Fight for Me

Layla runs.

She rushes through the building, glimpsing through every damaged and collapsed store and hallway. She runs up the unmoving escalators to the second floor, following the tracks of broken glass.

But she stops in her tracks as she then hears a loud crash followed by a thunderous growl. She can almost feel the vibration of it echo off the walls.

Is that the rogue? It sounds more like a beast.

Her breath grows shaky as she realizes the crashing sounds moving closer to her.

She runs inside one of the stores, hiding behind its wall.

As she tries to calm her breathing, she hears the sound of rummaging paws tramping through debris.

It’s stomping against everything near it, and biting everything it can. This isn’t a simple animal, that waits and listens, or smells for its prey. It’s just attacking anything and everything.

I can just imagine what it would do when it sets its eye on something. And where the hell is Nick????

Glimpsing at the beast-rogue from the edge of the wall, she sees its gigantic size and how it’s a little bigger than the average size of an alpha. It’s limping, though seems to be walking painlessly on its tattered leg. She also sees its eyes. The irises are completely black.

Just as the rogue passes her, she tries to turn to see which direction it’s going in.

But suddenly, she gets pulled back with a hand covering her mouth, catching the yelp she instinctively gave.

Layla stands still in the embrace, even holding her breath and holding onto her captor for stability, as she sees the rogue crazily looking around.

The moment it turns a corner and starts rummaging there, she releases the breath she was holding.

But her relief is short lived, as she is shoved against the wall.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Nicholas whisper-yells in her face as he towers over her.

“I came to help.”

Nicholas mumbles curse words as he struggles to find his next words.

“Listen Nick.” She gains back his attention. “You can say what you want. But I’m not going to just sit around and wait for you guys to get hurt.”

Nicholas is at a loss for words. He doesn’t understand why she even cares, for people she barely know, for people she owes nothing to.

“We managed to treat those injured that we came across. If we just give them a little more time and figure out how to capture this thing, you all can surely get him.”

She’s leaving Nicholas with so many questions he wants to ask her right now.

“We?”

“Melinda.” He raises his brow. He already knows Melinda doesn’t like Layla. “She helped me. She also wanted to do something. And she now went to find Tristan.”

But hearing her answer, and from the little he already knows about Melinda, he knows it might be true. Not that Layla has a reason to lie to him about it.

“Well,……I don’t know how much longer I can keep this beast in this building, before the others can help fight again. And honestly speaking, I’m not too sure I can take this beast down alone.” He says dejectedly as he lowers his head.

“Nick.” She says softly. That’s when she notices all the blood and claw marks on his body. “Let me help.” She says as she takes a bandage out.

But he grabs her small wrist in his large hand. “It’s not necessary. I’m fine.”

“I wasn’t asking.” She pulls her hand from him and uses the last bandage to wrap his upper arm, which seems to be bleeding the most. “We just need to slow down the bleeding as much as possible, so your healing can be faster.”

He looks down at her as she focuses on trying to bandage his arm. She almost needs to stand on her toes to get it around. But looking at her finishing up, he notices something.

He suddenly grabs her and holds her tightly against his body, burying his face in her nape.

She gasps from the sudden motion, not knowing what to do, other than hold on to him for stability.

Gggrrhh!!! “What is wrong with your scent?” He says as he starts nuzzling the other side of her neck.

Gggrrhh!!

“Oh, that. My scent is hidden.” She says shakily as she tries to not be affected with his hot breath on her neck.

He pulls his face back and stares at her, wanting her to explain.

He needs to know the reason. Because his wolf is spouting all sorts of nonsense as to why it is, -like it’s because he rejected her and the bond is breaking. But the thought is frustrating him, so much so that he’s still holding on to her, - not wanting to let go. Even though he rejected her, he now realizes that he didn’t want to lose her delicious scent, or his pull to her, - that’s what led him to find her just now.

“Melinda,….she put a spell on us to hide our scents. It was her way of trying to keep us safe from the rogue.”

Nicholas releases a long but slow breath.

He slowly lets go of her and they both notice all the blood he just got all over her.

But before he can say anything, she intervenes, clearly not bothered by it.

“So, what do you know about this rogue that can help us defeat it?”

Nicholas smirks at how task oriented she is and straight to the point.

“It’s clearly bigger and stronger than an average wolf. And by far, more bloodthirsty than a regular rogue. But,……I’m not so sure this wolf is a rogue.” He says as he furrows his brow as if confused.

“Why do you say that?”

“His scent. It’s very familiar.”

Layla looks at his face as he’s deep in thought.

“You know him?”

He looks hesitant to answer.

“I’ve never seen such a wolf.” He starts shaking his head as he clenches his jaw. “I don’t know.” He sighs out.

Layla can see the frustrated look on his face and realizes, - this is why he looks so dishevelled. Instead of going for a direct kill, he’s been trying to get close enough to figure out who the wolf is.

“But he’s still a wolf. It’s still bleeds. Which means it can be killed” She says.

He raises a questioning brow. “Yes.”

With just that one look, she knows she needs to continue explaining.

“Well, from what I can tell so far, this rogue is basically on a high. So, it doesn’t really feel pain. But we can still kill it, if we slow it down enough, - maim him, make him bleed out. Make him weak enough for an easier kill strike.”

“We?” Nicholas doesn’t like the way she’s so casually using the term ‘we’.

But she gives him a pointed look.

“Yes, we. You can use me as bait or something.”

“No fucking way.” He interrupts her.

“Just think about it. My scent is hidden. I can use that to lure him wherever you need it to go. The wolf will be too focused on trying to find me. I can be a distraction for you.”

“And what happens when it does find you?” He says sternly as he leans in closer to her, wanting to intimidate her.

“You don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself. Besides, this way I can also test out my theory.” But she continues before he speaks. “Just tell me what you need for you to kill this wolf. We’re running out of time.”

He clenches his jaw.

“We need to get it on a higher level.”

Looking up, she already knows what he means. A fall from a four-story building should be able to kill an already bleeding shifter.

She nods and turns to leave. But he grabs her arm, and he looks back at him.

“Be careful. The moment it hears you, it will come for you. And when it finds you, it will do whatever it can to tear you apart.”

Hearing his words makes Layla gulp. She’s never thought about being torn apart. Can I even come back from that?!

She nods again, trying to reassure them both.

“You get the others to start moving in.”

They both take a second longer looking at each other, when he eventually lets go of her.

“I’ll keep an eye on you from a distance.” He knows if he’s too close, the wolf would smell him. “Go to the south side of the building and wait near the balcony.”

She nods.

“And find something to defend yourself with?”

“Already have.” She says as she reaches down in her combat boots and pulls out a silver dagger.

He raises a brow and she can’t help but smirk.

“Today’s training was with weapons.” She says as she innocently shrugs her shoulders.

He can’t help but smile back at this small but feisty human.

“Go. I’ll be right behind you.”

She walks off as Nicholas mind-links his pack-members.

Anyone who is still able to fight, move towards the south side of the building.

A few seconds pass and he gets no response.

Is no-one able to fight? He thinks to himself.

Yes Alpha.

He hears Tyler’s exhausted voice.

Yes Alpha.

He hears a few more voices echo in the link.

I’m close. Where are you Nicholas?

He hears Tristan’s voice.

We’re heading to the fourth floor.

I’m on the east side. I’ll be there soon. Anthony says through the link.

Nicholas starts running in the direction Layla ran to.