his jeans on and cocked his head to the side. 'Where's Ty?'
'Who?' Aaron said with a smile. 'Oh, you mean that cute little blonde thing?' He scratched his chin with his index finger, and then shrugged. 'I've grown rather fond of the girl to be honest. I've decided to keep her.'
'What?' I said. I looked to Liam.
The amused expression on Aaron's face made me fume. What did he mean, keeping her? Was he going to turn her? Had he done so already?
'You get a human, I get a human,' Aaron said. 'Oh, but wait, I forgot. Your little precious secret isn't really human at all. Is she?'
Aaron took one step towards me and Liam shoved his hands into his brother's chest with a growl. Aaron stumbled backwards, his eyes flashing gold.
'You stay the hell away from her,' Liam said.
The mockery disappeared from Aaron's face as his gaze fixated on me. 'Why don't you tell her the real reason you are protecting her. Tell her why you really want her around, Aiden,' he said.
A cold welt formed in my stomach. I felt queasy. 'What's he talking about, Liam?'
'Nothing,' Liam said, glowering at his brother. 'He's just messing with you. Don't listen to him.'
'Lies, lies, and more lies.' Aaron said, shaking his head. 'Does your pack know that your real name's Aiden?' He feigned innocence, turning to Byron and the others. The corner of his mouth turned up. 'Yes, you see, your Alpha here really isn't Liam. Liam died almost a hundred years ago. Aiden stole his identity.'
'I did that to protect you,' Liam said.
Aaron let out a tight chortled laugh. 'No you didn't. You did it to protect a bunch of loser no life wolf killers.'
'They weren't hunting wolves,' Liam said. 'They were human. You can't go around killing innocent people, Aaron.'
'They were hunters. What gives them the right to hunt what they want and not me? Hmm? Really Aiden, to think you'd choose to protect them over your own flesh and blood. You make me sick.'
Liam growled. 'I was protecting you. I was protecting you from yourself. You were out of control and you still are.'
Aaron laughed. 'You are so self-righteous. You don't even know it.' he rolled his eyes. 'Please. Save your 'I am better than thou' speech for someone that might believe them. Saving me from myself? That's borderline hilarious. Perhaps you're the one that needs saving. Did you ever think of that? I mean you are surrounded by my pack.'
The wolves around us grumbled and gurgled behind bared teeth. I moved closer to Flynt. Liam didn't seem phased.
'Since when did you get a pack anyway? Did you make them?'
Aaron looked amused. 'Some,' he said with a smug grin. 'A few I found up north wandering around the Canadian border. I figured it was time to make myself Alpha.'
Aaron's intense blue gaze narrowed on Liam and I realized more meaning came behind those words. He planned on taking over.
Flynt bristled beside me and I could hear the others fidgeting. Liam's irises flashed gold and I gasped as long razor sharp claws sprouted from his fingers. 'You want to challenge me, brother?' Liam tilted his head to the side and rolled his shoulders. The skin on his bare back quivered. 'I kicked you out before. I can do it again.'
Aaron smiled. 'That was a long time ago. I'm a different wolf now.' Aaron's back popped, and a pair of matching claws erupted from his hands.
'Please, somebody do something,' I said. We needed to save Ty, not to play out some macho Alpha thing. I'd seen my fair share of the learning channel. I knew how these things turned out. They'd kill each other.
No one listened. They didn't even hear me.
The two brothers began to circle each other. The tension in the air sparked with electricity.
'Liam, please,' I said. 'You're not thinking with your human half. You're going to get killed or you're going to kill your own brother. You don't want that.'
Liam froze at my words, stopping his in his tracks. He inhumanly tilted his head in my direction as if trying to understand me. He looked lost, almost sad, and then I started to scream. Aaron's claw ripped across Liam's cheek. A trail of crimson seeped from the wounds and I leapt from Flynt's hold without thinking.
'Liam!'
Aaron moved fast, grabbing me by the shoulder. His razor sharp teeth protruded behind his lips with a growl.
'Don't touch her!' Liam screamed.
Liam grabbed a hand full of his brother shirt, yanking him from me. Wincing, I hit the ground, just as Liam hurled Aaron. With a crack, his back hit a tree, and then landed on all fours with a snarl.
Liam hunched over and started towards him.
They sprang for each other with claws outstretched. Shifting nearly in sync, they collided with a thunderous mass of snarls and teeth. Someone yelped a high-pitched cry that reached all the way to my bones, but I couldn't tell whom it came from. I pinned my hands to my ears.
One of them skidded cross the fallen leaves on his side. I gasped when I saw Liam get up, his shoulder and muzzle smeared with blood.
'Liam!' I tried to reach for him, but Flynt caught the back of my shirt with his teeth. 'Let go of me!' Tears slipped down my cheeks.
Flynt released my shirt, stepping back from me with a whimper, his head low with submission. I should have freaked out about him listening to me, considering what that meant, but Liam needed help.
Liam got up, the effort of moving painful on his face. I needed to get to him. I held out my hand, but Liam ignored me and leapt at his brother, sinking his canines into his brother's throat.
A sick gurgling noise came from Aaron and his claw slashed Liam across the head.
'Stop it! Stop it!' I cried.
I couldn't take it anymore. I shook, falling to my knees. I wanted it all to go away.
Burying my head in my hands, all went silent.
I hesitated, and then let my finger fall, my pulse pounding in my ears. Stiff and numb, I questioned my sanity.
Liam and Aaron crouched on the ground in human form, eyes wide. The wounds they had inflicted on each other had vanished, revealing smooth bare skin. I couldn't breathe. It was impossible.
I watched as the edge of Liam's mouth slowly turned up, Aaron's expression venomous.
Aaron moved in slow motion, standing up, and pulling on his jeans. He started towards me, when Liam's hand landed on his shoulder. Aaron didn't look away from me. His body language screamed 'I was prey'.
'It's true,' Aaron said through his teeth.
'Leave now,' Liam said to him. His hand pressed into Aaron's shoulder. 'Leave and take your pack with you. You and yours will not be able to take wolf form here.' He nodded to me. 'Charlotte will make sure of that.'
I tried to stay composed, but my poker face felt rather pathetic. I swallowed hard. 'What are we doing about Ty?' I asked.
Aaron seemed on the verge of exploding. His face twisted into a contortion of lines.
'Fair enough,' he said. 'I will leave after I give you your friend back.'
'What do you mean?' Liam asked.
'Obviously, she's not here,' he said. 'She's back at my place.'
'You have a place?' Liam asked.
Aaron gave a disgruntled smirk. 'Yes, I've been under your nose for a while now, Aiden.' He shook his head. 'You and your pack are pathetic. You'd be nothing without this girl.'
'Where's your place?' Liam asked, ignoring the comment.
Aaron grinned. 'The old abandoned Kingston Farm on Sanders and Owens,' Aaron said. 'The house is basically dilapidated, but we found the barn still intact enough to make home. Meet me there in two hours and I'll hand over the girl.'
'Why don't we just go there now?' Liam asked.
This whole thing wreaked suspicious.
