Alpha’s Strength(53)

Her hands shifted into hairy claws, which might have disturbed her if they hadn’t been so completely what she needed at that moment.

Kyra gasped, staring down at her. “How did you do that?”

“Can’t you?” She shook her head. “We’ll work it out later. I’m getting rid of her.”

“No.” Kyra held onto her. “Please don’t do that. I can’t let you get hurt.’

But she wanted to take care of this situation. She craved retribution for the threat.

Growls sounded around her. She didn’t know which werewolves had made the noise, but she joined in on the sound. These humans should be cowering. They should be on their knees hoping they didn’t get torn to bits.

Whether she wanted to fight or not, the option had been taken the moment the woman had issued her challenge. The knife-wielding humans rushed at them, and all Betsy saw was red.



****



“Betsy.” Liana shook her, and she stared down at the other woman. There were screams deafening her, and blood dripped from her hands. What had happened? She sucked in her breath. She’d seen red, and then she had no idea what happened.

“Liana.” She said the other woman’s name as though it were a lifeline because, in that moment, it was.

“That’s right. You’ve been in battle haze. It’s normal.” Liana shook her again gently. “Happens to all the new werewolves. But, listen to me, we have to get out of here.”

“What happened? What did I do? Where is Kyra?”

Liana’s face fell. “Let’s not worry about that now. You were remarkable. I can’t keep you safe here any longer.”

Just then the door flew open, and a large group of werewolves pushed through the door howling. She briefly saw Jensen, Mitchell, and some of the others she had met briefly, but she had eyes only for the man who led the charge.

Her Alpha.

Cyrus.

He rushed through the door, slamming into one of the humans holding a weapon. The man went down to the floor and was immediately picked by up by Mitchell, who twisted his neck into an unnatural position.

Cyrus was here. He was coming to her. She stared down at her claws. There was blood on them. Whose blood is that? What has happened?

Her gaze flew to the door where the gray-haired woman lay with her throat slit. Had she done that? Where was Kyra? Something was in the back of her mind, something she should know.

Cyrus’ arms came around her, pulling her against him. “Are you okay? Betsy, are you okay? Look at me.”

She forced her eyes upward. “My hands.”

Betsy held up her hands to show him the claws. Cyrus took them in for a second. “Okay. It’s rare. Not all of us can do that. I can’t. I don’t partially shift. I’m really glad, in this case, that you can. Are you okay? Shit, I’ve never been so afraid. When I heard—”

Behind her came a sound she’d never heard before and hoped she never would again. A howl of pure and total pain filled the air, and everyone in the room went silent.

Betsy twisted in Cyrus’ arms. She had to see, had to know what could have caused such pain. It was a werewolf crying out. It had to be. But why?

Cyrus let go of her and moved toward the sound of the pain. She stared toward where he walked. Jensen was on his knees on the floor, his face a contorted version of his strong, tense features. Tears streamed down his face.

Only one thing could have done that to him. Kyra. No. The woman had been with her when it had all gone red. Was this her fault? She had no memory, no idea of what happened. No. No. No. This couldn’t be happening.

She rushed to Cyrus’ side. Kyra lay in Jensen’s lap, her eyes open and staring lifeless at the ceiling. Jensen rocked her back and forth, howling at the ceiling, and next to him, Lake wept openly.

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t help.” Lake covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry. It’s not working.”

It was the alcohol. Lake hadn’t been able to smell the perfume. She’d been out of it. None of them should have been drinking like they had, and Betsy couldn’t consider herself blameless. She’d known something was wrong. How could this be happening? Kyra had been talking about true mating, and now she was dead. Betsy couldn’t even remember how it had happened.

They were supposed to be going to the movies. She was supposed to be making friends.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” Jensen put his head down on his dead mate’s body. “I couldn’t get through the door. There were too many of them outside. I’m so sorry. Take me with you. Don’t leave me here to do this alone. Don’t go, Kyra. Please, Lake, I’ll do anything you ask for. Bring her back. Anything you want.”