Page 116 of Follow Your Instincts

“We can’t just run in there, you know that,” I said. “Shouldn’t we wait for your backup?”

But then we heard the gunshot.

Everyone leapt from the car and sprinted for the door. I got there first. It was locked. I rammed into it with my shoulder, trying to break it down, but it wouldn’t budge. I could hear scuffling and yelling beyond the door and prayed that it was Maggie, still fighting.

A surge of adrenaline hit me and I roared, slamming into the door again and again until it finally burst free from the hinges.

The room was dark. But there was Maggie to my left, on her knees, as Todd Phillips bore down on her.

The Alpha I had already barked into submission once before.

I ran and grabbed him by the throat before he could reach Maggie. She dove out of the way. I slammed the Alpha into the wall, my hand still closed around his throat. He sputtered and turned red. I roared wordlessly, slamming him into the wall until he went limp as a ragdoll.

Another body crashed into me and I fell to the ground, but I was already rolling. I landed on top of the new attacker and brought my fist down on his face, once, twice, over and over until I lost count. Everything was red, and all I wanted to do was punish these Alphas for trying to hurt my Omega. Had they touched her? I reared back again and someone caught my fist. I shook it off, but they grabbed me again.

I whirled, expecting another threat. But I sawherinstead. My Omega.Mine.

“Lucas, stop,” Maggie said, holding my wrist. “Please stop.”

I took a deep breath, searching her face. She was bruised and battered. They hadhurther. I growled. Another wave of angerthreatened to pull me under.

Maggie pulled my arm gently, but I didn’t want to move. “Lucas, please, I’m fine. I’m fine. You’re going to kill him,” she said.

“He deserves it,” I growled.

“Maybe, but I’d like for you not to go to jail for murder,” she said and pulled at me again.

A kernel of rational thought bloomed in my mind. I took a deep, shuddering breath, then let her pull me off the huge, blonde Alpha that was unconscious on the ground.

I scooped Maggie into my arms and took her outside, away from the threats, and into the cool darkness. She held tightly to me. I pressed my face to her hair and took a deep inhale of her scent. She was safe. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

Maggie pressed her face into my neck. She was whining softly and tears pricked my eyes. “I’m sorry, too. This is all my fault, I shouldn’t have gone upstairs without you.”

I shushed her. “This is not your fault, sugar.”

“You found me,” she said quietly and I nodded, rubbing her back.

I knew I needed to put her down so we could deal with the situation inside, but I held on. I couldn’t go another moment without telling her how I felt.

“I love you,” I said. I ran my nose along the side of her face. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same but-”

Maggie caught my lips in a kiss. “I love you, too,” she said after a moment, her eyes shining. “So much. Too much.”

I kissed her again, then reluctantly set her down. “I’m so sorry for the terrible timing. But after today… I needed you to know.”

Maggie gave me a shaky smile. “I think your timing is perfect.”

We walked back inside. Soren had the two Alphas in a corner, cuffed. Todd was awake and looked furious, but the huge blond one was slumped to the side, not moving. I caught Soren’s eye and he nodded. “Still breathing.”

A blonde woman was standing with Ben and Lachlan, shaking uncontrollably.

Ben intercepted Maggie as we entered and gave her a fierce hug. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, just concussed, I think,” she said.

Lachlan growled and wrapped himself gently around her back. “We need to get you looked at.”

Maggie peeked her head out and looked around until she found Soren. She broke free of Lachlan and Ben’s embrace and threw herself into his arms.

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