Page 78 of Bonding with the Beta

The gun tilts towards Kayleigh behind me, his eyes flicking over her for a moment. My blood boils beneath the surface. I could shift, but he’ll shoot me dead before I have the chance to extend my claws and rip out his eyeballs. That will put Kayleigh at risk, and I can’t chance it. I promised her everything would be okay.

I want to kill him. I’ve never hesitated to kill men like him before.

But the last thing I want is to terrify her.

She doesn’t know about our world. She doesn’t know I have blood on my hands. But this is different. He’s a civilian. I won’tbe able to hide this myself, and I don’t want to put the thought into Kayleigh’s brain that I’m a murderer—even if he deserves it.

“Fuck you,” she seethes.

“Yeah.” His eyes flare. “Something like that. I’d take off that dress and see what you have underneath, and?—”

Before he has a chance to finish his sentence, I lunge forward and grab his wrist, tilting it away from Kayleigh and towards the trees beside us. He struggles against me, but his footing slips due to his intoxication. I attempt to worm the gun out of his hands, but he latches on, and the trigger is pulled.

Kayleigh screams, and panic floods my veins.

I expect to see blood, but no pain hits me.

What if the bullet hit Kayleigh?

The sudden thought has me flinching. I rip the gun from his grip before throwing it across the road and slamming him down onto the floor with his hands behind his back. I release a shuddering breath as I turn around; relief fills me when I find Kayleigh there, white as a sheet.

“Are you okay?” I ask desperately.

“I-I–”

“Kayleigh, tell me you’re okay.”

My lungs aren’t functioning right now.

“Yeah,” she answers, her throat tensing. “I’m okay.”

My chest quivers at her words as I hold the man down. “Go grab your phone.”

She dashes into the car and slips her phone from her purse. “Who am I calling? He is the police, Kayden.”

“And something tells me that he’s not on duty. He’s drunk.”

“Get the fuck off me.” He wriggles against the floor, but I pin him down with my strength. “You’re not going to do anything.”

“Call the police,” I grumble. “Tell them everything.”

“Okay.”

Five minutes later, the police turn up, and I am tugged off him as if I'm the one in the wrong. But after explaining the situation, as Kayleigh trembles beside me, I’m released by the two police officers, and I rush towards her, cradling her face in my hands.

Tears stream down her cheeks. and I feel nauseous at the sight. “Are you okay?”

She sniffles and nods. “Yeah, a bit shaken up. Are you?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” I whisper and wrap my arm around her, pressing my lips to her forehead. “He’s not going to hurt you, okay? I’m right here.”

Her fingers grip onto my shirt as she presses her face into my shoulder and shakes aggressively.

Once the police take our statements, I’m desperate to get Kayleigh home. I climb back into my car and drive to Stonebridge campus. Kayleigh is silent the entire journey, and I hold her hand and raise my lips to her knuckles.

When we pull up and I park, I open the door for her and hold her heels, which she took off on the journey. She digs around her bag for her keys numbly before stepping into her room.

I give her space until she turns around to face me with black make-up smudged under her eyes. I step towards her, placing my hands delicately on her face as her watery eyes find mine. “I-I was so scared something was going to happen to you,” she chokes. “When you grabbed the gun, and the gunshot went off. I thought–”

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