Losing Her Mate (Book 2 of The Red Dawn Trilogy )

Chapter NINE

James

He's standing near the french doors with a look of utter devastation across his face. His emotions are on full display and I can see a tempest of sorrow and dejection swirling around in his eyes. His body though is in complete contradiction it's taunt and I can feel pure wrath emanating from him. The power is enough to make even my wolf whimper in submission.

"You two slept together?" he is speaking above a whisper now and we both hear him clearly but I can't fix my lips to say anything. Nothing I want to say seems right or justifiable.

"ANSWER ME!!!" He yells and I flinch at it's intensity.

Dallas steps around me and takes a protective stance beside me "James it's not what you think. How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough. All about her riding your dick. I think everyone inside heard that part." James snarls.

My face falls and Dallas grimaces. It's only then that I notice I can't hear any music coming from in the ballroom. Our argument must have drawn attention. It's extremely quiet inside they must all be listening now.

Dallas begins to approach James slowly as if he's trying to placate a wild animal putting his hands out. He stops about 3 feet infront of him "Ok what you heard was true but-"

I didn't even see James move all I saw is what happen next. James lifted the 280lbs Dallas in the air with one hand and starts mercilessly throwing punch after punch into his face with the other. A horrible chorus of sounds fill the air, Dallas's intelligible grunts of pain, cracking of skull bones, blood splattering onto the grass and house walls, and my screams of terror as James continues to make Dallas unrecognizable. I run up to him and try to pry him off.

"Stop James you're killing him" at the sound of my pleading James ceases and he turns his head to me and his eyes are glowing brightly. I can tell he's close to becoming wolf.

"Please James put him down" I look at Dallas and his condition makes me sick to my stomach. His face is completely caved in. I see no features but I can hear breathing through the bloody mangled crater in the middle of where is face use to be.

James carelessly drops Dallas body and his head makes a sickening crack as it collide with the ground. I dive down to him running my hands over his body checking for vitals getting blood all over me. His heart is still beating but I don't know for how much longer. I can't let him die over a mistake. He is one of my best friends and most importantly potential father to my child.

I scowl up at James and to my shock he seems shaken and almost remorseful "I-I didn't mean to kill him. My wolf is very possessive of you. I tried to gain control of him before...." he whispers, closing his eyes and looking down to the ground in disgrace.

"You didn't kill him but you could have what were you thinking?" I scream at him.

He seems taken aback by my anger his head snaps up with his own fury. "Me? I'm not the problem here Amber let's not try to turn this around. I admit I shouldn't have taken it that far but he should also be happy I didn't kill him, by werewolf law I have every right to and you know."

I have no rebuttal to that and I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same if I were in James shoes.

"But hell I'm don't even know why I'm fighting you've already made your choice"

"Choice I didn't make any choice?"

James releases a self depreciating laugh "Sure you did but it doesn't matter now look let me help with him." James takes a step forward and instinctual and without thinking of my actions I cower away and protect my unborn baby from any potential assault.