Tyler was gaining rapidly on Abbey, the sound of the fleeing woman’s screams filling the air. Abbey was shouting for help, calling out desperately for Benzy, for Johnny—her mate, both Beta-blooded wolves—to come to her aid.
The chase led them to the Beta floor landing. Abbey’s panicked footsteps echoed as she sprinted, but Tyler was relentless, her snarls and growls echoing her deadly intent. Just a few more seconds, and she would have Abbey in her grasp, ready to deliver the punishment she deserved.
Johnny appeared suddenly from a doorway down the hallway, charging at full Beta speed toward Tyler to protect his mate. Bella and Tyler, perfectly in sync, anticipated his move. Tyler let him close the distance and, at the last second, dropped into a slide. The maneuver took Johnny completely off guard, her momentum sweeping his legs out from under him. He tumbled forward, flipping over her and crashing onto the floor behind.
Tyler was on her feet instantly, her focus undeterred. She didn’t spare Johnny a second glance. Her prey was Abbey, and nothing else mattered. The woman’s scent—thick with fear—spurred Tyler’s rage. She could hear shouting now, voices yelling in the distance. The Alpha Unit was coming, but they would arrive too late.
With a powerful leap, Tyler slammed Abbey into the wall, the impact reverberating through the hallway. Abbey cried out in pain, clutching her abdomen as she staggered. Tyler was relentless, closing the distance in an instant. Her hand wrapped around Abbey’s throat, claws pressing into her skin, while her other hand lashed out, claws slashing through the flesh of Abbey’s upper arms.
Abbey shrieked in pain, trying to shield her body with her arms. She wasn’t fighting back, seemingly hoping that submission would save her. She was wrong. Tyler’s grip tightened, pinning Abbey against the wall. This wasn’t about strangling her; it was about ensuring she couldn’t escape her punishment.
Tyler slashed again, her claws raking across Abbey’s chest. The cuts weren’t deep enough to cause lasting damage, but they would leave a message—a lesson Abbey wouldn’t forget. Tears welled in Abbey’s eyes, her fear pouring off her in waves. She gasped, trembling, “Please, I’m sorry.”
Bella and Tyler didn’t care. Their pain and anger over Vera’s condition were all-consuming. They snarled in unison, their shared rage vibrating through the air.
“You’ll pay,” they growled together, a single mind united in fury.
“I’m pregnant!” Abbey screamed suddenly, her voice desperate. “Please, don’t!”
Tyler froze mid-strike, her claws inches from Abbey’s abdomen. Her breathing was ragged, her mind a whirlwind. They couldn’t harm an unborn child. Tyler and Bella were mothers themselves—they couldn’t cross that line.
Before she could fully process the revelation, Tyler’s body was violently slammed to the ground. Instinctively, she shifted into her massive wolf form, retaliating with feral precision. Her jaws snapped down on the shoulder of her attacker.
It was Johnny. He’d recovered from her earlier move and now lunged to defend his injured mate. His grey-and-black wolf erupted from him, his Beta instincts driving him to fight. Though he was smaller than Tyler’s formidable wolf form, his protective rage made him a dangerous opponent.
Johnny’s wolf lunged at her again, and Tyler responded with ferocity. She reared up, her massive front paws slashing through the air, claws gleaming as they sought purchase. The hallway erupted into chaos, the clash of wolves echoing through the Beta floor.
Tyler’s snarls and Johnny’s growls filled the space as they collided. This fight wasn’t just about Abbey anymore—it was a battle for dominance, for justice, and for the pain inflicted on Vera. Tyler and Bella’s shared determination burned brighter than ever.
Tyler shoved Johnny’s wolf down with little effort, her overwhelming strength and fury leaving him defenseless. She tore into his side with her teeth, ripping away a large chunk of flesh. His wolf howled in agony, collapsing to the ground. Blood pooled rapidly around him.
A deep, aggressive growl from down the hall snapped Tyler’s attention away from Johnny. Standing there was Apollo, his grey-and-white fur bristling with power, his eyes locked onto Tyler in a clear warning. He wasn’t alone. Rafe, a massive reddish-brown wolf, and Thorn, the smallest of the trio with sleek black-and-grey fur, flanked him. The three wolves stalked toward her in unison, their postures radiating dominance and readiness to fight.
Johnny shifted back to his human form, his face pale as he clutched his heavily bleeding side. He staggered toward Abbey, his injured mate. Tyler’s eyes flicked to him, and he froze under her menacing glare. A low snarl rumbled in her throat, stopping him in his tracks.
Bella, call her off, Benzy’s voice came through the mind-link, firm and tinged with urgency. He was using his Beta tone, but Tyler and Bella were too consumed by their shared anger to fully register it.
It was Abbey who attacked my mother, not a rogue, Bella grated out furiously. Tyler could smell it—Abbey’s scent is in my mother’s wounds.
Okay, Benzy acknowledged, though the wolves advancing toward Tyler didn’t slow their approach. But unless you and Tyler want to take all of us on, you need to stop her.
I can’t, Bella snapped back. She’s furious—and so am I!
Calm down, Bella… honey, Macky’s voice purred through the mind-link, his southern drawl unmistakable. Bella instantly recognized the soothing effect of his Gamma Charm as it began to wash over her and Tyler. Macky stepped over Johnny’s prone form, shifting into his human form as he approached. His hands were held up in a peaceful gesture, his posture low and unthreatening.
“Tyler, sweetie,” Macky said softly, his voice dripping with calm authority. “It’s time to let go. Give Bella back control.”
The Gamma Charm worked its magic, flowing over Tyler like a calming tide. She hesitated, then took a step back. Then another. Macky stepped closer, his voice a gentle coax. “Come on, Tyler, you can do it. Calm down… let go.”
