Chapter 76 An Alpha’s Claim
Alpha Sebastian grabbed Eira’s hand before she could move away.
"What will it take for you to let this go? Name it. Money, a car, another house. Whatever you want."
His voice was gentle. His grip was not.
"Remember what Miss Gwen told you about your name?" he continued. "Eira means snow in Welsh. She wanted you to stay kind through the worst winter and believe spring would come."
Years ago, Alpha Sebastian had called it a beautiful name. He had promised her a beautiful future.
Now he was using it to guilt her into protecting Isabella.
"Tell the police you’re done cooperating," he said. "You’re okay now. Let’s put this behind us."
"I nearly drowned."
"But you didn’t."
Eira stared at him.
Alpha Sebastian looked away. "When we get home, you should apologize to Bella too."
For a second, Eira thought she had heard him wrong.
"You want me to apologize to the woman who drugged me?"
"She didn’t mean for it to go that far."
"She set me up to be assaulted."
"She’s my sister."
"And I’m your wife."
Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened.
"My parents already had concerns about you. Now Bella’s been arrested because of your statement. If you keep pushing this, they’ll never accept you."
Eira let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
"So you knew."
"Knew what?"
"That they treated me like dirt. You knew, and you let it happen."
"That’s not true. I stood up for you."
"When?"
"I told them you were a good person. I tried to keep the peace."
"You watched them tear me down for four years, and now you want credit for saying I’m nice?"
"I’m caught in the middle here!" Alpha Sebastian snapped. "Why can’t you meet me halfway?"
"There is no halfway between me and the people who tried to have me assaulted."
She ripped her hand free.
"Let me out."
"Eira, calm down."
"Pull over."
The driver glanced at Alpha Sebastian in the rearview mirror.
"Keep driving," Alpha Sebastian ordered.
Eira looked at him for one long second. Then she rolled down the window and threw her purse onto the shoulder.
Alpha Sebastian’s eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Getting out."
She started climbing through the window.
Alpha Sebastian lunged and caught her around the waist.
"Eira!"
Wind whipped through the car as he dragged her back inside.
"Are you out of your damn mind? You could’ve died!"
"I told you to stop the car."
"You’re threatening me with your own life?"
---
In the car behind them, Alpha Killian saw Eira’s purse fly out the window.
Then she tried to climb out after it.
His heart nearly stopped.
"Alpha Killian?" the driver asked.
"Box them in and force them onto the shoulder."
The driver hit the gas. Their SUV raced forward and pulled alongside Alpha Sebastian’s Bentley. Alpha Killian lowered his window.
For one brief second, Eira met his eyes.
He held her gaze. Trust me.
She seemed to understand. She pulled herself back inside and covered her head.
"Now," Alpha Killian ordered.
The car moved ahead, then cut sharply into the Bentley’s lane. Alpha Sebastian’s driver swerved, but Alpha Killian’s vehicle stayed beside them and pushed them toward the shoulder.
Metal scraped against metal with a violent crash. The Bentley hit the curb and stopped.
Inside, Eira’s seat belt locked across her chest. Her ears rang, but she was not hurt.
"What the hell was that?" Alpha Sebastian shouted.
His driver stared into the mirror. "They forced us off the road."
Alpha Killian was already out of his car. His eyes fixed on Eira. He reached her door and pulled the handle.
Locked.
"Open it," he ordered.
Alpha Sebastian leaned across the back seat. "Get away from my car."
Alpha Killian pulled once more. The lock snapped, and the door flew open.
Before Alpha Sebastian could stop him, Alpha Killian released Eira’s seat belt and lifted her out.
"Alpha Killian Sterling!"
Alpha Sebastian reached for her, but Alpha Killian turned away and slammed the door in his face.
He carried Eira to the grass beside the road and set her down.
Alpha Sebastian shoved open the other door and climbed out, but Alpha Killian’s driver stepped in front of him.
"Stay back, Alpha Sebastian."
"You just ran my car off the road!"
"And you locked a woman inside it while she was trying to get away. We can talk to the police about both."
Alpha Sebastian stopped.
Alpha Killian turned to Eira. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"I told him to pull over."
"So you tried to jump out of a moving car?"
"He wouldn’t let me leave."
Alpha Killian’s anger did not fade, but his attention shifted. His eyes moved over her face, arms, and legs. "Are you hurt?"
"I don’t think so."
He gently turned her wrist. Red marks circled her skin where Alpha Sebastian had grabbed her.
A growl rose in Alpha Killian’s chest.
Eira glanced at the two damaged cars. "Your car is wrecked."
"It’s a car."
"You hit a Bentley with it."
"I can buy another one."
Alpha Killian checked her pupils, then ran his hands carefully over her shoulders to make sure she had no serious injury.
"Why was he holding you in the car?"
"He wanted me to change my statement and stop helping the police."
Alpha Killian’s expression hardened.
"And?"
"He told me to apologize to Isabella."
For several seconds, Alpha Killian said nothing. Then he looked toward Alpha Sebastian.
The cold in his eyes made even his driver step aside.
Alpha Killian moved in front of Eira, blocking Alpha Sebastian’s path to her.
"You owe me two dinners now," he said quietly.
Despite everything, Eira almost smiled.
--
Alpha Sebastian stormed toward them. "Eira. Get over here."
She stepped out from behind Alpha Killian, but he caught her wrist gently.
His eyes met hers. "Don’t."
Eira stopped. She had only meant to stand beside him, not return to Alpha Sebastian.
Alpha Sebastian did not see the difference. His gaze dropped to Alpha Killian’s hand on her wrist.
"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" he demanded. "You run my car off the road, drag my wife out, and now you won’t let her come to me?"
Alpha Killian released Eira at once. "I’m not stopping her."
He looked at her instead of Alpha Sebastian. "If you want to go with him, go."
Eira stayed where she was.
The silence hit Alpha Sebastian harder than any answer.
His face darkened.
"Are you trying to take my wife from me?"
Alpha Killian stepped between them again.
His expression did not change.
"And if I am?"