Rough It Up [Grassroots] by Emma Hillman

Author:Emma Hillman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC

Chapter Ten

* * * *

"No one touches my mother!"

She grabbed her stepbrother and lifted him, her muscles aching as she held up his full weight. Her lioness was so angry, she could feel her skin start to itch. She was going to shift soon, but she didn't care. She wanted to shake him. Hurt him. Make him pay. For this, sure, but also for all those years where she'd cried herself to sleep every damn night.

"Alexa!"

Hands pulled her back. She growled and snapped, never letting go of Tommy. He saw an opportunity and slashed at her with his shifted paw. She bit back a cry. Blood was already welling up from the cuts that were appearing on her shoulder.

Jay pushed her behind him and was on the other man in a second. His fist met with her stepbrother's stomach, sending him flying into the nearest wall. Tommy bounced then lay sprawled in a weird position on the floor.

Her mate knelt down to check out the other man, swearing when it became quite clear he was out of it. “Shit!"

Alexa bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Her shoulder ached, but she didn't even look down at it. She knew she'd messed up. Bad. But they'd touched her mother! Her lioness was so upset, she felt on the verge of losing it inside her.

Liquid pooled down her arm and plopped onto the linoleum-covered floor. Drip, drip, drip. It was the only sound in the room, bar Jay's anger-laden breathing and her mother's tears.

She could feel everyone's gaze on her, some accusing, some wondering. It was a cowardly thing to do, and yet she couldn't stop herself from whirling around and striding out of the house. She'd thought she was this strong woman, all too aware of her new status, drunk from the power her lioness gave her...and yet, she was just as she'd been before.

Weak.

"Go take care of her. I'll deal with them."

His father's words echoing in his mind, Jay thought he might snap as he stepped outside and went looking for his mate. She'd disobeyed him. No, it was even worse than that. She'd clearly acted without thinking in front of their Alpha and his lieutenants, and had gotten hurt in the process. Somewhere inside him, he knew why she'd done it. He almost understood it. After all, he probably would have acted the same if someone had threatened his mother. But she wasn't Alpha! She was his mate, and he'd told her to behave, but no, she'd had to go and... He growled, the scent of her blood turning him even angrier. “Alexa!” he called out.

He followed her scent to the back garden, growing more and more agitated as seconds passed. When he found her, however, he realized he couldn't reprimand her. Not right now. She was sitting on the cold ground, her eyes unseeing, her shoulder still bleeding. “Alexa, baby.” He knelt down behind her and drew her against his chest.

"I'm sorry,” she murmured as she closed her eyes, avoiding his gaze.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.