Oh, God, this was awesome. But also a little scary because Tenlee couldn’t shift while she was pregnant, so it was really only Trina who had teeth and claws against the entire Wulfe Clan.
“’Scuse me,” a local human called from down the bar. “I need another round.”
“Be right there.”
“Uh, now?” the man called. “You’re just standing there.”
“Ten,” Trina drawled, “it’s fine. The wolves aren’t a threat—”
“Has everyone lost their minds?” Mick asked loudly. “Yeah, we’re a threat. We’re werewolves!”
“Cool. Do you get fleas?” the human asked, slurring slightly.
Mick stared at him with his mouth hanging open. “No!”
Trina pursed her lips against a smile because she shouldn’t piss them off any more than they already were, but it was kinda funny.
“If you even knew…” Gus said, a rattling growl tainting his words. “If you even knew why we were here—”
“Gus, stop,” Darius ordered, power infused in his words.
Gus’s response was immediate. The words he’d been about to say seemed to choke him, and he stumbled forward, locked his arms against the counter like he was trying to stay upright. Ha ha, asshole. Kurt, Trina’s Alpha and Ten’s mate, would never put out an order like that for such a dumb reason.
“I think you should all leave,” came a deep voice just loud enough to be heard across the bar.
Kade, the Lone Wolf, sat relaxed into a chair by the stage, one leg stretched out like he’d been there all night. He hadn’t shaved his face in a few days, and the dark scruff on his chiseled jaw made his silver eyes look even brighter. He was looking right at Darius, unblinking. He was a very dominant wolf to stare down an Alpha like that. Or crazy. Or both. Dangerous combo. Hot combo. What is wrong with you? Stop lusting after psychopaths. Cute psychopaths. Trina purred really loud. Oops. Mick cast her a dirty look.
Fireworks were going off in her ovaries as Kade stood and stood and stood until he towered over the humans who had been talking in clusters around him.
“How the hell did he sneak in here?” Mick whispered. None of his Clan answered him. They all just stood slowly and faced the newcomer while Trina balanced on her tiptoes to try to see around them.
Damn them for blocking her view of the Adonis. Her hoo-ha needed her eyeballs to see him and report his growing hotness promptly. Oooooh, look how he walked. Grace and power and some shit-stomper boots that were definitely going to smash some faces if the murderous look on his face said anything.
“So the hunter becomes the hunted, huh?” Kade asked, coming to lean casually against the bar near the drunken human.
“Do you have fleas?” the man asked.
Kade gave a slow blink and a terrifying look to the man. “It’s probably best you fuck off.”
The man made an “eek” face and backed away slowly.
Trina was going to make Kade a drink. She was going to make him a drink and not charge him, then it would be like her buying him a drink and, basically, this would be a date. He didn’t know it, but it was happening right now.
Refusing to serve him the same booze as she did for the other lesser peon werewolves, she pulled the best vodka out of the cabinet on the back wall and tiptoed over to stand by him.
“What are you doing?” he asked, frowning down at where she was pouring two drinks, one for him and one for her.
“Our first drinks,” she whispered.
He sighed. “I have to fight these assholes first. Raincheck?”
“No! Because you disappear for a week at a time, and this might be my only chance to cheers you for getting me my motorcycle for way cheaper.”
“You look hot riding it, by the way,” he murmured, pulling one of the shots to him.
“You saw me riding it?”
“Oh, yeah. I watch you all the time. I’m a stalker like that.”
“Hmmm,” she said in a mushy voice. He liked her. She wished he was railing her from behind in the office in back right now. Puuuuuuurrrrrrrr.
“Horny little pussy, aren’t you?” he asked with a devil-may-care smile that made her want to rub against his leg like an overgrown housecat.
“Mmmm hmmm.”
“Hello!” Mick said, striding for Kade.
Kade tossed back the shot fast and leaned over the bar. Time slowed to a crawl. His lips crashed onto hers, and then he sat there, mouth against hers, sucking gently for a few moments before he was ripped backward. Mick had him, but Kade was smiling, and his eyes were almost white when he was pulled away from her. He didn’t look worried at all, but Trina’s senses came back with the force of an avalanche.
It was him versus the entire Wulfe Clan. Again.
“Where’s your Clan?” she yelled.
“Don’t have one tonight,” he called as he blasted a fist against Mick’s jaw. The wolf went flying. Shit, shit, shit, that was close to the window. Dad was already on the edge and would kill the next SOB who broke a window in this place!
Wait, didn’t have a Clan? Yes, Kade did. He was a Blackwood Crow! Errr…Blackwood Wolf?
“Ten! Can you call—”
“Already on it,” Ten called from over by the wall-phone. She was talking into the landline, but it wouldn’t be quick enough. Kade had half a dozen guys on him now.
Another wolf went flying out of the pile.
“Don’t break the windows!” she cried, rushing around the counter. “Aaah!” she screamed as the fight suddenly turned directions and Mick came flying at her. She couldn’t get out of the way fast enough and slammed back against the bar top.
She shoved the man off her and snarled. There was no stopping the animal inside her now.
“Oh, shit!” Mick murmured through a split lip.
“Oh, shit” was right. With a moment of agonizing pain and popping of her bones, Trina went to all fours, and her mountain lion ripped out of her. She let off a panther scream just to worn those wolves what was coming for them.
She was completely fine with being Kade’s Clan tonight.
****
Kade totally had this…until he heard the panther.
It was a cross between a roar and a scream, and it chilled his blood. He shoved one of the wolves off him hard and stood up straight so he could see where that blood-curdling death-promise came from. But that one moment of lost focus got him blasted across the jaw. Hoooooly shit that hurt! The guy was pummeling him now as he struggled to recover because half of him wanted to make sure the cougar, Trina, was all right. What the fuck were his instincts doing? Protect yourself, man!
Now there were three on him, and he couldn’t see the animal, but he could hear the murmur of panicked voices and the growling of a predator. Trina smelled like heat and rage. Good gah, was it possible for her to get even hotter?
When a fist landed right on his shoulder blade, he grunted and pitched forward. Wait, was he going to lose this fight? Didn’t matter how many assholes he fought at once, he’d never lost! Kade twisted and caught the wolf’s fist, ground his bones to dust in his hand, and shoved him into the wall. Shit, he almost hit one of the front windows, and Trina had said not to break the windows.
Crash!