Mated to the Warrior Beast
Chapter 258 258: NEXT GEN: Come At Me, Bro

~ ZANE ~

He was big for a human—probably dominant among his own, which would be why he'd been able to capture this goddess's attention. But couldn't she see the thuggish brutality in the male's gaze?

This wasn't a man who took no for an answer.

The sudden rush of protectiveness surprised me. I loved women and made certain that they loved getting close to me. But I'd never wanted to own one.

Frankly, I found clinginess irritating.

I wasn't sure what it was about this particular one that had triggered my baser instincts, but I knew without doubt that I'd make sure she got home safely tonight.

He caught sight of me when I'd almost reached her, just as I was raising a hand to tap her shoulder.

The primal recognition of one dominant male to another flashed between us.

I smiled.

He snarled.

And then the fucker grabbed her hip and pulled her aside, positioning himself between us.

She'd been taken off guard and gave a little squeak that speared right through me.

Forced to grab him to steady herself, her hand slapped to his arm, her fingernails clawing into the skin on his thick, bare bicep because of course he was displaying.

Some males were so pathetically transparent.

"What—?" she cried.

In the same moment, he snarled, "Fuck off," at me, his head turned and lip curling over his teeth. "She's mine."

It all happened so fast, I wouldn't actually be able to pick apart the pieces until I thought back later.

I was about to reach for him, to ask her if she was sure she wanted those bear paws on her, when she snapped, "Excuse me?" and her grip tightened on his arm.

Faster than a human eye would catch, she twisted her other hand around the back his neck in a perfect defensive grip, jerking his upper body forward and down in the same moment she raised a knee directly into his balls.

Hands properly fisted and raised to the correct defensive stance, she watched him drop like a tree felled in the forest—others around them stumbling back as his great bulk tipped for the floor.

Then she muttered, "I belong to no one, asshole," and kicked him, hooking a wicked, pointed-toed shoe into his ribs, just to be certain.

A delighted laugh broke in my throat as the fucker grunted, then curled into a ball on the floor, clutching his balls.

She was magnificent.

Something in my chest surged forward, battering at my ribs. Mine, it screamed so loudly it stole my breath.

Enchanted, I scanned up from that menacing toe, up muscular legs hugged just right by her jeans, to round hips and the fluttering of her top where her waist nipped in, breasts that filled the shining fabric and made my groin tighten further, framed by full, rich, waving hair that fluttered with her breath, and then finally to a pointed chin, full lips and narrowed eyes…

Very familiar, narrowed eyes.

Every ounce of joy drained out of my body as my blood turned cold and a confusing mix of desire and demanding, insistent, rage coursed through me.

"Lia!" I hissed. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

Her head snapped up and her eyes met mine—I didn't miss that she wasn't as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

Then her lips tipped up on one side in that mischievous grin that grated on me like claws on stone. "Nice to see you too, Zane."

The air rushed out of my lungs in a whoosh and I didn't even think.

I grabbed her elbow and dragged her off the dancefloor, past the bar and the brunette who was watching me with a decided pout, into the narrow, cement-lined hallway lit by bare bulbs that led into this place.

Lia's heels clacked on the hard floor and she squawked the whole way, protesting, trying to pry my fingers off her arm, but this was too much. Too much, too fast, and… no. Just no.

I hooked my fingers around her like a manacle—not pressing into her flesh, but immovable as she fought, hissing like the cat she was, her voice creeping into a menacing yeowl at times when she realized I really wasn't letting go.

I shoved the door open and stormed out of the place, the bouncers turning quickly to see who was making trouble, but I glared at them and they hesitated, their eyes dropping to Lia as I yanked her up to my side when we made it to the sidewalk, puddles shining in the gutter under streetlights and the dark cement of the road glowing because it had rained earlier.

"Mom and dad are going to be pissed!" I snarled so they'd think she was my little sister.

The bouncers both looked relieved and turned back to the line of people waiting to go inside, as Lia growled.

"Zan! Let me go!"

"Absolutely not."

"You can't just drag me—"

"Watch me."

She continued to protest, but I wasn't talking to her about it until we could be certain we wouldn't be overheard. So I just stalked along the street, ignoring her growls and spluttering protests.

Rage pulsed in my blood. A level of heat and anger that was completely out of kilter with the situation. But I couldn't bite it back.

Shit. Shit.

What was she doing here in the human world? None of them were supposed to be here!

Then I took her around the corner to where I'd parked the car and clicked the little button the key fob in my pocket so the lights blinked and the car gave a little bloop.

Lia's eyes went wide and she looked up at me. "You have a car?"

I frowned at her. "You don't? How did you get here?"

She looked at me like I was the crazy one. "I shifted and ran. On the rooftops. No one's up there."

My jaw dropped—my rage more clearly defined now—then I yanked the car door open, let go of her arm and gestured angrily towards it. "Get. In."

*****

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