Chapter 100

Chapter 100
Josh
He pulled a depressed Lucy onto his chest, cradling even tighter for a moment. He was absolutely livid at Amerald for sucking her soul right out of her. He couldn’t even imagine how she felt, feeling the effects of a bond breaking and then still having it in place. He murmured softly to her as he rubbed her back. He had been shocked when Sasha had come to get him and he had walked through the portal without a second thought to get her.
He got even more angry when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes, repeating, ‘he didn’t. He loves me,’ over and over again until Kalani had put her into a magic-induced sleep. He knew that Amerald was resistant to being a thruple with him in the picture, but it didn’t matter. Even after faking a rejection, Lucy still wanted him and Josh was even more determined to make it happen. After whooping his ass a little, of course. Their bedroom door opened and Lima and Curtis walked in silently. He gently shifted Lucy off of him before getting up. He brushed her hair back before leaning down to kiss her forehead.
“I love you, baby. I know you tried, now it’s my turn and I promise you that when I’m done, he will be yours. One or another,” he murmured. “The gloves are off and I fight dirty.” He straightened up to give Lima a steely glare. “If she wakes up, get Aunt Kalani. She knows what to do.”
He turned toward Sasha who stood by the door with anger evident in the way her lips were pursed.
“I still say you should let Irina eat him.”
He laughed. “Maybe if he still doesn’t listen.”
She rolled her eyes as she opened a portal for him. He immediately went through it, coming out outside of Dragon’s Tail, where Slonsky had reassured Amerald was that night. He strolled inside and immediately saw him hunched over a table a few feet from the bar, nursing a beer. He let his aura out lightly to make the other shifters in the bar move out of his way as he walked to Amerald. He bent down to grab the chair leg and yanked it out from under him. Amerald hit the floor and his beer went flying. He looked up at Josh, sighed, and struggled to his feet. He leaned on the table.
“Go away.”
Josh punched him in the stomach, making him double over.
“Fucker!”
He grabbed Amerald’s arm and dragged him outside, where he threw him down the stairs. Amerald closed his eyes as Josh leaped over the stairs, landing less than a foot from him.
“Fight back,” he growled, kicking him. “Coward!”
Amerald opened his eyes. “I can’t win, Josh, so just do us both a favor and kill me,” he whispered defeatedly.
Apollo growled again, issuing a challenge to Saber, making Amerald give a short bark of hysterical laughter.
“Challenge all you want. He won’t answer you. He’s gone. Deserted me as soon as I injected Lucy with the potion.”
Josh squatted next to him, glaring at him. “You broke her. You deserve your ass beat for that.”
“So, why are you talking? Just do it. Or do you need a reason? Do you want to know how I fucked her and waited for her to fall asleep to inject her? Or do you want me to tell you how I walked away without so much as a backward glance? Or do you want to hear how I don’t want her?”
Josh punched him in the face. “1, don’t even try to tell me you fucked her. We both damn well know that you made love to her.” He punched him again. “2, Uncle Lukas, Aunt Lily and Aunt Kalani watched the cameras. You waited outside the door until they got there, so save your bullshit for someone else.” He gripped Amerald’s throat to yank him up. “And as for not wanting her, if you didn’t you would have broken the bond.”
“I did break the bond.”
“No, you didn’t. You know you didn’t. The time for you to act like a little bitch is over. You had your pity party just like I had mine. I hated you. Hell, I hate you even more now after what you did to her but she doesn’t. When are you going to realize that we may love the same woman but she is better than both of us and we are only worthy of her if we are both there.” His hand tightened around Amerald’s throat, slowly cutting off oxygen. “Now, you have two choices. 1, you get up and come back with me willingly. That’s the easy choice. Or 2, I make you. Personally, I really hope you choose option number 2 because I want you to suffer but for Lucy’s sake, I hope you choose option 1, so I don’t have to explain to our mate why I had to almost kill you.” He bared his teeth at Josh, making him groan. “Option 2 it is.”
He let his aura out and Amerald shuddered but didn’t get up. He met Josh’s eyes.
“We’re both marked by her. Your aura won’t work on me anymore.”
He rolled his shoulders back as he stood. “I was afraid of that. That’s why I brought her,” he said, waving his hand over his shoulder.
Sasha materialized behind him, smiling coldly at Amerald, making him gulp.
“Hello, Amerald.”
“Queen Sasha.”
Her aura blasted out of her, throwing Josh to the side and knocking Amerald out. She moved to stand over him and kicked him in the leg.
“Stupid cat.” She turned to Josh grinning. “Can I eat him now?”
He shook his head. “No. I need you to follow through with the plan.”
She growled lightly. “Can I break him if I fix him before the wedding tomorrow?”
He laughed. “If you are willing to explain to Lucy why you hurt him.”
Excitement leaped into her eyes. “Done!”
Energy radiated out of her and Amerald was thrown into the air. She shifted effortlessly to snatch him out of the air by the leg. She shook her head and Amerald flailed while Josh watched in shock. She flapped her wings and took off into the sky.
“I WAS KIDDING!” Josh yelled after her before shaking his head.
He looked around, letting out a relieved breath when the portal was still open. He walked through and it shut immediately behind him. Lima eyed him as he approached Lucy on the bed.
“How’d it go?”
He smirked at her. “He might get eaten.”
She giggled. “Remind me not to wear fruity or edible-smelling perfume around Queen Sasha anymore. I like life.”
Curtis laughed. “So, we’re on for tomorrow?”
Josh ran his fingers through his hair, heaving a heavy sigh. “As much as I wish he had chosen option 1, he didn’t. I hate that we are going to have to break Lucy more to get her what she wants.” He breathed his fire over her as he sat next to her to take her hand. “I promised her she could have us both. I meant it. If this doesn’t work, I am going to have Aunt Sasha compel him.” He closed his eyes. “If she doesn’t eat him first, that is.”
She crossed the room to his side to hug him. “This will work, Josh.”
“I hope so. Goodnight, guys. Thank you for watching over her.”
“Anything for our Luna, Alpha. Goodnight.”
He waited for them to leave before curling up next to her. “I love you, Lucy, just remember that. No matter what happens.”