Page 40 of The Feral Alpha

“Get out,” Olson said to Jerry, keeping his voice steady even though his heart felt like it’d beat out of his chest; he was so furious. “By staying, you consent to be forcibly removed from the bar. All injuries are your own responsibility.”

Jerry stood, leaning over the counter. “I bet you shut up when any alpha bends you over.”

Olson didn’t even see Rex move. One moment, he was in his corner. The next moment, Rex was crowding into Jerry’s space, his fist in Jerry’s shirt.

Rex punched Jerry so hard that he shattered Jerry’s nose, maybe even his cheekbone. Jerry’s eyes bulged from the sheer pressure inside his skull.

Then he dropped like a dead weight to the floor. Rex snarled, shifting as though he was going to stomp Jerry in the head or gut.

Olson snapped, “Rex!”

Rex paused, his teeth bared, his expression completely animalistic.

“That’s enough,” Olson said. “Don’t kill him.”

Rex growled, opening his mouth like he was about to say Kill, except there were too many witnesses in here.

“No.” Olson shook his head hard. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and called for Derek, who sealed off the entrance and came over.

Derek’s eyebrows went up.

“Get him out of here,” Olson said, jerking his chin at Jerry. “Dump him in an alley. I don’t ever want to see him again.”

“Got it, Boss.” Derek began hauling Jerry out; Olson grabbed his backup bartender to stand in for him.

Then he took Rex’s hand and dragged him to the office.

Olson shut the door, his hands trembling. “Fuck.”

“Mate?” Rex growled.

“No, I’m cursing. ‘Fuck’ is also a curse word.”

Large hands grasped him. Rex turned him around, pressing him up against the door, leaning in so close that his eyes blurred into a stormy green.

Rex didn’t ask. Just pushed his tongue into Olson’s mouth, and licked him in there. “Mine.”

Olson melted shakily into him. “Yeah. Yeah. But for the love of all things holy, please don’t kill anyone in my bar. Or kill anyone, period. Unless they’re physically hurting me, you’ll go to jail. Jail means you can’t protect me anymore.”

Rex narrowed his eyes, growling.

“I don’t want you to go to jail, either. And that means no killing anyone unless they hurt me first.”

Rex snarled; Olson almost expected fur to sprout all over him. “No hurt Olson.”

“You’re not the bad guy if you kill them while you’re trying to protect me. But the police will say you’re wrong if the bad guys don’t hurt me, and you hurt them. You understand that, right? I don’t want you killing someone just because you’re mad at them, or just because they’re saying stupid things to me. Staying out of jail is more important than getting revenge.”

Rex growled. After a while, his breathing slowed. “No kill.”

“Thank you.”

Rex nuzzled Olson. Olson sucked in a slow breath. And he cupped Rex’s face, rubbing his thumbs through Rex’s beard. How was it that this beast of a man could be so strong and ruthless, and yet want to cuddle and touch Olson all the time?

“I appreciate what you did for me,” Olson whispered. “Thank you for coming to my defense. But don’t do it again, or I’m going to lose my customers.”

Rex narrowed his eyes. “Want kill.”

“No kill. He’s not worth going to jail for. But maybe we can get you a punching bag, and you can pretend you’re killing him.”

---