Page 91 of Freed

“But I’ll thank you all the same,” I tell him as I wrap my arms around him tightly.

More pained sounds come from Blaze, but I find my mates are suspiciously quiet. I try to peek around Hunter’s chest, but he turns me away, not letting me see.

“You don’t want to see that,” Hunter warns, holding me tighter.

I glance up and see him looking straight ahead into the empty forest with a scowl on his face.

“You guys are talking through the bond,” I say in realization. He glances down at me and nods. “I want to hear.”

“They’re discussing how to hurt him,” he says carefully, like it might upset me.

“I want to hear,” I tell him again. He sighs, then I hear him speak through the bond.

“Guys, Cherry wants to be a part of the discussion.”

“Sorry, sweetheart. We just didn’t think you’d want to hear the details,” Maddox tells me.

“You’ve already hurt him,” I say through the bond. “What’s there left to discuss?”

It’s quiet for a minute before Bain’s voice fills my head. “I want to skin him alive.”

“We don’t have the tools out here to do it,” Gage says, sounding exasperated.

“Let’s drag him home,” Chase suggests.

“I don’t want his blood stinking up our place,” Hunter says in disgust.

“Cherry?” Maddox asks gently. “Do you have an opinion on this topic?”

I think for a moment about what I want. Blaze has stalked me and hunted me for far longer than I even knew he existed. More than anything, I just want him gone.

But I know that several of my guys need a bit more than just his death to satisfy their need for vengeance.

“I don’t want him brought back to our property,” I tell them. “But do what you like to him here. Then we go home… together.”

“You heard her, boys,” Chase says through the bond as his wolf growls. “Let’s rip him apart.”

Snarls, growls, and screams fill my ears as Hunter holds me tightly. I squeeze my eyes shut, even though I can’t see what’s happening through Hunter’s large body.

After several minutes, all sound stops. I release my tight grip and lift my head, looking at Hunter as I ask out loud, “Is it over?”

“Almost.”

“It’s your turn now,” Maddox says, stepping up to my side, his hand cupping my cheek as he looks down at me.

“My turn?” I ask in worry.

He nods. “Don’t worry. He’s dead. But we think you should finish the job.” My brow scrunches in confusion as he explains, “Use your phoenix to burn him. Then you’ll know for sure that he’s never coming back.”

“Do you think you can shift?” Gage asks, stepping up to my other side.

I look inside myself and can feel that small ball of flame there. I nod as I reach for it. They all step back as I suddenly shift, my wings flinging out to keep me suspended at their head height.

“You’re gorgeous,” Maddox says, a smile pulling at his lips as his eyes take in my body and wings. I let out a pleased trill then flap my wings, lifting myself up over their hands and moving toward the others.

Chase and Bain step back, revealing a completely unrecognizable pile of blood and flesh. I don’t focus on it; instead, my eyes move to my mates as I let out another trill. Then I aim my face at Blaze’s remains and let my fire burst free.

Instinct tells me how long to do it, only a few seconds. And when I shut my mouth and wait for the fire to die down, all that’s left is a pile of ash.