THE LYCAN'S STRIPPER MATE

CHAPTER 5

KIERAN BLACKWOOD

With a swift movement, I slide to the side, letting the lycan pass through the wall with a deafening crash. The sound of the collision is deafening, echoing down the corridor as the fight continues unabated. Scarlett remains paralyzed, unable to move in the face of the horror unfolding before her.

With the wall destroyed, I raise my hand, ready to face my opponent with all the ferocity I can muster. The lycan roars as my claws meet his skin, tearing deeply with each blow. There's no time for hesitation, only the need to defeat my opponent before he can cause me further harm.

The sight of the lycan bleeding awakens a mix of emotions within me - anger, determination, and a fierce will to survive. With concentrated effort, I hurl him forcefully against the opposite wall, the impact causing the lycan to fall to the ground, unconscious and defeated.

I breathe deeply, my breath is irregular as I watch the Lycan lying before me. I look at Scarlett, seeing the fear still present in her eyes, and know we need to act quickly if we want to survive this night.

Furthermore, I nod, and she quickly understands, running to the other corridor; I follow, knowing that the human police could arrive at any moment.

There are many injured people, and the smell of blood is overwhelming. I have the urge to go back and help the injured, but I look at Scarlett, seeing the tears in her eyes.

Maya.

It's as if I'm seeing my mate before me, pleading for help just as Maya did.

I see when we finally reach the other exit with many people running around us. Scarlett pushes the doors forcefully, and I clench my fists when I hear her scream.

Jason is on the street outside the club, holding Scarlett tightly, his claws pressed against her neck. He screams and cries at the same time, looking at me.

No.

I blink, remembering when Maya looked at me the same way.

"Please, let me go! Please!", she screams, and I remain still, seeing her glaring at me with fury in her eyes.

I use my mind to communicate with Jason in the way only Lycans can.

"Don't do this, don't you dare hurt another human."

He smiles at me, his eyes shining, shaking his head and holding her tighter.

"Killing another human won't change anything for me, it'll just be another death, Kieran. All of this could have been avoided."

"How? We're not like that; we must protect the weaker ones; we shouldn't attack humans!", I growl, using our eye contact.

"I'm tired of listening to your orders; you're not my alpha anymore; you're nothing, Kieran. I'll take great pleasure in killing her and you tonight."

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you.", I say mentally, feeling the anger returning to dominate me.

"She's just a human; she's not involved in this story, you want to kill me? Then do it, but don't hurt her."

"I know that gleam in your eyes, Kieran. The same gleam I saw when you were with Maya; you found the stripper identical to your mate, and you think she can be like her."

I look at Scarlett, seeing her trembling and crying even more.

"I want to hurt you, and I will do it if I kill this human, I want you to see the same thing you saw when Maya died, begging and calling your name."

I growl, ready to attack him, but I stop when I see his claws too close to her neck vein, and just one pressure is enough to tear her throat and kill her.

"Please, I don't want to die. Let me go, please!", she screams as he holds her tighter.

Maya.

Scarlett.

She closes her eyes screaming when Jason threatens to bite her.

"You want the leadership of the pack, I'll give it to you, but let the girl go now."

"Don't try to deceive me, Kieran. I know you enough to know that you would never do that. I have nothing left to lose."

"Jason..."

"That cold night in the forest, a vampire killed Maya; she was waiting for you alone in the dark; she loved you so much, and you weren't there to protect her."

"But it wasn't just that. I always wanted to be the alpha, I always wanted to be the strongest, to have the power in my hands, but you were always there thwarting my plans, so I planned to take the most important thing to you."

"I sent the vampire to kill Maya that night, he killed her, but I was responsible for planning it, Kieran."

I see the coldness in his gaze, and inside my mind, I hear Maya's screams again as I run through the forest to find her, but it is too late.

"She begged and called your name just like this girl is going to do."

"No!"

I howl loudly as I've never done before, running towards Kieran, and I see when his claws pierce Scarlett's neck, who screams and falls to the ground, bleeding.

The anger boils inside me, a whirlwind of wild emotions threatening to consume all my reason.

Jason, the traitor, is responsible for Maya's death. The knowledge of his betrayal only fuels my fury, turning it into an unstoppable force that drives me into the battle unfolding before me.

With an agile leap, I throw myself onto Jason, my claws and teeth ready for the attack. Each blow is a manifestation of my anger, a silent challenge to the betrayal he committed. We fall to the ground, rolling and fighting in a tangle of limbs and fur, each of us determined to emerge victorious.

I taste blood in my mouth as my fangs find Jason's shoulder, his howls of pain echoing down the corridor. But even in the face of my relentless attack, he refuses to yield, fighting with a ferocity equal to mine.

The confrontation is brutal, a deadly dance between rival predators. But just as I'm about to end him once and for all, the distant sound of police cars is heard, a grim reminder that I cannot allow my true identity to be revealed.

"Come on, kill me, show me you're not like me!"

The momentary hesitation is all Jason needs. With a quick movement, he frees himself from my grip, seizing the opportunity to flee while he still can. His eyes shine with triumph as he disappears into the darkness, escaping once again.

For a moment, I consider chasing after him and making him pay for what he's done. But then, my gaze falls on Scarlett, lying on the ground with her hands pressed against her wounded neck. Her eyes are full of pain and fear, a painful reminder that there are lives at stake beyond my own.

I breathe deeply, trying to calm my wild rage as I return to my human form. I kneel beside Scarlett, carefully picking her up, feeling the weight of her fragility against my chest.

"I...I don't want to die...", she whispers in my arms, her face wet with tears.

"You're not going to die."

"You're going to be okay. I'll take you to a safe place."

And so, with Scarlett in my arms and the sound of police sirens in the distance, I walk away from the club, leaving behind the wreckage of the battle and the shadows of my past.

I rush to my car before the police arrive, laying her down on the back seat before I start driving to the safest place for her.

My house.

Scarlett continues to bleed, and I'm afraid I won't have enough time to save her. I could take her to a hospital, but that's the first place the Lycans would look again.