Page 98 of Big Knot Energy (Shadowverse)

“Take off your shirt,” I squeezed out through the lump in my throat.

A whimper filled the air along with a bitter tang to his usual sweet scent. I could only hold his eyes for a second at a time as anger and panic continued to hammer at my heart.

That was too damn close. I’d come too damn close to losing him. And I still had no idea whether Cyrus and Ax were okay, especially since Ax had let his alpha instincts override his logical brain and charged at Antonio as though ready to slaughter him right there at the high-top table.

The front of Amir’s shirt was ripped open, exposing an expanse of his beautifully chiseled chest. When he yanked it the rest of the way instead of taking his time to loop the remaining buttons through the holes and let the ruined fabric fall down his arms, I slapped a hand over my mouth to cover the gasp. Or maybe to hold back the sob clogging my throat.

Bruises covered his warm brown skin, several looking like the perfect outline of shoes. He had been one of the people on the ground who’d been kicked while I’d been forced to huddle behind the bar and watch.

“What the hell were you thinking?” I gritted out as I forced him to turn to the side so I could check his back, as well.

“Why were they fighting?” he asked, his voice low enough it almost sounded like an alpha.

“We’ll talk about it when we get home,” I said.

His hands were firm and not quite gentle as they wrapped around my biceps. “What the fuck is going on? Is someone trying to hurt you?”

Fresh tears welled in my eyes as I stared into his face now marred with injuries…because ofme. Someone from my past had sauntered right into my alphas’ club and had caused what was nothing short of a full-on bar brawl.

His grip loosened and he lifted his hands to my face, cupping mycheeks and tilting my head so I was forced to either close my eyes or look him in his beautiful green eyes.

The bond to him was open now and I could feel his anger and concern warring and vibrating down the thread connecting his heart to mine.

Amir’s lips were soft and warm as he kissed away my tears, but I was more concerned with the injuries covering him literally from head to toe.

“Did anyone hit your head? We need to make sure a paramedic checks you out.”

“I’m fine,” he said, his hands still gently holding my face.

“No, you’re not. You look like someone used you as a punching bag.”

The door banged open so hard the knob got lodged in the plaster and kept the door open.

Ax stormed in, his eyes wild, his hair a chaotic mess, the elastic barely hanging onto the ends of his shoulder length hair.

“Do not go into rut in here,” Enzo ordered as he followed Ax in. “I want you both checked out by the medics.”

“I wasn’t hurt. I didn’t get anywhere near the fight.”

“You sure as fuck did,” Enzo said, his dark brows puckered, a growl rumbling nonstop from his chest.

“I sure as fuckdidn’t. I couldn’t get through the crowd and then you carried me away like some kind of caveman,” I bit back.

His brows were still pinched together, but his face softened the slightest bit.

Ax ran his hands over my face, my head, down my arms and back before turning to Amir and doing the exact same thing. His growl was damn near bone rattling, growing in intensity with every bruise and cut he found on our omega’s body.

“Where is he?” I asked Enzo since Ax looked too close to snapping at any second.

His eyes darted to Ax then back to me before he shook his head in the smallest movement. I felt unease down the thread between us, so I opted to table that question for when everyone was calmed down andI was sure my pack was whole and hadn’t endured anything more than superficial wounds.

At least my alphasandmy omega had increased healing. Had I been hurt it would have taken longer to get over any split lips or bruising. But the four men in my life would be good as new within a few days.

Enzo pulled his phone free and glanced at the screen before wrapping his hand around mine. “Outside. The medics are waiting for us.”

Ax pressed his lips to Amir’s in what could only be described as desperate and claiming before pulling free and repeating the action with me. He was reassuring himself, confirming the two of us were okay, confirming we were safe and in one piece.

He threw an arm around Amir and grabbed my free hand before filing out of the office and through the club.

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