Read Online Under the Alpha's Protection by Doris O'Connor - Free Book Online

man pushed the syringe into his neck, and Nikita watched in horror as the wolf's body contorted. Darius growled , and in front of her eyes, his face contorted from barely human into the fur covered snout of a wolf. His eyes were the last thing to change, and Nikita threw up.
    The kick to her ribs hurt like hell.
    "Fuck it, bitch, you chucked up all over my shoes. Damn human bitches, can't take the fucking heat."
    Through the pain and the misery another voice registered. The cruel, perfect diction tones of that educated voice was a throw-back to the night she'd been attacked.
    "Stop damaging the merchandise, Otto. Raoul won't have anything worth risking his life for at this rate, though what he sees in that fat little lump of human is beyond me right now."
    Perfectly polished loafers appeared in her view, and a cold hand grabbed her chin and forced her head up.
    She winced at the intense pain that followed, and the man pursed his lips. With an audible click his fangs ran out like in some ancient gothic B-movie, and he ran his fingers through the trail of blood seeping along her neck, lifted them up to his mouth, and licked the blood off.
    Her stomach roiled again, but she had nothing left to give. White encroached on the edges of her vision, and the pain reduced to a dull ache. Nikita heard his voice from far, far away.
    "Dammit, she's losing too much blood. Her heart is going to fail at this rate. She must have some internal injuries. Stupid incompetent wolves."
    There was a whoosh of air, and an anguished howl before something heavy hit the cellar wall. Nikita's lips were prized open , and warm thick liquid invaded her mouth and made her gag. Ice cold pressure on her throat forced her to swallow until she slipped into blessed darkness.
    ****
    Something was wrong. Raoul could feel it in his bones. The unease he'd felt ever since Nikita hadn't answered his phone call returned tenfold. His wolf itched to be free, to run to his mate, and to reassure himself that she was okay. Sharp pain sliced through his heart, followed by ice, and every hair on his body stood on end. Raoul slammed on the brakes and abandoned his car at the roadside. The traffic report was for heavy congestion heading into London, and he would be faster as his wolf. He shed his clothes the minute he hit the relative shelter of the copse of trees, and shifted. The cool earth under his paws grounded him even as the worried voices of his pack filtered through loud and clear. Darius's intended came through the loudest. In the throes of labor she cried out for her mate, and received no answer.
    Raoul howled his distress into the humid summer air and gave his wolf full reign. There was only one reason why Darius would not be by his mate's side at a time like this, and that meant Nikita was without protection.
    Faster and faster he ran, the surroundings a blur of speed. Raoul was all too aware of the astonished humans he ran past. Tonight's news reports would be full of the huge wolf seen sprinting through the streets of London unrestrained. Mass hysteria might well follow placing all the packs sharing the space of the metropolis in danger, but right now his only focus was on Nikita.
    By the time he finally reached her block of flats, strange scents were everywhere.
    " Boss, I'm sorry, they got her."
    "We tried to track them, but we lost the trail."
    "Boss, we can't reach Darius."                           
    "Boss… Boss…"
    Raoul shifted with a feral growl shutting his mind off to the agitated voices of his pack, and he took the stairs three at a time. Fortunately, none of her neighbors were there to witness him running about naked. Nikita would never forgive him for embarrassing her like that, and besides most of her neighbors were elderly and would probably have a heart attack.
    The leftover scent of her fear hit him straight in the face the minute he reached her floor. Her front door was ajar, and there was no sign of a struggle, save