Mark shook his head. “I can’t.”
Before Alec had a chance to respond, Newell’s voice cut through the air like a whip. “Fully shift now and kill him.” The command, heavily laced with alpha authority, left Mark powerless to do anything but do as he was ordered. Being such a new beta left him vulnerable to Newell’s every whim, and Newell knew it.
Alec jumped back out of the way as Mark shifted into a wolf with fur a deep rich brown and eyes as blue as his human form. He shook off the tattered remains of his clothes, and as beautiful as he was to look at, Mark now eyed Alec like a tasty steak. It was also the end of any conversation.
Mark lunged forward, teeth bared, and aimed for Alec’s throat. Alec kicked him hard in the ribs, sending him skidding backwards, and then scrambled to his feet. He didn’t want to shift. In his wolf form, his baser instincts would take over, and Alec didn’t want to risk his survival instincts kicking in. What if he seriously hurt Mark? Or worse?
A low growl was all the warning he got before Mark lunged at him again, going for his belly this time, and Alec danced out of the way. Mark’s teeth grazed his side, drawing blood. Alec turned, slashed his claws across Mark’s shoulder, deep enough to make him scoot away.
He glanced down at his side—the wound wasn’t deep, but fuck it, Mark could do some serious damage to him in this form.
With a deep breath, Alec centred himself and let his wolf come to the surface.
I hope I’m doing the right thing.
The pain was immediate and all-consuming as his body rearranged itself into a huge silver wolf. Alec rolled his shoulders, acclimatising to his new form, and opened his eyes.
Mark stared back at him from across the clearing. Their eyes met, and Alec felt it deep inside, not a bond, but the promise of what could be. A tease of the connection they could share if they committed. Far stronger than anything he’d experienced in human form.
He licked over his fangs, and Mark whined, his head dropping in submission.
Alec’s wolf howled in relief.
Yes.
He padded over to him, his heart beating fast, excited. Mark watched him, blue eyes full of hope and wonder, and Alec wanted nothing more than to be looked at like that forever.
Mine.
Alec was almost upon him; two more feet and they’d be touching.
The people around them had gone quiet, Alec only realised when the silence was suddenly broken.
“I told you to kill him!” Newell roared, his voice echoing around the clearing. Mark flinched back, as though struck, his eyes full of pain as he struggled not to obey. “You will not submit to him.”
Alec turned and growled at Newell, baring his teeth.
Newell laughed. “Please, Knight. Do it.” He even tilted his head a little to the side, baring his throat.
Alec wanted to. Wanted to tear the flesh from his bones so desperately, it was almost worth what he’d be giving up.
Almost.
“Alec.” Cam’s softly spoken command settled him.
With a snarl, he faced Mark again and took another deliberate step towards him.Come on Mark, fight it.
“You will obey your alpha. Kill him. Now!”
Alec saw the exact moment Mark lost his battle to ignore Newell. Too late.
Mark’s pupils dilated, the blue a thin sliver around the edges, and he snarled, menacing. He leapt, closing the short distance between them, and sank his teeth into Alec’s shoulder.
Pain lanced through him, the force of Mark’s attack sending him tumbling over onto his back. Teeth still buried deep, Mark tried to shake him, the wounds tearing wider and Alec roared in agony. He struggled to get purchase on the ground to push Mark off him, but he was pinned.
“Alec! Alec!” Gareth’s urgent voice took a second to register. “We found them!”
Fucking finally!
