“She’s mine.” Obsidian snarled back. The male acted as though he had a claim to Alli but he didn’t.

“Destiny!” Moon stepped between them, growling too. “Return to your room or leave now.

Leash yourself and don’t return until you have regained some composure.”

“Did you hurt her? Scare her?” Destiny lunged to the side to avoid being blocked from his target.

“Did you bend her over and take her on her hands and knees as though she were a dog?”

Darkness walked between them, his back to Obsidian. “He’s canine. That’s a dumb question.

Do you want to ask me if I like to lick cream?

Maybe you could ask Smiley over there if he can climb trees? We all carry traits and instincts of what we are.”

Darkness turned to Obsidian and explained, “I’m mixed with black leopard obviously. Smiley was created with chimpanzee genetics. The guy is way too friendly in my opinion but I tend to be ill-tempered enough to find it annoying. It doesn’t mean I wish he’d change. He is what he is. I love pussy.” The male shrugged. “Hence the loving-cream part.

“Get over it, Destiny,” Darkness sternly admonished as he shifted his gaze back to him.

“The doctor obviously chose him over you. It’s none of your business if he fucks her like a dog or she rides him like a pony. He’s new and you’re being an ass.”

Moon glanced at the short-haired male. “That was subtle.”

“It’s a gift. I’m blunt and don’t have any patience for bullshit.”

“Destiny, do I need to take you into one of the rooms for a time-out? It’s my specialty, making people talk and listen but be warned, you won’t enjoy it.”

“Alli is mine,” Obsidian stated, torn between gratitude that the males would stand up for him and irritation that they blocked him from the male who wanted his female.

Destiny sidestepped to the left, meeting his gaze. “I was giving her time to adjust to me. I didn’t want to frighten her. She was mine before you were ever rescued. She deserves a male who doesn’t cause her harm. You’ve already done that.”

“I would never hurt my Alli.” It insulted him to be accused of it.

“She lost her job because of you.” Destiny snarled, his hands fisted at his sides and took a step closer. “She loves being a doctor but what is she now? The female you will fuck and keep as a pet inside your home since she won’t be allowed to leave it? You’ve already hurt her. I know her well and it will kill her inside, living that way.”

“She saved me and I didn’t take her job away.”

He growled low, threatening the other male, angry at his accusations. “She’s not a pet either. I know that term.”

“Shit,” Moon sighed. “Calm down. No fighting in the living room.”

“Let them.” Darkness grabbed the other male by his forearm. “This isn’t going to be resolved any other way. It’s our way.”

“He’s weakened still and recovering.” Moon tore out of his grip. “It wouldn’t be fair.”

The short-haired male glanced back, studying Obsidian. “He’s still a bit on the thin side but you can see the muscle tone he’s kept. It’s his female he’s defending. I’d lay my money on him.” He shot Destiny a look. “He’s too angry at the moment to be effective and I’ve trained with him.

Not the best fighter.”

“Fuck you, Darkness,” Destiny spat, ripping his shirt off to bare his upper body. “Clear the area.” He glared at Obsidian. “I’m going to kick your ass and send you back to Medical where you belong. I’d rather Dr. Allison take a job working elsewhere than know you are mistreating her.

She’d be happier doing what she loves.”

“You aren’t my type so that’s a ‘hell no’ on the sex offer.” Darkness lunged, grabbing Moon around the shoulders to cage him in his arms.

“You aren’t either but I know you’ll get between them. Don’t make me knock you out. Just chill with me and allow nature to take its course. We’ll only intervene if one of them is about to die.”

Moon didn’t struggle. “You just wanted to hug me.”

A disgusted look crossed the other male’s face.

“You and your damn emotional-bonding moments.” He let go. “You’ve been around too many human females.”

Obsidian stalked closer to his prey. Destiny wanted a fight and he was going to give him one.

It would feel good to beat on the male for accusing him of abusing Alli in any way.

“She’s mine,” he declared.

Destiny came at him. “Not for long.”

White-hot rage exploded and he didn’t hold back or attempt to dampen it. He fed the flames by imagining the other male touching his Alli.

The others in the room were forgotten.

He assessed his opponent. Destiny weighed slightly more than him but he was taller, meaner.

He remembered the time six technicians had come into his room when he’d broken one of his chains from the wall. Only one of them had survived.

The human side of him fled, to be replaced by something purely savage. A fist swung at his face but his hand wrapped around it, his hold tightened until it crushed. The male screamed as bones broke. No pity. He punched out while the male suffered, hitting his throat. It knocked Destiny back and would have floored him but his hand was still a prisoner at Obsidian’s mercy.

“Fuck,” someone hissed.

“Don’t kill him!” Moon roared.

Arms locked around his waist, jerking him hard, and he was forced to break his connection when he went airborne. He landed on something soft that flipped, sending him rolling onto the floor. His head struck something unforgiving but he shook off the pain and lifted up. One of the couches was on its side—the thing that had cushioned his fall.

Darkness was crouched where Obsidian had been, the reason he found himself on the floor.

The male growled, his eyes nearly black in color.

“Don’t kill.”

His gaze shifted. Moon was crouched over Destiny, rubbing the throat of the male sprawled flat on his back with his legs writhing in agony.

Obsidian slowly rose to his feet, ready to do battle, but realized he had no one to fight.

“Call Medical,” Moon yelled. “He’s breathing but in bad shape. Medical emergency!” His head whipped around to pin Obsidian with a grim look.

“I think you missed crushing his windpipe but he’s having a hard time breathing.” He glanced down at the fallen male’s hand. “And you broke some of his fingers.” He looked back. “You really need to learn how to fight without trying to kill someone. You’re too damn new.” He glared at Darkness. “Great idea to let them fight it out.

We’re lucky this one isn’t dead.”

Darkness shrugged as he straightened from his bowed position. “I stopped him before too much damage was done. I underestimated him since you implied he was still recovering. I’d say he’s at one hundred percent.” He frowned, approaching Obsidian. “You’re bleeding. Let me take a look at your head. You hit the coffee table. I thought you’d land on the couch, not bowl it over.”

Alli had just finished shoving the last of her clothes into a suitcase, only leaving out one outfit to wear in the morning, when someone pounded on the door. It surprised her that they didn’t ring the doorbell. The wood took a horrendous beating. The sound alarmed her enough that she sprinted into the living room to unlock door, throwing it open.

“Come with me,” Rusty panted, out of breath and sweating as if she’d run a long distance. An emergency medical kit backpack had been slung over one of her shoulders. “The new doctor isn’t here and Trisha can’t be found. She and Slade went for a walk but we don’t have time to track them.”

“What happened?” Alli stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. It was obvious that someone must have been hurt if they needed a doctor.

“A fight at the men’s dorm. A male is down.

Hurry.”

Panic gripped Alli as she ran after the fleeing Species female, whose legs were longer. It sank in that she hadn’t put on shoes when she reached the road, the unforgiving surface bruising. Obsidian had gone to visit the dorm. Was he the one hurt?