He grabbed her arm roughly, causing her to whimper as his dirty thumb rubbed along the vicious scar on her right bicep. “These are werewolf bites. Where’s your alpha? Your pack? You running out on them with this demon trash?”
Werewolf bites? Fuck, I couldn’t believe I’d missed that.
But how did that factor in with the vampire Premier?
Not that it mattered right now. He’d touched Sage, he’d scared her, and now it was time for him to leave.
I got up, grabbing the werewolf by the collar, twisting cotton and leather in my fists. “I think it would be best if you just went back to your table now,” I said, the promise of violence seeping into my voice as smoke curled out of my nostrils.
He stared me straight in the eyes. “And I think it would be best if we returned the witch to her rightful owner. Because it sure as fuck ain’t you.”
Fire burned in my blood. Maybe I wasn’t her alpha, but I sure as fuck wassomething,and there was no way I was letting him take her from me.
My eyes flickered to the anti-demon tattoo on his arm, but possession wasn’t the only weapon in my arsenal.
“You sure you want to do this?” I asked, my tone low. He looked strong.
But I was stronger.
He swung at me, his form sloppy and undisciplined. I easily dodged the blow and twisted around to slam him into the table, hard enough to rattle the plates, then tossed him like a bag of garbage over the counter behind us, knocking over a rack of pies.
The pack roared and came for me fast, all claws and fury.
Fire bloomed in my hand. I slashed a burning line across the first one’s chest, the fire catching and flaring wildly. He shrieked, pawing at his shirt and falling to the ground to try to put it out.
A heavy fist came from my other side and cracked against my jaw. I staggered, laughing through the pain, and then drove my elbow into the attacker’s throat. He dropped, gasping for air.
Another leapt at my back and I spun, grabbing him mid-jump and throwing him through a booth.
Baring my teeth, smoke bleeding from my skin, I stared at the rest of them
“Come on,” I said, with a little turn of my hand. “You guys started it. Allow me to finish it.”
And when they rushed me again, I was more than ready.
One of them drew an adamantine chain, swinging it wide. I ducked under the first swipe, caught it in my hand on the second, and yanked hard. He stumbled forward, straight into my fist, his nose exploding in a gush of blood.
Another lunged with a dagger. I grabbed his wrist, hellfire licking up my arm, and shoved the blade back into his gut. He went down choking and sputtering.
The last two hesitated, and I flexed my hands, flames curling along my knuckles.
“Pick them up,” I said, nodding at their broken pack mates. “And get out.”
They thankfully did—dragging bodies and not daring to look back.
The diner was in shambles, and I’d scared away almost all of the customers out of here, but I didn’t care. My inner alpha preened that I’d protected Sage. Defended her against those who’d dared to claim she wasn’t mine.
My “not-my” omega.
But when I turned back to smile at her, I found her panting shallow breaths, her skin clammy, and her hand grasping at her chest.
“Sage?” I asked, panic seeping into my voice. “Sage? What’s wrong?”
She winced, closing her eyes and struggling to find the words.
“Sage!” I grabbed her shoulders. What happened? Did the werewolves do something to her?
Did they touch her?
