The Runaway Alpha's Feral Mate

Chapter Five

Cold metal. Human stink. Machines beeping too loud.

Akira lay rigid on the sliding platform, pretending the human drugs had worked. They'd jabbed her with the sleep-poison minutes ago, their faces smug with certainty. The quiet female—Eleanor—had whispered "less strong" when no one watched, her fingers gentle on Akira's arm. The drug made her thoughts fuzzy around the edges, but not the helpless floating that usually came.

She could still fight. Still freeze. Still kill if needed.

Akira kept her breathing slow and deep, mimicking sleep as they wheeled her into the room with the giant metal tube. The collar around her neck burned like always, silver poison seeping through her skin, weakening her frost. Three guards with guns stood watching, their fear-scent sharp in her nostrils.

Liam was there too. His wolf-scent cut through the sterile air—pine and earth and something that made her chest tighten. Mate. Even though he'd run from her before. Even though he might run again.

"Prep for imaging," a voice ordered. One of the white-coats. Not Eleanor.

Hands moved over her body, checking straps. Cold fingers pressed against her wrist, counting heartbeats.

"Pulse slightly elevated," someone reported. "Within parameters."

"Proceed with collar removal."

Akira fought to keep her body slack, her face blank. The words sparked dangerous hope inside her. Freedom from the burning silver meant her frost would return. Full strength.

A key clicked. The collar loosened.

"Careful," Liam's voice warned. "The protocol requires—"

"We know the protocol, Dr. Blackwood," the white-coat snapped.

The collar came off.

Power surged through Akira's veins like a flash-flood, icy and wild and hers. Eight years of dampened abilities roaring back all at once. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, fighting to maintain the pretense of unconsciousness while frost gathered beneath her skin, desperate for release.

Not yet, she told her power. Wait for signal.

They slid her into the machine's tunnel. Closed space. Trap. Her wolf howled inside her mind, clawing for escape. Akira's fingers twitched against the restraints.

"Movement!" one of the guards barked. "She's waking up!"

"Impossible," the white-coat said. "That dose would drop a bull moose."

A loud crash came from somewhere outside the room. Alarms began to blare.

"Security breach in west wing," announced a mechanical voice. "All personnel report to emergency stations."

Now!

Akira's eyes snapped open. Frost exploded outward from her body in a crackling wave, coating the inside of the machine with ice. The temperature in the room plummeted as she shattered the restraints with a single powerful flex. Sliding out of the frozen tube, she landed in a crouch, silver eyes scanning for threats.

The guards raised their weapons. One fired. The bullet hit a wall of ice that formed instantaneously between them, freezing solid in mid-flight.

"Akira!" Liam stood by the door, expression tense. "This way!"

She snarled, torn between following him and attacking the guards who'd kept her trapped for so long. The white-coat was scrambling for an alarm button on the wall.

With a flick of her wrist, Akira sent a spear of ice through his lab coat sleeve, pinning his arm to the wall. The human screamed, though the ice hadn't touched his flesh. Weak. Pathetic. Like all the others who'd cut and hurt and taken.

"Akira, no!" Liam stepped between her and the guards. "We need to go now!"

Eleanor appeared in the doorway, face flushed. "Tommy's distraction won't hold them long. East elevator, remember?"

Akira bared her teeth at the humans, wanting to feel their warm blood cooling under her frost, wanting to make them suffer as she had—

"Your son," Liam reminded her, voice cutting through her rage. "Kova needs you."

Kova. Her cub. Her whole purpose.

Akira shook herself, priorities realigning. Kill humans later. Find cub now.

She followed Liam and Eleanor into the corridor, frost spreading with each bare footstep. The facility's alarms screamed, red lights flashing. Humans in uniforms ran in the opposite direction, toward whatever distraction the nervous boy had created.

"Left here," Eleanor directed, swiping a card at a heavy door. "Service elevator at the end of this hall."

They sprinted forward, Akira moving with fluid grace despite years of confinement. Her body remembered freedom, remembered the hunt. The elevator doors stood open, waiting.

"Almost there," Liam encouraged as they closed the distance.

A shout from behind. "Stop or we'll shoot!"

Three guards had spotted them, weapons raised. Akira spun, hand lifting to send frost—

Liam grabbed her wrist. "No time! Get in!"

She growled but obeyed, backing into the elevator. Eleanor slapped her hand against the control panel. The doors began to slide closed agonizingly slowly.

The guards opened fire.

Eleanor's hands shot up, palms outward. The air between them and the bullets shimmered with green-gold light—a transparent barrier that hadn't been there a second before. The bullets struck it and dropped harmlessly to the floor.

Fae magic. The quiet human wasn't just human after all.

The doors finally closed. Eleanor sagged against the wall, panting.

"You didn't mention you could do that," Liam said, staring at her glowing hands.

"Doesn't always work," Eleanor gasped. "Mother's blood... only comes through sometimes. Emergencies."

Akira sniffed the air, nostrils flaring. "Blood. You bleeding."

Eleanor shook her head. "Just tired. Magic takes a lot out of—"

"No. Blood. Smell it." Akira stepped closer, scenting. "There." She pointed to Eleanor's side, where a dark stain was spreading across her white coat.

Liam cursed, pulling the coat aside to reveal a growing bloodstain on Eleanor's blouse. "You were hit. Why didn't you say something?"

"Didn't feel it," Eleanor said, voice strained. "Adrenaline."

The elevator dinged as it reached the loading level. Liam supported Eleanor with one arm while checking the corridor. "Clear for now. Loading dock is straight ahead."

Akira moved in front, frost gathering around her hands. Her wild instincts screamed that she should be carrying the injured pack member, protecting her, but human buildings made wolf behaviors difficult. Instead, she became the shield, ready to freeze any threat.

The loading dock was eerily empty—all personnel called away by the emergency protocols. A single transport truck sat idling, keys dangling from the ignition.

"Tommy comes through again," Liam murmured. "Hurry."

They crossed the open space quickly. Akira slid into the truck's cabin first, nostrils flaring at the unfamiliar metallic scents. She'd seen these machines before but never been inside one. Liam helped Eleanor into the middle, then climbed in behind the wheel.

"The fence has a weak point on the northeast corner," Eleanor directed, her voice growing weaker. "Maintenance access. Less reinforced."

Liam nodded, shifting the truck into gear. It lurched forward, picking up speed as they headed toward the perimeter fence.

"Akira, when we hit the fence, I need you to freeze it," he instructed. "Make it brittle so we can break through."

She nodded, understanding. Ice made many things fragile.

The truck accelerated, racing across the compound. In the distance, Akira could see humans running toward them, too late to intercept. The fence loomed ahead—three layers of silver-reinforced mesh topped with razor wire.

"Now!" Liam shouted.

Akira thrust both hands forward. Frost shot from her fingertips, surging ahead of the vehicle to coat the approaching fence. The metal crystallized instantly, turning white with extreme cold.

The truck hit the frozen barrier at full speed. The fence shattered like glass, exploding outward in a spray of frozen shards. They were through, bouncing wildly as the vehicle left the paved compound for rough tundra.

"We did it," Eleanor whispered, then winced, clutching her side.

Akira's nose twitched. The blood smell was stronger now, mixed with something else—the unmistakable scent of silver poisoning.

"Silver bullet," she growled, pointing to Eleanor's wound. "Bad."

Liam's expression tightened. "How bad?"

"Die-bad if not fix." Akira had seen what silver did to a body. Had felt it herself during eight years of captivity. "Need den. Safe place. Then help."

"There's a cabin," Eleanor said, her face growing alarmingly pale. "My grandfather's old place. About twenty miles northeast. Nobody knows about it."

"Directions," Liam demanded, steering the truck onto a narrow access road that cut through the barren landscape.

"Just... follow this road until it forks. Take the right path that looks abandoned. Another eight miles."

Akira watched the white landscape rushing past, senses alert for pursuit. Behind them, the facility had become small in the distance, but her sharp eyes caught movement—vehicles mobilizing, and something else, something in the sky.

"Flying machine," she warned, pointing. "Coming."

Liam glanced in the rearview mirror. "Helicopter. They're scrambling everything they've got." He pressed the accelerator harder, the truck's engine groaning in protest.

"Won't outrun helicopter," Eleanor murmured, eyelids drooping dangerously.

"Stay awake," Liam ordered. "Eleanor! Talk to me. What's in this cabin? Supplies? Medical equipment?"

"Some. Grandfather was... paranoid. Prepared for... emergencies." Her head lolled forward.

Akira caught her before she could slide off the seat. The human's skin felt clammy, her heartbeat stuttering irregularly. The silver was working through her system rapidly.

"No sleep," Akira growled, giving Eleanor a not-gentle shake. "Fight poison."

Eleanor's eyes fluttered open. "Sorry... half-fae aren't as... resistant to silver as werewolves."

The road grew rougher, the truck bouncing violently over frozen ruts. The helicopter's sound grew louder, the mechanical whump-whump-whump cutting through the arctic air.

"It's gaining on us," Liam said grimly. "We need cover."

Akira looked out at the treeless tundra stretching in all directions. No place to hide. No caves or forests for shelter.

Then she had an idea.

"Stop truck," she commanded.

"What? We can't stop now!"

"Stop!" She slapped her hand against the dashboard for emphasis. "Help hide."

Something in her tone must have convinced him. Liam pulled the truck off the road, cutting the engine.

"Whatever you're planning, do it fast."

Akira kicked open the door and jumped down into the snow. Cold air greeted her like an old friend, swirling around her body eagerly. She lifted her hands to the sky, calling to the winter itself.

Frost exploded upward from her palms, not in spears or waves but in a vast billowing cloud. The moisture in the air crystallized instantly, forming a dense fog that spread outward with unnatural speed. Within seconds, visibility dropped to mere feet as the freezing mist engulfed them.

The helicopter's spotlight swept overhead, unable to penetrate the thick white blanket. Its sound circled aimlessly, pilots confused by the sudden, localized weather phenomenon.

Akira climbed back into the truck, breathing hard from the effort. Creating weather rather than simple frost required more power, especially after years of suppression.

"Impressive," Liam said, genuine admiration in his voice. He restarted the engine.

"Can you see to drive?" Eleanor asked weakly.

"Better than humans," he replied. "Wolf eyes."

They crept forward slowly, the fog concealing their movement from the searching helicopter. Akira maintained the mist, pouring more power into it whenever it started to thin. The effort drained her, but the alternative was capture—or worse.

After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they reached the fork Eleanor had mentioned. The right path looked more like a game trail than a road, overgrown and unmarked.

"This is it," Liam confirmed, turning onto the barely visible track.

The helicopter's sound grew distant as they pushed deeper into the wilderness. Eventually, Akira let the fog dissipate, her energy reserves dangerously low.

"Good trick," Liam said, shooting her a quick glance. "Can you teach that to others?"

She shrugged. "Direwolf power. Not for lesser wolves."

His mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but couldn't quite manage it. "Of course not."

Eleanor made a small, pained sound. The blood had soaked through her clothes now, dripping onto the truck's seat. Worse, black lines were spreading outward from the wound—silver poisoning traveling through her veins.

"Need help soon," Akira said, pressing her hand against the wound to slow the bleeding. "Or die."

"We're close," Liam assured her, though his scent betrayed his worry. "The cabin can't be much further."

The landscape changed subtly, low scrub giving way to scattered pines as they gained elevation. The truck struggled on the increasingly steep trail, tires spinning in the snow.

"There," Eleanor whispered, pointing with a shaking hand.

Nestled among a stand of ancient pines sat a small wooden cabin, nearly invisible against the treeline. No smoke rose from its chimney, no lights shone from its windows. It looked long abandoned.

Liam drove as close as he could before the truck bogged down completely. "We'll have to walk from here."

Akira was already moving, kicking open the door and jumping down. The snow reached her knees, but cold had never bothered her. She circled to the passenger side, reaching up to help Eleanor.

The half-fae woman could barely stand. Akira caught her as she slumped forward, slinging her over her shoulder with ease. Human-appearing or not, Akira possessed the strength of her direwolf nature.

"Key?" she asked Eleanor.

"Under... third step," came the faint reply.

Liam pushed ahead, breaking a path through the deep snow. They trudged the remaining distance to the cabin, every sense alert for danger. The quiet felt wrong—too perfect, too undisturbed.

At the cabin's porch, Liam knelt to find the key. The third step was loose, concealing a small metal box. Inside lay an old iron key.

"Keep watch," he told Akira as he unlocked the door.

The cabin's interior was dark and cold, but surprisingly clean. No dust covered the simple furniture, no cobwebs hung in corners. Someone had maintained it, despite its abandoned appearance.

"Bed," Akira grunted, carrying Eleanor inside. She located a narrow cot against one wall and laid the injured woman down carefully.

"Light," Liam said, finding an old kerosene lamp and matches. The warm glow revealed a single-room cabin with sparse but functional furnishings—bed, table, chairs, woodstove, and shelves stocked with supplies.

Eleanor's face had taken on a grayish tinge, her breathing shallow. The black lines had spread further, reaching her collarbone.

"Need bullet out," Akira stated flatly. "Then frost-heal."

"Frost-heal?" Liam asked, already searching for medical supplies.

"Direwolf healing. Pull poison out with frost." She placed her palm against Eleanor's forehead. "But weak now. Used much power for fog."

Liam located a first-aid kit in a cabinet. "I'll get the bullet. You conserve your strength."

As he prepared to treat Eleanor, Akira prowled the cabin, checking exits, scenting for dangers. Her instincts remained uneasy. They'd escaped too easily. Humans never gave up hunting what they wanted.

She peered through a frost-rimmed window at the surrounding forest. The afternoon light was fading, shadows lengthening between the trees. Perfect hunting conditions—for them or for those pursuing them.

A metallic clink drew her attention back inside. Liam held up a misshapen silver bullet extracted from Eleanor's side.

"Got it," he said grimly. "But the poisoning's spreading fast."

Eleanor's eyes fluttered. "Chest... burns," she whispered. "Can't... feel... legs."

Akira moved to the bedside, placing her hands over the wound. "Need strength back. Then heal."

Liam's expression was troubled. "How long?"

She shrugged. "Hours maybe. If quiet. If safe."

"I'm not sure we have hours." He nodded toward Eleanor's blackening veins. "The silver's moving too quickly."

Akira growled in frustration. If she hadn't needed to create the fog, she would have enough power to heal now. Choices always came with costs.

"Food helps. Meat." She looked around hopefully.

"I'll check the supplies," Liam offered, moving to the shelves.

While he searched, Akira closed her eyes, focusing inward. Healing took specific frost—not the killing cold but the preserving kind, the winter that kept things alive beneath snow. She gathered what little power remained, preparing to channel it properly.

A sound outside snapped her to alertness. Tiny, almost imperceptible—snow compressing under careful weight.

They weren't alone.

Her hand shot out, grabbing Liam's arm in warning. He froze instantly, understanding her silent communication.

Another soft crunch. Closer now. Multiple footsteps approaching from different directions. The cabin was being surrounded.

"Humans found," she hissed, voice barely audible.

Liam's eyes flashed gold—his wolf rising in response to the threat. He moved silently to the window, keeping to the shadows as he peered out.

His expression confirmed her fears. "At least six that I can see. Armed. Military-grade weapons."

Eleanor moaned softly on the cot, oblivious to the new danger. The silver was shutting down her system, death creeping ever closer.

"Two problems," Akira growled, frustration and rage building inside her. "Fight humans or heal her. Not enough strength for both."

Liam met her eyes across the dimly lit cabin, understanding the impossible choice before them. Eleanor would die without immediate treatment. But if they focused on healing her, they'd be trapped when the humans closed in.

"Maybe we can—" he began.

A voice boomed from outside, amplified by some human device.

"Attention occupants! This is Commander Wright of the Otherkind Containment Division. We have you surrounded. The half-breed is dying from her wound. Surrender now, and we'll provide the antidote to silver poisoning. Resist, and none of you will leave this location alive."

Akira snarled, frost forming around her clenched fists. Surrender meant returning to the cutting place. Meant never finding her cub. Meant cage and collar and pain.

"Never surrender," she spat. "Rather die fighting."

Liam's expression hardened, his Alpha nature fully present now. "No one's dying today. Not Eleanor, not us." He reached for her hand, his warm fingers closing around her frost-covered ones. "We fight together. We escape together."

The contact sent a jolt through Akira's system—heat meeting cold, creating something new. Power flowed between them, his strength reinforcing hers, her frost mingling with his fire.

The mate-bond, awakening despite all resistance.

"Together," she agreed, feeling strength returning where there had been emptiness.

Outside, the humans were moving closer, snow crunching under multiple boots. Time had run out.