After a sigh of defeat, he addresses them. “Let’s hear it, then.” He’s still portraying the cool levelness I’ve come to expect from him, his hand on mine tightening as a reminder he’s right next to me.
My original attacker spits on the ground, inches from Tynan’s runners.
“You little gob-shite,” I scold. Honestly, spitting is disgusting.
The baby Alpha ignores me, but that’s to be expected. Instead, he’s steadying his hate-filled glare at Tynan. He reeks of adrenaline and cockiness. “Word on the street is the O’Connors are done for.” His accent seems to have gotten thicker in his boldness, and his swagger has also levelled up. Seriously, this kid’s got tickets on himself. “My da, Des, said just that last night at dinner. We’s all heard him but.”
Then I remember the last Des I met. Immediately, I can see the family resemblance in the arrogant smugness they share. This little upstart is a Kelly, and Des Kelly is the Alpha who gave me the creeps after I handed Walsh back his money.
Tynan lets them speak, not saying or doing much. The slow spreading smile on his face would have me more apprehensive, but these dipshits ignore his unspoken threat. Hardly surprising, since they’re itching for a fight now.
“Last chance for you to apologize to my darling wife, boys,” Tynan says without looking at them, all his focus on me.
The two of them start mouthing off.
Tynan puts his back to them, which, in the world of designations, is as offensive as it sounds. It’s a clear indication Tynan isn’t intimidated by them at all. I wish I had the know-how to tell him not to do this, just to walk away, but after another of his looks, I’m literally off my head, under his calming influence.
He twists back around to the pack being led by mini-Kelly, quickly silencing the noise. “You’re both legal, right? Pretty sure, Dessy Junior, you was only in nappies a few years ago.”
And the incredulous and furious expression on both their faces is proof enough they are legal, but it also speaks volumes that there’s going to be no peaceful walkway from this.
“Right, then,” Tynan says, nodding at them patronizingly before he swings back to me, his finger brushing the hair off my face, something he’s been doing a lot. “Before I thump some feckin’ sense into ya, I’ll be getting my good luck kiss from my bride.”
My face blazes again at his sweet but cocky move.
He doesn’t make a move any closer, leaving it up to me, like always.
“Aren’t you a surprise I never saw coming,” I whisper as the world falls away until it’s just Tynan and me.
My hands wrap around his face, and I’m struck by a sense of rightness in this moment, and even us as a couple and pack. The smallest lift of his lips is proof he feels something similar. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest, I feel like it’s about to cave in as his subtle energy and scent fills my lungs.
Lemon verbena, delicate and fresh, bringing energy to my soul like sunshine on a cloudy day. The distance between us disappears, his hands curling on my hips as he leans down to kiss me. His lips barely touch mine, but it feels like so much more.
He’s gone before we can do it again.
Then all I can do is stand and stare.
The two Alphas go at him in a rush of aggression and sound. From the get-go, it’s easy to see they’re no match for him. The spectacle is made worse because it’s clear they’ve had little to no fight training. I don’t feel bad for them at all as Tynan overpowers them. It’s humiliating, the way he controls the fight every step of the way, even going so far as to squeeze his hand around one of the Alphas, overpowering and turning the kid'sown weapon to make a cut from his hairline all the way down his face to his chin.
I fucking hate knives, but they’re the weapon of choice in this part of the world, more so than guns. But the lesson this kid is getting taught about how dangerous a knife is unless you know how to use one will stay with him forever. Much like the scar on his face.
The cut isn’t deep, a sign of Tynan’s control both physically and emotionally, but it makes a right bloody mess. The young Alpha drops his knife to grab his face. Tynan kicks the knife behind him before turning his attention to the Alpha that started all this by grabbing me.
While the other Alpha came with a knife, the one who attacked me has gone full kung fu. His arms and legs are flying everywhere, but like his friend, he’s severely lacking and all his kicks and hits miss. Tynan moves quickly to teach this Alpha a brutal life lesson too.
He catches the Alpha’s hand midair, rushes to close the distance before twisting the kid's arm and pushing up. It’s all it takes, and the unmistakable sound of a shoulder dislocating echoes before the baby Alpha screams.
The bleeding Alpha gets a burst of energy and bounces back onto his feet. Tynan stands his ground, waiting to see if he’ll attack again or run. Instead of leaving to lick his wounds, the Alpha hunches over and charges like a bull, grabbing Tynan’s midsection on the way through. Anyone else would be knocked into next week, but Tynan’s experience saves him.
It’s clear, though, in the way he moves, Tynan’s had enough. He does a very similar movement as he did before, getting the kid in position, then popping his shoulder out before simply stepping out of the fight.
The thud as the kid drops onto the pavement makes me feel ill. And when he doesn’t move or make a sound, Tynan isthere, immediately rearranging the big buffoon into a recovery position.
I think it was the shock of being taken down that made the kid act like a statue, or it was humiliation. Either way, barely a second later, he’s on his feet, running like his life depends on it. Unsurprisingly, without a backwards glance for his friends.
The others take off straight after them, taking the chaos with them. I stare after them, in case they decide to come back.
Tynan’s fingers intertwining with mine again bring me around.
