For a brief moment, Elka was taken aback by the sheer fury burning in the depths of his eyes. She had seen him angry before, but never like this. There was no restraint left in him. No reason. Only hatred.
He bared his fangs the moment he reached her and that was the last thing she saw before he backhanded her across the face with brutal force, sending her crashing sideways into the nearest wall. Pain exploded through her cheek and split lip. The taste of blood instantly flooded her mouth.
Before she could regain her footing, he seized a fistful of her hair and violently yanked her head back. A heartbeat later, his fist slammed into her ribs. The pain was sharp, nauseating, and all-consuming.
For a moment, she was a little girl again, helpless beneath his fists, powerless against the man who had spent years teaching her what fear felt like.
But this time, something colder and far sharper rose beneath that fear.
Contempt.
