*
Jaz 's whole body felt the solid fist crack against the side of her jawbone before she saw it. The force knocked her head back so violently, her knees buckled as if the ground had suddenly turned to mush, her eyes momentarily blinded with salty tears, and it was only her powerful determination that kept her from falling to the ground.
She managed to kick the attacker in the balls before she was grappled back by Alf's surprisingly strong arms. She wanted to hurl abuse at the bastard she was sure had broken her jaw, but because of the pain, she could only wince and cup her chin with her free hand as if she was holding the bone together. Her other arm was pinned to Alf's chest.
“You wanker! You'll pay for that!” Alf growled.
The man with shoulder-length, golden hair and dark blue eyes that sneered at their target, regarded Alf silently, all traces of pain inflicted to his groin gone sooner than Jaz would have liked. She was also surprised he wasn't the loud, mocking type to match his exterior. As she studied him whilst locked in Alf's arms, the blond Were fixed his eyes on Jaz in a way she was unable to decipher, before the Pack Leader drew their attention.
“Put your girlfriend on a leash, Alf, and lead me to Nik. No one else has to get hurt.”
Jaz looked down at Ronnie whose face was smeared with blood. His brown eyes were watery as he did his best to hold back tears. Jaz's heart strings tugged painfully as she saw how brave he was. Her hands itched to embrace him.
Skye knelt by his side, in a set position of a runner. Her collarbone was strained, amplifying her visible urge to run. Her left cheek was bright, lobster-red from being slapped. She'd obviously tried to take the most of the blows aimed at her brother.
Jaz had been so livid at the sight of Ronnie's injuries she'd run straight into the men's path, kicking and punching like a wild animal. She'd caused some damage -thanks to Carr's lessons- though not as much as she'd like, before 'Blondie' had nearly knocked her jaw off her face.
Alf's grip tightening on her arm brought her back to reality.
“No way, Kain,” Alf growled. “You've already violated enough laws and it's not even lunchtime. What makes you think you deserve that honour?”
“Honour?” Kain scoffed.
Alf sprang forward, sweeping Jaz behind his back and backhanding Kain with the other so hard the ground vibrated. Or perhaps Jaz's hearing had become even more acute. Either way, the look on Kain's face as he touched his bleeding mouth and cheek was very satisfying.
Alf and Kain glared at each other, thunderbolts shooting between them, but neither backed down.
Instead, without any signals from Kain that Jaz could see -with the only warning being Skye's choked yelp- Jaz was yanked back, her spine smacking into a solid chest. Before she could wriggle away, a muscular arm wrapped around her throat cutting off her air. The strangled cry that came out of her mouth alerted Alf and he whipped round ready to attack.
Kain barked, “Move and she dies! Brutus can snap a tree trunk like a toothpick.”
Jaz saw the fierce look in Alf's eyes as he considered his next move.
She tried to cry out to him -to tell him not to listen to them- but Brutus felt her resistance and only tightened his lock on her. She gasped. The feeling of her lungs starved of air was horrifying. Her vision blurred as the oxygen was being cut off from her head. She tried to fight consciousness, wheezing on what little air she could breathe.
“Stop, okay! You'll kill her!” Alf snapped.
“Take us to Nikolas,” Kain coaxed in a higher voice.
“D-don't-” Jaz croaked before Brutus gripped even tighter. Her inhale sounded so painful and loud even those in Kain's Pack shifted uneasily.
She scratched at Brutus's hands wishing she hadn't cut her nails so damn short. Brutus's hot breath was on her neck and if she wasn't focusing all her attention on trying to live, she'd have shivered with revulsion.
She felt her hand tingling and knew instantly what it meant. She forced it back. If they saw her turn it into a claw she'd be dead. She might be able to cause serious damage to Brutus but then what?
She had no doubt that if they weren't with the Cur Hunters, they most likely supported them. If they even suspected what she might be, she'd be dead before her feet touched the ground. To emphasize her mental image, at that moment in Brutus's grip, her feet were hovering inches above the floor. I'm going to die if this side-of-beef doesn't stop. The thought was eerily matter-of-fact. She tried not to panic. She needed the air. Time slowed.
She saw Alf about to speak, his frowning eyes fixed on her, when a disturbance distracted him.
The rival Pack stirred and she saw Alf's expression show a hint of relief.