HUNTED-Chapter 441: The Inmates

The guys didn’t react like Keira expected they would. Dylan, with his dramatics and Ahren glaring, possibly going for the throat. They did neither.

"Ah, I thought you might have been some illegitimate child…" Dylan threw his hands up after Keira glared at him. "What?! I’m sorry I don’t actually pay much attention to the royal family. But I did know white hair and blue eyes was their symbol…" He raised his hands in Keira’s direction. "Sorry, Keira, you don’t have those looks."

"I’m well aware of that," Keira noted dryly. "I look my d- the Alpha King. Can’t believe you thought he’d cheat on my mum. They’re mates."

Dylan winced again. "Sorry."

Keira’s gaze fixated on Ahren, who had yet to speak. "Do you still want to be friends or accomplices with me?"

"There’s no question about it," Dylan answered immediately. "It doesn’t change anything."

"Ahren?" She knew Dylan would, but it was Ahren she worried about. He was unreadable, his expression dark, eyes shielded.

"They’re going to target you more because of this," Ahren stated with a low rumble of his voice.

Keira nodded, pursing her lips, feeling her gut clench.

"Then we must be careful and keep this hidden from everyone else. Whatever we share with each other stays between us." Ahren’s gaze had flicked to Dylan meaningfully. "You especially. You’ve made friends with five others in the time Keira has been away-"

"I would never share anything with them! I’m just being nice! It’s scary turning up here! Especially without any instructions and get beaten up if you so much as make a sound before their first game."

Another kidnapping. Five more people. Five others that were snatched away from their lives and all for this place.

Keira looked between them. One was so kind and sociable, a little too enthusiastic at times, while the other was broody, calculating, careful, and now she sensed some Alpha genes in him. Any command he’d make wouldn’t work on Keira, but she could feel the power of his voice sliding over her.

"So…" Keira rose to her feet, watching Ahren carefully. "You’re fine… With…" She didn’t know how to articulate it. It had only been a short time, but she had grown fond of Ahren. She didn’t want it to be awkward.

Ahren shoved off the bed and, in two strides, tugged her into a crushing hug. "I was being a prick," he murmured on the top of her hair, one hand on the back of her head. "I’m sorry. I was brought up hating royals and any hierarchy."

Keira’s shoulders slumped, and she leaned into his warmth while her wolf was pacing. She blocked Ember out, not realising how much she really needed this hug. She had to be strong; she was a Cross, but in this moment, she could be vulnerable if only for a bit.

"I should have known better. I liked you before I figured out your background." His arms bulged, tightening around her a little more. "It doesn’t change a damned thing." His lips lowered to her ears and whispered, "You’re still a badass."

Keira clutched at the back of his shirt. "Thank you." She didn’t understand his upbringing or most of the rogue’s upbringing, but this proved Ahren and Dylan could look past everything they’d known.

"Alright." Dylan’s arms then circled them both, and Ahren and Keira looked at him. Keira was unable to hide her amused smile, and Ahren scowled at him. "Now that we’ve all made up… Should we get cracking on our plan?"

"Plan?" Keira perked up, hand sliding away from Ahren, and the guys stepped back.

"There’s not much to it really…" Dylan began, swiping his hand to the side as though Keira might be able to see some sort of 3D animated blueprints before them. "We are going to search around the facilities."

"That’s it?" Keira looked between them. They were serious.

"This place is a maze," Dylan continued to explain.

"Purposely made that way," Ahren added.

"But there has to be a flaw. Could there be something in the kitchen? Where do they get food delivered? Or where do the guards stay… Do they stay with us? What’s their shifts?" Dylan exclaimed, listing off everything and more.

"Okay, I get it… A lot of recon then." Keira nodded. "Have you made any progress while I was gone?" She looked between them.

"This place is huge," Ahren stated. "We managed to see a few other corridors. They were full of other werewolves wearing different coloured bands."

"We think… If you join a red band or purple, you’re sent to these other locations. I got a glimpse into one of their rooms… It’s exactly like yours, Keira," Dylan explained. "The better you are… the more rewards you get. It also looked like they have a lounge area, which is why they only come to the hall when it’s time to eat or for another ’game’."

"Wow, good job."

"Was that sarcasm?" Ahren asked, taking her by surprise.

"What? No! I was genuinely serious. You did more than I thought you might. Have the guards been slacking off a bit because there haven’t been any games?" She hoped they might grow complacent.

"No. Other inmates… I mean… the others haven’t taken this bit of freedom as well as the newbies." Ahren claimed.

"Inmates… Rings a bell. I like it," Dylan smirked. "The inmates."

"Oh Goddess, please don’t call us something like that. Like Prisoner’s Club." Keira covered her face, rolling her eyes, remembering the term being thrown about so much growing up.

"Inmates it is," Dylan grinned.

"I’m not calling us anything. We’re not children… Anyway, the others decided to challenge each other instead of seeing the bigger picture," Ahren concluded.

Keira sighed, dragging her fingers through her hair. "Alright. Well, for now, let’s just map this place out. In the meantime, try and stay alive. I’ve grown fond of you."

"Aww! My looks are just too dashing for you to ignore!" Dylan grinned, plopping down on the armchair.

Ahren, on the other hand, leaned closer to Keira, dropping his face next to her ear. "That’s a very dangerous predicament," his low, deep voice purred, the heat of his breath stirring something in her, and a shiver rippled through her.

Ahren smirked, obviously delighted by her reaction. Keira cleared her throat. "Shall we get started then?" She looked to Dylan, ignoring how close Ahren remained by her side. "We shouldn’t waste the remaining two days I brought us."

"I’ll see if I can cause a distraction." Ahren finally leaned back, his hands back in his pockets. "Are you sure you want to get straight back into everything? You just got back."

"I’m sure. What distraction will you cause?"

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As it were, Ahren was actually highly skilled with keeping his presence unknown. Keira didn’t know how this was possible; not only was he a big guy, but he had captivating looks that most she-wolves and female guards would notice straight away. But he passed people and caused fights between agitated wolves, walking away scrape-free.

Keira stared in amazement as he sauntered back towards them. Dylan and Keira were hiding behind a wall in the corridor before the lounge area of what looked like the red-banded werewolves. A few blue-banded werewolves had to walk by, and it had been the perfect opportunity for Ahren to cause mischief.

"Come on. We need to get out of here before the guards show up." Ahren nodded behind him, and the trio slipped past the fight that had broken out.

The red-banded and blue-banded werewolves were fighting, and the guards that ran up to the scene all stopped simultaneously and took a few steps back before a drone started to record everything. They really were sickening.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

They unfortunately needed this, though.

Ahren tugged on Keira’s hand, and she looked forward once more, following them through the maze-like structure.

"Hopefully, that will be enough distraction before the cameras pick us up," Dylan murmured, worry forming on his features.

"This isn’t a restricted zone," Ahren added. "The only issues we will face now is with other werewolves."

"We should be working together," Keira huffed but didn’t comment further on it. She could already tell that many had given into this lifestyle either out of fear, enjoying the hierarchy or possibly because their lives might have been harder outside of the facility. She didn’t want to judge anyone in the centre.