Lib Novel Page 16
I can’t kill them, but I may be able to knock them out. Unfortunately, Freddy’s claws have made it impossible for me to lift my shoulder, the injury far too deep. But my other hand is still capable of moving. I punch Freddy in the face, making him stagger backward. Straining my muscles, I sweep my leg over the ground, dropping two of his friends, and then I slam my forehead against another one who is trying to grab me.
These guys are wolf shifters, though. These injuries are nothing to them. And since I cannot fight at full capacity, I am at a severe disadvantage. Freddy grabs me by the neck, and I know there is only one way out of this situation. I bare my claws, preparing myself to rip his heart out. However, before I can so much as move, somebody grabs Freddy by the back of his neck and hurls him out of the alley and into the street. This person deals with the rest of his friends in the same manner, first knocking them out and then tossing them aside like rag dolls. My heart is racing, fear making me whimper.
I could barely deal with Freddy, and now this man who has brute strength on his side has shown up. I won’t be able to defend myself. He is wearing a hood that hides his face, so I don’t even know who I’m up against.
My mouth bitter with the taste of fear, I slump to the ground.
I hear him step toward me, and I bare my claws. “I’m not going down without a fight!”
My voice is hoarse.
The man crouches before me and pushes his hood back. Alex’s eyes meet mine.
“Let me guess,” he says slowly. “Drop a tray on them, too?”
His voice is light, but I can see the anger in his eyes.
Chapter 4
Sophia Hope
I look at Alex, shaken. “You’re not…”
Why isn’t he affected by my blood?
I don’t know why, but ever since that afternoon many years ago when I tasted my first kill, there has been something about my blood and my scent that makes males go insane. I tried asking the Director of the orphanage about it as she was packing my few, meager belongings to ship me off to this town, but she ignored me, even though she was the one who had me start taking scent blockers.
Nobody ever told me anything about why I’m like this, and none of the books in the local library helped, either.
This person before me is the first man to appear unaffected by my blood.
Alex is giving me a strange look, as if something is bothering him. Finally, he says, “I’ll take you to a healer—”
“No!” I burst out. I struggle to get to my feet. “Not the healer! He’s a male.” I know my words don’t make sense to Alex, and I don’t expect them to. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine. You can leave.”
I expect him to walk away. That would be the obvious thing to do. But he lets out a sigh, and before I can stop him, he picks me up in his arms like a bride and jumps up on top of the van. I don’t even have time to ask him what he’s trying to do before he leaps again, landing on the roof of the bar.
“What are you doing?” I gasp in shock.
“Do you ever stop talking?” He gives me a mildly annoyed look.
Insulted, I glare at him. “I don’t need your help. I can manage on my own just fine.”
“I can see that.” He studies me for a moment. “Just humor me.”
But I don’t want to humor him. I just want to be left alone so that I can deal with this situation and be done with it.
He keeps jumping from roof to roof, moving so fast that the scenery around me is a blur. When he enters the forest, my fingers curl around the front of his shirt. “Where are you taking me? I don’t go into the forest with strange men!”
“If I wanted to do anything to you,” Alex sounds faintly amused, “I would have done it in that dark alley. Now, be a good girl and stay still.”
Be a good girl?! I’m not a little kid!
My heart is pounding at his proximity, my wolf excited rather than tense. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. Maybe that’s why I get so agitated around Alex. My animal has never shown much interest in anyone till Alex showed his face, and now it’s acting like a mushy little puppy. If I could shift, I’m sure my wolf would be on its back, arms and legs in the air, tongue out like a fool.
You’re an embarrassment to us, I inform my animal, who doesn’t seem to care.
Alex suddenly jumps to the ground and then sits me down, positioning my back against a tree. He crouches in front of me and uses his claws to make quick work of my already torn sleeve. I open my mouth to protest, but one look from him has me pressing my lips together as I choose to keep my opinions to myself.