“Here,” Al murmurs, blocking my line of sight. He tucks something into my pocket and presses the shape into me. About as long as a finger and sharp at one end. “Everyone knows his funding has taken a hit, but the moment you move, anyone who’s still loyal will come running. They’ll all gang up on you. I’ll cover your back as much as I can, so keep moving forward, all right?”
I nod. Pre-challenge quivers roll up my arms, and the sky darkens, just like the stinking tunnels leading to an arena. I’m going into battle once more.
Al looks deep in my eyes, making sure I’m paying attention. “Get him to the blind spot before you use the shiv. Good luck, my psycho friend.”
I grip his arm once and then stride forward. Challenge spills out of every pore, and I let it all go. No need to hold anything back. No reason to lessen the force. I will walk forward with death in my heart.
Alphas swarm into my path, growling as their bodies answer my challenge.
A rumble vibrates in my throat, ready to turn into a roar at any second. Between the heads, I catch Ray’s gaze.
He stiffens as my full, violent challenge reaches him. “Stop the feral!” he shouts. “Quick!”
I draw back my fist and throw myself into the swarming alphas.
Chapter thirty-eight
Red
I’m halfway from the fridge to the dining table when a storm explodes through the bond. The powerful surge of destructive power merged with alpha command strips all reason from my brain. My breath catches in my throat. The glass of apple juice slips from my hand and crashes to the floor, exploding into a thousand shards of glass. Helpless, I sway in place, heaving for air, while Ozzie shrieks and flaps wildly in his cage.
Upstairs, a heavy thump sounds as the whirlwind catches Rickon.
Zack’s fighting for his life.
I assumed I knew something about other personalities and doing what it takes to survive, but this sensation peels away every rationale, leaving me stunned by the sheer alpha ferocity. Even when wild, Zack’s never shown this much raging spirit in front of me. Not when he reacted badly to dogs, or when he saw another alpha kiss his omega, and definitely not when he threw Callisto out.
This is worlds apart—terrifying, spellbinding, and animalistic.
And so fucking beautiful.
I groan as I discover how much my alpha protected me from himself, right from the beginning.
The force makes me quiver, and Rickon’s sobs echo down the stairs. As much as I want to run to him, I’m rooted in place by Zack’s ferocious power. Plus, the entire floor’s covered in glittering glass.
With a groan, I hoist myself up onto the kitchen counter, knocking recipe books and plastic containers off the edge as I flop on my belly and drag myself to the far end, inch by painful inch. My legs sting with each movement, and a trickling on my toes tells me I likely have glass in my bare feet. I wriggle onward, gasping for breath, until my hand closes on my phone. We’re alone; the OCB agents were relieved of duty the moment we left the campsite.
I roll onto my back. Tears run down my cheeks, forced out by a feral domination no willpower could ever control. To think Zack spent most of his life in this state of absolute aggression hurts like a knife driven into my heart.
I told Zack to defend himself, but will that be enough to protect his life? He must be in so much danger to react like this. I’ll never forgive Ray. I won’t.
My fingers shake as I unlock the phone. No point in calling Rickon. He can’t move any more than I can. In fact, it might be far worse for an alpha to experience this kind of raging insanity.
Only 2% power remains on the battery icon. Well, it’ll be enough to make the call. I flick over to my favorites, arching off the bench and crying out as wave after wave of pure malevolence roars down the bond. My alpha is dealing death.
Callisto’s face pops up on the screen as the dial tone trills but the phone slips from my trembling hands and smacks on thebench beside my head. I won’t have the strength to reach for it again.
“Hi! Funny story, I was just on my way to see you.” Callisto’s beautiful, deep velvet tone startles another sob out of me. “What’s wrong, Red? Is something going on?”
I work my jaw, trying to force words through my choked throat. “Help, Calli,” I croak.
He swears darkly. “You’re are home, right?”
“Y-yes. Zack, he . . . the bond—”
Another wave of aggression in the soul link makes me spasm. I groan and draw my knees up. Can Zack survive at the center of this malevolent force?
“Fuck,” Callisto says, honking his car horn. “Hold on, Red. I’m nearly there. Do you need an ambulance?”
