Free The Beast Within by Jennifer Lyon, Bianca DArc Erin McCarthy Page A

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    But she refused to let that stop her. She couldn’t outrun him. At least she was going to have some dignity and go down letting him see the disgust on her face and the hatred in her eyes. She leaned over and picked up a stick and threw it at him.
    He jumped out of the way, but it still clipped his back.
    “Just do it!” she screamed.
    Watching him hunch down low, she knew he was going to spring, that he would be on her in seconds and then it would all be over. Liv narrowed her eyes and focused on his canine teeth to steady herself.
    Her own teeth hurt, her fingers tingled, her legs twitched.
    And right as Scarborough sailed through the air and landed on her, Liv realized she was in wolf form.
    She didn’t know what she was doing, but instinct sent her straight for his throat.
     
    Sebastian knew something was wrong the second he reached the house. Both Scarborough and Liv’s cars were in the garage, and the door was open. He was still in wolf form and he headed for the woods, picking up the scent of the entire pack immediately, including Scar.
    He also smelled the sickly sweet smell of Liv’s fear.
    Damn it. Why the hell hadn’t she stayed at his condo like he’d meant for her to do?
    Of course, he hadn’t really told her that. He’d been so angry, his shift immanent, that he hadn’t communicated anything to Liv at all. She had probably been wondering what he was doing.
    And now she was in danger, and if anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.
    He got to the woods in time to see Liv shift and meet Scar’s charge head-on.
    Jesus.
    She could never overpower Scarborough, and Sebastian’s adrenaline pushed him faster. This was not a fight for domination. He could see from his brother’s stance and blows that he intended to kill.
    Liv got in a good bite on Scarborough’s throat before he knocked her to the ground. The yelp of pain she gave infuriated Sebastian. He jumped, landing on his brother’s side, shoving him off Liv and tumbling to the ground with him.
    He had the element of surprise. His brother didn’t immediately react, and Sebastian pinned him and went for the throat. They locked eyes, brother on brother, and for a split second, Sebastian thought about showing him some kind of mercy. Banishment. Retribution.
    But then Scarborough slashed his claws across Sebastian’s face, his own a mask of fury and hatred.
    The pain was jarring, but minor compared to the revelation that his brother would try to kill him again. He would keep trying over and over. He hated Sebastian that much, wanted power that perversely, and maybe someday he would succeed.
    So without allowing himself time for further hesitation, Sebastian bared his teeth and went in for the kill.
     
    Liv lay on the ground naked and shivering, watching the other wolves tentatively move around Scarborough’s body.
    Sebastian had killed Scarborough. He had saved her from certain death.
    She had almost died, and then had watched in total fear and panic as the man she loved had been locked in battle. Now it was over, and she had shifted back to human without even being aware of what she was doing.
    Sebastian had moved away from the body, to the edge of the river, the very river in which his brother had tossed him six months earlier, and sat on his haunches. He gave a low, mournful howl, the sound wafting over Liv and settling into her bones like the coldest winter wind.
    When she glanced back at Scar, she saw that in death his body had shifted back to man. One by one the cousins shifted, and Liv was too shocked to even think about the fact that they were all as naked as she was. But Nick had a duffel bag behind the trees, and he was dressed again in under two minutes, before silently tossing her a long sweatshirt.
    She caught it, tugging it on, forcing herself to stand up. Nick was dressing Scarborough’s body with the help of his brother Jackson, and she couldn’t watch. It was too appalling. The remnants of her clothes were