Wolf's Hunger (Mafia Monsters #5) - Atlas Rose Page 0,79

in early,” Jager muttered, wincing as lightning seared the sky outside the large office windows. “Eager to lock up those fucking dogs, are we?”

I stiffened at the words and lifted my gaze. Water dripped from his hair and ran down his face and for a second…all I saw was blood. Blood down his face, blood in his eyes. Blood spilling from his neck as I tore out his—

He yanked out his chair and turned, meeting my gaze, and that sneering glint dulled in an instant, hardening to something close to fear.

Asavage snarl ripped from that tornado inside me. Shadows splashed against the walls as the sound of shattering glass exploded through the air.

“What the fuck?” Jager exclaimed, and rose.

Those shadows grew bolder, crawling along the wall beside me as I followed his gaze. An agent stood In the doorway, holding the handle of what remained of the coffee pot. The rest lay in shards at her feet. Cutting shards…I fought that hunger inside.

Green spilled from the top buttons of my shirt as I turned to those shadows. They morphed and swirled, showing me Ruth’s face, then my Wolves. My chest tightened at the image of Phantom’s face, his hard jawline, those intense, piercing eyes, until the dark splash morphed into Church, then Vitold followed…and finally, Arran.

The roar grew louder all around the building, drawing every set of eyes toward the windows. Movement followed. Chairs slid backwards and expletives were muttered. I forced my eyes downward to the file and tried to hold on to the war inside my head.

I shoved up from my seat and grabbed the file off my desk. A tremor filled me, only this time it was no display of power…only fear. My breaths raked my insides like shards of glass as I turned and walked from the bank of desks, heading for the elevator.

Footsteps echoed all around me, the chatter of those staying behind at their desks rose. Those who I’d never really connected with. I was the odd one out. A lone agent, just like a lone Wolf. I pressed the button for the elevator and waited.

A lone Wolf always under attack…

Always watchful. Guarded, and ready to do what had to be done.

That’s who I was here…amongst these mortals; a lone, guarded, vengeful Wolf.

The elevator gave a ding and the door slid open. I stepped in, turned, pressed the button, and waited for the doors to close. But they were wrong. I wasn’t a loner. I was very much part of a pack. Just not their pack.

I watched the lights as they blinked, moving floor by floor, until it came to a stop and the doors opened. A chilling sense of impending doom washed over me as I stepped out and strode along the corridor heading to Harlan’s office. My steps faltered, something inside me writhed under the strain of what I was about to do.

My mind raced, searching for any other way out of this mess. Voices echoed from ahead in the hallway. I glanced at the strategic door, which was cracked open, and listened as voices spilled out. I’d only ever seen that office used once. But here it was, the door open…and senior officials inside. I glanced at Harlan’s office, then turned back to the open door. It felt like an invitation…just begging me to look inside.

What the hell…

I stepped closer, grasped the door, and eased it open before slipping inside. There was six…no, seven of the top officials and their chiefs of staff. Suits and ties and all the proper nods and smiles—and now there was me.

The walls were armored with rows of whiteboards, some covered with maps of the city peppered with markers, other boards with familiar faces. My stomach clenched at the sight of Phantom’s face, and under it were Church, Vitold, and Arran.

My breath caught as I glanced at the other boards. More Wolves, more faces. Some were vaguely familiar, most weren’t. They were only interested in the Wolves. I fought a wince as I scanned the boards and the faces. I'd suspected it before, now I knew for sure.

They didn’t even notice me, so wrapped up in their thirst to ‘rid our city of this vermin’, they failed to see me before I slipped the door open once more and eased back out.

A battle raged inside me as I lifted my gaze to Harlan’s office. That uncomfortable shift inside me fought the images from that room. Right and wrong. Desperation and the fight to survive…the fight for