Several songs later, all five of the girls were on the dance floor. Lyric loved letting loose; she loved feeling the loud bass vibrating all the way up, from her toes to her head. She rolled her body with the music, imagining what it would be like if she was with a lover, and thought of the amazing orgasms it would cause. Of course, living with her older brother, she’d not had the chance to experience anything of the sort with anyone, other than her trusty vibrator.
“What’s put that frown on your face?” Renee asked.
She bit her lip, but a nervous giggle escaped. “I think it’s time for me to get my own place.”
Jozlyn and Magee stopped dancing, their eyes looking ready to pop out of their heads. Only Syn seemed to understand her need for independence, since she had just recently been given a cabin by her older brother. It was still on his property, but not in his home. Kellen was giving his sister a little breathing room, unlike Xan, who Lyric swore still thought she was in grade school.
“Xan will never allow that,” Jozlyn and Magee said at the same time.
Syn growled at both younger girls. “And when did either of you become so in the know when it came to the second of the MC?”
Oh shit! Lyric recognized the anger blazing in her best friend’s blue eyes and was shocked to see it aimed at their friends. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think Syn was jealous. Which was absurd, since they each thought of both Kellen and Xan as brothers.
Renee stuck her finger in her ear and shook it. “Excuse me, but did you just growl at us?”
Before a fight could erupt, Lyric stepped between them. “I gotta pee. You need to go with me.” She jerked on Syn’s arm. By the time they wound their way through the throng of gyrating people and into the bathroom, Syn seemed to get herself under control.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Lyric jerked her thumb toward the closed door and the club beyond.
A deep sigh left Syn in a gush as she leaned against the counter. “I have no clue. There’s this wild feeling inside me that seems to be growing lately. I feel like I’m going to snap, and if I’m not careful, I’m liable to bite someone’s head off. Ya know?” She placed her palm over her heart, tears swimming in her eyes.
Lyric did the only thing she knew how to do and wrapped her arms around her best friend. “I understand, truly I do. Maybe that’s what I’m feeling, too.”
“You should move in with me.” Syn pulled away, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
Laughing, Lyric shook her head. “You think Xan would let me?”
“If it’s safe enough for me, then why not you?”
The logic wasn’t lost on her; however, she wasn’t sure her brother would see it the same way. “When do you move in?”
“Next week. Well, I guess it’s more like nine days, but who’s counting.”
“You owe the Bitches an apology.” They were all referred to as the Bitches by their friends; each one had a nickname that ended with Bitch.
“Fuck me running, I know. I was such a beotch.” Syn’s voice sounded chagrined.
Lyric walked back toward the last enclosure, she really did need to go to the bathroom. She shut the stall door and let the silence stretch.
“You know, you could’ve disagreed with me,” Syn groused.
“We pinky swore when we were kids we’d never lie to each other.” Lyric laughed when her friend kicked the door on her way out, calling her a name as she went.
Straightening her blinged-out belt, Lyric stared at her reflection. People always assumed she colored her blonde hair—having dark brown eyes and tan skin it didn’t seem natural—until they met her brother, Xan. He shared her coloring. Even in wolf form, they were blonde wolves, a rarity in the wolf world. Syn and Kellen were both black as night with the bluest eyes. Alpha eyes. Although, Xan had the same brown eyes in his human form, when he shifted to his wolf, his eyes also turned a beautiful shade of blue, while hers shifted to amber. Had he wanted to be alpha, Lyric had no doubt he could’ve been, but Xan was happy being second. Their parents had been best friends with Kellen and Syn’s, who’d all been killed ten years earlier.
She shuddered and pushed the memories away, grateful her brother, along with Kellen, had been there to protect her. Xan, all of twenty-five at the time, had been left to raise his fifteen year old sister. Now at twenty-four years old, Lyric felt like the world was passing her by. She’d gotten her degree at the local college instead of going away. Texas was a huge state, but with the club being so tight-knit, and shifters even more so, she’d wanted to stay with her pack. Now she wished she’d at least gone off to one a couple of hours away.
The MC built custom bikes on one side of the shop and was the local mechanics on the other. She and Syn ran the office, while she did more of the creative side of the business.
She planned out what she’d say to her brother about moving in with Syn, and before losing her nerve, pulled her phone out of her back pocket. Knowing him, he’d be with his flavor of the week and not see it till the morning, but at least it would give him a few hours to simmer down before she had to face him, since she was staying overnight at Nene’s. Once she hit send, she turned her phone off, and put it back in her pocket.
Butterflies danced in her stomach as she walked out into the dark hallway.
When she got bumped from behind for the third time, she finally turned around and met the steely gaze of a truly mean-looking wolf. She had smelled him and a few of his pack when they came in earlier but hadn’t thought anything of it.
“Excuse me, darling. Can I have this dance?”
She saw the way he looked her up and down, stopping at her chest and continuing down to her boots and then back up. “Sorry, I was just going to get a drink.” She pasted on a fake smile, trying to step away from him.
His quick-as-a-snake reflexes caught her bare arm, squeezing hard enough to bruise. “Now, that’s just rude. I watched you shaking your ass for the last half hour. I think you can dance just one more.”
Looking around the crowded dance floor for Syn, Lyric knew she was no match for the wolf, even in his human form. “You are so fucked if you don’t let me go. Do you know whose territory you’re in?” Although she wasn’t strong enough to take him on, any wolf with an ounce of smarts knew better than to come into another’s territory and threaten their members. She was technically property of the Iron Wolves; therefore he’d just stepped over the line. If she could get Syn’s attention and a little help from her friends, he’d move along, and all would be well. Or she hoped he would.
He leaned in close. “Your little friends ain’t gonna help you, bitch.”
Lyric tried to pull away from him, coming up against another solid form behind her. “What is wrong with you? Do you know who my brother is? Do you know who the Iron Wolves are? If you let me go now, there will be no harm, no foul. I’ll pretend like you don’t exist. But, if you keep fucking with me, I will bring the wrath of my pack on all your asses.” The last wasn’t an empty threat. Her brother Xan would kill any man, or wolf, for putting his hands on her without permission, some even if they had her permission.
“Do you hear her? She’s gonna call her big brother.” He sneered.
At some point during her struggle with the large man, they had maneuvered her closer to a side hall. If they got her outside, she had two choices. Let her wolf out and fight, or run. Either way, she had little chance of escape. Pack law stated you couldn’t show yourself to humans, and the bar was filled with way too many for her to shift inside. She opened her mouth to scream for Syn, or anyone to help her, but one of the men slapped his hand over her lips before she could make a sound.
She counted three men with the leader, but the smells from the bar made it hard to be sure. Lyric pretended to be docile, allowing them to maneuver her outside, while she planned what she’d do as soon as the door opened. She’d only have one chance, and that was a slim one.
The lights from the parking lot speared into her face as so
meone opened the door before they could drag her outside. “Excuse me, boys, looks like you got a problem there,” a man said in a deep rumble.
“Mind your business, punk,” the leader growled.
Lyric felt the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end. The man standing by the door was tall and muscular, but was one hundred percent human. She wanted to ask him to help, but changed her mind at the simultaneous growls surrounding her. Although the newcomer was every bit as big as her brother and Kellen, in a fight against a group of wolves, he’d be massacred.
The man held the door open like a gentlemen, nodding as they passed. Lyric had to tilt her head way back to look up at him. The arms holding her captive didn’t allow her to do any more than get a quick glimpse of black eyes. She tried to memorize his features, breathing deep to take his scent in before she was shoved outside and the door was shut behind them.
“Beck, I don’t think this is the best place for us to take care of business.”
She stumbled when the man named Beck released her, shoving the one who’d just spoken against the wall. “Are you questioning my leadership, Raul?”
Claws erupted from Raul’s fingers. “Get the fuck off me, Beck. I’m pointing out the fact we should just take the bitch back to the hotel and have some fun with her.”
“I agree with jackass, for once. Let’s just simmer down. We can take the chew toy and play with her for a while.”
Beck released Raul. “Kristof, go get the van and take Raul with you while Dean and I get acquainted with our toy. Call Marcus and have him get word to her brother. I want him to sweat knowing his baby sister is with us, and there’s nothing he can do.” He turned his cold gaze back to Lyric, licking his lips. “I was just going to kill you and leave you for Xan to find, but plans have changed.”
“Over my dead fucking body, asshole,” Lyric snarled, unsheathing her claws.
The door to the bar opened and slammed shut. “I don’t think the lady wants to go with you.”
“Be a smart man and go back inside where it’s safe. I won’t give you another chance.” Beck turned his back on Lyric.
Seeing her opportunity, Lyric nailed Dean in the nuts with her knee and swiped him across the throat with her claws. The wound would be deep enough to immobilize him, but not kill, she hoped. She wasn’t sure how long before Raul and the other would be returning with the van, but since the parking lot wasn’t huge, she assumed minutes at the most.
Beck turned at the sound of Dean’s gasp. “You stupid cunt.” The animalistic growl he emitted scared her worse than the thought of what her brother would say if she exposed what they were to humans.
“I’ve already called 911. I suggest you pick your buddy up and go.” The man from the hallway started walking toward them, cell phone in hand, bringing Beck’s attention back to him.
“Run,” Lyric yelled.
The sound of an approaching vehicle had Lyric sprinting away from the downed wolf and the open drive, putting her closer to Beck. An enraged werewolf was unpredictable, but she couldn’t allow him to hurt a human. Xan and Kellen had made sure she and Syn had trained with their best fighters, and while she knew she didn’t have the strength to take on a group of shifters, she prayed she was able to hold her own against one.
Beck had his back to her, but she could see he, too, had done a partial shift and was facing the gorgeous human. The thought of him harming the man was not something she was willing to allow. Using his distraction, she went low and took out his feet with a swift kick. Man, and wolf, tended to underestimate her because she was small and acted docile. Beck was no exception.
“Aw, fuck,” the human rumbled.
At the same time she felt the air stir. Their window of opportunity had passed, and the other wolves had returned.
“Go back inside and find Syn Styles. Have the DJ call for her. Tell her what’s happened. Go. Now.” Lyric rocked on the balls of her feet, pushing him toward the door with her back to his front.
He snorted. “Sure thing, gorgeous. Just as soon as unicorns fly by.”
His big hand came around her, trying to switch their positions. Lyric wanted to snuggle into him. She also wanted to shove him through the door and into safety. As Beck got back to his feet, and the others helped the downed wolf to the van, she thought they were going to leave.
Beck sprang at them with all the speed and strength of a full-grown werewolf on a rampage. She placed herself in front of the human, knowing she could regenerate faster than he could. His hand came around her, trying again to place her behind him. She watched in horror as Beck brought his paw up, claws extended, and hit her with the full force of his strength on the side of her head. Lyric flew across the pavement, head slamming into the concrete wall, making stars appear before her eyes. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it wasn’t to see her guy ready to take on a shifter. Whoa, slow your roll. She didn’t even know his name. The hit to her head must have done something to her brain.
Seeing the other two men coming back from their vehicle, Lyric picked herself up. Her main goal was to help the man and hope they got out alive.
Surely, Syn was looking for her by now? The last thought gave her pause. Her best friend would never have allowed her to be gone for so long unless something had happened to her, too. She let more of her wolf out, hearing seams rip and not caring she was ruining a favorite pair of jeans.
* * * *
Rowan swore when the beautiful woman was thrown against the building. Fear for her safety had sent him outside to check on her; seeing her being manhandled by the obnoxious man who needed a shower, sealed the deal.
He’d come to the bar to get a drink or two and get laid. Looked like he was going to get in a fight, and need more than a few bottles of alcohol to erase the images of what he was seeing. Nine, maybe ten-inch nails extended out of the man’s fingers, and the last time he’d checked humans didn’t have that much hair let alone fur, and the guy didn’t have either on his body earlier. In all his training, the wars he’d fought, not a single foe compared to what he was facing.
“What the fuck are you?” Rowan asked, thinking he should’ve brought his gun from his truck.
Three men advanced on him, looking more like something out of American Werewolf in London.
“You should’ve stayed inside like a good boy,” the half-man growled.
Rowan felt the woman step up beside him, easing his fear that she was hurt from being tossed aside. Like all good country boys, he pulled the knife he had strapped to his side. The blade was longer than their claws, which he hoped was enough of an equalizer. She squeezed his free hand, sporting her own set of extra-long nails. Although she was on his side, he hoped.
“Since the lady doesn’t want to go with y’all, why don’t we skip the pissing contest and forget all about this?” Rowan released her hand, watching the body language of the three man-beasts. They were not experienced fighters, which gave him an advantage.
“There’s no reasoning with them. You should’ve run when I told you to.”
He didn’t take his eyes off the men as they fanned out in a semi-circle. “Darlin’, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell I was gonna leave you out here to fight off these…whatever they are.”
The sound of gravel shifting beneath the man to his right’s feet, had Rowan kicking his steel-toed boot into his knee, followed by a roundhouse kick to the head. When he looked down into the face of the man, no longer was there any indication he was human. Gone was the shape of a human face, replaced with the muzzle of what appeared to be one of his worst nightmares. Without hesitation, he grabbed the thing by the hair and cut his throat from ear to ear.
“You will pay for that.” One of the beasts’ garbled words cut across the night. Before he could hop off the dead creature, he was hit so hard in the side, Rowan was sure a rib or two was cracked.
In his line of work with the military, he’d suffered a lot worse damage and had learned to suppress the pain. His training served
him well as he rolled, keeping a firm hold on his serrated knife. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the woman fighting with amazing skill.
He landed with a thud on his back, momentarily stunned. The large animal on top, snapping at his neck. Rowan grunted in pain from the weight on his ribs, knowing he needed to get the upper hand quickly or he’d be a dead man. What were wolves’ weaknesses? Never had he thought he’d need a silver bullet, or wondered if that was a myth or truth. Either way, he was going to die if he didn’t get out from under the snapping jaws.
Using all his strength, he heaved, bucking until he finally knocked the wolfman off. Claws slashing his chest as they fought. The burn, like acid eating his skin, made it hard to focus.
Rowan waved his knife hand. “Come on, pussy, is that all you got?”
An enraged howl, and then the animal came at him with more force than cunning.
Rowan sidestepped, slashing upward with his knife, slicing through fabric and tissue. He turned, giving a hard kick to the beast while he was doubled over. Erasing the distance between them, he snapped his neck.
A roar shook the ground. Rowan spun to face the leader, watching in horror as he tossed the woman aside. With a quick assessment, he saw her chest rise and fall.
“I understand it’s hard to get laid when you look like you were dropped from the ugly tree, and hit every branch on the way down, but really, there has to be someone out there for you,” Rowan taunted him, needing him to come closer, away from the woman. All of the men had partially shifted into part wolf, part man, a seriously grotesque combination.
The beast growled and lumbered on his jacked-up legs. If he made it out of this alive, Rowan was sure he’d be needing therapy for months, maybe years to come.
His side no longer burned, but had started to turn to more of a kill me now ache, the likes of which he’d never experienced. He’d been held prisoner for over three months in a foreign land, had been tortured for days on end, and had never wanted to die. Those days and nights were nothing compared to what was going through his system right now, but he fought the pain back. One more to dispatch then he could fall down.
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