Page 1 of Claiming Xan (Shifters of Greymercy #7)

RIVER

Red and white lights flashed in the halls while sirens blared a warning shrill, hurting my ears and sending employees in white lab coats scurrying like rats in a maze.

My brother stood motionless, his legs braced and his tail tucked. His ears laid flat against his skull, as if the shrieks were paralyzing, but damn it, we didn’t have time for this!

Frustration and anger bubbling up inside of me, I lunged forward and snapped at Sky’s flank. My teeth scored flesh. He yelped and spun around, his bi-colored eyes widening in shock. I snarled and jerked my muzzle in the direction we needed to go—fast.

That seemed to jolt him back to reality.

With a whimper, he took off running down the long corridor. I tore off right behind him. Our claws scrabbled for purchase over the slick white tile that matched the white walls and the white ceilings and god, I fucking hated this place.

Out. I wanted out. I wanted to smell fresh air, to feel the sunlight on my skin again. To get away from the needles and the drugs and the endless tests.

Because we were nothing more than human science experiments, kept in oversized cages and tortured for some sick bastard’s personal gain.

“It’s for the greater good.” Dr. Thompson’s voice rang out in my mind, seared into my brain-matter like a brand. I snarled and pushed myself to run faster.

Shoes squeaked on the floor behind us. “Stop them!” someone shouted. “Whatever you do, don’t let them get outside! They’re dangerous!”

Up ahead, a scrawny man in a medical coat raced to close off our escape route. The only thing that stood between me and freedom was a large metal security door created to keep specimens like us inside.

It was closed, of course. Locked down tight. But that scientist had a badge on him that would unlock it, and I fully intended to use it.

Growling low in my throat, I launched myself at the man. He screamed in terror, and then agony, as my claws and fangs ripped into his papery human skin. It tore so easily too. Blood splattered the tile and my fur as I tore out his throat without a single thought of mercy.

Because why? They had given us none. We were only children when we arrived here, and they had treated us like prisoners. Like lab rats.

My paws smeared through crimson, painting the pristine white red. Footsteps were coming straight for us, followed by shouts of alarm. I ripped the scientist’s badge off his belt and jumped up on the door.

With a soft beep, the light on the panel went from red to green. It slid open with a mechanical whirr—and we were out.

“NO!” I heard Dr. Thompson howl.

Sky darted ahead of me with a frightened whimper. I was right behind him.

But we weren’t home free. Not yet.

We’d made it out of the main facility, but we were in some kind of lobby entrance. Immediately, people began to scream and panic, climbing over themselves in an attempt to get away from the blood-splattered wolves who’d just burst through the doors.

I snarled at them, gnashing my teeth, my fury reaching a boiling point. Out. Out. Out. I wanted out. Where was the exit? Let me out!

And then I saw it—our escape through the plate glass door of the office, the trees outside swaying in the breeze, cars driving lazily past, a woman in a sweatsuit jogging with her little brown dog…

I didn’t hesitate. With every last ounce of strength I had, I barreled through the glass, shattering it on impact. It crashed all around me, slicing me open and digging into my paws with bites of pain, but I didn’t stop. Not when freedom was so damn close.

I ran.

Sky followed behind me, his heavy pants telling me he was just as exhausted as I was, but we didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Needed to put distance between ourselves and Dr. Thompson. I never wanted to see his smug face again.

We dove into dense forestry, darting between trees and leaping fallen logs, our paws carrying us farther and farther away.

We ran. And ran. And ran.

I would’ve kept running, had Sky not collapsed with a pained cry. I slowed down and turned, looking back at him, then closed the distance between us. He laid on the forest floor, his body shaking and his sides heaving as he gasped for breath.

I smelled blood.

I nudged his face, but his eyes were half-lidded and unfocused. Fuck. What did I do now? Everything had happened so fast, we didn’t get a chance to plan our escape. We just went for it. Our one chance—and we made it, but if Sky died out here, what was the fucking point?

Panic climbed up my throat as I nudged him again and again, whining softly. Focus, River. This isn’t over.

I pulled back and looked around, keening my senses. I didn’t know where we were, but I smelled other wolves, and as much as that made my own inner-beast bristle with fury?

They could help Sky…

I threw back my head and howled. I knew it might attract Dr. Thompson and his men, but if this was pack territory, there was a good chance we were safe. I howled long and hard, and it wasn’t long before other wolves began to approach me.

But it was like flipping a switch in my stupid, broken brain. I froze, my hackles rising. I lowered my head and snarled at them, pacing in front of Sky’s limp form, torn between protecting my twin and begging for their help.

It felt like I was being ripped in half.

A tall, sturdy-looking Alpha with dark hair approached me. Despite his hazel eyes being gentle and caring, my wolf didn’t seem to care. I snapped at him in warning, growling viciously as I began to pace again.

“Easy. We’re here to help,” the man murmured, but I stared him down. When he tried to come closer, something inside of me snapped. I snarled and lunged at him. He shouted out and raised his arm, and my fangs sank into his flesh, catching his limb between my jaws.

The man was quicker than I gave him credit for, though. With his free hand, he scruffed me and yanked me up off the ground. I snarled and twisted in midair, kicking and thrashing, panic taking root as a woman rushed in to kneel besides Sky.

Sky!

“Stop fighting,” the man said between gritted teeth, no doubt in pain from where I was grinding my jaws into his arm. “We aren’t going to hurt you.”

The dark-haired woman examined my brother quickly, her voice sharp when she turned to a few of the other wolves. Right away, I could feel her dominant energies. Was she the pack Alpha?

“He needs immediate medical attention. Someone, go get the ATV. Hurry!” she barked, and three wolves took off running. She rose and came over to me, prying my jaws apart so that the Alpha male could remove his wounded arm. “Are you alright, Kace?”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, still holding onto me.

She looked dead into my eyes, catching my muzzle in one hand and squeezing so tightly, my teeth ground together.

“Shift. Now.” This was no request. It was a command, her Alpha energies flowing freely over me. I growled and twisted, but she bellowed the words again, and I buckled.

I dropped to the forest floor on my hands and knees, panting and shivering from the stress of it all. “Fuck…” I choked out, but the Alpha wasn’t done.

She knelt down beside me. “Talk to me. Is he your mate?”

I glanced up, frowning. “My brother,” I said, soft. “My twin.”

She looked stricken. “But you’re…”

“It doesn’t matter!” I hissed at her. “He’s hurt!”

“He’s hemorrhaging,” she amended, and my stomach sank. “Has he given birth recently?”

I felt sick as I thought of the infant torn away from Sky what felt like just minutes ago. “Yeah.”

“Where’s the baby?”

“It’s gone!” I bristled, gooseflesh pebbling my arms. Nausea roiled and I really thought I might puke. I raked both hands through my short blond hair. “I can’t talk about this right now! Please!”

“Okay,” she said, gentler. “Let’s take a deep breath, alright. Can you tell me his name?”

I tried to do as she said and breathe, but my lungs felt clogged. I felt like I was choking on the air that was trying to save me.

“Sky,” I whispered.

“And yours?”

“River…”

“And you’re twins?”

“Yeah,” was all that I could eke out.

Thankfully, someone chose that moment to drive up on a large all-terrain vehicle. I stood on shaky legs and, without waiting for the Alpha to make a move, I carefully picked Sky up from the cold ground and cradled him in my arms.

His head flopped limp against my shoulder, his body shivering violently as I climbed up onto the back of the vehicle.

I held onto my brother with one hand, while the other gripped the bars of the ATV, even as exhaustion threatened to drag me under, too.

“Hold on, Sky,” I whispered into his fur, praying he could hear me as we took off into the woods, towards what I hoped was salvation.