“Drop! Now!”
They’re not Prime Alphas, but each Command forces another Beta to submit. They just can’t pinpoint Maddie through the masses.
Panic among the soldiers rises as the situation remains out of their control. Nervous fingers settle on triggers.
I swallow the bile sticking in my throat.
Time has run out.
A loud gunshot cracks to my right, and I flinch. My ears ring, and a warm, wet splatter on my shoulder feels sickeningly thick. Something heavy collapses against my back before sliding off with a soft grunt, followed by a low, gurgling sound.
The knife twists. White-hot pain detonates in my side as the blade tears free.
A sharp scream rips out of me, followed by a long wail of agony.
“Ahh!”
“Halley!” The distant answering roar is desperate and full of horror.
The agony ricochets up my ribs, stealing my breath. My knees weaken, boots catching on the corpse behind me. I stumble, vision swimming.
Maddie’s arm snaps around me, holding me upright. The cold press of her gun digs into my scalp, and I blink hard, forcing back the tears burning my eyes.
“No way. Nuh-uh. You don’t get to die yet, you dumb bitch. You’re my ticket out of here,” she snarls down at me, and I whimper.
She hauls me up onto my tiptoes, her strength surprising, and uses me as a shield, her head carefully tucked behind mine. Any bullet seeking to take her out will have to pass through me first.
She takes lurching steps backward, my feet scrambling under me to gain purchase, and I vaguely register that she’s moving us toward the closest parked vehicle.
She holds me against her tightly and leans her back against the truck.
“Don’t move.” Her breath is hot at the back of my neck, pushing the gun harder against my bruised temple, before releasing her hold on me to test the door handle.
It clunks uselessly. Locked.
Her rough hold returns. This time, she locks her forearm over my throat and squeezes.
Panic takes over as I scratch at her arm, desperate to relieve the pressure on my windpipe.
"Give me the keys, right now!" she screeches, but it sounds distorted, like I’m underwater. "Last chance. Let me go or I fucking kill her."
Thethump-thump-thumpof my pumping blood drowns every other noise out. None of the other Beta survivors are with us. Did they submit? Are they dead or dying? Either way, it seems this trip will be just me and my homicidal gal-pal, Maddie.
Frack, my side hurts. My head feels light and loopy, worsening rapidly by the lack of oxygen reaching my brain.
I’m not sure if anyone replies to Maddie’s demands.
Instead, through my hazy vision, I watch the Pack and the other soldiers circle us with rifles raised, searching for a clean shot.
Multiple people are shouting Alpha Commands. Demanding submission, and my body responds, going limp and pliant.
Maddie’s the reverse. I can feel her muscles contracting and shaking with the effort to shake off the repeated Commands. Her hatred of Alphas is overpowering her instinct to submit.
If I strain, I can almost hear Knox’s voice among those shouting Commands. It’s comforting. Who knew I’d grow to love the sound of that bossy Alpha?
I recognize Shade as one of the blurry figures moving before me. Time is slowing down, and I can't seem to focus on anything but the way his mouth moves, the silent words lost to me. There is a grim determination in his gaze.
I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile, but it does the opposite and he lurches towards me desperately, held back by another soldier gripping his flak jacket.
