Page 48 of Plug and Claim

Most of the alphas had shifted. They were a terrifying sight with hackles raised and sharp fangs bared, their menacing growls rumbling like crashing waves around the stage.

And yet, none of them stepped forward to fight.

“Well?” Nathaniel queried, surveying the wolves. “Anyone? I don’t mind fighting you all at the same time if you want to even the odds.”

No one stepped forward.

Kira’s heart fell in disbelief, and a seething rage crept in. These fuckers were lined up to take her virginity, but none were brave enough to fight for her, not even when they outnumbered the vampire.

“Well, then,” Nathaniel said, stepping onto the gym mat, “to the victor, the spoils…”

Kira leant away, but she stilled when she felt his hand on her head. It rested there, calm, protective, possessive. She should have hated it, but it made the inner turmoil within her calm, like a boiling pot taken off the heat. Oddly enough, she felt safe.

Except that he was the real danger.

“Well, that was remarkably easy,” Nathaniel quipped.

Kira used that opportunity to seize his arm and jerk herself to her feet, punching Nathaniel’s cheek.

He went down, falling backwards onto the mat, but his hand tightened in her hair and wrenched her down with him.

Kira fell in a sprawling heap on top of him. She couldn’t shift, not when she didn’t want anyone to see her true form, but she was more powerful than a human, and she pulled her fist back to hit Nathaniel again.

She gasped as he caught her fist, and he flashed her a triumphant smile before he rolled them so he was on top.

Before she could tell him to get off her, he climbed off, pulling her towards him by the hair until she was half-sitting up. She cried out in pain.

“On your knees,” Nathaniel said, his icy voice gripping her just as forcefully as his hand fisting her hair. “Now.”

Whimpering, Kira shuffled her legs so she was on her knees.

“Good girl,” Nathaniel purred, rising to his feet. He retained a hold of her hair, but the tension eased.

She drew a shaky breath.

The alpha wolves were still watching.

None of them had moved.

“Don’t just stand there!” she yelled. “Help me! I’m a wolf, just like you!”

“Ah, but you’re not a pack member,” Nathaniel said, staring down at her. “They’re under no obligation.”

“I know they’re under no obligation,” Kira snapped, her anger directed just as much at the wolves as it was at the vampire, “But we’re kin! What about honour? And decency?”

She bristled as Nathaniel chuckled.

“I think you’re confusing wolves with vampires.”

Kira shot him a dirty look. “I don’t think so.”

Nathaniel shrugged. “Maybe not.”

His smile faded, and a deadly silence stretched as he stared down at her. His expression grew dark and hungry, and it made her blood run cold. Too late, she realised what he was going to do.

“I have to ask, pet, just out of curiosity,” Nathaniel began, his tone dangerous and soft as velvet, “if I had asked nicely before, would you have chosen me over Mark?”

The nickname caused white-hot anger to flare inside her. “Never,” she spat.