Page 50 of No Mane, No Gain

One of the men, a thick-necked brute with a jagged scar across his chin, sneered. “You really pissed someone off, sweetheart.”

Olive opened her mouth to scream, but a stinging slap across her face silenced her. The taste of copper filled her mouth as she bit her tongue.

Fear threatened to overwhelm her, but Olive pushed it down. She wasn’t some helpless damsel. Years of self-defense training and kickboxing had prepared her for this. She might be smaller, but she was far from powerless.

Taking a deep breath, Olive centered herself. In one fluid motion, she brought her knee up hard, catching Scarface in the groin. He doubled over with a pained grunt, his grip loosening.

Seizing the opportunity, Olive twisted, breaking free from the other man’s hold. She spun, her elbow connecting solidly with his solar plexus. He staggered back, gasping for air.

A flicker of hope ignited in Olive’s chest. She could do this. She could fight her way out.

But that hope was quickly extinguished as a bone-chilling growl filled the alley. Olive watched in horror as the second man’s body began to contort and shift. Where a human had stood moments before, a massive cougar now crouched, its amber eyes fixed on her with predatory intent.

Terror clawed at Olive’s throat. This was no ordinary mugging. How could she possibly defend herself against a shifter?

The cougar tensed, ready to pounce. Olive braced herself, knowing her chances were slim but refusing to go down without a fight.

Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the alley. A blur of golden fur and rippling muscle bounded past Olive, colliding with the cougar mid-leap.

Chaos. Her lion. Her protector.

Relief flooded Olive, but she couldn’t afford to let her guard down. Scarface had recovered and was now advancing on her, a wicked-looking knife glinting in his hand.

“You’re gonna pay for that, bitch,” he snarled, lunging forward.

Olive sidestepped, using his momentum against him. Her fist connected with his jaw, the satisfying crack of bone reverberating through her knuckles.

Scarface stumbled, clearly not expecting such fierce resistance. Olive pressed her advantage, unleashing a flurry of kicks and punches. Each strike was fueled by anger – anger at being attacked, at being underestimated, at having her evening ruined.

With a final roundhouse kick, Olive sent Scarface crashing into a pile of trash cans. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Panting heavily, Olive turned to check on Chaos. The sight before her made her blood run cold.

Olive’s heart pounded as she watched Chaos and the cougar circle each other, muscles coiled tightly beneath their fur. The alley echoed with low growls and the scrape of claws on concrete.

The two big cats collided in a fury of claws and fangs. Olive winced as she heard flesh tear, unsure whose blood was splattering the alley walls.

Despite the dire situation, Olive couldn’t help but quip, “And here I thought cats were supposed to land on their feet.”

The cougar, momentarily distracted by her voice, caught a heavy swipe from Chaos across its muzzle. It yowled in pain, staggering back.

“That’s right, kitty,” Olive taunted, her voice steadier than she felt. “You mess with the lion, you get the roar.”

Chaos used the distraction to his advantage, clamping his powerful jaws around the cougar’s hind leg. With a vicious shake of his head, he sent the other shifter flying into a stack of crates.

The cougar struggled to its feet, favoring its injured leg.

Chaos’s mane was matted with blood, his golden eyes blazing with protective fury.

The cougar, realizing it was outmatched, turned to flee. But Chaos was faster. He pounced, his massive form pinning the cougar to the ground.

“Chaos, watch out!” Olive cried as the cougar twisted, its claws raking across Chaos’s underbelly.

Chaos roared in pain but didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he brought his face close to the cougar’s, teeth bared.

With lightning speed, Chaos’s jaws closed around the cougar’s throat. There was a sickening crunch, and the cougar went limp.

As Chaos turned back to her, still in lion form, Olive let out a shaky breath. “My hero,” she said, a wobbly smile on her face. “Though I have to say, I prefer you a little less... furry.”