“I’ve got to go,” I said, shoving myself away from the desk. “We’ll finish this conversation in the morning.”
Drake’s brow furrowed in confusion, and he opened his mouth to argue. One look at my face cut off whatever words he had been planning to say. His jaw clamped shut, and he nodded.
“Need help?” Drake called after me, but I didn’t bother answering; I was already out the door and running down the hall to the stairs.
Cool night air greeted me as I ran outside. I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. I checked my watch, trying to figure out where she might be right now. She should have closed up at work and headed home a few minutes ago. If I went there, I should be able to catch her trail. I shifted and charged down the road with all the speed I could muster.
I tried to communicate through the bond, to tell her that I was on her way, that whatever was happening, she just needed to hold on a couple more minutes. But I couldn’t sense a response. Instead, there was a sort of strange heat that I couldn’t place. It didn’t matter. What mattered was finding her before anythinghappened to her. And tearing to shreds whoever or whatever had made her this terrified.
As I approached the store, I realized that catching her scent might not be necessary. Lights were still on as I rounded the corner, but I couldn’t see anyone inside. But two cars sat outside. One of them was Rachel’s. The other was a truck I had never seen before. My nose caught two unfamiliar scents. Shifters not from this area.
I shifted back and went over to the window. When I looked closer, I saw two heads looming over the shelves in the back.
In any other situation, I might have decided it was something innocuous. It was close enough to closing time that maybe there were some straggling customers finishing up their shopping. Except I couldn’t shake the fear that I had sensed racing down the mating bond. Whatever was happening inside, it wasn’t normal. And I knew without seeing Rachel that she was in there and in some sort of danger.
I pushed open the door and immediately caught wind of Rachel’s fresh scent, a tint of fear wrapped around it.
“Come on,” one voice snarled. “Stop making this so difficult.”
“Get. Away. From. Me.” Rachel’s voice, filled with fury. To someone who didn’t know her, she did sound fierce, like a woman who could hold her own. But I had known her since we were kids. I recognized that lilt at the end of her words, that tiny tremor that told me she was trying to hold back whatever terror she was feeling.
Rage that anyone would make Rachel sound like that rushed through me. My wolf howled in rage, wanting to tear the two assholes to shreds just for looking at her because it was clearwhat they wanted from her, and they would have to get through me before even considering it.
I rounded the corner. Two huge shifters loomed over one corner, blocking my view of what lay behind them. One of them moved slightly, and I caught the faintest glimpse of Rachel, pushed into the corner. She had a can in her hand, one she had grabbed off the shelf nearest her. Before I could move in, she hurled it at the darker-haired one, hitting him squarely in the forehead.
He yowled and stumbled back. Then, straightening, he let out a low, furious growl.
“You’re going to pay for that, bitch,” he hissed.
He reached out to grab her, and I barged in, snatching his wrist and holding tight, twisting it back behind him. He let out a sharp intake of pain as he gritted his teeth.
“Touch her and lose a hand,” I snarled.
“This is none of your concern,” the shifter growled.
Ignoring him, I twisted my head to look at Rachel. She was trembling, but her eyes were filled with anger as she glowered at the men.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she said. Her voice had an edge of steel to it I wouldn’t have expected after this sort of encounter. I might have admired it if I weren’t so livid with her attackers.
The sandy-haired man came toward me, his hands curling to claws as he bared his fangs. “You have a death wish?” he growled.
I met his gaze, refusing to back down as I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep my rage in check. “I could ask you thesame question,” I said, my even tone masking the utter fury coursing through me. I could still smell Rachel’s fear, and I wanted to kill both of these assholes for making her feel this way. And I wanted to do even more to them for so much as trying to lay a hand on her.
“Walk away,” the dark-haired shifter snarled, trying to break my grasp.
“Not gonna happen.” My fingers lengthened to claws, pressing into his flesh but not breaking the skin. “I’m going to give you one chance to step away from my mate and walk out of here unharmed.”
One of them laughed while the sandy-haired one lunged toward Rachel. The instant he moved, I darted forward, my hand turning to claws and lashing out, scouring down the man’s arm. He howled in pain as I pushed myself to stand between him and Rachel, a low growl escaping my throat.
“Fucking hell,” the sandy-haired shifter cursed.
“Get out of my town,” I said. “And if I ever catch so much as a whiff of either of your scents in this territory again, then I will hunt you down personally and make sure you leave a eunuch.”
Both shifters glowered at me, then glanced at one another. The dark-haired one’s hand was pressed against his bicep. He let out a low, angry growl and jerked his head toward the door.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said.
