by Anya Bast
A dull roar had started in his head right after the words I think he hit her. Roane rose and stalked out of the cell. "Thank you."
"Just go get my roommate, Roane." She rolled her eyes. "I'm throwing myself under the bus here for you."
It didn't take long for Roane to high tail it across the street, making sure he avoided all the Wolven in his path. As soon as the pup got back and noticed he was gone—Amy could only distract him for so long—Marcus would be alerted to his escape and would know right where he'd gone. He needed to get to Scarlet before that happened.
Slipping into City Hall, he made his way down to the basement via the stairwell. It let out into a public administration area of the building—a long white corridor with lots of closed doors and bad florescent lighting.
But where was Scarlet?
He hesitated at the beginning of the corridor and strained his hearing for any noises. In the distance, in a room far from the stairwell, he heard pounding and a hoarse voice calling. He went for it.
When he got closer, he recognized Scarlet's voice, heavy with stress and emotion. "Scarlet?" he asked when he reached her.
"Roane! Oh, thank God you're all right! Get me out of here!"
"Stand back." With a kick, he splintered the door, letting it swing wide on its hinges. Scarlet stood in the center of the room, blood caked on her cheek.
He went to her, cupping her face in his hands and tipping her face to the light. A bruise had already begun to form on her pretty skin and her cheek was cut. "I'll kill him," he growled.
Scarlet covered his hands with hers and shook her head. "Marcus doesn't deserve to die for hitting me one time, Roane."
"Yes. Yes, he does, Scarlet." Every protective instinct within him roared to life. He was serious about making her brother pay for hurting her. His wolf rippled under the surface of his human consciousness at the mere thought, wanting blood and flesh.
She searched his face, her lips parted a little. When she understood he meant it, her face tightened. "No, Roane."
He pushed the hair away from her face, inspecting the damage. "Good alphas don’t hit. They don't have to."
"He's my brother." Her eyes pleaded with him to show Marcus mercy.
Footsteps sounded behind them. "Oh, look, the lovers have found each other."
Marcus.
Roane didn't think, he just acted. Releasing Scarlet, he turned and leapt at Marcus with a savage growl ripping from his throat. As he went, shadow engulfed his form and he landed on four paws.
Marcus took up the challenge and, lip curling even while in human form, met him in the center of the room—his Wolven self engulfing his body as he moved.
Roane hit Marcus hard and they rolled, tangled together across the floor. Marcus snapped at Roane's throat, missing trapping it in his huge white teeth by a breath's space.
They hit the wall and leapt apart, circling each other with their teeth bared. An audience had gathered inside the room by now. They were going watch their alpha be defeated and Roane was going to have stand in his stead—even if he didn't want to.
Marcus had brought this on himself. By hurting Scarlet, Marcus had made his own nightmare come true.
Marcus lunged at him, sinking his teeth deep into Roane's side. Scarlet screamed. Pain exploded through Roane's body, but he fought through it, twisting until he grabbed a hold of Marcus's haunch. He sank his teeth in and worried, causing Marcus to release him and yelp.
They circled each other again, Marcus limping and blood pouring from his side. Both wolves were weakened from the earlier fight that day, both still suffering injuries, but each of them had powerful emotions running through their bodies to sustain them. Both of them had strong goals.
Marcus wanted to protect his territory. Roane wanted to protect the woman he loved—his mate. This battle was about whose will was stronger.
Roane growled low at the thought, the sound trickling from his peeled back lips. He lowered his head, staring Marcus down. Then he leapt. Roane hit Marcus in the side and went for his throat. Using his weight to push Tranquility's alpha to the floor, Roane sealed his mouth around Marcus's throat and tightened until Marcus was forced to go limp.
The crowd in the room let out a collective gasp. Roane had forced Marcus into submission. Their alpha lay on his back, stomach exposed and his tender, vulnerable throat between another Wolven's teeth. It was clear that if Roane closed his jaw right now, Marcus would die.
The temptation to do just that made Roane salivate.
I'll kill you if you move, Marcus said Roane telepathically. I want to kill you for hitting Scarlet. She wants you to remain living, so I will allow it, but you will go far from here and never come back. Understand me? You've lost Tranquility. If I ever see you again, I'll have to disappoint your sister.
Marcus lay motionless, unresponsive. He had to know it was over. His pack had seen him defeated. They wouldn't accept his rule now.
Roane gave him a little shake. Don't make me kill you.
I'll go. Marcus answered finally.
It didn’t have to be like this. Roane gave Marcus one final shake and then released the hold he had on his throat.
Marcus rolled to the side and shifted back to human form. He lay naked in the center of the room, blood coating his thigh. After a few moments, gaze averted, he rose and limped out of the room.
Everyone remained silent as he left.
Still in shadow form, Roane surveyed the people in the room. All of them looked to him as though expecting he would protect them, care for them, create a safe place for them to exist. That's what an alpha did. That was an alpha's job. Roane didn't want it, but it looked like he had it anyway. His basic, innate nature had won out over everything else.
Looking at the hopeful faces in the room, Roane realized that maybe somewhere deep inside he wanted it too.
Scarlet ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his fur. Roane changed back to human form and crushed her to him, kissing over the non-bruised side of her face. Warmth filled him at the feel of her in his arms and he closed his eyes, letting out a breath of pure relief.
Most importantly, he had Scarlet. No doubt one day they would mate, but now they could take their time.
As he and Scarlet clung to each other, the pack members all filed out of the room, giving them privacy.
"I love you," Scarlet whispered, right before she kissed him.
Roane smiled against her lips, finally filled with the sensation of being home. "I love you too, baby."
THE END
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About the author
Anya Bast is the award winning author of numerous works of romantic fiction, mostly all paranormal and mostly all scorching hot. She lives in the country with her husband, daughter, seven cats and two dogs.
She grew up in Minnesota and still favors the colder climates. After high school she moved to the southeast United States where she attended college. While in graduate school she sold her first book and decided to pursue her lifelong dream of writing instead of a career in psychology.
Somewhat reclusive by nature, she can be drawn out with a good bottle of red wine, classic movies, or good music. When she's not writing, she can be found trying to grow organic vegetables, shopping in thrift stores for that perfect piece of clothing, or dreaming about travel to some faraway country.
She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Elemental Witches and Dark Magick series, and is now working on a new series. The Brotherhood of the Damned will feature immortal Viking warriors, demons, witches and more. Watch for the first book, Embrace of the Damned, to release from Berkley Sensation in May, 2012.
Anya Bast’s backlist
Dark Magick series:
Wicked Enchantment
Cruel Enchantment
Dark Enchantment
Midnight Enchantment (2/12)
Court of the Edaeii (ménage a trois romance):
Jeweled
Jaded
Elemental Witch series:
Witch Fire
Witch Blood
Witch Heart
Witch Fury
Embraced series:
Blood of the Rose
Blood of the Raven
Blood of an Angel
Blood of the Damned
Anthologies:
What Happens in Vegas
What Happens in Vegas...After Dark
Magical Seduction
And a Lady Makes Three
Dreams of the Oasis IV Anthology - Getting Slayed
Tales from the Temple III Anthology - Scarlet Sweet
Other Works:
The Chosen Sin
A Change of Season
Ordinary Charm
Edge of Sweetness
Seduced in Twilight
Tempted By Two
Water Crystal
Whisper of the Blade
Taken
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Table of Contents
OtherKin: Tranquility
Midpoint
About the author