Page 33 of Claimed By the Alpha Pack

Andrea drags me to the other side of the stockroom and we dig through the bins till we find a large tee-shirt that will fit me. I whip the shirt I was wearing over my head and slip the bar tee on when Andrea stops me.

“Damn! I see the boys are treating you well…” She wolf whistles at me.

Blushing furiously, I pull the tee the rest of the way on and try to hide my smile. “They’re good to me. I’ve never felt so loved.” I rub the areas I know the bruises are and smile like a lovesick fool.

“Let’s get to work before Tony comes back here to find us.” Andrea grabs my hand and sets me behind the bar with Tony.

From this vantage point, I can watch the entire bar and who comes and goes. Tony is a hoot to work with and Barrett keeps sending me pictures of Ashina. Apparently, one of the Alphas is shifted on the floor, letting her puppy climb all over him. I laugh to myself, then show Tony what’s cracking me up so badly. He tells me stories of his kids and the stages pups go through. Damn the teething, I totally forgot about the teething part of this disaster.

Tonight has been one of the best nights since finding the guys. I can only hope this lasts the rest of my life. We wipe down the bar and hustle the last of the bar patrons out the door. Griffin is coming to pick me up as soon as I call him. I remind myself as I finish wiping down the tables in the bar. For a first night at work, it was wonderful. I guess it helps that Andrea was on shift with me today.

There’s an odd feeling around the bar towards the end of the night, and I decide to stay glued to Andrea’s side just for safety’s sake.

“What’s wrong?” Andrea finally stops to ask me, and I honestly don’t want to answer.

Looking everywhere other than at her, I try to deflect. “What could possibly be wrong?” Feigning innocence.

Andrea gets in my face and backs me to the wall. “You reek of anxiety. What has you spooked?”

Glancing around before I lean in close. “My ex is in town somewhere. The guys drove him off once already. Then there’s Roxy. That’s a concern.” Sighing, my shoulders sag as the feeling of defeat overcomes me.

The front door of the bar blasts open and there stands Ethan, his eyes glowing like headlights as he stares at me. He closes the distance between us quickly and takes my breath away. Instantly, he crushes me to his chest as his hands roam over my body, checking me for injury. His body feels like a tightly coiled spring ready to launch.

Nuzzling my face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He keeps searching me for injuries.

“I’m okay, I promise.” Running my fingers over his chest then up his neck, I pull his face down to my neck so he can scent I am uninjured.

“You are my everything…” He heaves out breath then raises his head, looking at the surrounding bar.

Andrea and Tony have stopped dead in their tracks, I can only assume, shocked by Ethan’s actions. Resting my head on Ethan’s chest, I turn my gaze to face the others. “Why are you looking at us like I’m hugging a hydra?” I turn my gaze from my friends up to Ethan.

“I don’t let people touch me.” His flat tone tells me there’s more to it than that.

“Touch you? When you used to fuck the bar rats, you would bend them over something after you tied their hands to the table.” Tony barks out from behind the bar.

Taken aback by what Tony says, I look up into Ethan’s eyes. The low growl in the back of his throat warns me of what’s about to happen. I get out of the way and run towards the back of the bar as Ethan and Tony shift and fight, breaking all the furniture in their path.

Backing down the hallway that’s behind me, I head towards the backdoor seeking fresh air. Using my ass, I hit the bar that’s mid-door, popping it open. My eyes are glued to the hallway as I escape out into the night. Drawing in several deep breaths, I stare at the closed door before me and realize there’s no handle to open the door from this side. “Fucking hell … Great fucking job Grace!” I chastise myself as I start down the dark alleyway.

Glass sounds like it’s rolling along the pavement, and I stop to see if I can tell where it is. Turning around slowly, I scan the area barely illuminated by the light over the dumpster. I can’t see anything, nor do I hear any other noises. One thing I’ve learned recently is that the shifters have an incredible sense of smell. If I allow myself to be afraid, it’s like ringing a dinner bell for a predator.

The crashing of an aluminum garbage can behind me makes me spin to face whatever is there. A mangy gray and white colored wolf steps out of the shadows prowling towards me. It’s Hunter. Fucking hell, he’s found me. Backing up quickly, trying to get to the parking lot, I run into a warm body.

“Not so fast pinky…” the female voice whispers near my ear.

The next thing I know, I’m hit on the back of my head and the world spins just before I hit the ground. My vision wavers before the world goes black and I lose consciousness.

Chapter 23

Barrett

-Fighter - Christina Aguilera-

“Grace!” Griffin and Conrad say in unison, just before shifting to their wolves and run out of the house.

Their mom looks at me, then motions to Ashina and her bag. “I’m leaving with the baby immediately. Help me load her up.”

Moving without question, I help my Luna load up Grace’s daughter into her suv. “Where are you taking her?” I don’t know what scares me more at the moment. That both Alphas ran off without so much as a sideways glance. Or the bigger elephant in the room, the Luna leaving with the baby immediately.

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