Page 45 of No Harm No Howl

“Damon used her to find out your schedule and itinerary. She was the one who fed him the details about your trip and how to get to you. She gave him Gia’s room number and set up the attack on her,” Stephen growled.

Gia gasped. “I don’t even know you. Why would you do that to me?”

Julie glared at Gia. “Russ was supposed to be mine and would have been until your ugly ass got involved. You took him from me,” she shouted.

Gia didn’t even bat an eyelash. She walked up to the woman, grabbed her shirt with a fist, and pulled them face to face. “Make no mistake. Russ is my mate. He is my husband. He was never yours and never will be. Get her the fuck out of my presence before I rip her heart out,” Gia growled. She could feel her mouth elongating, her fangs pushing down through her gums. Her wolf wanted the woman dead not only for what she had done but for what she had said.

“It’s too late anyway. You are all as good as dead,” Julie shouted as three guards dragged her out of the room. She shrieked again just as an explosion rocked the house.

“Damn it!” Russ shouted. “It looks like we are out of time. Gerri, stay with Gia. Keep an eye on Julie. I’m going to leave Steve with you guys.”

“I can fight. We all can,” Gia shouted over the sound of gunfire erupting all around the house.

“No! You stay here. I need to know that you’re safe. I can’t do what needs to be done if I’m worried about you getting captured or killed. Please, babe,” he begged.

She could see the worry in his eyes. Hear the truth in his words, but more than that. She felt his fear through their mating connection for the first time ever. Her wolf whined at the feeling pouring into her from their mate.

“Fine, but please be safe,” she said, relenting. Though she wanted more than anything to fight beside her man, to help protect him, she decided it would be best if she did as she was told this time. Gia had no idea who Damon was or what he was capable of when push came to shove. He had already proven that he was capable of doing some seriously shady shit in order to get back at Russ for whatever made-up slights he had against him.

“I will be. I promise.” Russ pulled her against him. His lips quickly crashed over hers, leaving her with a passionate kiss that was a promise of more to come when he returned.

Her heart sank as he marched through the door and into the battle with Stephen beside him.

“He’ll be fine. They both will be. They are tough as nails and are natural scrappers. They’ve got this, hon,” Gerri pulled Gia into a reassuring hug.

“I know. I just hate staying behind and hoping that everything is going to be okay. I feel like I should be out there, protecting him, watching his back. That’s what mates are supposed to do,” Gia said.

“Well, if you ask me, you should be out there. If Russ was mine, I’d never let him fight his battles alone,” Julie said.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. But I’m telling you right now, I will beat your ass if you speak to me about my man again.”

Gia heard the truth in her own words. Whether she liked it or not, had planned it or not, Russ was her man, and she would fight for him.

“Whatever, I’m not going act like a sitting duck waiting to get slaughtered like some lame-ass pussy. I’m outta here,” she turned to leave.

“Not so fast,” Marina said. She started a quick chant, and Julie’s body dropped to the floor.

“Did you just kill her?” Gerri gasped.

“No, but I should have. I just knocked her annoying ass out for the next day or two,” Marina said with a smirk.

“Thank goodness. I would have killed her if she had kept running that dumb mouth of hers,” Gia said. Relief filled her, knowing she wouldn’t have to deal with Julie any more thanks to Marina’s knockout spell.

“You’re welcome. I didn’t want you to have any guilt over taking her out.” She laughed.

“Thanks. Remind me to never piss you off.” Gia grinned at her new friend.

“I’m sure you’re smarter than that,” Marina said.

Their heads quickly turned to the side as they heard several screams across the front lawn. Gia lunged for the front door, wanting to help in any way she could.

“Gai,” Gerri grabbed her. “There are more than four dozen armed men out there. Russ will be fine, but Damon will try to get to you to hurt him if he has the opportunity. Don’t fall for the trap,” Gerri begged her.

“She’s right. Don’t make me knock you out as well,” Marina said.

“I hate this,” she growled. Her wolf paced back and forth, pushing to escape. Gia took a series of deep calming breaths. They didn’t help. Not at all.

“Hey. Tell me about the rest of your night with Russ. What made you decide to marry him,” Gerri asked, pulling her from her thoughts of rage and murder.

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