“M-martin.” My voice is rising now, frantic, thick with panic. Hot tears spill over as I clutch his shirt, desperate. “You can’t bite me. Brayden will kill you. He’ll?—”
“Stop it, Skyla!” Martin growls loudly. “You are so fucking overly dramatic.” He looks down at me with so much hate. “Brayden would never kill me. We’ve been with him for years, and you?—”
“Are you sure about that?”
A deep voice slices through the room, and Martin’s eyes go wide with fear.
I inch backward as Martin glances over his shoulder, and my blood goes cold.
Brayden.
The pack alpha stands in the entryway to the living room, one hand in his pocket and the other balled up at his side. Every inch of him radiates fury.
“Don’t let me interrupt.” Brayden’s eyes lock on Martinlike a predator sizing up a threat. His body is coiled tight, nostrils flaring, hands clenched into fists at his sides.
The scent of sharp sandalwood rolls into the room, pungent and spiked with dominance.
“Bray. I’m sorry.” Martin releases me like I’ve burned him. But it’s too late. Brayden’s already moving, slow and deliberate, rage building with every step.
“Touch her again,” Brayden growls, voice low and lethal, “and I’ll break your fucking jaw.”
My breath hitches. I can’t move. My whole body is shaking.
The air feels like it might crack open.
“Please, don’t fight,” I whisper, voice trembling—but neither alpha hears me. They’re locked on each other, like the rest of the world doesn’t exist.
“I don’t mean any disrespect,” Martin squares his shoulders, jaw tight, “But we have to dosomething, Brayden.” His fists clench at his sides. “Your mating bites aren’t working. It only makes sense for us to try something different.”
Brayden’s entire body snaps taut. “Mybites aren’t working?!” His voice spikes, raw and furious, as he closes the distance in a flash. He grabs Martin by the front of his shirt and slams him into the wall with a dull thud.
Trembling, I stumble backward, not stopping until I hit the smooth wood of the grandfather clock. Desperate to get out of the way, I curl my body against the side of the clock, trying to make myself smaller.
“None of this is my fault!” Brayden snarls and his eyes flash. “It’s her.” He snaps his head toward me, making his perfectly styled hair fall onto his forehead. “Her body rejected me. Rejectedus.” His eyes meet mine, and more tears slip down my face.
“I didn’t…” The words barely escape my mouth, more breath than sound. “I’m not?—”
“Shut up!” Brayden’s sudden growl makes me wince.
My body obeys before I can think. My mouth snaps shut, arms wrapped around my middle, breath frozen in my chest.
Silence falls. Thick. Crushing.
Brayden’s chest heaves as he slowly turns back to Martin. The moment stretches, unbearably tense as the two glare at each other, then Brayden suddenly drops his grip on Martin’s shirt and steps back, visibly shaking.
Breathing hard, Martin straightens his shirt, then turns to look at me. Guilt flickers in his eyes before he glances back at Brayden. “I didn’t mean?—”
“Get the fuck out,” Brayden says hoarsely. “Go find Douglas.”
Martin blinks. “What?”
“I said go. I searched the entire east side of town last night. Tonight it’s your turn. Go find our beta.”
Martin doesn’t move. Instead, he sucks in a deep breath and says, “I’m not leaving you alone with her.”
Brayden’s head snaps up. His expression hardens like stone. “What the fuck did you say to me?”
“Look at her throat, alpha!” Martin practically yells. “I don’t trust you to be alone with her.” His voice falters as soon as the words are out, but he doesn’t take them back.
