Page 29 of Ash
ChapterTwenty-Two
Ash
I didn't watch Oz drive away with my mate in the car. I couldn't. Because he was taking my soul away with him and I had no idea whether I would ever see her again. Could I live without my soul?
She hadn't rejected me, but only because she didn't know she had to but I had seen the loathing in her eyes. I had seen it, and it was carving me up inside.
Instead, I turned, barreling my way through the others who had gathered around something or someone a little behind me. They moved instantly out of my way.
Roaring, I launched myself at the naked dark-haired man, on his knees in the snow. There was another man in front of him. Standing over him with his shoulders back. The alpha who had spoken. The one the dire had instantly obeyed.
I ignored him as I crashed into the man on his knees. Sending us to the ground.
“Enough.” The alpha said again as I gripped the dire wolf's throat and squeezed. I sneered up at him. My lips pulled back from my teeth in a snarl that would put any wolf to shame.
“I said enough,”
Slowly I realised he wasn't talking to me at all but to the dire who was throwing punches wildly at my head. I'd been so out of it with rage that I hadn't felt any of them connect to my temple.
“You are not to raise a hand to this man.”
“Up you get, Ash.” Leo was there and I blinked at him in surprise. I had assumed he would have been gone by now gone to be with his little lioness. That had been his plan when we had thrown him his leaving party. He was leaving us, leaving the squad for his mate. Both of them would take over their prides and merge them.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as he heaved me to my feet. Dusting the snow from my knees I glared at the dire who had his head ducked down into his chin. Cowering In front of the man in the dark trench coat. I had no idea who he was but it was clear he had some power over the dire wolves, they all looked decidedly like kicked puppies. The ones who were still alive and able to move that was.
I didn't even try to hide my smile as I looked around at the damage I had caused. Slowly I turned back to him, the man on his knees who had hurt my mate and I'd never wanted to kill someone so much in my life.
“I'm going to enjoy killing you.”
“There's going to be no killing here today.”Ace squeezed my arm, drawing my attention back to him. “Well not any more than you have already done anyway.” he shook his head. “This is going to be a paperwork nightmare to clear with-”
“I don't care. He touched her and made her bleed.” I spat each word out. “If it hadn't been for my blood she would have died.” Pointing my finger at the dire wolf I took a step forward and this time it took both Ace and Leo to pull me back. “He dies.”
Slowly the man, the alpha I didn't know, stepped in front of the downed primordial creature that masqueraded as a man. “I know you are in pain and he deserves to be punished.” His voice was all reason and i hated it. “But I can't let you kill what is mine. You have my word that he will be punished.” His eyes scanned around us. “They will all be punished. You have my word.”
“Who is this guy?”I asked Ace.
King answered, coming up to stand next to his brother, he didn't touch me, didn't get in my way but I knew he was there in case i went all dragon. It would take all of them if they had any hope of stopping me.
“Kincaid.”
Thrusting his hand out, the alpha called Kincaid waited for me to take it. I didn't. But he didn't seem put out by it.
“He's a detective.”
That got my attention. A detective? I surveyed the man with renewed interest
“Leo tracked him down to help Laura find out the truth,”
That I could understand but what didn't make sense was why he was here, now? Butting his nose into my business. I took a step forward. “Tell your new friend to move out of the way, Leo, before I take him down as well.”
Kincaid didn't move. “I'm sorry, but I can't let you kill him, not when these wolves are under my protection?”
“Protection?” I bellowed.
“Kincaid is a dire.” Leo slid his body easily between the two of us. “He's a dire wolf and he's an alpha. They have to do what he tells them. He's going to help them integrate into society. And-”
“I don't care. That one,” I pointed. “He dies.”
“No one else dies here today Ash, but I will give you his blood.” Kincaid stepped to the side and the wolf who had taken not just my mate but my friend's mate as well looked up with fear-filled eyes.
“Blood for blood, and with that blood this is over.” Kincaid motioned with his hand. “Just don't kill him.” He added as I stepped forward with a smile on my face. I was going to enjoy this.
I clenched my fist at my side.
