Mason's point of view

I kissed the side of her surprised face. Lexi knew some of the history about my father, but she didn't know the worst of it. 

My father had been a violent bastard, but even he felt the disturbance within his pack. He took Grayson and me away from that pack after our mother died. 

"So this is a power play?" she asked in curiosity.  It wasn't often that I let the other wolves think I hadn't spotted them. I gave a noncommittal shrug as I sat back and took a sip from my drink.

"We should be calling for back up," she suggested at my silence. "We know where they are."

Backup would do no good, my wolf tried to tell her, but I had shut down the bond. When I had to tuck the wolf back down, he wasn't happy about it. "If we did that, they would suspect something and run."

"We can chase them."

I immediately shook my head. I felt my wolf pull for control at the idea of putting our mate in that kind of danger. "We are not chasing them. They are on a hunt for you. Jenna gave them a challenge when she brought you to their attention." It was a good thing that bitch was already dead, my wolf roared against my control at the thought of her. I felt the same. 

The wolves stood up from heir table, throwing a few bills on it to cover their tab. 

She rolled her eyes at my obvious over-protectiveness. "Why does it always have to be me?"

"You're a magnet for trouble," I teased, keeping her attention on me and not on the oncoming predators. 

"How did you end up being my mate then?" She barely contained her smile; just a ghost of it came to the face. She wouldn't be smiling if she knew they were coming. 

"You're a magnet for trouble." I playfully smirked and winked at her. Color filled her cheeks. It was almost too easy for me to distract her. 

Surprise was quickly covered by a flicker of anger when the two wolves sat down at our table. 

The one I had scarred, I didn't know his name or recognize him, but the other I did. Thomas Lesley had been in my father's pack. As far as I knew he wasn't much of anyone in it. The other had to be his protégé. The pack did have a reputation for being rather disturbed. 

The scarred one sat next to Lex, which made her cringe closer to me. 

"So," Thomas said, "I haven't seen you since you were a child, Meyers."

My gaze hardened on the wolf. "What are you doing here?" I didn't bother leaving this a calm conversation. I wasn't happy to see them. They were causing a mess that I, sure as hell, did not want to have to clean up. 

Both of them looked at Lex. I didn't like the fear I felt through our bond when I reached out. I fed her reassurance that I knew what I was doing. I knew she felt it when the stiffness left her shoulders and her confidence returned. 

I wouldn't tolerate these men thinking that my mate was weak prey that they could target to get to me.

They needed to see that she was strong and wouldn't cower away from them. 

"Just a little sport," the scarred one answered, not taking his eyes from Lex.  

I needed his attention on me. "This sport has long died out, like your pack."

Fury lit in his eyes as he tore them from Lex to stare at me. "Our pack hadn't died out. It was destroyed by Finn." These rogues didn't frighten me like they did Lex. She had reason to fear unknown male wolves, I didn't. 

"Because it was full of lunatics. Tell me," I taunted, "how the hell did you two numb nuts survive Finn's onslaught?"

Thomas put a hand on his partner's forearm. I knew, instantly, that these two were a father and son team. No one from my father's pack would hold back someone from a fight, not unless they were related somehow. "We fought our way out."

I laughed at his lie. He was a fool. "Time has made you a terrible liar, Thomas." The scarred one narrowed his eyes at me, which was harder for him to do with his right eye since I had destroyed it. He was damn lucky I hadn't blinded him when I attempted to crush his skull with my jaws. I assessed him, letting him know I didn't see him as a threat with my eyes. "Who's your pup?"

He slammed his fist on the table, causing Lex to fractionally flinch. 

I knew this wolf was more experienced than Lex, but he had weak control. I could tell just by looking at him that his control left much to be desired.  

"I am no more a pup than you are," he seethed. I knew it would be too easy to goad him into attacking me, but it was too risky here.  

The chance of revealing the werewolves to the world was a definite concern. The drunken patrons weren't the worry. It was their cell phones and cameras that caused concern. No one would believe a bunch of drunks, but the video would cause problems.  

"What's your name then, not-pup?" I felt Lex stiffen beside me and could feel her tension through our bond. She didn't like what I was doing.  

"My name is of no importance," his answer was deeper from the influence of his wolf. 

I smirked over at Thomas. "Letting the little one run the show?" I had no doubt that I could handle the two of them and protect Lex at the same time, so provoking them meant no difference to me.  

"I've won the right to call the shots, asshole. There's no alpha above me to boss me around. I am the alpha here." The scarred pup all but puffed out his chest to show just how tough he was.

I felt Lex's exasperation and knew she rolled her eyes at the young one. She had seen plenty of wolves who thought they could reign supreme, just before I put them in their place. This pup would be no different.  

The crowds around us didn't even notice what was going on at our table. Had they been sober, they would be running away from the intensity of the rogue wolf in front of me. Humans were good at picking up "get lost" cues.  

"Alright then, ruler boy, what should I call you? Or do you want me to continue making things up?" 

For a long minute, the wolf said nothing. "Emerson," he finally answered.  

I knew then that he could fall under my influence easily. I just needed some time to gain control over him.  

I needed to change the subject to get the attention off of Emerson. I wanted him to think that I didn't care about what he had to say. He would get angry and sloppy. That's what I wanted. "I'm mildly surprised to see you alive, Thomas. I was sure that you would've been slaughtered with the rest of the pack." 

Lex's interest piqued at that. Now she knew that my thoughts had been confirmed.  

Thomas scoffed. "I ran when I heard them coming. I'm no fool to stick around when the Madills are on a witch hunt."  

Lex's confusion hit me next. I blocked off the bond so I didn't have to feel everything she did.  

"You abandoned your pack. You're no better than the betrayer you sent back." 

Thomas' brows furrowed. "Betrayer?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" I gave him some mock sympathy. "Emmy here decided to take it upon himself to give a pack wolf some punishment."

Thomas closed his eyes tightly. "What did you do?"

Emerson's anger was already flared from my Emmy comment.

"I did what I wanted to," he spat angrily. "Who are you to judge what I decided needed to be done?"

I couldn't help but smirk as Thomas glared at Emerson.

"This pack had been split and frayed. I doubted anything would bring them all together, but the death of their betrayer has united them."

They had a better chance of walking out of this situation if the pack was disrupted and split. If the pack joined together, like a real pack, their chances were slim to none. Though, in the long run it didn't matter. Both of these wolves would die, if I had to track them for years.

Thomas knew this. Thomas' growl was low enough so the humans wouldn't hear it.

"You could have a thousand wolves, it wouldn't matter. You'll never stop us." Emerson said arrogantly.

Lex scoffed. "I dare you to say that to Finn's face." She quickly shut her mouth and sent a sheepish look my way. I wanted their attention on me and she knew it.

I sent a smile her way. "Finn would wipe the floor with both of them on his worst day," I said before looking back over at Emerson. His anger was blocking his ability to talk.

"Finn is a rabid dog that needs a chain." Thomas came to his son's rescue when he didn't know what to say.

"You're just jealous that you're not the top dog," I taunted. "You know from experience what Finn is capable of." 

"We barely escaped that attack. Finn was out of control."

I let out a laugh of disbelief. "Finn attacked because your alpha was a psycho. He should have conceded."

Emerson shook his head. "Wolves aren't meant to be controlled by one being. Finn's reign will end, and it'll end bloody."

I stayed quiet for a few seconds, keeping my wolf at bay. These two were making it hard for me. The fact that the lacky's eyes kept flickering to Lex didn't help my control. 

"Where are you keeping the girls? I know you have at least one more."

The scarred smiled. "We have three more, all at our disposal." He locked eyes with Lex. "I thought you'd appreciate the new techniques we've started using."

In a flash, she reached across the table and smacked him across his slacked jaw. We heard the pop from its dislocation. 

The only reason I let her get that far was because it was unexpected from her. The two wolves didn't know that she was more likely to fight than anything else. She didn't temper her speed to a human level, nor her strength. She was right back next to me before he could even look back at her. 

Her reactions were quicker with this bond now firmly in place. More went through it than I had realized. 

His eyes lightened as he met her eyes. I could feel her fury through our bond. Her eyes narrowed at his challenging stare. She wouldn't back down to him, not when I was right next to her. 

Even if he launched at Lex, she was close enough to me to protect. The only ones who would get hurt here were the humans. But I knew he didn't care about that. He only cared about me catching him before he got to her. I would snap his neck before he could. 

Lex was worth the trouble that would come from killing in a crowded public area. 

"You guys should leave," her voice was gravelly from her wolf. 

The scarred one growled threateningly at her. 

"If you don't take your son away from this place, he'll be leaving with more than just a scar," I threatened Emerson. It should have dawned on me sooner that they were related, but it made no difference. All it meant was that the scarred wolf was raised just as I was. "You have ten seconds."

Emerson narrowed his eyes at me, but made no move to leave. 

"Nine," Lex counted. 

A hand shot out at her. I would have stopped it, but I didn't have to. Thomas stopped his son. 

"We're leaving."

The two wolves stood up, but the son shook his head. 

"Like hell we are!" Emerson yelled as he advanced quickly at Lex. I had just enough time to pull her off of her seat and to the other side of me before his body collided with mine. 

I knew we were going to have this problem. I'd just have to deal with it later if I managed to kill them here. 

We both crashed to the ground, startling the crowd around us, and gaining too much attention. A few squeaks and startled reactions sent a wave of awareness out around us. He swung at my jaw and missed, instead hitting the concrete floor and breaking a bone or two on impact. The snap of the break was audible. The human bouncers would try to split us up, but they'd just die in the process. 

I couldn't let any humans die while I was around. 

Clear it out, Lex, I urged through our pack bonds. 

She nodded once then went into the swarms of people around us, trying to get a look at what was going on. 

I hooked my elbow around the kid’s neck and easily climbed onto his back, in position to snap his neck. I would have if his father hadn't been there. This whole thing would have been over had he not been there. 

I had to let go of him when Thomas came near, and tried to kick me in the head. A good angle and he could have caved in my skull. 

A fire alarm rang and water started pouring from the ceiling. Thomas hesitated long enough that I could go into a crouching position and take him to the ground while his son coughed and whined. 

Thomas was a good wrestler. We tumbled around, slashing, trying to gain the upper hand, but the water made it so slippery.  

I thought I had it, until a swift kick to my stomach had me hunched over in pain. Emerson gloated over me, thinking a kick was all it would take to bring me down. He swung his leg to kick again as his father stood up, calling him off. But the kid didn't listen. I grabbed his ankle, pulled and twisted it until I felt his bone give and snap. 

He screamed in pain and tried to get away from me, but I held onto that leg. I twisted even more, feeling the shredding muscle and even more broken bones as he screamed. Thomas stopped trying to pull his son away, instead coming at me, the smart thing to do. 

The humans were running out, leaving this place deserted and the floor saturated with an inch of water. Thomas grabbed my wrist and tried to pull it away from his son, but I squeezed harder. 

He punched me on the side of my face, making me let to for a second long enough for his son to scoot away from me. He wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed, cutting off my air supply and blood to my head. 

Then Lex butted in. She swung at his head with a fire extinguisher, forcing it to burst on impact and explode all over us. I felt her grip a hold my shirt and drag me away from the rogues. 

It was enough time for them to get away. Thomas carried his broken son out of the bar, leaving Lex panting over me. 

"Are you fucking kidding me Lex?" I yelled as I stood up, forcing her to stumble away from me. "That's the second time they're escaping."

Her eyes showed hurt for a second before she started screaming at me. "He was choking you! What was I supposed to do? Just let him kill you?"

"I was figuring it out."

She rolled her eyes. "Your planning skills suck!" She screamed. "You could've died!"

"I was fine."

"He had a gun Mason." She paused, waiting for me to snap back, but I had nothing. I hadn't noticed a gun. "While his dad was choking you, he was reaching for his piece. I'm willing to bet that a wolf packs silver bullets."

I couldn't stop the growl that came out of me. I had them.

"Maybe we can catch them."

Lex hesitated, but said nothing. She nodded and followed me in the direction the two rogues had gone.

I followed their scents to the back exit door. I went first to make sure that they weren't going to attack once I got through the door.

There was a car leaving the alley that we stumbled into once out of the building. I ran to the end of the alley to catch the car. If I could catch it, I might have had a chance to end it all.

The car sped off when I started gaining on it. I committed the car to my memory so we could look for it later. I picked up the nearest thing to me, which happened to be a beer bottle and threw it at the car they were driving. The bottle shattered when it came into contact with the rear window.

The window fractured, but didn't break. They'd get pulled over for having a crack on their window like that. And if I ever saw that damn car, I'd destroy it with my bare hands.

Lex caught up to me as I glared at the back of that car. When she put her hand on my arm, I tugged it away from her. I was too mad to deal with her. I was too fucking mad to even try.

There were sirens coming to the building. We needed to get out of here. I was in no mood to deal with the police. I doubt even Lex could sweet talk them into not arresting me.

"We need to go." My voice was deepened with the wolf's influence.

She nodded, looking hurt, keeping her eyes off of me. I knew I was going to have to grovel later, and that added to my fury.

"We should keep you away from normal people," she whispered. "Your eyes are glowing golden."

This was supposed to be a good night. Now because of those two bastards I had a mess to clean up.

Without another word, we went to the car and went back to the alpha's house to deal with even more bullshit that came with that pack.