Chapter 9

Liz

Liz struggled to get away from the crushing arms of the alpha holding her, but the brute refused to let her go. When he lifted her higher against his chest and made a noise of pleasure as her front ground into his, something snapped inside her.

She did not want this man's hands on her. She didn't want any of them touching her. Fury filled her veins even as awe and trepidation speared through her as the furry alpha bested the others with ease. Liz envied his strength, but also worried over how he might use his lethal skills once he finished battling these men.

A heavy silence fell over the group, stealing Liz's attention long enough to allow the man holding her to tug her upward again and slide her breasts against his chest. With dread in her guts, she looked at her potential savior and bit back a sob.

Two alphas lay in heaps on the ground, not moving at all, while another scrambled out of the alley while cradling his arm to his chest.

Her captor stepped backward and pivoted so she couldn't see the fight anymore.

Losing sight of the fierce, wonderfully scented alpha sent panic into her marrow, the soul-deep yearning she'd refused to acknowledge launching her into action. Liz smashed her head forward, catching the alpha's bulbous nose with her forehead and gaining a centimeter of space between her body and his. Fat fingers grabbed her hair and jerked her head back as he cursed. She'd failed to break his nose despite the throb in her own skull. Pain shot up her neck and her stomach knotted as yellow teeth flashed in the darkness and he yanked her head away from him.

On instinct, Liz pulled back her thigh and slammed it forward, burying her knee into the soft organs dangling between his legs. He seized in pain, crushing her in his arms before he toppled forward with a grunt. Liz scrambled to get out of his hold, knocking his forearms away and throwing her shoulders to the side as he grabbed for his bruised jewels.

She fell and fell until the ground reached up and caught her, agony streaking up her forearm and hip as she landed on her side. The weight of her manhandler hit the ground right behind her, and despite the pain running through her body, she crawled as fast as she could away from him.

The moment she thought she might get far enough to escape further assault, a hand wrapped around her ankle and stopped her momentum. Too frightened to look over her shoulder, she blindly kicked backward.

Hard fingers wrapped around her shoulders and yanked her off the ground before spinning her and pushing her back against the wall. One grip lifted and encompassed her throat, pinning her against the rough surface as snarls filled the air. Sucking in a breath to scream out her terror, Liz gagged as a wet tongue invaded her mouth, her hands moving to push against the male's chest.

The blond alpha pulled his face away, his blue eyes shooting hatred and lust down at her as crimson streamed from his nose.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll kill her."

He didn't look away, gaze still locked on hers as he delivered his ultimatum. Liz couldn't breathe, not because brutal fingers threatened to cut off her airway, but because she didn't want to die. She turned wide eyes to the dark shadow hovering nearby, latching onto the startlingly warm yellow orbs.

Her soul reached out to him even as despair clamored for her attention. She found a connection to the lethal, furry alpha hidden not only within the wild pheromones emanating from his pores but also from the feral gleam in his irises.

He wanted her. He wanted her safe and happy. He wanted her pampered and cared for, writhing under him and gasping in pleasure.

She wanted him, too, even if she didn't understand why.