Twelve

OLAMIDE

The sight that lay in front of me was absolutely terrifying. Crimson red was splattered everywhere. On walls. The floor. Even the ceiling was not spared as droplets of red drizzled. My legs were jelly and the entire house was unfamiliar. I had only been there for one day or less but even at that, I had to realize that something was not right. No matter how fast I ran, no matter the route I went through, I always made it back to the same gory sight I had escaped from; Men whose heads had been decapitated and women slashed beyond recognition. I had never felt sicker. As my jelly legs stumbled and turned to find the front door, A shrill cry emanated from my room. It sounded like Axel. My head whipped up an answer. Axel was done for and so was I.

My panicky mind seemed to work faster and in the end, I found the front door. The man Jason had speaking to the night was lifeless on the floor. His jugular cut open and spraying red all over the Grand staircase. Sad as the sight was, it was the only thing between me and freedom. There was a high chance I could survive if I found a car long before Axel gave up the ghost. I was not an expert on how fast monsters could run but it definitely could not be faster than a moving car. Right?

I emerged from the mansion, scanning the foyer for any means of a ride as it painfully dawned to me that I needed keys or the uncanny ability to work a car without keys. Luckily, I found a bike that looked like its keys was still attached. I was about to run to it when a deep voice behind me and to my left made me swerve quickly in that direction and I came face to face with Alpha Sofiane.

"Now where do you think you are running to, Beau?"

The tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome man stepped out from the mansion and crossed his arms over his chest. He was totally naked and covered in blood too. He had an erection that bounced when he stepped outside to meet me. I was too afraid to move. His aura was just like Jason if not stronger. My heart quickened as he approached me, stalking me in circles like prey that was done for.

"I'm surprised," He commented. "I was certain Jason would have killed you to prevent this day from ever coming but considering he has yet to mark you physically, I'd say he had been anticipating this day. "

Did he mean that? All that stuff about Jason meaning to kill me. I still did not understand many things. How I was Jason's mate in the first place when I had never before set eyes on him. Why Devin spared my life. Jason's world was dangerous and I had been certain of it since day one but this was the height of it. The one idea that rested in my mind was to keep the conversation going as long as I could and hope that someone who could actually take this devil spawn head-on was on their way.

"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my gaze intently on his figure as I had read in those sappy self-preservation books. It strictly suggested one kept their gaze on the enemy so as to guilt-trip them and be prepared for whatever was coming next. I doubted this man had a moral compass. His eyes were just as dead as Devin's had been on that night. I could only try.

"Alpha Sofiane. You would think Jason would have warned you about me already but I guess I am too insignificant to even make the list." Sofiane laughed, making effort to wipe some blood off his perfectly trimmed beard but that only smudged the dark crimson liquid that seemed to be clotting already.

The intense smell of rusting cooper hit my nostrils forcing out a gag. I could not put together what was so funny here. This was the odd thing about Jason's kind. Violence and the gore of it seemed to excite them and they were too steadfast in their high horses to realize how twisted it was. Frightening as it was to be face to face with the man...wolf that had killed every single thing in the mansion, I was not too afraid of him. Now that I could see his face, there was something comforting about it. It probably did not make sense. Even to me but when he sauntered over, I wasn't afraid. I feared nothing.

"It is clear that you want to kill me but I still don't know why. Alpha...I mean, Jason might have offended you but I have nothing to do with this. I had a very simple human life before I was dragged into all this."

"Cruel as it may sound. Killing you is the only way I can settle the score."

The blood on his skin had clot now. It would take a steamy hot shower to get every bit of dried blood off. Now that he was closer, I had time to notice his ripped body and the brutal scars that covered him from his neck to his hip bones. They looked similar to the ones Jason had sustained on his neck and considering they both had history, It was easy to establish how those scars came to be.

"Explain?" I probed. My gaze returned briefly to the bike that sat in the corner. Why wasn't I trying to escape? This had something to do with the mate bond I supposed. That could only mean Jason was close. My head spun a scenario where Jason and Sofiane would be deep in a battle over their long-standing feud and I would get the opportunity to escape. I had some change to spare in my trust fund. It would be enough to fly me back to Nigeria. Just a few minutes more.

"Jason, You bastard! You really did not tell her."

A chill went up to my spine when I looked at his lips. They were not fucking moving. It was similar to the trick Jason had played. Except I had assumed, he could only do so because I was his mate. Why then could I hear Alpha Sofiane's thoughts? I was going to ask about it but his thoughts intruded.

"Plus it would be worthless to kill her if she is not marked. It means Jason considers her disposable. It won't hurt him enough."

That made me snap. A dumb move, I discovered ruefully.

"Oh my God! What is wrong with you people? You, Jason! You both are so twisted it would have been perfect if whatever goddess you serve made you mates! Killing me won't hurt him enough? Can you even hear yourself Mr. Sofiane? My life is not a petty object to be thrown around."

If only I had kept my trap shut.

He moved so fast that I did not even see him coming. In seconds, our bodies were almost touching and he grabbed my hands in a steely grip. "You can hear my thoughts?"