Page 109 of Midnight Moon
I waited for him to say more.
He didn’t.
“Is that all you have to say to me?” I hissed. He’d disappeared for days after I’d revealed I’d been attacked by sorcerers, and now he didn’t even want to speak to me?
“Not now, Blair.”
I bristled. “We need to talk.”
“I said, not now.” His fingernails dug into the wood railing.
“End this, Wolfstan,” he shouted into the combat ring, “or you know how this tale ends.”
My father’s words confused me. Before I could ask what he meant, a familiar pull tugged my core.
I let my gaze follow the sensation, unsurprised to find Asher staring at me. It was the first time he’d looked at me all evening. Tyler prowled around Asher from several feet away, assessing his opponent anew. His snout sported fresh claw marks.
Even though it was dark, and he was in wolf form, I could read the regret and apology in Asher’s yellowish-green irises. I blinked, not understanding why he would look at me that way. Then, the yellow and orange magic pulsed.
A strand of magic wrapped itself around Asher’s neck. Air lodged in my throat, stifling my cry of warning as the magic tightened.
Asher threw his head from side to side, but it was no use. The magic only grew tighter. It would strangle the Wilds shifter.
Tyler saw an opportunity and dove forward. His jaw widened, aiming for his opponent’s throat.
Asher dodged the attack, still struggling to free himself from the suffocating magic.
I hadn’t realized I’d climbed onto the railing, one leg thrown over the side, until a tanned forearm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.
“No, Blair. You can’t interfere.”
I struggled against my father’s hold. Instinct to protect my mate rode me hard, and I didn’t even try to fight it. “Let me go.”
“No.”
Asher fell to the ground. The crowd gasped, confused by his sudden weakness. They couldn’t see the power robbing him of breath.
My wolf wailed.
Why didn’t anyone interfere?
It was obvious something foul was at work here!
Tyler circled his opponent. His tongue rolled out of his mouth, panting with glee.
Red crept into the edge of my vision. I wanted to rip that tongue right out of his mouth.
Time slowed.
Tyler crouched, his muscles primed to spring and end my mate’s life.
I lost it.
Twisting, I tapped into my wolf’s strength and shoved my father. I broke free of his hold as he fell to the ground. I jumped over the railing, determined to reach Asher before Tyler could attack.
It didn’t matter that he all but rejected our bond. Every instinct screamed for me to protect him—to protect my mate.
I managed to take two steps before a wave of blue magic burst from Asher’s collapsed form. I recognized the magic’s color from the night I was attacked. Asher had finally called on his power.
