As soon as it became clear that kicking wouldn't help, Alex started trying to pry his hand away from her face. She felt like she was almost succeeding, she thought she could almost feel one of his fingers start to bend, when he hit her in the ribs and any last bit of air in her lungs was sharply driven out.

It was totally involuntary. She gasped for air, breathing in the wolfsbane and almost immediately feeling the effects. Most of her strength was gone, but she kept trying to pry his hand away even as she sagged against him.