Page 25 of Ash
Ash’s spine snapped straight. “Yeah, Laura won’t be going with you either. She belongs to Oz. She is claimed and marked. Her mate won't let you near her.”
“She was not his to mark and claim.” The man snarled. Spittle flew from his mouth. No human acted that way. But these weren't humans, not really. I reminded myself.
“You leave Laura alone.” bravery took over. Pulling myself out of Ash's arms I squared my shoulders. My hands were on my hips as I stared into the face of the man who’d had the starring role in so many of my nightmares. “Leave us all alone and go crawl back into whatever hell hole you climbed out of..”
His almost black eyes met mine. All my bravado evaporated but I kept my position. Maybe I was foolish but I wouldn't let them scare me into backing down. Now I knew they were real I could face them,
“Then we take you as her replacement.”
Coldness seeped over me, a bone-deep chill that had nothing to do with the snow that lay all around us.
“People know where we are, they will call the police and-”
His laughter froze the words on my lips. “No one knows where you are, and by the time they do, we will be long gone. We have spent many lifetimes hiding and-”
A growl, much louder than theirs filled my ears and I turned to Ash in shock.
“She won't be going anywhere with you.”
There was something in his voice that was as animalistic as they were. A dangerous, almost out of control feral sound. “Ash?”
Something was happening to his eyes that petrified me. They didn't seem human any more. More lizards than anything else. My heart took off at a gallop, so fast it felt like i was going to have a heart attack. I stepped away from him before I could help myself.
The grubby man seized his opportunity instantly. His grime-encrusted hand closed around my arm and yanked me towards him. My shoulder screamed in agony as it was wrenched painfully.
“She doesn't even know what you are, does she?” Laughter filled the air. “She has no clue that you are as much a monster as we are. You took her to bed and she doesn't know.”
“Ash?” I searched his face with my eyes. I needed him to tell me they were lying. That this was a trick but he turned his face away for a second before meeting my eyes and the guilt in them was like a beacon.
“I am nothing like them, Lainey.”
I wanted to believe him. But i didn't. Ash was lying to me again.
“The only way you are going to get her back is by telling her the truth. You think she’s your mate don't you?”
“I know she is my mate.” Ash didn't even hesitate. “And I will fight for her until my last breath. I will….”
“Then show her, show her what kind of monster she has been sharing her bed with. Keep her safe from us and have her reject you all with the same breath. Because if you don't, if you refuse to shift I am going to make you watch what I let my pack do to her.”
The gravity of his words settled over me and close on its heels, fear.
“Ash,” I screamed as I was bundled backwards into the waiting arms of men who had seconds before been animals. Terror ripped through me. I began to fight but it was useless For all their staving frames they were strong. So much stranger than me. “Ash please.”
Ash hesitated.
Why wasn't he helping me? He had promised that he would help me. That he would protect me. And he was doing nothing but staring at me with sad lonely eyes. There was fear in them as well. When he had no right to be afraid. I was the one being manhandled by crazy naked mountain men. Not him.
“Ash please-” I managed to squeak before a rancid hand was clamped over my mouth and nose.
“You are weak, but this mate of yours.” A hand pawed at my breast over all the layers. And even though I could barely feel it, I felt sick. “She is ripe. I will fill her with our young and,”
“Touch her again and I'll kill you.” Ash's voice was steady, his shoulder which had been slumped straightened as he pulled himself up to his full six and a half foot. Towering over every person around us, and he seemed to swell. “Let her go and save your lives. Because I will kill you all.”
No one let me go. And I could barely breathe against the hand clamped around my face. My eyes met Ash’s.
“Don't be afraid, Lainey, please don't be afraid.”
His words didn't make any sense because of course I was afraid. I was going to be kidnapped and possibly raped by some dog men who likely hadn’t seen the inside of a shower in decades.
Ash stepped forward. “Don't be afraid,” he said again so quietly that I barely heard and then he threw his head back and roared.
I watched it happening and yet I couldn't compute what was happening. All I could do was scream against the hand holding me.
