Page 59 of Into the Night

Scenting the air, I listen to a faint snap and the swish of a branch from somebody moving through the woods in the distance. I count heartbeats, convinced I can hear another coming from the rear of the cabin. But for now, they’re far enough away that they’re not an immediate threat. My beast can focus on these three fools.

“Fine. But you can’t say I didn’t warn you. These men’s deaths will be on your head.” My beast chuckles, giddy to get out, and relishing the idea of welcoming the violence I’ve held back for so long. “Red already knows this was a bad idea.”

Red blinks rapidly. His confidence falters as he remembers how easily I subdued them in the cafe. He’s the weakest link. Eddie looks calmer and more self-assured. He’s the one I need to watch.

“Griffin, I think we should go inside,” Kali says quietly.

Jed smirks when he detects the nervous edge in Kali’s voice. This sick fuck likes to get off on fear? Well, he’s going to know all about being terrified soon enough.

Turning to Kali, I keep my senses trained on Jed and his buddies. I dip my head and look Kali in the eye. “You go inside. I'll be back in shortly.”

Her honey brown eyes widen in alarm, and she shakes her head. “No. No, no, no.” It’s sweet, really. She doesn’t want me to fight alone. “I’m staying right here. Nobody is fighting. This is ridiculous, we’re not even mated.”

I appreciate her determination to avoid a fight, but it’s inevitable.

“Yet,” I add. “We’re not mated yet.”

Kali scowls at me, my only contribution not helping to diffuse the situation. When she glances at Jed, I catch her chin and turn her head, returning her focus to me. I don’t want her to even look at that asshole.

“It wasn’t a question, Kali. You can’t be out here. Inside, and lock the door.”

While it’s clear Jed’s intention is to remove me from the equation first, the next step is obvious. If there’s no pale beast, there are no pale offspring. If they take me down, Kali will be an easy target for a jackass like this, especially still recovering from Serena’s attack.

He’s taking his opportunity now, knowing the two of us at full strength would be a far tougher challenge. Except, I’m not going to let them touch her. He has no idea who he’s fucking with. I have a lifetime of pent-up violence that my beast is just itching to unleash.

“I’m not leaving you alone out here.” Kali continues to shake her head, her glistening gaze darting to the side toward Jed.

I growl and she snaps her eyes back to me.

“There’s more of them, Griffin,” she whispers, her fingers finding mine and squeezing them urgently.

Nodding, letting her know that I’ve already sensed another beast out there, I smile softly at her frantic expression. Is there something wrong with me that I love the way she’s looking at me right now? Like, if something happens to me, her world will be turned upside down.

“Kali. Trust me. I’m going to sort this out with Jed, and then I’m coming back inside to collect on your promise. I’ll be okay.” Cupping her face in my two hands, I kiss her hard, my beast and I on the same page with regards to her safety.

The only way Jed and his friends will get to Kali is over our dead body. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.

Pulling back, I brush my thumb over her swollen lips and smile before turning her and pushing her inside. Her protests get louder as I pry her fingers from around the door and slam it shut, gripping the handle to keep it closed when she attempts to tug it open.

“The longer I stand here with my back to them, the worse it is for me, Kali,” I say, relieved when she curses and finally stops tugging on the door. “And if you come out, I’m just going to toss you over my shoulder and carry you back.”

With a resigned sigh, she thumps the door with her fist one more time in frustration, before eventually stepping back.

Straightening, I turn slowly, watching Jed’s buddies slowly fan out before I face him head on. Cracking my neck and flexing my tightly clenched hands, I smile.

An eerie calm washes over me as my beast assures me this is what he was born to do. For once, we feel completely united, and my body thrums with adrenaline. He’s pumped, relishing the chance to get revenge for how these men have treated his mate. And he has every confidence that despite the numbers, he can dispatch each one of these men before they get the chance to touch a single hair on Kali’s head.

I’ve always kept him restrained before, but today, he’s free to show me what he can do.

“This was always going to happen,” Jed says, his blood-shot eyes giving away the shots of Dutch courage he downed on his way here. “It’s nothing personal.”

The three men before me quietly spread out, Red moving to my left, and the big guy moving to my right. They radiate hostility as they attempt to surround me.

“You’re talking about me and my mate. It doesn’t get more personal than that.”

Jed snarls, low and threatening, but I don’t react, just stare hard at him until he twitches.

My boldness in the face of his threats unnerves him.

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