Chapter 81 AURORA I fought Dane , but as impossible as it had felt for me to escape Holden , this was so much worse .


    So.


    Much .


    Worse .


    Dane , please , I begged him for the fifth or sixth time since hed carried me outside .


    It was morning , but the ancient woods surrounding the Blue Ridge pack house were so thick , it might as well have been twilight .


    He just kept striding forward , not answering me .


    Because the forest here was old , it was more mossy , twisted roots and less undergrowth .


    But Dane was so tall , I kepting within inches of being mmed into low hanging branches .


    Where are we going ? I asked .


    I wished so desperately that I could see into his mind .


    I was gutted that Connall was dead , tired from nights of no rest , and terrified for my children , my pack mates , and myself .


    If Dane took me into the woods and killed me , what would happen to Trajan and Evander ? Chapter 81 If he went to war with High Alpine and Fall Line if he went to war with the Council what would happen to my innocent .


    babies ? 2/5 I kicked , but Dane wrapped his arms around my legs trapping them against his hard , muscr body with bands of steel .


    I had no idea where we were going , only that it was uphill .


    He had me slung over his shoulder , and eventually I got dizzy and passed in and out of consciousness from the blood rushing to my head and the constant jostling .


    I came back to myself when Dane dropped me to the ground .


    It wasnt a gentle fall .


    My legs crumpled beneath me on hard stone .


    For a moment , I just looked into the cloudy sky and breathed .


    When I finally got enough strength back , I looked around .


    We were at his grandfathers house .


    Dane had dumped me on the sidewalk .


    He was a few feet away , fumbling with his massive lycan ws to unlock the door .


    Fear still drummed in my chest .


    Why were we here ? Did he want to make me feel my guilt as deeply as possible before he killed me ? I struggled to my feet , my legs and head aching and blood rushed back into the ces it was supposed to be .


    I gauged the distance between me and the forest .


    If I was quiet- Chapter 81 3/5 If you run .


    I will hunt you .


    His growl was low and dangerous .


    My wolf is on edge right now .


    Im not all the way in control .


    So , unless you want me to shred that pale , perfect skin from your bones , dont move .


    Trembling , I stilled and stopped making ns to run .


    Finally , Dane got frustrated enough that he snarled and tore the front door off its hinges .


    It was evenrger and heavier than the closet door back at the pack house , but he howled and sent it flying like it was made of paper .


    The way cleared , he stalked back toward me .


    Let me walk , I said .


    He snarled again and threw me over his shoulder .


    I coughed as my stomachnded on his hard muscle and the wind was knocked out of me .


    Then he carried me up the stairs .


    rm bells started going off in my mind as I realized we were in a bedroom .


    He mmed me down again , but this time it was on a bed .


    My body bounced , and I sat up just in time to see him stalk over and m the door .


    I pulled back , afraid again .


    Dane … He turned back to me .


    As he walked , he shrank down into a Chapter 81 4/5 man .


    He tore away the shredded remains of his shirt and stood there , his muscr torso bare , in nothing but low slung pants and his bare feet .


    His dark eyes were haunted .


    Harrowed .


    As he neared the bed , he stumbled to his knees .


    He grabbed me and pulled me toward him , so that he could wrap his arms around my waist andy his head on my thighs .


    Aurora , his voice was a rough rasp .


    His fingers clenched and unclenched against my back , as if he was fighting to either pull me closer or toss me away .


    Tell me the truth .


    Now .


    Once and for all .


    I took an unsteady breath at the look in his eyes , their dark brown still tinged with flecks of gold from his transformation .


    From his wolf , trying to break free .


    To the wolf , the only thing that could remedy this absolute injustice was to kill , and kill , and kill .


    Over the years , Id seen Dane in a thousand moods , including angry and desperate .


    Through it all he remained the perfect Alpha .


    Sometimes he skirted the edge , but he always kept at least one finger on his ability to control himself .


    Danes control was perfect .


    Except right now , in this moment , there was none of that .


    My broken Alphas control was gone .


    Chapter 81 5/5 I could either tell him the truth and hope he had mercy on me … or I could die .