“Do not touch him. Mine! I can see your corrupted soul.” Justice’s eyes shifted to an astonishing ice blue as he barked angrily at the limp vampire, his wolf making a terrifying appearance. His long canines extended past his full bottom lip, making his voice sound like an out of tune Harley.
“Justice! What are you doing? Let him go!” His beta tried to get through to Justice, but he acted like he couldn’t hear him. Couldn’t even see his brother.
Wick used his flash speed and was at Justice’s side in a second. “Let my captain go. He was only trying to protect me. He doesn’t know.” Wick kept his voice low and easy. He wanted to touch Justice so badly but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be appreciated. Wick couldn’t be happy at Justice’s words, his reaction at another touching him. It was his animal’s instincts. Nothing more. The Alpha’s wolf called Wick his. But Justice – the man – did not. The man looked appalled that fate had dealt him such a shitty hand. It’d been written all over Justice’s ruggedly gorgeous face.
Wick watched Justice drop his captain like a pile of rubbish and step back, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe what he’d just done. “Damnit,” Justice spat. “I don’t know you. But I’m sorry, okay. I had no right. Shit. I don’t know why… I mean, I—”
“Justice we need to go.” The large beta wolf was still trying to hustle Justice away. Away from Wick. He couldn’t let him go until he heard the words. Until Justice said it.
“I’m Aleksei Volkov, Justice’s brother and first beta. He’s obviously not himself tonight. We’ll have to reschedule the meeting.”
Wick appreciated the considerate beta trying to be diplomatic and all, but this had nothing to do with any other shifters or vampires… only the two of them. Wick needed five minutes alone. To say goodbye. Inside he cringed at the crushing sadness. Justice made a noise Wick couldn’t decipher, but something down in Wick understood the wolf in Justice was angry… and hurting. That wouldn’t do.
“Can I speak with you privately for a few minutes?” Wick looked dead at Justice when he asked his question, but the brother stepped in front and answered for him. Which may be the norm in their pack, but Wick didn’t appreciate the interference, and apparently neither did his beast. Wick’s vision flashed and he saw the colors change right before his eyes. Vibrant colors went from radiant to dull and dim. Wick blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his sight. His chest vibrated and rumbled, making him feel off balance, like he was trying to comfort two wounded souls instead of one. When he opened his eyes, he gasped at how close Justice was to him. Right on top of him. Looking long and hard into his eyes now. Justice wasn’t looking through his human eyes but through his wolf’s. He was so close. Nothing else in the room mattered. Wick placed one shaking hand on Justice’s hot chest and a jolt of power shot up his arm and straight to his heart. Justice was so warm and full of life and Wick feared he’d never know how deep the warmth went.
“What are you?” Justice rumbled sexily. Large drops of sweat rained down his temples, slicking down the fine hairs around his face. He’d been working so hard to deny what was happening between them, the man was now a big, sweaty mess but damn, did he still smell appetizing.
Wick wanted to wrap himself in that dominating tone. Plunge his face in the dark hairs peeking out from the flannel shirt and rub his smooth face against the coarseness. He needed to bathe in Justice’s scent and mark himself with it. Wick didn’t know why, but it felt like that would soothe the beast within. Wick was more certain now than ever that he had something living inside him and the AZ could somehow communicate with it. Only one other person knew of Wick’s secret and he was still thousands of miles across the ocean.
“Erman, wait outside,” Wick told his captain. He looked to be fully recovered from Justice’s brief assault but it didn’t stop him from glaring daggers at the AZ and his beta. “Now.”
Justice turned to his brother, who was kicking some of the drywall out of the way. “Wait out front, Alek, please. Don’t let those police in here, either. Tell them we’ll pay for any damage.”
They both waited for the seconds it took his captain and Justice’s brother to leave before turning back to each other.
“You don’t want me.” Wick cut right to the point. He was never coy, always so assured and take-charge, but at the moment he could barely get those words out. Just the thought of walking away right now…. Wick heard a soft whine and wondered where it came from.