Jax stared at him, setting down his Ping-Pong paddle slowly. “I guess I do. What’s this about?”
“Jacee.” Her name emerged as a rough snarl.
“From the bar?” Jax’s brows drew together, and he eyed Micah warily. “We had a thing for a while, but—”
“She’s my mate.”
The stunned expression on Jax’s face, the knowledge that he was in deep trouble, was priceless. But Micah didn’t have time to enjoy it before he lost control of his wolf and shifted completely, launching himself at the other man. Jax had barely started to shift into his wolf form by the time Micah leapt across the Ping-Pong table, and they hit the floor hard in a tangle of limbs.
Clothing was shredded and fur flew. His wolf was fully in control now. He demanded blood from the one who’d dared to defile his mate. The one who was supposed to be his Pack brother, his friend.
Traitor.
They rolled, barking and snarling, crashing into furniture. The brown wolf went for the gray’s throat, but the gray was fast, twisting out of the way. Micah’s enemy made only defensive moves, but no attempt to harm him in return. This angered him even more, beyond reason.
Doubling his effort, he tried to pin the gray wolf and managed to sink his teeth into one muscled shoulder. The taste of blood spurred him on as the gray cried out—
And then a sharp pain stung his right hip.
The brown wolf yelped, releasing his prey. Whirled and saw the dart sticking out of his flank. Right away, cold spread out from the spot with bony fingers, crawled through his muscles. They contracted and he began to shake, struggling to remain upright, but it was no use. Hitting the floor, he whimpered in fear, paralyzed.
Footsteps hurried all around him, people speaking in hushed tones.
“Where’s Mac?”
“On her way with a team.”
“Micah, it’s okay,” Rowan whispered near his face. She was crouched next to him, stroking his hair.
When had he shifted back to human form?
“Wh-what happened?” he croaked.
“You don’t remember?”
“No.”
“It’s okay,” she crooned. He heard the tears in her voice. “Just rest, bro.”
“D-don’t feel good.”
“I know. It’s that damn drug, honey. They’re going to get rid of it, I promise.”
What had he done? Mac would lock him up now, keep him from his mate.
“No.”
His eyelids were so heavy. He couldn’t keep them open, so he let them drift shut. Tried to listen to the whispered conversation around him.
“Do you have to lock him up? His wolf was upset, and he lost it. Hell, I might’ve done the same if I found out one of you had been with Kira before we met.”
That’s right. He’d attacked Jax. And the man was actually worried. Not angry.
“There’s more going on than you know.” Mac’s voice, kind but firm. “Let us take care of him.”
“But—”
“Look, he’s got a nosebleed,” Aric said. “What’s up with that?”