44
Jaxson
Before I could move a muscle, Alejandro was at Savannah’s neck. “You don’t want me to make a mistake, do you, Jaxson?”
I froze. The bastard was far faster than I’d imagined.
Savannah’s teeth were clenched and eyes wide. The vampire’s fangs were at her pulsing jugular. I could feel her heartbeat and taste her fear.
“Let her go, or I’ll ram my claws into your heart.”
Savannah shifted in Alejandro’s grasp. “Both of you, back off. I’ve made my decision. Alejandro gets a drink, we get the bones, and we get the fuck out of here to stop Dragan from bringing Armageddon down on Magic Side. Simple deal.”
The horror of the situation twisted my mind. She was mine, and yet, she was going to willingly let this fucker violate her in front of me. Rage filled my thoughts until I could barely see. “You are my mate. Don’t do this. It means more than you think.”
“Since I came to Magic Side, people have been hunting me for my blood. This is a chance to do something useful with it. I’m doing this for the pack.”
“Don’t worry, Jaxson, I promise to be gentle,” the vampire purred as he moved her hair aside, exposing the pale flesh of her neck and causing her to flinch.
Fuck the bullets.
I lunged forward, but my roar was cut short as Alejandro became a blur, and something wrapped around my neck. My body whipped backward and slammed into the wall as silver chains wrapped around me, searing my skin.
Alejandro was at my side in an instant. “Meet my favorite restraints. The more you struggle, the tighter they’ll become.”
“What are you doing?” Savannah screamed at him.
“Putting your dog on a leash!” the vampire snarled, fangs out.
In an instant, Savannah had her Soul Knife out. “Let him go!”
The guards swung their weapons at her, and fear seized me. I pulled against the chains, but they only tightened, forcing my wrists and head back against the wall. I could feel my power draining rapidly into them, sapping my strength.
Alejandro raised his hand. “Nobody shoot. We’re almost all civilized here.”
“This wasn’t the deal,” Savannah snapped, keeping the blade between her and the vampire.
He was behind her in a blur of movement. Before she could react, he shoved her against the wall and pinned her knife hand back. “Then tell me, Savannah, what was our deal?”
Her heartbeat pounded through every inch of my body, and the taste of her terror seared my throat. I tried to shout, but it only came out as a strangled growl as the chains around my neck tightened sharply.
Eyes burning with rage, she hissed, “The deal was that you get a two-second drink, we get the bones, and then we get out of here. There was nothing about fucking silver chains or men with guns.”
“Or daggers,” he whispered against her neck. “Tell you what, I’ll get rid of mine if you get rid of yours.”
He ordered his guards out, and she reluctantly dismissed her knife.
She bared her teeth in defiance. “Now let Jaxson go.”
“One drink, and you both walk away with what you came for. I promise. On my oath.”
For a second, she met my eyes, then turned her head, exposing the pale skin of her neck. “Do it.”
My wolf tore at my heart, demanding to be released. But it would fare no better against the silver chains than I had.
Alejandro brushed the hair from her neck. “Try to relax, Savannah, this shouldn’t be painful. Honestly, most people absolutely love it. That’s why it’s all the rage.”
“Just get it over with.” She raised her chin confidently, but she refused to meet my eyes.
She gasped as Alejandro sank his fangs into her neck. Fury rolled through me, and my restraints clanged as I pulled against them—but the harder I fought, the stronger my bonds became until I was practically immobile.
She moaned, her eyes dilating with fear while she pressed her back against the wall. Alejandro groaned, his heady desire filling the room while he gently lapped at the blood spilling from her neck.
A guttural roar squeezed from my tightly bound throat as the scene before me burned into my mind.
Savannah’s lids grew heavy, and she sighed, her body relaxing as she leaned back, giving herself over to the magic that coursed between them.
The sweet scent of her unavoidable desire mixing with his shattered my mind. My heart collapsed inward as despair crushed me tighter than any chain ever could.
Fight for our mate, my wolf snarled. Kill. Take what is ours.
“Savannah—” I choked out.