Tim’s scream and the scent of blood snapped Kontra out of his shock. He roared his anger and leaped forward. He grabbed the wings of the flapping owl, pulled it away from Tim, and threw it across the room.
The shifter landed with a bone-crunching thump and dropped to the floor, leaving a dent in the drywall. Kontra let the change come. His jeans tore as his limbs thickened, realigned, and grew hair. As he leaped toward his lover’s attacker, he kicked off his boots, giving his claws room to grow. He snapped at the owl as it flapped its wings and just barely evaded his lunge.
Growling loudly, Kontra swung his big head and followed the owl’s movements, pleased to see the stiffness and obvious pain caused by moving the right wing. Before his eyes, the shifter’s flying evened out and its wing mended. Then the shifter went after Tim again.
Kontra lumbered across the room. This time he swung a massive paw at Pierre. He connected, raking his long, lethally sharp claws deep amongst the feathers. The owl screeched and flapped, barely keeping its bleeding form from slamming into a dresser.
Not waiting this time, Kontra attacked again, hitting the shifter with the pad of his paw. The owl tumbled to the floor. Immediately, Kontra spread one massive paw over the downed owl. He brought his face close to the owl, preparing to strike, when the shifter beneath his paw shuddered and shifted.
One moment, Kontra held down a large brown and white owl. In the next instant, he stared down at a man. “Mercy,” Pierre pleaded, staring up at him through his lashes as he struggled to breathe under the weight of Kontra’s bear-paw.
Kontra roared, not liking that idea one bit.
He felt a presence at his shoulder, and tilted his head just enough to focus one eye on Payson. The hyena shifter sneered. “Like you were going to show mercy to Tim? You deserve none.”
Alpha Pierre’s face paled. “Please.”
Kontra decided his pack mate was right. Ignoring the pleas escaping the alpha’s throat, he roared again. This shifter had sent men to beat the shit out of his mate, he’d kept them apart for decades, and he’d broken into Tim’s home and attacked his mate. There would be no mercy. Opening his jaws, he latched on to the shifter’s throat and bit down. Blood oozed around his teeth and tongue, the bitter, copper taste soothing his bear’s anger and need for justice.
Once the light of life leeched from Pierre’s eyes, Kontra released him, threw his head back, and roared. His mate was safe.
“Kontra!”
Adam’s call brought Kontra back to the room and what had prompted his shift. He turned toward Tim and spotted his buddy holding a rag to Tim’s neck. Gaining control, Kontra initiated his shift and resumed his human form.
Reaching his mate’s side, Kontra took in the blood soaking through the sheet Adam held against his lover’s upper chest. Fear tore through him when he saw how shallowly Tim breathed. He seemed to struggle for each breath, his pale skin, and shock-filled eyes.
“No, Tim,” Kontra said, the sound rent from his throat. “You will not leave me.”
Chapter Eight
Tim tried to keep his breathing slow and even, but each breath felt like he was sucking in needles. It was hell resisting the urge to hack. He just knew that would hurt even worse. He’d thought listening to his mate fight with his ex-alpha and not being able to do anything had been hell. Now that the excitement was past, and he felt the pressure applied by Adam, he just wanted to pass out and make it all go away.
He closed his eyes, deciding it just might not be a bad idea to let the spots dancing behind his eyes win.
“Tim. Open your eyes right now, Tim. Don’t you dare fall asleep,” Kontra ordered gruffly.
Swallowing hard, Tim opened his mouth, wanting to assure his clearly worried mate.
“No, don’t talk yet. You’re going to be just fine,” Kontra said, trying to soothe him. “Just open your eyes for me. Let me see those pretty hazel eyes.”
Tim smiled a bit at that. He hadn’t really thought Kontra the pretty words type. He cracked his eyes and looked up at his mate.
“Hey, everything will be fine,” Kontra whispered.
Tim wanted to believe that, but then why was it so difficult to raise his arm?
“When’s Eli supposed to be here?” Kontra asked, glancing toward Adam, clearly directing the question toward him.
“He’s about an hour out,” Adam replied.
“I’m not sure Tim will last that long,” Luc murmured.
Tim finally realized everyone was crowded around the bed looking at him. Well, shit, that can’t be good. He finally looked down to where he hurt…and nearly passed out at the sight of blood, his blood, soaking through the fabric. “Mmmf,” he whimpered.