Blood began to drip from his hands where his claws had popped into the fleshy part of his palms.
“Mark,” Ox warned, eyes blazing. “I need you to calm down. Listen to me, okay?” He reached for Mark again. “We’re right here. Your pack is here. Gordo is—”
“Don’t,” Mark said, chest heaving as he took a step back. He bumped into a woman, who gasped and almost fell back. She was caught by Jameson, who glared at Mark. “Don’t tell me to calm down. Don’t talk to me about Gordo.”
“Mark,” Joe said, coming to stand next to Ox. “You’re scaring people. This isn’t you. This isn’t who you are.”
Mark laughed bitterly. “You don’t know the first fucking thing about me. You left, Joe. My brother died. He was cut to ribbons, and you left. You didn’t even have a second thought about it, and even if you did, was it about me? Or your mother? Or was it just about Ox? Was it just about your fucking mate?”
Joe’s throat clicked as he swallowed, jaw tight.
“That’s right,” Mark said, voice hard. “All I wanted was to keep everyone safe. That’s all I ever wanted. And then those fucking hunters came, and they took everything away from me. And then Thomas took what was left of my shredded heart and put it beneath his heel, telling me I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave. And just when I thought I could finally forgive him, when I thought it would all be okay again, he died.” Ice blue gave way to orange. “And then you made the same mistakes he did.”
“Mark,” I snapped, stepping forward. “Knock it off. You’re getting yourself worked up. That’s not going to help—”
“You’re scared?” Mark snarled, whirling on the people in the Lighthouse. “You should be. You want to see what you’re so afraid of? Let me show you.”
He started to shift.
Before I could step forward, Elizabeth was there behind him, hand on his shoulder.
I didn’t have time to react.
He spun, hand out. He backhanded her across the face, and as she fell into her Alphas, as the sound of a small bone snapping filled the room, Mark Bennett’s eyes flickered. Blue. Orange. Blue.
Violet.
And then it faded.
Mark looked horrified as he lowered his hand.
The room exploded around us as people began shouting. Jessie and Chris ran to Elizabeth’s side and helped her up. Tanner and Rico stood in front of them, arms across their chests as they glared at Mark. Elizabeth was muttering that she was fine, she was fine, even as the bone in her cheek began to heal. Ox looked furious, Joe murderous, and I thought I heard the wolves outside roar in anger.
A gun fired.
I jerked my head toward the sound, sure the hunters had found us, that we were all fucking trapped in here and—
Bambi stood on top of the bar, pistol pointed up. Bits of plaster sprinkled down on her from a hole in the ceiling. Her eyes were narrowed and her voice cold when she said, “You touch her again and I’ll put a bullet in your head. Maybe it won’t kill you, whatever the fuck you are, but I bet it’ll slow you down.”
Mark was stricken. He raised his hands in front of his face. His fingers were trembling, claws sinking back down. “Elizabeth,” he whispered. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean to. I didn’t—” He took a step toward her.
Bambi pointed the gun at him. “I mean it, Mark Bennett. Another step and we’ll see if the color of your brains matches the décor.”
“Holy shit,” Rico whispered. “I’m dating her.”
“Not the time,” Tanner whispered back. “But seriously. Props, man.”
They fist-pounded without looking away from Mark.
“I’m fine,” Elizabeth said, knocking Joe’s hands off her. “He caught me by surprise. Joe, stop growling at him. You know as well as I do that I can take Mark in a fair fight any day.”
“Ox,” Mark said, eyes wide and pleading, “it wasn’t—it was an accident. I swear. I’m in control. I promise. I promise. I promise—”
“You stay here with everyone,” Ox told Joe. “Try to keep everyone calm. I’ll take Mark and—”
And I said, “No.”
Ox closed his eyes and sighed. “Gordo, if he’s… if this is him turning, and if it’s like the others, he’ll go after you first. You have to know that.”