Page 119 of Crossed Fates

Interesting.

Ow, son of a bitch!Makayla shouted in my mind.

What? What happened?I demanded, my pulse skipping several beats faster.

Breaking thumbs, she gritted out.Fuck a duck.

Breaking… thumbs?

Cuffs, she reminded me.Figure I have them distracted… ow… with my screaming fit…She paused, her hiss of pain another sound I never wanted to hear from her again.Which consequently also allows me to mask… the agony… of… this.

Another curse followed as she broke her other thumb.

I started to ask if she was all right when Todd clocked Jude across the face. The E.V.I.E. director tongued his teeth, then spat another mouthful of blood at the vamp. “Have at it, leech.”

Yeah, Jude definitely knows Nathan’s here. I had no idea how, but it was clear in the way he challenged the vampire now with his gaze.

“I’m never giving you anything useful.” He sounded so nonchalant and carefree. “Might as well make a snack of me.”

A commotion sounded up above, causing both Bortex and the vamp to spin toward the door. “What the fuck was that?” the vamp demanded.

Jude looked at him. “Backup.”

Bortex growled, his nostrils flaring as the scent of shifters followed.

“How the hell did they get past the alarms?” the vamp asked, his haughty tone filled with disbelief.

I suspected Nathan had something to do with that. Or maybe Jude. There were things he’d clearly not told me about tonight—including whatever backup plan had been engaged. Because none of the wolves upstairs were mine.

Jude never played a game without being ten steps ahead, and he proved that now with a mere glance. He wasn’t smiling so much as waiting. Expectantly.

A disturbance sounded from the other room, followed by Makayla’s snarl in my mind.

She cursed in my mind, her pain spiking along our bond. Then she naturally pulled strength from me, leaving me wilted on the table, the pumping of my veins too much coupled with her need for energy.

My pack pushed more to me, but I closed them off, not wanting to incapacitate anyone else.

And then a series of explosions came from down the hall.

I’m almost free, Makayla panted into my head.But they know. And fuck, HJ has one hell of a punch.She sounded dizzy yet focused.I’m going to stab him. Just as soon as I can feel my damn thum—

Makayla!I shouted as something loud rattled the table beneath me.

Are you fucking kidding me?!Makayla snapped.

And then her mental voice shut off.

I shouted her name, my vision coming and going as the stench of sulfur and flames grew beside me.Bortex. Shifting. Hybrid. I tried to tell her, my reserves depleting as my wolf withered inside me. I needed more energy. More life. But my pack… I couldn’t… I couldn’t take any more from…

Alaric!Makayla’s voice flourished through my mind, slapping across my consciousness and yanking me back into the present.

Bortex had gone all beastly hybrid beside me, his head ducked at the ceiling above. I glanced at him. “Seriously. One ugly… fuck…” I thought out loud, swallowing.

He turned his beady eyes on me, flames billowing from his mouth before he charged through the door to deal with the chaos in the hallway.

Makayla blasted me with energy, her anger a snarl in my mind.Don’t be a stubborn asshole!

What?