Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 53

I finally untangle myself from Christian, pulling out of his arms. He watches me as I pull on my bra and shirt, lazily lying on his side with his eyes flicking over my face and body slowly. He says nothing, even as I make my way to the door.

The hallway was empty, the pool table abandoned, stairs clear. I found everyone in the lounge room, including Ash who I promptly ignore. Annoyance pokes its fingers at me, whispering disproving at me.

I fall onto the seat next to Carson who was ignoring Ash too. The only person who wasn’t ignoring Ash was Sky, and only to glare at Ash with open hostility.

Ash looked different than I thought he would. His hair was ruffled, like he’d rolled strait out of bed, down the stairs and somehow had to pass through a storm to get here. Scars shone n white lines over his cheeks, neck and exposed arms. The odd pink cut peeked through the mass off pale skin, rebellious as to stay pale like the rest of the cuts. He was expressionless, eyes dark and unwavering as he stares at the floor, not looking at me, but I knew he knew I was here.

It was a long minute before Ash slowly turned his head towards me. A shiver runs down my spine and my muscle tense. He looked creepy, like one of those murders in the horror movies who very slowly turn their head and look at the closet where the persons hiding. All he need was a knife and the scene would be complete.

His eyes brows pull together slightly but otherwise he face didn’t change.

I turn away from Ash, suddenly not able to look at the man I once loved, who happened to be the same man who tried to kill me, weather not realizing it was me, in a fit of rage or simple because he hated me, I didn’t know. It was weird thinking of him trying to kill me, I mean, really weird.

I glance at Mikki who was curled up beside Sky, her once flawless skin was marked with white scratches, some still slightly red and not fully healed. She wasn’t nearly as scared as me or Ash, but anyone who looked closely would only see scars that looked like she’d went through a mincer and was put back together.

Her eyes flicker to me, her lips twitching into a small smile before she turns away. It was only a second, but I saw the trauma Ash attacking her had done. The poor girl looked too scared to move away from Sky, he was her only shield against Ash.

I clench my jaw, biting back the desire to turn on Ash and yell at him, so furiously he hopefully sulked to his room and didn’t come out for a few weeks. That’s how long it was going to take for me to forgive him.

“Irana” a voice pulls me out of my thoughts and back into reality. The growl I hadn’t realized I was making patters out, dying slowly as I turn to Sky. His head was cocked, frowning at me. “You okay”

I jerk a nod and turn away. Pulling my legs to my chest I wrap my arms around them, holding myself together. I stare at the TV blankly, no see what was happening. I couldn’t forget how Sky had looked then, muscles tense, as if I was the one going around attacking people randomly.

I would have been offended had I not been absently clawing at my arms and on the brink of shifting into my wolf so I could teach Ash not to randomly attack people. I run my finger over the small crescents in my skin, mentally scolding myself for putting small gouges in my skin. But I hadn’t meant to do it.

The worst part was, I didn’t know if Ash had hurt me intentionally or not. If I knew I might feel better-or worse, depending the answer.

I could ask Ash, right then and there.

I don’t move.

I don’t speak.

I do nothing for a few minute but stare at the TV blindly. But when I blink I’m not surprised to find the news on, a female report talking, her voice too high pitched.

“And in further news, a parent’s worst nightmares have come true. Just outside of town, a couple found the 15 year old son, dead in his bathroom. The police are saying everything points to suicide-“

I didn’t hear what came next, I was frozen, the heat leeched out of my skin and my eyes focused on the reporter. Her lips moved, but all I heard was Max saying if I didn’t change him he was going to kill himself. ‘I hate my life!’ Max’s voice comes, hysterical and broken. 

“Irana” Carson shakes my shoulder lightly, looking down at me, concern flickering over her eyes. “It’s okay, it wasn’t Max, it’s okay” she whispers. She softly touches her fingertips to my cheek. Slowly heat returns to my body and my muscles loosen as I slump against the bottom of the couch, putting my hands to my face.

I was horrified with myself, completely and utterly horrified.

Because I was relieved it wasn’t Max. Relieved it was someone else, someone else’s family who was suffering, thankful that I didn’t know the person who took their life.

I was sick.

Completely sick.

And as if that wasn’t enough I suddenly had Ash sitting in front of me, seeking to comfort me. “Irana” he reaches out, eyes dark and soft.

I don’t react when Ash’s fingers brush hair from my face, his knees touching my feet. I suddenly wanted him to pull me to him, to hug me and tell me everything was okay. I wanted him to be what he used to be, before the desire to be Alpha had stolen his soft, caring side and torn it to shreds slowly.

I was about to crawl into Ash’s arms when I hear Sky growl, a low, predatory sound. Against my blood run cold, muscles freezing.

Darkness fills my vision for a split second as I blink, and then I’m staring at Ash again. “Don’t” I snap, slapping away his hand and gritting my teeth. I wanted him away, I wanted him to leave the room, or at least look away until I composed myself.

“Irana” Ash says softly, moving towards me again.

“Stop it!” I snap, throw away his hand savagely, snarling at him. He says my name again, softer and more gentle but all he gets for it is me kicking his chest, shoving him away from me. Ash falls back, catching himself on his hands. He doesn’t reach for my ankles, or tell me to stop. “Get away from me Ash” I whisper, aware that my voice broke, but too angry to care.

Ash stares at me for a minute before standing and walking away, his slightly tilted down. Sky persists growling, softer now but none the less menacingly. I was surprised Ash hadn’t turned around and lunged at Sky for that.

“Sky, shut up” I breath, pulling my knees to my chest again.

Sky’s growl continues for another minute, in what I expect was him proving he didn’t have to do what I said, but then his growl fades.

The room lapses into silence, Ash again in his seat, sulking to himself silently and Sky glowering at Ash, and no one else dared to move, to speak.

The reporter was still talking, now on another topic, but I still felt cold, sick and horrible. What if it was Max and Carson just told me it wasn’t? Ice pricks along my spin, fingers of frost bitting into my skin. I feared to move, afraid that moving might shatter the world around. Everything had happened so fast, from one minute having an average life, then being attacked, turning into a wolf, fighting Paul, forced to choose what fate my brother had and now, here I was, unsure and broken.

If only life was simple.

The news ended by the time I realized I needed to crawl back into someone’s arms, possibly cry for an hour, then fall asleep and never wake up for a few hundred years. It was oddly appealing.

As if sensing my need for comfort Christian walks in, unaffected by the cold atmosphere.

But it wasn’t comfort I got when he walks in. Far from it.

Christian hadn’t even taken 5 steps into the room when Ash was on his feet, growling and ready to ripe other wolf to shreds. Sky didn’t even have time to react before Ash was lunging at Christian, already and wolf and deadly, teeth bore and claws sharp daggers as he goes for Christian’s throat.

Ash hits Christian hard, blood splattering against the wall as they collide. They hit the ground in a tangle of limps, Christian still human and unprotected as Ash rips at him savagely.