I spotted the office phone on the desk, just inches from my outstretched fingers. If I could just reach it… My hand inched toward it while I tried to keep Steve distracted with my struggles. I bucked against him, trying to throw him
off bnce.
Just as my fingertips brushed the phone, Steve noticed and knocked it away with a swipe of his hand. It ttered to the floor, sliding far out of reach.
My vision blurred with tears of pain and fear. My body felt heavy<b>, </b>my movements growing sluggish as the pain in my ribs intensified with each breath. I tasted blood from my split lip. Was this how it would end? In this office, at the
hands of this monster?
Dominic’s face shed in my mind – his stern expression, those rare moments when his eyes softened when looking at me. I should have called him. I should have told him about Elizabeth. About this job. About everything.
“Dominic…” I whispered, not even realizing I’d spoken aloud. My voice was barely audible, broken and small. “I’m
sorry…”
The office door suddenly burst open, mming against the wall with enough force to crack the ster. Emma stood in the doorway, her chest heaving, her eyes wide with horror at the scene before her.
“Get away from her!” she screamed, her voice cracking with fear and determination.
Steve turned, momentarily distracted. His weight shifted, giving me a second to gasp for air. “Get out!” he roared, spittle flying from his elongated mouth. “This doesn’t concern you!”
Emma didn’t run. Instead, she grabbed a heavy crystal vase from a nearby shelf and, with all her strength, smashed it against the back of Steve’s head.
ss shattered, the sound explosively loud in the small office. Water and flowers sprayed everywhere as Steve staggered backward, releasing me as he howled in pain and rage. He spun toward Emma, his eyes glowing a fierce gold, fangs fully extended and gleaming with saliva. “You human bitch!” he snarled, advancing toward her.
Emma screamed and backed away, her hands raised defensively in front of her. Her back hit the wall, leaving her nowhere to retreat.
I seized the moment to slide off the desk, my legs nearly buckling beneath me. I frantically searched for my phone that had fallen from my pocket during the struggle. My fingers trembled as they explored the floor, finally closing around the familiar shape.
My fingers closed around it just as Steve lunged toward Emma. I unlocked it with trembling hands, frantically hitting Dominic’s speed dial number. My thumb left a smear of blood on the screen.
?? 63
“Stop!‘ I shouted at Steve, trying to distract him from Emma. My voice was hoarse, throat raw from fear. “The police are on their way!”
Steve whirled back toward me, blood dripping from where the vase had struck his head. A shard of ss protruded from his scalp, but he seemed not to notice. “Put that phone down!” he growled, advancing toward me with predatory intent. His shoulders hunched, his movements more animal than man.
The line connected, and I heard Dominic’s voice, cool and professional: “Reba?”
“D–Dominic,” I gasped, my voice shaking, words tumbling out in desperation. “Help me… please…”
Steve lunged forward, ws extended, trying to grab the phone. I scrambled backward, my body screaming in pain as I collided with a filing cab. The metal handle dug into my already bruised back.
“Where are you?<b>” </b>Dominic’s voice changed instantly, sharp with rm. I could hear rustling in the background, the
sound of movement.
“Silver Collections,” I managed to say before Steve knocked the phone from my hand with a vicious swipe. It skidded
across the floor, Dominic’s voice still audible but too distant to make out the words.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Steve snarled, his fully transformed face inches from mine. His breath was hot and rancid, pupils constricted to pinpoints in the sea of gold. “Now I’ll have to kill you both.”
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12:08 Mon, <b>Sep </b><b>22 </b>
Mated by Contract to the Alpha