Page 8 of The Alpha

She tried to yank her arm out of his grasp, but he wouldn’t let go. Jeffrey’s friend Thomas grabbed her other arm. “Hey, Pari.” He looked her up and down and scrubbed his hand over her head. “Nice haircut.”

“Get off me!”

Jeffery wrapped an arm around her. “Now why would he do that?” He pinned her to his side and kept walking.

They were approaching the subway shuttle bridge near her place. They’d be out of sight while going under it, unless there was anyone up the street. Right now, she didn’t have time to look. Brad, Jeffrey’s other friend, pulled her from Jeffrey and shoved her. “Hey Pari.” He moved behind her, and she elbowed him in the gut.

Brad let go an “umphf,” and Pari almost smiled at the sound. But there was no point, as all she really did was tick him off.

“Now that wasn’t very nice,” Carl, one more of Jeffery’s friends appeared and smirked. He got in front of her, walking backwards. They were almost under the bridge. If she yelled loud enough, it would draw attention to them. “Back off, Carl!”

He laughed. “I don’t know, Jeff. You got your hands full with this one.”

Jeffrey sneered. “We’re gonna have our hands full of all kinds of things once we get her upstairs.”

Her eyes went wide.

Jeffrey shoved her at Brad. He in turn pushed her toward Thomas, who forced her back to Jeffrey.

“Knock it off you jerks!” She punched Jeffrey as hard as she could. It might be her only chance.

He cursed and grabbed her arm. “You’re going to regret that.”

Okay, that didn’t work. She sucked in a breath to scream, but Thomas clamped a hand over her mouth. “Bad girl. We mustn’t scream for help.”

“Let’s hurry up and get her inside,” Jeffrey said. “I get her first.”

They crowded around her and started moving. She was surrounded, hidden from view, and didn’t know what she could do to free herself.

Pari began to struggle with everything she had when there came a vicious roar, like from a wild animal. Jeffery and the others came to a sudden stop and started to spread out to see better. Thomas still had a hold of her when there came another animal sound. This one a low, guttural growl. Was the creature right in front of them?! Pari couldn’t tell; Brad and Carl were blocking her view.

Before she could blink, Jeffrey was flying through the air and disappeared into a yard, two doors down! What was happening?

Suddenly Carl and Brad were heading for the ground as something smacked both Pari and Thomas, and they went down. Thomas let go of her when they landed and scrambled to his feet. A group of men—big men—were fighting not feet away. She scooted backward, got to her feet and raced away. None of Jeffrey’s friends followed. She didn’t blame them. She heard snarling and the sound of fists striking flesh. The fight behind her was serious, and she wasn’t about to stick around.

Pari ran for her building’s front door, fumbled with the keys, and managed to get the building’s front door unlocked. As soon as she did, she unlocked the vestibule door that let her into the building and raced for the staircase. Neither of her uncles were home, or she’d take refuge with one of them.

Pari flew up all four flights of stairs, her lungs burning by the time she reached the top. She dropped her keys twice trying to unlock her door, and when she got it open, she slammedit behind her, locking and chaining it for good measure. She grabbed at her chest, breathing hard as she leaned against the door. If she didn’t get a grip, she’d throw up.

Pari went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face to help her calm down. To think Jeffrey and his friends were going to…

She covered her face with her hands and willed herself not to cry. “Calm down, I have to calm down.” She took a few deep breaths then left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen.

She’d just entered her living room when she stopped up short.

“Hello, Pari.”

She froze, just like she always did. A well-dressed man sat in her favorite chair, one of her books in his hands, as if he’d been reading it. “Wh-wh-who are you?”

“Name’s Oswald. But that doesn’t matter.” The man stood. He looked to be in his early forties, was a little chubby, and had dark hair and dark eyes. “What does matter is thathewantsyou.” He grinned. “Acquiring you is going to make my boss real happy.”

She shook her head in confusion. “What?”

Before she could say or do anything else, someone grabbed her from behind and jabbed something into her neck. “Ow!” Oh no! Had he just given her some kind of shot?!

Pari made to scream, but a hand covered her mouth. She struggled a few seconds before she was slowly sinking to the floor, her captor’s arm still around her waist. She caught sight of the well-dressed man as he watched her. Then there was only blackness.

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