The Syndicate’s Bride

Chapter 17

Owen

Fuck me.

An instant feeling of regret washed over me as the wolves closed in on me. The feeling of fear, however, never came.

Before becoming a guard in the Logan estate, the numerous vigorous training I received was worse than anything I had ever experience in my life.

Mr. Logan, unfeeling and brutal, never showed an ounce of sympathy as he ordered tKavand men to whip me and the other tKavanes till we laid in our own blood, or fight each other with real swords until one of us bled till we couldn’t bleed any more. A bunch of wolves was nothing for me to show fear in.

But the instant my mind drifted to Vanessa with her long dark hair and green eyes, my chest immediately etched with regret.

Dying at the hands of the wolves meant I could no longer protect her. I trusted no one but myself to protect her. Yet, I couldn’t even do a proper job of staying alive to do just that.

I wasn’t worthy of her.

I wasn’t given the chance to thank her either, for her major role in my minor life and for being someone she extended her love to, despite how lowly I was. Instead, I was leaving her with the Winchester bastard with this big of a secret that could only break her. I couldn’t even warn her ahead of time.

I was useless to her to the very end.

I wasn’t naive to the danger before me but I knew better than to easily give up and surrender to the enemy. I was a solider, and a soldier never runs away from a fight, even in the face if death. That much I could do to live up to my honour.

Reaching for the long knife attached to my waist, I removed the weapon from its sheath and did the same with my gun on the other side. I exhaled deeply, willing myself into a fight stance.

The wolves were directly in front of me now, close enough to touch my clothes with their nuzzle or even rip me apart before I could blink. I held my breath, bracing myself for the right time to attack. And just when I thought they were about to make the first move, one of the wolves sniffed me and whimpered before stepping back.

Confused, I watched as the wolf looked to its pack in silent communication and then, all of them began to retreat, slowly backing away, until they ran off into the other side of the woods.

What the hell?

The Winchester territory that was once full of wolves growling and prowling was now empty, safe for the black wolf that stared me down with cold blue eyes. After a while, it grunted as if annoyed before walking into the woods, following its park.

Finally, I let out a breath as I replaced my weapons in their respective sheaths. My heart beat rapidly from shock and disbelief.

“I need to tell Mr. Logan.”

“*” “*” “*”

By the time I arrived at the Logan estate, Mr. Logan was in his study evaluating some business documents. He had sent me away at first, telling his guards to inform me that he didn’t wish to be disturbed. But when I insisted on seeing him, stating how crucial my information was, he ushered me in with a displeased look etched on his permanently displeased features.

“Your information better be worth my while, Owen,” he warned,“I wouldn’t want to kill you in my annoyance.”

I trembled slightly, understanding the truth in those words. “It will, sir.”

After narrating the incident in the woods, he tsked, irritated, and slammed his hand on his desk in anger.

“Those bloody Winchesters,” he seethed, “I knew there as something off about them.” He took out a cigarette stick from a pack of cigarettes and lit it. “Those lowly werewolves are unworthy of cooperating with the Logan family.” He blew out smoke and leaned into his chair with a sigh, staring at the ceiling like he was deciding his next move.

He should end the engagement, I thought hopefully. Vanessa was anything but safe around him. I knew a bit about werewolves from the movies I watched when I was younger, most of which I watched with Vanessa, and they were brutal species with instinctsto hunt and kill only. God only knew which of these instincts would take over Ryan and have her killed sooner or later.

I shook my head at the thought. No, I wouldn’t allow it.

“There’s no way I’m sharing our business profits with those bastards,” he said thoughtfully. “I need to ask quickly.”

Of course that’s what he’s worried about, I seethed internally. His business always came first before his daughter. The bastard.

Through with his soliloquy, he turned to me, eyes dark and sharp with a new strategy that I immediately knew I wouldn’t like.

“Plan an assassination targeting Vanessa and frame it on the Winchesters in a way that it exposes them for who they truly are.”

My eyes widened a fraction. He lost me at the first part of his sentence. Has he seriously lost it?

Clearing my throat to ensure my words came out boldly, I lowered my head in respect, knowing how much he hated it when his servants looked him in the eye.

“As a tKavand guard for your daughter’s sole protection,” I started, “I’ll like to ask if this assassination will bring any sort of harm to Vanessa.”

He remained quiet for a long while, his eyes boring into the top of my head. After what felt like eternity, he replied.

“No, it will not cause any harm to Vanessa. Use her as bait and get the job done. Do not disappoint me, Owen.”

The man was still a piece of s**t for using his daughter as bait to get what he wanted but his answer was better than a yes, so I took it.

“Yes sir.” With a final bow, I exited his office.

I had to be more cautious than I had ever been.

Vanessa

The day of the race came quicker than I expected. For the first time, I entered the underground track, walking to the same direction as the audience instead of hanging close to the exit like I normally did in case I was called to offer my services.

The audience was bursting with both excited and nervous chatters. It made sense, seeing as no one wanted their team to lose and everyone came confidence of their team’s success.

Having arrived a bit early, a bit eager to watch the match myself, I scored a good seat, located in direct view of the match.

Sitting down, I heaved a nervous sigh. I knew Ryan was bound to win the match but I guess nerves was also a part of the experience.

A man sat down beside me, chatting loudly with a woman who held his arm affectionately as she giggled at whatever he said. I glanced at them subconsciously, a bit distracted by their voices, when my eyes zoomed in on a familiar orange can held in a bronze toned hand.

“Marco?” I asked, stunned.

He snapped his head to me, eyes widening in shock, then in excitement as he noticed me.

“Vanessa?! Oh, my best friend,” he chirped and I rolled my eyes. He turned to the woman beside him with the same excitement. “Babe, this is Vanessa. We work together as engineers here,” he turned to me. “Vanessa, this is my girlfriend, Skylar.”

I greeted her with a friendly smile and a nod. “It’s lovely to meet you. Please tell him to quit the energy drinks.”

Marco’s mouth dropped open in betrayal, while Skylar laughed. “I tell him every damn time. He’s going to die of an adrenaline rush someday.”

We both giggled, ignoring Marco’s dramatic protests just as the match was announced to begin.

“Since when did you watch these matches?” Marco asked after the laughter died out, a suspicious look in his eyes.

I shrugged smoothly, hoping he didn’t pick on my smooth lie. “Since its our off day, I just decided to.”

Oblivious, Marco nodded in understanding. “Cool. Ryan’s playing today so you’re in luck, you get to watch a good race, even though you don’t like the man.”

I chuckle. If only he knew.

The race soon began after that. The cars lined up, engines roaring like a boost of adrenaline, the crowd screaming, matching the violence of the engines sounds and the managers and engines doing a final check of the vehicle.

When Ryan walked into the arena, the audience erupted into loud hoots and screams, anticipating to see the undefeated champion in action.

My heart skipped a bit as my eyes followed him. He stood in all his 6’4 glory looking devastatingly handsome in his race suit that highlighted his strong physic. He stood by a car I could only assume was put together by Thomas, his engineer, as he talked to his manager.

Beside me, a bunch of women swooned as they pointed at him, giggling like high school girls in love with a jock. I scowled at them, wanting to tell them off, but immediately, I collected myself, keeping my mouth shut before I could say anything.

You don’t even like the man, I reminded myself.

Soon, all the racers were in their cars, positions were taken, and then, the whistle was blown.

Everyone cheered as the racers took off, Ryan immediately taking the lead in his black and orange car. The monitor zoomed in on him, displaying his cold features masked into unshaken concentration. He looked handsome even as he drove, the cold expression he wore an added feature to his already daring look. He had looked at me like that before on the day of the banquet when he laid me against his car. He probably thought he looked intimidating but to me, with that look, I would have allowed him do as he pleased to me.

I hid my blush behind my hand. This was neither the time nor the place.

Ryan kept on the good work maintaining his speed and distance. The crowd cheered excitedly when he passed the final lap, already half way across before the other race cars followed behind him. I knew he said he liked to go fast but that amount of speed could kill a person on the spot in collision circumstances. I guess Thomas was right, he was carefree and daring on the track.

Everyone watched in anticipation as Ryan was only a few distance from the finish line. People’s knees bounced in excitement, some whistled and hooted at him. I lit up with pride. His victory was sure.

But all of a sudden, he began to slow down, cautiously and slowly, until it was half the vigour of his previous speed. Loud murmurs and screams of disbelief erupted in the arena. Angry fans shouted, rage clear in their voices. I leaned forward, unsure of what to make of the drastic change.

Was he trying to fail on purpose?

Behind Ryan, one of the race cars swiftly caught up, swerving to his right, overtaking him and putting him in second place. Shouts of disapproval erupted, my heart beat heavily against my chest, bleeding into my ears. No, he respects the game, I told myself, refusing to believe what I was seeing. When I placed that bet on him, I had no intention of using the means as a way to double my money. I had no need for the money. What I needed was reassurance that he wouldn’t disappoint me and would stay true to himself and the game haven taken that leap of trust to bet on him.

I trusted him and he failed me.

Smoothly, the car that over took Ryan made it past the finish line.

For the first time, Ryan had lost.

Pushing unshed tears down from the betrayal, I left the arena in a rage, ignoring the worried calls from Marco.

I went straight for his changing room, hoping to find him along the way. I walked past the garage, catching a quick glance of familiar dark short hair and large frame and immediately changed my direction into the garage.

Slamming the door shut behind me, I matched to Ryan, fuming in anger and hurt.

“Explain.”