Alpha's Rescue (Shifter Ops 5)

I’m breathing hard when we face off again. “You broke Ma’s heart.”

“You broke it first.”

He's not wrong. Maybe this fight is just a way of punishing myself. When I felt like I needed a licking, Darius was always good for it.

So be it. I wade in for more penance, ducking his fist and tackling him. We end up on the ground—him punching my head, me trying to crush his ribs.

A growl shakes the ground. I don’t know if the sound comes from my throat or his.

“No animals,” I grunt. “The human.”

“So you haven't told her yet.”

“That info’s on a need-to-know basis. You know how it is.” I don’t add that Lana may have found out I’m a shifter. Darius doesn’t need another reason to ride my ass.

We’re face to face now, kicking up dust. Our fight has turned into a floor wrestling match.

Darius blinks through dirt-covered lashes at me. “What I don’t get is why you chose another human. Wasn’t Tiffany bad enough?”

Even here, on the ground, grappling with my brother, Lana’s honeyed scent fills my nostrils. “She's not mine.”

“Oh.” Darius cranes his head. “She's gorgeous. Maybe I'll give her a ride in my helicopter after–”

With a yell, I scissor my legs, gaining momentum to scrabble upwards and get my hands around my twin's throat. I really am going to kill him this time.

Lana

A cloud of dust covers Teddy and Darius. Growls and snarls escape, but I can’t make out what’s happening. All the dirt flying around turns the two fighters into amorphous shadow monsters writhing on the ground.

“Can’t you stop them?” I cry to Matthias.

He shrugs. “It’s best to let them fight it out.”

“Matthias!”

“You want me to get pummeled too?”

A roar rings out, and the few birds who’d returned to the trees after the helicopter left take flight.

“You need to get inside.” Matthias tries to herd me back. I pretend to obey then dash around him.

“Teddy! Help!”

“Lana?” A figure rises from the dust. Teddy lowers his fists, his full focus on me.

All my breath escapes my lungs. Teddy was in full fight mode, and he stopped. For me.

Unfortunately Darius doesn't get the message that Teddy’s declared a ceasefire. He whales on Teddy a few more times before he realizes brother's just standing there.

Teddy glares at him, spits blood, and shoulders him out of the way to stride to me.

“You okay?” His knuckles are swollen from pummeling his brother, but his fingers are gentle as he cups my face.

“I think I might faint,'' I say in a small voice. It’s true. That fight was something else. I’m wheezing on all the dust and pollen they kicked up.

“Lana needs quiet and rest,” Matthias says. “This is not helping.”

Darius’ nice suit is dirty. His shirt gapes open, missing a few buttons. But he looks pretty decent for a guy who got punched a few times in the face. There’s a faint mottling of purple shadows around his eye and jaw, but other than these bruises, he looks unharmed.

Teddy has blood trickling down from a cut over his eye. “Show’s over.” He lifts me in his burly arms and carries me toward the cabin. I flail a second before snuggling close. Teddy’s body temperature is running hot. I duck my head and sniff his neck. Mmmm, manly sweat.

He must look like the conquering hero carrying off the girl. The way he takes charge makes my panties wet.

“Good fight, brother,” Darius calls.

Teddy stops on the stoop. “It was a good fight. You did good for a suit,” he says to his twin.

Darius raises his chin. “I found some sparring buddies. A friend named Brick Blackthroat owns a private sport club for…fighters like us.”

Teddy grunts and turns his back on his brother. “Get out of here,” he calls over his shoulder. “You're not welcome anymore.” He kicks the cabin door shut. It slams behind us, and I squeak.

“Sorry.” Teddy marches us to the couch and sets me down. His shoulders are bunched, his muscles tense like he’s about to storm back out of the cabin and put his brother in a coffin. And I can’t have that.

He grunts when I put a hand on his chest. His white t-shirt is stained with more than dirt. There’s a reddish brown smear I’m pretty sure is blood.

“You’re hurt.” I rise to my knees and, without stopping to think, pull up his shirt. I freeze as I get a faceful of the most epically muscled chest I’ve ever seen. It’s dust-streaked and dirty but beautiful.

“Lana,” Teddy says, and I realize he’s been saying my name for a while.

I could spend an eternity staring at the perfect planes and grooves of his abs and chest, but there’s a nasty bruise on his right pec and another down by his side. “He got you good. I can call Matthias–”

“No.” Teddy rumbles. “Give me a moment, babygirl.” He drops to the coffee table and rubs a hand over his face.