Alpha Obsession

Chapter 41

It was all my fault...

"Step away from it, Jake. That thing is still dangerous," I'd almost forgotten I had my back turned to two savagely armed teens. As I turned my head to face Nicholas, he continued talking with his gun pointed my way. "You have to understand now!" he snarled suddenly. Nick's face was contorted with emotions that I couldn't quite lock onto.

He wasn't his usual obstinate and confident self. He wasn't even the determined gunslinger that he had been a few moments ago. All of a sudden, he sounded almost desperate and irritated. "Understand what?" I asked hesitantly. If anything, I had proven that I could handle Hunter on his worst of days.

"That he's a fucking monster! He's not even close to being human! Do you think a person could claw up your back like that? You're too smart to obsess over a monster like him. So please, step away," his last words felt strained as if he was trying not to scream. When he saw that I still wasn't moving, he threw his hands in the air and shouted at me, "Now!"

"Nick, you need to chill. It's not that simple... just let me-" an explosion sounded and a sharp sting burst on the left side of my face. When I reached up to touch the side of my cheek, my hands came back with blood on the tips. The bullet had sliced a line across my skin as it sailed past my head. He actually shot me...

"I'm not going to ask you again...you need to step aside." There was a darkness in his voice now that I'd never heard before. It almost didn't sound like the same smooth deep voice that I'd gotten used to hearing coming from my friend. "That animal will kill you if you don't get away from it. Maybe not today, but I know it will. No one can control those things...and I won't let you throw your life away... not like this."

"Don't do something that you'll regret, Nick. Just listen to me for once," I tried keeping my voice even, but it was like a numbness was sinking into my chest.

"Move," he commanded. His voice was inhuman. His eyes glowed a brilliant amber yellow and my body began to tremble as if I was the only one experiencing an earthquake. The heat drained away from my limbs in waves and my heartbeat slowed to a steady pulse despite my anxiety. After hearing that one word, my body abandoned me.

I was forced to watch as I stepped away from Hunter and out of the gun's path. I expected Hunter to stand and get ready to defend himself, but he didn't move. With a sickening dread, I realized that Hunter wouldn't disobey my command even if it got him killed. Even worse, my voice had abandoned me as well. I never had any idea that Nicholas was so powerful. The only reason I escaped his control before was because he wasn't even paying attention to me.

Emilia stood at his side, but she was no longer the deadly reaper that showed no mercy. Her expression became conflicted as soon as Nicholas took control of me. "You shouldn't have...," she practically whispered.

"I regret nothing. I will always do what I believe is right, and I'll never regret this either," he said coldly as he aimed the silver pistol at my wolf's chest.

I tried screaming. I tried flailing my arms. I tried thinking with all of my soul. I tried to do anything to reach out to Hunter, but I couldn't. It was like being a ghost imprisoned in someone else's body. When all that failed, I even tried praying to something- anything- to come and stop this from getting worse. My eyes flickered frantically over to Hunter, but he seemed utterly calm and content as if nothing mattered. He was trusting me to handle the situation so deeply that he didn't even consider the danger he was still in.

Hunter please, get up now! I tried screaming through our bond, but it was obvious that he couldn't hear my frantic thoughts.

Failing that, I flicked my eyes back to Nicholas and tried begging him with just my eyes. He had never looked so detached and heartless before. It made my lungs cave in. When I saw the hint of a smirk rise to his lips, all other sounds disappeared. Only the explosive round that filled the space between us. One quick flash of silver and that was it.

"NO!" I shrieked, and all the sensations of my body came flooding back in an instant. I threw my head around and fell forward when my eyes caught up. The bullet didn't have any thick fur to catch it this time. It found its way straight into Hunter's chest where his heart would be and pierced right through. I watched as a thin stream of blood began sliding from the wound.

The mighty alpha's eyes shut fast and his body fell back. Everything had gone wrong and it was all my fault. It was all my fault...

The story is not over. I repeat, THE STORY IS NOT OVER! There are about ten more chapters left before the finale of book one, so don't get too upset yet ;)

So, i decided to upload twice this weekend because i'm really excited to put out these chapters. I am still a bit in shock over finishing my first full book, and so i'm sharing my excitement like this! I also want to thank all of you who have read on this far (this chapter actually marked 51 thousand words!) and i know/hope that you wont be dissapointed with this book's conclusion. So, yeah. X)