“Linus,” Storm hissed. “Get out of here!”
That distraction cost him.
Dert’s fist landed on Storm’s face, cracking his head against the floorboards. Linus’ stomach dropped. Dert began raining blows on Storm, hitting him in every soft spot.
Every punch made Linus hurt. Storm was never meant to be in pain. If he took too many blows to the head, if Dert hurt him fatally...
Linus swayed on his feet, feeling sick.
Back when it was just him fending for himself, things had not been great. He had endured more beatings than he should have. But at that point, no one else had been at risk.
Now, there was Storm.
Linus couldn’t lose the only alpha who had looked at him like he was someone precious. He couldn’t lose Storm, who cared so much about his family. Storm, who had been so happy when he found out that Linus was pregnant.
Storm held him gently and made him feel so safe; he cracked silly jokes and had all the intensity of a summer storm, except he was also comforting warmth and endless acceptance.
I love him,Linus realized, his vision blurring.I won’t let him die!
He turned around to look for something he could use.
He found a hockey stick.
Linus crept up behind Dert and raised the stick high above his head.
Then he brought it down hard on Dert’s skull, as furiously as he could.
The stick cracked. The impact shuddered up Linus’ arms. Dert jerked and snarled, turning around sharply. “You fucking bitch!”
Linus raised the stick again, his veins pounding with adrenaline.
Except Dert leaped to his feet, snatching the stick out of Linus’ hands. He swung it at Linus so fast that the air whistled around it.
Linus barely managed to stumble back, the stick missing his face by an inch.Oh gods, oh gods!
He backed away hurriedly, only to trip on his own feet. His shoulder hit the wall.Why did I do that? It was too risky. I was so stupid!
He made for the door. But Dert was faster.
Dert jabbed the stick in front of Linus, barely missing his chest as it thunked against the wall.
Linus yelped and jerked back.He’s going to kill me.He wrapped his arms around his belly, his blood turning into ice when Dert raised the hockey stick again.
“Not so brave now, are we?” Dert sneered. He snapped the stick in two, each half full of jagged splinters. “I think this would look very pleasant sticking out of you.”
“No, please!” Linus’ fear sharpened when Dert noticed his arms around his abdomen.
“Oh? Do you want these going into your belly? Is there something I should get rid of?” His eyes glittering, Dert raised one of the broken sticks.
Linus could duck to the side. He could try again to escape, but he wasn’t fast enough.
The broken stick stabbed down.
Something moved behind Dert. Metal flashed.
Storm’s brass knuckles slammed into the side of Dert’s head, sending him staggering.
“You won’t touch him,” Storm said coldly, pulling his fist back and punching the solid metal into Dert’s nose. Bone and cartilage crunched. “That’s for Linus.” He punched Dert again. “That’s also for Linus.”
