Page 41 of Plug and Claim

Kira smiled. “I will not be an omega for long.”

Before Chelsea could reply, Kira handed her the jewellery box.

Chelsea stared at it but didn’t take it. “What is that?”

“An item of the hunter’s,” Kira said casually. “Just like you asked. Or was that requirement made up as well?”

Chelsea’s eyes widened. “Put that away! Are you crazy? What if he comes looking for it?”

“Then I’ll be happy to tell him who gave the order to steal it.”

Kira had no intention of doing such a thing, but it was worth it to see Chelsea’s fearful reaction.

“Put it away,” Chelsea hissed, her voice edged with panic. “Now!”

Kira took her time pocketing the box in the inside pocket of her blazer.

Chelsea took hold of her shoulder and steered her up the steps to the stage overlooking the gym. “For your sake, and the sake of the pack, you need to return that. We don’t need Nathaniel targeting us again.”

“Nathaniel, huh? What happened to ‘the hunter’?”

“Shh, not here.” Chelsea pulled her behind the heavy, closed curtains of the stage.

Kira had a brief glimpse of stage props and furniture before the curtain fell back into place, plummeting them into darkness. She could hardly make out Chelsea’s silhouette standing before her.

“Nathaniel has a history of targeting packs and abducting female wolves,” Chelsea whispered, her voice growing high-pitched. “He took two from our pack last year. First Ana, and then Haley. He fed from them and made them sleep in his room. Shortly afterwards they disappeared.”

“What do you mean, disappeared?

“We never saw them again. I knew Ana’s parents—they were devastated when she went missing. There were investigations, too, but nothing came of it. They never found the bodies. But we all know he killed them—probably buried them out of town in the woods. Piece of shit gets away with it just because he’s a vampire.”

“Probably doesn’t hurt that he’s the prince,” Kira pointed out.

“No prince of ours,” Chelsea spat.

Her comment sparked Kira’s interest. Perhaps, there was hope for the wolves after all. “No prince of ours,” she agreed, mirroring Chelsea’s words. “What I don’t understand is, didn’t Ana and Haley have the pack’s protection? How could a vampire claim them?”

“He didn’t claim them. But they let him feed on them. They left their doors open, as some wolves do. Our theory is he got excited and drained them by accident, and then discarded their bodies. In the morning, Ana’s door was left wide open, and she was missing. Same thing happened to Haley some time after that.”

“Why would a wolf let a vampire feed on them?” Kira asked. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Chelsea fell silent. Just when Kira thought she wasn’t going to answer, she said, “Yes, it can hurt. But the vampires also have a way of making it feel pleasurable, if they want to.”

Kira didn’t ask Chelsea if she’d ever let a vampire feed on her.

The answer was obvious.

Chelsea’s voice was shaking with anger when she next spoke. “Want some advice? Never let a vampire feed on you. Never leave the door open. You don’t know what kind of monster you’ll let in. Yes, it can feel good, but they can make us suffer too, if they want to. Bastards.”

“Bastards,” repeated Kira, surprised at the sympathy she felt for Chelsea, and surprising herself even more when she placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “They’re the real enemies, Chelsea. We’ll make them pay.”

Whatever they did to you, they will pay.

Chelsea huffed. “Vampires always get away with it. The council always decides in their favour, it’s a joke.”

Kira laughed under her breath. “They won’t get away with it if they’re dead.”

Even in the darkness, she could make out the way Chelsea tilted her head to the side. “Maybe you’re not so bad. But stay away from the prince. He’s a sick fuck.”