Page 33 of Labor of Love

A low growling came from beyond the window, sending Emre’s hair standing on end.

Zenith snapped his gaze in the same direction. “What was that?”

Emre’s heart lodged in his throat. “It sounds familiar. Like a wolf.”

Like Ronald.

He’d found them.

6

THE SHOWDOWN

Emre tried not to panic. Not too far away, Ronald’s claws clicked on the asphalt of the apartment’s parking lot.

“I can hear you,” the wolf growled. “Cheating on me already?”

“I severed our bond,” Emre said, trying to make his voice as strong as he could, even though his entire body was already braced for pain. “I don’t belong to you!”

“Yeah,” Zenith said easily. “He belongs to me now.” He tucked his nose into Emre’s hair. “I filled him with my cum until it poured out of him. Emre opened his legs and begged for it. You should’ve seen him.”

Emre’s face burned red-hot. In front of anyone else, he would’ve been mortified.

But in front of Ronald, it felt like rebellion. Like a giant fuck-you to a piss stain he should’ve left a long time ago.

Ronald roared. “You worthless whore?—”

Zenith stood and left the bedroom swiftly. “Stay here.”

“Where are you going?” Emre yelped. Zenith was much bigger than Emre, but what if he needed backup somehow?

Zenith thought for a moment. “Stay in the bedroom with Abbie and Buttwheel.”

He began shoving at the furniture in the living room. The couch and coffee table went straight into the far corners, leaving an open space in the middle of the room. He tapped on his phone and set it aside, and opened the front door.

A roar came from much closer.

Emre set Abbie into Buttwheel’s belly and pushed them into the bedroom, shutting them in. Then he stood his ground in front of the bedroom door.

Zenith frowned. “You should be in there.”

“I’m going to protect them, too,” Emre retorted.

Zenith opened his mouth. Then a huge brown shape barreled into the living room, slobber dripping off its teeth.

Zenith leaped to one side to avoid the wolf’s attack. “You abused Emre when he was your mate.”

“He’s mine to treat however I want.”

Rage snapped in Zenith’s eyes, turning them red. “You’re an alpha. You’re supposed to protect your mate. Not beat them so hard, you leave scars all over their skin!”

“He needed a lesson,” Ronald snarled.

“No, he fucking didn’t. All he’s done is try to protect his pups.”

When Ronald leaped at him again, Zenith punched him in the snout. Zenith shifted in a shimmer of gold, and there was suddenly a massive sapphire dragon in the living room, all gleaming scales and snapping teeth.

Ronald roared and leaped at him.

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