Page 85 of Burn It Down

“Stop!” I cried. “Asher! Stop!”

He didn’t.

In fact, he took it further, sliding a blade from a holster at his ankle, then ripping into my dad’s tactical jacket. He yanked it open, then tore at his shirt, then brought the blade down toward his throat

“Asher!” I screamed.

My dad snagged his wrist just before it connected and I choked as I saw his arm shaking, struggling against Asher’s insane strength he was bringing forth right now.

This was him in beast mode?

God, it was another level entirely.

With his free hand, he started clawing at my dad’s now partially bare chest, drawing blood and making him hiss.

I hurriedly pulled my backpack off, then I was rushing over there laying my hand on his shoulder and trying to push him back at the same time, as I told him, “Don’t. Please don’t do this. I know you’re angry. I know what he did. But you can’t do this. Stop. For me. For me, Asher.”

He blinked and I saw that silver of his eyes return for a brief moment, before he snarled and continued tearing into my dad.

“Asher!”

“Don’t,” he growled, speaking for the first time since he’d ambushed us.

I squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t what?”

“You can’t pull it back. It shouldn’t… you can’t do that.”

I frowned.

“Aurora! Get back!” my dad roared.

I didn’t get the chance to react either way as an arm suddenly banded around me from behind. I cried out in surprise as I was wrenched back against a wall of hard muscle.

“Got you, Princess.”

I looked over my shoulder to see Jonah holding me.

We exchanged a smile, but it was all we could do, not savor the reunion, while the burst of violence from Asher was being unleashed all over my dad.

He managed to jerk Asher’s arm to the side, then used the opportunity to roll out from under him.

He jumped to his feet, wiping blood out of his face.

As Asher snarled and circled him predatorily, he spun with his movements, his body tensed, assuming a fighting stance. “I don’t want to hurt you. You’re not fully combat-ready. You make me put you down and you won’t stand a chance of being able to go into battle against Carson.”

“You don’t know this version of me,” Asher hissed back at him.

“Fuck,” I heard Jonah curse. “Asher!” he called over. “Aurora is here! She’s back with us! Focus on that.”

I saw Asher flinch.

But then he stepped forward and roared at my dad, “You had me taken! You know what goes on in that place and you set it up for me to be fucking well tortured! You betrayed me—all of us!”

“I was just trying to protect Aurora. I know you understand that reasoning. You’ve gone to great lengths for her too.”

“You won’t let it be. You won’t let her stay with us.” He stepped forward menacingly. “I’m gonna take that choice away from you.”

My dad reached for his holster.

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