Page 39 of Kiss of Embers
“I am,” Finn acknowledged. “And Zara is an alpha werewolf the same as you, although I have to wonder how you ever managed to earn the title. Nevertheless, you’ll treat her with respect.” Finn angled the blade slightly, and blood trickled down Ashcroft’s neck. “You’ll start by apologizing to her. Otherwise, I’ll skip your sack and go right for your shriveled, miserable cock.”
Hatred burned in Ashcroft’s eyes. But there was plenty of fear too. He turned his head and met Zara’s gaze. “I…apologize.”
Zara had stayed frozen throughout the exchange. Now, she gave a single nod. “Okay.” When no one moved, she raised her voice. “Let him go, Finn.”
Finn stepped back. Scorn laced his tone as he regarded Ashcroft like the werewolf was dog shit on the bottom of his shoe. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.”
Ashcroft wiped blood from his neck. He stared at it on his fingers for a moment, then lifted pale blue eyes to Finn’s. After a second, he turned and stalked from the corridor. When his footsteps faded to nothing, Zara frowned at Finn.
“Inessa said you’re not allowed to use knives during the challenges.”
Finn tucked the blade away, disappearing it with a sleight of hand that made it impossible to know where he’d stashed it. “No, lass. She said not to useweapons. And I didn’t use it, did I?” He smiled. “No harm done.”
Zara’s frown deepened.
“I thought Ashcroft was your neighbor,” I said. “Seems like he wants to be a lot more.” In the deep corners of my mind, my dragon snarled, urging me to catch up to Ashcroft and disabuse him of that notion.
For a second, Zara looked like she was trying to decide how to respond—or whether to respond at all. Finally, she sighed. “Brader wants to unite our packs through marriage. I told him no. He followed me to the Games without my knowledge.”
Finn’s smile went from teasing to terrifying. “Sounds like Ashcroft needs help understanding whatnomeans.”
Zara’s expression hardened. “I don’t disagree. But that’s a lesson I’ll teach him myself.”
Lust fired in my veins. When her eyes lightened a shade, I nearly moaned out loud. If she kept it up, I was going to embarrass myself.
“I need to keep moving,” she said, smoothing hair away from her face. “The challenge isn’t over.”
Worry replaced my desire. “Are you okay to walk?”
“I’m perfectly fine,” she said, keeping her attention well away from my groin. “Thank you for your help.” She turned on her heel.
“Zara,” Finn said.
She stopped, her brown eyes wary as she met his gaze over her shoulder. “Yes?”
“If you encounter trouble again, call out for us. You’re our mate. We’ll hear you, and we’ll come to help.”
I kept my trap shut, waiting for Zara to acknowledge the truth of Finn’s statement. She’d softened just now, when she lay in my arms. And she’d sensed our connection when Finn and I visited her in her tent. She knew she was ours. She was just too headstrong to admit it.
“I won’t need any help,” she said at last. “But thanks for the offer.”
She left, disappearing down the same corridor Ashcroft had taken.
Cursing under my breath, I went and fetched my clothes. As I dressed, Finn stared after Zara with narrowed eyes.
“She’ll be fine,” I said. But the memory of the doppelganger had anger brewing in my gut all over again. Unless Bolveg lied about the rules, someone had tried to sabotage Zara. The most likely suspect was obvious.
I jerked my shirt down. “Ashcroft is a problem.”
Finn looked at me. “You’re only just now figuring that out?”
“Fuck off. He’s abiggerproblem than we thought.”
“Aye, but not one we can solve just yet.” Finn looked at the stacked skulls around us. “Not until we get out of this cursed place.”
I combed my fingers through my hair, dislodging the dust I’d accumulated in the corridors. “How many puzzles have you completed?”
A devious look entered Finn’s eyes. “More than you, I’m guessing.”