Three Alpha Bikers Wants An Open Marriage

Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Riley’s POV

Before Ethan can even turn to see who entered, he is yanked away from my body so violently that my head snaps forward from the sudden absence of his weight.

The pressure around my throat disappears.

I barely have time to gasp before Ethan is flung across the room like he weighs nothing at all. His body slams into the far wall with a deafening bang, the impact cracking something behind him as he hits and slides down hard.

I collapse against the wall, coughing violently, clutching my throat as air rushes painfully back into my lungs. Every breath burns, sharp and uneven, and my chest feels like it’s tearing open from how fast I’m breathing.

I lift my head just in time to see who did it.

Cane.

Caden stands just behind him, calm, unreadable, arms crossed like this is nothing more than a casual inconvenience.

And Gunnar strolls in last, unhurried, his presence filling the room in a way that makes my skin crawl.

My heart slams violently against my ribs.

Cane doesn’t waste a single second.

He rushes Ethan again, grabs him by the neck, and lifts him straight off the ground.

My eyes widen in pure shock.

Ethan’s feet kick uselessly in the air as Cane holds him up effortlessly, one hand wrapped tight around his throat like Ethan is a child, not a fully grown Alpha. I have never seen anything like this before. Never seen strength used so easily, so casually, so cruelly.

Cane smashes Ethan back down to the ground with brutal force.

The sound of the impact makes me flinch hard.

Then Cane is on him.

His fists come down fast and merciless, punch after punch, heavy and unforgiving. Each blow lands with a sickening thud that echoes through the boardroom. Ethan groans, then snarls, then suddenly his body jerks violently.

I gasp as his bones crack and shift.

Right in front of my eyes, Ethan begins to transform.

I freeze in place, horror locking my body stiff.

Skin tears. Bones rearrange. His form expands rapidly, fur bursting through as he shifts into a massive wolf, towering and monstrous, teeth bared, eyes glowing with fury.

A low, dangerous growl fills the room.

My heart starts racing even faster.

If Ethan is in his wolf form now, he could kill someone. freёweɓnovel.com

Fear floods me.

But Cane doesn’t even hesitate.

He doesn’t step back.

He doesn’t even flinch.

Ethan lunges at him, massive jaws snapping, claws tearing into the floor as he charges with pure animal rage.

Cane catches him. With one hand.

My breath catches in my throat as Cane grips the wolf by the neck mid-lunge, fingers digging deep into thick fur and flesh, stopping him completely. Ethan’s massive body jerks and struggles, paws kicking uselessly in the air.

Cane squeezes. Hard.

The wolf lets out a strangled, broken sound, legs thrashing violently as Cane lifts him higher.

"You seem to have forgotten your place, Ethan," Cane growls, his voice deep and terrifyingly calm. "I don’t need to shift to kill you right now, you know that."

Ethan’s growls turn weak, desperate.

Cane tilts his head slightly, eyes cold.

"It would be a disaster if I killed you in your wolf form, wouldn’t it?"

Ethan struggles harder, but it’s useless.

Something twists in my chest.

For one horrible second, I feel pity.

Then Cane throws him.

Ethan’s massive body slams into the ground like dead weight, rolling harshly before stopping with a sickening crack. The impact forces him back into his human form, blood spilling from his lower abdomen, dark and thick as it pools on the floor.

My stomach churns violently.

Cane walks toward him slowly.

Caden and Gunnar remain where they are, watching silently, faces blank, detached, like this is expected.

"First," Cane says coldly, grabbing Ethan again and hauling him up just enough to punch him square in the face. "You planned to kill her."

Another punch.

"Second," Cane continues, his voice rising slightly as he slams his fist into Ethan’s ribs. "You used compulsion on humans, violating the law."

Another punch. Harder.

"Third," he roars now, grabbing Ethan by the collar and slamming his head back violently. "You dared to lay your filthy hands on her."

The sound of bones cracking makes my knees weak.

Ethan coughs blood, his body shaking uncontrollably as Cane beats him without mercy. Each punch lands brutally, targeting his head, his neck, his face, until Ethan finally collapses to the floor, barely conscious, bloodied and broken.

Cane drops him.

For a second, I think it’s over.

Then I see it.

Cane’s fingers lengthen.

Claws. Sharp deadly elongates from his fingers.

My blood runs cold.

I instantly understand what is about to happen.

"No!" I scream, my voice raw and panicked. "No! Stop it! Stop it, please!"

My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s going to explode.

Cane raises his hand.

I start hyperventilating.

The room spins violently as memories slam into me without warning. Daphne. Blood. Screams. The way she did the same thing without blinking.

My chest tightens painfully.

I can’t breathe again.

"Please!" I sob. "Don’t kill him! Please!"

Cane turns toward me. That’s when I see his eyes.

Pure amber gold.

Bright. Unnatural. Powerful.

My stomach drops.

Holy hell.

Fear crashes into me all at once, sharp and overwhelming, and my legs give out.

Cane takes a step toward me.

I don’t remember hitting the floor.

Everything goes black.

I wake up gasping.

Darkness surrounds me, thick and suffocating.

For a split second, I don’t know where I am or if I’m even alive. My heart is racing wildly, my body drenched in cold sweat, every muscle tense like I’m about to be attacked.

Then the lights flick on. I flinch violently, scrambling backward on instinct, my breath coming fast and panicked.

I’m on a couch.

A different room.

Clean. Quiet. Too quiet.

I sit up abruptly, my throat tightening as memories crash back into me all at once. Ethan. Cane. The claws. The blood.

I push myself up, ignoring the dizziness, backing away until my back hits the wall.

Then I see them.

Cane.

Caden.

Gunnar.

They’re standing across the room.

Watching me.

My chest tightens painfully.

Fear grips me so hard my hands start shaking.

I don’t think.

I bolt.

I push off the wall and sprint for the door, my bare feet slapping against the floor as panic floods my veins. I grab the handle and yank hard.

Locked.

"No," I whisper, my voice breaking.

I turn around sharply, my back pressing against the door as I stare at them, my heart pounding violently.

"Stay away from me," I say, my voice shaking. "Please. Just stay away."

None of them move.

Cane looks at me like he’s trying to say something, but I don’t want to hear it.

I slide down the door slowly, hugging my knees to my chest, breathing unevenly, my whole body trembling.

Every time I see them, all I see is blood.

Claws.

Death.

I don’t trust them.

I can’t.

I don’t care if they saved me.

I don’t care if Ethan deserved it.

I am terrified.

And all I can think about is one thing.

I need to get away from them.