I redoubled my efforts, landing several punches that made him yelp. Then we rolled again. He elbowed me in the face, snapping my head to the side.
“Fuck!” I snarled.
I lunged at him again, my fangs crashing together a scant inch from his neck. He howled, more a battle cry than a sound of surrender, and threw me off his body. My back slammed against a tree and I fell to the ground.
Suddenly, I was tired of fighting. I lay amongst the leaves and earth and stared at the sky. For millennia all I had done was battle. Against my enemies. Against myself. Maybe it was time to lay down my sword.
Harrison’s face appeared above me. I felt a thread of dark pleasure at the blood that trickled from his nose and the bruise darkening his jaw.
“Feel better?” he asked.
I huffed out a laugh, understanding then what he’d been doing. He gave me an outlet for the rage and wildness. Now that I was spent, all that was left was regret and an aching need for my mate.
“Yeah,” I answered breathlessly.
He held out a hand. I hesitated then took it and he helped me to my feet.
“Are you ready to return to Ava?” he asked.
I nodded.
“I understand, by the way.”
I glanced at him and saw that his gaze was focused on the trees around us. “Understand what?”
“Your anger,” he answered. “Your need for vengeance. We’re predators. We’re hardwired to chase down anything that threatens those we love. To destroy anything or anyone that has harmed us.” His eyes refocused and met mine. “But I also understand the curse that Ava placed on Rhiannon and believe me, it is much, much worse than any death you could give her. She will suffer and eventually go mad.”
“It’s not the same as looking into her eyes and knowing that justice was given by my hand,” I replied.
“So it wasn’t enough that Rhiannon paid, you had to be the one to take payment?” Harrison asked.
I sighed, seeing his point. “You’re right. I’m being selfish. I wanted to be the one who made her pay, who saw the life go out of her eyes.”
“Maybe someday you’ll get your chance,” he replied cryptically.
Before I could ask him what he meant, he shifted, returning to wolf form and started back toward the house.
I followed behind him, feeling both hollow and full of regret.
The house was eerily silent as we entered. Harrison padded away toward the room he was using, presumably to shift and redress. Kerry, Finn, Savannah, and Rhys were nowhere to be seen, but their doors were tightly shut. Only Arien, Callum, and Marcus were in the living room.
Callum and Arien were talking softly, but Marcus’ eyes were locked on me. He looked both thoughtful and annoyed. It was strange to see so much expression on his typically stoic face.
He rose to his feet and approached me. “Your mate is sleeping in your room.”
I frowned at him. “On the floor?” That was the only place she could have slept. I’d destroyed all the furniture just hours ago.
Marcus returned my frown. “On the bed.”
Curious, I turned and walked down the hall to the master bedroom. The door was cracked open. I pushed it the rest of the way and gaped in shock at the room.
Everything had been repaired, down to the small dish on the dresser where I kept my change.
“What in the hell?” I murmured.
“I fixed it.”
I turned toward the sound of Kerry’s voice behind us. “Thank you.”
