Chapter 80

Selene

The pain from the silver collar biting into my skin is excruciating. I clench my teeth so hard, I taste blood in my mouth, but the agony doesn't subside. Still, I force myself to keep washing, scrubbing my body with a old, rough rag that smells like mildew.

I hear Zack's cold voice from outside the shower. "Time's up."

The curtain is yanked back, and the chill in the air is as harsh as his stare. I'm pretty fucking sure it hasn't been five minutes yet, but I know better than to argue. The pain has taken control of my body anyway, and any coherent thought is hard to hold on.

Zack tosses me a towel, his eyes lingers on my bare skin with a hunger that makes my stomach churn. I yank the towel around myself as quickly as I can, trying to shield myself from his creepy gaze.

"I-Is there clothes here I can wear?" I stammer, fighting through the pain to speak.

"Yeah...mine," he sneers.

My wolf's rage simmers beneath the surface. She's caught up on everything that has happened since she was suppressed, and let's just say Zack is very fucking lucky that I can't shift.

Following him into the dingy bedroom, I clutch the towel tighter around me. The room smells damp, like rot seeping into old wood, and the bed is a mess of dirty, wrinkled sheets. I glance around, looking for anything that might give a clue on how to escape, but my search is interrupted by his voice again.

"Close the door," he commands. "Wouldn't want our company to hear you screaming my name."

Is...Is that supposed to be a joke? That there's a dead fucking body in the middle of the kitchen?

I force myself to close the door, to lock myself in a more confined space with this monster, and risk another glance around the room. There's an old dressed in the corner with a cracked mirror on top. Maybe I could hit him in the head with it.

How did Zack get this old, disgusting cabin in the first place? Did he find it already abandoned or did he kill another rogue for it?

I decide to ask him, though I already know the answer. At least it will buy me some more time.

"Um, how did you get this cabin?" I ask, my pulse racing in my throat.

"Killed the previous owner," Zack replies with a shrug. "He was an old man that couldn't defend himself anyway. Why?"

He studies my face. That wicked smile curls on his lips, the kind that makes my blood freeze in my veins. "You're not scared of me, are you?" he asks mockingly, his voice laced with amusement.

I meet his gaze, forcing myself to stay calm. "Of course not."

Not anymore. Fear is useless. Now that I can feel my wolf stirring, I have a better chance at killing him, even if I can't shift yet.

Without warning, Zack steps closer, and before I realize what he's doing, he shoves me onto the bed. The breath leaves my lungs in a sharp gasp as he yanks the towel away. His eyes are silver now, gleaming with malicious intent.

"I can sense your wolf," he growls, licking his lips. "It's time for me to mark you."

No. No the fuck it isn't.

Panic surges through me as he yanks down his pants, his hard cock springing out like a terrifying jack-in-the-box. He pins me against the mattress, spreading my legs as he climbs in-between them.

"Stop, please," I beg, my voice cracking as I fight to hold back tears.

"No."

I can't believe it. He's really about to rape me.

"I'm starving!" I blurt out. "My wolf...she won't accept you when you're neglecting my fucking needs. I need food, Zack."

She's not going to accept him at all, but that's at least part of the reason.

That makes him pause, growling under his breath as frustration flashes in his eyes. Then, he pulls away and storms out of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing throughout the cabin.

I only have maybe a few seconds before he returns. I have to figure out a way out of this.

My heart pounds as I scan the room in desperation, spotting his discarded pants on the floor. Without diving, I dive for them, my hands shaking as I search through the pockets. My fingers brush against something cold and metallic—a key.

A key to the collar.

Fumbling with it, I struggle to fit the key into the lock. It doesn't help that my hands are shaking so hard, and every second feels like an eternity. Finally, the lock clips open, and I tear the collar from my neck.

The moment it's off, I begin to shift. The change is excruciating, the wolfsbane still lingering in my veins making the process take longer than usual. My bones crack and shift, my muscles contorting as my body shifts into my wolf form.

"No!" Zack's enraged voice booms behind me as he rushes toward the bed.

But it's too late.

My wolf takes over, his fury palpable. The moment my paws hit the mattress, I lose all control. She lunges at Zack, her teeth sinking into his neck with a force so violent that his head is torn from his body in one swift movement.

Blood splatters the room, painting the room in crimson streaks. Zack's lifeless body crumples to the floor, but my wolf doesn't stop to revel in her victory. She leaps off the bed, racing down the stairs and out the door.

She won't give me back control. Right now, It's like she's driven by only primal instinct.

Stop! I plead, my panic rising as she charges through the forest at full speed. Where are we going?

It's not she can answer, but this is dangerous. There are so many rogue wolves around here, I can sense their auras. I know majority of them are male, and they'll try to mate with us by force. Just like Zack had almost just done.

Suddenly, I sense him.

Phoenix.

His presence floods me like warmth after a long, brutal winter, and I can feel the bond again. It felt like it was lost forever, and I was so empty and lost without it. But now it's strong again, pulling me towards him like a magnet.

And he feels so close. I can smell him too, even though his aura has been repressed somehow.

He's come for me. He's come to save us.

We crash into each other, his massive black wolf growling softly as he rubs his face against mine. Relief washes over me so intensely, that I nearly collapse. It feels so fucking good to touch him, especially after I thought I'd never seen him again.

I inhale his masculine scent, reveling in the familiarity of it, the way it makes me feel safe and calm.

"Phoenix," I purr, overwhelmed with emotions I can't contain.

"Fuck, little wolf. I missed you so much," he says, his voice thick with pain and longing.

Phoenix's wolf demands submission, and my wolf eagerly rolls onto her back, exposing her belly. She licks his chin in a gesture of trust and affection, and for a moment, everything else fades away. All that matters is that we're together again.

Our wolves continue giving each other well-needed affection. Hopefully, they don't start mating in the middle of the forest. That would be embarrassing, considering Loki and Jamie are here watching us.

Reality crashes back over when Phoenix growls, "Where the fuck are they?"

I force my focus back to him, regaining some control over my wolf. "Oh, about that...Zack's dead. I killed him."

He stills. "You killed him?" he asks, shocked. "And what about Kate?"

My heart sinks. "He killed her earlier for trying to help me," I tell him, a hint of guilt in my voice.

Suddenly, I hear movement behind us—rogues. Phoenix's body tenses, and I can tell we're far from alone anymore.

"Loki, Jamie, protect her," Phoenix commands, stepping in front of me.

Loki and Jamie, their wolves fierce and ready to fight, move to my side. But it's not just one wolf approaching us. Four more emerge from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice.

Fuck. They must've sensed Phoenix's aura. I'm not strong enough to fight right now, but I think I can at least help them if I need to.

"Phoenix," I whimper through our mind-link. "We're outnumbered."

"Don't worry, baby. I won't let them touch you," he promises. "I already failed you once, but never again."

The air crackles with tension, growls and snarls filling the space between us and the rogues. Phoenix roars out a warning that literally shakes the forest, but the rogues don't back down. They lunge, and the fight begins.