Page 94 of The Alpha Under My Bed

Ethan lunged first. Stupid. Predictable. The beta had always been a brawler, always relied on his size to win fights. That only worked when you weren’t up against a monster.

I sidestepped his charge, caught his wrist, and used his own weight against him. He hit the floor hard, his skull cracking against the coffee table with a wet thud on the way down.

One down.

Carter and Levi tried to coordinate, moving in at the same time. I ducked Carter’s punch and twisted at the last second, grabbing his arm and yanking him forward. His own momentum sent him crashing into Levi. Sloppy. Weak. Slow.

They scrambled to recover. I didn’t let them.

I caught Carter by the throat and drove him back into the wall. The sickening crunch of bone against brick sent a shudder down my spine. His body slumped. His legs twitched. He was done.

Levi barely had time to get his bearings before I grabbed him by the collar and wrenched him forward. Face, meet my knee. Blood sprayed. His nose crunched. He collapsed.

Two more down.

Sawyer hesitated. His hands were up, but he wasn’t attacking yet. His jaw clenched. I saw it in his eyes—doubt.

“I don’t want to do this, Mal.” His voice was tight.

I laughed. Sharp. Mean. Bloody. “You already are.”

And then I lunged.

He never stood a fucking chance.

We hit the floor together, my weight pinning him down, my knees pressing into his ribs as I wrapped my hands around his throat.

He struggled. Twisted. Tried to buck me off.

I held firm.

Sawyer had always been too soft. Always second-guessed himself. He never belonged in Pack Cross, and deep down, he knew it.

His pulse pounded beneath my grip. Fast. Desperate. Weak.

I pressed harder.

His kicks slowed. His struggles weakened. His breath turned into choked gasps.

Then—nothing.

Four down.

I rolled off him before his body even settled.

Marcus and Theo were still standing.

They didn’t hesitate. They came at me at the same time. Like they had a chance.

Theo got to me first. He tackled me, slamming his shoulder into my ribs and sending us both crashing to the floor. The air left my lungs, my vision going white for half a second—enough for Marcus to get his hands on me.

They thought they had me.

I let them think it.

Theo pinned my shoulders. Marcus grabbed my wrists, forcing them down, his knee pressing into my ribs to keep me from throwing him off. I could hear them breathing hard, could feel the way their muscles strained.

They were struggling.

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