Chapter 23
834 Words
The bikes tore through the night like thunder, engines screaming as we pushed them to their limits. I clung to Ryker’s back, the wind cutting across my face while the awakened curse burned hot in my veins. Every second counted. Elias’s team was closing in on Leo’s transport, and we were racing against death itself.
“Faster!” I shouted over the roar.
Ryker leaned low, twisting the throttle harder. The rogue Alphas flanked us — Jax and Kai on the left, Zane and Draco on the right — their bodies low over their bikes, eyes glowing in the darkness. The broken pact and the curse binding us all made them ride like demons.
Jax’s bike growled closer on my other side. “Hold on, Rhea. We’re almost there.”
The mountain road twisted dangerously. Ahead, red taillights appeared — Leo’s warded SUV, surrounded by three black vehicles belonging to Elias’s team. Gunfire cracked through the night. The transport swerved violently.
“No!” I screamed.
Ryker roared and surged forward. I anchored the curse through him, pushing power into his body to sharpen his reflexes. The red energy flowed steadier now, but I could feel it pulling on all of us — tightening the bonds even more.
We hit the enemy convoy like a storm.
Ryker slammed his bike into the nearest black SUV, forcing it off the road. The rogue Alphas exploded into action. Jax and Kai took down two enforcers with precise shots while Zane and Draco shifted partially, their wolves leaping onto moving vehicles and tearing through metal and flesh.
I jumped off Ryker’s bike mid-motion, scalpel glowing in my hand. The curse surged as I slashed at the air, sending a wave of red energy that disabled the lead vehicle’s engine. It spun out and crashed into the trees.
One of Elias’s men aimed at Leo’s transport. I moved without thinking, power exploding from me in a controlled blast. The man flew backward, slamming into a rock.
But the backlash hit me hard. Pain lanced through my chest. My knees buckled.
Kai was there instantly, catching me against his chest. “Easy, Queen. We’ve got you.”
His arms wrapped around me, one hand sliding possessively down my waist as he fired over my shoulder with the other. The touch sent heat racing through the pain. Jax appeared on my other side, his body pressing close as he guarded us.
“Rhea,” Jax growled against my ear, “the curse is draining you again. Use us. All of us.”
Ryker fought his way to my side, bloodied but fierce. He pulled me between him and Kai, his mouth crashing down on mine in a brief, desperate kiss. “Anchor it through me. Now.”
I did. The power flowed between the five of us — steadier, stronger. Red energy pulsed along the threads connecting us. The pain eased, replaced by overwhelming heat as their hands stayed on me — possessive, grounding, hungry.
Zane and Draco cleared the last of the enforcers. The road fell silent except for the idling engines.
We reached Leo’s transport. The driver opened the door, face pale. Leo was curled up inside, eyes wide with fear but unharmed.
“Mommy!” he cried, reaching for me.
I pulled him into my arms, tears burning my eyes as I held him tight. “I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe.”
The rogue Alphas gathered around us. Kai ruffled Leo’s hair gently. “Told you we’d protect you, little man. You’re our brother’s blood.”
Ryker wrapped his arms around both of us, his chin resting on my head. For a moment, the five males created a wall of protection and raw possessiveness around us.
But the peace was short-lived.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
Another message. Unknown number.
'Clever. You saved the boy this time. But the curse is evolving faster than you think. By sunrise, the bonds will force you to choose one of them… or it will start killing all five. Come to the old pack house ruins alone at first light. Or watch them destroy each other over you.'
I showed the message to Ryker. His body went rigid.
The rogue Alphas read it over my shoulder. Their expressions darkened — hunger, suspicion, and fierce determination mixing together.
Draco stepped closer, voice low. “We’re not letting the curse dictate this.”
But I could already feel it — the threads between us growing tighter, more volatile. The power wanted a single anchor. It wouldn’t allow five.
Ryker’s hand cupped my face. “We face it together. No matter what.”
As we prepared to ride back to the cabin with Leo safe between us, the curse whispered dark warnings in my blood.
Dawn was coming.
And with it, the final choice the awakened power demanded.
The queen had saved her son.
Now she might have to sacrifice something even greater to keep the males she was falling for alive.
- Writer
