26. Asher

ASHER

P haedra's thighs were locked around my head, holding me as she fucked my face. I loved the sweet noises that escaped from between her fingers. I couldn't get enough of her taste, her moans, her body. She was the sweetest treat, and all mine for the night.

Her grip on my head tightened as she climaxed. I drank in her excitement, savoring every drop. I was the only man lucky enough to get to experience her like this. It was like a religious experience, a chance for enlightenment.

As she came down and her legs relaxed, I kissed the inside of her thigh before letting her ease down the wall to the floor. I kissed her mouth, letting her taste herself on my tongue. She moaned, her hands in my hair, her legs pressing into my sides.

"Please," she gasped against my lips. "I need you."

"Yes." I was already shoving down my pants, almost tearing them in my haste to get out of them. I lay her down on the floor, nestling her head on the pillow she'd given me.

We shared a moan as I pushed inside her. She was so warm, so fucking tight. My cock already wanted to swell and stretch inside her, to take up every available space because it was all mine. She was all mine.

The first couple of thrusts were gentle, but when she wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me in deeper, all thought of being careful with her disappeared.

I loved how needy she was for me, how her body begged for mine even as my mouth kept hers occupied. Gripping her hips, I lifted her slightly to get the best angle to fuck her. I swallowed each of her moans, relishing the way each movement shook through her soft body. Her hand tightened in my hair, the other slipping into my shirt to scratch at my back.

Her climax rolled through her, and I felt it even before she gasped and turned her face away to take in more air. I chased that relief, wanting desperately to feel it with her.

When she arched her back, I thrust deeper. She clenched around me, and I didn't fight the release. The orgasm pulsed through me, and I pumped harder and faster. My cock swelled, and I shuddered, burying my face into the dewy skin at her neck, grunting as it came to its full size. It held my cum inside her, forcing her to take each drop.

When my cock deflated and we could cuddle properly, I held her to me as tightly as I could. She was panting, holding me just as tightly, my name a hushed prayer she repeated over and over into my ear. I wanted to tell her that I loved the sound of it, that I loved the way she'd felt, that I loved her , but I didn't. I couldn't risk ruining this moment. Because if she loved me, surely she would be saying it, too?

Connor's men burst into the shed before I could wake fully. I jumped to my feet, but they grabbed my arms before I could react. Phaedra was nowhere to be seen, which was a relief. She must have left sometime in the night.

"What the fuck? What's going on?"

"Connor's in a bad mood."

I hadn't expected to get an answer. Glancing at the guard who had spoken, I saw it was Ian. He nodded once.

They dragged me out of the shed and into the forest, where Connor and my pack were waiting for me. He stood in front of my people, all of whom had been forced to get down on their knees in front of him. Guards surrounded them, their weapons at the ready in case my people decided to fight back. My lips pulled back from my teeth in a snarl. Taig and Garrett looked just as pissed off as I was.

"What is this?" I snapped at Connor.

"Shut up, mutt," he said. His voice didn't have its usual petulant arrogance. He was humorless as he pointed at the ground.

His guards forced me to my knees. As I stared up at Connor, confusion gave way to understanding. His mother had died only the other day. That's why he was different now.

"I've heard your people are stirring up trouble in Den City," he said, holding out his hand. "So, I'm going to make an example out of you." Another guard handed him a spear.

"You're going to kill me?" I asked, looking at the sharp point.

He lowered the spear point first into the ground and slammed his foot down on the shaft. The blade snapped off, leaving a jagged wooden point. He pointed it at my neck. "I might."

My wolf stirred at the threat, and I was sure my eyes reflected that.

"If you even think of fighting back"—he removed the spear from my neck and pointed at my pack—"I kill one of the women."

I growled, lunging at him with sharpened teeth. The guards dragged me back down to my knees. I glared up at him, breathing hard.

He nodded his head into the group. "Grab that woman."

There was resistance, of course. "That woman" happened to be Charlotte, one of my uncle's partners.

"You coward."

He swung the staff down onto my shoulder with a solid thwack! I gritted my teeth against the sharp pain that sparked through my body.

Connor smiled cruelly down at me. He crouched beside me, hissing in my ear. "I fucking hate that you smell like her. What did you promise her to make her give you her linens?"

I knew who he meant. Phaedra's scent must have clung to my clothes, but he'd assumed it was because she'd brought them, not because we'd had sex. That was a kind of relief. I wouldn't want him to go after her in a jealous rage. I couldn't stomach the thought of him trying to hurt her again. But this didn't bode well for me. If he was grieving the death of his mother and feeling possessive over Phaedra… this was not going to be fun.

"I didn't promise her anything."

"Bullshit! Did you tell her you'd make her your mate? Did you lie and say you'd beat this curse?"

"Do you think she'll show you any kindness when this is how you act when you're pissed off?"

He reared back. "We'll see how long you can take this beating silently," he said.

As it turned out, I only lasted the next five hits without making a sound. I couldn't hold in my grunts and shouts when he started going back to previous places, hitting even harder than the first time, and when he smacked me across my head, I saw stars. I spat blood onto the ground, and Connor kicked me onto my back. I rolled onto my side, choking on the gurgle of blood that dripped down my throat.

"Stop!" Charlotte screamed, her voice sounding far away. "You're killing him!"

Connor ignored her, bringing the staff down even harder and faster. I stopped keeping track of the number of times he swung at me. All I was aware of was the ringing in my ear, the coppery taste of blood on my tongue, and distant sounds of wood knocking against bruises, reddening flesh, and burst skin—until I caught sight of my uncle hopping to his feet.

No, I wanted to shout, but I couldn't speak. He sprinted at Connor and tackled him to the ground. There was a scuffle, but the guards couldn't get him off Connor.

He reached out and grabbed the pointed end of the spear, stabbing it into my uncle's throat. Charlotte screamed. It was like time slowed during those seconds as my uncle straddled Connor, the spear still in his neck. His eyes met mine, and I saw a hint of a smile on his lips—a ghost of his usual expression—and then Connor yanked out the spear, sending a spray of blood arcing through the air.

I watched him fall, eyes widened in disbelief. This couldn't be right. This must be a nightmare. Connor got to his feet, flicking my uncle's blood off his fingers like it was dirty water. I struggled to my hands and knees, but my arms gave out from under me, and I crashed to the ground, sending another reverberation of pain through me. I tried crawling to him, the screams of my pack urging me on.

When I reached his body, I grasped at the plain clothes we were given to wear. He was gone by the time I got to him, the light in his eyes having dissipated, his heart having stopped just as I grabbed hold of his shirt.

At some point, I must have lost consciousness, because when I opened my eyes again, I was back in my shed, every inch of my body feeling like a raw and searing void. I felt as though the ground beneath me had been ripped away. The man who was more than an uncle, my mentor and guiding light, was gone.

I heard a knock at my door. "Asher, it's me." Phaedra's voice. "Could I come in?"

"No," I said. My body longed for her, but I didn't want her to see me my broken body, ruptured skin. Pathetic. A shell of the man I'd been even just that morning. I couldn't even stand up to refuse her to her face the way she deserved.

"N-no?" she repeated. "But, I—please? I brought some medicine, and I… I feel like you could use someone to talk to."

The thought of her putting her hands on me, of healing me while my uncle lay dead, probably in some unmarked grave…

No.

They'd had a grand funeral for Edgar's mate. My uncle wouldn't get anywhere near the same treatment. The Dagger pack wouldn't be allowed to grieve and say goodbye.

I knew it wasn't fair, but that changed nothing. I would wallow in this pain because I deserved it.

"I don't want it," I said. "I don't need to talk."

"Asher, please?—"

"I said no." I raised my voice. It hurt to do so, my chest aching with each deep breath. That only made me angrier. "Go where you're needed, Phaedra. I don't need you here."

"Asher—"

"I said, leave!" I snarled.

I heard her gasp on the other side of the door. That sound almost made me want to take it back, but the memory of Connor flicking my uncle's blood from his fingers hardened me. Phaedra sobbed, and a moment later, I heard her footsteps recede at a run. Then I was alone again. Just like I deserved.

I closed my eyes, remembering Garrett. I thought of his laugh, his wisdom, his courage, and his determination. He was a real man. A man who had wanted to go out in battle, on his feet. But he deserved better than to die at the hands of a prissy tyrant.

And I couldn't do anything to stop it from happening. My scratched face started to sting. At first I couldn't tell why until I realized I was crying. The salt of my tears burned in the open wounds. I threw my arm over my eyes and let them fall, let them sting.

This couldn't stand. My uncle had died trying to save me, and I couldn't take that sacrifice lightly. Connor better count his days, because the minute I could stand, he was as good as dead.