Tom rolled his eyes. “He fancies himself as a bad boy, but he’s got no backbone. Never had. One little fight with Kohl and it’s all happy families.” He rolled his shoulders, never taking his eyes off Jason.
With his mind still stuck on the fact Tom purposely tried to kill people, Jason was a fraction too late in reacting.
“Newell was like a father to me!” Tom roared as he charged forward, clawed hands closing around Jason’s throat and lifting him off the floor. “And your fucking alpha murdered him while the council sat back and did nothing.”
A father?
Jason grabbed for Tom’s arm’s, sinking his claws in, but Tom’s grip didn’t lessen.
Fuck. If that was how he saw Newell, no wonder he’d never tried to accept Cam. Struggling for breath, Jason dug his claws in as deep as he could, using all his strength to tear at the muscle, until finally Tom let go with a howl of pain, stumbling back a few steps.
“The obstacle course . . . ?” Jason wiped bloodied hands on his jeans as he stared at him. “Why Daryl?”
“I just got lucky.” Tom grinned, the look of smug satisfaction igniting a white-hot rage inside Jason, and he was moving before it even registered.
He barrelled into Tom, claws sinking into his shoulders as knocked him to the floor and landed on top of him. “How fucking dare you! You almost killed him!”
“It was supposed to be you!” Tom spat. His revelation stopped Jason in his tracks for a second, his grip loosening, and it was all Tom needed to grab his wrists and push him off. He sprang to his feet, blood dripping onto the carpet from the slowly healing wounds on his arms. Rage fuelled him on.
“You and fucking Kohl should’ve been next after us. But you managed to fuck that up too.”
They faced off again, all thoughts of not hurting Tom gone from Jason’s mind. He didn’t deserve mercy.
“Why though?” Jason repeated, watching Tom’s every move, waiting for an opening. Jason was stronger, quicker . . . he just needed to pick his moment. “Why do it at all? You had to know the council would find out?”
Tom shrugged “And do what? Kick me out of the pack?” He scoffed. “Like I give a shit about that.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you go when Alpha Wallace offered you the chance?”
“Because Kohl and Harley needed to pay!” he spat. “I couldn’t get to Harley, but the pack bonding was like offering Kohl up on a plate. I just had to pick my moment.”
Just like me.
Jason grinned, showing all his teeth. “You do know the council can do a lot worse than banish
you from this pack, right?” He took a small step closer.
“I’m aware. But—”
“You lied to the council when they questioned us, Tom. You said the rope was fine when you used it.” He raised both eyebrows. “And you know the penalty for lying, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“It’s the maximum penalty, I know,” Jason talked over him, noting his frustration rising. “But you did try to kill members of your own pack, and I don’t think that’ll do you any favours.”
“Shut up and let me fucking finish.” Tom’s air of confident outrage faltered, his face red. “I don’t give a shit about the council because I’ll be long gone before they get here.” His focus was shot, though, Jason’s words hitting their mark and making him careless,
“You should’ve run, Tom. While you had the chance.”
“And miss taking care of you first?” Tom snarled. “I don’t think so.” He licked over his fangs.
“Unlike Wes, I’m gonna finish—”
Jason struck.
He leapt for Tom’s throat, hands closing around it as he slammed him hard into the wall.
Too close to be able to kick him off, Tom scrabbled at Jason’s arms, scratching at the skin when he couldn’t prise them off him.
