Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 120031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Thinking of his mate all spread out on his bed, he wore a ghost of a smile as he walked back to his SUV … right up until four males slid out of the shadows of the parking lot. Even as everything in him shot to alertness, he almost grinned at the sight of the balaclavas. Fucking ridiculous.
Resting the smoothie on the hood of his SUV, Eli inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of car exhaust, warm pavement, motor oil, and falcons. His wolf peeled back his upper lip, bracing himself to spring.
Eli’s skin tingled with the agitation heating his blood, but he remained calm. Brawling with multiple attackers at once was almost always a losing situation. He didn’t suppose they’d kindly come at him one at a time. No, they’d swarm him as a group, hoping to take him down fast. And if they did take him to the pavement, it would all be over. He’d find himself being kicked, stomped on, and beaten into submission. Not happening.
Given how outnumbered he was, his odds weren’t good. Technically. But what the falcons didn’t know was that he’d trod this path many, many times; had been repeatedly thrown into a fighting pit with multiple opponents. He’d won, but he’d never won with ease. Injuries were inevitable. He could only aim to minimize them.
It was a shame his cell phone was tucked in the pocket of the jacket he’d left on the SUV’s passenger seat. He could have discreetly pressed the panic button and alerted his pack mates. They’d not only have known he needed backup, they’d have known his location through the GPS tracker on his phone. He’d just have to hope that Ally had a premonition of the incident but, considering her gift was playing up, that hardly seemed likely.
Not that he couldn’t take care of these bastards alone—in fact, he’d enjoy teaching them just how fucking stupid they’d been to target him. He’d just prefer to instead round them up and take them back to his territory for questioning. Maybe he’d leave one alive so that he could take him to be interrogated.
Eli identified the leader easily. Taller and broader than the rest, he stood just a few steps in front of the others. And Eli knew he’d need to attack him first, since that would be a blow to the rest of the mob. Luckily, the leader was also closest, which meant Eli wouldn’t need to wade through the pathetic gang to reach him.
Eli planted his feet. “You really think this is wise?”
The leader shrugged. “It’s nothing personal, Axton. We respect you and your pack. But someone’s willing to pay good money for you to get your ass kicked, and we’d be fools to turn down that kind of money.”
“I see. Just who hired you?”
“We can’t say—it was part of the deal. We haven’t been ordered to kill you, though; don’t worry.”
“I wasn’t. You won’t even show me your faces. That’s pussy behavior right there.” Anger thickened the air. He probably shouldn’t antagonize them. They might not have been told to kill Eli, but people would go much further in a group than they would do when alone. It was that whole mob mentality. Still, fuck it.
“They also want us to record everything,” added the leader. That was when one of the others pulled out a cell phone and held it up.
Eli stilled, and his wolf’s claws sliced out.
Three would-be attackers, one male recording the attack … The whole thing echoed Roni’s assault far too clearly. It couldn’t be a coincidence. No, someone had hoped that reconstructing what she went through would anger him enough to knock him off-balance.
Well, they were wrong. He’d long ago learned to shut off his emotions while engaged in a fight. Even now, the familiar numbness was creeping up on him—it was pure instinct to let it settle in.
Sadly, he wouldn’t have the luxury of giving each bastard a real beating. He’d need to finish each falcon off in record time. The longer he took to end the fight, the likelier chance they had of overpowering him. He’d have to incapacitate each of them fast with powerful, well-placed, explosive blows.
Eli sighed. “My mate’s going to be pissed.”
“Because you’ll be beaten to a pulp?”
“No. Because she didn’t get to punch you herself.”
The leader cocked his head. “I’ll give it to you, Axton, you’re pretty calm for someone who’s about to get their ass handed to them.”
“You think you’re stronger and safer because you’re part of a group?” Eli shrugged. “It’s all right. You won’t be the first to make that mistake. You don’t think you could kick my ass without the help of your friends here? It’s big of you to admit that, I suppose.”
Anger flashed in the leader’s eyes, and his fingers retracted like claws. “I can take you, Axton,” he bit out. “But I’m going to give our client what he paid for, which was to see you flattened by a group.”