Underneath a Dark Moon (Twisted Dark #3)

Chapter Eight: Close Calls

We were walking at a rather quick pace and I felt really uncomfortable. The streets we were walking down were definitely not the nicest. Everything looked almost abandoned but in a very still way, as if people were waiting for you to let your guard down before they would strike out at you. I scanned the streets warily, holding my bag tightly in my hands. I did not feel safe and for the first time in my life I wanted to go back to the coven.

The streets were eerily quiet and empty. It was strange to m, the Covens were never so silent. I swallowed hard as a rowdy group of guys suddenly turned a corner and were coming down the street. Their loud voices were echoing slightly and I felt a sudden surge of panic. There were never that many men around in the Covens and for some strange reason, how they were acting and presenting was utterly terrifying. I swallowed hard and realized that in my watching of them, the werewolf had gotten further away. I watched him stalk away with a surge of panic growing in my stomach.

"Hey! Look at that pretty thing!" I didn't have to know the person to know that was aimed at me and was probably not a good thing.

"Abe!" His name was a squeak coming out of my mouth and he stopped instantly, looking over his shoulder at me. I glanced at the group of guys and how they were coming closer, moving down the street now and I moved a bit quicker towards the werewolf. My breathing was coming in panicked little puffs but I couldn't help it.

"Where you going, sweetheart? We just wanna talk." There was a heavy laughter that came after the word that made ice fill my veins and Abe slowly turned his head to look at them. He casually shifted his body, dropping his dufflebag and moved into the street towards them. My eyes widened and I faltered in my steps as he lazily moved closer and closer. I clutched at my neck, feeling my pulse pound hard in my throat as I watched the scene. Would he kill them? Hurt them? I didn't know and I really didn't want to see but I couldn't look away

A heavy rumbling filled the air and I realized Abe was growling as he drew closer to them and their attentions were pulled from me to look at him. I swallowed hard, barely blinking as I watched as he grabbed one by the lapels of his jacket and lifted him off his feet before he let out a heavy snarl in his face, "Fuck off." The words were dangerous and growled as he shoved the man he was holding into his friends and lazily turned on his heels and started towards me. "She's mine." The way he said it made my stomach flip and my heart pound in my stomach. His gaze was intense on me as it gleamed in the streetlights.

"Fucking prick! I could gut you for this!" At the voice I had to pull my gaze from Abe's. It was hard but I managed only to see that the guy he had thrown at his buddies had pulled out a knife. It glinted in the dark and the werewolf let out a low and dangerous chuckle that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"Try me, human." He didn't deviate in his movements towards me and when he reached my side his arm went around my back and he grasped my hip, pulling me close to his side. My heart thumped again as my stomach swooshed and flipped inside me. My throat went dry as it felt like his hand was a brand burning into my skin and I felt like I was tingling in his presence. It rather scared me with the intensity of my reaction to him

"You think I won't, bitch?" The guy shouted it, anger lacing each word and Abe chuckle again, I could feel the sound rumbling against my side and I shivered at it. My face heated and I pressed my lips together, unsure of how I was supposed to react as his fingers tightened on my hip.

"Do it, I could easily pummel more than one pussy tonight." He gave a sharp laugh at that and I let out a small eep, catching the innuendo he was throwing out there. I wanted to pull away from him, wanted to put space between us but I couldn't bring myself to do it, with him beside me I didn't have to deal with the men. "Don't worry, love, I'll save all of my energy for you. This won't take long." The words were said loudly as he shifted his hand and patted my ass firmly. I stiffened hard as he let me go, feeling conflicted at the act of him touching me so easily. My face went bright red as I realized he was talking to me. I had been the one he had been referring to and my mind raced frantically, did he actually want to have sex with me? Panic rose up in me sharply at the thought. Having sex with a werewolf would get me burned, it was a capital offence. I really didn't want to die just for some dick.

I didn't want to turn and look but I realized I couldn't help myself as I turned my head and watched him swagger towards the group, his hands in his pockets. "Dude, that's his mate. Let it go." I didn't know who spoke but several members of the group were backing away. I flushed red, I wasn't his mate. As far as I knew werewolves weren't that set on mates. Some females even shared lovers, having four of five males to herself. They weren't monogamous, it was the big rule for them, they didn't ever do monogamy. So I had no clue what the guy was talking about.

"You think I care? I'll gut your little bitch to-" He barely got it out, his angry gaze on me before Abe struck, his fist flying out and colliding with the guy's face so hard I could hear the impact from where I stood. I winced heavily as I watched as he crumpled like a sack of potatoes, hitting the pavement without resistance as his head thumped off the black top.

Abe smoothly turned on his heel and walked back towards me, his expression even and unreadable. "Come, love, let's get going." He said to so casually that I could only stammer at him with wide eyes, not actually able to get anything out. He reached me and once again slid his arm around my back and grasped my hip but this time he started walking, practically dragging me with him. I didn't know what to say or do other than hold my backpack tightly to my chest and try my hardest to breathe. We reached his dufflebag and he bent down without stopping and picked it up. "Sorry about that, witchling. I should have walked with you." He said the words low and close to my ear. "Just need to pretend a bit longer and then we should be far enough away from them to relax." I could do nothing but nod as I swallowed hard, trying not to panic.

A silence fell between us and I wanted to say something to ease the heavy tension that was between us but I was way too distracted by the heat of his hand on my hip. He felt like he was heated, like he ran a higher body temperature than everyone else. I wondered if that was just werewolves in general, I wanted to ask him but I couldn't speak, I felt a little tongue tied with him touching me like he was. I wanted to know why there was such a difference in how I felt with him touching me and Mercutio.

On second thought, perhaps I didn't. It was better to not know why I didn't want to tell the werewolf to let me go.