Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
I sit on one of the barstools, uninvited. It’s a wooden affair–all three appear to be mis-matched second hand purchases repainted in bold colors. It creaks under my weight.
“I made a mistake. I thought you seemed too good to be true and therefore had to be an Adalwulf spy. I’m sorry for the pain I caused you.”
Madi says nothing.
It hits me that the power has already shifted. Madi is Brick’s mate, whether the pack recognizes her or not.
When I pledge loyalty to Brick, I pledge it to her, as well.
I bow my head. “I will make it right in whatever way you determine.”
I sense her surprise. Hear her swallow. “Thank you,” she says after a moment. “I’ll think about it. Now, what’s going on with Brick?”
“There’s a–” I stop myself from saying pack. Aubrey is still in the room. “–company meeting. He may be–ah–removed as leader if he can’t win over his challengers.”
I have no idea whether Madi will understand what I’m saying or not. I don’t know how much she knows about pack workings. But she seems to. Her back straightens.
“Right now?”
I nod.
“He’s facing challengers right now?”
“Yes. For you.”
“What do you mean for her?” Aubrey pipes in.
Damn. I said too much.
It doesn’t matter because Madi’s presence suddenly seems to expand in the room. “Take me to him,” she commands, more regal than a fucking queen.
“No. No way. I was ordered to get you somewhere safe.”
“What do you mean safe?” Aubrey demands.
“I won’t be in danger. Take me to him now.” The air shimmers and pulses with energy. My body reacts to Madi’s words as if she’d used an alpha command.
Perhaps she did.
She’s not a wolf, but she’s been marked by an alpha. Maybe there’s some transference of his alpha power to her. I’ve never heard of it before, but it seems possible.
What other explanation can there be?
I reluctantly rise from the stool. I want to refuse, but my body’s already in motion. My wolf recognizes her as the boss. “As you wish,” I grumble, holding out an arm like I’m going to escort her to a fucking ball.
She blinks in surprise but moves to take my arm.
Believe me, I couldn’t be more surprised myself.
Aubrey stands blocking our way, her hand on her cocked hip. I want to throw her over my shoulder and carry her out, too. Keep her safe in the scuffle.
Except this has nothing to do with her.
She would only be in danger if I brought her to it.
Which I wouldn’t.
“I really don’t understand what’s going on right now,” Aubrey says.
Madi leans over and gives her a quick cheek kiss. “Sorry to leave the cleaning party. I’ll help when I get back.”
I yank a couple hundreds from my pocket and thrust them at Aubrey. “Call in a cleaning service.”
She looks at my money with scorn. “Bite me.”
I toss it on the coffee table. “With pleasure, buttercup.”
Chapter Fourteen
Brick
Bodies press in, a miasma of sweat and blood hanging thick on the air. The floor is slick with fluids. My coat is soaked in them.
As a human, I’d be aware of the whole room–the arguments, the infighting, the alliances formed and broken as the factions of my pack fight for dominance. I’d scan the loose circle of wolves forming a fighting arena for the challenge, and see who I recognize. See who I’d rank the most dangerous.
For the wolf, there is none of this. There is only the now, and the giant gray and tan wolf lunging for my throat. I turn, so the teeth score my side and use my bulk to knock him off balance. He snaps at me, but I’m too fast. I catch his right rear leg in my jaws and rip a chunk out of him.
When he scrambles to face me, he’s limping.
From there it’s short work for me to dart forward and overpower him. I flip him to his back and set my teeth at his throat. I bite but don’t clamp down.
“Yield,” someone shouts. Probably Nickel, hoping to insert some common sense into the chaos. “Damn it, yield!”
My wolf waits. He’ll respect any wolf who submits. He knows the pack needs as many fighters as possible to remain strong, so if a challenger acknowledges my leadership and dominance, my wolf will let them live.
But the wolf on the ground does not yield. I crunch down harder, tasting metal. A jerk of my head and it’s over. The wolf below me grows still.
Another challenge over. Another life lost.
I step back and shift. In man form, I’m naked and stained with blood. My left leg and right side throb where previous challengers got some good bites in.
Vance and Nickel rush forward to grab the dead wolf and drag him out of the circle cleared for my fights. They toss the body onto the gruesome pile of those who have challenged me. None have yielded. They’d rather die than submit to my leadership.