Nikolai's gaze lingered on Madoka for a moment as she looked at him with a stunned expression. Her breathing ragged as she panted, fingers clenched and still disoriented from the impact of his blows.
He could almost taste the flicker of doubt he'd planted in her.
"Do you insist on this fight?" He asked.
The men aiming gun barrels at him ignored his words and instead adjusted their aim.
"Step away from her!" the lead operative barked, voice muffled under the helmet.
Instead, he reached down, grabbed Madoka by the collar of her black bodysuit, and lifted her with casual, one-armed strength.
"What—" she started, but he was already moving.
With a single heave, he hurled her toward them. She crashed into the front line of operatives, her weight and momentum bowling two of them over the railing in a tangle of limbs and weapons.
The wolf was already in motion before they could recover.
