I don’t dare say anything, but when he reaches out, I flinch.
His expression darkens, and he shoves me in the chest, hard enough that I stumble over the trash and elbow the brick wall hard.
“Jonas,” I groan, trying to appeal to his intellect. Which is a futile effort because he seems even crazier than he used to be.
“I don’t think I’ll let you up to those mountains. I think I’ll just take you home now and collar you to the hole. Leave you there until you learn your place. Maybe I’ll let the other alphas have a run through you after I’ve broken you in.”
I cringe.
I shake my head, but he’s not listening. He lashes out, his hand closing around my throat again, but stops when he hears a fierce growl. I turn my head just slightly and spot Riot.
My relief and horror are equal. He looks so beautiful.
He stalks into the alley, his teeth exposed, his growl loud and threatening.
“Who the fuck are you?” Jonas miraculously puts two and two together and figures out that he’s with me. “Who is he? One of your dates?”
I edge back to the wall.
“He’s dead.”
“Jonas, please, just leave him-”
Jonas lashes out. The blow smashes into my face. I let out a pained yelp as I catch myself.
The aggressive alpha shifts, and, suddenly, there is a patchy grey wolf with nothing interesting about him but his size standing where the man vanished.
Riot snarls, and I have to admit, he looks savage. They charge and clash. I stumble towards them, but an arm wraps around me and drags me away. I fight, struggling against the hold, but it’s impossible to escape from.
“Easy, it’s me.”
“Wrath?” I sob in pure relief. “You have to help him.”
“He’ll be fine.”
“No, he won’t, help him. Jonas is the reigning champion alpha enforcer. He will break Riot. Please, please.”
“Fine, but you get in the car.”
“No, I have to-”
“That’s the deal. You get in the car and you go, and I go help Riot.”
I spin in his hold, meeting his eyes. One second, two.
“Okay.”
“Good girl, get in the car. Get home.”
He releases me, and I move swiftly towards where I left the car. I hear a wolf snarl in pain and whirl, tears blurring my eyes.
“Riot.”
I don’t know how I know it’s him, but I do.
I whirl back and see Wrath charge Jonas, but he’s wedged in, and Riot is growling, his neck between Jonas’ teeth.
No, this can’t be happening.
