Page 30 of Savage Trap

It’s okay, sweet thing. His eyebrows lift a couple of times, all suggestion. Although, you can put a smile on my face later, if you like.

Which of course makes me smile, but my head snaps towards the floor as a cry goes up and one of the alphas in the cage goes down. The distraction has the big wolf looking over, and the three stalking him make their move. They converge on him all at once, fangs bared and claws ready to rip. But the lone wolf takes the first out with a swipe of a paw as big as his head, knocking him clear off the dais. The remaining pair gets closer, one hooking a claw across his shoulder while the other lunges with his teeth, sinking deep into the back of his neck. The lone wolf makes a growling sound that sets my teeth on edge, but he jerks his head down, flinging the one behind him into the air. He lands awkwardly and while he’s trying to scramble off his back, the lone wolf snaps his massive jaws around his front paw and rips. Blood spurts everywhere, soaking the dais, and while the injured wolf howls, his partner slinks away, clearly giving up the fight.

“This is barbaric,” I mutter, feeling my wolf’s agitation beneath my skin. Neither of us are fans of blood sports, and I tap my fingers impatiently on my thigh as I watch the pawless wolf try to drag itself off the dais. “Is it over?”

Bryce shrugs, sipping on a whiskey from the small bar built into the back of the booth. “The fight ends if he dies or shifts and taps out. Of course, with their blood up, not all wolves stop right away. Can get pretty messy either way.”

I shoot him a disgusted look, but Brock is nudging him, that devilish gleam back in his eyes. “Here he comes. The main event.”

It takes me a moment to realize what they’re talking about. While I’ve been distracted by the wolf fight, a group of guys have formed a circle inside the central dais. I count six alphas, right as one of them steps forward and kicks a polished shoe into someone crouched on the ground.

“Fuck me,” Rory hisses, and the circle parts just enough for me to see a naked Nate on his knees. His pale skin is almost translucent under the spotlight, his head bowed and his hands resting palms-up on his thighs. The guy who kicked him crouches down and grabs his hair, muttering something in his ear. I realize he’s not wearing his glasses, his eyes bigger and softer in the harsh spotlight. When Nate doesn’t respond to whatever the first guy said, another alpha taps his shoulder, taking his place. The same nightmare happens again and when Nate shakes his head, two alphas step up. My heart is hammering so loud I can barely hear the thuds as fists and kicks rain down. But I can see Nate’s muscles jumping and snapping with every blow. It makes me sick to the stomach, but worse still is the look on his face at whatever commands the alphas are whispering in his ears. It’s torture watching the emotions churn in his soft gray eyes, and my wolf lashes under my skin, her protective instincts on fire.

“What the fuck!” I’m on my feet, already halfway out the door when Bryce grabs my arm.

“Wait up! He paid for this.” He points down at Nate, who’s barely moving under the steady assault. “They’re not doing anything he doesn’t want them to do.”

I look at Rory, who’s a step away from putting Bryce on his ass. “Explain!” he barks.

“It’s a service they offer here,” Brock says, a smile playing around his mouth. “Submissive wolves get paired up with dominants and work out their issues. And Nate is about as submissive as it gets.”

I force myself to keep watching, looking for some hint that this is what’s going on. He’s clearly not putting up any kind of defense, but every punch and kick makes the bile rise in my throat.

“And you know this how?” Rory demands. “Because so far, you fuckers have been full of shit.”

“That’s a little harsh,” Bryce murmurs, but when Rory looms over him, he holds up a hand, the malice in his smile on full display. “He’s our brother. Well, half-brother to be technical. Our dad fucked his trash whore mom, so he came to live with us when he was eight. Dad kicked him out when he turned sixteen, and he ended up in Chicago.” He stares down at Nate like he’s enjoying every blow his brother takes. “He’s learned to take a punch, but he’s always been a needy little runt.”

How the hell did he survive growing up with brothers like these?

I’m not sure if it’s my own thought or Rory’s, but he’s the first to tear his eyes away from Nate. It’s dimly lit in the booth, but I can see the deadly glint in my mate’s eyes as he studies the twins. “Call him that again,” he says quietly. “I fucking dare you.”

Bryce gulps, finally realizing what’s standing between him and the door. When Brock looks set to intervene, I pop out my claws, letting my very pissed-off wolf show through my eyes. The twins exchange a glance and then they both raise their hands, their faces pale. “Fuck. Just… calm down, okay?” Bryce licks his lips, trying to force them into a placating smile. “Nate’s trying to get his wolf to come out. He’s never shifted. Can’t. That’s what he’s paying those guys down there to do.”

I have to bite back the moan that rises in my chest. “Why don’t they just command him?”

“Doesn’t work,” Brock says in a shaky voice. “He’s fucking broken, okay? We knew it when he was a kid.”

“You’re fucking scum, you know that?” Rory’s voice has roughened and dropped an octave, his lengthening fangs getting in the way of his speech. He’s deep in a half-shift, the bones of his face bulging around his glowing beast eyes. For all their world-weary bullshit, I doubt either twin has ever seen a monster quite like this one. “Get the fuck out of here before I rip your spine out of your ass.”

The twins scramble for the door, but I put up a hand, stopping them. Rory reins in his wolf enough to ask, “What do you want to do, sweet thing?”

I glare at the twins through my own burning eyes. “I want these assholes to watch while I help their brother. They don’t get to talk trash about him and walk away.”

Rory’s mouth tips up in a vicious, toothy grin. “Anything you want, Angel.” He grabs the back of their shirts and shoves them down onto their knees, his claws digging into their chins. “Keep your eyes peeled, shitstains, or I’ll do it for you.”

I leave them in Rory’s capable hands, hurrying down the stairs to the performance floor. There are about a dozen alphas there now, some watching, some getting in on the act. I grind my teeth as a big guy in black leather steps forward and drives a boot into Nate’s side.

“Step back!” I yell, pushing my way between them when they don’t move on their own. Up close, Nate is a mess of bruises and blood. His head is bowed and there’s a gash on his temple that’s dripping into his eyes, but he doesn’t raise his clenched fists to wipe it away. It hits me that he really has invited this punishment, that he thinks the only way to shift is to beat the beast out of him. “Nate. It’s Elvi. Can you look at me, please?”

He lifts his head as far as my hands, settling on my claws. He looks dazed, almost drugged. But before he can speak, the alpha in black leather grabs my hair, dragging it to his nose for a sniff. “Who brought the omega?”

I lift my claws on reflex, slicing my hair out of his hold and nicking the side of his hand. He’s big and brutal looking, with a shaved head and deep-set black eyes that narrow dangerously as he hisses and inspects the wound. “You’ll pay for that, bitch.”

“I’ll do a lot damn worse if you don’t step back.” Especially because his knuckles were extra bloody before I cut him, meaning he’s responsible for a lot of the damage to Nate’s body. “I paid, same as you,” I lie. “It’s my turn to bring out his wolf.”

That gets a laugh from the alphas, but I ignore them, dropping to my knees beside Nate. I keep one set of claws out, but retract the other and set it gently on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“What are you doing here?” he asks, his voice so low and scratchy I barely recognize it. But it’s the mixture of shame and frustration in his eyes that makes my heart ache. “You shouldn’t see me like this, Elvana.”

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