Page 45 of The Beast's Betrayed Mate
Michael led the way into the corridor, snarling at a guard wolf who was half his size and immediately backed off.
What’s with the different sizes?Olive asked.Why is Michael so huge?
It’s genetics. The alpha gene,Michael’s voice answered in Peter’s head, letting him know that the telepathy thing was all-inclusive. And hello, Olive,Michael added.
Hi… Wait, you know who I am?She sounded curious.
Shut up, Mike,Peter grumbled a warning.
Michael turned his head to glance at Olive briefly and Peter glared at him that he should mind his own business. But when Michael offered her a welcoming smile, Peter felt even deeper gratitude that he was there, leaning against the presence of his friend. And the fact that he had someone as close to him as family who was going through the same thing as he was.
As they rounded a corner and saw Cora, red eyes glowing, flanked by what looked like an armada of guards.
This was a situation promising to go from bad to worse very fast.
How do we fight them?Peter asked.
Bites and scratches, Michael replied.
Peter got the impression that it wasn’t quite as simple as all that. His powerful jaws were itching to bite, his paws extending his claws, ready to cause severe damage to anyone posing a threat.
Then there was a roar from behind the lined-up guards and suddenly a second wolf was tearing through them.
Peter knew in a heartbeat that it was Mason.
Cora turned around at the sounds of fighting behind her, and Peter stared as her skin began to grow scaly. Each scale had a crimson-purple tint to them, and she appeared iridescent when she moved to turn back to them.
“You can’t win this fight,” she hissed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Olive reach for the USB, bringing it up and showing it to Cora with a slight smile. “Oh, yes, we can,” Olive said confidently. “You should really think about shutting down operations. Before you’re raided.”
Cora hissed again, and then she moved forward like a current through water, jumping up and running along the wall so fast it was almost impossible to spot her. She hit Olive square in the chest, making her fall backwards off Peter’s back.
Peter growled, but the corridors weren’t built for wolves of his and Michael’s size and Peter had to shuffle around in order to see what was happening behind them. Cora was gripping Olive by the hair, slamming her head into the floor, but Olive was giving as good as she was getting, clawing at the other woman’s face and hands.
Olive looked murderous, and Peter understood the feeling.
He wanted to step in, but Michael gave a loud roar and moved his massive form into the fray of the ongoing battle. Mason was outnumbered, and he needed help.
She won’t hurt her, Michael’s voice told him clearly.She wants that USB. Olive can take care of herself. We will secure our way out of here.
Peter reluctantly listened, turning around and tearing into what was beginning to look like a battlefield. Two wolves had their teeth clenched around Mason’s hindlegs and Mason was howling with pain until Michael and Peter slammed into a wolf each, effectively getting them to let go of their grip.
Peter heard Olive scream, but it wasn’t one of pain. It was one of barely held back fury. She was going to win her confrontation and so were they.
We’re getting out of here,Peter thought, but just as he thought it the elevator down the hall opened, giving way for even more guards who all shifted the second they entered the corridor.
And then, around the corner, came the biggest wolf Peter had ever seen.
In fact, the sight of it made him stop what he was doing, barely even feeling the jaws snapping at the space right below his neck. The wolf in question had silvery grey fur and was monstrous but awe-inspiring. It wasn’t fear that Peter felt, it was soft reverence. He felt the need to lower his head and avert his gaze in submission.
Alpha male!Michael shouted.
Peter was taken aback and yet his wolf rumbled, fighting the urge to fall in line with the rest of the pack.
An alpha clearly working with the bad guys, Mason’s voice remarked.We don’t want to join his little group of friends, do we, Alpha?
We absolutely do not, Michael agreed.
