Page 49 of Betrayed By the Alpha Wolf

He was too strong, and I hadn’t eaten properly in at least forty-eight hours. I wasn’t going to win this.

Just then, another wolf charged in from the side, crashing into Brooks and knocking him away from me. I crumbled to the ground, struggling to catch my breath as I watched the tangle offur and claws come to a screeching halt on the other side of the room.

The massive forms circled each other, and my chest pinched as I noticed the large smear of red across one of them. It was Grayson, and he’d been injured. Indecision plagued me as I considered my options. I wasn’t sure what shifting while pregnant would do, and while I’d heard of it, some part of me needed to be absolutely sure before I considered it.

Grayson slashed at Brooks, but I could tell that even in his wolf form, Grayson was being careful not to kill his friend. Brooks, of course, was not showing the same restraint. The drugs were clouding his mind and making him so much more dangerous—increased strength and diminished pain receptors, according to Willow.

We need that fucking antidote.

I looked around the stairs for Forrest. He was there and met my eyes, obvious pain dogging him as he curled into himself because of the claw attacks. On the other side of the room, Jet and Senna were still tangling with Rowan in human form, and Kaiden had shifted.

“Lead him downstairs!” Jet called out, and Senna rushed near Kaiden, snarling as my brother growled.

They were getting Rowan’s attention, and the massive black wolf was buying it. Rowan was by far the largest wolf I’d ever seen, and his enormous fangs dripped with saliva as he snapped at Senna and Kaiden.

Moving backward, they did their best to get Rowan following them while Jet took up the rear behind Rowan and growled in a now half-shifted form. They were like sheepdogs, leading Rowan where they wanted him to go, and it was working.

Switching my attention back to Grayson, I shoved myself off the wall and hurried behind him as Brooks was positioned with his back to the stairs. I waited long enough for Jet and the others to get most of the way down with Rowan.

“Gray,” a low rumble echoed out of him as I called his name, “push him that way. Toward the stairs. I’m here to stop him if he gets past you.”

There was a beat of hesitation, but then Grayson nodded his wolf head and rushed forward, driving Brooks into a backward retreat to avoid his jaws.

It was slow going, but we eventually got the two other Alphas into cells downstairs, the entire “dungeon” space ringing with the combined growls of four drugged Alphas.

When the cells were secured, Jet stood with Kaiden and Grayson—who were still shifted—and held Senna to him.

“Where’s Forrest?”

I gestured upstairs. “I got him to hide. He’s a bit roughed up, but okay.”

Jet nodded. “Good. Get him working on that antidote with Willow. And get yourself checked out.”

Shaking my head, I frowned. “Myself? I’m fine.”

Grayson grumbled, padding over toward me as I watched Senna’s point. As I looked down, Grayson nosed into my stomach with his snout, and I noticed the scratches covering me from Brooks’ claws.

“Oh. I didn’t even notice. Okay.” I shook myself, stepping back from Grayson, who was snuffling at me. “I’m fine. Go away.”

He eyed me for a moment but then walked back over to where Kaiden sat next to Jet.

“I’ll see about the antidote. I’m sure three heads are better than two. Just, umm, let me know if there are any other developments.”

Trading glances between Jet and Senna, I chewed on my cheek. “Senna, you’re sure you don’t need to be checked out? That’s the longest you’ve had to hold anybody like that.”

She shook her head again.

“No, I’m fine. I’m feeling better already.” Senna looked around the room like she was trying to find something. “Where’s Kit?”

Kaiden barked, getting up and going to the first step that led down here into the basement. I had to assume he wouldn’t let Kit out of the room while all this was going on. I thought back to their child, who’d been left in the capable hands of Sunny while they traveled here for the Alpha ceremony.

I was surrounded by mates and family and reminders of the children they’d had together, and it was all too much.

“I’m going to go.” I shoved past my brother on the stairs, and he growled innocently. “Well, scoot. Go check on your mate or something. I’ll let you all know as soon as the antidote is ready.”

Not waiting for a response, I took off up the stairs to find Forrest in his little hiding spot. Still, I could sense the worry coming off Grayson in waves. He’d padded up to the foot of the stairs as I let, and it was too easy to feel his presence pressing down on me—even though he was sending out his concern for me.

I didn’t need that right now, and I didn’t want it.

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