Page 6 of Alpha Marked

The sound of her wolf's voice made River jerk to life. Rage burst through River like an explosion, and she roared and unpinned her right hand. She jammed the peeler downward into the male's back. His teeth disengaged from her throat, and he howled in pain. Again, River stabbed him. And a third time, reaching for his neck. Blood spurted from the wounds and splashed her face and arms.

Angry hands yanked the male off her.

"You son of a bitch! I'm going to rip your teeth out!" Cherry screamed.

River lay dazed for a minute before Strider rushed in. "River. Sweetheart. Are you okay?"

She fought to speak as her wolf squirmed in the red rope, howling and crying.

Strider inspected her. "Are you hurt? Is the blood his or yours?"

She fought to make coherent sentences, unable to process as the screams of her wolf echoed in her head.

Strider shook her gently. "River! Did he bite you?"

His voice pierced her brain fog, and she lifted her hand to her throat. A gash tore through her throat, spurting blood as skin dangled to the side.

"Shit." He picked her up and carried her out of the pantry, laying her on the counter. The other pack leaders rushed in and yelled for their mates. The noise and commotion overwhelmed her as dozens of people entered the kitchen.

Cherry appeared at her side. "What happened?"

River tried to use the edge of her sundress to staunch the bleeding in her neck. She healed as quickly as the next wolf, but she'd need stitches anyway.

Strider looked at Cherry and then River. "He bit her."

Terror flashed across Cherry's face, and she focused on River. "Do you see her?" she demanded. "Your wolf. Do you see her?"

River couldn't do more than nod.

"Is there a rope? Is she tethered to a rope?"

River nodded again. "It's red," she managed.

Cherry roared and pulled a gun from her back pocket. "He bit her! He bit her against her will!" She ran to where no less than a dozen pack members restrained the now bleeding and feral-looking male. "I'm gonna blow your f-ing head off, you son of a bitch." Cherry cocked the hammer of her gun, but as it went off, their Alpha pushed the gun out of the way. The bullet missed the male by less than an inch.

Cherry whirled on the Alpha and pointed the gun straight in his face. The Alpha told Cherry to drop the weapon.

"He bit my daughter. He tried to claim her without consent. He deserves death."

The Alpha remained calm. "Yes. But that's not our place to decide."

Cherry glared at the male and back at their Alpha. "He's a rogue. No one will miss him. He dies for the violation of my daughter." Cherry raised the gun and pulled the trigger a second time, but this time, their Alpha moved so fast River barely saw the blur. The bullet struck the male in the shoulder, but Cherry flew across the kitchen and smacked the wall with a crack. Strider growled and rushed to her.

"Enough," the Alpha roared. A wave of Alpha aura shot through the room, making everyone drop to one knee. Everyone except for River and her mother. Not that River could have gotten to her knees unless she fell off the counter.

The Alpha stared hard at Cherry, and Cherry knelt next to Strider.

The Alpha turned his attention to River and sniffed the air. His eyes narrowed, and he called to her. "River, come here."

She sat up shakily but didn't experience the pull to obey everyone else did. Expressions of confusion surrounded her, and a murmur and several small gasps sounded around her.

"River," the Alpha commanded.

She'd never felt the compulsion everyone else did. Her mom had always told her to pretend, but in light of what had happened and that their Alpha wasn't willing to kill the Lycan who had bitten her, she decided not to pretend any longer. Her wolf snarled and fought the red rope. She didn't like the Lycan being allowed to live any more than River or Cherry did.

River walked to the Alpha, and he peered into her eyes for the first time in her life.

River never knew why her mom had told her to stay away from the pack Alpha and his Betas, but she hadn't argued. She'd always figured it had to do with being unable to compel River with their commands, but now, looking into his eyes, there was more to it.