Chapter 1
Blood. It was all Jax could sense and taste. On the floors. Painfully streaked across the walls. Seared into his soul and splattered across every surface in between.
“Quiet.” Malcolm hissed, making his thunderous foot steps come to an ominous halt.
“Did you hear that?” Malcolm asked.
Jax heard a cry. A small noise of panic.
“This blood farm has a survivor?” Jax questioned in blatant disbelief.
“You go scope out that room I’m going to look down this hallway.” Malcolm commanded.
Jax replied with a curt nod and crept into the room where the little whimper echoed.
A girl was in the corner. Hooked up to several IVs all slowly draining her of life. The sole purpose of creating more bloodhounds. Her entire being been covered in dark, dried blood.
The female glanced up at him. Her eyes were burning amber. The fire lazily dying as she tried crawling away from the tall, muscular figure.
“Malcolm we have a survivor,” Jax hollered. His powerful voice echoing throughout the empty threshold.
Jax heard Malcolm’s harried footsteps approaching.
The girl looked up at Jax one more time. Her eyes scorching and igniting the entire room on fire.
Then her eyes fluttered shut and her body fell limp.
The girl had been asleep for days.
“Jax this girl was on the brink of death how long has she been in critical care?” Malcolm pressed.
“A few days.” Jax grumbled.
“What were you thinking taking her to your home?” She has a family and a mate to look after her.” Malcolm groaned dragging a hand across his face.
“I wasn’t going to leave her there and let her die,” Jax snarled, tiring of Malcolm questioning his flawed logic.
“I flew you out here to help me with getting rid of blood farms.” Jax reminded the golden haired man, gesturing to the unconscious girl.
“I may be a skilled healer Jax I can’t help with something like this.” Malcolm scoffed.
“I’m damn well aware. But when she wakes up she isn’t going to want to see a face like this.” Jax snapped pointing to the gruesome scar that ran through his eye.
“Jax-” Malcolm began sympathetically.
Jax held his hand up to halt his friends empathetic words.
“I don’t need a fucking pity party. I need you to find out who she is and where she came from and get her home as soon as possible. Please, Malcolm I’m not good with things like this.” Jax almost pleaded. And Jax never said please.
“As you wish.” Malcolm sighed running a hand through his already tousled hair.
The two men both stood still for a moment, staring at the girl. She had become much healthier being under the care of physicians. Her inky black hair was splayed about her like a dark halo, making her skin look even more deathly pale.
“Is she a kitten shifter?” Malcolm absent-mindedly questioned, walking closer to inspect her.
Jax tensed.
“What’s a kitten shifter?”
Jax didn’t like the term Malcolm used to describe the female.
“It is a werewolf who is remarkably weak. They are able to shift but discouraged not to as it is rigorously taxing on their bodies.”
Malcolm brushed aside a strand of her hair, exposing the side of her neck.
A low growl began in Jax’s chest.
Malcolm’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Please calm yourself. I was checking for the kitten shifter mark and here it is.” Malcolm defended, pointing to a small moon shaped birth mark below her ear.
Jax walked closer and examined it.
“Why would Cerberus want kitten shifter blood to fuel his hounds? Normally the stronger are the most at risk.”
“The particular blood farm we raided wasn’t a simple blood farm. It was an experimentation camp. It is very likely they were using her to test various combinations.” Malcolm concluded.
“If she’s so weak explain to me why she was the only wolf left alive.” Jax pressed suspiciously.
“I have not a clue,” Malcolm mumbled softly, still staring at her.
“Stop doing that.”
“Excuse me?” Malcolm questioned.
“Stop looking at her like that,” Jax fumed.
Malcolm flashed one of his signature smirks.
“Why? Are you her mate?” Malcolm teased.
“Of course not you imbecile. Are you?” Jax retorted just as childishly.
Malcolm rolled his eyes at the scarred mans antics.
“Do not get too attached to her, Jax. Once she wakes up she needs to go home,” Malcolm chastised.
“I’m damn well aware, Malcolm,” Jax warned, his temper getting dangerously high.
Malcolm smirked.
“Alright then be sure to let me know when she awakes from her slumber, until then you can find me in one of your guest rooms.” Malcolm called out as he left the room.
Ten minutes later two honey colored eyes fluttered open and were brought back to the harsh world that was reality.
She was awake.