The Alpha (The Lycans 4)

But right now it looked like the very thing trying to take me from Cian, and every part of me revolted at that idea.

“We have to get out of here,” she pleaded. “Don’t you want to survive?”

I was shaking my head. He wouldn’t hurt me. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I was as sure of Cian’s protection as I was of the air moving into my lungs with each involuntary inhale I made.

It was only seconds that we stared at each other, but she was now the one shaking her head and moving a step closer, her expression changing from shock to cold, hard apathy.

“Do you want to be the human whore of one of those creatures, Evelyn Williams?” The loathing in her voice, the way she sneered the words out… the fact that she knew who I was, had me stumbling back. But she still had her hand wrapped around my wrist, dragging me closer, her face right in front of mine. “We don’t really want you, but you’re tied to that animal now, and so the Assembly will use you as we see fit to control these monsters.”

“W-What?” That one word was nothing but a whisper from me, and I tugged on my hand again, but her hold was unrelenting. “How do you know who I am? How do you know my name?” What in the hell is going on?

Her laugh was low and more menacing than anything I’d ever heard. “We’ve been following you, found out you Linked to that animal.” The way she said that last word was like he was the most disgusting filth she’d ever encountered. “Knew the moment he touched down, knew it was only a matter of time before he’d find you. So we kept close.”

I shook my head so hard and fast I grew dizzy. “What’s going on?” The question was rhetorical, because I honestly didn’t think I wanted to know even more than I did.

I heard a deep male grunt and looked at the fight, as if an invisible thread connected us. I still wasn’t able to see anything clearly but worried it was Cian getting injured. I didn't know how long I watched him, but I felt like I was in a trance, ensnared and unable to move, let alone think clearly. Is this shock?

“We found the Lycans and have his human mate. Incapacitated one of them, and Maxwell is attempting to take down the other mark. It’s clear they didn’t know about us. Caught them off guard. Intercepting now and will report back once we have the beasts in custody.”

I looked at the woman again, seeing she had procured a cell phone and spoke into it as she stared at me. My pulse beat too wildly and loudly in my ears, and coiled with the fierce weather, hearing what was said was almost impossible.

Dark ink on her wrist drew my attention, and I focused on the design. A circular starburst with a crescent shape cradled in the center.

I tore my focus from the tattoo just as I saw movement in my peripheral a second before pain exploded against the side of my head. I cried out and stumbled back, losing my footing and falling backward onto my butt. My hand cupped the side of my head, my vision blurry, the pain in my skull enough to have my eyes squeezed tight and nausea rolling through my belly. I opened my eyes just as I pulled my fingers away and saw a thick amount of blood coating the digits.

Another roar carried through the air, and I looked to where the sound came from, seeing Cian watching me with a rage-filled expression on his face, his body bigger than I’d ever seen it. That… that wasn’t a human, and I’d never been more sure of the supernatural world than I was right then.

I felt the woman grab a chunk of my hair, wrenching me up so hard I cried out. I reached up to grip her hand, trying to alleviate the pressure. Her focus was maniacal as she stared at me, then looked at presumably Cian, who was in the distance.

I used her distraction to my advantage and brought my fist up, clocking her in the side of the nose. She made a low cry, her grip loosening, but she was strong, given her small size, and backhanded me hard enough I was cast to the side before I could catch my balance.

Another feral sound came through just as I lifted my head, my gaze on Cian once more, and saw him charging right toward us with murder on his face.

14

Cian

A deafening—agonizing—roar exploded out of me as I charged forward. There was no logical thought in my head, no clear vision. My eyes were bleeding red with rage as I watched Evie drop to the ground, the scent of her blood coating the air.