Read Online Taming The Alpha - BBW Paranormal Romance by Adriana Hunter - Free Book Online

to
stand by Jax. At least Jax hoped he had.
    After
what seemed like an interminable wait, the door from the club opened
and Nikki emerged, a tall blonde woman close behind her. He watched
as they hesitated and then tried to go back into the club. But the
door closed and was apparently locked and they were left standing in
the dark alley.
    Jax
could smell the fear rolling off of Nikki in waves. She must have
known about the murders and combined with what happened the night
before, Jax knew she was terrified. He whined softly, aching to go to
her, helpless in this form to do anything but watch.
    Something
else caught his attention. The scent from last night, the strange
scent that had been on Nikki. The tiniest whiff reached his nose and
then it was gone.
    He
crouched, waiting for them to move, willing them to leave the alley,
but they stayed by the door, talking in low voices, now tinged with
fear.
    And
then, from his right, a shape broke from between two dumpsters,
something larger than him or Bec, but still low to the ground,
wolf-like in shape. And with its movement came a rush of its scent,
the same scent that blanketed the alley, but stronger, more pungent.
Whatever it was had camouflaged itself with the overwhelming
confusion of smells, scents from the murders, from the crush of
people who had been in the alley. And with its own scent. Jax
realized whatever it was must have been there the night before, after
he and Nikki had left.
    The
creature finally came into view beneath the feeble light from the
single bulb above the club door and Jax got his first good look.
    The
fur was gray, long and matted, blood-soaked around the neck and
shoulders. As it advanced toward the women, Jax saw the low, long
body of a wolf, tail held low. Its lips were pulled back, yellowing
teeth visible. But there was something wrong about the proportions,
something misaligned about the whole creature.
    As
he watched, the creature crouched, its hindquarters tensing,
preparing to lunge. The hackles went up across Jax’s shoulders,
a low growl rippling from his throat. He took a stiff-legged step
into the alley, Bec shifting around to his left, closing off the
entrance to the alley.
    The
creature lunged at the women, jaws snapping and Jax was immediately
in motion, aiming low, going for the belly. He saw a blur of tawny
fur as Bec leapt in front of the creature, his body between the women
and the snarling mouth full of teeth.
    Jax
heard Bec’s snarl and then a yelp of pain as the two connected,
Bec falling with a thud to the ground, but the creature’s
momentum was deflected away from the women. Jax hit it hard then,
knocking it to the ground. He immediately dove for the soft
underside, teeth tearing at the thick fur. The stench filled his
nostrils and now the taste of the animal was in his mouth, rank and
fetid.
    But
the thing was incredibly powerful, twisting beneath Jax, kicking at
him with its back legs. Jax lost his grip and sprang back as the
creature quickly gained its feet.
    It
turned, snarling, yellow eyes darting between Jax and Bec, who now
stood in front of the women. Bec stood with his front feet spread
wide, white teeth bared, but Jax could see blood welling from a gash
on Bec’s shoulder, a spreading stain darkening the blonde fur.
    Jax
glanced at Nikki and the other woman. They were huddled together in
the doorway, apparently unhurt, but clearly terrified. He met Nikki’s
eyes and wished for all the world he could tell her who he was, that
he was here for her. That he’d kill for her.
    Jax
looked back at the animal, watching it carefully as it started slowly
circling, moving away from Bec and the women, toward the dumpsters to
Jax’s right, and a possible escape down the alley to the
street. Jax advanced, intending to cut off it off, take it to ground
and tear out its throat.
    But
in a flash of gray fur and yellow teeth, the wolf-thing sprang to the
top of the nearest dumpster and from there to the low roof of the
building