Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
“Right on. You could add a few embellishments, but— Oh, hell, he’s not stopping.”
Austin bowed his back marginally and directed his eyes slightly downward, aiming for just below the chest line. This was the position he’d had to adopt with his brother to keep the older alpha from reacting. Of course, this was a kid, and he probably wouldn’t be content until Austin was bowing dramatically.
“You have no place here,” the kid said as he walked up and delivered a hard cuff to the side of Austin’s head.
Sudden rage nearly tore away Austin’s control. He fought it while putting out his hand for Jess.
“Nope, don’t release that,” Sebastian told her in an urgent tone. “Stop doing that. We can’t start a war. Let him handle it.”
Austin straightened up slowly, focusing on his breath and keeping his eyes downcast.
“This is obviously one of those tests. Right, Austin?” Sebastian said. “You’ve got others coming, by the way. Larger ones. Not as fast, though. They must’ve heard the commotion, but it looks like they’re content to watch.”
Heard the commotion. That meant this wasn’t exactly planned, but the leaders or older basajaunak were seeing how it would play out. This youth was trying to assert his dominance because he could. He was testing his limits. He clearly didn’t know danger when he saw it.
Austin wished he could teach the kid a lesson that would eventually save his life, because doing this to the wrong alpha would mean death, no questions asked.
“I can reveal them,” Jess said with strain in her voice. She was fighting her gargoyle. Thank God.
“No. Let this play out,” Austin told her. “I won’t let him kill me or hurt me beyond what you can heal.”
“You won’t let me kill you?” the young basajaun said, crowding his space now. His height topped Austin’s by over a foot. His girth and strength were likely on par. This kid probably thought that gave him the advantage.
Austin saw the blow coming. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the fist connected with his sternum. The force carried him back a step, but only a step. There were limits to what he would do to prove his submission.
He stepped back to his original position.
The kid bristled, bending down until his face was in line with Austin’s. “What have you got to say for yourself?” the basajaun asked. Spittle speckled Austin’s cheek.
He didn’t bother responding, keeping his posture the same and his gaze set.
The next blow seemed like it was in slow motion, aiming for the side of his face.
Before it could land, the kid froze.
“Dang it, Jessie,” Sebastian said with obvious strain in his voice. “You’re not supposed to get involved.”
“What’s happening?” Austin asked, keeping his posture. The others were watching. He wanted to make sure they knew he was still minding his manners.
“Sorry,” Sebastian said, “I don’t have the power to block some of her more robust spells.”
The basajaun stood slightly twisted, arm curved with his large hand fisted. His eyes were fully rounded, zipping around all over. He didn’t know what was happening either, and he was scared.
“What’s happening?” Jess asked, stepping up beside Austin. Anger burned through the bonds.
The watching basajaunak popped into his field of vision. The lead basandere from yesterday was among them, leaning against a tree.
“I’ll tell you what’s happening,” Jess continued, shoving her hand forward.
The kid jerked back, barely getting his feet under him. He froze again, surprise and fear etched into his expression.
“We have a rude kid with bravado he hasn’t earned, that’s what happening,” she said in an accusatory tone. “This is how you treat visitors, basajaunak? You let some ignorant kid assault them just to see what will happen? That’s absurd. One of you can test Austin, that’s fine. But this kid? No. Letting him pick on an adult alpha just because he can is fueling his sense of entitlement. What happens when he explores the great outdoors and runs into someone like Austin without the protections of this sanctuary? I’ll tell you what’ll happen. He’ll get his bell rung, that’s what’ll happen. He might be killed. Is that what you want? Or are you locking him up tight because you know you haven’t trained him to survive in the outside world? I don’t know, but I’m not having it.”
She flung her hand to the side. The kid went flying, hitting the ground and then tumbling away.
“This isn’t his fault,” she spat. “It’s yours. All of yours. I’d never set my son up for that kind of a fall. I’d also never let him do something so disrespectful to guests without checking his behavior. If this is how it is going to be, we’re leaving. I don’t want a family that thinks this is okay.”
“We need to make sure he is safe to be around our young ones,” the basandere said, stepping forward. “An alpha of his caliber is not used to bending.”