Three hours later I reclined in my chair, feet kicked up on a nearby stool and a glass of whiskey in my hand. Around me, people writhed and swayed, sweat and pheromones were perfuming air that throbbed with a deep bass. Across from me lounged Zara, her arm slung around Marc’s shoulder as his nose nuzzled her neck, his hand sliding the strap of her top from her shoulder and revealing the swell of golden skin.

I ignored the loud, pointed cough aimed in my direction, leisurely lifting my glass and swirling the honey colored liquid, until it coated the insides. Beside me, a couple were grinding together, their hands slicking over skin and mouths locked together. I spared them a glance, forcing heated interest into my eyes.

“King Nicholas!”

Raul was pissed. Good. Taking my time, I surveyed the room, eventually meeting his eyes. “King Raul,” I replied, smooth and low. Without rising, I pointed at the chair across from me, dismissing his entourage with a flick of my eyebrow.

“This isn’t how another alpha should be—” he started in German.

“You are a day early and are received only at my pleasure,” I growled in English, baring my teeth. I lifted my glass, indicating the room. “This is my pleasure tonight. If you’d kept to our arrangements, then you would have been greeted as per your station.”

He huffed, finally sitting his ass down. Somewhat shorter than myself, he made up for it with a broad frame, packed with both muscle and fat. And dishonor. He was a dirty fighter. Everyone knew it. Pale yellow hair topped his head, the strands sparse and molded into place to try and hide his shiny scalp. He had a long face, with large jowls and thin lips, which were at this moment curled back to reveal his teeth as he stared at me.

I stared back, sipping my drink. Bring it on…

“You have something that belongs to me,” he eventually snarled, in English this time.

Marc lifted his head to glare at him, but Zara distracted him with a taste of her teeth against his shoulder.

Oh, yeah, we were going with the barbarian theme tonight. Tahlia had inspired me, so all the males were wearing ripped jeans, their chests and feet bare, the females in tank tops and jeans. Raul was wearing a goddamn suit. He looked like an overdressed monkey.

I quirked an eyebrow, affecting boredom. “Something?”

“A female. Marianna. She’s mine.” This was spat out through gritted teeth.

“Were you not planning on bringing your pack here to socialize with us, to see if any matches were fated to be made?”

He sat back, satisfaction darkening his eyes to a dull brown. “You have her, then.”

I shrugged. “I might.”

“You will return her at—”

“She’s mine, now.” Let him make what he wanted of that.

Disbelief warred with anger, then a slyness crept in. “An exchange then.”

I shrugged again. “No.”

He jumped to his feet. “You will not speak to me like that.”

“But … I am.” I set my glass down and pushed up to standing, towering over him. “This is my house, my rules.”

“Then I will take what I want.” He made a slashing motion with his arm and his men gathered at his back.

“A true alpha doesn’t ask his men to fight his battles,” I growled.

Zara stood, Marc with her. Dimitri joined them, then others, gathering around and tightening the noose.

Zara looked Raul up and down, then wrinkled her nose. “A true alpha doesn’t have to ask. He also doesn’t force himself on women.”

Raul laughed, as if it were the funniest thing he’d heard in years. “And what is your alpha doing, huh? Marianna is broken. She whimpers when a male even looks at her.” He sneered at me, then spat on the floor. “You’re no better than me.”

I was moving before I’d even finished processing what he’d said, his words inciting a rage inside me that knew no limits. My hand curled around his neck, lifting him off the floor, my chest heaving as I fought my wolf, fought the instinct to lash out and end this miserable excuse for a male’s life. “You disgust me,” I forced out.

His hand grabbed onto mine, trying to peel my fingers off as he dangled above the floor. With his face turning a lovely shade of red, he whispered, “You can’t kill me. There are rules.”

My wolf snapped at my skin, claws digging in. Raul hadn’t recognized the rules when he’d ordered my family to be murdered. “There are ways around those rules. My brother taught me well.”

His eyes widened, betraying his guilt. It oozed out of him, his delight in having caused me pain. “Your brother was weak.”

He taunted me on purpose, I knew he did. If I killed him now, I would be stripped of my title and cast out as a lone wolf, sentence to a life of being hunted. It took everything I had not to let my claws pierce his skin. “My brother was better than both of us.” I dropped him and he took a step back, catching himself at the last second. But it was too late, everyone had witnessed his fear. “I call challenge,” I declared, my voice loud and echoing through the room.

I had challenged him; now he had no choice but to fight me. I could be merciful and let him yield, or I could kill him. The choice was mine.

“Nick!” A feminine voice screamed through the room, punching me in the gut.

Raul tutted, straightening his jacket and smoothing his hair. “Do you really think I would come in here without backup?”

I barely heard him, my attention riveted on the sight in front of me. On the steps, a male held Tahlia, his claws digging into her neck. Thin lines of red trickled down her skin, disappearing into her top. Her eyes were huge, shadowed with fear as she stared at me from across the room.

“No.” My voice was a hoarse denial, a plea for the world to stop turning and time to stand still.

“She means something to you?” Raul’s smile widened. “My spies had reported seeing you gallivanting outside of the palace with this human, but … she’s more, isn’t she?”

“Nobody says gallivanting, you giant furry turd!” Tahlia screamed, distracting him.

She’d seen my face, had read my decision in the set of my jaw. She was trying to buy us time, but it was too late.

“What do you want?”

Raul strutted up to me and scratched his chin. “Well, you’ve already called challenge, so I’m well within my right to fight you.”

My heart sank. “And?”

“Order you not to fight back.”

Tahlia screamed. “No! Nick, you can’t—”

Raul spun around. “Shut her up!”

I leaned into him, putting us nose to nose. “Touch a hair on her head and I’ll end you. Right here, right now.”

“She’ll be fine, so long as you do exactly what I tell you to.” He shoved me away, going back to scratching his chin. “Or I could order you to give Marianna back to me. Make you hand her over and tell her exactly what I’m going to do to her when she gets home. You could describe it in delicious detail, get her ready for me.” He grinned. “I like that idea.” Then he stiffened, and I knew exactly where his mind was going, could foresee it in the sick excitement that was pouring off him in waves. I had to preempt his epiphany, before he got more creative in his request for me. Because, if it came down to saving Tahlia’s life or raping an unwilling woman, I would rather die myself. “Get her ready for me…” he mused.

“I’ll do it. I’ll hand Marianna over to you, but you let Tahlia go.”

“And you’ll explain to Marianna exactly—”

I swallowed back the bile. “Yes.” There had to be a way out of this, a way to save both women, but I couldn’t see it.

My pack stiffened, but I couldn’t sense any blame or judgment in their gazes. They would stand by me, whatever I decided to do. Silently, we ascended the steps, striding down the corridor. Tahlia was carried by the male, her eyes never leaving mine. The rest of Raul’s entourage had been left behind, to make sure my pack didn’t try and help, or intervene as Raul had put it. I slowed, trying to buy us time.

Raul tutted. “Now, now, Nicholas, I have places to be, women to screw.” His attention slide to Tahlia, to her long legs which were displayed by her sleep shorts. “Such a shame. Humans are so easily broken.”

I looked at Tahlia and let all the love I felt for her flood into my eyes, how special she was to me, how I’d never thought I’d find her in this lifetime. How I’d resigned myself to living my life alone, growing old and bitter and, most probably, be a mean drunk, pissed at the world and the life I’d been given. Then she’d come along and given me hope, pulled back the blur of vengeance from my eyes and forced me to see. My life wasn’t over and people loved me.

But not as much as I loved her.

“I love you, too, Nick,” she whispered, a tear tracking down her cheek.

“Aw, shucks, isn’t this sweet.” Raul sounded disgusted, and his American accent deserved to burn and die. Along with the man himself.

Ignoring him, she continued. “You can’t do it, that’s not the man you want to be. Not the man I know you are—” Her words cut off in a squeak as her captor tightened his grip on her neck.

I growled and the male flinched, loosening his grip.

She was right. I wouldn’t do it. Or would appear to, but then not. The only plan I had was to hand Marianna over, save Tahlia, then try my damnedest to get Marianna back before it was too late. That’s all I had. “I love you, min älskling,” I mouthed, allowing Raul to prod me into moving.

We were nearly at Marianna’s door and my heart was in my throat. I’d promised to protect her and now I had no choice but to let her down.

“What are you doing with my fiancée?” We all swung around to stare at the man in front of us. He was average, height, weight, and build all average, with a ridiculous goatee stuck on the bottom of his face. He pointed at Tahlia and I scented him on the air. Human. And he was making a claim on my mate. Instinct kicked in, the ability to act on some of the rage inside me shooting out of control, and I slammed him against the wall. This had to be the man who’d hurt her, who had marked her soul with sorrow.

“Tony, what the hell are you doing here?” Tahlia shrieked, sounding more than a little pissed off.

“Who are you to her?”

He flinched from my growl, his hands flying up to wave in the air. “Easy there, big guy. I’m Tony, her fiancé.” He pointed over my shoulder. He was not making things better for himself. Hiking him up by his shirt, he slid up the wall.

Raul tutted. “This is tiresome, Nicholas. And it can also wait until after I have what I came for. My woman.”

“Is he talking about Tahlia?” Tony tried to peer around me, eventually craning his neck.

“No.” I grunted, then eventually let him down. I’d deal with him later. Perhaps he could serve as a distraction. I eyed Raul, then this Tony.

Tony straightened his shirt, then marched straight up to Tahlia. Glaring up at the male holding her, he flinched when he caught sight of the claws extending from the male’s hand. “Please put down my fiancée.” His voice only wobbled a little. The man was foolish. And an idiot.

I strode over, pushing between them. “She’s not your fiancée.”

Tony crossed his arms, swallowing hard. His eyes darted to Tahlia, seeming to make a decision. Probably the worst one of his life. He was a human in a shifter dominance game. He didn’t stand a chance. “Yes she is, Tahlia, tell this idiot.”

I crossed my arms, flexing my muscles. “That’ll be King, to you.”

I almost heard his mental ‘what the fuck?’ “She wants to come home, she told me.”

“I did no such thing! I told you to stick your ring where the sun doesn’t shine!”

I allowed a small smile. Even restrained and in mortal danger, Tahlia hadn’t lost her ability to sound adorably indignant. And pissed off. “You heard the lady. Now go away.” I turned my back on him. Tahlia’s captor was watching Tony and I flicked my eyes to hers, narrowed them, lowered them to her hands, then at her neck. I focused on the bond between us, weak as it was, and concentrated on sending my message to her, pushing it with everything I had. The bond only conveyed feeling and emotions, and ours wasn’t fully formed, but I hoped it would be enough. Given the opportunity, I needed her to fight with everything she had. Everything.

Her eyes widened, a furrow dinting her brow.

“Enough!” Raul roared, his patience apparently worn out.

Then the worst possible thing that could ever happen, happened. The door to Marianna’s room swung open and she appeared in the opening. Raul strode forward, yanking her by the arm and backhanding her across the face. “There’s more where that came from.”

A bundle of fur flew through the air, landing on Raul’s back and he spun, trying to dislodge the tiny wolf pup.

I shoved Tony to the side, sending him reeling into Tahlia’s captor, who was clearly torn between obeying his king and helping.

Then I nodded. “Now, min älskling.”

Behind me, deeper snarls echoed, a glance caught both Samantha and Marianna shifting and charging Raul, who had shifted and was advancing on Alex. The pup had risked his own life. They would protect my nephew.

Tahlia yanked at her captor’s hand and I lashed out, raking my claws across his arm. But he held on, his free arm coming up to punch me in the jaw. He glanced down and I saw the exact moment he decided he’d had enough, his hand tightening.

Shrieking, Tahlia swung with all her might, twisting in his arms to hang onto him as close as she could. Her fingers connected and the male howled, dropping her and sinking to his knees, his hands clutching at his eyes.

“Asshole!” she screamed, vibrating with fear and anger. Blood trickled from her throat, claw marks scored into her skin, but she was breathing. She was alive.

And she’d poked his goddamn eyes out!

She shrugged. “Self-defense classes.”

Stepping forward, I glanced at her, waiting for her approval. She nodded and I snapped the male’s neck, his distraction proving fatal. Ignoring the sound of Tony retching, I swung around, launching myself at Raul. I didn’t have time to shift, so I waded in there, ignoring the claws and teeth digging into my skin. Letting my claws lengthen and canines grow, I grabbed Raul by the scruff of his neck. His hind legs dug into my stomach, shredding skin, his jaws snapping at my arm. I growled, letting my anger pour out of me, letting everything that made me who I was shine through my eyes. I was the fucking alpha, the strongest of my pack. And he dared to come in here and try to take what was mine!

Marianna and Samantha backed off, herding a snarling and snapping Alex with them. They waited with eager eyes. Waited for justice to be served.

I called upon my power, the strength I had coiled inside of me. I reached for my pack and felt them answer, then I shoved everything into the wolf in front of me, forcing him to change. Slowly. Painfully. I dragged it out of him until he collapsed on the floor a sweaty, blood streaked human once more. Before he could move, I picked him up and closed my hand around his neck. “I called challenge before my pack and yours. You will never hurt another female again.”

“Fuck you,” he spat, bringing his fist up and slamming it into my stomach.

I didn’t flinch, didn’t even feel it when he sliced his claws across my skin. “And now you have fought back. It is my right as alpha to kill you and claim what is yours.” Without hesitation, I crushed his throat, slicing through bones and tissue, until he sagged in my hand. Dropping him, I turned and strode back to Tahlia, who was standing there, staring at me. My feet dragged, until I came to a stop. I dropped my eyes, staring at my hands. Blood coated them, and though my claws were gone, I could feel them as if they were still there. Killing. It was what I was good at, what I had trained to do. What would she think of me? I couldn’t regret it. I would do it again in an instant, if it meant that she was safe.

A warm body hit me square in the chest and my arms came up, catching her with a surprised wheeze.

“What? A werewolf punches you in the stomach and yet I’m enough to make you splutter?” She was gazing at me, with nothing but love and heat in her eyes. Then she started patting me down, her hands running all over me and fingers tickling.

“Tahlia!” I caught her hands, bringing the tips of her fingers to my lips.

“You were hurt!”

“I’m nearly healed.” My gaze fell on her neck and I cursed, gently pushing back the strands of hair that had tangled with the blood.

“Grazes, that’s all.” But she winced.

I immediately wanted to kill Raul and his goon all over again. My attention swung to Samantha, who was back in human form again. They all were, even Alex. Tony had passed out on the floor, lying in his own vomit. I didn’t move him. I didn’t like the guy, so why would I? “I take it Zara messaged you?” I asked Samantha. She nodded, a vicious look on her usually kind face. “Message her back and inform her of the situation. Tell her to restrain but not kill them. Marianna will be down to declare judgment. Those who are not involved can go home.” I met Marianna’s gaze and she lifted her chin, then disappeared into the room with Samantha and Alex. Within seconds, they’d slipped past us, now dressed and ready to deliver vengeance.

My attention returned to the woman in my arms as I returned the favor, running my hands all over her body while I searched for injuries.

“Nick! I’m ticklish!” She squealed, batting my hands away. “It’s just my neck and it’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me.”

“Wait! Does this mean I’m going to turn into a werewolf at full moon?” Her eyes went round and I tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably.

“We call ourselves shifters, not werewolves, and no, you won’t change.”

She pouted and I couldn’t resist stealing a kiss, then another, our breath mingling and lips clashing until we were both panting and I had her pressed up against a wall, my hands sliding down to cup her breasts as she moaned into my mouth. Walls came in handy when it came to Tahlia, that’s for sure. “When we mate, it will help you heal,” I muttered around nipping at her mouth. Her breast filled my hand and I stroked my thumb across her nipple, scenting her arousal heighten.

“Superpowers, huh?” Her tongue tangled with mine, delaying my response.

“Not quite. You won’t heal like us, but there are some perks. You’ll live longer and heal faster than a human.”

She groaned as my hand slid inside her shorts, palming her heat. “Is that because of the whole bond thingy?”

I was two seconds away from screwing her against this damn wall. “Yes. Part of the power that makes me a shifter will be linked to you.” Fuck. We needed privacy. Now. She groaned when I removed my hand, but when I cupped her ass and tucked her legs around my hips, she bucked against me, almost snarling as she tugged my head back down to hers.

Privacy! Now!

But I had to hear the words. “Is that a yes?”

“Will I be the barbarian queen?”

I chuckled, but it was strained as she shifted against me, her heat coming into direct contact with my aching cock. “Will you be my mate?”

She leaned back, putting a finger on her lips. “Hmmmmm … let me think. Does it involve lots of hot sex with a certain sexy alpha?”

“Yes,” I ground out.

“How do you know I was talking about you?”

I shifted my weight, then lowered her slightly, letting her feel exactly what she’d be getting. If she’d only answer the damn question! “Tahlia…”

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes!” She peppered my face with kisses.

“You can’t say yes! You’re my fiancée!”

Oh, right. Tony the asshole, who had passed out at some point. Shame he was now awake and talking again.