Page 88 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

“This is what you get for stealing my alpha!”

Another kick slammed into my ribs. I cried out, wishing like hell my pack would get here.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” I pleaded. “Stop.”

“He keeps talking about you!” Her face twisted with rage. “Telling me what a pretty, little omega you are. How much money you’d make us. How perfect and submissive you’d be.”

She looked at me like I’d betrayed her. Like I’d somehow encouraged that disgusting man to think about me like property. The thought made my skin crawl.

“You don’t find that sick?” I gasped. “He wants your daughter.”

That only made her angrier. That feral gleam was back in her eyes and her muscles strained as she rained her fury down on my body. I barely felt the blows anymore, but something inside of me snapped.

It was never enough with her. This time, Gavin had seen it all.

If I didn’t fight now, I wasn’t leaving this basement alive.

The next time she stepped toward me, I grabbed her ankle and yanked. She crashed backward. The back of her head cracked against the concrete.

I staggered to my feet. Thanks to my fall down the stairs and her punch to the temple, I could barely stay upright.

Adrenaline fueled my movements as I braced for her next blow. This time, I fought back. I scratched at her face, kicked out against her, swung wildly.

Anything to survive.

She stumbled toward a metal shelf. I raised my hands, expecting her to swing back but her hands closed around something.

I barely had time to register it before the object slammed into the side of my head. Stars exploded across my vision and I hit the floor hard.

Everything spun around me. I expected her to come back for more when something crashed upstairs. She froze, breathing hard like a bull as she glanced up at the ceiling.

Footsteps ran through the house and another crack followed. Shouts echoed out and for one impossible second I smelled cedar, citrus, and basil.

My mates were here.

A tiny smile touched my lips.

“You came...”

Then darkness swallowed me.

...

The next thing I heard was a steady beeping. Every inch of my body hurt as I stirred. A quiet whimper escaped before I could stop it.

“Firecracker?” August’s voice. “Are you with us?”

My eyelids felt impossibly heavy. They were swollen from the attack, but I forced them open.

Three blurred figures slowly came into focus.

August.

Lachlan.

Conrad.

The sob escaped before I could stop it. They were here. My pack came for me.