“Let’s see her,” the shorter man says, stepping closer. His voice is low and bored, like he’s inspecting livestock.
Brayden’s grip shifts, grabbing the collar of my coat and wrenching it off my shoulders. The fabric catches for a heartbeat, then gives, leaving me exposed in nothing but a thin tank top. The mountain air bites instantly through my thin tank top, sinking all the way down to my bones.
The taller alpha leans against the SUV, arms crossed, shadowed by the glare. His presence radiates authority, even without words—I canfeelit pressing against my skin, heavy and assessing.
“She’ll need a shot,” the shorter man mutters, and the taller alpha pushes off the vehicle with the slow confidence of someone who knows he doesn’t need to rush.
“P-please,” I stammer as Brayden shoves me forward. “Don’t do th?—”
He tightens his hold on my neck, cutting the words off in my throat. My breath stutters, the air burning as it goes in.
“Tip your head up,” the shorter man says as he approaches. He’s massive—shoulders like concrete, thick arms that strain against his coat. His face is all flat planes and narrow eyes. Even in the dark, I catch a flicker of light in them. They’re stony and distant. The wind shifts, and I get a full inhale of his scent.
He’s a beta.
But he doesn’t smell calm or neutral. There’s a bitter edge to him, something sharp and wrong.
“She’s bleeding,” the beta says flatly, eyeing my neck. His gaze flicks to Brayden.
“I was told it wouldn’t matter if she was injured,” Brayden says like he’s apologizing for a scratch on a car he’s trying to sell. I wish I could hate him right now, but I’m too shocked.
How is this happening?
“Yeah.” The beta frowns, his expression twisting into something impatient. Like this is just one more inconvenience in his night. “Has she given birth before?”
“No kids,” Brayden answers before I can speak. I try to turn and look at my pack alpha, but he stays at my back like a coward. Hiding behind me. Letting this happen. “She’s pretty obedient in the bedroom. You can do whatever you want to her as long as there's a cock in her cunt.”
The beta nods, like he’s happy to hear that. “She’s a little bottom-heavy,” he says, mostly to himself. “Big thighs.” His hands are on my hips. He grips my flesh, squeezing me hard.
Disgust and fear roll in my gut, and I’m suddenly hit with the urge to gag. “Bray.” My voice is a high-pitched whine, but no one pays me any attention. They’re too busy assessing me.
“Trim waist.” Rough hands touch my middle.
“Her tits are small,” Brayden adds casually, “but her ass makes up for it, even if she is a little fat.”
The beta’s hand slides around me and grips one cheek hard, his fingers digging into me.
I jerk away violently, tears streaking down my face. “Stop!” My panic bubbles over. “Brayden!” I scream for my alpha. For the man who swore to love and protect me forever. “Help me! Don’t?—”
Pain stabs through my upper arm.
I gasp and look down.
The unknown alpha is right beside me now, silent and close.I never even saw him move.
He touches the syringe jutting from my bicep, pressing the plunger slowly, almost gently. Then he slides the needle free.
“You’ll feel better in a second,” he says, a smirk tugging at his mouth.
And he’s right.
A second later, I stagger, my head already swimming. The lights blur and the ground tilts as my legs fold beneath me. I’m vaguely aware of arms catching me. Rough hands. I’m lifted.
“We done?” Brayden’s voice is distant—muffled, like it’s coming from underwater.
I roll my head to one side, in time to see the beta hand Brayden a thick envelope. The beta says something, but my mind can’t make sense of his words. Then I’m moving.
The unknown alpha carries me away from the burning lights and into the dark. I’m jostled, and there’s a faint click. Then I’m dropped—my body hitting the rough carpet in the back of the SUV. My fingers brush over the itchy fabric, curling slowly into weak fists.
