Page 23 of Alpha Claimed

"Apollo-"

His gaze hardened, and he looked more like Ares than ever. "Inside, Kitten. I'll be right back."

His Alpha aura washed over her, and she knew better than to argue. He wasn't ordering her, yet her wolf was eager to comply.

She nodded and walked back into Walt's shop. Apollo took off across the street.

He sniffed the air, turned left, and tore down the sidewalk. She hugged herself, and her wolf paced. She wished Ares was there. River reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She had only eight percent battery but two bars.

She went to her contacts, and her finger hovered over Ares's name. More than anything, she wanted to hear his voice.

She stopped.

If she called him, he would freak out and come to find her, but she didn't want that. Did she want that?

No. She didn't want to cause any more of a rift between the brothers. For the first time, she wondered if the twin she didn't choose would leave the estate. If she would never see them again. The idea made her gut twist. How would she possibly live without one of them?

The bell rang over the door, and River shoved her phone in her pocket.

"Hey. It's okay. I found the guy."

"Did you hurt him?" she blurted.

Apollo chuckled. "I'm Apollo, remember? Not Ares."

"So you didn't?"

"He was a human. A drunk human. But a human. If he'd been a shifter or a threat, I would have ripped his eyes out and fed them to him for looking at you and scaring you. Luckily, he wasn't."

River chuckled. "You're kidding, right?"

Apollo's grin spread across his face, and his eyes darkened. "Absolutely."

Her gut clenched. He wasn't kidding at all. River realized that as different as Apollo and Ares might be, they were the same in their desire and protection of her.

* * *

APOLLO

Ten minutes later,Silas returned with Apollo's bike, followed by Bennett in the car. They left Walt's store, and as River put on her helmet, Apollo talked to Silas.

"Do a sweep of the town."

"Did something happen?"

"I just want to be… cautious."

Silas's gaze flicked to River and then back to Apollo. "Of course."

"Oh, and Silas. Wait until we are out of sight before getting the drunk man in the alley to a hospital. I don't want River to see."

Silas sniffed the air. "Will do."

"We'll be back in a couple of hours. I'm taking her to the point."

Silas nodded.

Apollo hopped on the bike, and River slid behind him as he put on his helmet. This time, she didn't hesitate to wrap her body around his and hug him tight. The thought made Apollo smile.