“Where is my son?” Demetri glanced around at the young werewolves gyrating against one another. Was he really that much out of touch with his pack members? He recognized no one. Everyone in here belonged to his kind, yet if he was not careful, a new alpha could rise up and gain every last one of these creatures as followers. Demetri made a mental note to start paying closer attention to those living here in the city, to making his presence known.
He lifted his nose a fraction, inhaling deep as he sifted through the various smells in the club. He discarded the heavy scents of sweat and drugs, separating the different species until he narrowed in on the one fragrance that made his blood surge with need. Demetri followed that scent until he was at the back of the club. He frowned at Wulf and then pushed the exit door open.
Stepping into the alley, Demetri snarled as he took in the scene. Justin was lying on the ground in front of a Dumpster, unconscious. Caleb and another were in werewolf form, fighting tooth and nail.
“Take care of those two,” Demetri ordered Wulf. As Wulf stepped into the fight, Demetri squatted and gently lifted Justin from the filthy ground. The man weighed no more than a pillow as he cradled the human to his chest. Demetri was getting tired of seeing Justin hurt. The human’s head was bleeding profusely, but when Demetri swiped his hand over Justin’s forehead, he saw that the wound wasn’t that deep. There would be no need to take the man to the hospital, though he noted how pale Justin appeared.
Wulf had broken the two werewolves apart, and now Caleb and another man stood there in their human forms panting, glaring at each other. It was apparent that Caleb had been defending Justin, but Demetri wanted to know what had taken place. “Explain to me why my mistress is hurt and unconscious.” His tone was pure alpha.
“Your mistress?” The stranger’s eyes grew wide as they darted from Demetri to Justin. “No one told me that he belonged to you, King Frost.”
Demetri’s eyes dropped to Justin’s neck, and rage unlike anything he’d felt before gathered inside of him. Someone had placed a collar around Justin’s neck. Someone had claimed what belonged to Demetri.
“This fuckhead was out here molesting Justin,” Caleb shouted as he pointed a finger at the other man. His eyes were wild, and his skin flushed. “If I hadn’t come out here, Juice would have raped Justin!”
“And how did Justin get hurt?” Demetri asked as his eyes darted to this Juice person.
“Juice slung him into the Dumpster,” Caleb answered with raw anger. “Justin hit his head on the corner.”
Head wounds always bled profusely, even if the cut was small. Demetri was glad Justin wasn’t hurt too badly, or he would have torn Juice to shreds. He still should after finding out what the man had planned to do.
“And the collar?” Demetri said between clenched teeth as he slipped a finger under the latch and pulled, tossing the slim piece of leather to the ground. “Who thought to claim him?”
Caleb’s cheeks colored as his eyes dropped toward his feet. Demetri knew the answer. He looked to Wulf. “Take care of Juice.”
“But I didn’t know!” Juice shouted as he backed away.
“And you think that excuses you from forcing yourself on someone?” Demetri spat the words with disdain. “How many others have you violated? How many others are now scarred from what you’ve done to them?”
“None!” But Demetri knew the young wolf was lying. There was something in his blue eyes that said the man had enjoyed what he’d done and, if left unpunished, would do it again.
“This is the environment you exposed Justin to?” Demetri asked his son. “This is the type of place you frequent?”
“It’s not a bad club,” Caleb defended as he shuffled his feet. “There’s always going to be trash anywhere you go. I had no idea Juice had his sights set on Justin.”
Which only reminded Demetri of Elron. “Get into the car,” he snapped at Caleb and then turned to Wulf. “Teach Juice a lesson, Wulf. Let him know that taking what does not belong to him has consequences.”
Demetri spun on his heel and headed down the alley, Caleb walking a few steps in front of him. His son’s shoulders were straight and proud. Even in his anger Caleb was a true alpha. Demetri waited until Caleb opened the back door of the car before he slipped inside, keeping Justin close to his chest.
“Why does this feel like a reoccurring theme?” he asked Caleb as he nodded down to Justin. “You told me you would protect him. I thought making you his bodyguard would help you grow up.”
“I am grown!”
Demetri’s eyelids slid down until they were mere slits. His voice was low and threatening. “Watch your tone with me, pup. I love you, but I will not tolerate disrespect.”
“I’m sorry,” Caleb grumbled as he sat back and gazed out of the tinted window. “I screwed up, and I’m really sorry.”
Demetri could hear the sincerity in his son’s voice. “I made you responsible for my mistress’s life, Caleb. That is not something you should take lightly.”