Page 14 of The Alpha's Envy
Nodding, I stand, hand on hips, and stare across the bridge into Silver Creek territory. It’s forbidden for an alpha to cross into another’s territory without announcing themselves in advance. Yet somehow, I have a feeling Graham knows I’m coming.
In fact, I’d wager he’s looking forward to it. Otherwise, he might have made it less obvious that he’d kidnapped Marie.
“What now?’ Michael and Timothy stand on either side of me and follow my gaze to the far side of the bridge where Graham’s car, and my mate, have disappeared.
“Now we go get ourselves into some trouble,” I say, a grim determination settling over me as I stare into the dark, ancient forest beyond. “And no matter what, you get Marie out of here. Leave Graham to me.”
My brother growls, but nods. Both men have mates of their own. They understand. There’s no point in me surviving if she doesn’t. Saving my mate is the most important objective. Me getting out alive would be nice, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Timothy can lead the pack. Michael can be his beta.
“Do we take the car?” Michael asks, tipping his head toward where his vehicle sits abandoned at the side of the road.
“No, my wolf’s waited long enough. He knows how to find her.” I can feel it, an invisible pull, a tug deep in my belly that’s telling me where to go, where she is.
Ripping my shirt over my head and kicking off my shoes, I let my wolf burst free, my vision changing as he surges forward, my eyes shining with his presence. The transformation washes over me, and fur pushes through my skin, my bones stretching and adjusting to create my new form in the blink of an eye. When I touch the ground, landing on four paws instead of two feet, two dark grey wolves flank me, lips pulled back in a snarl, vicious growls filling the air as they prepare to go into battle at my side.
Even though she can’t hear me because our bond is incomplete, I try to reach out to Marie via mind-link and push my words toward her with all that I have.
JONATHAN: I’m coming, Marie. Hold on, I’m coming.
9
MARIE
As soon as I call her forth, shutting my eyes and letting her take control, a sense of calm washes over the human side of me.
Because she’s pissed off enough for the two of us.
Not allowing her mate to mark her has been tough on the wolf inside me. She hated the idea of hurting her partner or making him feel like he wasn’t wanted. Yet she did it for me. Because foolishly, I put my desire not to hurt the feelings of someone else above my own mate.
Never again.
And there is no way in hell I’m going to allow Graham to use me as an excuse to physically harm Jonathan or force him into a formal challenge with the unstable man sitting in front of me.
Jonathan is coming for me. I don’t know how I know that, but I do.
He’s sensed my fear, and he’s on the way. And if I don’t get out of here and intercept him, there’s going to be bloodshed and a war between these packs.
Maybe it’s inevitable, and we’ll never be able to get past this, but not today. Not while he’s crazed and out of control.
“What the fuck is she doing?”
The man to my right shouts as he spots the fur erupting through my skin and feels the vibrations running through me as I shift, my bones and joints stretching and realigning as my wolf does her thing. In a split second, instead of having an angry woman squished into the middle seat, there’s a giant wolf, with teeth bared and one thing in mind.
Escape.
With a snap of my jaws, one man’s throat is gone. A flood of crimson liquid pours down his neck, turning his white shirt bright red in an instant. His head lolls forward, and he collapses against the door, the light already fading from his eyes.
“Fuck,” Graham’s shouts, jerking the steering wheel hard to the side as he slams on the brakes.
Spinning, I lunge for the man on the other side of me, whose shift has begun, but he’s too slow, and he knows it. Eyes wide, he screams and rears back as I drag my razor-sharp claws down his chest, flaying open his belly and taking his face between my jaws.
In human form, I may be a petite female, but my wolf is impressive. And refuses to take any shit.
Graham has underestimated me. He should have known better than to use such a sloppy command. I am mated to an alpha after all. My wolf was always going to take charge, and now she’s going to show these men just how much of an error in judgement they’ve made.
As his cheekbones crush under my bite, I yank my head to the side, releasing him only when I hear a satisfying snap, and the sound of blood gurgling in his throat comes to a stop.
“You’ll pay for this,” Graham warns as he yanks open the rear door and glares at me. “Out.”
