It was a threat. Plain and simple.
He had ignored Zach's mark and had marked me as his himself. Anger surged within me as his hands lowered slowly from my breasts to my shorts.
His grubby hands delve down between the material and my skin while I struggled desperately to shake him off. My back was pressed firmly against a tree and there was a wolf in front and one either side of me, blocking my escape. My hands were pinned to the side of the tree and a heavy foot rested on each of mine, stopping me from kicking at them.
Ever so slowly, he pulled his fangs out of my neck, blood dripping from them and while I could tell it would scar, it would be barely noticeable compared to Zach's mark. His fangs were much smaller than Zach's and the mark was nowhere near as deep.
The hand that was down my shorts, lowered further, curling round my thighs and cupping me. His free hand pressed firmly over my mouth, preventing me from biting and muffling my snarls and shouts.
I winced as his fingers trailed lightly over the material of my underwear and his lips found the inside of my bra. Tears brimmed my eyes as I knew I couldn't get out of this. He could do whatever he wanted to me and I couldn't stop him.
Just as his hand flicked aside the material of my underwear, it was tore away from my body and his entire arm was twisted away from me. His neck snapped out of place and his body collapsed to the floor at my feet.
The grips on my arm loosened and I didn't waste a second before turning to the one on my left, growling and barking at him. He backed away instantly but I refused to let him off that easy.
Beside me, Liam was caging the other man against a tree, snarling deeply at him as his eyes blazed. His claws reached his throat and rested lightly on his skin, threatening him but not harming him.
I did the same with the man before me, placing one clawed finger to his windpipe and adding enough pressure to cut of his oxygen but not to tear through his skin.
With the other hand, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialled Tylers number. After several rings he answered. "Get here now," I demanded and with that, ended the call.
Seconds later, he came charging through the woods followed by the protection wolves. "El what happened?" He asked, surveying the scene.
I still remained topless, with small droplets of blood dripping from the holes in my neck. An unconscious man lay on the floor while Liam and I pinned the other two against nearby trees.
"I thought you said there was only one," I hissed, pulling away from the man in front of me and allowing him to breathe.
"I thought there was. I'm so sorry El." He sounded sincere and I knew Tyler wouldn't let me get hurt intentionally so I took a few breaths and nodded.
"Take all three of them to the cells, they can be a present to my boyfriend tomorrow." I watched as the two conscious wolves squirmed, their adams apples bobbing from the gulp.
"Yes Alpha Reed." One of my protection wolves - Sophie - nodded and then she dragged the unconscious one away. The rest of them took hold of the other two, leaving me with Liam.
I turned to him to witness his blazing eyes fade back into the beautiful icy blue colour. He stared at me for a second, shifting from one foot to the other uncomfortably and thats when I realised I was still topless. Instantly, I grasped my shirt and pulled it over my head, realising all the protection wolves had seen my bra as well as Tyler. That was something I would be keeping from Zach.
"Thank you." I smiled at him gratefully and he nodded.
"No problem." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"No really, thanks. If you hadn't have come-," I trailed off, not daring to think about what might have happened.
He nodded in response. "Are you ok?" He nodded towards the tooth shaped holes in my neck that were still oozing with blood.
"Yeah, it will barely leave a mark." I shrugged.
"You really going to let Zach have them?" He laughed. It was a familiar laugh, a little deeper than Zach's and throatier but familiar nonetheless.
"They deserve it." I grinned and then realised he would probably be worrying about now. "I should go but um... I owe you so if there is anything you need or you want to stick around, let me know." I nodded and he smiled solemnly.
"Thanks but... I won't stay unless I am welcome," he explained and I knew exactly what he was referring to. He came here for Zach and the only reason he would stay was for him.
"Ok." I nodded and turned to leave. Thoughts of Zach swam through my mind and I paused to turn back to Liam. "He does know you're his brother. He will come around eventually."
"He thinks I am putting you in danger." Sadness swam in his eyes and I felt pity for Liam.
"It seems to be his primal instinct." I rolled my eyes. "Making sure I am safe. When he realises I am, he will come looking for you so, don't stray too far," I begged and he nodded.
"Let me walk you home?" He more demanded than asked.
"I will be ok." I turned to leave again but just like his brother, Liam was stubborn.
"I'm walking you home. In case there are more of them."
"Ok," I laughed "thanks." The two of us strode through the woods for a long while in silence, both deep in thought.
"So how come you were out alone?" He asked me after a while.
"I am Alpha you know, I don't need a babysitter." I laughed and he nodded.
"I noticed, but Zach doesn't seem like the type to just let you walk around alone." He raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"No, a few months ago, someone was after me and Zach killed him, but he still worries that he wasn't working alone or someone else will come after me," I explained, shrugging slightly. There was nothing I could do about Zach's protectiveness and I knew he was just trying to keep me safe.
"And were they?" Liam asked. I raised a questioning eyebrow and he continued, "working with the guy who was after you?"
I shook my head. "No, they were just idiots. There are a lot of people who aren't particularly happy with a female Alpha and feel the need to express that unhappiness. They weren't the first and I'm sure they won't be the last."
He nodded with a solemn expression on his face but kept quiet. We soon approached the house and when we were about a metre from it, the door burst open. Zach's face was red with anger and his fists were clenched so tightly, his knuckles were white.
"What are you doing back here?" He screamed at Liam, approaching him rather quick.
"Zach." It came out my lips as barely a whisper but it was enough. His direction switched and soon his demeanour relaxed as he strode towards me.
"What happened?" He demanded sternly, reaching out to me and pulling me against him.
"It was an ambush," I whispered, pulling away to see his glare snap to Liam. "No, it wasn't him, he stopped them," I assured him, reaching for his chin to turn his attention back to me.
Love and affection flooded into his eyes, washing away the anger as he looked at me. I melted in the hold of his eyes, although they were icy and cold, they sent a warmth surging through me. Suddenly they snapped back to an amber colour, flames ablaze as they zoned in on my neck. "What the hell is that?" He seethed, tilting my head so he could assess the damage.
"They um... they didn't exactly attack me in a violent sense," I mumbled as his whole body trembled with fury.
"They tried to mark you?" His voice was more of a growl than speech. "Where are they?"
"In the cells. I thought you might want to deal with them." Now a new fire flickered in his eyes, lighting up his face. The adrenaline that comes with revenge fed his fire like fuel. They grew and danced in the orbs of his eyes.
He pulled me against him once again, resting my head against the beat of his heart. I turned in his arms to face an uncomfortable looking Liam.
"Liam, thank you," I repeated, desperately needing him to know how grateful I was.
"It's not a problem. I um... I am going to go, see you," he mumbled and I smiled.
"Bye."
"Stay safe ok?" He asked.
"I will," I promised and a smile crossed his face. "If you ever change your mind, you are always welcome here. I owe you a lot," I said.
"Thanks," he muttered and then turned to leave. He trudged through the inner circle and approached the edge of the gardens.
I glanced up at my boyfriend with an expression of pleading and expecting. Liam had now proven he wasn't a danger so Zach had to believe him now.
He frowned down at me and shook his head until Liam was far in the distance. His eyes were narrowed and staring daggers at me when he sighed. "Wait." I squeezed his hand in encouragement and smiled when I saw Liam halt across the village. "Stay."
Liam twisted around on the spot to face us again, eyes wide and eyebrows high up his forehead. "What?"
"Stay," Zach repeated. "You protected Ella and I owe you everything for that. So stay."
"Really?"
"Yes," was all he said before turning back inside.
"Ok." Liam nodded regardless, a radiant smile lighting up his face.
"You can stay with us until I find you a house," I offered, remembering how that worked out the last time.