Page 49 of Shifting the Flame
The primal part of him roared to life.Where is my mate?
People were converging toward the VIP section, where council members had been enjoying reserved seating. Now they stood clustered together, their faces twisted with shock and fury.
And in the center of it all – Danica.
Her red silk dress made her easy to spot in the growing crowd of agitated townspeople. Even from this distance, her body language spoke of fear. She stood frozen, her eyes wide with panic, like prey surrounded by predators.
Asher moved without conscious thought, cutting through the crowd with the authority of a natural apex predator. Bodies shifted automatically, giving way to their Alpha without question.
"What is happening here?" His voice cut through the chaos like a blade, low and controlled but carrying the undeniable weight of command.
No one answered immediately. Danica's eyes found his, filled with relief and something that looked disturbingly like guilt. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Asher stepped beside her, sliding a protective arm around her waist. The message was clear to everyone watching—she was under his protection. The dragon inside him, still buzzing with energy from the night flight, pushed toward the surface, eager to shield his mate with wings and fire if necessary.
"I asked a question." His words vibrated with barely controlled power. "And I expect an answer. Now."
His eyes swept the circle of council members, their angry faces illuminated by the festival lights. On the ground lay the crumpled form of Garron, the eldest council member, his lips tinged an unnatural blue. The unmistakable scent of death hung in the air, mixed with something acrid and familiar that made Asher's nostrils flare.
Dragon's bane.
He pulled Danica closer, feeling tremors running through her body. The watch on his wrist ticked steadily, marking time as his world threatened to implode.
"Someone," he growled, "had better start talking."
The silence grew heavier as accusations thickened the air. Asher felt Danica trembling against him. His dragon clawed close to the surface, desperate to break free and incinerate anyone threatening his mate.
Councilman Thorne, his silver hair blowing in the evening breeze, finally spoke. "Miss Ulrich was seen bringing the drinks to the VIP table alone." His voice quavered with a mixture of grief and outrage. "Serving them herself."
"I wasn't alone," Danica whispered, her voice barely audible. "Joni was helping me. She suggested we restock the table. She's the one who poured the wine into the glasses."
Councilman Davis stepped forward, his broad frame blocking the festival lights and casting a long shadow. "Joni isn't here. No one saw her with you. They only saw you handling the drinks that killed our most respected elder."
The crowd rippled with more angry murmurs. Asher's arm tightened protectively around Danica's waist, and he could feel her rapid breathing. His heart thundered in his chest while his mind raced through possibilities. Where the hell was Joni?
"We can't let this stand!" someone shouted from the back.
"Lock her up now!" called another voice.
"She's an outsider—probably working with the wolves who attacked last night!"
Davis seized the momentum. "We should detain her immediately. She's clearly a threat to every townsperson in Ectorius."
Asher's vision went red. The shift itched beneath his skin, his temperature spiking as the dragon within demanded release.He fought for control, knowing that giving in to rage now would only make things worse.
"She's destroyed our unity," Councilwoman Reed added, her eyes brimming with tears. "We welcomed her, and she?—"
"ENOUGH!" Asher shouted, his voice penetrating through the chaos. The crowd fell instantly silent, years of conditioning to their Alpha's command impossible to ignore.
"You want justice?" His eyes swept across the gathered faces, challenging anyone to meet his gaze. Few could. "Then do this right. Not in chaos. Not in front of the whole damn town."
He released Danica, stepping forward to address the circle of council members directly. The crowd instinctively gave him space, sensing the barely contained power emanating from their leader.
"Garron deserves more than a spectacle." Asher gestured toward the fallen elder, whose body had been respectfully covered with a tablecloth. "And this town deserves leaders who think before they act."
Davis bristled. "What do you propose, Alpha? That we simply let her?—"
"Send her to New Orleans under watch," Asher interrupted. "Not as an admission of guilt, but to preserve our justice system while we honor Garron properly."
