Page 58 of Roaring Flames

“You do not get to fucking slap him,” she hisses, taking a threatening step closer.

Fear grips me in a chokehold. I immediately reach for Izzy’s arm, determined to shove her behind me and protect her the best I can from Michelle’s infamous wrath. But when I touch Izzy’s skin—and feel the familiar prickles of heat—she simply shakes me off of her as if I’m not a two-hundred-plus-pound werewolf shifter and she’s not a tiny human.

She advances on Michelle like an avenging angel—a beautiful, deadly deity plucked from the clouds to find a home amongst us mere mortals.

“Say you’re sorry,” Izzy growls.

Some of Michelle’s initial fear evaporates the longer she stares at Izzy. I know what she sees—a human who won’t be able to stand up against her magic.

Terror like I’ve never felt before threatens to plow me over.

“Izzy…” I warn.

She ignores me.

“So you’re the bitch Reid’s cheating on me with,” Michelle says snottily, eyeing Izzy up and down with barely veiled disdain. Her upper lip curls. “I see he downgraded.”

“Are you fucking delusional? How can he cheat on you if you’re not even together?” Izzy takes another step forward, and I’m shocked as hell when Michelle staggers back a step.

“We’re on a break,” she snarls, regaining some of her bravado. “We belong together. He’ll come back to me. He always does.”

A strangled laugh threatens to escape me at her words.

“Then that’s his choice. But from where I’m standing, it sounds like he told you to leave him the hell alone.”

Michelle hefts her chin into the air imperiously. Her eyes flare a luminescent brown, her power shining through like a lit candle. “He doesn’t mean it.” She glances at me over Izzy’s shoulder. “Do you really think anyone but me would ever care for you? Look at you. You’re nothing but an ugly piece of?—”

Izzy pulls her arm back and punches Michelle straight in the face.

Holy fuck.

Holy. Fuck.

And then, all hell breaks loose.

Twenty-Three

IZZY

Idon’t know what comes over me.

One second I’m standing there, watching the exchange, and the next I’m across the room. Anger thrums through me like a live wire, zapping anyone who gets too close.

And when that bitch slaps Reid and calls him ugly? I lose it.

“You stupid cunt!” Michelle screams, cradling her rapidly reddening cheek. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” I snarl, lunging towards her again.

An arm bands around my waist and pulls me back. I struggle against the embrace, kicking out my legs, but Reid refuses to release me.

“Izzy!” he hisses in my ear.

Is he really defending her?

Shock arrows through me, momentarily stilling my movements, before that emotion is replaced by another wave of white-hot anger.

“She hit you!”

---