Page 35 of Protected By the Wolven

It’s almost enough to shatter my control. Almost. But Zoya’s trembling presence at my back keeps me focused. I’m here for her, not to indulge my revenge fantasies.

“I hit it on the nose, didn’t I? It didn’t take you long to warm someone else’s bed, right bi—.”

“Last warning, Max.” Good thing I cut him off before he used that curse word about the female I love. It would have been a step too far.

“If you don’t walk away, human, you’ll never feel safe again. Every shadow, every dark alley, you’ll wonder if I’m there, waiting. You’ll jump at every noise, paranoid that the Wolven Warriors are watching. Your life will become a living hell, always looking over your shoulder, knowing we could strike at any moment.”

For a split second, I see real fear flash in Max’s piggy blue eyes, then he’s consumed by impotent rage. He jabs a meaty finger at Zoya, practically spitting his next words.

“This isn’t over, you hear me? You’ll come crawling back, woman, begging me to take you in. And when you do, I’ll make you sorry you ever—”

I’ve heard enough.

In times of extreme stress, especially when it involves our loved ones’ safety, we wolven shift. It happens now as my claws extend, my fangs grow longer, and my shoulders widen until they rip the seams of my tee.

I’m faster too. In a blur of speed, I’m nose to nose with Max, my claws digging into his throat. His stench, all sweat and cheap booze, assaults my enhanced senses.

“Choose your next words very carefully,” I snarl, letting him see the moonlight glint off my elongated fangs. “Because if you finish that thought, I may forget my promise not to tear you apart.”

Max sputters, fear sour in the air between us, as he tries to yank out of my grip. His eyes widen in fear when he can’t budge me. I decide to give him a guided, up close and personal tour of what it’s like to go up against a wolven—a shifted wolven.

My lips curl back, exposing my fangs to the gums as I growl, my eyes narrowing. Keeping him contained with one hand, I use my other to take a swipe at his shirt, careful not to draw blood, but making sure I rip five long claw marks as a permanent reminder of just how close he came to being eviscerated.

Between my growl, fangs, his decimated shirt, and my ears laid back on my head, I hope he gets the picture.

A gentle hand lands on the arm holding Max. “He’s not worth it, Lash. As much as I would love to see him punished for what he’s done to me, I don’t want his death on our conscience or for you to go to prison.”

With a final warning squeeze, I release him. He stumbles back, clutching at his throat, eyes wild with hatred and humiliation.

“This ain’t over, mutt,” he rasps, backing toward his car. “You think you’ve won? I’ll make you both regret this, I swear to—”

The sudden approach of Bold and the Warriors emerging from the shadows, stalking forward, grim and silent, cuts off his rant. Max goes pale, realizing how badly he’s outnumbered.

With a final, venomous glare, he scrambles into his car and peels out of the lot, tires squealing.

For a long moment, the only sound is our collective breathing and the rapid pounding of my heart. Then I wrap my arms around my woman, pressing her face into the curve where my throat meets my shoulder. If she were wolven, my scent would reassure her. Perhaps it does even though she’s human.

She’s trembling, her jackrabbiting heart thundering in my ears. But when she looks up at me, her eyes are clear, filled with a fragile, newborn hope.

“Lash, what happened to you? Your fangs, your claws?”

My breath catches in my throat as I realize that her rapid heartbeat might be because ofme, my shift, rather than Max.

I explain it to her, watching her expression, my nostrils flared to catch a hint about how she’s handling the fact I’m even more animalistic than she knew.

Instead of the burned rubber scent of fear or rejection, she gives me a hopeful smile. “You mean your body changed so you could better protect me? What a blessing.”

I tug her close and kiss her head. How could I have doubted that this female,myfemale would care for me no matter what.

“Is it really over?” she whispers, hardly daring to believe. “Is he really gone?”

I press my forehead to hers, breathing in her scent, letting it center me. “He’s gone for now, love. And if he ever shows his face again, we’ll be ready. You’re safe, Zoya. I swear it on my life.”

She nods, a shaky smile tugging at her lips. “I believe you, Lash. It’s just… I never thought I’d be free of him. I never thought I’d have this.”

Her fingers curl into my shirt, anchoring herself to me as my shift reverses. “I never thought I’d have you.”

Emotion clogs my throat, threatens to choke me. I crush Zoya to my chest, pouring every ounce of love and devotion I possess into the embrace.

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