Page 32 of Ruin

“Bloody hell, this isn’t a temporary camp, then?”

“No. Drake and Owen are in charge of the camp and are working with an a-hole military guy. He’s some kind of special forces prick who doesn’t like anyone else being in charge. They think there is a rift into Hell in that prison, which is how Berith and some of his demons made it into this world. It also explains why he is reluctant to leave this place.”

I smiled, trying to imagine a complete stranger trying to control the blood brothers who had fought side by side together for the past four years. “Now I really want to see mister military a-hole trying to push his dominance on you guys. I’ll bet it’s really fucking entertaining.” I laughed, imagining all the growls and posturing around that small table in Owen’s ops center.

Stone glowered at me, but his lips twitched.

“Oh, come on, Stone, it must have been funny, him trying to control just you, never mind Owen and the others, too.”

Stone smoothed his features out and stared forward, though his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “I don’t know what you mean, she-wolf. I respect everyone, just so long as they are one of my pack.”

“Thought so.”

Soldiers dressed similarly to me but with baseball caps and combat vests on, caught my attention. They were all fit, the muscles of their big arms, backs and chests straining under their jackets. I slowed my steps. Stone matched my pace. They patrolled the electrified perimeter fence in pairs, automatic weapons held relaxed, but ready to use. A group of them sat outside a two story cabin, clearly this was their quarters. I kept my feet moving when one of them raised his head as if sensing my attention. I casually let my gaze drift away from him, not willing to allow Prime to sense his attention on me. Happy with the presence of his brother by my side, Prime took no notice.

A tall, muscular guy with a buzz cut and bad attitude strode deliberately into our path. Stone growled, ending up almost nose to nose with the big male.

“Move.” Stone’s voice was utterly devoid of emotion. His eyes glowed purple before yellow rolled over them.

The newcomer snarled. “Don’t fucking think so, half-breed.”

Oh, shit!This guy might be a soldier, but Stone had spent the last four years killing anyone who got in his way. Stone moved so quickly, I didn’t even see him. His forehead smashed into the guy’s face. There was a loud crack and blood exploded across buzz cut’s face and splattered over Stone’s mouth.

There was a chorus of: “Oh, Shit!” “Whoa!” “Fuck!” And many other curse words as Stone’s fist made contact with the guys jaw, knocking him flat on his back.

Prime perked up at the sound of bone breaking and the scent of blood. I braced myself for his fury, but it seemed he found his brother’s actions justified. Satisfied, he settled back down to watch, happy his third was nearby to protect me. When Stone took a stride towards the fallen male, I jerked into action. “Stone! No!”

His head whipped towards me. I inhaled sharply. His eyes were a stunning mix of purple and yellow and claws gleamed at his fingertips. He inhaled and snarled, so I snarled right back. “Leave him. You’ve proved your strength, and we aren’t in that prison any more. It stops here. No killing.”

Stone held my gaze, his big shoulders rising and falling hard as he struggled with his wolf, trying to contain his dominance in the face of all the soldiers who now pointed weapons at us. Stone dropped his gaze from me, but raised it again, his teeth lengthening as a weapon safety was clicked off.

“Lower your weapons. Now,” said a calm authoritative voice. Without hesitation all the soldiers did as commanded. I ran the few steps needed to reach Stone. “Hey. Look at me, not them.” An encouraging touch on his arm and he did. Prime raised his eyes and melded his gaze with mine. Stone’s nostrils flared, but he lowered his gaze, the pulse of his alpha power lessening.

“Thank you,” I said quietly to him as Prime turned his attention to the man on the floor, considering whether or not to burst through and rip his throat out. He decided it was his third’s fight and settled down. Stone nodded his head, his irises now the silver grey ringed with purple I was getting used to seeing. Neither his fae side nor his wolf were dampened by that fucking collar anymore and I could now see how strong he really was. He might be a half-breed, but that didn’t make him less dangerous, it made himmore. A predator with the viciousness and magic of a fae. Damn, these soldiers might not be as good as I was hoping if they couldn’t figure that out.

“No,thank you, she-wolf,” Stone said, cracking his neck. His eyes narrowed, and his gaze fixed on the guy who pushed himself from the floor.

“Well, this place is full of surprises,” said the calm voice from behind me. “A female who can tame an alpha who isn’t her mate. Interesting indeed.”

I turned my attention from Stone to the tall, ruggedly attractive male. The skin tight top he wore molded to the cut of his defined and generous muscles. My focus grazed over his flat, washboard stomach, right down to his shit-kickers. I smirked. Ok yeah, he was scorching hot. I could appreciate that as a woman, especially one who hadn’t had sex in months, but getting some bump and grind wasn’t the purpose of my lustful stare; nope, not at all.

His spine straightened and a small, confident smile curled the corner of his generous mouth. His eyes sparkled with amusement and interest when I met his heavy gaze and held it. I didn’t need to look again to know he had three knives on him and a hand gun that had the ability to taser. His knuckles and the back of his hands were scarred, and his forearms were thick with muscles and veins. This man was a fighter, a leader who got his hands dirty, just like Connor. He was measured, his voice told me so, but he was pure alpha; a man who exuded authority and presence, so I doubted that measured attitude would last. I wondered what his shifter spirit was.

Prime growled long and low, sensing a threat. Gritting my teeth against his rising aggression, I forced him back. Mea stepped up, distracting him while I dealt with the newcomer. It was a fight not to roll my eyes as the male’s smirk widened.

Stone growled low in his chest. I patted his defined pecs, not taking my attention from the huge newcomer. “It’s fine, I got this.”

The male raised one brow, his derision at Stone for allowing me to take control, obvious. Clear hazel eyes narrowed as I took a step closer. Like most male shifters, especially alphas, he didn’t step back; after all, I was just a petite female shifter, I wasn’t a threat. I gave him a smile and looked up through my lashes. If I hadn’t had Connor to compare him to, I might have drooled at the sight of his sexy smirk. His confidence and power were off the charts, and the long dark lashes that framed his eyes were to die for. Yep, he was a hot bastard, but I didn’t bother dropping my gaze from his intense stare, even when he pushed some strong alpha vibes on me.

His heavy brows dipped.

I smiled wider. “That’s right, your alpha mojo doesn’t work on me.” I snapped my thumb and middle finger together and a flame ignited. I didn’t need to snap my fingers, but it was more showy. I twisted my palm and held up the pretty blue and green flame, playing with it by passing it along my fingers like a coin. “So back off.” I growled, letting Prime use me to warn the male off. But this guy saw only the short red headed woman in front of him. That was probably a good thing or we’d have ended up in a full-on alpha challenge. He grinned, but still didn’t step back. “I like my women with fire, makes life more interesting.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not your woman. Come too close and you’ll get that pretty face burned right off.”

He chuckled. “Wow, feisty. I like you. So what’s your name, honey?”

Honey?Oh, he didnotjust say that.

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