Goodbye Deadbeat, Hello Alpha!

A Suicide Mission!

[Isolde]

I was dashing through the halls, down the stairs and out of the building faster than you could say "Jack Robinson."

God. What had I done?

That was Nikolai, not Nicolo?

What if he was lying? It didn't seem like he was though.

"f**k. f**k! f**k!" I cursed aloud.

I hadn't just botched the job—I'd almost killed the wrong Quinn. And worse? I'd left him alive, butt-naked, paralysed, and probably seething with anger right now. The effects of the drug would wear off soon, and when they did—

I could kiss my little neck goodbye.

Maybe after torturing me for information about who hired me—information I didn't have, they would kill me in the slowest and most painful way possible.

"I can't die here," I muttered to myself as I fled, not bothering to drop by the staff quarters to retrieve my luggage. No, that would be suspicious. And nothing in there was as valuable or irreplaceable as my life.

I couldn't even begin to imagine what would become of my baby boy, Rick if I died here. How those loan sharks would bleed him dry before he ever got to think of his future. They'd work him to the bone, forcing him to pay off both the loan and the accumulated interest.

And that was if they didn't sell him off to some overseas buyer first.

I couldn't bear to think of how he would lump me in with his deadbeat father for leaving him with such a fate. I would be unable to rest in peace.

"I can't die here," I repeated through clenched teeth before sliding down the slanted, moss-covered terrain that led into the woods. The manor overlooked the coast from one end while the other side led into a sparse forest filled with slopes. There was a paved path for vehicles that pointed me in the right direction. But I avoided the path itself.

My heart was racing in fear that any moment from now, a howl, an alarm—something, would alert all residents of the house that I was their target.

I needed to move faster.

"GRRRRR," I growled, pushing my limbs to move faster. Omegas were unable to shift into wolf form, which was why we were mostly useless to the pack except for performing menial tasks.

Fifty thousand in three months was still doable. Somehow. Yes, I would find a way, just like I always did. I could sell a kidney, maybe even sell my body if anyone wanted "damaged goods" as Johnny had termed it.

But to my horror, one wrong step, and something snapped, clamping my left leg with sharp, metal teeth.

"Arghhhh!" I cried out, toppling backwards and falling on my butt. Metal clamped around my ankle and I recognised the mechanism as a bear trap. One of those old-school, iron-fanged bastards that packed a bite. "Ahhh—s**t!" I gasped, trembling hands trying to pry it open.

The pain was too vivid and just when I managed to pull it slightly open—I heard the crunch of a twig snap nearby.

My ears twitched and my head jerked towards the noise, ignoring the blood that left my foot.

I heard it before I saw it—an arrow of some sort was fired at me and my head snapped to the side, dodging on instinct. The arrow hissed past my ear.

When it came to combat, I was faster and stronger than the average human, but my other senses were subpar to a real werewolf. Still, I had no idea who was attacking me or why. Had someone found Nikolai and come after me?

No, it was still too soon and even if they had, I doubted a bow would be the choice weapon. This seemed like the work of a human.

I didn't wait to find out. I forced the trap open, then pulled my foot free. The moment I stood, another arrow fired, embedding itself deep into my shoulder.

I choked on the scream, biting it down hard. The metal burned like fire. Silver. Of course it was. This bastard—whoever it was, wasn't playing fair.

Unable to reach, I couldn't pull it out. But leaving it in too long? That could kill me.

I staggered upright, dragging my aching foot in a hopeless bid to escape.

Just then, the ground shifted from underneath my feet and I dropped into a camouflaged pit. Midway down the fall, my head collided with a loose stub and in that moment, everything went dark.

***

"Hhhhh!" I gasped awake, wincing at the lingering headache as my eyes roamed my immediate surroundings. Instead of the pit I recalled falling into, I was in the infirmary—one of the many places Harlan had given me a tour of.

I panicked, sitting up too fast. 'No no no—how the hell did I end up back here?' I pushed the sheets aside.

Sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains, which meant that hours had passed since last night's fiasco and Nikolai Quinn was already up and about.

I barely had time to swing my legs over the bed before the curtain was drawn back.

'Harlan.'

I flinched.

But his expression was neutral. Not like a man who'd caught an assassin.

"I'm glad to see you awake," he said. "You were found in the forest. You could've been hurt badly—or worse. What were you doing out there?"

My mouth worked before my brain caught up. "I... I was looking for my pendant. It must've fallen off on my way here."

He frowned, but said nothing.

"I didn't mean to wander. I didn't know about the traps."

"Well," he said, adjusting his glasses, "now you do. Keep to the paths. Only residents know where the lot of them are."

I nodded like an obedient fool.

"Master Nikolai found you," Harlan added. "During his morning jog, no less and your pendant story matches his so I'll let it slide."

I froze at the mention of that name—Nikolai.

I stared at him. "Wait... Harlan, why was he even here yesterday? I thought the family wasn't arriving until today."

Harlan sighed. "The young master often does what he pleases. You'll get used to it. Hopefully quicker than I have."

I apologised once more and thanked him. He accepted it with a nod and turned toward the door.

"One more thing," he added. "The Quinns will be arriving any minute. Everyone is to line up and greet them."

Perfect. Just perfect.

I had no idea why Nikolai hadn't exposed me, but I doubt it was simply out of the kindness of his heart.

By noon, the staff stood assembled outside the grand entrance. I made sure to position myself at the furthest edge, half behind a pillar.

To my absolute horror, Nikolai Quinn, whom I hadn't seen all morning, finally decided to make an appearance.

He wore a white robe, loosely tied at the waist, leaving a good portion of his chest exposed. His black hair was damp, dripping over his shoulders. Clearly, he'd just come from a swim or shower.

His emerald green eyes brushed past me like I was no one, like nothing had happened last night. But when the one corner of his mouth lifted into a small smirk, I knew that last night had been more than just my imagination.

My grip tightened on the hem of my dress.

Why wasn't he saying anything? Why had he kept last night a secret? Did he plan on making a scene now that the rest of the family was back?

The not knowing was killing me!

He slowly descended the front steps like one of those runway models you'd only ever see through a screen. One glance, and someone would assume he was some quiet, well-mannered young master. But after last night's encounter, I knew better. Behind that pretty face was a twisted little bastard—and the kind who wouldn't let me off the hook so easily.

Nikolai paused beside me and I kept my gaze fixed on the floor.

Then the real guests arrived.

A black car pulled up near the fountain and a young woman stepped out first. She was petite with brown eyes and dusty blonde hair curled in waves. Camilla Quinn was Nikolai's stepsister.

I watched the passenger door open and Camilla extended a hand to her mother—Luna. Luna Quinn was a regal, hawk-faced woman who wore a strict frown.

My focus strayed from them as I waited to catch a glimpse of my target. To my amazement, the last person to step out of the car was a large man with broad shoulders, muscled arms. Hell, he had to be over six feet five inches, clearly a giant. I could only assume that he was the father.

So where was my target?

"That's him," Nikolai mumbled to my hearing as if reading my thoughts. "Nicolo Quinn."

My eyes widened in disbelief, unable to peel my gaze away from the man known as Nicolo and I went cold.

That was who I was supposed to kill? That mountain of a man?

I wasn't an assassin. I was just a mother with a fake résumé and a few tricks or two. This was a suicide mission!

And then, Nikolai leaned in.

"Oh, and Isolde?"

I finally looked up at him.

He smiled. A wicked grin that mirrored that from last night.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how well you do." Then he walked past me to meet his family.