Free Werewolf Academy 07 Chosen by Cheree Alsop Page B

barely heard Trent retreat from the room. Alex pulled the door shut and leaned against the heavy metal. His legs gave out and he slid to a sitting position.
    “ Guards are down,” Jaze said.
    Alex barely heard him. He buried his face in his hands. “Siale,” he said, his words quiet. “Siale, are you okay?”
    It was a moment before she answered, “I-I don’t know. Are you?”
    Alex shook his head, but couldn’t make himself respond. A hand touched his shoulder. Alex jumped at the contact. The world around him spun. He felt as though he was back in the room and one of the corpses was after him. He knocked the hand away and drew his gun within the space of a heartbeat.
    His eyes focused and he found himself staring down the Glock’s barrel at Trent.
    His best friend’s hands were raised and eyes wide. “Alex, it’s okay. Lower your gun. It’s just me!”
    Alex’s vision warred between memories, nightmares, and reality. The scent of the room clung to his clothes and his nose, refusing to leave him in peace. He kept seeing withered hands reaching for him. He told himself it had been Trent’s hand on his shoulder, but he wasn’t sure if he believed his own words.
    “ Alex, give me the gun.” Trent’s voice was calm. He crouched slowly so that he was eye-level with Alex. If he felt any anxiety at the gun that followed him down, he didn’t show it. “Come on, man. We need to get out of here. Let’s go get some fresh air. Hand me your gun, okay?”
    Trent was a pack mate. He had told Alex he would follow him no matter what he did. The voice in the back of Alex’s mind noted that aiming a gun at his best friend’s face might change that. His hand shook. He lowered his arm.
    “ That’s it,” Trent said.
    Alex’s training took over. Instead of handing his friend the gun, he slid it back into his holster and attempted to stand. Trent grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet.
    “ Third floor’s clear,” Jaze said. “Alex, get your team outside. We’ll sweep for leads and meet you there.”
    Jericho led the way down the stairs. Alex barely saw the stars shining down from outside. His back stung slightly beneath the blanket of moonlight.
    “ Alex, you’re bleeding,” Trent said.
    Alex nodded. “Bear,” he said numbly.
    Trent gave him a strange look, but didn’t ask questions as he led Alex to the helicopter.
    Alex vaguely remembered giving his gun back to Caden when they returned to the Wolf Den. Siale held him as if she knew just how much he needed to know she was alright. He kept looking down at her to reassure himself that she hadn’t been left strapped to a table in the room of corpses. Siale and Trent walked with him back to his quarters and he fell into a dazed sleep on the couch with Siale under his arm.

***
    When Alex awoke, the faintest gray of dawn showed through the window. He wanted to go back to sleep, but the things that had happened flooded his mind so stark and real that rest evaded him. He slipped his arm from beneath Siale’s head at the same time that scents touched his nose. He looked down at Trent’s familiar form on the floor.
    His friend was awake. When Trent met Alex’s eyes, he tipped his head to the left. Alex followed his gaze. His heart slowed at the sight of Jordan, Terith, Von, Cassie, and Tennison sleeping on the floor wrapped in their own blankets.
    Baffled, Alex whispered, “What’s going on?”
    Trent put a finger to his lips and motioned toward the hallway. Alex nodded. Both werewolves made their silent way outside Alex’s lone wolf quarters.
    “ Why is everyone in there?” Alex asked quietly as soon as Trent shut the door.
    “ They’ve chosen you, Alex,” his friend replied.
    Alex shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way.”
    “ It does in real life,” Trent replied. At Alex’s questioning look, the werewolf made a sweep with his hand. “Out there, in the real world, wolves choose their Alpha just as much as their Alpha chooses them. Your pack