G H O S T R U N N E R

< S E V E N >

Shit.

“Is he dead?” She whispers.

“Yes.”

“So I’ll be killed?”

Steve gives her a mocking look, “You killed the Alpha’s son with this little stunt, did you honestly think he’d even think twice about it?”

“I didn’t—“

“Shut up.” He snaps harshly before beginning to walk closer to her with a smirk, “I’ve been thinking, Arden. Since I’ll be losing my favorite pet soon that maybe I’ll be in need of a new one, maybe one that won’t heal as easily. Maybe someone young enough to break but womanly enough to give me something to look out, can you think of anyone?”

A high-pitched squeal and the breaking of a lamp had Arden quickly on high alert. Despite her instincts she turns her back to Steve only to see the front door fly open while two men come out with May and Kayla in their grasps. One man she recognizes as Luke, a lower member of the pack, who has his arm around May’s neck and something to her back making her ridged against him. A knife maybe, she thinks absently.

The other man she also recognizes as her blood runs cold in her veins. It is Gamma Benjamin Cruz. Ben is a higher member of the pack and also a ruthless follower of the Alpha. He will do anything the Alpha says without mercy or conscious and that scares Arden considering he is holding Kayla. His large darkly tanned hand is against her mouth while his hard onyx colored eyes lay blankly on her.

“Hello again, Arden. You’ve been missed.” He rumbles out.

Arden lets out a stuttering breath while tears build in her eyes at the sight of Kayla looking back at her. Kayla’s light brown hair is half fallen from the high bun on her head while her large blue eyes are red as tears fall like waterfalls down her cheeks. Her fear is overpowering in her normally blueberry heavy scent.

May looks more dignified in her position. Her loose red and gray hair is around her shoulders as she stands in a long blue cotton nightgown that shows the freckled flesh of her arms. Above her left eyebrow blood is trickling down the side of May’s face, as she stands strong. May’s own blue eyes show no fear and glare coldly at the Steve who is still standing behind her with smugness radiating off him.

“The woman is too old for my tastes, Pet, I think you know this.” Steve whispers in Arden’s ear making her flinch back at his closeness, “But the younger one, the one who smells of blueberry, she will make a great replacement.”

Arden’s wolf growls using her mouth, “You will not touch her.”

Steve yanks Arden’s head back using a punishing grip on her hair and exposing her neck to him. His tongue juts out and licks slowly up the column of her neck spreading his scent on her.

“You smell of him.” He snarls in her ear. “But you will die with my scent on you. Just as it was always intended to be.”

Steve throws her to the ground roughly making Arden gasp in pain as her hands skid across a patch of rocks. It’s nothing big but she’s still a bit weak from her imprisonment so her pain tolerance isn’t at it’s highest at the moment. Arden hears some struggling and looks up only to see Kayla fighting to get Ben’s hand off her neck.

“Arden!” She shrieks.

“Oh my, a screamer!” Steve chirps happily, “You know how I love those, don’t you pet.”

“Let them go.” May orders quietly, “We don’t have anything you want here.”

Steve howls with laughter before giving Arden a glowing look, “You didn’t tell them did you? They don’t know about what you are?”