Moon Shifter 02 - Primal Possession

her scent, he started for the living room, then froze. Tied up and with tape across her mouth, Decemberhad a bruise forming across her face. Her eyes were closed and she was softly moaning. And he could hear her light breathing. She was alive. A red, burning rage started deep inside him.
    He didn’t even realize he’d moved, but suddenly he was kneeling by her side. With one quick pull he snapped the plastic bands off her wrists, then slowly eased the tape off her mouth. His throat seized as he checked her pulse. It was strong.
    “December?” Her name was barely a whisper on his lips. What the hell had happened to her?
I should have been here.
The thought reverberated loudly inside him.
    As he cupped the back of her head, her eyes fluttered open. In confusion she stared at him for a moment before lashing out. Her hand struck his face, but her scream died on her lips as her eyes focused on him.
    “Liam?” She tried to push up farther, so he helped her to a sitting position. “Where…?” She looked around at her surroundings before staring at him. When she did, she touched the side of her face and winced.
    “Who did this to you?” To his own ears his voice was guttural, more animal than man. His inner wolf tore at him with sharp razor’s-edge claws, begging to be set free.
    When she flinched, his human side took over dominance. His body shook with the need to draw blood. Whoever had done this would die. The scent that lingered in the air would be forever cauterized in his mind. “Are you hurt? Physically?”
    “No.” The word was scratchy. Then more started flowing. “He had a gun. He said he was going to use me as a bargaining chip against you. I should have fought harder, but he had a gun.” Her voice cracked on the last word. Taking him completely by surprise, she lunged at him and threw her arms around his neck.
    For once in his life he felt useless. Absolutely. Fucking. Useless.
    December cried silently against his neck. No big wails or sobs from her. Just heartbreaking little gasps as her slim shoulders shook and she trembled in his arms. She buried her face against his neck and the wet tears streamed down his back.
    He wanted to take away her pain. To ask her more questions. To find out who’d done this so he could hunt him down. But he knew now wasn’t the time. She needed to cry.
    So, he held her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her until she was sitting in his lap and let her cry.
    He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but after what felt like an eternity, she lifted her head to stare at him. Her eyelashes were thick and clumped with tears. She blinked a few times and shook her head as if clearing cobwebs. “I can’t stay here tonight.”
    He wiped away her tears with his fingertips, hating that she was crying at all. “December, we need to talk about what happened.”
    “I’m not staying here!” He almost jerked back at her shout.
    But he understood what was happening. Her body shook wildly and she was likely close to hyperventilating. He needed to get her the hell out of there. Standing, he lifted her and hurried up the stairs.
    “What are you doing?” She stared at him in confusion as he placed her on her feet in her room.
    “Pack a bag. Bring whatever you need to last a couple weeks.” When she frowned, he hurried on. “I’m not saying that’s how long you’ll be gone. Just make sure you have everything you need.”
    “Okay.” With shaking hands she opened her closet door and rolled out a suitcase.
    While she packed, he texted his brother, then Jayce to fill them in on what had just happened. He’d eventually call them, but he didn’t want her overhearing any of this. Even though he could have sent out a telepathic message to Connor, he didn’t because right now all his focus was on December. And this was his fight, no one else’s. His brother might be his Alpha, but some things a male needed to take care of on his own. He hadn’t gone truly hunting in a long time, but now that he had this guy’s scent, his days were limited.
    For a moment Liam was sorely tempted to contact her brother, but December was in a state of shock and not thinking clearly and the last thing he wanted to do was involve the police. Parker might want to put her under lockdown and no one could protect her better than Liam. And more than anything, he just didn’t want the cops to know about it. He’d take care of this his way.

Chapter 11
    “T his is bullshit.” Liam