So many things were happening at once, it made Buckās head spin.
Fortunately for him, he fed off the annoyance threading from the Paloovian in waves. It pulsed, spilled over. Tensed his shoulders even more, made his anger justified. It pooled from them like the glowing drink dripping off the creatureās clawed foot. Maybe heād got it wrong. Maybe they werenāt looking for a good time, and one of the girlās screwed them out of money. Made more sense, the way they were going on. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Summer slithering past him, nearly bumping into his shoulder, before plopping down into Jaxās lap.
She, at least, was fine. Drunk, but in one piece. Safe. Not knowing where the others were rankled his nerves, made him want to escalate the situation further. Push until this Paloovian pushed back. The thing huffed out yellow smog from its lips, which peeled back from pointed teeth. It seemed to look to its companions, clicking its tongue. He didnāt know what it was sayingāif it was saying anything at all. Couldnāt understand him. Not that heād admit it, but he wished Wolf was here. Then, she could tell them to fuck off properly. It usually worked. For whatever reason, alienās didnāt respond well to their spoken language. Probably thought it was an affront to their damned race.
Another muscle jumped along his jawline as the Paloovianās claw sunk deeper into his collarbone, forcing him a step backwards. Pricking uncomfortably into his skin. They were bigger than him. Seemed as if most aliens towered over them, unfortunately. It made it harder to stand toe-to-toe with them, though it didnāt really stop him from trying. Heād earned more broken bones than he could count from picking fights with them; humans were fragile, in comparison. It pissed him off.
A familiar face bobbed into his peripherals. Fiery hair bobbing past. Grace seemed to be picking her way carefully across the bar in a way that he recognized immediately. He tore his gaze away from the Paloovianās ugly face, and watched as she plopped down at the table Jax and Summer inhabited. All trouble. It oozed from her; that caution heād become so attuned to. Though he wasnāt sure of the specifics, he could guess pretty damn well what had happened. Didnāt mean heād step down and apologize. āThere aināt no girl youāre looking for hereāā
A tugging at the hem of his shirt distracted him enough to drop his hand from the hilt of the pistol, tucked safely into the hostler strapped to his back. He dropped his gaze and spotted Wolf there, sprawled at his feet. His mouth worked for a question and snapped shut, eyebrows jamming together. Where the hell did she even come from? A huff of breath hissed past his lips as he looked in the direction sheād crawled from, ears straining for sounds. Two more aliens, furred bastards, heatedly pointing towards Wolf. Abandoning his pistol, Buck pushed the Paloovianās hand away and took a step backwards, creating some distance, and for whatever reason, the alien seemed inclined to let him. He leaned off to the side, and grabbed onto Wolfās forearm, hauling her back to her feet, but maintained his grip on her arm.
To keep her steady. To keep her from running off. To keep himself anchored. He wasnāt sure anymore, but the room span and everything seemed too damn loud in his ears. Too full.
Whatever calm heād amassed in himself dissolved as soon as Jax pushed himself between them, unsuccessfully. He was two seconds away from telling him to step off. But, once the Paloovianās clawed, meaty hand wrapped itself around his neck and pulled him off he ground, Buck reacted instinctively. He couldnāt think around the pounding in his head. He released his grip on Wolf and immediately freed his pistol from his back, jamming it underneath the alienās face, nestled under its ridged chin. A furious breath puffed out. āLet him go or Iāll blow your brains out.ā He pressed the muzzle of the pistol harder, insistent, desperate, āUnderstand that?ā
There was a clattering of noise in the background. Then, silence. Uncomfortable, heavy. Curious eyes already turning to stare at them.
Humans, making trouble again.