They tried to touch his mate.

Dron didn’t even remember running over to them. All he saw was Tempest backed into the corner and that bastard Cynik reaching for her.

All his practice at keeping his alpha instincts subdued failed Dron in that moment. His entire vision went red, and his sights were stuck on Cynik.

Dron had only issued the warning because he knew if he’d ripped the man to shreds in that very moment, there was a chance that he’d get blood on Tempest. She didn’t need to be sullied with that mess. Dron wanted her away from all of this. Once she was safe, he’d give this menace the beating he deserved.

"You forget your place, cursed one." Cynik looked over his shoulder once, looking Dron over before he turned to focus his attention back on Tempest.

"I won’t tell you again. Get. Away. From. My mate!" Dron roared loud, and in that same instance, everything around them got silent.

Cynik turned, finally recognizing the threat that was Dron.

"You sure you want to do this? What would the townsfolk think? You really ready to show them all what a monster you are?" Cynik narrowed his eyes, all the while he widened his stance.

Dron smirked to himself. His inner alpha recognized the other alpha was readying himself for a fight.

A fight Dron couldn’t wait to start. It would be one for the books.

Protect my mate.

Protect Tempest.

Dron felt the air shift around him, the other two alphas in the small group were trying to intimidate him with pheromones.

Dron scoffed at the attempt. Everyone, including his mark chief, thought of Dron as less than, but it was all those years on his own that allowed Dron to hone his skills. All he had at the time were his alpha instincts to guide him. It wasn’t as if he could count on anyone else to come to his aid on the battlefield or anywhere else.

Dron inhaled and let the pheromone attack wash over him. To any other alpha, there would be some hesitation.

Cynik and his crew weren’t small or feeble in any way. Dron didn’t see this as something to be intimidated by; he welcomed the challenge. It’d been way too long since he’d had a good fight.

It was just a shame that it would be here and not on the battlefield.

Dron took a step to the side, hoping that Cynik would follow his lead and move away from Tempest.

"You’re about to make the worst mistake of your life." Cynik lowered his head. His horns gleaming in the moonlight. They were sharp. Deadly.

Dron didn’t have anything to protect himself, but he didn’t need anything. All he required were his hands. Dron had no doubt that he would be rid of Cynik in short order. The problem now was the fact that Cynik had backup. The two other alphas would no doubt try to jump in on the fight. It would take Dron’s attention away from Cynik and that could cause the offending male to get in a few lucky hits on Dron.

He wouldn’t fall. Dron would rather have his insides plucked out inch by inch than fall to his knees in front of Cynik.

"In case you weren’t aware, I’m known for being the one to make all the mistakes."

Dron couldn’t see anyone but the three men in front of him and Tempest behind them. He wished she would go away.

The way she was staring at Dron only pulled his Alpha instincts harder. She was in danger, but she’d still not run away. Why wasn’t she moving? What was she waiting for?

"Then let’s do this. Enough of the talk. It’s about time someone put you in the ground where you belong, Dron?" Cynik growled and spread his arms as if he were ready to attack.

Dron braced himself for the blow. He knew Cynik was strong, but he hoped that the other two would allow the two of them to at least start the fight on their own.

He didn’t even get a chance.

"No! Stop!" Tempest ran in the wrong direction. Instead of running away from impending doom, she ran straight in the middle of the four of them.

"Move, woman!" Dron hissed and tried to shove her away, but she grabbed hold of his arm and stayed true.

"No! You won’t do this! Listen to me, Dron. You can’t do this." Tempest tried to get his attention. She couldn’t. Dron’s alpha was already in full control. No one would be able to get through to him.

In fact, it was a wonder that he could even hear her at that moment. He should only be aware of the threat in front of him. Tempest wasn’t the threat. How was she able to break through the haze?

His vision was still tinted red, but there was something more affecting him. Something that he’d never felt before.

It was like a pulsing, it connected with his heartbeat. Dron tried to find the origin of this pulsing. It wasn’t coming from inside of him. Instead, it was coming from where Tempest touched him.

His eyebrows furrowed as he continued to look down at her hand.

She’d touched him before, and Dron had felt something, but it was never this intense.

What was she doing to him?

"Dron, listen to me—" Tempest tried to talk, but Cynik cut her off.

"Look, men, the cursed one needs to take orders from his omega. I guess the rumors were right. He is meek." The three of them snubbed him just by uttering those words.

Dron was an alpha. He didn’t take orders from anyone if he chose not to.

He tried to snatch his arm away from Tempest, but she refused to let him go.

There was too much coming at him at once.

Everything in his body told him to lunge at Cynilk. To show him exactly who he was messing with, but he couldn’t ignore the feeling coming from Tempest.

He strained. His inner alpha snapping and demanding to be let free.

Dron looked back down at Tempest, and he could see the fear and worry in her eyes along with the tears she was ready to shed.

She was going to cry for him. Something that Dron couldn’t permit.

The fact that she was this distressed caused Dron to hesitate. It wasn’t fair. This entire situation wasn’t fair.

"Dron...please." Tempest begged.

"You better do what your omega says, Dron. Who knows if you’re a good little boy maybe she’ll let you smell her cunt tonight."

All sound evaporated around Dron. That was beyond anything Dron could accept. It was one thing to insult him, but to insult Tempest. No, Cynik needed his face broken.

Dron roared long and hard and tried to lunge at Cynik.

He didn’t get a chance to make contact. The two other Alphas on either side dodged.

Another smirk broke across Dron’s face. That little flinch was enough for him to know that they may have all been talking a good game, but neither of the two wanted to tussle with Dron.

They were smart.

He couldn’t say the same for Cynik. The man beat his chest. His fist striking just a hair’s breadth from the small horns that sprouted from the middle of his chest. He was getting himself ready to attack.

Dron didn’t have to do any such thing. He’d been ready to fight since the day he was born. His mother had seen to that.

Dron was certain that he could take Cynik, but if this were to be his last day, then he’d go to his makers knowing that he did all he could to protect Tempest’s honor.

Tempest.

He couldn’t find her anymore. His instincts were completely honed in on Cynik. He didn’t know if she had run away. He didn’t know if she was safe or not.

His heart hammered in his chest.

For the first time he realized that besides the alpha instinct he had to destroy Cynik, there was also fear.

Fear for Tempest’s well-being.

If he continued on this path, he couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t hurt Tempest.

What he didn’t understand was why he cared so much. Was it simply because she was his mate? It was a false marriage. A simple contract between the two of them. It shouldn’t be having this much of an effect on him.

Dron shook his head. He tried to force himself to focus. The red in vision pulsed, letting him know that an attack was imminent.

Dron was out of sorts, but just as Cynik surged forward to make his move, another body collided against Dron’s side.

Tempest’s shrill voice cut through Dron’s alpha instincts like a river through sand. It melted him. I pulled something from deeper. Something primal.

Dron completely disregarded Cynik and wrapped his arms around Tempest, turning so she would no longer be in the path of danger.

He felt Cynik’s strike against his back, but Dron didn’t budge.

His red tinged vision suddenly shifted to a golden color before it zapped to normal.

Dron’s entire body pulsed hard now that he had Tempest in his arms.

He looked down into Tempest’s eyes, but what he saw there was impossible,