Page 28 of The Wolf and the Chimera
Chapter Nine
Ryder
As rage overwhelmed me, the world became a blur. The scent of Elle’s coppery blood hung in the air, and my jaws ached from the pressure to shift. I resisted the urge and focused instead on the power coursing through my veins. I had always been a dominant wolf, but now, I was more than an Alpha’s son.
I was an Alpha.
I stared into Kieran’s wide-eyed gaze and willed him to step back. Powerless to stop me, he did, and I moved closer. Farther and farther, I forced him away from my mate.
Kieran had everything.
He dwelled in complete luxury, tucked carefully out of the dangerous political climate of the supernatural races. He lived with both his parents, without bearing the shame of being the bastard son. He had a gaggle of friends who jumped at the chance to protect him. Despite all this, he was willing to hurt someone asgoodas Elle.
He would pay for it.
As I closed in on Kieran, his back pressed against the cream-colored wall and rattled a nearby painting. I relished the tangy scent of his terror. Elle leaped between us, and I snarled. I tried to will her out of the way, but my Alpha magic rolled off her like water. She was my mate and my equal—I couldn’t force her to do anything.
“It was an accident,” she explained. “I rounded a cornertoo fast and ran into Kieran’s chest. He didn’t hurt me, Ryder.”
Her big, dark eyes stared unwaveringly into mine, and her heart beat steadily. She wasn’t lying.
Elle reached for my hand, but I hesitated. Claws still extended from my fingers, and I didn’t want to hurt her.
Lyall’s voice boomed down the hall like a bomb.
“Stand down!” he ordered.
My neck prickled at the command, and my Alpha powers surged back to the surface. I swiveled to face the Sovereign and tugged Elle close behind me. The twins flanked him. As Lyall barreled down the hall, his blue eyes bored into me, but I didn’t back down. Instead of the familiar urge to submit that followed an Alpha command—much less from a command from the Sovereign—my wolf urged me to push back.
I didn’t want to hang my head.
I wanted to roar in defiance.
“Ryder,” Elle hissed. “Standdown.”
The worry in her voice broke through the need to show Lyall exactly what I was capable of. I forced my gaze to the ground, and my dominance dissipated. My talons and fur retreated, and my wolf quieted.
Breathless, Lyall reached us. His expression was unreadable, but the twins shared alarmed glances.
“I apologize, Sovereign,” Elle said. She gestured toward her bloody nose. “I ran into Kieran and caused quite the misunderstanding. I’m so glad you arrived to intervene.”
Though we all knew Lyall’s dramatic entrance had only incited more violence within me, Elle’s stroke to his ego appeased him, as did her unwarranted apology. His politician’s smile returned, and he clapped a hand over my shoulder.
“Early mating days, huh?” he teased like we were the oldest of friends. “You two were up early training. Why don’t you go take a nap, and we’ll meet for a family dinner later?”
His smile didn’t drop, but my skin crawled at his thinly veiled threat. Everything we said or did here, Lyall would know about. I cleared my throat.
“Sounds great,” I said.
When I spoke, Lyall’s pulse jumped, and my suspicions were confirmed. Elle had stopped me from challenging the Sovereign, but not before he sensed my desire to do so. Because I had let my damned instincts rule my actions again, Lyall feared me. The knowledge didn’t give me any kind of rush.
No matter how spotless his clothes were or how impervious his temper appeared to be, Lyall was an animal just like the rest of us.
When cornered, animals were dangerous.
Chapter Ten
Elle
