Chapter 6 - Zephyr
Adalyn bathed in moonlight, fighting the demon as if she could do anything productive after emptying her energy into the shields, making anger spark in me.
Did she really think her pathetic attempts at an offensive attack would work? Her measly shields were shattered, her cries went up, and Adalyn skittered down the length of the beach.
Idiot , I thought. You’re drawing them closer to civilization.
I lingered in the woods, watching her, considering turning around and going back to the villa, letting the demon have its witchy feast. But no. If anyone claimed to kill a powerful Lindell witch, it would be me.
Enemy , I thought, as I tore into the demon, shredding its leathery skin beneath my claws, dispatching it swiftly.
Enemy , I thought, as I slowly turned back to look at Adalyn, her eyes wide, her chest heaving with fear or panic. Good . Be afraid of me. You should be.
I stalked towards her, a snarl ripping through my throat. The anger in her eyes, the fear, the mixture of two that I knew she would hate herself for when clarity kicked in, was delicious, like a drug. Addictive.
Fear me, I thought, growling.
Then Adalyn bolted.
And I gave chase.
She launched herself into the woods blindly—another foolish mistake. Azure Cove was her home, but I knew these woods better than her. My wolf senses gave me a high advantage over her. Together, we disappeared into the thick of the trees. Darkness enveloped me, and I relished in it. I languished in the fear spilling from her body in waves. She ran fast—but I was faster.
My paws pounded the forest floor. I wasn’t pushing myself to my full speed—no, I wanted this chase. I wanted to give her the misbelief that she might actually escape. She never would. I didn’t care if I spilled witch blood on this damn island—not when it was my kill to make.
My brother’s death flashed through my eyes.
Adalyn mixed with that witch who had killed Zane. Lindell witches were all the same, anyway, in my eyes. All vile, disgusting plagues. I had killed enough of her coven, enough witches across states, off-duty from missions, but this one… Oh, Adalyn’s death would be sweet.
I pursued her. The woods closed in around me, guiding me through its wending paths easily. It was as if it called to me, and assisted me in my goal. I launched over fallen tree trunks, ducked beneath low-hanging branches, snarled in delight as I cleared a ravine, and gained closer.
Adalyn cried out as she ran, trying to zigzag her route to throw me off track. I was a hunter. A man and a wolf trained for this exact thing. Her scent was intoxicating, and I knew that even when I killed her, I’d never get a reprieve from it. I would carry it forever, her death mine to claim. Alex had called it fate that he was meant to arrive at Azure Cove to protect Harper.
I called it fate that I was here to kill Adalyn Lindell.
Adalyn let out a shout as she stripped over a root twisted up from the forest floor, crashing down to the ground. She grunted as she fell hard on her shoulder, immediately rolling as if to stand up, but I was faster. I leaped the last ten feet of distance between us, pinning her.
Her thin black dress pierced beneath my claws, revealing pale collarbones, a tattoo that wound around her upper arm. I stared down at her—the dark pits of her eyes, swirling black, so dark I could see my own reflection in them. Her mouth parted, frantic gasps punching out of her. A drip of my saliva dropped from my open maw and slid down her neck.
“What did I ever do to you?” she hissed. “What did I do to deserve your hatred, Zephyr?”
I hated how her voice dropped from a hiss to a softer coaxing, as if talking me down. I didn’t need to be talked down—I needed to tear her heart from her chest, render her head from her body. I needed Adalyn Lindell destroyed. I wanted my claws and teeth for this, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted her to look into the eyes of a man when she died.
Shifting on top of her, I kept my claws digging into her. They became fingers that wrapped into her hair, pulling her head back. Her pulse flickered wildly in her neck.
“Hello, witchling,” I purred. I licked a stripe up that pulse. I would tear her throat out.
She flinched. “Get off me.”
“Did you think I was there to protect you?” I asked, pulling back. I was aware of my lack of clothes, of her struggling beneath my body. “When I tore that demon apart, did you think I’d walk away?” I shook my head, laughing at her. “I did it so I can kill you.”
“You won’t kill me,” she whispered, her eyes meeting mine. Fear pooled in them, as well as her stubborn determination.
“Oh, I will.”
“I’m Harper’s best friend. Alex—Alex won’t forgive you if you kill me.”
“Alex knows blood feuds run deeper than anything,” I snarled. “He wouldn’t deny me this.”
“Even if it hurt his mate?”
I snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself, witch.”
“Where’s your honor?” she asked breathlessly. “Do you have none? Is that what they taught you in your pack?”
I pinned her harder. Her words cut off in a gasp. “Shut up.”
My fingers wrapped around her throat. She was right—I should have had more honor, but my hatred burned through me, hot and undeniable, and I was done resisting the urge to end this little witch’s life.
“How does it feel?” I asked. “To know that your life means so little, that it will end at the hands of a wolf?”
“Zephyr— please .”
Oh, her begging for her life was intoxicating. I grinned at her. “What is it you want?” I taunted. I wanted her to say it. I wanted her to say that her pitiful life was worth wanting.
“Don’t—”
“Oh, I will.” I dragged a fingertip right across her throat. “And I’ll take so much pleasure in it, Adalyn.”
“Is a Lindell witch so powerful you need to end her life just to find peace?” She snapped.
That cracked something in me. I wrapped my hand around her throat again, letting her feel enough pressure for that panic to come back into her eyes. “No,” I answered flatly. “Call it revenge.”
“For what—”
I squeezed tighter as Adalyn’s chokes filled the air. “Zeph—”
A snarl sounded through the forest, and I didn’t have a chance to brace for an attack before a blur of black filled my vision. A massive force barreled into me, knocking me off Adalyn. Snapping jaws were in my face, and I lifted my fists to block the blows, but they weren’t attacking—they were a warning.
Brown eyes glared down at me; a wolf darker than me stood over me.
Alex.
He let out a rippling snarl, but I wouldn’t give up my kill so easily. Not until he fought me—not until the warning became an attack. I lunged for Adalyn again, who had skittered back a few paces. I pursued her, only to be thrown back by Alex again.
“Back off,” I shouted, whirling on him. I braced for a shift, but another warning growl reverberated from his throat. “You’re not part of this, Alex.”
He would understand. He had to understand. He would know why I needed Adalyn dead. He knew the hunt for revenge in his own life—why would he deny me my right to take vengeance in my life?
I lunged for Adalyn again, trying to outsmart Alex, using my human form, but it was useless. He had me floored, face-first. I heard the frantic gasps and footsteps rushing past, and I knew Adalyn had escaped.
Enraged, I yelled as I surged upwards, but Adalyn had already run.
As I whirled around, Alex shifted and knocked me aside.
“What the fuck are you doing, Zeph?” he spat.
“I told you, this has nothing to do with you.”
“It does when she’s my mate’s best friend.” He shook his head. The cold night air was seeping into my bones, making me regret my shift back into my human form. “I’m not going to be the one breaking that death to Harper if you kill Adalyn, or breaking the news to my children that their aunt won’t be coming back. You will, and then I will be forced to choose.” His eyes burned with anger. “And I will always choose my mate.”
“Alex—”
“I’m serious, Zeph. Whatever issues you have with the witch need to be sorted, and not be death.” He pointed at me. “You’re honor-bound to spare her life, do you understand?”
I remained silent, glaring at him. He grabbed my face, making sure I met his gaze. Alex’s lip curled. “I said , do you understand, Zephyr?”
“Yes,” I spat.
“Good,” he said, releasing me. “We’re going to shift, and then you’re going back to the villa. I don’t care if I have to have Frazer watch you.” He pointed at me in warning. “Do not step out of line with this. You’re my second for a reason. Don’t make me regret it. I never have, so don’t make me start now.”
“Got it,” I muttered. I exhaled. Now that the need to kill had died down, I realized how foolish I had been. Yes, Adalyn was my sworn enemy, a witch, a woman who got on my every last nerve, but to kill her would have been bringing a war to Azure Cove.
I realized that now.
I could have told him—Alex knew about my brother’s murder. I could have told him that she was part of the coven responsible for his death. It wouldn’t have granted me a free pass to kill, but it would have excused my actions tonight.
I shifted and ran from Alex before he could call rank against me again.