Page 29 of Ember's Claim

I can see the exact moment he realizes that I’m not one of their pack.

Shit.

Chapter Eleven

Ember

“Please save him,” the small boy says, blinking huge blue eyes. “The alpha won’t spare him again.”

My glowing eyes move back to the alpha who’s beating the hell out of one of his wolves. I have no clue what the guy’s transgression is.

It’s not even my business.

Technically speaking, I shouldn’t be here, period. My family will be so pissed if I get myself into something I can’t control.

“There’s no way he’ll hurt a female wolf,” the kid hisses, yanking on my T-shirt. Damn, when did he get so close? “Please, just distract him or something.”

Oh God, is that his dad in the ring with the alpha?

No child should have to watch their parent die.

“Shit,” I whisper, my head falling back to look at the night sky.

I can’t stand by and do nothing.

The previous alpha tormented my mom when she was helpless to defend herself. She’s basically the sweetest, softest woman. Even being turned into a vampire couldn’t change who she is at her core.

I really hate bullies.

My family never hid the turmoil my uncle and biological father caused in her life. She raised me while working her butt off to provide for us both, and they used their henchman to extort money from her so that she could never truly get away.

It seems to be an awful side effect of power. When someone has too much of it, they lose the ability to tell when to stop.

They abuse the position.

“Please?” the kid says again, searching my face. I can tell the second he realizes I’m an alpha because his eyes dart away from the dominance in my gaze. “Whoa, you’re an alpha. You can definitely stop him…no one else is gonna help.”

My stomach rolls as I try to think of any way to end the fight without getting involved.

It doesn’t seem likely.

“Fine,” I say, my voice lined with my wolf. “But turn around and make sure my clothes don’t end up covered in dirt.”

Wolves and other shifters are used to nudity, but growing up in a sanctuary city, things were different for me. I’m not uncomfortable being naked, but I’m never going to be as comfortable as other shifters seem to be.

I chuck my jacket at the kid.

He catches it and turns around.

Stripping out of my tank top and shorts, I ball them up and throw them over my shoulder.

I don’t often bother with underclothes, because they end up destroyed when I shift. Kicking off my boots as I jog, I transform mid-step.

I shake out my fur as my paws hit the earth with a lightthunk.

My instincts pull me forward, and I move until I can see what’s happening in the ring.

The alpha is tormenting his prey.

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