Page 24 of Alpha Infected
“Still inside.” Ortiz handed her the first case containing the antidote. “Take these. We’re going back for him.”
“I’ll wait ten minutes,” the pilot said after she accepted the cases from Jax and Hazard. “Get your asses back here before then.”
Ortiz gave her a quick salute. “Roger that.”
The major set a timer on her watch before they ran back over to the roof door. Mindful of the time crunch, they quickly and quietly made their way back down the KV Perkins tower.
Once they made it to floor thirty-four, they went directly to the room where they’d left Ice. Hazard rushed up to the door first. He started to reach for his snips to cut the zip ties he’d locked around the door handles. But the restraints were no longer there. He looked down. The zip ties lay on the floor, cut in half.
“What the fuck?” Hazard breathed the question. “Is he even in there?”
Jax shrugged his tense shoulders. “Only one way to find out.”
“Careful, boys,” Ortiz cautioned behind them.
Hazard nodded before he slowly pulled the door open. But before he got it all the way open it exploded back on its hinges. A white blur shot out of the room and slammed into Hazard’s chest.
“Aaah!” Hazard yelled and stumbled back. He lost his footing and fell to the floor. A large white wolf landed on top of him.
It was Ice. Patches of his thick fur were missing and his glowing red eyes gave him a demonic look. Ice snarled, snapping his teeth in Hazard’s face.
Hazard used a forearm to hold the wolf back, thankful that he wore a protective mask.
“Fuck!” Jax raised his gun, aiming for Ice.
“Don’t shoot!” Hazard yelled to his squadmate even as he fought to keep Ice from biting him.
Jax cursed again but lowered his weapon.
“Ice, it’s me!” Hazard desperately spoke to the snarling wolf, hoping that somehow his voice would pierce the rage clouding Ice’s mind. “I’m your mate.” He wanted to cry when Ice continued to try and bite his face. Normally he could hear Ice’s human voice in his head while the alpha was in wolf form. But now all he heard was incomprehensible growls that communicated nothing but rage.
“Please, Royce,” he unashamedly begged. “Please.” As a last ditch effort, he released a flood of calming omega pheromones from his scent glands. He was wearing blockers, but they’d worn off enough for his scent to break through.
The rabid wolf went still. Ice put his snout to Hazard’s shoulder and pulled in a deep, wet inhale. Then, with a wounded sounding whine, he backed off.
Ice stood there trembling, red eyes locked with Hazard’s, the occasional growl rumbling in his throat.
“Sweet Mother Wolf,” Jax whispered the curse. “You got through to him.”
Wary of any sudden movements spooking his mate, Hazard slowly rolled up on to his knees. He took the syringe from his tac vest and uncapped it. “I’ve got the cure,” he said as he held the syringe up so Ice could see it. “Don’t bite me, okay?”
When Ice didn’t react, Hazard carefully scooted closer to him on his knees. He put a hand on Ice’s side, feeling the muscles twitching under his palm. Ice’s lips pulled back from his fangs, but he didn’t otherwise move. So Hazard brought the needle up and injected him.
Ice yipped when the needle pierced his skin. A moment later, he sank down until he lay on his belly, back legs tucked beneath him and front legs extended out in front. The big wolf shuddered once. A second time. Then he sighed, closed his eyes, and slumped over onto his side.
They stood over him, watching and waiting to see what would happen next. But thirty seconds ticked past and Ice was still unmoving.
“Might have to carry him back like this,” Ortiz finally said.
“I’ll do it,” Jax offered.
He’d just taken a step forward when Ice shifted back into human form in a flash of bright white light. The alpha curled up into a ball and groaned.
“Is he cured?” Ortiz asked.
Hazard squatted down next to his mate. “Royce, can you hear me?”
“I... I hear you.”
