Shattered Bonds of the Shadowed Alpha

Chapter 3

The dream clung to me like damp cloth, Jax’s phantom touch lingering on my skin. In that hazy nowhere-place, his voice was soft, coaxing. “You’re mine, Anna. Stop fighting it.”

I pressed myself against him, my body betraying my mind. “You’re not real,” I whispered, even as I sank deeper into the illusion, his hands igniting a fire I couldn’t douse.

“Real enough,” he murmured, pulling me closer. My wolf purred, desperate for this version of him, the one who didn’t hate me.

But it was a lie. A cruel trick of my mind.

I woke with a gasp, heart pounding in the dim light of my cramped apartment above The Howling Moon. The cot creaked under me, the single window casting a faint glow across the bare walls. My knife lay within reach, a small comfort against the world outside.

The bar below was silent, closed for the night. But sleep was a lost cause. Jax’s visit, Lila’s warning, and the mystery of Parker’s death churned in my head. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was unraveling.

I swung my legs over the bed, wincing as my bare feet hit the cold floor. The room was sparse, a dresser, a tiny fridge, a hot plate in the corner. Everything I owned fit in a bag under the cot, ready for a chance to run. But Jax’s threat echoed: he’d hunt me down.

A thud downstairs snapped me alert. I grabbed the knife, pulse racing. No one should be here at this hour.

“Anna?” a slurred voice called. Danny.

My stomach twisted. I crept to the door, listening. His footsteps staggered across the bar’s wooden floor, bottles clinking as he rummaged.

I eased the door open, knife in hand, and peered down the stairwell. The bar’s low lights flickered, casting shadows on the worn tables and stools. Danny stood behind the counter, a bottle of whiskey in one hand, his eyes glassy.

“You’re supposed to be gone,” I said, descending slowly.

He grinned, swaying. “Checking on my favorite worker. You didn’t finish polishing the shelves.”

“I did enough,” I snapped, keeping my distance. “Go home, Danny.”

He took a step toward me, the bottle sloshing. “Not yet. Jax ain’t here to protect you now.”

My grip tightened on the knife. “Back off.”

He laughed, lurching closer. “You think you’re tough? Dirk’s daughter or not, you’re nothing.”

I backed toward the front door, my free hand fumbling for the lock. If I could get outside, I might outrun him. The forest was close, the river just beyond a natural border Danny wouldn’t cross without Jax’s permission.

“Don’t,” he growled, advancing.

I twisted the lock and shoved the door open. The alarm blared, a shrill wail cutting through the night. I bolted, cool air hitting my face as I sprinted toward the trees. My lungs burned, legs pumping despite the ache from hours on my feet.

Danny’s curses echoed behind me. “Get back here!”

Human footsteps he hadn’t shifted. I had a chance.

The forest loomed, dark and tangled. Branches snagged my clothes, but I kept my eyes on the ground, dodging roots. The river’s rush grew louder, promising freedom.

A low growl stopped me cold. A wolf stepped from the shadows, gray fur glinting in the faint moonlight. I swerved, heart lurching, but my foot caught on a rock. Pain shot through my ankle, and I went down hard.

Danny caught up, human again, grabbing my arm. “Stupid move, Anna.”

I struggled, knife still in hand, but he yanked me up, ignoring my gasp of pain. “Jax’ll hear about this.”

The gray wolf watched, eyes unreadable. I didn’t beg it wouldn’t help. No one in this pack cared.

Danny dragged me back toward the bar, my ankle throbbing with every step. “You’re gonna learn your place,” he muttered.

The alarm still screamed as we reached the door. He shoved me inside, and I stumbled, catching myself on a table. The bar’s familiar smell of beer and grease felt suffocating now.

Danny loomed over me. “Time to ”

Glass shattered behind us. I dove under a table, clutching my knife, heart in my throat.

“Fan out,” Jax’s voice growled, sharp and commanding. “Find the source.”

Danny froze. “Alpha! She tried to run. I caught her.”

Jax appeared, flanked by Jensen and a woman I didn’t know, her presence radiating power. His eyes flicked to me, narrowing. “You made it to the woods?”

“Just short of the river,” Danny said, puffing out his chest. “I stopped her.”

Jax’s gaze shifted to him. “Why were you here this late?”

Danny hesitated. “The place was a mess. I was making sure she cleaned it right.”

I bit back a retort. Lying coward.

Jax’s voice was cold. “Mira, Jensen, take him outside. Get his story. Then get him home.”

The woman Mira, I guessed nodded, her eyes sharp. She and Jensen escorted Danny out, leaving me alone with Jax.

“Get out from under there,” he said.

I crawled out, wincing as my ankle protested. Jax’s eyes tracked the movement, but he didn’t comment.

“You can’t keep running,” he said, crossing his arms. “It won’t end well.”

“I wasn’t running,” I lied, standing as straight as I could. “I was checking the perimeter. I thought I heard something.”

He snorted. “With a knife?”

“Better safe than sorry.”

He stepped closer, towering over me. “You’re a liability, Anna. Always have been.”

“Then let me go,” I said, voice steady despite the fear. “I’m not my father.”

“No, but you’re his blood. That’s enough for some.” He paused, eyes searching mine. “Why’d you run tonight?”

I didn’t answer. Admitting Danny’s threat would only make things worse.

Jax sighed, grabbing a chair and sitting. “Sit.”

I stayed standing. “Just tell me what you want.”

He leaned back, studying me. “Parker’s death bothers you. Why?”

“Because it’s wrong,” I said. “He didn’t kill himself. You know it.”

His jaw tightened. “The note ”

“Was a lie,” I cut in. “Parker was stubborn. He wouldn’t quit.”

Jax’s eyes darkened. “You’re so sure?”

“I knew him better than you think.”

He stood, pacing to the bar. “You’re stirring up trouble. Dangerous trouble.”

“Then tell me the truth,” I said, stepping closer. “What happened to him?”

He turned, his face unreadable. “You don’t get to demand answers.”

My hands clenched. “Someone’s lying, Jax. And you’re letting it happen.”

He moved fast, closing the distance between us. I flinched but held my ground. “Careful,” he growled. “You’re on thin ice.”

The door creaked open behind him. Jensen stepped in, his face grim. “Alpha, we need to talk. Now.”

Jax didn’t look away from me. “About what?”

Jensen hesitated, glancing at me. “It’s about Danny. And Parker.”

My heart skipped. Jax’s eyes narrowed, and he gestured for Jensen to continue.

“He’s lying,” Jensen said. “Danny was at the bar the night Parker died. He’s hiding something.”

I froze, the pieces clicking together. Danny’s promotion, his cruelty, Parker’s death wasn't a coincidence.

Jax’s voice was low, dangerous. “Explain.”

Before Jensen could, the phone rang, shrill in the quiet. I moved to answer, but Jax grabbed my arm. “Leave it.”

“It could be important,” I said, pulling free.

He let me go, eyes burning. I picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Anna,” Lila’s voice crackled, urgent. “They know I talked. You’re not safe. Run.”

The line went dead. I turned, and Jax was staring, his expression unreadable.

“Who was that?” he demanded.

I didn’t answer, my mind racing. Lila’s warning, Jensen’s revelation something was closing in.

Footsteps echoed outside, fast and heavy. The door flew open, and Danny stood there, eyes wild, a blade in his hand.

“Time’s up, Anna,” he snarled.

Jax stepped in front of me, his growl shaking the room. But Danny wasn’t alone, shadows moved behind him, wolves in the dark.

I gripped my knife, heart pounding. Whatever was coming, I wasn’t ready but I’d fight anyway.