HUNTED-Chapter 442: Sneaking Around

The trio managed to sneak around others who rushed to see what the commotion was. All the halls and lounges that were empty looked the same. It really was a maze, and the more they ventured into, the quieter it became. The building didn’t go to any second floors, and it mapped around on a slight bend.

The smell and environment had changed once they pushed through to another hallway leading to another lounge and multiple rooms. Everything had been recently cleaned; the smell of bleach and cleaning products permeated the air, the floors glistening and each bedroom vacant.

"It just keeps going on," Keira complained in a hushed whisper, not wishing to say anything louder in the eerily silent white-walled facility. "How big is this place?"

"We managed to get this far last time," Dylan replied in the same hushed whisper. "I wonder if the guards would stay with us further along or if there are other facilities."

"Well, the rooms I was led to were in the opposite direction. My room is closest to it. But I can’t say the route yet for certain. I’ve only been there conscious once."

"How many times have you been there?" Ahren stopped and looked at her with a frown. "You’ve barely been with us a week."

"Well, they took bloods from me before I woke up in my room." Keira shrugged it off, but it was no shrugging matter. The guys knew it, too, from the looks on their faces.

"They could create-"

"Would they be so silly to?" Keira interrupted Ahren, stepping closer, aware of one of the cameras around the corner. She was only briefly in that room full of screens and she still wasn’t sure if the cameras picked up on noise in the halls.

"They’ve done it before." Dylan also stepped closer, his big build hiding her frame and their discussion more.

"And my mum proved to them that no matter what control they’d have over any creatures they’d make… She would still have the ability to stop them." Keira didn’t explicitly say that she and her siblings could do this either.

She was fond of Ahren and Dylan and could feel a good bond growing between them, but this wasn’t only her secret to keep—not that it was much of one. People could deduce it quite easily, and if one of the Cross siblings revealed this in public, then the news would spread. Still, Ember’s words still kept her at least a little more vigilant.

’Not vigilant enough,’ Ember huffed.

"Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that," Keira added when the other two remained silent, watching her with thoughtful expressions. "At the moment, all I have gained information on is that this place is more for entertainment purposes."

"What?" Dylan’s expression darkened while Ahren’s remained the same; clearly, this was nothing new to him. He’d already seen the drones and pieced it together.

All three of them leaned closer together. "People that don’t like supernatural creatures watch our games like a sport. They pay to watch and, I assume, make bets. All of the money funds their project."

"There must be more haters than we realised if they’re funding this." Keira nodded at Dylan’s statement.

"Come on. We should explore more while we can. Anything else can be discussed in mine or Dylan’s room." Ahren’s hand pressed into Keira’s lower back, its presence warm and guiding. Ember growled in response while Keira leaned into his touch a little before they pushed forward.

’He’s not our mate!’ Ember barked in Keira’s mind.

Keira winced at the volume of her wolf’s voice. ’He’s not, but he is a nice comfort.’

’Don’t get too attached, Keira,’ Ember warned. ’It is your choice, but our mate is out there, and when we see him, this Ahren guy is the one who’ll be left broken and vice versa if he discovers his mate. Do you really want to end up like your sister?’

Keira winced again. ’Low blow there, Ember.’

’It is, but I need you to take it more seriously.’

With that, Ember blocked Keira out and left her to reel with her wolf’s words. "Alright there?" Dylan asked as he rushed by her, stopping in front of the doors opposite hers.

"Yeah, my wolf is just… driving me crazy…" Keira opened the door and froze for long enough to see a couple using the bedroom as their secret rendezvous. It wasn’t any couple but a guard sitting on the bed, head tilted back, hand in a woman’s hair, a she-wolf, on her knees between his thighs and—Keira closed the door quietly before they noticed her.

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They were so into it that they didn’t notice her enter.

"Don’t think too much about it," Dylan whisper-shouted with a sigh. "It’s an exchange."

An exchange? Oh. He’s a guard. "What about her mate?" Keira asked, walking beside him and keeping her voice low. Normally, she wouldn’t pry into such information, but her wolf was making her think more about these things. She was almost eighteen, which was the prime time for a werewolf to scent their mate.

Dylan shrugged. "I doubt she would do it if she had a mate."

"Have you…" Keira trailed off, realising she was about to ask such a personal question.

Dylan’s face scrunched up. "I did different favours…"

Keira stared at him. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry-"

Dylan shrugged again. "It’s not like I didn’t enjoy some of it."

Keira tilted her head. "Okay, I’m a little confused now. You said different favours…"

"He means he wasn’t giving head to men, but probably a woman guard handled his business," Ahren grunted, clearly impatient as his hands went between both their shoulder blades and started urging them forward.

Keira’s eyebrows rose. "It was only hands and mouth." Dylan pushed his glasses up his nose, more out of habit than anything. "Nothing too intimate. The funny part is… They never wanted me to touch them because of what I am but still wanted to try werewolf dick."

"Dylan!" Keira reached for his hand and squeezed, hoping her touch didn’t burn him. She was appalled. Dylan didn’t move away and squeezed a thanks in return.

"I’m sorry. We will get out of here. I promise!" Her eyes burned in determination, and Dylan could see it. He could see how much this princess, someone who hadn’t known him for long, held so much compassion and anger for him.

He had to protect her to the best of his ability.

"Hopefully, princess, your status will protect you from the guards," Ahren added, looking a little disgusted, his hand squeezing on Dylan’s shoulder, his only means of comforting a guy he didn’t seem to like.

"They wouldn’t…" Keira trailed off as both guys stared at her. Ahren’s gaze lowered along her body and returned to her face, taking in every detail.

"They would. But we’ll protect you." Ahren’s words were comforting and more like a confirmed fact than meaningless words.