Claws and code

Attack

A vampire. Bastards. Bloodsucking, heartless, and entirely ruthless. I had heard that they weren't all that bad but I never met one of the good ones because the pack decided that it would be too much of a risk. For the pack and for the chance that they would like to drain me. It was because of this I had only ever met vampires that needed to be killed. On my city runs with David and Mark.

My gaze flicked aside to confirm the presence of the vampire and Harry shot something but, despite his Lycan reflexes, he was too slow, this vampire had obviously been well fed and his speed was insane. His fangs were in Harry's neck almost as the shot went off. I had to trust that I was protected. Jack slashed with one of his longer knives and engaged the vampire while he was preoccupied. I heard and recognised the sound of a knife sliding through flesh. Too close. Harry dropped to the floor while blood splattered over the side of my face. My hands never left the keyboard, my eyes never left the screen. My head tucked in and I crouched down to escape the fighting. Slight movement informed me that Harry was still alive. I broke the next set of encryptions and David was downloading in my wake.

More gunfire upstairs, a burning pain in my arm startled me and I felt the heat of my blood run down my arm. A ferocious growl and a snarl that raised the hair on my neck. There was no clever banter between the vampire and the two Lycans who worked together to keep him from me and David. My fingers didn't stop. Their system was self-destructing around my work and we needed to get as much from them as we could. With a heavy thump a body hit me from the side. In return I hit David but his Lycan strength meant he was unmovable. It kept me upright.

"It's me!" A husky, pained voice said beside me and then a body wrapped around me. It was bloody and messy and strange. Harry was trying to protect me from the fighting behind us. David was the Alpha blood but the Lycan instinct was to protect the weak and the females. I was both and that outweighed protecting an Alpha blood who wasn't his pack. I could feel that he was hit again but it felt like it would, if someone hit a door I was leaning against. He took the full brunt of the attack. This Vampire was fighting two shifted Lycans, both from Beta lines, yet he was still able to try and get David and I from the optical cables we had attached to.

The door to the upper levels slammed open and I looked up long enough to see several people appear. Louder. Several gunshots. One man fell forward but the other two continued down with guns raised. I was on the side of the door but Harry turned us slightly, so I was protected from them. More shots rang out and a horrible tearing sound reached my ears just before I felt the bullet rip through my side. I tried to continue with the hack but my vision went blurry. Another sting and Harry toppled me over, landing on top of me. My name. I could hear someone call out to me but I blacked out, on top of my laptop.

I came to, screaming. My arms and legs were held down. My side burned, my arm hurt like someone was trying to rip it off and then the pain shot into my side again, followed by a pulling sensation. "I've got it Alpha. That was the last stitch. Now we need to fix her arm."

I blacked out again for the rest of the procedure and the second time I came too I was in a familiar bed with a huge grey beast at my side. It was growling lowly and facing the door. Obviously, he hadn't noticed that I had woken up. My mind reached for my pack. My family first and my Alpha next. I didn't know this beast. Mark answered out loud. "I'm here, sis. Mum and dad just left but they are coming back. We're all here."

The beast snarled at his words and I flinched. It was barely the slightest of movement but the dark blue eyes snapped to me. It was staring at me like I was his next meal and I shivered, instinctively trying to pull away. The beast wouldn't let me, a huge paw landed on my shoulder while his head turned back to growl, louder now, at Mark. Less than a minute later my family pushed into the room behind Daniel, a stranger and Jack's Alpha. The stranger was gorgeous and radiated danger. His eyes were solely focused on me and I found myself calculating if he could get to me before the wolf got him.

"She is awake, boy. You agreed to let us talk to her. Cloe?"

"Can I talk to Dad alone?"

"No darling, you need to talk to me, as your Alpha. We need a debrief on the mission."

The wolf snarled at everyone and I shivered. He looked at me and licked my face before turning away again, continuing to growl lowly at everyone who moved. They were staying away from the bed.

"Jack. We talked about this. We know she is under your protection but she is a pivotal part of the operation."

In the link my family was advising me. Mum finally told the others to shut up and said. "I've heard what happened, he claimed you as his mate. He was also assigned to protect you. He failed you on both counts."

Feeling horrible I tensed and snapped back in the link. "He didn't fail me!"

"We know, Sweetheart, but in his mind he did. He shifted, the other side is in control and hasn't left your side. He's not using common sense, just instinct. He is at the edge of attacking everyone. Darling, you need to get him to shift back."

I tried to move and the giant paw was joined by a head, eyes aimed away from me. The stranger smirked at my situation and I shot him a glare. Then I tried to think of what I knew about settling a Lycan on edge. Slowly I moved my arm to put a hand on his head. He snapped at me before realising I was the one touching him. In reply I slapped his nose and sternly told him. "Bad Puppy! I was trying to be nice to you but if I can't touch you... you can't touch me. Get off my bed!"

***
So how do you like Jack?
Also... If you are reading this anywhere other than on Wattpad, please be aware that it has been stolen. Let me know if you are reading this anywhere else.