“What are you talking about?”
Tobias eased forward, pushing Quinn towards the couch with a steady hand as he kept his focus on Meghan when she began to pace again. Three quick steps, turn, and back. Hands clawing through the strands of limp brown hair, Meghan fisted the locks and repeated her route. It took three passes before she stopped muttering to herself, the tension rising with every step. Choking the air from the room until Quinn thought she could wring it in her hands.
“Derek,” Meghan screamed, the name turning into a drawn out wail that pierced the heart and made it bleed with her pain. Devastated, haunted, they were paltry words to describe the emotion flooding from Meghan on the bitter scent of hurt and anger. “My brother, you soulless vermin! You killed him over nothing. Nothing at all. He was so good. So proud. Would have been so much more than you would ever be if you hadn’t… but you…”
“What did I do?” Tobias took another step, abandoning Quinn by the sofa when Meghan dropped into a crouch.
“You cut his head off,” Meghan screeched, fisting her hair and tugging at the locks until several ripped free and tangled in her fingers when she thrust an accusing finger at Tobias. Eyes feral and wide, showing too much white as she lurched to her feet to face him head on. “You cut his head off, couldn’t even give him a proper burial. Never going to heaven. My poor, sweet, wonderful brother never got to go to heaven!”
“I don’t know of any Derek.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Meghan wailed, books clattering the floor as she dragged her fists across the shelves. Glass shattered against the warm wood as the few frames fell amid torn pages and ruined leather. Tearing at her dress, her hair, clawing at her own skin, Meghan stood among the chaos looking as broken as Tobias’ precious books.
“Derek Shearer, you swine. You disgusting pig! My beautiful brother,” she yelled at Tobias, kicking her way through the detritus to storm closer. Quivering with her suppressed rage, fists in tight balls at her side, she glared.
“He tried to take my territory. Challenged me and paid the price.” Recognition achieved, Tobias stood somehow taller. Wide shoulders squared, he looked down on the sobbing woman with disgust.
“No! No, Derek was strong, good. He was looking out for his family and you cut him down and now you’ll pay!”
“You failed. My mate is healthy and well now, and you won’t be hurting anyone anymore.”
“No! I haven’t failed. Nothing is over yet. You killed him and now you must pay.” Calm slamming through her, Meghan stood straight with hands clasped at her waist. A docile smile eased across stiff lips. If not for the wild clumps of her hair and the still terrifying light glowing in her eyes, nothing would seem amiss.
“Meghan, you need help,” Quinn whispered, some part of her still clinging to the idea that this woman had ever been there for her. She’d seen plenty of people affected by their pasts for the worse, and Meghan was no different. No amount of therapy would fix this, no medication would take away what she’d done, but she still needed help.
The bond screamed inside Quinn’s chest. Made her lose her balance as unadulterated rage swam through her and pounded her brain into a soggy pulp. Clutching at the arm of the couch to remain upright, she tried to strangle down the sensation, but it was no use. He was somewhere beyond rage, livid with the idea of letting Meghan live, let alone Quinn’s insistence on aiding her.
“Oh, you filthy whore,” Meghan said, and now there was no hiding the wicked glee in her smile as she held up her hands. “You’re the one that needs help. It’ll be all right. I’ll save those babies from you and then I’ll make him pay. They won’t even remember either of you. I’ll make sure of it.”
“I’ve heard enough,” Tobias snarled.
“She already got your best friend killed, saved me the trouble of that. How did that feel, hm? I’ll kill that cunt you claimed next, and then maybe, just maybe, you’ll feel a portion of what I did. Then I’ll take those sweet babies—”
Meghan didn’t finish. Couldn’t with Tobias’ hand wrapped around her throat, squeezing it until her face turned an ugly shade of purple while he lifted her. Slammed against the wall, any air that might remain in Meghan’s lungs came out in a grunt of pain.
Still she smiled.
Kept the grim curl of her lips while clawing at Tobias’ hands and arms, writhing and kicking for all she was worth. Betas were smaller, leaner than Alphas, yet somehow the blows she landed made him grunt and flinch. Scoring the side of his neck with her nails, tearing at his shirt, Meghan managed to drive him back enough that Tobias lost his grip.
Collapsing to the floor in a heap, Meghan gasped and choked out a broken laugh. Head slanted upwards, her hoarse cackle grew louder still before she swung her feral gaze towards Quinn. It sent Quinn a step back, the meager distance and the weight of the sofa adding a measure of safety.
“You’re a clever slut, aren’t you,” Meghan croaked, using handholds to haul herself up to her feet. “Claiming him like that. It will make this easier.”
Tobias already reaching for her, Meghan somehow ducked his large hand. Darting past him, she managed two steps towards Quinn before he grabbed hold of the unkempt locks free of Meghan’s usual neat bun. It didn’t stop her. Continuing forward, she screamed as the hair pulled free of her scalp, launching herself at Quinn.
Smaller even than a Beta, Quinn couldn’t hold against the full weight of Meghan flying into her. Not even with the bond coursing her veins, adding whatever strength her physical body lacked. They fell to the floor, Meghan’s body colliding with hers all over again as it came down on her.
The other woman wasted no time. Hands at Quinn’s throat, she squeezed hard. Tighter and tighter. Nails digging into the back of Quinn’s neck until blood flowed and ran in sticky hot rivulets over their skin. Mouth working to pull in a breath that would not come, Quinn slapped and kicked at Meghan. Pulled at her hair and clawed at her face, straining for even a sip of air. Nothing would break the grip Meghan had. Even as Tobias grabbed Meghan around the waist, hauling her body all the way off of Quinn’s, she refused to let go. With ungodly strength and determination, she held on. Seeming intent on pulling Quinn’s head off before letting go.
Darkness edged Quinn’s vision. Tobias’ roar matched the reverberation that shuddered under her sternum. A tempest that raged, bloody and monstrous. A flash of white, the darkness of his torn coat. The horrible tearing sensation of her skin ripping open, a flood of warmth from a deep gash opening on her neck before a scream splintered the dimness of Quinn’s thoughts.
The crack was audible, working through Quinn’s teeth and into her jaw. The first breath that swept into her lungs painful, a sheet of stinging needles, Quinn attempted to roll away. Something warm and soft slapped against her cheek, the flurry of movement above her blurring into a wash of shapes as her eyes watered. Another scream followed the next smack of flesh, and it had to be that from its warmth.
A second crack registered, crawling down Quinn’s spine as she recognized the sound as splintering bone. Another horrible slash at her neck followed by more soft slaps and screams. Blinking in a furious attempt to clear away the watery mist, her vision cleared.
Meghan shrieked when Tobias pulled her free from Quinn, launching her body across the room. Arms pinwheeling, moving in awkward spirals, she crashed against the other wall. Not making any effort to catch herself, she fell into a hard ball upon the floor. The thud of her head rebounding off of the warm wood reverberated through the entire room.
Not until Meghan sat up with a slow shake of her head did Quinn understand.
