Kill or Be Killed (#1 Eastern Werewolves Pack Series)

Zia screamed when she saw Clay took the bullets for her. He slumped against the wall and slid down, trailing the blood down to the floor as he held onto his bloody shirt. She ran to him and crouched next to his body as tears fell from her eyes. Her brother had sacrificed his life for her. And it was hurting to think that she didn’t deserve such sacrifice for her tragic life.

“Clay, hold on, I’d get help.” She applied pressure to his chest.

Help wasn’t coming. The entire facility was in chaos and everyone was running for their lives because of the terror unleashed outside. Brody barged in and his hands fell to his sides when he saw his best friend's life was hanging by a strand. He dropped his gun and checked for Clay’s injuries. Even if they managed to get help to come here, Clay wasn’t going to hold any longer. The three bullets went through his chest and he was bleeding profusely.

“It’s too late, Zia,” he chocked out some blood from his mouth.

“Don’t say that, please,” she begged.

She lost Samuel. She couldn’t afford to lose another one. Granted, Clay was a spitting image of Joshua in every aspect included their skills and appearance but Zia never disliked what Clay did. He was earning money for a living and that wasn’t wrong. He was really into hunting and she couldn’t blame him. She was just like him until she met Jaxon and learned all the ugly truths.

“Give it...to...me...” He reached for something on Brody’s shirt pocket.

A detonator.

“I should have protected you and Samuel.” Clay muttered in pain, wincing as he tried to sit up better, “But I failed, Zia. Now, I’m going to see my little brother. I’d tell him everything. I’d tell him how good you were and how beautiful you’ve become. Then, we’re going to have some beers, flirt with the ladies—”

All three of them snorted with laughter while their eyes were brimming with tears.

“Samuel was the worst wingman I’ve ever had in my life,” he went on. “He couldn’t flirt with the ladies even if his life depended on it.”

“He was the prude one in between us,” Brody added, earning laughter from him.

“He’s not going to be a virgin in the Afterlife. I’d make sure of that,” His fingers played with the detonator, “You two should get going. I’d give you five minutes.”

“I’m not leaving you, Clay.” Zia cried against his neck.

Clay rubbed her back, “Shhh, sister. You must go now. Samuel’s death cannot be left in vain.”

She withdrew her head and looked at him. He wanted her to avenge the death of their brother. Did that mean Clay knew Joshua was the one who killed Samuel? Did that mean everyone knew about the truth except for her?

“Go!” Clay shouted forcibly, yanking his hand away from hers. “Go now!”

Brody pulled Zia out of the room and they set to search for Joshua. She was determined to her core to end his life right then and there for what he did to Samuel. Zia always suspected that Samuel’s death was a little bit out of the ordinary. The autopsy was never shown to the entire family. Joshua handled everything and no words got out on how exactly Samuel died. All they knew as that he was killed by a werewolf. Even so, why Joshua was so secretive about the result from the coroner? Unless he had something to hide. For example, the true killer of Samuel.

“There are some prisoners on the third floor,” Zia told Brody. “Go and set them free for Samuel.”

“Zia, I can’t let you go after Joshua alone.”

She met his gaze and kissed his lips briefly, “Do it, Brody. I’d meet you at outside.”

He gave a reluctant nod and shared another kiss with her before they parted ways. Brody went up of the emergency staircases while she went to search at the second basement floor. Joshua had a panic room there and that was where he must have headed. Zia grabbed the gun on the ground and loaded it with ammo as she made her way deeper into the basement.

“Isn’t that ironic?!” Zia said as loud as she could. “You’re hiding from the monster of your own making!”

The cameras on the corners were moving indicated that someone was watching her from the control room. Zia made her way there and opened the door, seeing the room was empty but there was something else. A hidden door behind the lockers. Before she could reach there, she was kicked on her right rib, causing her to drop the gun.

“You destroyed everything I’ve built!” Joshua growled as he smashed her head against the monitor.

Zia retaliated, kicking him in the gut. Her hands grabbed a monitor and smashed it against his back. He tackled her legs, making her lost her balance and fell to the floor. Zia covered her face with her arms as he repeatedly punched her.

“If you listened for me once, this wouldn’t have happened!” he roared.

She locked his arm and neck using her legs, choking the air out of him. Planting his feet steadily to the floor, he got up, bringing her along and slammed her back repeatedly against anything he found. Zia reached for the protruding wires on the wall and fastened it around his neck as he continued with assault. Bearing the pain and possibly broken bones, she tightened the wire around his neck. Joshua’s hands wailed around, trying to get a grip on her but she avoided them. He made choking sounds before Zia screamed in agony at the broken glass he stabbed at the side of her right thigh.

He yanked the same wire from his neck and used it to choke her instead. “Die and be with your weak brother!”

Zia’s legs were kicking in the air, trying to get his weight off from pinning her to the floor but as the air was restricted from entering her lungs, she was losing her strength. She coughed as he smashed her head twice to the floor, still tightened the wire around her neck. Her left hand was tapping on the floor, wanting to reach the gun that wasn’t far from her reach. She stabbed his eye with her right hand, prompting him to let go of the wire. Within that small window of opportunity, Zia crawled and grabbed the gun at the same time he grabbed her by the ankle. Spinning around, she pulled the trigger twice. Despite she pulled the trigger, a third shot echoed and she groaned in agony. Laura was wielding a pistol, pointed to her direction. Zia took the shot, killing the woman who raised her. Laura collapsed to the floor with a bullet hole on her head while Joshua slumped against the locker. She got up on her feet, dragging her injured right leg because of the wound on her thigh. Zia pointed the barrel of the gun to his head.

He laughed softly, “You are no different from me after all.”

Instead of taking the shot, she lowered the gun and walked out, limping. Death by a bullet was too easy for Joshua. He used to tell her that he rather died than losing his legacy. Guess what, his legacy was the reason why he got killed in the first place. Time was running out and soon Clay would press the detonator.

She couldn't run, not with her injured leg but Zia forced herself to go up the staircases and headed to the third floor in the search for Brody just in case he was pinned down by the amount of the hunters who were still in the facility.