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

the ground floor, finding more carnage and dead bodies, but don’t turn up

a force of death, indiscriminately sweeping through.

powerful than Ryker.

Is pure.

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

him a little

about the basement?” James asks, shaking me from

“Let’s look.”

that most of the underground level is set up like a

you know this was down here?” I ask James in confusion, then wonder if this is where they were keeping Aaron, and how bad it must have been for him, down here away from natural

voice

other and then walk down until we stop outside of a cell where

there? I can scent blood, a lot of it,” the man says with a southern accent, glancing between

mess of

Council,” I reply. “Who are you? Why does the Council have you locked

from me I wasn’t willing to give. As to who I am, that’s not real important. The question is, who are

this confirms my suspicions

from me for a bit over

my mate,” I reply, crossing my

says. “Aaron was real torn

the Beta. “We

find some

a good idea but

sweetheart, you’ve got no

it,” the

Aaron stay sane and not going rogue while he was down here, especially after he thought I died,” I reply with a

not to notice how they’re slippery with blood. No doubt James 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

to me. “We need to get back to

for?” the guy asks

company built that a faction

“Second