Marked by the Alphas

Chapter 98: Chapter 98

Katie POV

I think I broke my mind. I have been dissecting my days as Katie, second by second, and my nerves are shot. I must keep my composure at all times, especially around Axel and Kane. And Mason.

Finally, it is half past three, and I gather my bags and Stella. She moans softly when I pick her up, but continues sleeping when I gently rock her.

Nobody says a word when we meet in the den and follow Gabriela outside.

The drive to human territory is stressful and silent. But I am grateful for the silence, I am not ready to look at people and pretend that I am oblivious. We pull up to what looks like a skeevy nightclub.

“Are you taking us out on the town, Gabriela?” Braden teases weakly.

“I don’t think Stella will enjoy that very much,” I join in the joke.

“Sure, Braden,” Gabriela laughs. “I figured you’d enjoy this more when you’re drunk.”

“You know me too well, Gabriela,” Braden replies. “Now, I can die a happy man.”

“You’re not dead, yet,” Gabriela huffs. “The witch we’re looking for operates out of the basement.”

I shove my hair up into a beanie and toss on oversized sunglasses. Not the best disguise, but it is dark after all. Gabriela, Braden, and I pile out of the car and walk towards the entrance first. Once we are inside, everyone else will follow.

But when we get to the door, the big beefy guard flares his nostrils and spits on the ground.

“No way you’re getting in,” he glares at us, crossing his arms. “Dogs and bloodsuckers aren’t welcome here.”

“Excuse me?” Gabriela raises her eyebrows.

“I said what I said,” he scoffs. “Now, clear my door.”

“No,” Gabriela says firmly. “We’re here to see Rhiannon.”

“No way you know her,” the guard looks her up and down. “Now move, or I’ll make you move.”

He clenches his fist, and suddenly it is coated in silver. Damn. So that is what magic looks like. We all take an involuntary step back. That will do some major damage to a shifter.

“Please,” Gabriela pleads. “We ...”

“Excuse me,” a woman interrupts as she exits the club and pushes past us.

“Isolde!” I exclaim when I recognise her, pulling off my hat and sunglasses.

“Katie,” her eyes widen as she looks at me. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Her gaze shifts quickly to Gabriela, and I notice a flicker of recognition. But I was expecting as much, because Isolde was the one who handed me my fake ID and new life as Katie.

“Could you help us get inside, please?” Gabriela asks politely.

“Sure,” Adele smiles nervously, and turns to the guard. “Jett, will you let these guys through, please?”

“Fine,” he grunts.

“Sorry, there are a few more of us in the car,” Gabriela says. He looked us over once more, me with my hair sticking out in every direction, Braden barely standing upright, and Gabriela struggling to support his weight.

“They don’t pay me enough for this shit,” Jett grunts, but he opens the door anyway.

“Thank you,” Gabriela smiles, and we walk through the hallway and step inside Rhiannon’s place.

I am pleasantly surprised to see a modern apartment that looks more like an underground artist’s loft than a seedy basement of a club, though you can distantly hear the thumping of the bass. There is cool art and lighting in every corner of the place, and the overall vibe is cosy but chic. And when Rhiannon enters the room, I can see why. She is dressed in a gauzy, perfectly draped outfit that looks, in a word, fabulous.

“Gabriela!” she exclaims delightedly when she spots us, but then her face wrinkles into a frown. “What’s the deal with the half-dead bloodsucker?”

“Long story,” Gabriela sighs.

There is a shuffling behind us, and I turn around and watch the rest of our party pour into the apartment, including luggage and baby strollers.

“You brought quite the little group with you,” Rhiannon says, her nose wrinkling up. “You know I told trust wolves, G.”

“These are good ones,” Gabriela replies. “Well ... mostly.”

“This one,” Gabriela shoves her thumb in Mason’s direction. “Got a little overzealous when he came up on Braden here. He bit him, and we need a cure fast.”

“That’s Braden?” Rhiannon raises her eyebrows in surprise. “As in Braden ...” freewёbnoνel.com

“Yes,” Gabriela cuts her off. “So, you see why we need a cure.”

“Well, there’s only one cure,” she sighs, looking at Braden with concern. “And it’s getting harder and harder to come by.”

She waves Braden and Gabriela over to a huge velvet couch, and he groans in pain when he sits down.

“Do me a favour, will you?” Rhiannon asks, grabbing my arm. But then she looked up at me, and something flashed in her eyes.“Wait, this one’s got a spell cast on her.”

“Wh ... what kind of spell?” I ask nervously, pulling my arm back, glancing around the room. Everyone is staring at me as if I am on display.

“Give me your hands,” she demands, holding her palms up. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

I obey hesitantly, and when she takes them in hers, my skin tingles like they have been resting on blocks of ice.

“Let’s do this later, Rhiannon,” Gabriela says impatiently. “We’re losing time.”

“No!” Rhiannon shushes her, and all the colour drains from Gabriela’s face. Does she know what is going on?

“It’s a dampening spell,” Rhiannon says, looking deep into my eyes. “It’s concealing your vampire side.”

I gasp and then choke on my own breath. What the fuck? Just as I thought I got everything figured out, new shit surfaces. I glance around the room, and everyone seems shocked or confused. Everyone, but Gabriela.

“My what?” I finally found my voice.

“You didn’t know that you’re a hybrid?” Rhiannon raises her eyebrows.

“No,” I shake my head.

“Now I know why you brought her, G.” Rhiannon looks at me while she talks to Gabriela. “Only her blood can heal a wolf shifter’s bite.”