Jared thrashed beneath us, growling and snapping. From the corner of my eyes, I saw the pack circling, watching with hunger. Growls pierced through the air. The team had shifted, too, and closed in on us, but they did not attack, did not try to save their brother.
The pack moved in closer, snarling viciously. And I knew right then that if I didn’t kill him, they would. The scent of savagery and bloodthirstiness clung all around them. Jared was not walking out of this clearing. The pack wasn’t going to let him walk after attacking Jade. But then, neither was I.
Jared bucked hard, fighting with everything he had. Just like his father. But this time I did not wait for his submission. I knew it would never come. No, this time I ended it fast, burying my teeth in his neck, and biting down until he laid still. Until he was gone.
~ JADE ~
When Jared took his last breath, I backed up in a rush. Aidan let go of his neck as soon as I moved and looked up at me. It was a slow, searching look and he didn’t break it, not once, as he shifted back to human.
Wolves were howling all around me. The pack who had hated me had shifted to protect me. I’d seen them do it and rush in when Jared launched at me. And now they howled, a sad, pain-filled song. My insides shriveled and twisted listening to it.
Aidan rose up and his eyes were still on me. He moved slowly as if he was scared I would run. He found his pants, tugged them on, and then he was standing over me. He dropped down to his knees. His hand trembled ever so slightly, as he reached out and ran it along my fur. He pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around my neck and he hugged me close. His murmurs were soothing sounds, not really words, and I almost missed it when the words actually came out. “I’m sorry.” His voice was raw.
I ached for him. I knew he really was sorry.
But it wasn’t his fault. Jared could have made a graceful retreat. I would have let him bow out of town. I would have made Aidan let him, too, no matter what his crimes were against the pack or against us — the alpha pair. For that one desperate moment, I would have let him go. But he hadn’t wanted that. He had wanted revenge.
I shifted in Aidan’s arms, and he didn’t let go, not even as my bones snapped and moved under my skin. I didn’t respond right away, when I was back to my human form. I simply gazed at him, hoping he would see that I understood.
“Thank you for making it quick for him,” I whispered after a long moment. “I’m not sure the rest of them would have.”
His gaze fell and he nodded. His throat bobbed with a few quick swallows and he released me from his arms. As he rose from my side, the pack began to shift back to human, and as they did, cheers rose up loud and quick. I took to my feet, and swallowed down the bile that rocketed up my throat. My insides were twisting and clenching with pain.
They were cheering over his dead body.
“How can they be happy about this?” My voice was a whisper. I didn’t expect an answer. I didn’t really want one.
“They’re not cheering because he’s dead, Jade,” Beck whispered from behind me, as a windbreaker wrapped over my shoulders. “They cheer because the alpha pair is together. They cheer for your union. They cheer that you fought for them. That you didn’t let them fall into the hands of Jared. They cheer for you, not for him. Never confuse that. It’ll kill you if you do.” The heartbreak in his voice made me ache for him. He slid in front of me and pulled the jacket closed.
Landon drew close and he touched my arm. “Jared was already dead, Jade,” he said. “My brother died the same night my father did.”
I nodded, because really, I couldn’t do anything else. Craig came forward and so did Mark. The four of them surrounded me and then I was in their arms. I don’t know how long we stood there, finding support in each other’s embrace, but by the time we let go, the cheering had dried up.
The pack had circled us, dressed once more. There was no malice in their movement, and I had the distinct impression that the circle they formed was one of protection.
I slid away from the guys and looked for Aidan. He hadn’t gone far, just a few steps away. When my eyes landed on him, he smiled, although it didn’t look real at all. I couldn’t guess what he was feeling. Most likely because I was choking on my own emotions and he had that calm fearless expression back in place.
He came to me, his warm weight settling in behind me, and his arms went around my waist. He squeezed me and pressed a kiss to my cheek and then, he addressed our pack.
“Thank you, my friends,” he said, his voice loud and strong. “Today you’ve shown me that despite our differences, we can truly be a pack. You all didn’t hesitate to rush forward when my mate was threatened, even though not all of you felt she was worthy of alpha, and I thank you for that. I will not forget it.”
I looked out over the pack standing around us. I searched inside myself for a connection to them, that little thread of feeling that I had come to depend on. I found it in Dominic’s hazel eyes, and Marcy’s sorrow-filled gaze. I felt it in Trevor’s protective arms that encircled his human mate. I saw it in Erika as she looked at me with regret and admiration. I found it in all of them, that little piece of me. That sense of belonging, of possession, and of unyielding protectiveness. It swelled in my chest, expanded my heart. We may have been splintered, but we were a pack. We were together, and together we would support the cracks while they healed.
As a unit, the pack lowered to the ground, kneeling and bowing — a sign of their loyalty to Aidan. I found myself wondering if it might have been for both of us. Whether it was for him or for us, I felt the resolve tighten in my chest. This time, no matter what, I would not fail them.
As I looked out over the sea of bowed heads, I said, “Thank you.” My voice was weak, very weak. I cleared my throat and blinked away the sting of tears. “Go now and rest. Grieve the loss of our brother, and comfort the ones he left behind.” My voice still trembled and Aidan’s arm tightened around me, supporting me. My heart was pounding hard against my chest, and I strengthened my grip on my emotions. “But be ready. We know where the cougars are. The time is coming to take out our enemy.”
As soon as they started moving, heading for the woods, I turned to those who had stayed behind. My friends: Marcy and Trevor, Tommy and Chris, the team, Dominic, even Erika, waited before Aidan and I. Waited for the words I figured neither of us wanted to say.
It was Marcy who managed to whisper the question on all of our minds. “What happens now?”
“We bury our brother,” Aidan said with compassion, choosing to ignore the real question behind her words.
A string of faint, but heart-filled, thank-yous spilled from the guys and a tension that I hadn’t noticed was there until it lifted, dispersed into the air. And then the waiting started once more.
I swallowed hard, pulled in a breath and said, “And then we tell my father I’m mated and watch for the next play of his game to drop.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books for young adults, including The Soul’s Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.
In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul’s Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.
An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist. When she’s not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.
Ashley loves hearing from her readers, so feel free to connect with her online.
www.ashleystoyanoff.com
www.facebook.com/AshleyStoyanoffTheSoulsMark
www.goodreads.com/ashley_stoyanoff
Ashley Stoyanoff, Deadly Mates (Deadly Trilogy)
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