Page 31 of Wild Reckoning

Alonso.

The son of a bitch had one arm wrapped around Stewart’s chest, holding him close, while his other hand pressed the barrel of a gun against Stewart’s side.

With a deep snarl, Killian narrowed his eyes and stepped into the room. His sole focus was on Alonso as he wondered which method of torture would be fitting for touching his family.

He kept his voice calm, though the effort made his jaw ache. “Ethan, buddy, go to uncle’s bedroom,” he said without looking away from Alonso.

The gun wavered.

“Aim it at the toddler and I’ll be washing your blood from my hands for an entire week.”

The gun steadied.

Killian moved deliberately to his right and gripped the boy’s trembling hand, careful of his strength, and led him toward the bedroom door. “Go on, Ethan. I’ll be in there in a minute. Uncle has to make the bad man go away.”

Ethan stared wide-eyed at Stewart then looked up at Killian with so much innocence in his green eyes. “Badass.”

Killian smirked as Ethan raced out of the room. His gaze still hadn’t left Alonso’s, but his smirk faded into a deadly sneer. “Now, get that gun away from my mate or I’m going to violate your personal space in ways you’ve never dreamed of.”

Stewart frowned.

Alonso’s grip tightened, his eyes darting between Killian and the door. “I didn’t want this,” he said evenly, his tone belying his jittery movements. “I just need you guys to leave for a little while. I’m not trying to hurt anyone.”

“You’re doing a pretty bad job of proving that. Let him go, and maybe I won’t rip your head off.”

Alonso’s eyes widened, his breath hitching. He took another step back, his hand shaking as he held the gun against Stewart. “I can’t do that. I’m in too deep. I just need—”

“You need to let him go.” A growl rumbled in Killian’s chest. He took a step forward. “You’re not walking out of here with him. That’s a fucking promise.”

Killian was getting sick and tired of dealing with this assclown and even more tired of seeing that gun shoved into his mate’s side. Stewart looked terrified, although, so far, he’d held himself together. Killian just needed his mate to remain calm for a little while longer.

Alonso narrowed his eyes, his grip on Stewart tightening. “I don’t have a choice,” he muttered.

Killian took yet another step forward, his bear pushing, clawing to get free. “You have one choice, and that’s letting him go. Otherwise, you’re not leaving this room alive.”

That was a guarantee even if he complied. There was plenty of acreage on the property to bury a body. Or Killian could simply call his family to drop Alonso’s corpse off at the coroner’s office.

For a moment, Alonso seemed to consider it. Then, without warning, he shoved Stewart away, raising the gun and firing.

The sound was deafening in the small room, the flash blinding. Pain exploded in Killian’s side, white-hot and searing. He stumbled, his vision blurring as he watched Alonso bolt for the door, shoving past Stewart and disappearing.

“Ethan!” Killian managed to say, his voice barely a rasp.

“Oh god!” Stewart sprinted toward the door, but before he could get out of the room, Ethan was running to them.

Stewart’s panicked shout filled the room, but Killian barely heard it over the roaring in his ears. He dropped to his knees, his hand going to his side, his fingers coming away wet and red.

“Killian!” Stewart’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and desperate. He was there, his hands on Killian’s shoulders, his eyes wide with fear. “Okay. I’m a doctor. Just lie down and I’ll call an ambulance.” He grabbed the sheet off of Ethan’s bed and balled it up before pressing it into Killian’s wound.

Son of a bitch! He roared, the pressure only making the pain worse. Killian’s vision tunneled, the edges going dark as the pain radiated through him. He felt the shift coming on hard. “Don’t be afraid of him.”

Ethan walked closer, his gazed focused on Killian’s wound, his teddy bear clutched in his arms.

“Stop trying to talk.” Stewart leaned into the sheet. “I need you to hold this while I grab my phone.”

Killian shifted, his bear breaking free. The pain was still there, a dull throb in his side, but his beast didn’t care. It was focused on only one thing.

Protecting their mate and cub.

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