Juliette wished the floor would open and swallow her.

Lily kept giving her knowing looks and Juliette was about to put her beta in her rightful place when the arrival of several guests interrupted them.

“I came in to tell you that your guests were asking for you,” Lily said with an apologetic smile.

In a matter of minutes, her office burst with alphas and their companions. The room was too small to contain such a crowd, and she asked everyone to follow her to the grounds where they could have something to drink before dinner. She also needed a breath of fresh air to cool her body and clear the fog in her mind.

She and Kendall needed to have the talk about the damned Hunger as soon as possible, because she couldn’t understand why her mind stopped working the moment he as much as brushed her skin. And if she were completely honest with herself, he didn’t even need to touch her. His mere presence was enough to send her senses reeling. The throbbing ache between her legs was only rivaled by how sensitive her breasts were, eager for his large hands to take care of her needs before he would finally deliver the fulfillment he had promised.

Of all days, why today? She wondered, sending her annoyed query to the high heavens.

She didn’t have time to dwell on her existential questions because Renault, Maui’s alpha and a sleazy one at that, approached her. Hanging from his bent arm, a small brunette smiled at her nervously. The young woman’s body angled away from her companion, but Renault didn’t seem to notice.

Adding to her burden of commitments, Juliette made a mental note to take the girl to the side before the Summer Solstice Celebration ended and talk to her, offering her sanctuary if she needed to escape the alpha’s clutches.

“Renault.” Juliette tipped her head in salute, even though what she wanted to do was to kick the subpar example of a man in the balls and leave him on the ground to whine.

Before the alpha could reciprocate the greeting, Kendall stepped forward, positioning his body slightly in front of her as he faced Renault and his petite companion.

Juliette inwardly rolled her eye, but then the brunette directed a genuine smile toward Kendall, her chest puffing to better show her considerable cleavage. The girl even batted her lashes and tilted her head toward the shoulder, releasing one of the straps of her top in the process. The swell of her round globe peeked from under the falling fabric.

The growl that escaped Juliette’s mouth took everyone by surprise, especially herself. The girl’s hand went immediately to the strap, now halfway down her arm, and raised it back to her shoulder. Renault jerked her against him, hissing his displeasure under his breath.

Even though at the moment Juliette wanted to throttle the chit for making a pass at her man, she knew that their lack of mating marks put them at a great disadvantage. Per werewolf etiquette, both she and Kendall were still unclaimed and fair game.

Renault’s lips arched in a cruel smile as he looked down at his companion. Juliette would have to check on the girl before leaving tonight.

“Kendall McKenzie, I am Juliette’s mate.” Kendall grabbed the man’s hand for a vicious handshake.

Renault’s eyes narrowed, his gaze shooting first toward the spot on Juliette’s bare neck where her mating mark should have been, and later to Kendall’s. “Still unattached, I see,” he commented.

“I don’t think there’s a doubt she’s mine,” Kendall said, his arm winding around Juliette’s shoulder. “As I am hers.”

The brunette lowered her eyes, but Renault’s expression became calculating.

“Two alphas, two packs—” He let the concept trail before continuing with his oily voice. “I wonder how you can possibly manage that. Are you going to top from the bottom, Juliette? I heard you like to be punished.”

Kendall’s body tensed, ready to spring. Juliette restrained her first impulse to place her hand on his arm to stop him from attacking the idiot, because she wanted to have the pleasure. Such display would have only confirmed Renault’s comment. The alpha had meant to provoke a reaction from either of them and was most assuredly hoping for a grand scene.

Fortunately, Kendall turned to her and said, “I’ve always liked to watch a good boxing match. I’ll cheer from the sidelines if you want to cave this idiot’s face in.”

Renault launched himself at Kendall, dragging the girl with him. The brunette squealed in fear and freed herself, scurrying a few steps away. Kendall stopped the alpha’s advance by raising his arm and pushing Renault away.

“Stop,” Juliette ordered when Renault advanced a second time. “You know the rules. There won’t be any fighting during the celebration. If you can’t behave, leave now.” She glanced at the girl weeping behind Renault, and said. “Alone. She stays.”

“She does what I say.” Renault grabbed the brunette’s arm and jerked her close to him. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” he said to her, planting a kiss on her crown.

The girl recoiled at his touch, but nodded, her eyes wide and her lips trembling as she said, “Yes, Alpha.”

“That’s a good girl.” Renault gave Juliette a triumphant smile that was filled with malice.

“Aren’t you tired of playing this game with me, Renault?” Juliette asked. “I thought you had enough last time when I rescued that poor girl.”

Renault sneered. “That poor girl begged me to belt her,” he said, then left with the brunette in tow.

Although she didn’t want to fall prey of the alpha’s tactics, Juliette could barely contain her rage and it took all her willpower not to run after the bastard and tear him apart before all of her guests.

“What’s the story?” Kendall asked when they were alone again.

“A year ago, I went to one of those parties you don’t mention in your Christmas letters to the family—”

“You did? I’m all ears.” Kendall’s mouth curved in a sexy grin, motioning for her to continue.

“A good friend of mine is a domme and frequents this place called Sin City. I went to check the scene to see if I liked it.”

“Was he—”

“A domme, not a dom. She, and no, we weren’t together, just friends. But that’s not relevant to the story.” Juliette’s eyes followed Renault approaching the Wolf Pride’s alpha. “At that party, I caught him with this immigrant girl. She looked young and had red, angry welts all over her bare skin and was trembling like a leaf. I couldn’t help but to walk to her and ask her if she was there willingly. She didn’t speak a word of English and I couldn’t understand her language, but she sounded frantic. My friend called one of the managers, who took the girl into a room and questioned Renault in another. It turned out that the girl was from Laos, but when a translator finally arrived, the poor thing barely said two words in a row besides that she wanted to go home. She wouldn’t say anything else. The Sin City staff took care of her papers and sent her back the next morning, in one of their member’s private jet. Even though it couldn’t be proved that Renault abused the girl or that she was underage, he lost his membership and he’s been out for blood ever since.”

“I can smell men like him a mile out. He’s a coward and I would bet he scared that girl into silence,” Kendall said, disgust in his voice.

“He probably threatened to do something to her family.” Juliette’s bile rose to her throat at the memory of that night. “I wouldn’t put it past him to have her kidnapped or to withhold her passport or any other shit like that.” She shook her head. “And I’m pretty sure the girl was a minor.”

“If you don’t trash that scum, I will.” Kendall’s voice held a note of danger.

Juliette turned her head to look at him, and the expression on his face stole her breath away. He looked like a vengeful god with his eyes burning bright and his jaw tense. His chiseled mouth was flattened in a straight line, and his nostrils flared as if he were trying to regulate his breathing.

“I wish we were alone,” she said. “Because I really want to have your babies right now.”