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China let out a small moan as she swam up from the darkness. Her face hurt. She tried to touch her face and see what was wrong, but her wrists were bound.
Opening her eyes slowly and wincing at the bloom of pain that accompanied the motion, she saw she was in a small, windowless room. There were storage shelves along one wall that were stuffed full of boxes and the whole room smelled heavily of mold and mildew.
A single bare bulb hung from the ceiling, harshly illuminating the space.
Concrete floor. Closed door. No one else in the room.
At least she was alone—that was something. She’d rather not know that someone had been watching her while she was unconscious.
And what an asshole Justin was for punching her out like that!
Tugging experimentally on the rope that tied her wrists to the back of the chair was useless. She couldn’t wiggle free no matter how she pulled.
With a dejected sigh, she listened intently, hoping to hear something on the other side of the door. Was anyone out there? What was going to happen to her?
What the hell was happening with Oz right now?
Fury stole through her. The assholes were plotting to kill him because they didn’t like that he didn’t want to be alpha. She still didn’t understand why he was unable to simply walk away and leave them to fight it out for the job.
Must have to do with good old fashioned male ego.
Their lions wanted a real fight with the interim alpha and Oz wasn’t planning to do that.
Well, she bet once he found out she’d been abducted, he’d be willing to fight for real.
She heard nothing except the pounding of her heart and the subtle growl of her lioness who wanted free to stalk the males who harmed her and help Oz.
Touching the feral part of herself, she felt her lioness’s strength seep into her body Claws eased from her fingertips and her gums tingled as her fangs descended.
Working her sharp claws against the rough rope, she shredded it bit by bit until it loosened enough she could free herself.
The rope dropped to the floor with a dull thud. She rose to her feet and patted her pockets, hoping her phone was still on her so she could call Oz.
Nope, damn it.
Trying the handle on the door, she let out a frustrated grunt to find it locked. It appeared to be a standard wood door, and she thought she could use her lioness’s strength to break it down if she rammed it a few times.
It was worth a try, though. She wasn’t about to sit around and wait to be rescued.
She backed up a few steps and rolled her neck, touching her lioness to gain more speed and strength.
The door rattled as if someone was unlocking it, and she froze. Who the hell was on the other side?
* * *
Teresa was shaking with rage. “What do you mean you’re not going to stop the battle? Those males kidnapped the interim alpha’s female to force him to fight! They’re planning to take him out, like really take him out!”
Tiberius gave her a long, exasperated look. “Did anyone else see this alleged abduction?”
“Isaw it.”
“Besides you? I’m unable to stop the battle based on one witness. You need a corroborator.”
“Bullshit.”
“Mind yourself, female,” Vince said. “You may stay to watch the fight, or you may leave, but we will not be stopping things simply because you believe someone took Oz’s female. The battle rules are simple: last male standing is alpha. Everything else is irrelevant.”
Teresa was speechless. “Are you serious? Her life is in danger. Oz’s life is in danger.”
