Page 49 of Mated By the Alphas
“She might not agree with that,” I chuckle.
“We’ll find out tonight,” he growls. “Can you handle things here?”
“Yes, brother. Go.” I nod. “Take care of our mate. I’ll meet up with you later.”
Hayden lets out a low rumble of anger, then leaves The Den. Not long after he leaves, I feel the others approaching, so I quickly update the plans for the day. Since we don’t have Hayden, we’ll need to stick together to be safe.
I’m still not sure what to make of Ansley, or Hayden’s revelation about her being meant for both of us. Inside, it feels right, even if it defies what I’ve always believed. One wolf. One mate. Sometimes it’s love. Sometimes it’s fate. This… I’m not sure what this is.
My brothers and I spend the day searching Chicago. We find a couple of nests, but they’re deserted. There’s been recent activity, so it seems that word is spreading. Vampires know they’re being hunted. That makes them more dangerous. They’ll likely stick together, as more of their kind meet their end.
In the late afternoon, as much as I want to continue the hunt, I can’t get Ansley out of my head. I can’t get what Hayden told me out of my head. My brothers want to continue the hunt, so I headto York Financial. I find Hayden watching from the roof of the building across the street, so I climb up the fire escape.
“Anything?” I ask, knowing he’s already sensed my arrival.
“It’s been quiet today,” his words are his only acknowledgement of my presence, his eyes remaining glued to the building across the street.
“What’s the plan? Are you just going to let her drive back to the safehouse?” I ask.
“Yes, I think so. She’ll be able to sense that she’s being watched, so she’ll already know she’s in trouble,” Hayden says. “I’ll let her worry abouthowmuch trouble she’s in on the drive back. Then she’ll be punished.”
Hayden points out the parking garage where Ansley left the sedan she took from the safehouse. He parked nearby, so that he can tail her back to the safehouse. He moves to the edge of the rooftop and I follow him. Once we’re on the ground, we cross over to the parking garage.
“We’ll wait in the car now,” he says, walking over to it.
“We would be faster on four paws,” I complain. “We’d make it back to the safehouse before she does.”
“Then we’d have to pick up the car later. Not worth the trouble,” he says.
We get in the car and wait. It isn’t long until we see Ansley turning the corner. The sight of her immediately takes my breath away. I struggle with the pull. The need. The overwhelming desire to jump out of the car and take what my instincts crave. Keeping them under control is difficult.
“That feeling won’t completely pass, but it won’t be as overwhelming after you claim her,” Hayden says softly, noticing my discomfort. “It was a struggle for me, too.”
“This is almost like madness,” I sigh, trying to shake it off.
“Feels like it,” he says, then his eyes widen. “Trouble!”
Hayden is out of the car in a flash, shifting into his Natural Form before I even realize what is happening. Being this close to Ansley seems to dull everything else, even my natural perceptiveness.
I open the door and step out, just in time to see Hayden racing towards three vampires. They were lying in wait for her. Waiting for her, mere feet away, and we didn’t even fucking notice. One of them is holding Ansley, fangs bared, and she looks terrified.
“No!” I yell, shifting into my Natural Form as I ran and landing on four paws.
I’m fast, but not fast enough. Two vampires meet Hayden head on. The one holding Ansley sinks his fangs into her neck. Rage explodes through me unlike anything I’ve ever felt before, and I leap over the two vampires fighting Hayden. The vampire holding Ansley pulls away from her neck, a look of confusion on his face. That’s the opening I need.
I feel a mental link open with Ansley, which is unusual, but I don’t question it. “Run, Ansley!” I roar, landing behind the vampire and biting into the middle of his back.
I pray the vampire’s bite didn’t last long enough for the venom to paralyze her. My teeth sink into flesh. He lets go of Ansley and she sprints towards her car as fast as her high heels will allow. I let out a fierce snarl, thankful she seems to be okay, then clampdown on the vampire’s spine and shake as hard as I can, trying to yank it out through his back.
The two vampires Hayden is fighting are young. This one is an older maker. Normally, it would be difficult for me to fight one of these on my own, but I caught him off guard. Biting Ansley distracted him. Usually, a taste of fresh blood makes them fiercer. This one… he never got the chance.
I literally tear his spine out, toss it to the side, and go for the heart. My fangs crush it and blood fills my mouth. One vampire down. Two to go. No, one. Hayden has already killed one of the younger ones.
“I got him brother!” I transmit, then I shift into my true Human Form.
I rush the vampire from behind. He’s focused on Hayden, but he swipes at me. I dodge the swipe, grab him around the waist, and pin his arms. That’s all Hayden needs. He goes for the throat first and once enough blood gushes out to weaken the vampire, he tears out his heart. I drop the body, watching it go limp as it hits the ground.
“Ansley!” I yell, turning towards her.
