But Rhett’s already there, already grabbing the back of Oli’s neck andyankinghim off the bed.
Oli snarls and lashes out. He swings his meaty fist, and it connects with the side of Rhett’s face, but it doesn't seem to faze him. Rhett snarls and pulls Oli back with everything he has.
The alphas look equally matched, but Rhett is somehow stronger—barely—but it’s enough. Rhett muscles Oli onto the floor, then captures him in a headlock. I scramble back into the hallway to get out of the way and run right into Myrick.
I let out a little squeak of shock when I smack into his chest.
“It’s me.” Myrick’s hands curl around my waist, pullingme out of Rhett’s way. Our pack alpha muscles Oli out the door, shoving him into the hallway with his full weight.
Oli stumbles, snarling through bloody teeth, still reaching for Charlie’s bedroom door.
“Move!” Rhett’s alpha voice is rough, strained, but he’s holding the line.
I wait, holding my breath as they struggle.
Trying to handle Oli, Rhett jerks both their bodies to one side, and right into the frosted-glass door to the gym. The door swings open, smacking hard as they both fall inside, disappearing. The second the door shuts behind them, I turn and run to Charlie’s bed, falling to my knees beside him.
His face is pale, but flushed at the same time. Sweat clings to his skin, and his cock looks painfully swollen. It doesn't look normal, but engorged like there’s a river of blood trapped in his shaft.
“Charlie?” I try to force him to look at me, but his eyes are glassy, unfocused, flicking toward me but not reallyseeing. And he smells—God, he smells so different.His usual warm bakery scent is gone. He smells sweet. Sticky and wet.
What is that?
My throat itches from it and my skin prickles. It makes me feel like I have bees trapped under the surface. “What’s wrong?” I cup Charlie’s face, but he’s completely out of it, his eyes glazed over. “Did Oli hurt you? Force himself on you?”
And then I see it.
The wound on Charlie’s neck.
A raw, mangled bite.
But it’s not just a bite.
It’s a mating bite.
I freeze.
“Oh my God,” I whisper. My hands hover over him, trembling. “Charlie…”
He flinches, curling in on himself, like he doesn’t even realize I’m there.
Oli mated him.
Behind me, Rhett growls, his voice and Oli’s fading into muffled shouting. There’s a crash somewhere within the house, followed by a deafening roar. But all I can do is sit there, staring at Charlie, my heart breaking and my head spinning.
Because everything just changed.
Oli has stolen my beta from me, and there’s no taking it back.
Stunned
Myrick
I don’t knowwhat to do first—check on Rhett and Oli or Autry and Charlie. I won’t be much help in controlling a feral alpha, but I can’t leave Rhett to take care of it all by himself. Then a deafening roar cuts through the house.
“Nope.” I pivot and step into Charlie’s room, heart hammering, not sure what I’m about to walk into.
Autry’s sitting next to Charlie on the bed, touching his face like he’s made of glass. Her other hand hovers near his neck, not quite touching his skin. It’s red.
