Free Grayslake: Furrever Yours (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Georgette St. Clair

hardcore alcoholics did. It leaked from their pores and tainted the air. He had deep frown lines carved into his forehead and an air of suppressed rage bubbling just under the surface.
    “Not until you tell me if you’ve seen her,” he growled. “You have, haven’t you? I can tell from the look on your face.”
    He took a step closer to her. The smell of alcohol and sweat made her queasy.
    “You’re drunk, and that girl had been beaten up pretty badly,” she said angrily.
    He snorted. “She’s always been a trouble-maker,” he growled at her. “She gets into street fights. She probably picked a fight with the wrong person and got her ass kicked. Serves her right. Now tell me where she is, or—”
    Heather made a quick decision; she grabbed her cup of scalding-hot coffee and hurled it right in his face, dodged around him, and ran.
    He let out a scream of rage and pain and lunged at her, groping blindly.
    She dodged around him and ran towards the hospital, and heard a shout of anger – coming from Knox, who was dashing down the sidewalk towards her.
    He jumped between her and the angry drunk.
    “Aloysius, you better get the fuck out of my territory and never let me see you here again,” Knox snarled.
    “You can’t talk to me like that! I’m an Alpha!” Aloysius’s eyes glowed a frightening gold color.
    “You’re an Alpha in my territory, and you’re weaker than me. Do you want a challenge?”
    “No, Alpha,” Aloysius muttered, hanging his head. He looked at Heather with resentment and hatred. “It’s just that she knows where my daughter is,” he whined. “My precious little daughter, and I just got carried away because I’m so worried-”
    “First of all, you’re a lying sack of shit. The only thing you’re worried about is your daughter’s dowry. Secondly, this woman is mine, and if you even look at her again, if you even think about her, I will end you and your entire line. Do you understand me?” Knox’s hand shot out and grabbed the man’s throat. His face turned red and his eyes bulged and he nodded frantically.
    “And thirdly, you just said that you were an Alpha in front her, and she’s human. I will report this both to the Southeast Alpha and the Northeast Alpha, because it affects all of us.”
    “But you said she’s with you, and so she must know—”
    “You didn’t know that when you said it. Now get the hell out of here, and don’t let me see your face again,” he snarled, and let go of the other wolf’s throat.
    Aloysius, gasping and wheezing, face bright red, turned and ran as fast as he could.
    Knox scowled at Heather.
    “Damn it. Why didn’t you call me, or have someone walk you to the coffee shop?”
    “You’re right, you’re right, I was an idiot.” She was trembling from the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
    “It was not one of your smarter moves,” Knox agreed, scowling after Aloysius, who was running down the sidewalk in an unsteady, staggering gait.
    “I will not do it again,” she said. “I thought I’d be safe walking that short distance. I didn’t see anyone around.” She looked sadly at her spilled cup of coffee. “My magic nectar. Running down the drain.”
    “I’ll walk with you to get another one,” he said. “You don’t want to end up being one of those TSTL heroines in the horror movies, do you?”
    “Oh, you shut up now,” she grumbled. “I shouldn’t have told you about that.”
    “You nearly died for a cup of coffee. I’d say it qualifies as TSTL. I mean, I know they make good coffee there, but it’s not worth dying for.”
    “Hah. That’s where you’re wrong. I work the overnight shift in the E.R.,” she scoffed. “If the caffeine level in my blood falls below fifty percent, it’s a health crisis.”
    They walked back to the Koffee Klatsch, and this time Knox bought half a dozen coffees and a bag of donuts, so she could hand them out when she got back to the E.R.
    “So, from what Margaret told me, she’s