Page 126 of Pack of Crooks

Sighing, I head toward him. “I’m okay.”

His normally sweet scent is tainted with anger, like gasoline and Molotov cocktails. Ellen takes a step back, shooting aworried glance in my direction. I really don’t want to help her, but Vivian loves her, and I refuse to cause her any more pain.

Stepping between Ellen and my alpha, I place my hand on his chest and go on my toes, brushing my lips over his cheek. “Hey, kitty.”

“Sunshine,” he gruffs. “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill her.”

“Because that omega you kidnapped loves her.” I toss Ellen a scowl. “And as much as I’d enjoy Ellen’s screams, Vivian wouldn’t.”

Ellen is almost unreadable. That ice-queen facade is firmly in place. But I can see a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. As if she’s realizing how much she’s fucked up by threatening another pack’s omega. In the corporate world, she might be the boss, but here? She’s a threat they’re happy to eliminate.

Giving her my back, I search Maddox’s face. “Is Vivian okay?”

“Mad as a hornet.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Can’t say I blame her. Can I see her?”

“I want?—”

“You don’t get shit right now,” I cut Ellen off.

Maddox’s lips twitch. Oh, does the big guy like when I’m aggressive with other alphas?

“Take me to her.”

Wrapping his arm around me, he leads me into Ellen’s home which I’m sure is fancy as fuck with all the high end fixtures and features, but my attention is split between Maddox’s protective hold and how I’m going to explain things to Vivian.

Kill and Ezra are standing in the hallway, outside of a bedroom. They push off the wall they’re leaning against when they see us. They reach me at the same time and pull me into their arms. I exhale in relief as familiar warm and sweet scents curl around me.

“Fuck, I was so worried,” Kill mumbles against my neck.

Ezra makes a sound of agreement. The two of them pull back when Ellen’s scent reaches us. Kill’s growl is low and deep, a little feral, but Ezra’s gaze roves over me. Like Maddox, he clocks the bruise on my cheek and goes completely still. Kill senses the change and shifts his focus. The moment he sees the angry red mark on my cheek, he stops growling. The air electrifies, and he pushes around me, charging at Ellen.

Fuck. He’s going to kill her if I don’t stop him. I can’t reason with him like Maddox and Ezra. I break away from Ezra and fling myself at Kill, jumping on his back. He grunts, steps faltering, and I hook my arm around his neck in a chokehold. “Easy, baby.”

“Omega,” he snarls.

“Alpha,” I murmur, rubbing my face against his neck. “You can’t kill her.”

“Yes,” he growls.

“No,” I tell him, threading my fingers into his hair and pulling, placing my mouth at his ear while I hold Ellen’s terrified gaze. “She’s Vivian’s alpha. Vivian would be sad.”

I wonder how it feels to know that the only reason she’s still breathing is because of the omega whose heart she broke. Kill’s chest is heaving, but slowly, his muscles loosen. He cranes his neck to meet my gaze. His pupils have taken over, eyes nearly all black.

A second later and he wouldn’t have been able to listen. He would have been too far in his alpha rage.

“She hurt you.”

“Barely.” I say with a shrug. “Can you let it go for now?”

He seethes, throat bobbing as he contemplates listening to me and following his instincts. After a few seconds, he nods. Releasing his throat, I slide down his body as he spins around and wrap my arms around his middle. He hugs me tight. Chest still rumbling with anger.

“I’m all right, but I want to see Vivian.”

“She’s pretty pissed,” Ezra says.

“I would be too.” Pulling back from Kill, I link my hand with his and bring him with me, still too worried about him changing his mind and going after Ellen anyway.