Tamed by the Beast

2.

Chapter 2: Claws and Chaos

The bar’s neon buzz is drowned by the growl ripping from Liam’s throat, a sound that makes my bones hum. The three shifters in front of us—Kael’s trackers—fan out, their eyes glowing like embers in the dim light. The leader, a brute with a shaved head and a blade in his hand, smirks like he’s already won. My heart’s pounding so hard I can barely breathe, and that damn mark on my wrist burns like it’s trying to claw its way out of my skin. An imprint. With Liam Thorne. The beast every pack fears. I’m screwed.

“Last chance, Thorne,” the leader says, twirling his blade. “Hand over the girl, or we paint this place red.”

Liam doesn’t flinch. He’s a wall of muscle between me and them, his shoulders tense, his voice low and deadly. “You’re on my turf, mutt. You don’t make demands.”

The crowd scatters, stools scraping as people dive for cover. The bartender ducks behind the counter, muttering about his insurance. I should run—every instinct screams it—but my feet won’t move. Not with Liam standing there, radiating power, and not with that mark tying me to him in ways I don’t understand.

“Sera, stay behind me,” Liam says without looking back, his voice sharp enough to cut.

“I’m not your damsel,” I snap, but my hands are shaking as I grab an empty bottle from the bar. It’s not much, but it’s something. I’ve spent too long being Kael’s punching bag to go down without a fight.

The leader laughs, a harsh bark. “Cute. The runaway thinks she’s tough. Kael’s gonna enjoy breaking you again.”

My stomach twists at Kael’s name, memories of his cold hands and colder words flooding back. I grip the bottle tighter, my knuckles white. “Tell Kael he can go to hell.”

Liam glances at me, just for a second, and there’s something in his storm-gray eyes—respect, maybe, or surprise. It’s gone before I can name it, replaced by a feral grin as he faces the trackers. “You heard her. Get out, or you’re leaving in pieces.”

The leader lunges, blade flashing. Liam moves faster than I thought possible, catching the guy’s wrist and twisting until the knife clatters to the floor. The other two charge, and the bar erupts into chaos. Tables crash, glass shatters, and the air fills with snarls. Liam’s a blur, all raw power, slamming one tracker into a wall with a sickening crunch. But the third one’s coming for me, claws extended, eyes wild with bloodlust.

I swing the bottle, aiming for his head. It connects with a dull thunk, and he staggers, but it’s not enough. He grabs my arm, yanking me off the stool. Pain shoots through my shoulder, and I kick out, catching him in the knee. He roars, his grip loosening just enough for me to break free. I stumble back, heart racing, and see Liam snap the leader’s arm like it’s a twig. The guy screams, collapsing, but Liam’s already turning, his eyes locking on the tracker coming for me again.

“Touch her, and you’re dead,” Liam snarls, and the tracker freezes, caught in the Alpha’s glare. I’ve never seen power like that—it’s like the air itself bends to him. The tracker hesitates, then bolts for the door, leaving his buddies behind.

Liam steps over the groaning leader, his boots crunching glass, and grabs my arm—not rough, but firm. “We’re leaving. Now.”

I yank free, my wrist burning again where the mark glows faintly. “I’m not your property,” I say, but my voice shakes. The bar’s a wreck, and the remaining patrons are staring, some with fear, some with awe. Liam Thorne just took down two shifters like it was nothing, and I’m bound to him. My head’s spinning.

“You wanna stay and wait for more of Kael’s dogs?” Liam asks, his tone sharp but not cruel. “Because they’ll be back, and they won’t be this sloppy.”

I hate that he’s right. I grab my jacket, my hands still trembling from the fight. “Fine. But don’t think this means I trust you.”

He smirks, but it’s tight, like he’s holding something back. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

We slip out the back door into the cool night air, the forest looming dark and heavy around the bar. The Pacific Northwest’s always felt alive to me, with its towering pines and mist that clings like a ghost, but tonight it feels like it’s watching us. Liam’s truck is parked in the shadows, a beat-up black pickup that looks like it’s seen as many fights as he has. He opens the passenger door, but I hesitate, my eyes on that mark again. It’s still there, pulsing softly, tying me to a man I barely know.

“What is this thing?” I ask, holding up my wrist. My voice cracks, and I hate how vulnerable it sounds. “Why’s it doing this?”

Liam’s jaw tightens, and he looks at his own wrist, where a matching mark flickers. “It’s an imprint,” he says, like it’s a curse. “A mate bond. But it shouldn’t be happening. Not like this.”

“A mate bond?” I laugh, but it’s bitter, raw. “I already had one of those. It didn’t end well.”

His eyes narrow, searching my face. “Kael was your mate?”

I look away, the memories too heavy. “Yeah. And he made sure I knew I was nothing but a trophy. So don’t expect me to swoon over some magical tattoo.”

Liam steps closer, and I feel his heat, his presence, like a storm about to break. “I don’t want this either,” he says, his voice low. “I don’t do mates. But you’re in my territory, and Kael’s not getting his hands on you. Not while I’m breathing.”

His words hit harder than they should, stirring something in me I don’t want to name. I’m about to snap back when a twig cracks in the woods, sharp and deliberate. Liam’s head whips around, his body tensing like a predator. “Get in the truck,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

I open my mouth to argue, but the air shifts, heavy with the scent of fur and blood. Another tracker? My pulse spikes, and I slide into the truck, my eyes scanning the darkness. Liam’s already moving, silent and deadly, toward the trees. I grip the door handle, my heart in my throat. He’s gone for maybe ten seconds when a howl splits the night—a sound so raw it makes my skin crawl.

“Liam!” I shout, jumping out before I can think. Stupid, maybe, but I’m not sitting here like bait. I run toward the sound, the forest swallowing me, branches snagging my jacket. The mark on my wrist flares, hot and bright, like it’s pulling me toward him. I stumble into a clearing and freeze.

Liam’s there, grappling with a massive wolf, its fur black as night, its teeth snapping inches from his throat. He’s half-shifted, claws out, eyes glowing gold, and he’s holding his own, but blood streaks his arm. Another wolf circles behind him, ready to pounce. My breath catches—this isn’t a fair fight.

“Hey!” I yell, grabbing a rock and hurling it at the second wolf. It hits its flank, and the beast turns, snarling at me. Big mistake. Liam uses the distraction, slamming the first wolf to the ground with a sickening crunch. He spins, his eyes meeting mine, and for a second, I see something raw—fear, not for himself, but for me.

“Run, Sera!” he roars, just as the second wolf lunges at me.

I dodge, barely, my back hitting a tree. The wolf’s claws rake the air, and I’m scrambling for anything—a stick, a stone—when Liam tackles it, his strength terrifying. They roll, a tangle of fur and fury, and I’m frozen, my heart pounding so loud it drowns out everything else. The mark burns hotter, like it’s alive, and I feel him—Liam’s rage, his strength, pouring through me like a current. What the hell is this bond?

The fight ends fast. Liam snaps the wolf’s neck, the sound sharp and final. He stands, chest heaving, blood dripping from his claws. The first wolf’s gone, either dead or fled. He turns to me, his eyes still glowing, and I see the beast everyone whispers about. But there’s something else there too—something human, something that makes my chest ache.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice rough, like he’s fighting to keep it steady.

I nod, but I’m not okay. Not with Kael’s trackers hunting me, not with this mark tying me to a man who’s both savior and danger. “You’re bleeding,” I say, pointing at his arm.

He glances at it, like it’s nothing. “I’ll live. You won’t if you don’t start listening.”

“Listening?” I snap, my fear turning to anger. “I didn’t ask for your help, or this—” I hold up my wrist, the mark glowing brighter now. “What’s it doing to us?”

He steps closer, too close, and I feel that pull again, like a tether between us. “I don’t know,” he admits, and there’s a crack in his voice, a vulnerability that doesn’t match the Alpha I’ve heard about. “But we’re not figuring it out here. Come on.”

He grabs my hand, and the mark flares, sending a jolt through me—warm, electric, wrong. I pull away, my heart racing. “Don’t touch me,” I say, but it’s weak, because part of me wants him to. And that scares me more than the wolves.

We’re halfway to the truck when the air shifts again, colder, heavier. A voice cuts through the night, sharp and female, dripping with authority. “Liam Thorne, you’ve got something that doesn’t belong to you.”

I turn, and there she is—a woman with auburn hair and green eyes that cut like knives, standing at the edge of the clearing. She’s in combat gear, a dagger glinting at her thigh, and the way she looks at me makes my blood run cold. Liam stiffens, his hand hovering near my arm.

“Rhea,” he says, his voice low, warning. “What the hell are you doing here?”

She smirks, but it’s all edge, no warmth. “Saving your ass, Alpha. Kael’s got more coming, and they’re not playing nice.” Her eyes flick to me, hard and accusing. “You really think she’s worth a war?”