I got up and glared down at Donnelly. “If you ever come near Mason again, Iwillkill you. Do you understand me?”
Donnelly’s body shuddered as he regained his human form. “Never touched Mason,” he croaked.
All that did was reignite my fury. I kicked him in the ribs, and I heard acrack.
“How can you fucking lie?” I screamed, repeatedly stomping on him. “We found your shirt there, with Mason’s blood on it.”
Donnelly’s head rolled toward me, his eyes glazed and bloodshot. “Kip, I swear to you as the Alpha of my pack…” He coughed up blood, then raised himself onto one elbow. “I wouldneverharm another wolf. If you remember, I was all for the two of you getting together. Why would I try to hurt him? Please, think hard.”
His cracked, dry voice broke through the haze of my anger.
He gave us his permission, his blessing.
He was the one who got me and Mase together.
Why would he rescind them? What reason could he possibly have?
Mase wrapped his arms around me. “Kip,listento me. Something about this doesn’t make sense.” He paused. “Alpha Donnelly is right. He gave his blessing. We’ve heard nothing from him since then. Why would he attack me? And another thing. The pack scoured our yard, remember? So how come his shirt mysteriously shows up? A shirt reeking ofmyblood andhisscent.” He tightened his grip on me. “Think, Kip. I told you I couldn’t smell anyone or anything in the yard. It only started when they brought the shirt to me, so nowaycould it have been him.”
Fuck.
I’d just beaten on a man who could be innocent.
I wasn’t thinking, was I?I didn’t care for the truth, I just wanted revenge for the pain and fear Mase had endured.
I stared at Alpha Donnelly, and the sight made me wince. I’d beaten the man savagely. Blood crusted his lips, and the left side of his face was severely swollen, his eyes already blackening.
I did that.
I felt no pride in protecting Mason, only overwhelming shame.
“Alpha, I?—”
“Don’t apologize.” Donnelly levered himself off the floor. He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “You’re pretty goddamn strong. I can’t recall the last time I had my ass handed to me like that.”
“Please, forgive me,” I pleaded. “Beat the shit out of me or whatever, but don’t blame Mason. He’s innocent. I was—am—the idiot who came after you without thinking. Your men outside tried to stop me, and I went through them too.”
Donnelly blinked. “You beatsixwolves?”
I nodded, too ashamed to speak.
“Damnstrong,” he muttered again.
“I will gladly take a beating if it makes things right,” I said. “All I ask is that you allow Mase’s father to take him home so he doesn’t see it.”
“No.” Mason’s voice was like iron. “I’m not going anywhere, and you willnotbeat Kip. He was wrong, but it wasn’t his fault. Someone did this deliberately. I’m not sure who, but I know they set you two against each other.”
Donnelly stepped forward, his gait wobbly. He clutched his ribs and his pallor concerned me.
“You should sit down.” Mason guided him to a long, ornate bench with curved ends. I felt like crap when instead of sitting, the Alpha flopped.
Alpha Donnelly speared me with a stare. “It’s been a few decades since anyone has kicked my ass. I forgot how much it hurt, especially in werewolf form.”
My heart sank. “Again, I am so sorry, Alpha. What can I do to make things right between us?”
He touched the seat. “Sit here.”
I joined him, nausea rising inside me at the thought of what I’d done.
