Violet Ashes: The Blood Ridge Alpha - Chapter 71: Chapter 71

My ears are burning as I stare back at my little sister. Her eyes glowing blue. Tears are streaming down her face. Vince has my claw marks down the front of his body deep enough for the wounds to hurt for a while. His blood is staining her arms where she through herself over him to stop me from hitting him some more.
It's not always easy to pull back, Beverly, but this time I didn't have to. I shake off the rage I felt and let go of the tightness in my belly. The sound of Vincent's jaw popping back into place echoes loudly in the awkward silence. I grab my things and shake the grass off my sweater.
"Open contract," I remind him. "Roman doesn't want to be here anyway."
"You'd choose them over us," he doesn't drop it.
"There is no them and us," I feel the anger boiling back up, but it's on me to keep in check. I'm not the alpha of the pack. I'm just the secretary holding the position until he finds a suitable mate. "This stopped being about the pack when you realized just how much stronger I got without you.
"You can't compare what this fucking idiot taught you to what I've learned traveling. Yes, we are the strongest City on this continent, but there are different kinds of training all over the world, and I've always loved to fight. To learn what I can do to become a stronger fighter.
"You're the alpha. It's not your place to do what I do. He's feeding you hate. This bitter ass feral man is filling your head with his own insecurities. We're stuck in the same place we were when I left because of him. He's pitting us against each other. You're the fucking alpha of the City. You're not his son. You're not a father. You're not a brother.
"The pack comes first. I have been doing my part all these years. I am doing my best to shake the darkness that came from being alone. To lock in and give the city what it needs. What am I doing that is so wrong? Not letting you and this bastard fuck me up like you used to? What do you want?"
Mathew comes out of the house and tosses a pair of basketball shorts at him. He doesn't say a single word as he slips them on. He pushes past me and Matt to head inside. My father doesn't even try to hide his smile. I have nothing to say to him as I head out to make the walk back to my tower.
"Vy, wait up. I'll drive," Matt calls after me. "Are you coming?" I look back to see Pepper dusting herself off. She shakes her head and turns to go inside. "You can't be serious."
Our father walks past her and pats her head as he goes inside. She comes closer, throwing her hands in the air.
"Vy, is right. Dad is poisoning him more and more. We can't leave him alone with him. I'd rather him yell at us than not have him at all." She looks at me sympathetically and shrugs. "He's more than just our brother. We know Dad isn't there anymore. We don't know him, but we know Vince."
Matt lets out a heavy sigh and turns to me. He holds out a key fob for me.
"I'm not leaving her here by herself, but it's a long walk back. I'll pick her up tonight after dinner so we can get our stuff."
"Thanks, guys," I take them. "I'll fill her up and give her a wash."
"You're the best," he smiles and follows Pepper inside.
I press the fob and see the lights go off up ahead. I go up to the car and smile when I get to it. I've only seen him in Pepper's car, and it's funny watching him struggle to get out. It's a Hellcat. All black with a pretty dark metallic purple camouflage design.
"There's no gas in this thing," I say to myself.
I start the car, and sure enough, the dial is just above the red line. The sound it makes tells me he's spent quite a penny on this monster. I have to adjust the seat and the steering wheel. As I go to put it into gear, the door opens, and Vince falls into the passenger seat beside me.
"Go," he says through his teeth.
I get this thing to a gas station before it leaves me stranded somewhere. It's an eight-minute drive, and it goes by with only the purr of the engine.
"Do you want anything?" I ask him. He glances at me but doesn't answer.
I groan and get out to fill the car. Once I have the pump going, I head inside to use the restroom. I am a mess. I pull the hair tie out of my hair and use some water to try to tame it. I wash my exposed skin and head back. I grab some drinks, snacks, and a pack of ice because I know his jaw is going to be killing him for a while.
Once I'm back in the car, I hold the bag out for him and reach into my fanny pack for my emergency pain aids. These have saved me a few times out on the field. I hold out the gel tablets for him and an energy drink.
"What's this?" he asks.
"It's a strong painkiller. It'll keep you going for the rest of the day," I promise. "It won't make you sleepy,"
For a moment, I think he's going to reject it, but takes the two tablets and the energy drink. He opens his mouth as far as he can to take them. I open my drink and take a sip before starting the car again.
"You hurt my wolf,"
"You both deserved that for attacking us the way you did," I say calmly. "We have to fix this."
I drive over the bridge and head into the coven neighborhoods. He doesn't question me because he probably knows where I'm headed. The place where we swore whatever we did when we were apart wouldn't matter as long as it was for the pack.
"This is dumb," he sighs.
"Yeah, just like the first time we came here."