood as his life left him.
More sounds of fighting echoed from behind me, but I pushed forward. The bond was getting stronger now, so strong I could almost feel Athena’s heartbeat as if it were my own.
I turned a corner and found myself in a wider section of the cave that had been turned into some kind of laboratory. Tables covered with equipment I didn’t recognize, computers, and in the center of it all, a chair with restraints.
The scent of Athena’s blood was strong here, and my wolf went wild with rage.
1/2
15:26 Sat, Jan 10 G MR.
Chapter 185
But she wasn’t here and the bond was pulling me further in, toward what looked like a natural chamber deeper in the cave system.
I heard footsteps behind me and spun around to find two more guards approaching. One had a silver loaded weapon, the other was carrying what looked
like a tranquilizer gun.
I moved before they could fire, crossing the distance between us in a single leap.
My claws caught the first one across the chest and sent him flying into the cave wall. The second one got off a shot with the tranquilizer, but I twisted away and the dart went wide.
I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet. “Where is she?‘ I growled, and my voice came out distorted by the partial shift.
His eyes went wide with terror. “The inner chamber,” he gasped. “Daxon… he’s got her in the inner chamber at the far end.”
I dropped him and kept moving, following the tunnel as it sloped downward into the heart of the cliff. The bond was so strong now it was almost overwhelming, and I could feel that Athena was close.
The tunnel opened into a massive natural chamber that took my breath away.
It was huge, easily a hundred feet across, with a ceiling that disappeared into darkness above. But what caught my attention wasn’t the size of the
space.
Or the huge chains laying on both sides like it had been melted away.
It was what was in the center of it.
Comments
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
