The Axelridge Series Book 3 Marc's Stolen Heart

(Chapter song ‘Pretty Girl Bullshit' by Mario Winans, ‘Rollin' by Limp Bizkit)

SOPHIE

“Lycans can be cool, too. Not all of us are psychos. We make great partners when we aren’t controlling the crap out of everything. What about shifters? Some of those Alphas can be real asses.” She drapes an arm across her lap as she leans back in her chair.

She plays with a lock of her hair as she talks and I dream up all kinds of things I can do to her luscious body. I’ve been doing a lot of fantasizing lately. Mostly of hot, late nights with her. I don’t know why I feel such a strong connection to her. All I know is I want her so bad, maybe even a little bit more than I want Marcus. My wolf feels it to and she’s totally on board. I just wish she’d see what I saw then I wouldn’t feel so messed up.

Claudia wore red for Marcus and I think it’s becoming my favorite color. She looks amazing in a skin tight, satin dress that has a dipped front and it hugs her curves beautifully. I’ve been trying the control the heat that’s building in my middle as we ate and danced on the dance floor. No slow stuff, just the fun dance songs. I don’t want to make it awkward. Watching her ass dance and walk around in that short dress is making it impossible to control the growing urges I have inside.

I want to cut this short and take her home, but first I have to tell her what I wanted to before Marcus barged in.

I play with my glass and slowly lick my lips. My legs are cross and I lightly bounce my heel. “Shifters have a lot of emotions. Sometimes they can be overwhelming. Especially, Alphas. We…um…kind of lose our minds temporarily, but we would never kill anything that didn’t deserve it. We can be loyal to a fault. You won’t find a better lover or partner than an Alpha.” I raise my eye to her and study her reactions.

I may not have been raised in an Alpha house, but I’m born an Alpha female and something like this is kind of torture for me. Alphas practically take what they want, but I just can’t take a girl. So, I have to ignore a lot of my Alpha instincts.

“Alpha girls seem to be more level headed than the men.” Claudia chuckles and raises her glass to her pouty lips.

I raise my glass too. “Trust me, some of us women can be worse than the guys.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re not all emotional like that. Marcus' emotions are enough.” She sits up and grabs the wine bottle.

“Here…” I take the bottle. “Let me pour that for you.” I meet her eyes as I pour her glass.

“Thank you.” She gives me the most gorgeous smile and my heart beats harder against my ribs.

I’ve been trying to lay on the charm and suave moves all night and I don’t think she’s even noticing. This is so frustrating.

I hold up the empty bottle. “I’ll order another.”

I wave a waiter down and ask for another bottle. He takes the empty and leaves.

I glance at her as I play with my napkin. “Dia, I really need to finish what we were talking about earlier. I need to tell you how I feel.”

“How you feel?” She raises a brow.

I nod. “Yeah, about us. About…our relationship.”

She sits back and crosses her sexy leg. “Go ahead, princess. I’m all ears.” She motions a hand to me.

“Ok.” I sit straight and fix my clothes. I take a breath and prepare to confess everything. “Claudia…You're so beautiful and wonderful. I just want to tell you…”

“Excuse me…”

I’m interrupted by a sweet sounding voice. Our heads turn to a couple who stopped at our table on their way out.

The woman was a younger lady and she had a young man with her. “I hope I’m not troubling you. I just want to say, it’s so nice to see such a beautiful couple having a nice night out.”

“Oh, we’re not a couple.” Claudia laughs as she motions between us.

I blink at her as my chest tightens.

She smiles. “We're just good friends. Ain’t that right, princess?”

My lips fall then I feel a wave of embarrassment. Friends?

I nervously smile. “Yeah…Friends. Really good friends.” I rub my neck as I lean on the table and grin at the woman.

I straighten up as I feel the doors of the friend zone prison slam shut and lock.

“Oh.” She leans to us. “Maybe you two should reconsider. You really make a beautiful couple.” She giggles and we giggle with her.

Claudia smiles at me. “I don’t think her boyfriend would appreciate that.”

“Oh. Yes. He may not like that.” The lady laughs and I let out a tiny chuckle.

“Come along, dear. Let the ladies eat.” Her companion says. He also gives us a charming smile.

“Have a good night.” She nods.

“You too.” We both say.

“That was sweet, huh? I don’t know how she could think we're a couple.” Dia shakes her head.

“Yeah…that’s weird.” I glance at her and take a huge gulp out of my wine.

“Uh…yeah. You’re with Marcus. Sure we mess around, but a relationship?” She leans over the table to me and shakes her head. “I think Marc would be jealous.” She laughs.

“Oh, yeah. Totally." I wave her off and turn away slightly. Crossing my legs, I think about how that woman saved me from humiliating myself. Claudia wouldn’t love me. What am I thinking?

“What did you want to tell me?”

I turn to her and smile. “Nothing. It’s not important. I just had a really nice time tonight and hope we can do it again.”

“I hope so, too.” She looks around then looks at me. “Wanna get out of here?”

I put my glass on the table. “Sure. Let me get the check.”

Just as I raise a hand to the waiter, dishes and shouts come from the back of the restaurant.

“EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR NOW!”

The kitchen doors push open and eight lycans rush in from the kitchen, aiming weapons.

Dishes and glasses on tables crash and fall as people at their tables stand in a panic, practically tripping over their chairs and some run out the front door.

We stand and I grab Claudia as we back up. Instantly, the White Mace comes forward and my wolf starts counting heads and devising a plan.

“Sophie.” Claudia whispers in my ear as we get up and she grabs my arm. We back up and join a group behind us. I can feel her panic, but also feel her lycan rising.

She won’t be ruining that stunning dress.

They walk into the dining room and walk around the tables with guns at the ready in front of their faces. “Do exactly what we say and no one will get hurt.”

I push Claudia behind me. “Be ready to run.”

“What…”

“Shush.” I whip my head over my shoulder and eye her.

I turn back to the leader as he stops a few feet away. “On your knees!”

I raise my hands in surrender as the people behind us start to kneel.

I watch him with caution and count the weapons. I also search their clothes for signs of other weapons.

He takes a few more steps, looks me over and slightly bites his lip. “On your knees, sweetheart.”

I push Dias arm off and step closer. He’s standing next to a table and my brain spins. “Ok. Tell me something first. How many shots do you have in that gun?”

He tilts his head. “Why do you care? I only need one to kill you. On your knees.” He aims the weapon.

“I care because I want to know how many bullets I have to kill you all with.” I smirk and raise my chin.

He laughs. “You really are cute.”

He back hands a guys chest beside him and they both snort at me.

“And you…are a dead man.” I smile.

I snap into a run, jump on the table, leap off it and deliver a high kick to the side his head.

He lands on his back and I land on my feet. Snatching his gun, I put the barrel to his forehead and put two in his skull.

I quickly raise it to the others and aim. “Anyone else think I’m cute?”

Everyone is stunned and I find Dia’s eyes. “Get them out of here.” I growl.

I back up as the seven lycans start to stalk me. I watch as Dia starts to grab people and push them to the door.

“Soph!”

“I’m right behind you, beautiful. This won’t take long.” I say as the snarling men step over their dead friend towards me.

“YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!” One yells and fires.

I duck and dodge the bullets and flip a table. Hiding behind it, I exchange fire. I hit one in the shoulder and the rest tip tables as well.

People scream and protect themselves as they escape.

After a few more rounds of gunfire, my gun clicks and I throw it. I jump over the table and get in their space, dodging their shots.

I kick one and throw punches at another. He throws back and I spin, reach down, grab his leg and pull him off balance. He lands on his back, I grab his shirt, wrap my arm around his neck and snap it.

Picking up his gun, I shoot two and another grabs my hair. I reach back, grab his head and head but him with the back of my head. I turn and land punches to his chest and head then side kick his head.

One rushes me and I kick his chest. He flies back and rolls over a table.

I exchange blows with the one shot in the shoulder and land several punches to his head. He stumbles back after I deliver a spinning back hand to his face. He grabs a gun and aims it. I grab his arm and spin into him.

The lycans I put down are all on their feet. I make him squeeze off bullets into his friends brains then steal the gun from him and turn.

The barrel plants between his eyes and I smirk. “I wonder if there’s one more.” I snarl.

His eyes widen as I squeeze the trigger. It fires a bullet into his head and he drops.

Heaving breathes, I’m covered in blood and drop the weapon. I rush the door in hops as I remove my heels.

I leap over the bodies and mess and slam myself out the front door.

People are all gathered outside and in full panic mode. They cry and talk with fear on their words as sirens rise from Enforcers answering the emergency calls I’m sure several people made.

I look around wildly through the crowd and don’t see Claudia.

“DIA!”

“SOPHIE!”

I whip my head down a block away and my mouth falls.

Claudia is fighting off several men in black suits. She’s dragged to a black van, thrown in and the men crawl in behind her.

But the last guy in made my skin crawl. He ran his hands through his long black hair, flicked his black leather jacket and shot me a smirk before jumping in and closing the door.

My wolf fills with anger and explodes out my dress. Her paws hit the pavement and people scream. With snarling lips, she runs through the people and targets the van as it peels away.

Tires squeal as they weave through traffic and I try furiously to bite at the back tires. I run up beside it and slam my shoulder into the side panel. The van swerves, but still stays up.

‘LET HER GO!’ I yell in my mind.

My teeth grab the bumper and I pull. My paws burn on the asphalt and my healing is kicked into high gear.

The van drags me down the main street of Axelridge and cars honk as the van weaves into oncoming traffic then back.

It hits a bump in an intersection as it runs a light and I’m bounced off onto the road. Cars skid sideways and blare their horns as they try to avoid hitting my body as I roll uncontrollably across the street.

I feel shooting pain throughout my body as come to a stop on the other side.

I raise my head and my wolf whines.

“Dia.”