Un.Requited (Claimed Series) Page 4

  She stiffened as she overheard the words coming from the other end of the phone. Next to her, Gregory narrowed his eyes in dismay. The suggestion was callous, but it was a reminder of how truly alone she was in this situation. Her family was powerless, Gregory was powerless, and the legal authority couldn’t hold up against a werewolf, especially if they didn’t believe in their existence.

  “I can’t do that,” Greg explained hotly into the receiver. “Hayden is worth it, Blake, trust me. She’s not like the other newborns.”

  “Just stay away from her until Cole and I can hunt her down ourselves. We’re already on our way. Just find a safe place to hide until then.” It was clear that Blake was exasperated with Gregory for arguing with him. Without another word, the other end went dead

  Hayden didn’t wait for Gregory to react. Before the boy could comprehend that his brother had hung up on him, Hayden turned her back on him and began jogging down the sidewalk.

  She clenched her fists as she tried to get a steady hold on her fear. She had been promised a home with the werewolves, but apparently, that would be too much trouble for Cole and Blake to relocate her. Blake said he would hunt Hayden down himself. If that didn’t sound like an impending death threat, Hayden didn’t what did.

  “Wait, Hayden!” Gregory ran after her.

  Ignoring him, Hayden hurried past the pedestrians on the sidewalk with stubborn resolve. If no one would help her, then she could take care of herself.

  She was independent enough not to roll on her back and beg for help. Even if she was in a situation she didn’t know much about, she would somehow manage, she always did. Bringing Gregory down with her was out of the question. This had to be done alone.

  It was only a few blocks later when Hayden succumbed to her curiosity. Against her better judgment, she looked over her shoulder and watched as Gregory Martin struggled to follow her.

  Nothing seemed to register in his mind except reaching Hayden. Because of his tunnel vision, Greg tripped over a stranger, causing the woman to give a mortified cry. The grocery bag in her arms dropped, spilling the contents all over the sidewalk. Gregory sputtered out an apology and continued to run ungracefully after Hayden.

  Sighing, Hayden slowed down.

  “I won’t let them take you, Hayden,” Gregory breathed passionately. Bending at the waist, he cupped his hands on his knees and tried to recover his breath. “Please, I’ve helped you this far. You need to trust me.”

  “You look pathetic,” Hayden bit out. Her shoulders hunched as she watched the boy breathe harshly through his mouth. “I don’t know why you’re so persistent. If you come with me, you could be killed. Your brother was right, you can hide and Nicolas won’t be bothered to look for you. He’s after me.”

  “You don’t know that,” the human argued anxiously. “He could come across me on his way to get you and kill me for the hell of it.” He shuffled on the sidewalk before continuing onward, a reluctant Hayden keeping stride next to him. “I know Blake will be here before Nicolas can get too far. And if I’m with you when Blake comes, I can protect you if he has the ridiculous assumption of killing you.” Here, the boy flashed Hayden an ashamed look. “He won’t kill you, Hayden. I won’t let him.”

  His support was admirable and Hayden felt indebted to him. But if the werewolves wanted to kill her, they would find a way to do it even if Gregory stood in front of them. She didn’t think that Blake would think twice just because Greg was his brother. And Cole would have no qualms, no regrets in killing Hayden. After all, to Cole, she was just an uncontrollable newborn, Sired by a rogue werewolf and destined to join Nicolas’ ranks.

  Not only would she be an easy puppet for the rogues, but she also had Nicolas’ mark on her throat. Tentative fingers brushed across the bite mark on her neck, noticing it had yet to heal over. She didn’t understand what he had done, or why he had done it. It was just a simple bite on her neck, wasn’t it?

  As much as she wanted to remain ignorant, she knew it was more than a simple bite. Nicolas said he would claim her. The bite mark was his claim. She just didn’t understand how a simple bite mark could be perceived as a claim. No matter what it stood for, she refused to let it define or control her.

  With a renowned sense of determination, Hayden reached over and grabbed Gregory’s hand. For once, the creature inside of her remained silent as her skin touched a human. He looked startled, blinking at her with uncertainty, though it quickly morphed to attempted confidence.

  “We can do this, Hayden,” he encouraged. “We’ll get everything straightened out.”

  “Of course we will.” She pulled at his arm, forcing them into a dead run.

  As they ran in the direction of downtown, the pedestrians on the sidewalks began to thin out. The light drizzle had turned into a heavy downpour and the people were seeking quick shelter. The ones forced to travel by foot had umbrellas over their heads and only spared a quick glance at Hayden and Gregory as they raced through the puddles.

  Within seconds, their clothes were clinging to their bodies, weighing them down significantly.

  It felt as if they had covered good distance, but they couldn’t have been running for more than five minutes. Gregory was lingering a few steps behind Hayden, their clasped hands motivating him to keep up, but causing Hayden to slow down. His breathing turned labored and he began to wheeze.

  It didn’t help that his suffering was beginning to have adverse effects on the creature inside of her. As if sensing a vulnerable prey nearby, it was acting up, eager for a chance to attack. As a result, Hayden dropped Greg’s hand and put a bit of distance between the human and herself.

  Gregory gasped in relief as they broke apart, faltering, but somehow managing to stay on his feet. He stopped moving, gasping and clutching his knees. Hayden turned to watch him, reluctantly stopping and standing protectively over him. She was out of breath as well, but her adrenaline kept her standing tall.

  “If…” he inhaled sharply, panting. “If we can just get to my apartment, then we can get the gun. I don’t like holding it, but I can shoot well enough. Even Nicolas isn’t immune to silver bullets.”

  Hayden raised her eyebrows. A part of her wanted to rejoice in his quick thinking, but another part of her was suspicious of his motives. His selfless protection was almost too good to be true. In reality, he could just be following his brother’s orders. He could easily lure her to his apartment and use the gun on her instead. It would certainly make his life easier.

  Her suspicions didn’t get a chance to take much root, for the smell of burning wood and blood suddenly hit her nostrils. Hayden stiffened, staring down at a soaked and exhausted Gregory. Next to her, taxis and cars passed quickly, spraying jets of murky water in their direction. Slowly, in a state of disbelief, Hayden turned and zeroed in on the man standing just a few feet away, taking shelter underneath a newspaper stand.

  Nicolas casually flipped through the newspaper, not a single hair out of place. “A good plan for a human,” he murmured softly. The pounding rain drowned out his words to all but a creature with enhanced hearing. Nicolas folded the paper and set it back down on the stand. He turned to face Hayden, a grimace-like smile adorning his mouth. “Sadly, I grow tired of the chase.” He cocked his head to the side. “That is, if you could call it a chase.”

  Wet blonde hair fell in Hayden’s eyes as she stared, speechless and dumbfounded. Nicolas didn’t look as nearly as winded as they did, but his wet coat was proof that he had traveled by foot. Somehow, he had easily caught up to them, looking almost as if he had been waiting for them for quite some time.

  “Hayden,” Gregory called softly. The stench of fear came off him in waves. He tugged on her wet jacket, gaining her attention. “Look.”

  For just a split-second, Hayden’s amber eyes turned away from Nicolas and toward Gregory’s gesturing hand. Across from them, figures seemed to peel away from the buildings surrounding them, looking every bit as intimidating as Nicolas. Their strides were slow and
taunting, their smiles both sadistic and slimy. She even identified one of the figures as Tracer, her Sire.

  Hayden ripped her gaze away and took an advancing step toward Nicolas, “You said you were all about fairness,” she growled furiously. Gregory’s hand clutched at the edge of her jacket, holding her back. “How is this fair? You hardly gave us a chance.”

  Nicolas raised his brows, appearing both impressed and amused at her outburst. “I never had the obligation to give you a chance in the first place,” he countered smoothly. “You had your chance, and you failed.”

  Failure had just been a fleeting thought in the back of her mind. She hadn’t imagined not succeeding. Now that she was face-to-face with failure, Hayden refused to succumb. Reaching for Gregory, she grabbed him by the arm and made a quick, yet reckless decision.

  Surrounded from every angle but one, Hayden chose to leap into oncoming traffic.

  Wrapping her arms fully around Greg, she squeezed any sudden rebuttals he might have had. They barely dodged a car in time, the driver laying on his horn. Hayden laughed, delirious from the adrenaline and the fear. In her arms, Gregory whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut as they twirled around another car and further into the busy road.

  The drivers were already having trouble seeing the road due to the pouring rain. Their headlights blinded Hayden, but she found her reflexes honed and sharp, aiding her in crossing the street. It was surprisingly easier than she thought it would be, as the opposite sidewalk was finally coming into focus. A busy coffee shop was across the street, a refuge Hayden would try as her last resort.

  Gregory’s weight may have been a burden to her a few weeks earlier, but with the creature inside of her, the human was nothing but a rag doll, clinging to her like a dance partner that didn’t know the proper steps.

  “Hayden,” Gregory breathed. His eyes squinted beyond her shoulder. “I hate to break it to you, but they’re following with much more ease.”

  Looking over her shoulder, Hayden thought he was being overdramatic, but then she realized he was actually underestimating their enemies. The rogue werewolves weren’t following with ease, they were following with impossible simplicity.

  It looked as if they were having fun, jumping on the car roofs and surfing from one car to the next. Nicolas even kept his poise as he leaped from one moving taxi to the one crossing opposite of him. They made it look so easy, so uncomplicated, whereas she could hardly stand on her own two feet.

  Hayden’s toes finally hit the edge of the sidewalk and she collapsed painfully to the concrete. Unfortunately, because Gregory was in her embrace, he collapsed just as hard. Distressed, she watched as his face connected with the ground.

  There was a sudden click across from her, tearing her attention away from Greg. The familiar smell of silver burned her nostrils and she slowly looked up. Dazed, she stared wide-eyed down the barrel of a gun, unable to react as the muzzle pointed between her eyes.

  “Cole! No!” A highly distressed Gregory pushed himself closer to Hayden.

  She stared up at the man who held the gun. The man, Cole, stared back down at her, his attractive features crafted into a cruel mask of severity. She knew, without a doubt, that he would easily pull the trigger, consequences be damned.

  His hard mouth deepened further into a frown and his dark eyes narrowed as he closely observed Hayden. He sniffed the air around her, evidently smelling something that made him lower his gun just a fraction of an inch.

  Hayden didn’t waste any time. She took advantage of his hesitation and knocked his wrist away, sending the hand and the gun swinging in the opposite direction. Acting on her survival instincts alone, Hayden scrambled up from the ground and ran. Not only would she have Nicolas and his rogues to worry over, but she would also need to keep a look out for Cole.

  However, another man suddenly stepped forward, cutting off her escape. She briefly noted his resemblance to Gregory, especially when he raised his hands in defense. It was a gesture Hayden saw Greg use from time to time.

  “Hey,” he called soothingly. He still had his hands raised, treating her like a wild animal. “Relax. No one is going to hurt you.”

  She was unconvinced at his reassurance. Cole was most likely already pointing the gun at her back, unashamed at killing someone with their back turned.

  Just as she was about to push past him, a hand touched her shoulder, holding her back.

  “Please, Hayden. My brother won’t hurt you.” Greg’s warm gaze pleaded with her.

  Only, the blood rushing down his face had instantly attracted Hayden’s sharp observation. The scent was lovely, doing something to her stomach that the meat sub couldn’t even hope to satisfy. Nothing seemed to matter but the prey standing within arm’s reach.

  3. Chapter Three

  Gregory seemed oblivious to Hayden’s inner struggle. He only shifted closer out of a perverse need to protect her from both Cole and his brother. Hayden squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to paralyze her senses from the human’s enticing blood. In order to snap herself out of the bloodlust, she gritted her teeth and held her breath.

  Faintly, she heard both Cole and Blake bark out and demand Gregory to get away, to back away slowly. Curious to see if Greg was following their instructions, Hayden peeked at the boy, drawn to his wide, trustful eyes.

  Even in the face of her hunger, Gregory gave an encouraging nod. “I know you won’t do it, Hayden. I trust you. You’re different from all the other newborns, remember?”

  Underneath the ravishing hunger, Hayden groaned in exasperation. He was too trusting, too wholesome for his own good. With the history he had with uncontrollable werewolves, Greg should have heeded his brother’s warning and backed away. Hayden didn’t know if she could control herself this time around, no matter how much she wanted to.

  Fortunately, the rogues’ belated arrival was enough to distract her from Gregory’s blood. She whirled around, watching in disbelief as a rogue flew off the roof of the car. The shaggy-haired rogue set his sights on Cole, his razor-sharp claws exposed and ready to peel away any barrier standing in their way.

  Cole stood tall and composed, easily intercepting the rogue around the torso. He spun the werewolf around and flung him carelessly to the ground. With lethal grace, Cole brought back a heavy fist and punched his fallen opponent in the temple, effectively knocking the rogue out in seconds.

  “It’s been too long, Cole.” A familiar voice spoke directly behind Hayden.

  She stiffened, deciding to remain facing Cole, not giving Nicolas the satisfaction of turning around. Through curious and guarded eyes, she watched as Cole turned to give Nicolas his undivided attention.

  Hayden would never admit it to anyone, least of all to herself, but many would describe Cole as roguishly handsome. Dark, wavy hair fell to his chin in jagged layers, and even the stubble across his jaw and chin looked uneven, as if he shaved with a dull razor. His masculine features were dark, menacing, giving him the impression of a clever and cruel predator.

  “Nicolas,” Cole growled. His upper lip lifted, revealing sharp canines.

  In his eyes, she could see the same frenzied obsession he shared with Nicolas. Her earlier assumptions were right, then. These two men were so fascinated with each other that they hardly took notice of the innocent bystanders in their way.

  As if sensing Hayden’s thoughts, Cole’s emerald eyes lowered, considering her briefly. Something unrecognizable swirled in those eyes as he regarded her, but it disappeared as soon as he turned his attention back on to Nicolas. Straightening, his expansive chest and shoulders angled toward the rogue Alpha, poised and ready in case the Nicolas chose to attack.

  Hayden didn’t know whom she would prefer to face. Both Cole and Nicolas were extremely different, as one was refined and the other barren, untamable. However, they did carry a similar aura of immense power and authority.

  It would be in her best interest if Hayden could escape while they were distracted. Already, she was subtly inching away, giving them
the room they decreed. Unfortunately, Nicolas’ pale eyes riveted toward her, having detected her sly retreat.

  “I see you have come to take yet another thing that belongs to me.” He was looking at her, yet he was addressing Cole. “She’s my claimed mate. Are you willing to go against werewolf customs and take her away? Your kind does honor the old traditions, do they not?”

  Cole immediately fixated on Hayden’s neck, more specifically, the unhealed bite mark. In response, Hayden found herself self-consciously covering her throat, unnerved with the expression Cole wore.

  She hadn’t believed a simple bite could act as a claim, but apparently, it was a tradition in the werewolf community. Would she be bound to Nicolas forever, just because of a simple bite? She found it incredibly animal-like, primitive, to choose a mate based on smell alone. Then again, Nicolas’ insistence to claim her had steamed from his juvenile need to get to her before Cole had the chance.

  Hayden braced herself, expecting Cole to take out his gun again and attack her with extra vigor. Surely, the man wouldn’t have any reservations about executing her now that he found out about the claim. Yet, instead of any looks of disdain or gun pointing, Cole seemed rather passive, hardly resembling the man she had first encountered.

  He sneered at Hayden’s neck before turning to Nicolas. “It wasn’t given freely.”

  Nicolas smiled viciously. “Alpha’s don’t ask for permission, Cole, or haven’t you learned that yet? With you being so young and all, I suppose I can grant you reprieve.” His pale eyes taunted the younger Alpha, clearly mocking him.

  If Cole hadn’t lost his composure first, Hayden may have foolishly done so herself.

  She stepped back and watched as Cole charged at Nicolas. The rogue Alpha leaped away effortlessly, his smirk stubbornly in place as if this were a game to him. Despite his belittlement over Cole’s age, both Alphas looked evenly matched. Cole met Nicolas’ sly and quick advances with solid defense, able to get in a few shots of his own.