38 - Day of Reckoning

Fraser

When I smell Laird Sinclair, my stomach instantly sours, my hunger disappearing into nothing.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" He roars.

My teeth pause on Ailsa's delicate skin, horror washing over me at the realization of what's happening hits me.

The next few seconds are a whirlwind of movement that seem to take place in slow morion.

Guards rushing in, my mate screaming, me trying to hold onto her even as she's dragged away from me. She bucks against the human male that holds her captive, and she yelps.

My vision goes red.

"Let her go, you bastard!" I yell, reaching desperately through the bars, banging and yanking on the silver even as it sizzles my skin.

"What have you done to her?" Laird Sinclair demands, swinging his heady little eyes from me to his frantic daughter.

The guard holding her has a bruising grip around her arms, and I snarl at the sight. He's hurting her.

"What have I done? What have I done?" I question, my voice loud and animalistic. Anyone would hear my words and know for certain I am anything but human.

Laird Sinclair has the nerve, the audacity to grab Ailsa's chin and jerk her head to the side to look into her eyes.

"Did he poison your mind, lass? Did he control your mind like a wee puppet?" He asks, and I want to rip his hand off for touching her.

I've known all this time that she was being mistreated, but seeing it is something else entirely. The rage it fuels in me is unparalleled.

"Let me go!" Ailsa screams, and I feel the strength of it in my gut, like a punch straight to my middle.

"Answer the damn question, lass! Did he sway you! Are you his whore?" He father yanks on her hair to get her to stay still, and a snarl climbs my throat as I grab the bars and yank.

The bars groan, my palms sting. I pull again, and again, my mates screams cheering me on.

"Please." Her voice is softer than the breeze now, gentle, begging.

I snap, as do the silver bars in my grip. They fall and crumble at my feet. My mate's blood runs in my veins, and the knowledge of that has me prowling out of my cage that I've been locked in. I stare down at my blistered hands for a split second, not believing it.

Not waiting much longer, I pounce. Wide, terror filled human eyes watch in horror as I grab the male holding my mate. She collapses as my hands grip his head, turning it to the side in one harsh movement that sends a crackling bouncing off the dull, brick walls. Bricks I've counted, bricks I've memorized. I've had nothing but time.

I swoop down, taking a sobbing Ailsa in my arms and inhaling her hair as she trembles against my chest. I'm holding her, I'm actually holding her. I'm shocked at the slight weight of her, shes a slip of a lass.

"My wee, little mate." I murmur against her, threading my fingers through the silken strands of her golden, honey hair. "Shhh, shhh, it's alright."

I say it, but its not true. I glare at her father over her head, and his face is pale, dripping in sweat. He's terrified, as he should be.

I rise, laying my sweet Ailsa on the ground as I face the other males in the dungeons. I'm panting. My lack of blood wearing me thin and making me sluggish.

They watch me avidly, and I lunge for the one I've been dying to kill since I saw the bruises on her perfect skin, the sorrow in her milky eyes, the fear instilled in her very being. He will pay for it all, the day of reckoning has finally come, and I'm the one called to collect.

He knows, he can feel it, his impending doom.

My senses are not what they should be without moonlight, but I'm still more than strong enough to kill each and every one of them. This will be easy, and with one glance at Ailsa, I know it's worth it.

I may be a bit drunk as I step over the body on the ground, but I easily heft the fat Laird up and get in his face.

"You remember my promise, Sinclair?" I flash my fangs, sliding my tongue lazily across the front row of my gleaming, promising teeth. "Something about your throat, and me ripping it out?"

He shivers, and then the pleading starts.

"Please." He gulps, his trembling making his double chin quiver. "Please, show me mercy. You won't regret it."

I laugh a dark chuckle, jamming my fingers into his neck and breathing down onto his face.

"Its a little late for that." I open my mouth, ready to sink in.

"Stop! Stop right now, or I'll run her through."

The words give me pause, and I turn my head slowly.

Somehow, one of the lowly men snuck around me and now he has my literal life in his hands, the gleam of a knife at her throat.

Curse my padded senses.

Ailsa looks to be okay mentally, holding it together despite the circumstances.

Her chin juts out definitely, tears still gleaming down her face. Her usually sweet eyes are ablaze. That's my girl. Even in mortal peril she's stubborn.

My jaw works, and I lower the vermin to the floor, carefully setting him on his feet.

"Release her." I growl, the man stutters, trying to speak and failing. Pathetic.

"Now." I finish, but he doesn't move one bit.

He looks as though he wants to demand something from me, but his fragile human brain is scrambled, and he can't decide what to ask of me in trade for her safety.

The little Sinclair man cant stop looking to his companion laid out on the floor. I click my tongue to get his attention, putting my hands up, bloodied palms out, showing I can be gentle and cool headed, though I'd reduce him to an empty body just as quickly given the chance.

"What do you want?" I insist, and Ailsa shakes her head.

"He won't hurt me, Fraser, at least not kill me. It's a bluff, don't believe him!"

Her captor shakes her to shut her up, and I stiffen as he digs the blade deeper into her skin. I take an unintentional step forward.

"Want to test that?"

A movement from the side catches my attention before something white hot tears into me.

I look down, even as blood begins to slide out of me, and I grip the knife handle sticking out of my gut. My vision blurs, my body swaying. Despite the film over my eyes, I still spot the glint of silver as I tug on the handle.

Damn. That's not good.

It's the last thing I think before I collapse into darkness.

I'm sorrrrrryyy 😭😭 don't hate me

Thoughts? Predictions? Let me know!

I'll see you all tomorrow