my wolf away, he went easily. In his mind Ember was mostly my problem, not his. My attention fixed back on Drake. He’d marked her, but if I took him out and another alpha claimed Drake’s place, she would be at risk again. I eyed Ember, trying to contain my need to smash my fist into something, like Drake’s face. She had refused my protection and my mark, so either she was just pushing back at me, which was likely given her temperament, or... I kicked myself, I should have known better than to push. Dammit! Maybe she didn’t recognise me as her mate? My stomach tightened and I snarled into Drake’s face, my throat aching and my heart squeezing painfully. Or she did and didn’t want me.
“I didn't...do...anything...she...didn't ask...for! ” Drake’s throat moved under my grip.
A kick slammed into my kidneys, followed by another. I snarled at Ember over my shoulder, still not letting up on Drake’s neck.
“Let him go, you idiot!”
“Why? He marked you! He had his fucking teeth out ready to claim you!”
“But he didn’t bloody well claim me, Connor! So let him go!” she yelled right back. “I did this! It was my choice because you painted a bloody target on my back, sending them to follow me everywhere!” She gestured at Stone.
I panted, fire raging in my blood and my heart.
She stepped right up to the side of us and taking a deep breath, put her hand on my forearm.
Drake’s eyes went to her face. I snarled. “Don’t you fucking look at her.” His nostrils flared, and he shifted his gaze from Ember to me. Fucker… I squeezed harder. He ground his jaw and his wolf surfaced again.
“Hey, you told me I needed to join a pack for protection, and I have—his. So by your own rules, I am now protected. If I came to your pack, it would make me even more of a target, Connor, you know that.” Ember’s fingers trembled against my skin, but her touch calmed some of my instinct to kill.
I tried to clear my mind and think back to the words I’d used. But she was right, and I knew it. I glanced at Owen. He shrugged and nodded his head in agreement.
“Fuck!” I cursed and let Drake go. I couldn’t force myself to step away, though. I held his gaze. “Look away, right now.”
He did but I leaned in, my mouth right next to his ear. “Any harm comes to her on your watch, you’re dead. We clear?”
Drake dipped his chin.
I stepped back and took a deep breath. I was glad I’d told Rawson to wait behind for me. He knew what I was, what I’d done, but knowing it and seeing me rip the other alpha’s throat out was different.
“Connor?” Ember ventured, her voice shaking.
Yeah, I’d pretty much made a siren call about my feelings through the whole godsdamn prison! Too late now; she’d joined another pack for nothing!
I pivoted on the ball of my foot. I could smell her blood where Drake had marked her. The need to turn around and slam my fist into his gut was visceral. It might not be a mating mark, but she was still part of his pack and beholden to him, like any pack female… I growled low in my chest, finding it hard to breathe. My fists curled, my muscles shaking. I needed some kind of release before I saw that mark on her creamy skin, or I would end Drake. I walked right past Ember and was almost to the door when she grabbed my arm.
“Connor! You can’t almost kill someone because I joined their pack, and then just walk away! We need to talk about this.”
I kept my gaze ahead and shook her off, roughly. Her touch burned my skin. “You made your choice, Ember, and it wasn’t me. There’s nothing to talk about. Drake! Have her in the gym first thing tomorrow. She’s a fighter, and not around to entertain you and your pack.” I looked back over my shoulder at him. He had his head tipped back against the wall and was rubbing his neck. “You remember that.”
He met my gaze and nodded.
I walked out.
“Hey!” Ember yelled, clearly intending to follow me.
Stone stepped up to protect my back, as did D.
“Leave him be, Ember. You can’t deliberately drive a knife into his gut like this and then just expect him to forgive you,” Owen said, coldly.