Catching Him (How to Catch an Alpha 1)

My muscles relax, and I sag back into Tyler, listening to the guy on the floor complain about me breaking his nose. “Cops are on the way, Ty,” someone says, and Tyler turns us to face the end of the hall, not letting up on the hold he has around me. “You good?”

“Yeah, but get me some ice for her hand.”

“Got it.” The guy grins at me, shaking his head before disappearing from sight.

Tyler half walks, half carries me to the women’s bathroom, opens the door, and takes us in. He releases me when the door is closed, then turns to face me. “What the fuck were you thinking?” he roars as I shake out the hand I now notice is throbbing.

I take a step back from his fury but narrow my eyes. “He had a girl pinned to the wall. She didn’t want to be pinned to the wall. He wouldn’t let her go. What did you expect me to do?”

“I don’t know, Leah. Maybe fucking come get your man to take care of shit.”

“Why?” I frown. I go to the sink, turn on the cold water, and run it over my hand.

“Why?” he barks behind me, and I look up to see him glaring at my reflection in the mirror.

“Who knows what could have happened if I left him with her, Tyler? I wasn’t going to do that, not when I could help her.”

“You weigh maybe”—he jerks his chin up—“maybe a hundred and forty pounds, baby. That guy could have crushed you. He could’ve had a knife or a gun. What the fuck were you thinking, taking him on?”

“I was being a good person.” I lift my chin. I will not feel guilty for what I did. I don’t care if he’s pissed or not. There’s no way I would ever stand by and let a man or woman be harassed without stepping in.

“A good person?”

“Yes, a good person.” I shake my head. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see the look on that girl’s face as that guy tried . . . tried to . . . I don’t know what he was trying to do for sure. But I know she didn’t want it done to her.”

“Fuck.” He sifts his fingers through his hair.

“I need to go make sure she’s okay.” I start to move for the door, but he blocks it, cutting me off.

“She’s fine. She’s with Eli.” His breathing is heavy, and I can see the pulse in his neck and the twitch in his jaw. “Give me your hand.” I don’t want to, but I still place my hand in his when he holds his out toward me, palm up. “How bad does it hurt?”

Right now I’m still on an adrenaline high, so I can’t tell him for certain, but it does hurt. “It’s okay.”

His angry eyes meet mine. “Stop saying it’s okay. It’s not fucking okay.”

“Okay,” I whisper, and his jaw twitches. “Sorry, I mean it hurts a little, but ice will help.”

Without another word, he pulls me from the bathroom and takes me to the front of the bar. Lifting me up, he plants me on a barstool, then accepts a bag of ice from the guy who was standing at the end of the hall earlier. Tyler holds the ice to my knuckles without a word or a look in my direction. I’m at a loss for what to say or do. I refuse to feel guilty for what I did, but I feel bad he’s so upset.

Four cops arrive, and when they get to the bar, the man behind it takes them down the hall. When they reappear a few minutes later, two of the officers escort the guy with a bloody face out of the bar with his hands cuffed behind his back, and the man returns behind the bar.

“Drink this. It will help with the shakes,” he says, and I swivel to face him as he places a glass of clear liquid in front of me.

“Thanks,” I whisper, giving him a crooked smile while picking up the glass and taking a sniff. It smells like vodka, pure vodka. I take a sip and then another, allowing the liquid to calm my nerves.

“Since this rude fuck isn’t gonna introduce me, I’ll introduce myself. I’m Alan.” Alan starts to reach for my hand, then shakes his head, pulling it back when Tyler grunts at him.

“Nice to meet you, Alan, and thanks for the drink.” I hold it up.

“Anytime.” He moves from behind the bar to stand next to Tyler when the two officers come over to talk to me. I tell them what happened, with Tyler standing over me, and the more I talk, the angrier I feel him get. I ignore him and give my statement, then watch them go talk to the girl across the room, who’s been sitting with Eli. When the officers leave, she comes over to me.