Caspian Voretti's POV
Nikolas left after a few more moments, his absence hanging in the air like the lingering heat of his touch.
The door clicked shut behind him, and I was left alone with nothing but the steady pulse of my heart and the chains that dug into my wrists. I pulled against them, frustration clawing at me. I hated the helplessness of it. But the moment Nikolas had stepped in here, the whole situation had changed. There was no leaving without him.
Not without both of them.
I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply, letting my wolf's restless energy surge through me. I could feel the tension in the air the storm waiting to break.
Minutes passed, maybe hours, before the door swung open again. This time, it was the doctor, looking even more anxious than before.
"You need to move tomorrow," he said without preamble. "Half of the hunters are leaving for a festival. Fewer guards will be on post, and there will be a system failure. Some doors will be left unlocked." His voice was low, quick. The plan was already in motion.
My body tensed. "What does that mean?"
"Your sister is in Lab Theta," he continued, moving closer, his eyes darting around to make sure we were alone. "I'll position Nikolas beside the room. It'll be easier to get them both out if you're quick."
The sharp edges of my worry dulled just slightly. "And the guards?"
"They're drugged. It'll buy us some time, but you need to move fast. The fewer people we have to get past, the better."
I nodded, already thinking of the next steps. It would be dangerous, but then again, nothing about this situation was ever going to be easy.
The doctor's face was tight with fear. "Be careful, Caspian. If this goes wrong, there won't be a second chance."
I didn't need to be told twice. I wasn't leaving without them.
The doctor left in a hurry, and I was alone again, left to prepare. My mind raced, calculating the moves. Timing would be everything. One wrong step, and all of it would come crashing down. But I wasn't about to lose either of them not my sister, and certainly not Nikolas.
The next day came too fast.
The sun was already rising, and I could feel it in the air. The energy in this place felt different—charged. Something was about to change, and I was ready.
But then the alarms blared. It happened too quickly, too suddenly. My pulse shot up, and every instinct I had screamed that it was time. This was the moment.
I jerked at the chains, trying to break them with raw strength. My wolf howled inside me, urging me to tear through the metal. But I was still limited. Still restrained.
The alarm continued, a shrieking sound that reverberated in my skull. I could feel the guards moving, the facility waking up around me. It wouldn't take long before they realized what was happening.
I growled, clenching my fists around the chains, ready to shift if I had to.and I broke it.
I moved quickly, my wolf alert, my senses heightened.
The halls were mostly empty, the system failure creating enough chaos to pull most of the guards away. Lab Theta was my goal but I needed Nikolas first.
I broke into the first laboratory, where the scent of disinfectants and sterile equipment filled my nose. Less guarded. The doctors inside were distracted, checking the systems, trying to figure out what was going wrong.
Nikolas was close his scent, warm and familiar, guided me straight to him.
The door was already unlocked. He was near the entrance, staring at the flashing emergency lights with confusion. When he turned and saw me, his eyes widened in shock.
I hated the fear I saw in them.
I towered over him, my presence overwhelming in the dim light. He took a hesitant step back, and my heart clenched.
Forgive me, baby. This has to be done.
With blinding speed, I grabbed him by the neck, lifting him slightly. He gasped, his hands instinctively gripping my wrist.
"Look scared," I whispered lowly. But he already did.
He struggled against my hold, eyes darting between me and the armed guards now turning toward us.
"Drop it," I growled at them. "Drop your guns, or I snap his neck."
Nikolas stiffened in my grasp, his heartbeat erratic against my palm. I could feel the betrayal in his trembling body, and it killed me. But the guards were hesitating, and I needed to act fast.
I tightened my grip, cutting off his air supply. His body jerked, legs kicking as his face turned red, his struggles weakening.
"NOW."
The guards cursed but finally lowered their weapons.
I eased my hold slightly, and Nikolas collapsed against me, gasping for air. His chest heaved, desperate, his whole body shuddering.
I'm sorry, baby.
Still keeping a grip on him, I turned to the guards. "Take me to Lab Theta."
They hesitated but had no choice. I had their precious nurse in my hands.
When we reached the lab, I ordered them to open it. Nikolas was barely holding himself up, still panting from my previous squeeze, but I couldn't comfort him yet.
Inside, my sister lay trapped inside a massive water-filled tube, needles piercing her fragile body. Her skin was deathly pale, her breathing weak.
Rage burned through me.
"Release her."
The guards exchanged uneasy looks.
I growled lowly before tightening my hold on Nikolas's neck again. The pained, choked noises he made shattered something inside me, but it worked.
They hurriedly pressed the release commands. The glass tube drained, and Lara fell forward, barely able to stand. I caught her before she collapsed, my arms supporting her weight but I kept my grip on Nikolas.
For safety.
For survival.
"Move," I ordered.
We made our way toward the exit. I dragged Nikolas behind me, rougher than I wanted to, but for the cameras watching, it had to look real.
I saw more guards, but none of them dared to stop me. They knew who I was holding.
One by one, I shoved the guards into a side room, locking them inside.
Nikolas was limp against my side, his breaths shallow.
I leaned close to his ear. "It's almost over, baby."
But I doubted he heard me. He was too terrified of me to listen.
When we finally reached the back gates, I spotted the car waiting. Lara, despite her weak state, pushed forward and climbed in first.
I lifted Nikolas, setting him in the seat beside me.
Then gunfire.
A bullet scraped my shoulder, burning through my skin.
A guard. Not alone.
Four of them. Guns raised. Ready to shoot again.
My wolf snapped.
Before I could stop it, my body half-shifted claws tearing through my skin, fangs elongating. A snarl ripped from my throat as I lunged.
They didn't stand a chance.
I moved like a beast unleashed. My claws sank into flesh, my fangs ripped through throats. Blood sprayed hot, metallic filling the air.
Screams. Gurgled. Cut short.
Bodies hit the ground, motionless.
Silence.
Chest heaving, I turned back to the car and froze.
Nikolas was staring at me.
Wide-eyed. Terrified.
His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. His body shook. Tears welled in his eyes, slipping down his pale cheeks.
Fear. Raw, absolute fear.
He was looking at me like I was a monster.
Pain stabbed through me.
I stepped closer he flinched.
Fuck.
I cursed under my breath and moved to the driver's seat. My hands trembled, my claws slowly retracting. My body still pulsed with rage, adrenaline.
Nikolas's sobs broke something in me.
I knew what he was seeing a beast. Hair-covered skin. Sharp canines. A killer.
His lips parted, like he wanted to speak, but no words came.
His body slumped.
Fainted.
Great.
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to focus.
With one last glance at the bloodied ground, I hit the gas.
I drove through the bushes, avoiding main roads. The facility wasn't far enough yet. If they caught up now, we wouldn't make it.
The tires skidded over dirt and rocks, branches scraping the windows as I maneuvered through the thick wilderness.
Faster. Just a little farther.
When I finally reached a safer distance, I turned onto the main road. No more gunfire. No more pursuit.
Nikolas stirred beside me.
A soft whimper. A small shift of his body.
Nikolas's scream tore through the car, raw with terror.
He thrashed, his body slamming against the door, hands fumbling for the handle.
Locked.
I had made sure of that.
"Nikolas," I said softly, trying to keep my voice calm.
He didn't hear me.
He was too panicked, too lost in fear.
His fists pounded the window. His breathing came in short, erratic gasps.
Then—he winced.
A sharp cough rattled through him, his hand flying to his throat.
Shit.
I held too tight.
Humans were so fragile. Their bodies couldn't handle what ours could.
Guilt coiled inside me.
"Hey, it's okay, baby," I murmured, reaching out but he flinched away.
My chest tightened.
"I won't hurt you more than I already have," I promised. "You're safe now."
He wasn't listening.
"Please, Caspian," he choked out, voice hoarse, broken. "Don't do this. Let me go."
His words stabbed through me.
I clenched the wheel, forcing my voice to stay steady.
"I can't," I said.
Nikolas's lips quivered. His eyes shone with fear, betrayal.
He didn't understand.
But he would.
Soon.
his eyes opened.
"What the fuck do you mean you can't?" Nikolas yelled, his voice cracking with desperation.
His breathing was erratic, his chest rising and falling too fast.
"Just stop the damn car here! I'll go back! Please, let me go!" His voice wavered. "I'm sorry for what they did, okay? Don't take out your revenge on me! Just let me go, I won't say anything, I promise!"
My jaw clenched.
"Relax, Nikolas," I said, keeping my voice gentle. "I won't hurt you."
I reached out, but he flinched.
That hurt more than it should have.
I tried again.
"Nikolas, I just need you to—"
Something shifted.
His hands moved, subtle but deliberate—toward his boot.
A weapon?
No. He wouldn't—
Then he lunged.
A sharp gleam of silver flashed as he yelled, thrusting the knife toward me.
Fuck.
Instinct took over.
I grabbed his wrist before the blade could reach me, my grip tightening.
Too tight.
The knife slipped not toward me, but against his own palm.
A sharp slice.
Then—his scream.
Nikolas jerked back, clutching his bleeding hand, his face twisted in pain.
Shit.
I had forgotten my strength. Again.
"Fuck, Nikolas, I—"
He whimpered, his body curling into itself, his other hand trembling as he pressed it against the wound.
I felt a pang of guilt so sharp it nearly stole my breath.
I never wanted this.
I never wanted him to be afraid of me.