Page 89 of The Ashpaw: Part One

The manic look in his eyes, as beast and man, when he chased her down, ready to consume her.

And the bloodshed when he’d failed.

She did not think she’d whimpered, but Eidan’s large hand was at her back, bringing her down into a tighter hold.

“He can’t hurt you, Fern. He’s gone,” he whispered in her ear.

Heavy footsteps sounded from outside the door, and it was pushed open violently.

“What is so important that you had to bring me from my furs the morning after a shift?” he asked, loud and angry.

Fern dared to turn her head towards him from where she sat, her wolf thumping her tail excitedly.

“You!” he snarled.

She flinched, and Eidan snarled back.

“Darion, get your head out of your arse for one second and—”

“The Ashpaw has disrupted my bedding of Kyntha for the last time. My patience has run out!”

“Son,” Alastair warned, but Darion would not listen.

Fern retreated under the cloak, tears streaming down her face and body shaking.

I told you, she said to her wolf. He hates us…

He’s confused. Once he realizes what we are, he will want us.

If anything, it made Fern feel worse to know he’d only want her now that she was rare.

When she was just Fern, he wouldn’t have cared if she’d died.

“No, Father. She is my mistake to fix and it appears the only way to do so is by blood.”

She felt him come closer, thunder in his approach, as he tried to rip her from Eidan’s lap.

“You have interceded for the last time, brother. Give her here so I can set the clan straight.”

“Darion, you will stand down this instant!”

The alpha command boomed through the room, each of them bowing their heads and bending their spines.

Fern kept her face hidden, unable to look at anyone as she sobbed.

She’d been given another chance and was already failing.

Reinn got up from his chair and crouched beside her, whispering in her ear.

“He’s an awful brute, isn’t he?”

When she let out a soft, pitiful little whine, he tutted, patting her back.

“You seem to have left all of your common sense in bed with my cousin,” he said, rising to face Darion. The tone was light, but the cut of the words was sharp. “If you’d actually stop for a moment and take a deep breath, you’d realize exactly why you were called in today.”

Fern heard him growl, and then inhale deeply.

There was silence.