Chapter 2

"No!" both my arms outstretched toward Ace as he was about to drop the unconscious male on the floor in Danika's empty office, you'd think I could physically stop him if he was dead set on dropping his cargo. "Put him on the couch, not on the floor." When the shifter turned to look at me with a cocked eyebrow I smirked. "That stupid furniture is a lot more uncomfortable than the thick oriental rugs that cost a year's worth of a witch's salary. Believe me."

"Most of the time I don't understand you, Hazel." He still walked up to the stupid piece of furniture and dropped the male like a rock on it. "I see what you mean." He added, his lips twisting in distaste after hearing the smack of the guys head on the couch as if it hit a stone not a cushioned seat.

"She doesn't want anyone feeling comfortable in her presence." I told him in passing as I beelined for the liquor cabinet on the other side of the office. "It's part of her charm."

Snatching a rocks glass, I passed my pointer finger over the lined-up bottles until I fund a bottle of Macallan anniversary malt. A fifty-year-old whisky that would give Danika aneurism when she sees it open and hopefully by the time she comes to the office half empty, as well. From the corner of my eye I watched Ace cringe when I slugged the first glass like a tequila shot and followed it with two more before I turned and pointed the bottle at him.

"You want some?"

The tip of my tongue kept poking at my split lip which was burning from the alcohol that managed to escape the rim of the glass. Ace honed in on it like a hoke, his nostrils flaring but the second my eyes narrowed at him he visibly took a deep breath and shook off whatever ideas started circling in his head.

"I was asking you about the whisky."

"I know what you were asking." With a shake of his head he turned around walked all the way to the massive desk before he faced me again. "How about telling me why you're here and not behind pack walls where it's safe."

"Alex knows I left." There was no escaping the defensiveness in my tone. I hated that his lips twitched and he fought a smile. I was not a youngling damn it. I could go wherever I want without asking permission.

"He told me." the shifter even lifted a hand, palm facing me to stop whatever else was going to spill from my mouth. "That's why I came. To make sure you're okay."

"I'm okay." I blurted before he was done talking and gulped the remaining whisky from the glass.

"I can see that you're just fine." Disappointment colored his voice. "Hopefully you'll be able to see through both eyes in a week. The lip will heal in a day or two. So that's great news."

"Your snide comments are not needed, Ace." Turning my back on him I poured another glass. "Maybe, if you're bored instead of following me around you can find a hobby or something. I hear crochet is the vibe nowadays. You should give it a whirl. I'm a big girl. I'll take care of myself."

He just stared at me silently for long enough that I felt a need to start fidgeting. I could feel his gaze between my shoulder blades like the end of a barrel from a loaded gun. Goosebumps puckered the skin of my arms. On a huff I turned to face him and almost fell to the side when the alcohol hit my brain. Catching myself on the open door of the cabinet I dared him to say anything about it. Like the wise male that he was he kept his lips sealed.

"I came to talk to Danika." Whether it was the whisky, or the blood-loss, I had no clue but all the fight left me in a blink of an eye and I just felt sore and tired. "Now that I have somewhat control of my magic I would be more useful here than tucked away in a room while the rest of you are fighting my battles."

Ace stayed quiet, leaning back on the desk and watching me expectantly. Before I could make a fool of myself and fall down where I was standing I pressed back on the liquor cabinet and slid down until my butt kissed the expensive rugs my grandmother liked. Lifting the bottle closer to my face I squinted at it admiring the strength of the drink. I had to remember that this one did the trick if I wanted to get drunk fast. It went down smooth and nice but packed a punch like an elephant.

"This is some good stuff." I told the bottle.

"I bet." Ace snorted and snatched it from my fingers before I could realize that he moved and was looming over me. "And you had enough of it for now."

"Hey." My attempt at getting it back made him laugh out loud at me as he danced out of my rich effortlessly. "Give that back."

Instead of doing what I asked he took my drink away and returned with a glass of water filled from the water dispenser tucked behind my grandmother's desk. I glared at him when he brought it over but took it anyway and drained it without stopping for breath. Someone must've seen the fight in front of the coven or us carrying the male in her office over Ace's shoulder and snitched to Danika. I had no doubt that she was already on her way and I wanted to be able to stand when she arrived.

Ace brought me two more glasses full of water to the brim which I gulped down without protest. When he turned to get more, I grabbed his pantleg to stop him, shaking my head instead of using words to communicate. It took me good half hour to stop feeling dizzy and breathe properly without fear of expelling the expensive whisky from my body.

"What do you think he was doing here in the middle of the day?" rubbing at my temples I leaned the back of my head on the cabinet behind me. "I didn't think there were that many brave souls to try go behind Danika's back. She's going to be pissed."

"For all we know he could've been having an affair and meeting in the coven during the day with his lover." Ace shrugged a shoulder but frowned at the still unconscious male before focusing back on me. "You did a number on him. It might be a while before we can ask him."

"Was I supposed to let him beat me to death?" I asked him incredulously.

"I'm actually more impressed that you used your fists and not your magic." Stepping closer to the couch he lifted his foot and nudged the male in the thigh. When the witch didn't immediately wake up he kicked him harder with the same result. "We would've needed a dust pen if you zapped him with it." Looking over his shoulder at my open mouth he chuckled. "What? I've seen what happens when someone pisses you off."

"I have a better control over it now." Was all I said instead of taking the bait and starting an argument. "Maybe we should've checked if there was anyone else in the building. Although no one was at the assistant desk in front of Danika's office either. If that's any indication, the building is empty and only protected with the wards."

Ace just stared at me as if he didn't believe me when I claimed that I have better control of my magic and that truly made me want to snap at him but the whisky was still churning in my stomach so I refrained from anything that required me to get animated and stand up. I needed my butt cheeks firmly planted on the rug, thank you very much.

"It's daytime outside." Waiting to see if my words hit the mark I almost laughed when the shifter narrowed his gaze. "The humans are already afraid of us as is. The last thing we need is for me to start throwing magic around in mid-day and turn people into anthills. I can live with a split lip and a swollen eye. I can't live with the fact I made them fear us enough that they turn on us." I started to reach for my face so I could scrub a hand over it but luckily caught myself in time before I pressed on all the injuries which were already slowly healing. "They won't stop with the witches, either. I won't be the reason we all go down."

"Nobody is going down." Danika's voice made my hunched spine snap straight and I scrambled to stand up before she fully stepped into her office.

"Eavesdropping is rude." I muttered under my breath but my heart skipped a beat when her head snapped to the side and she nailed me with those cold green eyes. "I'm just saying." Dumbly I continued talking so I pressed my lips tight and bit on them from the inside of my mouth to keep them from parting.

"Ace. What brings you here?" Danika dismissed me per usual and sashayed behind her desk where she lowered in the leather chair as graceful as a swan. "I was not expecting visitors today."

"He's with me." I jumped to his rescue before she can cause problems for him with his Alpha. "I wanted to come talk to you and he came to make sure I'm okay."

Danika leaned forward, pressing her forearms on the desk and looked me up and down with a speculative gaze which tied a knot in my gut. I was a mess, covered in blood with bloody knuckles, stained shirt and a swollen eye. My appearance called me a liar so my grandmother didn't have to.

"Ace was parking the car when this dude," stabbing a finger at the male starfishing it on her couch I continued my explanation. "attacked me at the doors."

"Why in Hecate's name would Mr. Seaward be attacking you?" taken by surprise she released me from her glare and looked at the guy I was pointing at. I realized that she didn't notice him until that moment. With a groan she closed her eyes and pressed the bridge of her nose between a thumb and a forefinger. "What did you do now, Hazel?"

"Why doesn't anyone believe me when I say I was attacked and didn't initiate a fight?" glancing from Ace to Danika who didn't look impressed at all I threw both my arms in the air. "Did you miss the part where I said he attacked me? I asked him what he was doing in the building in the middle of the day and he turned feral. He tackled me."

"We broth him here so we could question him when you arrive." Ace ever the helpful chirped in to back me up as lame as his attempts appear to be.

My grandmother rose from the chair like a cobra uncoiling just before she strikes and I had never been that happy that her cold, murderous glare was not aimed at me. She rounded the desk with such fluidity it seemed like she was gliding over the rugs instead of walking, her long black dress curling gently around her feet. I held my breath when she came close until she stopped at the head of the unconscious with.

"We shall know now what he was doing." Snatching the guy's arm so fast I barely saw her move she yanked him off the couch with such easy my jaw hit the floor. "Wake up Seaward." She shook him as if he weights nothing.

When nothing happened, I cleared my thought which earned me a glower for interrupting. "I might've hurt him more than I intended."

Ace choked on a lough at my offhanded comment but he covered it with a cough. It still didn't fool my grandmother who send him a side-eyed look which promised painful things for the shifter if he does it again.

Another shock smacked me on the side of the head when she reached behind her and simply by curling her fingers she dragged a heavy chair next to her. Plonking the male on it she grabbed his chin and squeezing hard jerked his face up. "I said wake up Seaward." Her red painted nails sunk into the skin of his cheeks like claws.

Power burst out of Danika the moment she drew blood. Like a blast of a bomb it exploded out of her and filled the room with magic so potent all the short hairs of my body were standing on end. Poor Ace latched onto the back of the now empty couch fighting a shift with everything in him. The air smelled like ozone and it stung my nostrils.

"Wha…" the witch mumbled blinking his eyes fast in poor attempts to focus on my grandmother's face.

Groaning the male tried to curl up in a ball, hugging his middle but Danika held firmly to his face. So, he kept wiggling feebly until he finally had his eyelids peeled back and saw his predicament.

"Mrs. Byrne." The male gasped. "I… Where…how…"

"Speak." Danika said so calmly fear lodged in my throat like a fist.

The dude pissed himself.

I couldn't blame him.

Until he stared searching around for help with his eyes and he spotted me to the side. "She attacked me unprovoked." I didn't need to be a shifter or a vamp to know the high-pitched squeal stunk of lies. "She hurt me."

"Dude, don't lie. Just tell her the truth before you regret delaying it." I was surprised when I found that I genuinely wanted him to tell her so she doesn't hurt him. Not that it would back up my story. Although that didn't hurt.

"She hurt me." the witch repeated but doubt was loud and clear in the tentative tone of his voice.

"You have never seen pain like I would inflict if you do not speak." Danika bent at the waist until they were nose to nose.

It was all of two seconds before he started screaming and I wanted to be anywhere but in that room.