Page 2 of Claiming Lyla

She snorted. "I'm not willing, and I don't accept. But I don't see the Council giving a damn about me or any pure-blood female."

"I'm here, aren't I?" His quiet voice stopped her, and she tilted her head, staring at him suspiciously. He nodded.

"You're a Council enforcer?" Again, she looked him up and down, disbelief radiating from every aspect of her expression. "Well, I'm still screwed. Literally and figuratively."

He barked a laugh then turned as the howls grew much closer. "They're almost here, princess. You need to make your decision. Me or them?"

Panic flared in her eyes at the howls that seemed to echo from every side. They were circling the meadow, surrounding them, ensuring no escape. He resisted the urge to throw her over his shoulder and make a break for it. He had to wait. His full backup wouldn't be there for several hours, if then. He only had one wolf as support, not enough.

She swallowed audibly. "What are the rules?"

"No time. Make your decision. Me or them?"

There was movement in the shadows. They had arrived.

She stepped closer to him, her only safe harbor in the hurricane of her life. "You. Don't disappoint me."

Chapter Two

His words had been spoken like a fervent vow, and yet Lyla wasn't sure she could trust him or any alpha male. Her faith in alphas had been broken in the years since her father's death, after having been subjected to her brother's tightly increasing control and the allies he'd surrounded himself with. Allies like the men slowly emerging from the forest, lust and hunger almost palpable in their scents and in the feverish glints in their eyes. Their lust was almost as strong as their urge to fight.

This night was turning into a catastrophe, with her in the center of it all. If she got out of this battle alive and with minimal injuries, she'd be lucky. More likely, the clearing would be scattered with bodies, and she'd be irreparably damaged in the process. No alpha would kill her as he claimed her—no, she was too valuable. But she would be scarred. Physically, emotionally, mentally.

A low growl brought her attention back to the immediate situation, and she absently rubbed her wrists, feeling the pinpricks of sensation circling them, as if she had already been restrained by the rope dangling from the belt of the Blue Ridge alpha, Robert Hotchkiss. As he approached her, his thin lips were twisted in a cruel smile, and his tongue darted out to wet them as he leered.

"You shouldn't have run, Lyla. I would’ve been merciful. But now, I'll have to teach you who's boss." The sick glee in his voice told her he was looking forward to it.

Her entire body tensed, and she opened her mouth to respond when a heavy hand settled on her low back, the heat of a palm burning through the thin layers of her blouse and jeans. The weight settled her, calmed her, reminded her that she wasn't alone, even as sexual awareness bloomed low in her belly and her pussy throbbed.

They might still be outnumbered but she wasn't completely abandoned. Even if her birth pack hadn't had the balls to stand up for her, this stranger stood next to her, even if it meant his death. She could have tied herself to someone worse. The strength the wolf standing next to her radiated, a wolf she barely knew, made her feel safe for the first time in a long time, and she found herself hoping for a miracle.

* * *

Duncan steadied Lyla with his hand and almost smiled when the tension imperceptibly leeched from her body. She might not be thrilled with his presence, but she already saw him a better option than those surrounding them, the power of the Mating taking hold whether she realized it or not. Her wolf already recognized him as her mate. Now, he had to make sure the other wolves acknowledged his claim and backed off without any damage to Lyla. Judging by the way they spread out to completely surround them, he and Lyla weren't going to get out of here without bloodshed. And he doubted they'd respect the Council or a true mating. Which left him no recourse but to fight his way out.Dammit.

The Blue Ridge alpha, a man on the Council’s watch list for his cruelty to his own pack—never mind the human women whom he’d transitioned against their will then abused—advanced on their position, eyes flashing yellow, aggression spiking in his scent.

Lyla tensed as Robert stopped a few feet away and sniffed the air, a low growl coming from his throat.

Duncan's wolf clawed his way up from within, fighting for dominance, wanting to defend his mate, knowing the stocky man who had let some of his muscle turn to fat would be no match for him in a teeth-to-claw to battle—assuming he fought fair, which was highly unlikely. But Duncan’s rational side remained in control, for now.

He narrowed his eyes. "She's claimed, Hotchkiss. It's over."

Robert's lips lifted in a snarl, and his gaze traveled over Lyla in an insulting way. "She doesn't look claimed or mated. She's still fair game for any one of us, especially if we take you out. So, as I see it, we just need to get rid of you."

Lyla sucked in a breath. "I'll never mate with you. I'd rather die first. If you force me, you'd better sleep with one eye open."

Duncan let a grin spread across his face. Brave bitch. Even if they incited these wolves into a mating frenzy, it would be worth it. Her spirit wouldn't be denied. She'd be a worthy mate for him and a worthy alpha female for his pack. If they survived the next few hours…

A couple of the beta wolves exchanged glances with their alphas, who stepped forward to catch her scent. Their betas backed off, accepting the declaration.

Robert scowled. "There's a scent of claiming, but it’s not final. And no mating marks. She's fair game. Besides, you weren't invited to the Claiming Rite. You have no right to be here."

"I was invited by her father prior to his death. Due to my own pack issues and other duties, I have been prevented from coming, until now. True mating takes precedence over claiming, according to our law. Once a mating has begun, we have thirty days to complete it or reject it before another mating or claiming can be attempted."

Robert rolled his shoulders; his fists curled at his sides. "I'm not waiting. I was promised her. Now, I want my payment." The words shot out of Robert, confirming Duncan's suspicions and the reason he’d been sent to Georgia.

Lyla froze, the words sinking in, and she paled in the moonlight.

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