Something kept drawing my attention across the room to the pool tables where Kylarai was. She was at the same table with the guys, but something wasn’t right. A completely different guy had joined them, and he was up in Julian’s face, too close to be anything but confrontational.
I froze, watching the scene play out before me. The human male was obviously calling the angry Were on. I couldn’t tell what had started the altercation. Kylarai made an attempt to come between them, and the guy shot her a venomous look. His mouth moved quickly as he spat a nasty remark at her.
Julian said something in response, and the man shoved him hard. This wasn’t going to go over well. I nudged Shaz and was on my feet by the time the first punch was thrown.
A werewolf in a bar fight was always the winner. I didn’t want to see Julian break this guy’s face. I couldn’t let it happen.
Fighting my way through the people that stood between the pool tables and me was a frustrating setback. I managed to cross the distance in time to see Zak pull Ky away from the chaos as if she were a breakable doll. The punches were flying fast. Those in the nearby vicinity were becoming aware of the fight as the guys crashed into chairs and tables in their brawl.
A few bystanders were daring enough to try to split the fight up, but each of them backed off when they quickly failed. Shaz was right beside me; his long legs carried him much faster than my shorter ones carried me. The heels didn’t help my speed.
Shaz was a blur of black and white as he leaped into the middle. He quickly tackled Julian, whom he had no problem taking down. Two more bystanders grabbed a hold of the other guy who struggled violently against them. Julian struggled to break free of Shaz’ controlling hold. As soon as he was steady on his feet, I was in his face.
“What the f**k do you think you’re doing?” I growled angrily. Amidst the music and commotion, nobody could hear me clearly but Julian.
He was breathing hard when Shaz released his arms. A trickle of blood ran from his nose. His eyes were wild, all wolf, daring me to keep talking.
“Have you lost your mind?” I wanted to throttle the life out of him for such blatant stupidity.
“Back off, Alexa.” Julian glared down at me from his six-foot-three stance. “This has nothing to do with you.”
Fury burned through me, and I felt my control slip. Right then, I just wanted to kill him. “You will respect me as Alpha wolf, Julian. If you want to expose yourself by being an idiot, you won’t be doing it in my town.”
He eyed me with a smugness that made me want to scream. It took all I had not to backhand the arrogance off his face. “What are you going to do about it? Sick your vampire on me?”
He actually had the balls to taunt me. Big mistake. I could feel Shaz a few feet away, simmering with anger. Kylarai and Zak hovered uncertainly nearby. Everyone else had gone back to their own business now that the brawl was over.
“It isn’t him that you should be afraid of.” I smirked with a conceit that wasn’t the norm for me.
All it took was a thought to throw enough power at Julian to slam him back a few feet. I didn’t even raise a hand. He reached out quickly to catch himself on the side of a pool table.
His dark gaze was filled with hate, which I took great satisfaction in. I had something he didn’t, and that made me the dominating force.
To say I was shocked when he got up in my face then would be a gross understatement. I was blown away. The dark haired werewolf was suddenly growling down into my face with a mouthful of bared fangs.
“If you want to f**king threaten me, bitch, then you better be ready to follow through on that.” He was close enough to kiss, the intrusion into my personal space a blatant show of disrespect.
Before I could take a breath to respond, Shaz was between us, shoving Julian away from me with a push that would have taken most people off their feet. He followed up with a second shove that had Zak moving to their side, as if he thought he could break them up if they decided to go at it.
The dark fury that blazed in Shaz’ eyes, like jade-green fire, almost caused my heart to stop. I had never seen such raw hate written in his gaze as long as I’d known him. It frightened me even as it excited.
“I don’t care who you f**king think you are; I will kill you before I allow you to talk that way to Alexa. You’re a f**king nobody, pal.” Shaz was poised to strike if Julian so much as blinked the wrong way.
“Guys, come on.” Kylarai’s gentle voice was chiding. She was afraid they would fight. “This is all a misunderstanding.”
Julian didn’t look at anyone but Shaz. He pulled himself to his full height before snarling through his teeth. “Just because you want to be her pathetic lapdog doesn’t mean that I do. I will take you any day, Shaz. Even out back, right now.”
My heart surged with adrenaline at Julian’s venomous words. A small cry escaped me when Shaz lashed out with a blow, catching the other wolf with a fierce right hook.