Page 8 of Soul of the Chaos

An eerie light filled the wolves’ den instead. Faint at first. A deep red, pulsating with primal rage. A heart beat, or a war drum, which was growing ever stronger.

It was a cheap trick. Had to be. Something designed by the Bone Crushers to emulate the Blood Moon Goddess. All the same, the wolf inside me responded.

Anger turned my blood to molten lava as Chains—the Bone Crushers’ Prez and alpha of this pathetic pack—came through the fire exit at the far end of the room. Like an oil slick, a path opened up in front of him leading to the bar.

There was a chain wrapped round his hand.

Time slowed down.

Every detail imprinting itself on my soul.

Chains yanked on the leash until a pale woman—dressed in a glittering, blue stripper bikini set and sky-high heels designed to make her tremble—stumbled through the door after him.

Unable to keep her feet under her, she fell.

A roar went up around me. The crowd surged forward, barely held back by the vicious snarls and swift punches of the Bone Crushers holding the line for their Prez.

With ruthless efficiency, I fought my way to the front. My wolf lent me its strength. I had no idea how or why but in the space of a few heartbeats, it had become an absolute necessity to keep this woman in my line of sight.

The woman gasped for breath on the floor as her hands clutched at the dog collar round her throat. Her eyes flew wide as she took in the primal chaos before her face went utterly blank.

From across the room, Venom was holding a shotgun in his hands and sneering at the crowd. He let out a sharp wolf whistle which cut through the din, causing the savages around me to fall into a restless quiet. He purposefully directed his gaze back to the Prez and the attention of the crowd obeyed the silent command.

“Patience, friends,” smirked Chains. “You’ll get your chance to bid on this piece of fresh meat soon enough. Come on, bitch. You’ve caused enough shit. Time to earn your keep.”

The Prez gave a swift tug on the leash and the beast inside me bayed for blood. His. I was ready to paint the floor with it. Before I could act, the woman pinned Chains with a look so full of vitriol that he flinched before steadying himself with a snarl.

Finding her spine, Chains’ captive regained her footing. Forcing herself to stand, she flung her shoulders back and tits out. Defiance radiated from her every pore and there was something regal in the woman’s bearing. The message was clear. She hadn’t chosen this ridiculous outfit but she was damned well going to own it.

Her dark hair was swept back from her face as she dusted off her hands and lifted her jewel green eyes to mine. Hands fisted on her hips, she skewered me in that haughty gaze. Shock and recognition, then something wild and possessive flashed quickly across her face.

My wolf roared in joy.

But the look soured, transforming into a sneer as she pegged me for the filth I was surrounded by. My mouth went dry and my heart lurched in denial as I reached for her, desperate to explain. To snap Chains’ neck and haul her free of the crowd’s clutches.

I was slapped away by one of the Prez’s men so I took that fucker out. He hit the deck like a sack of shit, floored by a single haymaker to the jaw. My wolf wasn’t fucking around.

By the time I’d turned back around, the alpha and woman had moved on. In his element, Chains swaggered up to the bar as if he had all the time in the world, dragging his reluctant pet behind him.

My blood boiled.

Once they’d reached the bar, Chains temporarily palmed the leash off to one of his men and leapt up onto the gleaming surface. Next, he turned—hands reaching roughly under her armpits—and hauled the woman up onto the countertop beside him.

The animal inside me growled at the sight of that bastard touching her flesh.

She didn’t fight the relocation. Her heels skittered on the surface until they found an awkward purchase. Chains spun her round to face the crowd. The psychotic mob howled in appreciation.

“Let the bidding begin!” Chains roared.

For a moment, I was lost. Nausea swallowed me whole as I was tossed about like a piece of trash on a sea of slathering pandemonium.

The woman simply stood there, resolute of purpose. A single focal point of sanity in the bedlam of the universe. I watched, helpless, as she retreated into a world of her own making. Her faith—that this nightmare was below her, a reality best ignored—was a palpable force.

It only made her imminent destruction all the more tragic.

My wolf snarled inside me.

Why wasn’t she fighting back? I wanted to see the woman battle with tooth and claw for her freedom. To rip that fucker’s heart out and show it to him while it was still beating. But though she had the bearing of an alpha female, this was not a wolf. She was simply human.

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