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  Angel used her free hand to shove against his chest but he wouldn’t budge. He had a hundred pounds on her but he wasn’t much taller. She shook her other arm, dropping her packs. It gave her the ability to get a good hold on the belt he wore. She twisted her head a little, looking around. No one was within sight, thankfully.

  “I’m going to fuck you so good,” he snarled.

  Angel braced one foot against the wall and bucked her hips at him with all her strength, shoving him enough to make him stumble.

  She struck fast when she got a little space between them, slamming her fist into his groin. It was a direct hit and she twisted her body, kicking him in the knee. He crumpled to the ground and she went for his hair, grabbing a handful of it and stepping around him.

  “Knock your shit off,” she demanded. “Don’t make me hurt you. You’re in heat and you’ve lost your mind. What was the plan? Fuck me right here against the wall so we could just wave to anyone who passed? Get control!”

  He snarled and tried to twist his head. He snapped at her wrist with his mouth but she jerked away fast. He sported full-on fangs and facial hair now. His nose had bowed out a little into a mini snout. It pissed her off that he’d attempted to take a bite out of her.

  She punched him for all she was worth, slamming her fist into his jaw. “Control,” she snapped.

  He collapsed onto his ass but recovered fast. Wolf eyes glared at her. “Mine!”

  She frantically looked around as he got to his feet. No people had shown up yet but it was only a matter of time. The airport was small but there was steady light traffic. She dodged him when he tried to grab her around her waist and threw out her elbow, catching him in the ribs. He grunted and stumbled past her. She twisted, sending a roundhouse kick that nailed him in the ass. He plowed face first into the ground.

  The damn Lycan had lost his mind. She sprinted to her backpacks, caught the straps in her hand, and ran to the back of the building. A large plane hangar caught her attention. She fled toward it to find cover. One door had been left open but she didn’t see anyone inside. She heard the Lycan coming after her. He snarled as if he had rabies or something. She ran inside with him following her.

  She tossed the packs out of the way and turned. He spotted her and snarled louder. Hair covered his arms now, so matted she couldn’t even see skin. The idiot probably had a tail smashed inside his jeans too at that point. He grabbed the front of his shirt and tore it open. Hair covered him from shoulders to waist.

  “Mine!”

  He didn’t just want to fuck her. He planned on claiming her. She wasn’t sure what pack he’d been raised in but it wasn’t one like hers. The men courted their women first, got permission, but never forced a mating. It was obvious he didn’t plan to ask. He tossed the destroyed shirt aside and kicked off his shoes.

  “No. Do you hear me? No! I already have a mate.”

  He snarled and stalked closer, his arms opening.

  “Did you hear me? I’m already taken.”

  He lunged, claws out. She ducked but he managed to catch a few of her hairs with his sharp tips. It wasn’t pleasant, having them ripped out. She threw another kick, nailing him in the back of his thighs that time. He went down but just twisted on his hands and knees. He crouched there.

  She was in a lot of trouble. He wasn’t listening to her. She backed up and almost tripped on a toolbox that some pilot or mechanic had left out. She swiftly grabbed a long-handled wrench.

  “Don’t make me hurt you,” she warned.

  “Come here.” He pointed a clawed tip at the floor directly in front of him.

  “It’s so not going to happen. I’m not going to shove down my jeans and assume the position. I’m not the submissive type. Did you hear what I said? I’m already taken.”

  “By me!” He sprang up, diving at her.

  She held still, her heart hammering until he was almost on top of her. At the last second, she threw her body to the right, rolling on the unforgiving floor and getting to her feet.

  The Lycan landed on the toolbox and crashed into the wall. It was loud and she prayed no one would come investigate.

  She didn’t give him time to recover. She went at him and nailed him with the metal wrench to the back of his head, hoping it would knock him out. He was lifting up when the blow hit. It knocked him flat. The toolbox was on its side and some of the contents had spilled out. She saw a roll of duct tape and dropped onto his back.

  She pegged him in the head a second time when he started to push up. Lycans had thick skulls. She didn’t want to seriously hurt him, but she sure wasn’t going to let him rip off her clothes and fuck her, either. He went still under her. She leaned over, trying to reach the tape. It was just out of reach. She bit her lip and stretched more, her fingers inching closer.

  Someone stepped right next to it.

  Angel stared at the big black set of boots—and froze. How was she supposed to explain to a human what was going on without them calling the state troopers? She had no clue.

  Her chin lifted to stare at leather pants, and higher, to the man wearing them.

  “Shit.”

  He wasn’t human. He wore dark glasses over his eyes and his sheer size screamed enforcer. He had wide shoulders, arms a bodybuilder would turn green with envy over, and looked deadly. The half-sword strapped to his thigh was another hint. No human would have the balls to walk around with a weapon like that in civilian areas or they’d be arrested. He had probably been sent by his pack to track down the man she’d just been beating on. Packs tended to frown on that.

  “I can explain,” she got out, trying to keep calm. “Your guy here is in heat. Look at his back. He’s all hair. I didn’t want to hurt him but he didn’t leave me much of a choice.”

  She moved real slow as she climbed off the limp body under her. She dropped the wrench. She opened her hands and raised them to show she didn’t have a weapon anymore.

  He said nothing. She couldn’t see his eyes but felt his stare. It gave her chills—and not the good kind. She took a few steps backward to put space between them and his downed pack mate.

  “I wasn’t trying to kill him. That’s why I was going for the tape. I just planned to tie him up and drag him somewhere he wouldn’t be found by anyone working in the airport. I have a cell phone in my bag. I would have called it in. I didn’t want a human to find him.”

  The scary stranger tilted his head and his lips twisted into a frown.

  “For real. I’m really glad you showed up instead. That’s why we’re in here. He lost his control inside the airport. He couldn’t be reasoned with.”

  The silence was awful.

  Then something crunched near the door, and she turned her head to spot another enforcer guarding the entrance. He was just as big as the first one. They were almost dressed like twins except the second one wasn’t wearing a half-sword. They even had similar features, both their hair jet black, cut short.

  “He’s not one of ours.”

  She looked back at the first one, who’d finally spoken. “Oh. Well, can you take him to your pack if you’re local until he’s fit for walking around again?”

  “We’re not pack.”

  Chapter Nine

  Angel looked him over from head to foot. He wasn’t human. She couldn’t be that wrong, and his voice didn’t sound it either. Only non-humans spoke that deep and gruff. It was still sunny outside. He also had tan skin. That left out Vampire, unless…

  Her heart raced as the other alternative came to her.

  “I’ve never met a VampLycan. I belong to a pack. I was raised with Lycans. We’re cool. Can you take him somewhere safe at least? Nobody can see him. We both know that.”

  “You’re not pack.”

  “I was adopted. I am pack. I know you’re reading me as human. Guilty. But I’m still pack. You don’t need to wipe my memories. I have a plane to catch. May I go now?”

  “You’re not getting on that plane.”

  Dread pitted in he