Chapter 2 SUBWAY

POV - Hazel

The next day, thanks to Derek’s sweet coercion, I managed to put the fear of that dream away and focus on my work.

I have been in a meeting for a new compound project for over 5 hours; my team and I will take care of all the apartments’ renovations, which amounts to 320 apartments in total, and they have to be the top of the top, as the client requested.

I already feel a headache coming, and we still have other internal meetings to do to decide the style and materials and assign tasks. Goddess, I love my job, I love earning money for my pack, I love helping my pack members, but sometimes it feels overwhelming, like I’d need at least three Hazels to accomplish everything.

I know exactly what can cheer me up, and if you are thinking about a hot session with my Alpha, even if it would be very well appreciated, I don’t think I have the energy for that either. But a dance lesson with my little swans, oh yes, that would definitely cheer me up.

I call Lynda to see if I can switch classes with her today, as I am only supposed to teach on Tuesday and Thursdays, but today I really need it to recharge, and luckily, she agrees. This already makes me feel energized, so I dive into the next meetings with focus and purpose.

At five p.m. I am out of our office building, it is actually Derek’s company building, but he has gracefully conceded me and my team one floor of its twenty, this way Derek and I can be close to each other even during the day. It is convenient, as we often need to discuss important matters, and we don’t want to risk being intercepted on the phone; plus, sex in the office is kinky, and I have nothing to complain.

The strangest thing is that I can’t find my driver anywhere, I am sure I’ve told him I would leave at 5. Maybe he had to run an errand and got stuck in traffic.

I try to mindlink him, but there’s a block. Strange, this has never happened before.

I mindlink Derek to see if he can lend me his driver, I don’t want to be late, but unfortunately, he’s out with him for a meeting, and he’s too far away to come get me.

“I’m sorry, kitten, I’ll find out where he went, but I am pretty sure he must be on a task or something. Can’t you cancel, and go another day?” Derek links.

“I’ll just hail a cab, it’s not like we are in the desert here, I can move around without a driver.”

“At least bring a bodyguard with you, and I will be there to pick you up after your lesson, ok?”

“I’m not bringing a bodyguard; he will just scare the taxi driver and the kids. Plus, I am a white wolf if you haven’t forgotten; I have powers and can look after myself better than a bodyguard.”

“Yeah, I am aware kitty, but you also have lots of enemies and I can’t risk you. If you won’t take a bodyguard, because I know you won’t, because you never listen, at least keep the mate bond open so that I can feel if you are in danger, ok?”

“That I can do!”

And with that, I try to get a cab but without any success, I try to rent a Uber, but still can’t find any car available. I know it’s rush hour, but is it really that difficult to get a car? It’s unbelievable.

Time is running out, and I only have one option left before I am officially late, which is taking the subway. I know I said that the bad dream was behind me, well, that was before I knew I had to go underground in one of those death traps. What if an earthquake comes and we all die under the rubble?

I try to keep my mind clear and keep reminding myself that this is reality and that it is just a dream. Come on, I have taken the subway millions of times, it’s just going to be easy-peasy.

I get on the platform and wait for my train, when it arrives, the doors open and no man in black comes running down the stairs with pistols in hand. That’s good. I get on the train, take a look around at the passengers, happy to ascertain that no one looks suspicious, everyone is actually very busy scrolling on their phones and minding their own business.

The trip is uneventful, I even manage to snatch a seat, which is great, because I am wearing heels, and they were killing my feet. Until the second-last stop, where a man around thirty gets on the train, he’s bulky and his dark brown hair are a little disheveled, like he’s been running.

As soon as he spots me, he strides in my direction, stopping right in front of me. His sneer tells me that he might not be a fan of mine, and I ready myself for a fight.

“If it isn’t the white wolf luna whore! What are you doing here all alone? Are you out of bodyguards and private jets?”

I don’t say anything, not really sure where he’s going with his tirade.

“Everyone,” he says out loud, calling to the other passengers, “this is Luna Hazel, the whore responsible for thousands of deaths.”

Everyone in the compartment shifts their gazes at me, some are surprised, others are plain out hostile, and I ponder whether I should use my gift to make myself invisible, but I don’t want to look like a coward, I need to put up a brave front. What he said is true, and I will not shy away from my doings, because they were all done to protect the innocents, and not just out of wickedness.

“Did you know that the government even called her a hero!? She’s just a fucking cold-bloodied assassin, like all the white wolves before her. You feel you are above everyone else just because you have powers, arrogant white beasts; but the end will come for you too, and it won’t be a pleasant one.”

I look straight into his eyes, challenging him to say more, and he smirks, an evil glint makes his eyes light up, and the next words he says, make a chill run down my spine.

“Actually, why wait? I am sure we can take you, before you can even ask your stupid Alpha to come help you.”

A few men and even women stand up and come join him, I can feel that they are all werewolves, and it’s understandable, that’s the race where the hate for white wolves has taken more hold through the ages, and I suppose humans won’t dare go against a wolf without a weapon.

But what really irks me, is that he just insulted my mate, who has done nothing wrong, on the contrary, he has helped werewolves obtain so main rights and he’s fighting every day for the equality and protection of our species.

I put my purse on my seat and stood up, making the jerk step back, as he was standing too close. He doesn’t look so cocky now that we are eye to eye, and I am evidently pissed.

“You know what I find incredibly irritating? People like you, who think they are righteous and all knowing, when they are just spewing nonsense, because they are biased by prejudices that have no foundation.”

The man snarls and grabs my neck with his hand, squeezing tight. But I am not bothered, I zap his hand lightly with my light, and he immediately releases me, cradling his right hand with his left.

“Bitch!”

“That’s what you keep calling me, and I really hope you can change it to another nickname, because this is not to my liking. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to be somewhere.”

The train is arriving at my stop, so I grab my purse, and push through the crowd of my enemies, not expecting them to grab me by my hair and push me against the door. My cheekbone lands on the door window with a loud crunch, I am positive something broke, and it’s not the window.

They grasp both my wrists and pull my arms behind my back, painfully tight, while someone keeps pressing my face against the window.

“Not so cocky anymore, white bitchy wolf?”