He glared at me and took another step toward me, putting him so close that I had to look up to keep eye contact.
"Then I'm no longer a member of this pack," he stated in a deadly tone. And it was as simple as that; he was out of my pack and no longer under my rule.
It was too late for me to comprehend the horror of the mistake that I had just made. His hands wrapped around my neck and he lifted me off my feet. I struggled against him as he slammed me against the wall.
Pain shot through my back as my hands struggled to pry his from my neck. He smiled as he began to squeeze my throat, restricting the air. I pulled and scratched at his vice-like grip, trying to get him to release me, but he was too strong.
In the haze of my panic, I could feel my body starting to weaken with the lack of oxygen and there was nothing I could do. He was too strong to fight off. I was going to die.
CHAPTER SIX
Keri
"Let her go!" a voice commanded from somewhere far away.
The hand around my neck released me and I slumped to the floor. I breathed in hard and my lungs ached as they filled with air. I rolled onto my back as my hands touched my bruised throat while I gasped for air. Kyle slammed Richard against the wall so hard, small pieces of the wall broke and fell to the floor.
"If you ever lay a hand on her again I'll kill you," Kyle promised with such ferocity he scared me. He looked back to me lying on the floor before his gaze swung back to Richard. Even though Richard was slightly broader than Kyle, it meant nothing. Kyle was stronger.
With one last look of disgust, Kyle released him, pushing him away from him. Richard, breathing hard, rubbed his neck.
"Get your ass out of here," Kyle spat at him, "and I don't ever want to see your face around here again."
Richard’s eyes found me. He gave me a look that told me that this wasn't over and he would be back.
"Don't look at her," Kyle warned, taking a step toward him. Richard put his hands up and backed out of the door.
As soon as he was gone Kyle bent down beside me and helped me sit up.
"Why didn't you mind-link for help?" he asked as he scanned my features.
"I'm sorry, I was too busy suffocating and trying to fight him off," I retorted. I should have been able to but I’d lost my head in the panic of being unable to breathe.
Being an alpha was more than getting handed a title. It was about keeping the members of your pack safe and about being able to keep a cool head in a stressful situation. I hadn’t been able to keep myself in control to call for help. If Kyle hadn’t rescued me, I was sure I would have died.
Even though I’d survived this attack it was only a matter of time before someone tried to take me out, because I was weak. The reality of the situation was that I needed Blake and I hated it because there was no way I could ask him for help. He'd rejected me once and who said he wouldn't again. Besides, why would he help me when all I had done was lie and deceive him?
"That'll teach you to leave me out of the loop," he said while he checked my neck gently with his fingers.
"I'm so happy to hear your amusement at my near-death experience," I cut back, pushing away his hands. I got to my feet and felt myself sway a little. It was like my mind was issuing the order but my body had trouble following them. Kyle sighed and lifted me into his arms. I struggled against him, trying to get him to put me down.
"Just stop," he ordered. "Let me help you."
Something in his voice made me stop and I allowed him to carry me into the medical center.
"It's not necessary, I feel fine," I assured him and he put me down gently on an empty bed nearest to the entrance. A nurse walked up to us.
"Get Curtis," Kyle told the nurse and turned to face me when the nurse hurried off to find him.
Great!I could hear the lecture already.
"Why did you go without me?" he asked. I let my gaze fix on the floor in front of me.
"I didn't want to appear weak in front of him," I revealed truthfully. I didn't want Kyle to think I was an idiot.
"What were you talking to him about?" he asked.
"He was the current beta of the pack and I demoted him," I explained as my eyes lifted to his. "He’s too much like my father."
