Ever After by Carrie Ann Ryan, Leia Shaw, Marie Harte, Rebecca Royce, Lia Davis Read Free Book Online Page B

his touch and his demon calmed.
    “I don’t know, Leslie. I don’t know how to fix this. All I can do is promise that I’ll be by your side. I know Hunter and Becca feel the same way, well not the same way as me, but they think of you as family. Liam and Alec too.”
    “I don’t think I can be fixed, Fawkes.”
    Not knowing what to do, he leaned down and kissed her.
    Hard.
    She sucked in a breath then sank into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up so her feet dangled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he deepened the kiss.
    When he pulled back they were both out of breath but she smiled. “Okay, that might help.”
    He snorted, but let her down to the ground. “Come on, the dominance battle is starting.”
    She nodded, but he saw the tension that had left her when he kissed her slide right back into her body.
    Damn.
    As they walked toward the circle again Fawkes held back a curse. Colin stood in the center, shirtless and wearing a sneer.
    “Who is it you wish to fight?” Hunter asked, anger laced within his tone.
    “As my right as a dominant wolf, I claim a battle with the newest member of our Pack, Fawkes.”
    Fawkes stiffened and Leslie gasped.
    What the fuck?
    Murmurs and shouts echoed around the circle while the Alpha raised his hand to quiet them all. They immediately shut up.
    “Fawkes is but a guest, not Pack,” Hunter stated.
    His words didn’t hurt Fawkes. It was true. To others because called out as non-Pack might have hurt, but Fawkes wasn’t a wolf.
    “He’s staying at the home of the Beta and putting his hands on a woman that I desire to claim as my own. That gives me the right.” Colin folded his arms over his chest and smirked again.
    Fawkes risked a glance at Hunter. The Beta looked ready to tear Colin limb from limb—something Fawkes would gladly help with.
    This fight for dominance was a joke. He’d learned enough about the Pack during his small time there that Colin couldn’t outright ask for a battle like this, but he could provoke an outsider in fighting.
    If the outsider lost, then he’d be banned from the den.
    Banned from Leslie.
    That result was enough that he wouldn’t have thought twice about fighting. He’d stand back and let Colin make an ass out of himself so he couldn’t leave her. However, he knew that if he said no now, it would only be a matter of time before Colin tried again, albeit another approach.
    Colin wanted Leslie because of her blood, not because of who she was. Fawkes wanted Leslie because of their fate and who she was. He loved the way she smiled, the way she helped people when they weren’t looking, the way she slid to his side without even knowing it.
    He’d fight Colin to the ends of the depths of hell for her.
    Fighting though would drive Leslie away.
    Did he really have a choice?
    “I’ll fight,” Fawkes growled.
    Leslie sucked in a breath and he looked down at the betrayal in her eyes. Damn it. She’d have to get used to him fighting. He might not be down in hell, but he was still a warrior demon. He was stronger than Colin, but he had a feeling the other wolf didn’t know that.
    Good.
    Risking her wrath, he pulled Leslie into his arms and kissed her hard.
    “I’ll win this. I promise. I know you hate fighting, but I’ll win this and it’ll be over.”
    She sighed and shook her head. “Will it, Fawkes? Will it be over?”
    He walked into to circle, taking off his shirt as he did so. He wanted the freedom of movement. He let his horns grow from his head, the sight startling people be he didn’t care.
    He glanced at Hunter who gave him a small nod. “Colin, you’ve chosen to fight a demon. He can’t shift into wolf, so neither shall you.”
    Colin glared. “They why did he shift to his demon form?”
    Because he was tired of hiding, but Fawkes didn’t say that.
    “Fawkes, does your demon form give you advantage?” Hunter asked. “Remember, I can smell a lie.”
    Fawkes wasn’t sure Hunter could actually