Werewolf Academy Book 3: Instinct by Cheree Alsop Read Free Book Online Page B

“No.”
    Alex clenched and unclenched his fists. He knew he was stupid to press the situation. One werewolf against fourteen, with one of them an Alpha, was a losing situation no matter how he looked at it. But he couldn’t leave the helpless animal to be tortured by whatever means Torin found amusing.
    He took another step forward. “Leave. This. Room.” He spaced the words careful so that they would sink into Torin’s thick skull.
    The Alpha’s eyes narrowed at the insult. “Careful, Alex,” Torin said quietly, his tone dangerous. “You just crossed a line and your Alpha’s not here to protect you.”
    Torin walked away from the kitten. The rest of the pack followed. The animal sat hunched near the wall as if hoping to avoid further attention.
    “I crossed the line long ago,” Alex replied. Drawing Torin’s attention away from the kitten and to himself was stupid, but he couldn’t help himself. Seeing a bully pick on a defenseless target filled his vision with red. Thoughts of Drogan walking toward him as he protected his twin sister ran through his mind. The knife dripped blood fresh from slaying his parents. Drogan’s mismatched eyes bored into his thoughts.
    “You’ve been asking for this for a long time,” Torin said. The rest of his pack fell in around Alex, cutting off his escape.
    “You have no idea,” Alex replied. He swung at Torin.
    Torin ducked. Alex anticipated the Alpha’s reaction and lashed out with his left hand. His fist caught Torin in the face. Alex dropped and kicked out, sweeping the Alpha’s legs out from under him. Alex was about to jump on Torin when hands grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms. Alex struggled, but Sid and Justice tightened their grips.
    Torin climbed to his feet. He wiped a few drops of blood from the corner of his lip and looked down at the red smeared across the back of his hand. Torin’s jaw clenched with fury.
    “I’m going to make sure you regret not dying with your parents, Stray,” Torin growled. His fist connected with Alex’s face, then his stomach.
    Hands tightened as the punches met their marks. Alex tried to fight. He scraped his heel along Sid’s shin and tried to knee Justice in the groin, but more hands reached around, holding him fast.
    Torin’s knuckles bloodied. Alex couldn’t think through the fog that filled his mind. His heart stuttered. He tried to free his arms. The pressure increased. His heart skipped another beat. Alex’s knees gave out. He wanted to fight back, but his body wouldn’t respond.
    “He’s had enough,” Sid said.
    Torin continued to punch Alex’s chest, stomach, and face while his pack held the werewolf up.
    “Seriously, Torin,” Justice protested. “You’ll kill him.”
    “Maybe he deserves it,” Torin growled, but he stopped.
    Sid and Justice let go and Alex slid to the ground. Torin kicked him in the side. Alex felt his ribs give.
    “That’s for thinking you can take on an Alpha,” Torin spat.
    Alex wanted to point out that the fight hadn’t exactly been just him against an Alpha. He wanted to call Torin out, to call him a coward for having his pack hold his victim defenseless. As the footsteps left the room, Alex realized he was just like the kitten.
    The thought made him open his swollen eyes. Light pierced his vision with pain as he looked around for the creature. He spotted it huddled against the wall where Torin had forgotten about it.
    Alex let out a slow breath through his split lips and held out a hand to the animal.
    “Looks like you and I are in the same boat,” he said. Even talking was painful.
    The kitten arched its back and hissed. Before Alex could pull away, it swiped his hand. Alex stared at the four claw marks filling up with blood
    “Go figure,” Alex said. He let his head fall back to the floor and closed his eyes.

Chapter Seven
     
    “ALEX!”
    KALIA’S VOICE PIERCED his muddled daze. Alex had no idea how much time had passed. He opened his eyes, and found them less