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nREADER SHOUT OUT: Thank you so much for your support and encouragement, @Cindi_127! You're a blessing. I hope you enjoy this!

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n~ ZEV ~

nWatching those males touch her and stroke her, whisper in her ear, leaving their scents on her, it had all conspired to make every muscle in his body tense and his jaw ache because he clenched it so hard his teeth wanted to crack.

nHe'd stayed at the back, behind the last line of males to watch over her and make sure she remained safe. But it was costing him more energy to hold himself back, to not roar into the fray and beat all these males away from her.

nThen Joyte ran his nose along her jaw and she startled—out of fear or discomfort.

nA low growl began in Zev's chest and several of the males in front of him flinched. They were low enough ranked to be forced to acknowledge him, and they knew that sound. Knew that it meant he was on the edge of violence.

nThey submitted their positions in the pack and let him draw closer, deeper into the crowd, until he was only a few rows behind her.

nHe shouldn't be there. He knew he shouldn't. Dunken had hissed at him to leave when this began. But this was only going to get worse. But he couldn't remain so far away when she was uncertain. He couldn't let her feel that he'd abandoned her to it. The males wouldn't harm her, he knew. But he also knew in her world that those touches, this kind of uninvited attention, would be cause for alarm. She needed to know she had someone there who understood, and would help if it became too much for her.

nThe lower ranked males had already given away and those who stepped forward now were becoming bolder—one even danced. He was beautiful in his forms, and his body an excellent example. In any other circumstance Zev would have laughed, knowing how the male impressed the Chimera, yet left Sasha baffled. She stepped beyond him without a word, completely unaware that that simple gesture had just kicked the competitive nature of each of the males into overdrive.

nShe was a true challenge, and the pack blood boiled for her.

nBut none of them knew her as he did. They misunderstood her signs because they read her as they would read a Chimera.

nHer averted eyes and hurried dismissals were discomfort—that tang in her scent, frustration and a blade of fear. But the males took it as if she sought someone else. As if she had not yet found the male that could hold her attention.

nWhich, he supposed, was true. Because the attention she wanted was his.

nHe let himself linger on her then, watching the back of her neck as she hesitated, looking for a way forward while all the males inched closer.

nHis teeth set against the desire to leap into the crowd and fight for her, he only watched. Caressed her hair with his eyes.

nShe dropped her chin and her shoulders rose and fell, as if she'd taken a deep breath. Had they been alone, he might have whined, to feel her pain with her—to let her know that she was not alone. To encourage her not to give up.

nBut then the entire pack froze as her scent rose among them, tantalizing and sweet.

nThe hair on the back of Zev's neck stood up as every male around him tensed.

nNo.

nThat musky, gorgeous aroma of her wanting, the scent he'd been bathed in back in the fox hole—his favorite smell in the world, but not here. Not now.

nHe almost said her name, had to swallow the word. But then her scent spiked and despair broke in his chest.

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"No, Sasha!

" he snarled under his breath. Too quiet, he thought, for her to hear him. But she startled and looked over her shoulder, searching for him, he was certain.

nAnd as the males closest to her began to pant, he growled in her head, 'You can't let yourself get aroused—it will only encourage them!'

nBut it was too late. Too late.

nZev growled again—and rose into a snarl when the males behind were drawn forward. They fell back again, submitting, but it wasn't enough.

nThe males nearest her, those of higher rank, had caught the wind of her desire now, and they closed in, jostling each other, snapping and whining as they wrestled to get closer.

nSasha gasped when a fight broke out between two, just feet from her, pulling back in fright until she ran into other males on her other side and disappeared from his view behind them. Had she tripped? Or been embraced?

nZev cursed under his breath.

nNone of the males would hurt her—they wanted her to see their strength, their willingness to provide, their capability—but in her world this would look like chaos. It would look like the lone female was at highest risk.

nAnd the truth was, he couldn't discount it. The males had no desire to hurt or alarm her, but when their instincts took over and they began to fight with real intent? If they shifted and fought as wolves? Sasha would not respond as a Chimera female—she would not stay in place to watch, examine how the males dominated one another.

nSasha would try to escape and in so doing, might put herself in the path of others who fought, or hadn't realized she was so close.

nZev's heart thundered in his chest. He snarled again—not holding back, warning any who were close that the Alpha was there and would not accept any harm to her, for any reason.

nBut he was no longer surrounded by the weak males. He'd ventured into those who were ranked, and highly sought. Those who could look at Alpha in the eye and own their own strength before him.

nThose who knew he hadn't yet earned back his authority.

nAround him a dozen males whipped to face him, their snarls answering his.

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"No!

" Sasha cried when she saw their attention shift and followed their gazes to Zev.

"Don't fight!

"

nBut none of the males would heed that. Zev stood, feet shoulder width apart, hands out from his sides, eyes darting to see how would be the first to challenge him—because it was too late to avoid now, he knew.

nHeart sinking in his chest—and slamming against his ribs because she was his!—he readied for the assault, eyeing the nearby males and measuring who was lowest among them.

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"Who's first,

" he barked, flexing his hands and sinking his weight lower so he could move quick as lightening.

nTwo males eyes flashed and one opened his mouth. Zev was beginning to turn, to face the first contender, when a familiar voice rose, flat and drawling, from Sasha's other side.

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"I am,

" Lhars said.

"Enough of this hierarchy bull**, Zev.. You want her? You have to get through me.

"

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