Chapter 4

• As Dylan dragged Anna’s limp body to a waiting car, two men came down the ramp to the loading dock that led into the arena. Two she knew would help her, the Oliver brothers, owners of the company, and her friends.
• She screamed once more, “Lucian! Luka… Help me! Please!”
• “What the Hell?” Lucian Oliver yelled as he ran down the ramp, grabbing Dylan from behind, and throwing him from the girl.
• The powerful Lycan growled at the man as his flesh showed hints of the beast just under the surface. He grabbed her, standing between Anna and the man to protect her with his body.
• When Dylan broke his grip, he found who was blocking his way from achieving the abduction and he shuffled backward. He knew he could fight her, but not these two very large, celebrity Lycan fighters. They were massive in comparison. He would have to wait for a better time to take her away.
• Dylan had almost jumped in the car when Luka grabbed him, body-slamming him to the ground.
• “Get off me, you asshole!”
• Anna, gathering her breath, spoke,” H-He’s trying to hurt me. He... he raped and abused me. He wants me to be his slave! That’s him, Luka. That’s him!”
• The words she had never said out loud came spewing from her mouth like vile venom that made her stomach turn. The brothers knew the man was stalking her, but not to what extent of abuse she endured, and Lucian turned to look at her in shock.
• “Anna? He hurt you?”
• Nodding, the look of fear loomed in her eyes.
• “Don’t worry. We got you, baby girl,” Lucian said, pulling her close. “No one’s going to hurt you again.”
• The rage in Lucian’s eyes grew as he heard her sad human whimpers. One thing he hated most was hearing a woman cry. Lightly pushing her to the side, he ran full force into the man and started hitting him repeatedly. One thing the brothers didn’t tolerate was abuse toward women and they would do anything to protect her.
• His brother Luka got in a few good hits as well, before security and on-site police came to pull them off the now-bleeding man. Once the sounds of the man’s screams from a broken nose echoed around the arena, help rushed to the scene. Werewolf or not, he was no match for the fighters in human form.
• Separating the men, Luka straightened his tie. “Arrest this asshole. We want to press charges.”
• Grayson, Anna’s manager, ran from the loading dock.” What’s going on… Oh my god! Anna!” He ran to see that she was okay, looking her up and down. “Are you all right?”
• “Grayson, that’s him. He found me.”
• Tears started to fall as she realized that her bosses saved her life.
• Grayson pulled her to him. “It’s okay, Goldie. You’re going to be okay. Let’s get you someplace safe.”
• Grayson pulled Anna inside to separate her from the crowd, forcing her back to her room of solitude. Quickly, he grabbed the mask, looking outside the dressing room to the hall to be sure no one saw them go in together.
• “What the hell, Anna? What was going on out there? How did he find you? Dammit, get your mask on before someone sees your face!” he scolded, looking around again.
• “I don’t know where he came from,” she cried.
• Grayson could clearly see her pain and even her body language looked defeated. Even though the broken mask helped her cover her face, it didn’t hide her heartache. His heart sank when he realized that he was part of the reason she was hurting, and he had to stop it before he destroyed the poor girl.
• “I’m sorry, Goldie. I’ll fix this. Maybe the mask and Lady Gold idea was a bad idea.”
• “Please don’t call me that. I just want to be me right now.”
• Head CEO of the fight club, Lucian Oliver, had followed behind Grayson, but in the crowd of the fighters backstage, he lost track. Finding a security officer, he asked where the two had headed.
• “Over there. The second door on the right,” the man pointed down the hall.
• As soon as he saw the name on the dressing room door, Lucian was starting to put it all together. Until now, he had let his talent manager take care of things with her, but now it was clear the man didn’t think things through. Lucian was a smart man and not much got past him.
• Pushing the door open, he heard what Grayson had just told her and his teeth gritted in anger. He knew the disguise was part of a plan the manager had set up with the FBI for her protection, but this was too much. She was being forced into solitary confinement by the ones claiming to protect her. While Dylan went free, she was a prisoner in his own company.
• “Grayson, I think this girl has had enough torment tonight. She doesn’t need to be forced into that damn mask. I’m getting real sick of hearing her cry every night about that thing, anyway.”
• Lucian walked over, picked her up, and sat her on his lap as if she was weightless. Without protest, she wrapped her arms around his neck, weeping into his shoulder. For the first time in months, she was feeling the kind touch of another. She was like a small child; broken in his strong arms. He had heard Anna cry herself to sleep for months now. Even though he knew that no one was supposed to come in direct contact with her, he still made sure their hotel rooms were side by side since the first day they met. Knowing there was just something not right about the situation, he felt watching over her from a distance was a good idea, and he was right.
• He let the woman cry out her fear in his arms while he gave a disgusted glance to the talent manager. It was heartbreaking hearing her cries. She was strong on stage and in front of fans, but alone, she cowered like a beaten dog. Ironically, she was beaten by that very thing. A dog in the worst of werewolf form, and the natural enemy of the Lycans. While Lycans had their human souls, werewolves were cursed. Damned beings, were forced to live eternity as demon-like animals who preyed and vowed to enslave humankind.
• “So, darlin’ you want to tell old Luke what’s going on? I think it’s about time we get to know each other, don’t you? You’ve been in my company for four years and I’m now realizing I know nothing about you.”
• Agreeing, she reluctantly confessed what had happened all the way back to the year she met Dylan. Since Lucian had just saved her life, she owed him that much. Up to this point, he stayed out of most of his talents’ personal lives, but now he saw it was time for him and his brother to step in.
• “Grayson, go speak to the police while I talk with Anna.”
• “But Lucian, I’m her handler.”
• “You don’t seem to be doing a very good job at it, are you? Now go, before I kick your ass for putting her in this situation.”
• “Me? What did I do?”
• Scowling, Lucian noted, “Weren’t you the one who came up with this hair-brained scheme to put her in this damn mask with the FBI? You’re just as much a fault as the asshole ex-boyfriend of hers. Can’t you see she’s hurting, and all you care about is saving her image? You’re a piece of shit.”
• “I know, Lucian. I get it. I didn’t want this, but we had to keep her identity hidden. I thought I was helping. I’ll go talk to the police. Anna… I’m really sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing.”
• “Yeah, we all did.”
• After Grayson left the room, Lucian turned back to Anna. “So, tell me how this all started. I think it’s time I hear the real story.”
• “Well, what happened was…”