Forged in Fire (Forgotten Series, #2)

Chapter Six: Part Two

I ran my hand over my face, ignoring the blood that I smeared across my skin as I did so. My life was no longer truly mine. It had been something I had fought for five years but I couldn't run anymore. I ignored the pack as they moved forward, seeing if any of the dead belonged to them.

"Alpha, may I please look at your arm?" It was Jason and I shrugged. I didn't want to even look at it, didn't care to see the damage. I could tell it would be a bloody mess of torn skin and ripped muscles. Cool hands ripped my shirt and I hissed at the pain that flared through me as the fabric brushed the ragged edges of the wound. "You have... an unusual way of fighting." He said it carefully and I looked up from my bloody hands.

"That was for Dylan. I let him know he was no match for me, even if I remained in human form." It was the truth. I had let Dylan know he was no match for me as I tore his heart out using my human hand. Well mostly human, the claws were all my wolf.

"You certainly made an impression in the pack with that. I doubt anyone will try to challenge you. You managed to neutralize him in less than thirty seconds." He sounded equal parts impressed and disgusted. I guess, despite being a Healer, he didn't appreciate the brutality of the actions I had taken.

"He was cocky and blinded by his own pride." I always knew that would be how I would take him down. I had years being trained by Jace. Not just Jace though, Michael and Kiel taught me everything they knew and made me practice until I felt like I would collapse and never move again. Dylan had assumed his experience would count for everything. I glanced at his naked form before my gaze shifted to a bloody hole just under his sternum, obviously that hadn't been the case.

"Still, not very many Alphas fight in human form against challengers." He said it slowly as he rubbed his hands together and moved towards the large wound on my shoulder he had uncovered.

I leaned away from him slightly. "I'm not most Alphas, Jason. Leave them, they'll heal fine." The pain was hot and throbbing and it would take at least three or four hours to heal completely but I didn't want him to tax himself on something so trivial.

"It will scar." His tone was warning and I shrugged, the bleeding would stop in a few minutes and it would heal. I didn't care if I had a scar from it or not. A part of me wanted to scar, so I could have a reminder of just how stupid I had been, how weak.

"Let it." It was preferable, a mark of my mistake as their Alpha. I had let the situation escalate and I let it turn into the bloodbath it became. I slid my gaze along the ground, the red of the blood looked strange on the grass. It nearly turned the green grass red in its stunning vibrancy.

"May I please at least make sure it's clean and stopped bleeding?" He asked it hesitantly and I nodded, ignoring how the damaged shoulder flared with pain at the action. I wouldn't be able to move much as it healed. Jason continued with the task and I let my eyes slide over the pack members. Each of the dissenters had been claimed, all but Dylan. The shifters flowed around him like he didn't exist. Their anger was palpable towards him and I knew their anger towards me would be just as intense once the shock wore off. Their wolves would be mad at Dylan, the humans would be mad at me.

My wound throbbed hotly as Jason's overly warm hands hovered over it. I could feel him speeding up the healing process and my flesh knitting together slightly. I reached up and pushed his hands away, ignoring the pain that rose as I twisted my body. "That should be enough, Jason. Don't strain yourself on my behalf." I looked at him and the blonde shifter let his hands drop to his side. He didn't want to leave my shoulder unhealed but I had required it of him and he wouldn't go against my word. Not now, not after what I had just done. Despite that, I felt no fear from him. I had been right, it had been about respect and that respect would temper the fear until the fear faded. I never wished to have my claws sunk into another pack member for as long as I lived and they would be able to sense that.