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For now, I ignored the scrapping wolves and bowled into my target, the dominant wolf who was stalking back and forth behind the group crowding the cages. Piss-poor excuse for an alpha if I’d ever seen one. The wolf was so busy fixating on his prey he didn’t even see me coming.
In fact, not a single one of them was keeping a lookout. These weren’t Bone Crushers. They were just some fucktards who’d fled the auction once the fight broke out and were trying to make off with the merchandise.
I crashed into the alpha, scratching up his stomach as my jaw latched straight onto his jugular and tore it out. I left his twitching body on the ground and threw myself at the scrapping wolves next. They were so busy fighting, they barely realized a fourth wolf had joined the fray.
However, one of the two yelped as I got a good grip on his back haunch and dropped my weight to the floor. I lay there for a moment, playing dead.
The distraction I’d provided gave one of his companions the edge I’d hoped for. The wolf I’d targeted was quickly killed by one of his rivals which left the second open to attack. While the third and final feral asshole claimed his kill, I was still lying on the floor biding my time.
When the stupid mutt lifted his snout to howl his shortlived triumph at the Blood Moon, I leapt up and tore his throat out, too.
By now, the rest of the group had clued in to the fact that they had company. Didn’t do them any good.
From cover, Mace started popping off shots at the panicking men as the Chaos claimed their skin in an inevitable but involuntary shift. I charged into the motherfucker with the bolt cutters, ripping his arm off. He jerked back and cried out, taking a bullet to the temple.
Sick fuck went down at my feet like a brick shithouse.
Shifting back to human form, I crouched by the cages. “Look, I’m sorry you had to see that and right now I know you’re fucking terrified of me. But it’s really important that I get these cages open so we can get you guys out of sight of these fucknards.”
Most of the humans—a mix of women in their twenties and a few younger boys and girls—cowered away from me. Naturally. I’d just taken down three wolves while Mace—to them, an unseen gunman—had taken care of the rest. However, one brave captive stepped in front of the others and gave me a nod.
I flashed her a grateful grin and got to work, trusting Mace to keep the cowards at my back occupied. “What’s your name, O fearless one?”
She crossed her arms and glared at me with a get-on-with-it kind of a look. I liked her. I waggled the bolt-cutters in her direction and she rolled her eyes but answered in a growl. “Viola. And yours?”
She probably expected me to snarl at her impudence. Yeah, I definitely liked her.
“Silver, ‘cause I have a silver tongue. Grimm—my Prez—says I can charm the pants off anyone,” I said with a wink. “But you needn’t worry. My mate’s inside, thank the Goddess. So your pants—such as they are, because let’s face it, the Bone Crushers have terrible taste—are safe from me.”
She scoffed but her shoulders relaxed a touch, just as I’d hoped. Meaning the rest of the women relaxed right alongside her.
Crunch. I sighed in relief and dropped the bolt cutters to the ground so I could tear that fucking lock off the cage. I turned and threw it as far as it could go.
One down, only far too many to go.
I opened the cage door and bowed with a flourish, stepping back to give Viola and the women crammed into their metal cell room to get out.
“Your freedom awaits, m’lady.” None of them moved. I didn’t let my smile droop and kept myself bent over in faux supplication. “Begging your pardon, m’lady, but your fine chariot awaits on yonder side of this building. I only ask for your patience while I free your companions then light that fucking shithole on fire. My companion and I shall accompany your party and fell any scallions who try to accost you.”
My stupid banter caused a few weak smiles and perhaps a muted giggle. Given the circumstances, I’d take it. The gun fight had gone silent behind me so I figured we had a bit of time to try to calm their justifiable fears. I stood up, offered the group a goofy smile before making my way to the next cage.
Once I’d moved out of reach, Viola stepped cautiously out and kept me in her line of sight as she helped her fellow captives. They huddled behind her for protection. For some reason, my eyes kept being dragged to the smaller cage closest to the clubhouse. Someone had been in there. Recently.
There was a scent toying in the wind. Something tantalizing and sweet. Strong but needy. It drew my wolf straight back up to the surface as he panted over that smell.
Mate.
A growl ripped from my throat. The sound turned into a needy whimper as my wolf wound around inside of me in confusion.
A second mate? No fucking way. He had to be mistaken. And now was not the time to get distracted. Mongrel had a job to do and so did we. These poor humans would be sitting ducks if the fight spilled out into the courtyard. And it would. Any minute now. Once the people inside clued into the fire—and some of our Molotov cocktails were sure to have kept burning with all the liquor around—they’d start fleeing that tinderbox like rats.
Unfortunately, my feral snarl had wiped the weak smiles off the survivors faces and caused those closest to press back in fear. “Sorry, the Blood Moon has that effect on us. Brings out the wild, you know? I’ll get you all out and then you’ll see you can beat me up as a group, easy.”
As I went to work on the next lock, Viola ushered her group to the far end of the cages and stepped closer to my side. But not too close. Smart as a tack, this one.
“What?” I said, cocking an eyebrow at her. “Do I stink or something?”
“Nah. You’re swinging in the breeze and it’s making them nervous,” she tossed a thumb over her shoulder, purposefully misinterpreting my dig. “We haven’t seen much dick unless something unpleasant follows.”
