She set her cup down and leaned back against the counter behind her. “Don’t get her killed. I swear, if you get Ness killed, I will do everything in my power to make you regret it. Maybe you don’t care about her, but I have a feeling that you do and that it won’t be hard to make you feel remorse.”
A growl vibrated in my throat. Summoned by her threat, my dragon reared its head and snarled. She didn’t back down. If she saw the beast in me, it didn’t affect her. I had to give her points for her lack of fear, but I didn’t appreciate her insinuation.
Then she shrugged. “But when you become Alpha, I’ll be the first in line to bow my head to you.”
I took a step back and shook my head. These women were conniving. I didn’t waste my time telling her that I wouldn’t become her new Alpha. There was no way in hell that they were going to twist my arm and force me into a position meant for someone else.
I had given up my claim to any kind of leadership back in Colorado. Never again would I have that kind of power. I didn’t deserve it.
As I stepped outside, the medallion hummed against my chest. I wanted to tear it off, but the damned thing was stuck to my neck. I couldn’t get the leather cord over my head without it shrinking.
I’d tried.
The thing had damn near strangled me, despite my best efforts.
This medallion and the deal behind it trapped me here. I had been passing through only a couple of days ago. Now, I was bound to two women I couldn’t trust. On one hand, Ness needed help. If I left her to her fate here, I would never forgive myself. But, in my efforts to help Ness, I’d bound myself to someone even more dangerous.
I’d thought that I could cast off the physical evidence of my deal with Queen Beryl, but an enchantment kept it around my neck no matter how I tried to snap it.
My beast thrashed inside me. Its discontent manifested in tension that gripped me from head to toe. I clenched my fists at my sides until my knuckles ached. Though there was no sign of Morgan in the skies, it would only be a matter of time until his judgement caught up to me.
I deserved whatever Morgan had in store for me, yet I couldn’t stop myself from running.
If I’d been a better man, I would have stayed and faced the consequences for my actions. I would have looked my brother in the eye and told him that I would have done it all over again if it meant saving everyone.
I wish I could have been that kind of man. I hated myself for running.
What had running brought me? Now that I had rushed headlong into the mess here in Lakesedge, I had my regrets.
I ran my hand along the short beard growing over my chin. The smell of coffee and hound filled my senses and stirred something deep inside me. Desire hit me suddenly. I clenched my teeth and shoved it back.
I would find another way to help Ness, and then I’d be on my way. I didn’t need her to help me.
The smell of asshole Alpha hovered on the air. I followed it back to Lakesedge. The beast under my skin begged to be let loose when I found where Alvin lived. A well-placed lightning strike would burn his house to the ground, but that wasn’t what I needed to do.
So long as I could push him out of his role as Alpha, then I could rest easy without knowing that I’d taken another life. I wasn’t sure how I would go about relieving Alvin of his position, but I would figure it out. While I did that, Ness would help me.
She had to.
If she wasn’t the one the witch had told me about, then I’d dug my own grave here in Lakesedge.