Chapter 5 Animal Attack

Selena's POV

The hospital had that cold, sterile smell that felt like no life could exist here. Walking toward the morgue was like dragging stones through my chest. Jane... was gone.

I still couldn't believe it. Even after getting the message, even after asking for directions, I kept thinking it had to be some type of prank. No way in hell was I going to accept it until I saw her with my very eyes.

A police officer waited in the hallway wearing a grim expression.

"Miss Ward?" he asked as I approached.

"Y-yes."

"I'm Officer Daniels. I called you about Miss Jane. Her body was found on the side of the road, probably on her way somewhere. We were able to reach you because her phone was in her purse, and your number was the first one we found."

Grief-stricken panic saw me barely get the words out. "Please, I-I need to see her."

With a small nod, he guided me down the hall to a private room. A doctor stood by the body, gloves on, keeping a calm, professional demeanor.

"Miss Ward... I'm very sorry," he said gently. "I need you to confirm the identity. We've preserved her carefully."

Inching closer to the table, my heart was racing like crazy. Hell... there my roommate was, lying motionless, eyes open but blank. Her once fair skin was now pale and bruised. I felt my throat close as I reached out before I even realized it.

"It's... her," I whispered in a broken voice.

Officer Daniels cleared his throat. "Witnesses claimed they saw nothing, but... the wounds look unusual."

The doctor carefully rolled up Jane's sleeves, revealing deep, crescent-shaped bruises along her arms. Leaning in, my stomach squeezed as my hands hovered over the huge-ass bite mark on her neck.

"Animal attack?" the doctor asked. "Possibly a stray dog or... something wild. It looks like she was trying to defend herself."

Nodding outwardly, I let them speak, but inside, I was damn near losing it. This wasn't a stray dog. Hell no. The bite was too clean, the claw marks way too exact. My wolf instincts flared up.

Wolf.

I stayed quiet though. Humans would never get it. They couldn't see what I saw, couldn't grasp what I knew. We weren't supposed to reveal ourselves anyway.

"Yes... it's consistent with an animal attack," I said carefully. But rage embraced me under the surface. Rogue wolves. There was no other explanation. No wolf in their right mind would dare go against the laws and attack a human.

Officer Daniels's voice dragged me back to reality. "We'll need you to answer a few questions, Miss Ward. Anything you remember, any contacts Jane had this morning or last night... anything could help."

I answered him as best I could, keeping my voice steady, but my mind refused to cooperate. Thoughts ran wild, crashing into each other.

How could Jane just... be gone? She had no enemies. None that I knew of, anyway. Sure, she could be loud and reckless, but she was endlessly kind. I'd met her three years ago, while looking for a roommate, and somehow, she'd become like a sister.

Rogue wolves in the human world? Hell, that's dangerous. Reckless. Totally unforgivable. If they were out there now–hunting, attacking–someone had to put a stop to them before anyone else got hurt.

And there was only one person who could.

Adrian.

Even after everything between us, after how damn frustrating, arrogant, and infuriating he was, he was Alpha now. The pack obeyed him. If rogue wolves were out there, breaking the rules, he was the only one who could rein them in, make them pay for daring to defy the laws.

I clenched my fists, my hands trembling anyway. So much for walking away from the supernatural world.

***

The whole talk at the hospital ended up taking much longer than I could bear. Between the questioning, the paperwork, and the pity-filled stares, I felt like I was losing air. By the time I was done, I locked myself in the women's restroom and finally broke.

I'd tried to stay composed, goddess knows I had, but grief didn't care about strength. So I let it crash over me until there was nothing left.

After shedding enough tears to fill a well, I finally splashed water on my face and stared at my reflection. My amber eyes were red, swollen, and tired. Jane was gone, and no amount of crying would change that.

If I couldn't save her, then I could at least make sure whoever, or whatever, did this paid. That much, I owed her.

That's what led me back to the training facility.

It made more sense to find Adrian there than at the pack house. After what happened yesterday, he'd never let me past the gate. He'd probably have the guards toss me out before I even spoke.

The place was quiet when I arrived. The bursts of laughter and clashing sticks were gone; training had wrapped up for the day. Players were heading out with their bags slung over their shoulders, their breath visible in the cold.

"Hey, Doc," one of them greeted, offering a small, tired smile.

I returned it weakly, scanning the area. "You seen Adrian?"

"Yeah," He adjusted his bag. "Still in the men's locker room. Stayed back to shower. Should be done any minute."

My throat went dry.

Out of everything he'd said, the word 'shower' kept running through my head along with impossible images of his naked body covered in soap.

My heart started beating fast, and the liquid that should've gone down my throat felt like it was running between my legs instead. Last night flashed in my mind–his hands on my boobs, his deep voice, that godlike body pressing down on mine.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. Heat. It had to be the damn heat. That, and the stupid mate mark on my neck that wouldn't stop pulsing every time I even thought about him.

Taking a steadying breath, I thanked the player and waited until the last of them left.

Now alone, I was at a crossroads.

I could remain waiting for him like a normal person. Or I could just... check. Just to see if he was done. That was all. Nothing else.

Right.

My heat-fogged brain apparently didn't get the memo because before I knew it, my legs were already carrying me toward the locker room.

The warm air inside reeked of soap, sweat, and musk. The locker room led straight into the shower area with rows of benches leading into a tiled corridor where the sound of running water echoed faintly.

"Adrian?" I called softly, cautious.

No response.

"Adrian," I tried again, a little louder this time.

Still nothing. Just the sound of water. Okay. He was still showering. I should go.

I spun to leave, but every muscle in my body froze when a low, rough grunt cut across the sound of the running water, followed by my name, breathless.

"Selena..."

That wasn't the voice of a man simply washing off a long day. That was the sound of a man lost in pleasure.

And he had just moaned my name.