Anything For Scarlett

Anything For Scarlett
Osprey
I yawned as I rubbed my eyes before opening them. Scarlett’s face was directly above mine, and she was still fast asleep. Her eyes moved around under her lids, telling me that Serena was very much awake and alert. I reached up to run my fingers over her face. She smiled softly, and I was stunned all over again that she was mine. A low growl came from behind her, and I carefully turned my head to look. A large wolf lay behind her, pressed against her, staring away from us with its teeth bared. I looked into the woods to see a large bear watching us from the trees. I carefully sat up, gently taking Scarlett in my arms after shifting toward her. The wolf eyed me just as curiously as I eyed him.
“Silver?” I asked.
My father walked out of the trees, tossing clothes at the wolf. “Get dressed.”
“Dad, is that Silver?”
“If it is, he has some explaining to do.”
The wolf grabbed the clothes before trotting off to get change while I carefully stood up with Scarlett nestled into my chest. Her body went more lax, and I was glad that Serena felt safe enough to sleep, too. As I neared my father, Silver came back out of the trees to shift uncomfortably in front of me.
“So, I didn’t know he was still in there…” He said.
“You could have attacked me while I was asleep. Why didn’t you?”
“Because it would have hurt Scarlett, and both Darian and I recognize her as our Alpha,” he answered. “We wouldn’t hurt her.” He sighed as he stuck his hands in his pockets. “Not again. She’s too good for that.”
I studied his face as he gazed at her. There was such deep respect for her in his eyes. There was no malice or anger in them, just a very hesitant look of adoration. I sighed as I began to carry her back to the house while Silver walked beside me silently, constantly scouting the woods around us.
“Silver, do you think Scarlett wants me to pardon you for what you did to her?” I asked suddenly.
He looked down at her nestled against my chest before sighing again. “I think she would like it if I was, but we both know it won’t happen.”
We walked a little further before I responded. “Do you think you should be pardoned?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because Scarlett was innocent. Whatever issues you and I had should never have been taken out on her. She is more than anybody, even you, deserves. I had no right to her, but yet I still found it necessary to lay claim to something I had no business even looking at, let alone thinking about or wanting,” he said honestly.
I stopped walking to scan his face again before glancing down at Scarlett. “I think she would like it if I pardoned you. You are one of her sleuth members now, and I would do anything to make her happy, even if I didn’t agree with it.”
He shook his head. “No, Osprey, not this. I want you to kill me, and I want you to inflict as much pain as you can. I deserve it.” He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, and my heart swelled when she visibly pulled back in her sleep. “I will never mean more to her than you do. I don’t even want to. She will allow you to kill me. She will suck up the pain of my loss.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t want her to be hurt over your dying.”
“I don't either, but I fucked up again, and I will never be able to apologize for it. You just have to promise to help her through it. Don’t let her mourn me for too long. I don’t deserve it.”
“No, you don’t,” I agreed, meeting his eyes, “but this isn’t about you. It never was. Why can’t you understand that?”
He stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. “Let me put it this way, Osprey. My death is about her. I know me. I know that no matter what I do for the rest of my life, I have evil inside of me. I don’t trust myself. You shouldn’t trust me. And she for damn sure shouldn't trust me. I don’t ever want to be a risk to her again.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “Are you a threat to her?” I growled.
His eyes softened as he looked back down at her. “Not at the moment, but that could change. That’s why you need to kill me, and you need to do it soon. It’s the only way to ensure that I won’t become a threat again.”
I lifted her higher to lay my cheek on her forehead. “She is my everything, Silver. She always has been. If you see yourself as a threat or a potential threat, I have to kill you. I will not allow you to pose a risk to her. If you hurt her again, that would devastate her more than your death.”
I swallowed hard as he lowered his eyes to the ground. “I know. Make me suffer like I made her suffer.”
I nodded. “Okay. Until then, I want you to stay at our house. She seems to want you close. But I swear to the Goddess above, if you hurt her, or if any of us get the suspicion that you are even thinking about it, I will kill you.”
“I’d like that. Wolves are meant to be close to their Alphas.”
He smiled, and for the briefest moment, I saw the young wolf that I had been friends with years ago before either of us got caught up in what we were told were our destinies. I groaned internally as doubt about whether killing him was truly justice or not started to creep up. I resumed the walk back to my house.
“Well, come on, I’ll show you where you will be sleeping.”
When we got back to the house, I put Silver in the living room so I could take Scarlett up to my room, where I laid her gently on the bed. After kissing her softly, I jogged back down to the living room to get Silver. I took him to a spare room on the first floor, nestled between my father’s and Timothy’s home offices. I knew they would watch him closely. There were too many innocents in the house to risk him being able to walk freely among us. I have already killed for Scarlett, but I wouldn’t hesitate to kill for any of my other family members. I watched him walk around the room for a moment before he turned back to me.
“Thank you, Osprey.”
“Welcome. Get some rest. I’m sure you didn’t get much rest last night.”
“Okay.” He sat on the bed. “Do you think it would be okay if I hunted for Scarlett? In a pack, the lower members are supposed to hunt for the Alpha and Beta. I know for the sleuth it’s different.”
I hesitated, not wanting to give him leeway to do anything for her but also knowing she would accept whatever he did for her with graciousness. I gave him a sharp nod.
“Fine, but my mother will prepare it.”
He relaxed as he nodded. “Will do.”
I shut the door a little harder than I intended to before rushing back upstairs to Scarlett while linking my family that he was there and to be careful. As soon as I entered my room, I crawled into bed with my mate, not caring at all about the small amount of dirt on my clothes. She all but crawled on top of me, and I wrapped my arms around her, happy to be back in our bed alone. I kissed her lips softly before closing my eyes.
“I know this isn’t how you wanted everything to play out, Letti, but I promise when this is all over, you will be okay. I will make sure of it,” I whispered as I began to drift off into a half-awake slumber.