Page 24

Summer POV

“You can’t even listen to simple instructions, can you, Gabriel?” Axel demanded and pressed the knife further into my neck. “I told you to come alone!”

There was a nervous edge to his voice. Although I couldn’t see the fight going on outside, one of the Rogues had come into the warehouse a few minutes ago to report to Axel that their side was outnumbered and outskilled. Their army had already lost half of their warriors—some Rogues had even run to save themselves. The fact that Gabriel had brought his shifter army gave me a sliver of hope. It quickly died when Axel told me that he was going to kill me if Gabriel didn’t get here soon. That was when he had put the knife to my throat.

But Gabriel was here. He had fought his way through an army of Rogues to get to me. He was limping, but when he turned slightly, I could see that the wound was shallow.

Gabriel scanned my face, his nostrils flaring with anger. It seemed like he was noting every bruise and cut Axel had given me and was planning the ways he was going to make him pay for each one.

“I'm going to save you,” Gabriel promised me. His voice held such conviction that I couldn't help but believe him. “I love you.” His eyes were brimming with warmth and tenderness.

My heart filled until it seemed like it was going to burst.

“I love you,” I said like a vow.

For a moment, our gazes met and I was certain that I'd love this man until the day I died.

Please don't let that be today.

Our moment was interrupted by a cruel, high laugh.

“Love!” Axel scoffed from behind me. “You think that your love will save you?” He roughly grabbed my left shoulder with his hand that wasn’t holding the knife.

Gabriel’s hands began to shake with rage, but he didn’t dare move toward us when Axel could kill me in less than a second.

“I hold all the power here, Gabriel,” Axel mocked. “For once, I’m the one in charge. Now, give me one reason why I shouldn’t slit her throat.”

Gabriel’s fist clenched.

“Because, she’s the only reason that you’re still alive,” Gabriel said in a low, dangerous voice.

The veins in Gabriel’s neck and arms were bulging. There was a look of such murderous rage on his face that I would be terrified if it were directed at me.

“You've lost, Axel,” Gabriel said. “My warriors will be swarming this building soon.”

“Where did you get warriors?” Axel demanded, frustration lacing his tone. “Did you finally pay off the Alpha King? Is that the Royal Guard out there?”

“No,” Gabriel answered. “I created my own army.”

Axel went silent. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could still picture his shocked expression.

“How? I would have known. I’ve been going through your paperwork for years. And our father’s paperwork…” Axel trailed off.

“Don’t!” Gabriel screamed. He was in danger of losing control. “You have no right to call him your father. You lost that privilege the second you started working for the Rogues.”

“Well, I guess I lost that privilege years ago. I don’t want to be a part of your family, Gabriel. If I had been you r parents' true son, I would have been Alpha. How did they not see that I'm a much better leader than you?” Even though he was trying to hide it, Axel’s voice was full of jealousy. “Besides, I didn’t need help from your family to gain power. I earned it all on my own. I’ve been working with the Rogues ever since we were eighteen,” Axel revealed, his tone smug. “Remember when I started going to that casino in Brindle Creek? I met a Rogue in disguise there who brought me into their ranks. I’m a leader in their group, not just some bitch Beta. And I actually get compensated nicely for my work with the Rogues.”

Was that why Axel had joined the Rogues? For more power? More money? Or did it all come down to the secret jealousy Axel had been harboring toward Gabriel?

Gabriel blinked rapidly. He seemed to be processing Axel’s revelation just like I was. Then, his eyes narrowed on the knife at my throat.

“Be smart about this, Axel. Your only chance at survival is to let Summer go and surrender,” Gabriel said.

By the savage way Gabriel was scrutinizing his former best friend, I didn’t think he actually had any intention of keeping Axel alive once I was safe.

If Gabriel could figure out a way to get me to safety.

My Mate stepped slightly closer to us.

“Don’t you dare take another step!” Axel yelled and pushed down on the handle of the long knife.

Damn it!

Axel had slightly cut me. Warm blood trickled down my neck and the wound stung with sharp pain.

How deep was the cut? Hopefully not too deep.

But what if the next cut was? Gabriel wouldn’t be able to stop Axel before he slit my throat. By the time he got to us, the damage would already be done.

Gabriel wouldn’t be able to save me this time. Axel was going to kill me.

An image of my son burst into my mind. My kind, funny, hyper, and beautiful son. I’d never get to see him grow up. At least he had Aunt Mia and his grandmother. And I was able to see him meet his dad. Gabriel would survive this. At least our son would have his father in his life.

I love you, Grayson.

I love you, Mom, Dad, and Aunt Mia.

I love you, Gabriel.

Glancing up, I met Gabriel’s eyes, wanting to look into them one last time. His eyes were full of agony and heartache.

How devastated would he be when I died?

No!

I wasn’t going to let that happen.

I would not give up. Just because I had a knife to my throat didn’t mean I was dead yet. I had to live. Not surviving wasn’t an option. Grayson needed me. My death would crush my aunt and mom—especially if my father never woke up from his coma.

And what about Gabriel?

We were just starting to make our way back to each other. There was so much we still needed to figure out, but now that he was back in my life, I couldn’t imagine him not being a part of it.

I had to survive for the people in my life that I loved.

I had to survive for myself.

Only a few seconds had passed since Axel had cut me, but my entire outlook had changed. I didn’t care that I couldn’t shift because of that potion Axel had given me.

I didn’t need my wolf to be dangerous. I just had to be smarter than Axel.

The nail!

An hour ago, Axel had gone into the office space for a minute. I’d contemplated trying to make a run for it when he was out of sight, but I knew either Axel would catch me or one of the Rogues he had stationed outside would. I wouldn’t have a shot in hell of fighting them off by myself, especially without my wolf.

But I did spot a large rusty nail on the ground beside me. Before I could overthink it, I had lowered myself to the ground—slightly leaning against the chair so I wouldn’t lose my balance because my arms were tied behind my back.

It took a minute to get my hands in the right position over the nail to grab it. Sweat started to pour down my forehead, stinging my eyes as the seconds dragged on. I kept glancing over at the office area, but thankfully Axel was still rummaging around in a drawer.

Finally, I'd managed to grasp the nail in my hands and then struggled back into the metal chair before Axel got back. I'd been planning on trying to use the nail to cut through the rope that tied my hands, but Axel hadn't left me alone after that.

Now, my right hand was clasped over the nail, the metal cool in my sweaty hand. I'd forgotten about it because of Gabriel's arrival, but now this nail felt like my only chance at staying alive.

A very slim chance.

But I had to try.

“Why don't you just let Summer go?” Gabriel said and his jaw tickcd when he saw that Axel had cut me. “Once she leaves this building, I'll call the army off. You and I can fight things out once and for all. That way, you'll have a chance of walking out of here with your freedom. Just let her go.”

Axel let out a sharp bark of a laugh. There was a hysterical edge to it. He was completely losing his grip on sanity.

“Don't you want a chance to kill me?” Gabriel continued. “Isn't that why you kidnapped her in the first place? Let her walk free and I give you my word that I’ll send my army away. I swear to you.”

“Do you think that your word means shit to me?” Axel yelled.

I could feel his leg shaking in anger against my hand. His proximity made my stomach roll, but for what I had planned, it was necessary.

“What do you want for her to live, Axel?” Gabriel asked, his voice breaking at the end. “I’ll give you anything.”

“Nothing,” he said. “My plan had been to kill her in front of you all along. And after she’s dead, I’m going to kill you.”

“No!” Gabriel roared and began to rush toward us, his body trembling, his wolf taking over.

Now!

I wrapped my fingers around the head of the nail and slammed it into Axel’s right leg.

He howled with pain as the rusty nail pierced his skin.

There was a sharp pain on my neck, but I ignored it and threw myself to the right and used my momentum to roll across the floor. I whipped my head around at the sound of a loud growl that seemed to shake the entire room.

I stared mesmerized as Gabriel transformed into his light-brown wolf. Axel’s eyes widened and he threw the knife at Gabriel.

I gasped, fear clutching my heart in a vice grip as the knife hurtled through the air as if in slow motion.

Gabriel dodged to the side and the knife clattered to the cement floor.

Axel tried to shift forms, his nails lengthening and his body shaking.

But he was too late.

With a loud snarl, Gabriel leaped over the chair I’d just been sitting on.

All Axel had time to do was take a couple of frightened steps back before Gabriel collided into him and tore his teeth into his neck.

Axel was dead before he hit the ground. His head had landed facing in my direction, and his expressionless eyes were fixed on me as if I was still his target even in death.

Once Gabriel was certain that the maniac was no longer breathing, he shifted back into his human form and ran toward me.

“Summer! No!”

His green eyes were wide with fear, and he crouched down next to me, clasping a hand over my neck, attempting to stop the bleeding.

Until that moment, I hadn’t realized Axel had cut my throat after I stabbed him with the nail.