Page 111 of Alpha Claimed

"He won't," said Ares. "He wants her just as bad as we do. We can take him together."

"Come on," Titan taunted. "Don't make me be a cliché and say if I can't have her, no one can. You two should already know me well enough to know that is a very real thing."

River's mind numbed, and all she thought of was the child growing inside her and her two mates. She had to protect them. She needed to save them. She didn't know when. She didn't know how, but she had to do something. She was the High Luna. It was her duty to protect them. All of them. Her mother, Bianca, Strider, the Alphas, and their mates. Everyone.

A scream rang out, and River turned to see Zeke shoot a rogue who'd grabbed at Bianca. Cherry sliced his throat, and the rogue dropped to the ground.

"Stop!" River commanded. "Make them stop, and I'll go with you."

"What, Lover?"

"I'll go with you," River said louder.

"No." Ares took a step forward, and Apollo rushed them. The glass shattered in the window to the side of them, and a bullet ripped through Apollo's chest, and he stumbled to the ground.

"Apollo," River screamed, lunging for him.

Titan pulled her back sharply.

Ares roared and lunged at Titan. A second shot rang out. Ares ducked, and the bullet lodged in the wall behind him.

"Coward," Ares yelled. "Scared to fight me yourself?"

Titan scoffed. "Not even close. I simply don't want to waste the energy." He leaned in and smelled River's hair. "I have a feeling I'm going to need all the energy I have to satisfy this one."

"Let go of her," Apollo choked. "Let go of her, or so help me. I will rip out your throat and eat your heart."

Blood and poison seeped through Apollo's shirt, and River could tell by the pale tone of his skin that he was close to blacking out.

"Apollo." River struggled against Titan, reaching for Apollo. How the hell had she forgotten her knives?

"You!" Cherry leapt forward and threw a knife. It stuck straight into Titan's bicep.

He bellowed and turned.

River elbowed him in the ribs right before the gun fired.

"No!"

The shot caught her mom in the upper chest. Cherry stumbled and dropped.

Strider howled and raced forward.

Titan aimed again and pulled the trigger. A bullet ripped through Strider's side, and River's scream only served to echo Bianca's.

"Stop!" River commanded. "Everyone just fucking stop!"

She grabbed the knife in Titan's arm and twisted it until he let go of her.

All hell broke loose, and the rogues crashed into the Alpha's and their mates. Shots rang out all around, and the scent of blood filled the air.

She raced to Cherry and grabbed her hand. "Mom?"

Blood seeped from her mom's chest, along with the same poison that leaked from Ares and Apollo.

"Mom?" River shook Cherry.

"River, run," said her mom.