it more than anything, and hearing Sam say it like that, so easily, only made her more conscious of how impossible it was.
“Don’t tempt me,” said Lexi. “But it’s not going to happen. I’m stuck here with Chad, the barbarian.”
“Chad the barbarian. I like that,” said Shana.
The three of them turned, and Lexi’s heart skipped a beat at what she saw.
It was Chad. And not just him—two of his betas were at his sides, all wearing the same sneering face.
Chad stepped up to Lexi and looked her up and down with hungry eyes once again, as if he wanted her right there in front of all of them.
“You didn’t tell me you guys were having a little private party,” he said. He raised his finger at Sam. “But someone’s not obeying my rule—no one, and I mean no one talks to her without my say-so. And you know what they say about rule-breakers.”
With that, Chad and his betas closed in on Sam, anger in their eyes, their hands clenched into fists.
CHAPTER 2
LEXI
“Wait,” said Sam, raising his palms. “What are you guys doing?”
“Chad!” shouted Lexi. “Stop!”
“Quiet,” Chad snarled over his shoulder. “Your job isn’t to talk. You’re an omega, remember? You stand there and you look good. That’s it.”
But Lexi wasn’t about to do nothing while Chad threatened her friend. She rushed toward him, putting her hands on his broad shoulders. He quickly turned, grabbed her by the wrists, and pushed her back hard enough to make her stumble.
“What the hell, Chad?” she asked, furious.
He stopped and turned to face her. The playful bullying attitude was gone, replaced by tight anger.
“I’m claiming you, remember?” he asked. “That means you’re mine.” He pointed to Shana. “You want to hang out with other females of the pack, that’s your business. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you talk to some other guy. Especially a shithead little nerdy-ass beta like him.”
“Wait,” said Sam, his palms still in the air. “We don’t need to do anything rash. Guys, Lexi and I are just friends. And if we could talk about this, then I’m sure—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish. Before Sam could speak another word, Chad flew over to him with the blinding speed only an alpha was capable of. Then, in an equally fast movement, he pulled back his fist and brought it hard against Sam’s jaw. The connection caused a sick, cracking sound to fill the air, Sam’s glasses flying off his face and onto the grass.
Sam let out a yell of pain before stumbling backward and landing hard. Shana screamed, and Lexi ran over to help Sam.
“Don’t you touch him,” said Chad, his voice a low growl. “He’s a beta and needs to learn his place.”
“Not a chance,” said Lexi. “You’re not going to lay another hand on him.”
Sam was stunned, the blow having knocked the sense out of him. A trickle of blood came down his nose. Shana hurried over to grab his glasses and put them back on his face. But one of the lenses was cracked, and Sam barely seemed to be aware of what was happening.
Chad stepped close, looming over the two of them. He sneered, the bully expression returning.
“All right. I guess we can consider this a lesson learned. But if I see you talking to my omega again, prick, you’re not going to like what happens. Got it?”
Sam was still stunned, not sure what to make of what was going on. Chad dropped to his knees and pinched Sam’s face with his hands.
“I said, got it?”
Sam finally came to, nodding in agreement.
“Good,” said Chad. “And Lexi, I better see you at my place tonight. Don’t make me come looking for you.”
With that, he turned and nodded to his betas, the group heading back into the bar.
“Fucking...fucking prick,” said Lexi. “I hate that asshole so damn much.”
“Are you OK, Sam?”
He reached up and wiped the blood away from his nose. Then he took a few breaths, Lexi and Shana giving him time to come back to the moment.
“Well,” he said finally. “I feel like I got hit by a damn semi-truck. But other than that, fine.”
Shana and Lexi shared a look, one of relief that Chad hadn’t hurt Sam too badly.
“Come on,” said Lexi. “We need to get out of here.”
“But didn’t Chad just say not to talk to Sam?” asked Shana.
“Alpha or not, he’s not going to tell me who I can and can’t talk to. Come on.”
The two of them helped