Free Ondrej by Saranna DeWylde Page B

course I’d have left her here, if that’s what she wanted. If that’s what would’ve stopped the war between the Remus and the Orlaith.”
    “Bah.” He held the knife closer to Krysanthe’s throat, nicking her.
    “Doesn’t matter really. Either I kill her or you will. The ghoul infection is already in your veins. Remember when you bit your beloved Dezo? That poison is coursing through you now. You haven’t Turned because I haven’t wished you to Turn.”
    “Do it,” Krysanthe cried.
    She wanted him to destroy the witch wearing Borgia’s skin with his Alpha fire, but he couldn’t. Not while he still held Krysanthe.
    “Don’t try your little gold tricks on me either, nymph. The second I feel my body go cold, I’ll turn your lover into a ghoul. Mmm, yes. Maybe that’s what I’ll do anyway. Can you imagine a beast like that to do your bidding? I could bring the supes out of the dark and crush the mortals beneath my heel. Nothing like a good dragon harrowing to drive it home.”
    “That would be the end of us all.” Krysanthe said.
    “No, it would be a new age. I’m not the only one. There are others. Like Peter Breslin, who think we shouldn’t have to hide. It’s eat, or be eaten. The way apex predators should live.”
    “Apex predators don’t pretend to be something they’re not. Beta cuttlefish on the other hand…” He shrugged his giant shoulders.
    “Then why are you hiding behind your dragon? Why not face me biped to biped?”
    “Why should I give up any advantage I have?”
    “You have none. I’m holding all the cards. Including your mate.”
    The Remus wolves were all stock still, waiting to see how it would play out. They were all now aware that the man who said he was Borgia Remus was in fact Azazel Ciardha, the pack witch that had betrayed them.
    “Not really. How long are you going to stand there with a cursed blade to her throat? You’ll either kill her or not and my action after that depends on your choice. You can let her go and we’ll leave. Or you can kill her and I’ll devour you like a dragon of old.”
    “You’ll become a ghoul—”
    “With my mate gone, I will anyway.” He shrugged. “I don’t care.”
    “Take him,” Azazel demanded.
    Only the werewolves didn’t comply.
    “I’ll turn you all to berserkers!” he threatened.
    Still, the pack did not comply.
    The wolves began exiting the compound. They weren’t even going to try to rip him apart. They simply left him for Ondrej to dispose of as he wished.
    “Right now, ghouls are attacking Hidden Mountain. The Orlaith are doomed.”
    He could feel his mate’s panic at the witch’s words and he saw her power spark from her fingers before she was aware she was doing it.
    Their eyes met and Krysanthe gave a slight nod. She bent away from him just as he would’ve drawn the knife across her throat. She only managed to turn his feet to gold, but it was enough.
    Ondrej summoned the Alpha fire and obliterated what was left of Azazel Ciardha.

Chapter 8
    O bviously , the engagement was off, she thought to herself as Ondrej flew them both to safety.
    Krysanthe couldn’t be happier about that fact. Without an Alpha leading them to war, that Remus pack would be too much in flux to fight a war with them. The hostilities had ceased since Krysanthe had been in talks with Borgia.
    It made her wonder if she’d ever spoken with Borgia at all.
    She was worried about Hidden Mountain. “If he’s got an army of ghouls…”
    “We’ll find them and we’ll stop them. Just like we did here,” he assured her.
    “And then what?” She slid from his back and he Changed back to his bipedal form.
    “First, we’re going to check into a hotel. That one over there.” He pointed to a quaint mountain in that boasted views and a hot tub on the sign. “Then we’re going to call your father and warn him about what happened with Azazel and his threats. You will also tell him that I did successfully change your mind. Then I’m going