The Hybrid

Chapter 35

The panic room was suffocatingly silent, broken only by the faint sound of breathing and the distant echo of the pack house’s defenses locking into place. Kyra paced back and forth, her body vibrating with the need to act. She couldn’t just sit there while Ryder and the others fought for their lives.

Allie was huddled in the corner with Ethan, their hands tightly intertwined, trying to comfort each other. Amber, on the other hand, sat off to the side, fidgeting nervously, her anxiety radiating through the room.

Kyra finally turned to Kyle, who was standing by the reinforced door, his jaw tight and his eyes fixed on nothing. “Have you heard anything?” she asked, her voice laced with both frustration and desperation.

Kyle shook his head. “They’re blocking me out,” he muttered, his tone sharp with irritation.

But before Kyra could press him further, Kyle’s expression changed. His entire body stiffened, his eyes glazing over as someone mind-linked him. The color drained from his face, replaced by a look of pure terror.

“What is it?” Kyra demanded, stepping closer to him.

Kyle snapped out of the link and immediately bolted to a hidden compartment in the wall. He pulled out several emergency bags, his hands trembling as he threw them onto the floor. “Everyone grab a bag. Now!”

Amber’s panic bubbled over, her voice high and shrill. “What’s going on? What’s happening? Why are we leaving?”

Kyle rounded on her, his voice snapping like a whip. “Vampires have overrun the main gate. We’ve lost a few people, and a lot of others are hurt. The guards are falling back, and they’re evacuating the town. Now grab a bag and let’s move!”

The words hit Kyra like a punch to the gut. Her chest tightened as a wave of dread crashed over her. Ryder. Was he okay? Was he still out there?

Kyle opened the emergency exit, the heavy door sliding open to reveal a narrow pathway leading into the woods. “Stay close to me,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Everyone grabbed a bag and followed him out, but as soon as Kyra stepped into the cool night air, her instincts kicked in. She couldn’t leave Ryder behind. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind raced, replaying his promise to come back to her.

Before anyone could stop her, Kyra darted toward the woods, her feet carrying her away from the group and into the darkness.

“Kyr—no!” Kyle’s shout echoed behind her, but she didn’t stop.

Branches whipped against her arms and face as she sprinted through the forest, her burgundy eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear and determination. She had to find Ryder. She had to know he was okay.

Kyra ran through the woods, her lungs burning and her heart pounding as she tried to pick up Ryder’s scent. The coppery tang of blood overwhelmed her senses, making it difficult to focus. Fear clawed at her chest as she stumbled over roots and branches, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

“Kyra!” Allie’s voice echoed behind her, followed by Kyle and Ethan shouting her name. They were chasing her, but she pushed herself harder, ignoring their calls. She had to find Ryder—she needed to find him.

A faint trace of his scent finally reached her, but it was overpowered by the stench of blood. Her stomach churned at the thought, but she forced herself forward, following the trail as it grew stronger.

“Kyra, stop!” Kyle yelled, his voice tinged with desperation. He was getting closer.

But she couldn’t stop. Not until she knew Ryder was okay. She burst into a clearing, her chest heaving as she scanned the area. It was the place where she had first met Dorian, the mist curling eerily around the trees.

Through the haze, a figure emerged. For a brief moment, her heart leaped with hope. “Ryder?” she called, her voice trembling.

The figure turned, and her hope was crushed. It wasn’t Ryder. It was him.

Wyatt.

He stood there, his tall frame cloaked in the mist, his devilish smile as cold and cruel as she remembered. “There you are, beautiful,” he said smoothly, his voice dripping with false warmth. “How I’ve missed you.”

Kyra froze, her body betraying her. Her heart pounded in her ears, and tears streamed down her face as memories of the torment he had inflicted on her flooded her mind.

Wyatt tilted his head, his smile growing wider. “What? No hug? You didn’t miss me?”

Her legs felt like lead, and her breath came in shallow gasps. She wanted to run, to fight, but all she could do was stand there, paralyzed by the sheer weight of her fear.

Wyatt took a step closer, his dark eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “It’s time to go home, my love,” he said softly, as if he were speaking to a frightened child.

Kyra’s lips trembled as she finally managed to whisper, “You’re not taking me anywhere.”

Wyatt chuckled darkly, his tone mocking. “Oh, sweet Kyra, you still think you have a choice.”

As he moved closer, the sound of her friends calling her name grew louder. She turned her head slightly, her mind willing them to stay away, to stay safe. But Wyatt used her moment of distraction to lunge forward, grabbing her throat with an iron grip.

“Let me go!” she screamed, her voice slicing through the stillness of the clearing. She fought against him, but his strength was overwhelming.

Wyatt grinned down at her, his voice dripping with venom. “Struggle all you want. No one’s coming to save you this time.”

In the distance, Kyra could hear the frantic voices of her friends growing louder, but they felt a world away. Wyatt leaned in close, his breath icy against her skin.

“Come quietly,” he whispered, “or I’ll make sure your little friends pay the price.”

Terror coursed through her, but she refused to let him see it. She mustered every ounce of courage she had, her voice trembling but defiant. “I’ll never go with you.”

Wyatt’s smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of irritation. “You’ll regret that, my love.”

Suddenly, the sound of snapping branches broke through the tension. Wyatt’s head whipped toward the noise, his grip on Kyra tightening as he prepared for whatever was coming.

Kyra’s heart raced as the mist around them seemed to thicken, the air growing heavier with every passing second. Her friends were close, but so was danger.

Evelyn snaked out of the shadows, her crimson eyes gleaming with malice, flanked by a few of her men. She chuckled darkly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Well, well. This must be the little hybrid you’ve been obsessing over, Wyatt.”

Her gaze swept over Kyra, lingering as though she were inspecting a prized artifact. “My, she is a beauty. I can see the obsession, Wyatt. I can feel the power lying dormant inside her.”

Wyatt’s growl was low and menacing. “You’re supposed to be at the gate, taking care of the Alpha!”

The word Alpha made Kyra’s blood run cold. Her mind instantly went to Ryder. Was he still alive? Had he been hurt?

Evelyn’s smirk vanished, replaced by a sharp, irritated glare. “They retreated,” she said flatly. “But don’t worry. He’ll come running when he finds out we’ve got his pride and joy.”

Her words sent a shiver down Kyra’s spine, and Wyatt’s face twisted with fury. “You had one job!” he barked, his tone harsh enough to make even Evelyn’s men shift uncomfortably.

“I don’t take orders from you, Wyatt,” Evelyn shot back coolly, folding her arms. “And don’t forget—you needed me to even get this far. So unless you want to lose everything, I’d suggest you watch your tone.”

Wyatt growled low, his grip on Kyra’s throat tightening as her friends burst into the clearing, skidding to a halt. Panic flashed in their eyes as Evelyn’s men materialized behind them in a blur, claws glinting in the moonlight. In an instant, each vampire had a claw poised at their throats. Allie, Kyle, Ethan, and Amber froze, their faces pale with terror.

Evelyn smirked, her smile a cruel twist of amusement. “More dogs. How quaint. It seems you have company, Kyra.”

Kyra couldn’t think clearly, not with Wyatt’s iron grip and his low, venomous voice in her ear. “This is your last chance, my love,” he hissed. “Come with me willingly, or watch your friends bleed out and die. Either way, I will take you.”

Wyatt’s hold on Kyra tightened further, cutting off her air as her friends began to whisper desperately. “Don’t go,” Allie whimpered, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t do it. It’s fine.”

Tears flooded Kyra’s eyes as she looked at her friends, her heart shattering at the panic and fear etched into their faces. Wyatt’s grip grew harsher, making it harder for her to breathe.

A dark, guttural growl echoed through the forest, breaking the tension. It reverberated in Kyra’s chest, sending a shiver down her spine. All heads turned toward the shadows as Ryder emerged in his massive black wolf form, his fur bristling with fury. His eyes locked onto Wyatt, blazing with unrelenting hatred.

Evelyn grinned maliciously, stepping forward slightly. “Told you, Wyatt. He’d come looking.”

Ryder bared his teeth, his growl deepening into a feral warning, daring Wyatt to harm Kyra. Wyatt’s lips curled into a smirk as he snarled back. “Thank you for bringing my plaything back to me, Alpha.”

Rage boiled inside Ryder, and with a powerful leap, he lunged for Wyatt, determined to free Kyra. But Evelyn intercepted him mid-air, slamming him to the ground with unnatural strength. Ryder howled in pain as her claws tore into his right side, blood staining his black fur. He fought back fiercely, snapping his powerful jaws, but Evelyn was relentless. She dodged his attacks, she was fast.

Evelyn hissed in triumph as she pinned Ryder to the ground, her claws digging deep into his right shoulder, blood pooling beneath him. Ryder let out a guttural growl of pain, thrashing beneath her grip, but Evelyn only pressed harder, leaning close to his ear.

“This is for my mate, you filthy animal,” she snarled, her voice dripping with venom.

Evelyn raised her clawed hand for the final blow, her lips curling into a sadistic smile.

Kyra’s vision blurred as fury and desperation overwhelmed her. The sight of Ryder, broken and bleeding, ignited something deep within her—a force she could no longer contain. Power surged through her veins, a pulse of energy exploding outward like a shockwave.

Wyatt, still holding Kyra by the throat, was thrown back as if struck by an invisible force, his body colliding with a jagged rock with a sickening crack. He groaned in pain, momentarily stunned.

Kyra’s body trembled as her emotions spiraled out of control. A fierce growl erupted from her lips as her form began to shift.

Kyra’s wolf form was breathtaking—a creature of haunting beauty and raw power. Her sleek, silvery coat shimmered under the moonlight, blending seamlessly into the shadows, while streaks of black fur framed her muscular frame, accentuating her strength. Her luminous burgundy-red eyes burned with intensity, a stark contrast against her pale fur, making her appear both mesmerizing and terrifying.

She lunged at Evelyn with terrifying precision, body slamming her into a nearby tree with such force that the trunk shattered, sending splinters flying. Evelyn crumpled to the ground, stunned and disoriented, the smirk wiped from her face.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kyra’s friends sprang into action. Kyle, Ethan, Allie, and Amber shifted into their wolf forms and attacked the vampires, their claws and fangs flashing under the moonlight. They didn’t defeat them, but their relentless assault bought precious time.