Alpha Read Free

flying wide as she noted the beast that charged to her. Jax was too busy fending off the betas that snapped at him, and he would be taken off guard.
    Garret chased Dennis down, claws kicking up dirt, grass, rock, and pine needles as he launched himself at the other alpha.
    He didn't have time to get his momentum going, and he couldn't catch Dennis like this.
    He was almost on top of them!
    "Jax!"
    Jax looked over at the alpha that charged at him with all his body weight, and Garret noted the way the dragon braced himself. It wouldn't be enough.
    Garret snapped his teeth, and by some miracle, he caught Dennis's tail, bit down hard enough that he almost took it right off when he pulled back.
    Some of his teeth popped out of his mouth but his adrenaline pumped so high he felt no pain. Dennis howled as he was yanked back, losing most of the skin and fur on his tail.
    He veered off to the side.
    Garret spat his teeth out, and the fur and skin and blood. That had been gross, even for him.
    Dennis yowled as he climbed to his feet, looking back at his tail, and then at Garret, his muzzle crinkling in pain and rage. He sneered when Garret spat again, as if the taste of Dennis on his tongue disgusted him.
    It did, and Garret was glad Dennis took the hint.
    Dennis called out to his men, who had stopped their attack.
    "Fall back."
    Laurence growled, his hackles raised high. "No."
    The hair on Dennis's back, and what was left of his tail, stood up as he roared at him. "I said fall back!"
    Laurence cringed, practically giving Dennis his belly right then and there.
    The betas, who were still too close to Garret's woman for his liking, spread out, eyes still on their target. Glowering and growling, they fell back to stand behind their alpha.
    "You should stay, Dennis," Garret said, and now his monstrous voice was slurred thanks to a lack of some of his teeth. They'd grow back in a few days, but for now, with his adrenaline plummeting, he was throbbing in pain, could taste blood, and he wanted to fight. "We could end this right now. I might even make it quick for you."
    He wasn't going to make it quick.
    Dennis snarled at him. "If I ever see her again in my territory, I'll rip her apart."
    "Not your territory!" Garret yelled, then he roared until his throat hurt, spittle flying from his maw.
    Laurence, coward that he was, trembled even as he glared. It would be wonderful if he started to cry, but he didn't.
    Dennis didn't blink.
    He turned his back on Garret and walked toward the darkness of the trees. He did it so calmly and quietly, as if Garret and his men posed no threat at all.
    The insult of being disrespected like that nearly sent Garret into a flying rage. He moved to chase after his enemy and finally put him in his place.
    "Garret!"
    Jax's voice stopped him.
    He glanced over his shoulder, and Jax glared at him.
    He wasn't the strongest, even as a dragon, but Garret trusted his judgment; that's why he was second-in-command.
    Garret glanced down at his woman, who was still trembling. There was the faint scent of urine in the air, and Garret was pretty sure it hadn't come from Laurence when he'd roared at the man.
    Garret released a lumbering growl, before rolling his shoulders and forcing himself to be calm.
    So many years of searching for her, just to find her like this, and so close to his home, too.
    If he'd waited until tomorrow, been patient enough to wait for a decent hour to reveal himself, he wouldn't have heard her screams for help. Dennis would have reached her first and Garret would have been too late. All this would be new to her. Not a good first impression, especially for a human, and Garret was so big, and Jax was bigger and had scales and wings. Garret wondered what this human woman was seeing as she looked at him.
    She was still on the ground, her face and body dirty, and her amber-brown hair was in a knotted mess with leaves and twigs sticking out at odd places. It might have once been in a bun, or some other