Chapter 5 5

ASH

I could never forget hair like hers. Could never forget the way her tight cunt wrapped around my cock like a vice as she rode me like an Amazonian warrior.

But the girl on the ground before me was not the same person I fucked last night. And I wasn't pleased. Especially when that spoilt brat, Bryan had the audacity to say such words.

My claws extended pricking my palms. I felt beads of blood drop to the ground as I squeezed my fist tighter. But my efforts to rein in my anger were proving to be difficult.

"And why isn't she for sale?" Enzo asked, sizing up Bryan like his next meal and for that show of defiance, he might be.

Bryan stood in front of her, chin tipped up, as if the extra inch might shield him from the force of Enzo's stare. "She's my mate. The only reason she's even alive right now is because of that." He tried to put steel in his voice, but it trembled at the edges. It made my teeth itch.

Enzo just stared. His eyes darkened, then went flat, black as wet river rocks. If looks could break bone, Bryan's whole skull would be splinters on the ground.

"She doesn't smell like your mate," Enzo said, voice low and offhand, like he was bored. "In fact, she smells like nothing at all." He cocked his head, as if genuinely puzzled. "You marking her would change that, wouldn't it?"

Bryan's jaw worked. "I-she's an omega. Their bonds are different."

The fool.

I squatted in front of the girl, letting my coat hang open to show I wasn't a threat. "You could've fooled me," I said. I reached out, slow and careful, and she flinched so hard she almost fell sideways. That made something in my chest go cold. Omegas don't react like that, not unless they've been broken in a million small, invisible ways.

She obviously doesn't know who I was. Fair. I didn't real dress up to be recognized, especially with the mask covering the lower half of my face.

She lifted her head, just barely. Her eyes were wild and red-rimmed, cheeks still streaked where tears dried. The bruises on her face looked worse up close, blue-black and angry. I ghosted my palm against her cheek, wanting to touch her but unwilling got curse her harm.

I swore under my breath, looking her over for any other wounds. Baron's men didn't bother with subtlety when it came to punishment. "We'll take her," I said to Enzo, ignoring Bryan's spluttering.

"She's my mate," Bryan repeated.

Enzo took a slow step closer, speaking to Baron with his gaze focused on his son. "You said anything. Unless you're breaking your word in front of your entire pack?" The dare in his voice was a weapon and he wielded it with the same precision he used during training.

Baron's lips curled. "She's already been claimed."

"By a boy who can't keep his cock in his pants?" I deadpanned, looking straight into Baron's eyes.

He squirmed. I smirked behind the mask.

I was aware of my effect on people, particularly my eyes. The intense green was so unsettling wolves hardly looked me in the eye but not little one over here. No, she looked me straight in the eye despite the metaphorical chains holding her down.

Lisa's eyes darted between us, quick and bright, and for a split second I thought I caught the ghost of a memory flicker through them-a hot, pulse-thumping echo of flesh and sweat, and the sound she made when she shattered against me. But she shook her head, blinked the thought away, and her jaw set hard.

Bryan reached for her arm, tried to lift her to her feet but she pulled away from him violently. "Don't touch me," she said, her voice low and raw.

Enzo's eyes lit, just a flash, and he nodded at me. "Unbind her. Now." I stepped forward, my claws already receded, and knelt in front of her. I could feel Bryan's outrage behind me, sour and sickly. He had never had to work for a single thing in his life.

I hated him for that alone.

I turned to the girl and held her gaze. "You want to leave?"

She glanced at Baron, at Bryan, at the other omegas behind her. Then, her chin came up just enough to make her look insubordinate. "Yes."

Bryan barked a hollow laugh, and in one smooth, practiced motion, Enzo's hand closed around his throat. The move was so fast and so casual it looked like fatherly discipline, not violence; but Bryan's eyes bulged and his hands clawed at the iron grip. "She said she's leaving," Enzo said, like it was a simple discussion. "Let her."

Baron looked between the two of them and at the growing crowd. He might've been a monster, but he wasn't a stupid one. "Unbind her, Bryan. Or I will."

Bryan's voice was petulant and high. "If you take her, you're violating pack law. She's my mate by the moon-"

Enzo faced him, baring his teeth at him. "Do you plan to challenge me for her, boy?" The room went silent. Bryan paled, his bravado leaking out along with the color in his face.

"I-" he started, but he had nothing to say.

Resigned to his faith, he walked to her and begun loosening the knots. His hands shook as he fumbled with the knots. The rope fell away. Lisa staggered to her feet, keeping her gaze locked on some invisible horizon. To her credit, she didn't flinch when Enzo released Baron and pushed him aside like a sack of potatoes.

I put my hand out to steady her. She was wobbly, no surprise, and in the momentary hush that followed, I could feel the whole room watching. Lisa's hand found my arm and clutched, hard, as she righted herself. Then she pulled away with a defiant snap.

"I'm not property," she muttered. It was for herself, but the words hung like smoke in the air.

"Not here," I said, and gestured toward the exit. But she'll be mine when we got home.

Behind us, Baron's lips drew thin, but he didn't stop us. He just stared at Lisa, a muscle in his temple twitching.

The other omegas followed as we walked. They'd been so well trained in obedience that even their rescue was a march of compliance. A few of them glanced at Lisa, as if seeking permission to be afraid. She didn't even look at them; her eyes were busy scanning the faces of every wolf in the room, daring one to talk to her.

As we stepped into our vehicles, Enzo stopped and turned to face Baron.

"I'd be expecting at least 50 of your best warriors at Blue Moon at the first sign of Dawn," he started. "Don't make me come back."

With that, he climbed into the car and I followed, shutting the door behind me.

I turned to face the girl, who was seated between us both and my pulse thrummed at her presence. A slow smile stretched across my face.

This was going to be fun.