CHAPTER 32
WREN
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I can feel my anger increasing the further I drive. I can’t help the death grip I have on the steering wheel as I speed down the streets until I’m in front of the abandoned industrial building. I pull into the alley next to it, put it in park and draw in a long, harsh breath.
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
I need to do this…for her. No, not just for her…for everyone that’s been hurt. I won’t allow it to continue.
I step out of the car and make my way to the front of the building. Rage is fueling me in this moment, and I allow it to envelop me like armor as I step forward and rip the locked door from its hinges.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”
Two guards run towards me, drawing guns from their hips. My vision pulses as I grip my hand into a fist, summoning my blade. I’m in front of them in seconds, slicing through their necks before they can even get a shot off.
I need to try and do this quickly and clean. It’s been a while since I’ve actually gotten my hands dirty, but my body is moving on its own. Fighting is ingrained into me, like second nature. I’ve fought in many wars, and I didn’t become who I am today by just sitting on the sidelines. Wren Valkyrie is a warrior to the core.
The building is dark for the most part and I took the guards out quickly enough that they didn’t have time to signal an intruder.
I shouldn’t be here. This is waging a war, but I won’t let any of them survive long enough to tell anyone I was here. I quickly move through the hallway, and I see him. His eyes meet mine and they widen in surprise before an evil grin creeps across his face.
“Valkyrie!”
He roars. “Who the fuck let you in here? Silas! Connor!”
“Your guards are dead Jullian,”
I sneer, stepping further into the room.
His eyes dart to the dark blade gripped tightly within my palm. “You came alone? Are you actually stupid?”
“How dare you drug Chess.”
I can barely speak the words as my fury overtakes my senses.
He stands up from his desk and steps towards me. “Did you not like fucking her while she was drugged? She’s used to that…you should have been thrilled that I made it easier for you.”
“Why are you watching her?”
“I was curious as to why you were so interested in her. My men saw you leave her apartment this morning.”
I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and glance over. Ten of his men walk in from another room and move to stand in front of him.
“You will never go near her again,”
I growl out. Gripping my blade harder.
“No. You’ll never go near her again, Valkyrie. You came onto my territory unannounced.”
“This is my city, Jullian, and this issue is because of one of my employees. I have every reason to be here when you’re threatening her very existence.”
“You’re outnumbered, King. I warned you.”
He nods his head, and his pack moves towards me as they shift into their humanoid forms. The smell of them is atrocious, and I’m fighting back the bile rising in my throat from their stench. Two of them move on me first, fangs bared, and claws drawn. I slash at the first one with ease and I stumble to the side as the second one kicks out at me.
I roar out in frustration as the others move in on me as well. I’m definitely outnumbered, but I don’t care. I feel my canines lengthen and my mind feels hazy as I slice through the next one’s throat as well. I get tackled to the ground and my sword dissolves from the force of it. I struggle to lift my body and then I’m getting slammed back down before claws rake against my back.
I let out a scream of pain and Jullian is cackling as he stands there and watches me get slashed at, over and over.
Fuck this shit.
My blood feels like it’s boiling inside of me. I can feel my body healing faster than I was before, and the haze that was in my mind completely envelops me. A pulse of power rips out of me, and the lights flicker as darkness overwhelms every corner of the room. The werewolves go tumbling back from the energy blast I just let off and I launch to my feet, summoning a new blade as I charge towards them all, ripping through their flesh with ease until they’re all dead. My chest is heaving as I try to draw in a proper breath. My shirt is practically obliterated from them clawing at me with vicious strikes. I’m drenched in sweat and blood, and I can smell their essence all over my body.
“You’ve fallen, King. You’ve let yourself succumb to the insanity.”
“I’m clear headed enough to kill you,”
I snarl, turning my attention back to him. I can feel my body slowly giving out as exhaustion starts to set in. I let off a lot of power and I used a lot of energy to heal myself as well. “You won’t be walking out of here alive.”
“We’ll see,”
he cackles. “All this over a human whore.”
He shifts his form as well and I’m cringing at how large he is. This is the Felton werewolf alpha, and I have to go up against him, completely at a disadvantage. He practically sacrificed his minions in order to weaken me. Coming here alone was stupid, but I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about this or getting killed as well.
My eyes widen when he’s suddenly in front of me. I feel my ribs shatter as the force of his blow sends me flying into a wall. I crumple to the ground and I’m struggling to pull myself up. I brace my body against my blade as I struggle to my feet. I choke out a breath when his massive hand grips my throat, ripping me to my feet. He slams me into the wall again as I struggle to pry him off of me.
His smell leaches into my senses and I cringe as he brings his face closer to mine. Saliva is oozing down his muzzle as a growl rips from his throat.
Fuck. I’m going to die.
The sight of Chess smiling as I left her, flashes through my mind and I slam my eyes shut as I try to hold onto that image. If she’s the last thing I see before I die, I’ll at least die happy myself.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on her once you’re gone. I’m going to make her scream, Valkyrie.”
Feral, uninhibited rage rips through my core at his words. He’s going after Chess. My death won’t satiate his need, and I’ve made things so much worse for her since I came into her life. All of this is because of me, and I can’t even stop it.
No.
I will not let it end here. I won’t let him touch her. I won’t let him breathe the same air as her. Shadows ripple down my arm and he looks at me with panic on his face. He gurgles out a breath and stumbles back from me. My knees hit the ground hard, and I struggle to look up at him, his heart is gripped tightly in my fist.
I smirk at him as I lift my arm weakly. His eyes widen as he claws at his now empty chest. I crush his heart between my fingers, and he drops to the ground with a heavy thud.
I cradle my rib cage as I sit hunched over on the floor. My healing is completely slowed down at this point. I overexerted myself well beyond my limits, but I did it. I killed him and his entire pack. Chess is safe. I lean my head back against the wall and stare at the ceiling. Pushing myself into a rage state like that has wreaked havoc on my mental control. I can feel myself slipping as I sit here. Getting cut as much as I did, didn’t do anything for the insanity slowly edging in further. I let myself fall…all on my own.