Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 281

LEAH

My breath catches in my chest as Ryker and Aaron rush at each other, clashing in the middle of the room in a flurry of splintering furniture, savage snarls and slashing claws.

I’m terrified for Aaron, but I can’t just stand there and watch him fight Ryker. I need to trust he can take care of himself.

James and I hurry around the perimeter of the room to reach the remaining Councilmembers who are cowering in the corner. These are older wolves, delegates. Not warriors or fighters like my husband or his adversary.

We urge them to run, keeping ourselves between them and Ryker.

He sees what’s happening at one stage, and rushes toward us, but James steps in and shoves Ryker back, while Aaron catches him and flings him into a nearby bookcase.

The whole thing comes crashing down on top of him, and for

a second we all pause, watching as Ryker drags himself from

beneath the pile of books and splintered wood.

Us can react, Ryker fully shifts and goes

streaking out of the room.

Aaron growls and then shifts as well, sprinting off after him.

I want to chase after them as well, if only to keep Aaron in my sight so I know he’s okay.

I’m terrified of losing him yet again, and for some reason my brain thinks as long as I can see him, I can stop that from happening.

But I don’t have the luxury of doing that.

We came here for a reason, and it’s time we took care of that.

I turn to James. “Come on, we need to find the tech.”

rush off, deeper into the

finding more carnage and dead

to me that Aaron could’ve done this. He could’ve been a force of death, indiscriminately sweeping through. these hallowed halls and killing everyone in

than Ryker.

Is pure.

him, even though they lied and cheated and did everything to break him, he hadn’t set out to destroy it. When faced with his own death, he

love him a little

about the basement?” James asks,

“Let’s look.”

we find that most of the underground level is set up like a

then wonder if this is where they were keeping Aaron, and how bad

a voice calls

and then walk down until we stop outside of a cell where a man is locked

going on up there? I can scent blood, a lot of it,”

and a mess of

“Who are

to who I am, that’s not real important. The

I ask, worried that this confirms my suspicions about my

cell across from me for a bit over a week. Now, your

mate,” I

“Aaron was real torn up when he thought you were dead. Glad you’re still

at the Beta. “We should

see if you can find some keys

a good idea

got no idea

the guy

while he was down here, especially after he thought

had to take them off one of the bodies of the Enforcers Ryker had slaug tered. Or maybe James had to do some killing to get

opens the cell and then turns to me. “We need to get

for?” the

Al tech my family’s company built that a faction

“Second floor,