The Wicked Kiss (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #2)(23)

Before I could take a breath to respond, Shaz was between us, shoving Julian away from me with a push that would have taken most people off their feet. He followed up with a second shove that had Zak moving to their side, as if he thought he could break them up if they decided to go at it.

The dark fury that blazed in Shaz’ eyes, like jade-green fire, almost caused my heart to stop. I had never seen such raw hate written in his gaze as long as I’d known him. It frightened me even as it excited.

“I don’t care who you f**king think you are; I will kill you before I allow you to talk that way to Alexa. You’re a f**king nobody, pal.” Shaz was poised to strike if Julian so much as blinked the wrong way.

“Guys, come on.” Kylarai’s gentle voice was chiding. She was afraid they would fight. “This is all a misunderstanding.”

Julian didn’t look at anyone but Shaz. He pulled himself to his full height before snarling through his teeth. “Just because you want to be her pathetic lapdog doesn’t mean that I do. I will take you any day, Shaz. Even out back, right now.”

My heart surged with adrenaline at Julian’s venomous words. A small cry escaped me when Shaz lashed out with a blow, catching the other wolf with a fierce right hook.

“Shaz, no!” I lunged to grab his arm before he could keep swinging. The motion almost knocked me off my feet, but I held him back.

“If that’s what you want then, buddy, let’s make it official. It has been months since Raoul died. Maybe it’s time to appoint a new Alpha male in this God forsaken town,”

Julian sneered as he rubbed his jaw. My eyes widened when I saw where he was going with this.

Shaz studied the other Were for just moments before replying in a low voice, filled with menace. “Where and when?”

“That isn’t necessary, you guys,” Ky pleaded, but neither of them so much as looked her way. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

Zak looked extremely uncomfortable as he shifted nervously from one foot to the other. “I think we’d better leave, Julian,” he said, trying to be the neutral party. “Let’s grab some beer and head back to my place. There’s a fight on pay-per-view.”

The approach of a couple of bouncers effectively ended any further incident. With a murderous glare, Julian looked from me to Shaz. “Me and you, on the full moon.”

“Count on it.” Shaz practically oozed confidence, and I had to do a double take.

Julian allowed Zak to pull him along by the upper arm, but his eyes were locked on me. A slow smile spread across his lips. He paused to pull Kylarai into his arms, and I stiffened when she let him. My stomach turned when he kissed her.

“I’ll call you later tonight,” Julian said to her, smirking with the knowledge that I hadn’t known about them.

She avoided my eyes, a frown creasing her delicate features. “I’ll walk you out.”

We both knew she was trying to escape me. Fine. She couldn’t avoid me at home.

Shaz turned to speak to the bouncers in an attempt to smooth over the situation. I could hear him reassuring them that everything was cool and we were all leaving now. As an employee, he was risking his job by brawling in the bar. After a moment, the two security guys nodded and returned to their posts.

When Shaz swept me into his arms, I clung to him. “Have you lost your mind? Why?

Please, just tell me why.”

“I can’t believe you have to ask. When he got in your face like that, something inside me snapped. He threatened my mate. And now, I want to kill him.” He said it so matter of factly. I searched his eyes for the monstrous rage I heard in his voice but found only tender love.

“I don’t want you to fight him.” I reached to touch his face, tracing a light bruise that remained from his round with Arys.

“I know that.” He brought his face to mine, kissing me with a sensuality that was all wolf. I savored it. Pulling back, he kissed the tip of my nose. “But, I’m going to. I have to. Everything in me demands it, and it’s a call that I want to answer, have to answer.

You have to understand.”

I did understand, but I didn’t like it. I pursed my lips and stared at the floor. “Did you hear him though? He thinks this is a battle for Alpha.”

“It is … now.” He gently pushed a few tendrils of hair from my face. “If he wants this to be about the top wolf in this town, then that’s fine with me. I don’t plan to lose.”

The DJ took over as the band finished off their set and began to pack up. When the Alicia Keys song, “No One,” began to play and the dance floor filled with couples, Shaz gave me a heart-stopping grin.

“No worries, ok? I promise, you have nothing to be anxious about.” He pressed another quick kiss to my lips before pulling me toward the dance floor. “Now … about that dance.”

I allowed him to pull me onto the dance floor among the other couples. My stomach was unsettled, and I just wanted him to hold me. All I knew was that I had to talk him out of fighting Julian before the full moon. That didn't give me much time.

Shaz’ arms went around me, holding me close. It was easy to get caught up in the music. The heady swoon of the emotional lyrics and the enrapt couples all around us had me seeking comfort and reassurance in his touch. I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled the warmth of his neck. Pressing my lips to his pulse, I closed my eyes and moved as one with him to the rhythm of the music.