Ayla: Always an Alpha

Chapter 19 - Let Them Win

~Killian~

Concerned, I watched Ayla as she cycled through a variety of emotions. I didn't know what to do other than let them run their course. She was handling it differently than I had expected, but it's not as if I had made it a habit to give targets their profiles.

When she started mumbling to herself, I knew the situation was going downhill fast, but I still had no idea how to resolve it. Even a bit of experience with emotional circumstances would've helped me, but alas, I had none.

"Ayla." I attempted to get her to turn her attention to me to no avail. "Ayla, hey."

Goddamnit, I knew letting her see the folder was a bad idea. I didn't even leave my room for days after Sir showed me my profile during some sick attempt at reinforcing in me that I was his. It worked, to say the least. I never questioned him again after that.

Abruptly, Ayla stood. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

Quickly, I darted after her as she bounded to the front door, but as soon as she began to open it, I reached above her to slam it shut, trapping her inside.

"Ayla, where are you going?" My tone was cautious. The volatility in her temperament alarmed me. I sensed an explosion coming, and with this woman, that would not be good.

She turned to face me. Her pupils were narrowed, filling her typically warm irises with white hot anger. "I'm going to kill him."

"And who is that?"

"Cox."

"Ayla." I pinched the bridge of my nose with my free hand. "You can't do that."

"Why not? You do it."

It hurt, knowing Ayla thought so little of me. I tried not to think of the bite she just took out of me while responding. "We don't know for sure it's him behind this yet."

"It's him. It's that fucking asshole because who else could it be?"

"Ayla, I'm serious. Do you really want to kill someone who may be innocent? Are you ready to deal with that guilt for the rest of your life?" I tried talking some sense into her. "Do you really want the council to send you to rot in a jail cell? Because that's what they're going to do when they find out you took action without consulting them, even if he does turn out to be the guilty party."

"Yes. Let me out."

"I'm not going to do that."

"Fuck you." She tried to shove me, but in response, I threw more of my weight into keeping the door closed.

She was trapped.

"Let me out. Let me out. Let me out." She yelled, banging against my chest with her fists in time with each word.

The last demand came out more powerful than the first few. Was she trying to use an apha command on me?

Finally, I had enough. As someone without ties to her pack, the command wouldn't work on me at first, but eventually, it'd wear down my willpower.

"Stop it. Now," I growled, capturing her fists with my hands.

Trying to release herself from my grasp, she struggled for a minute. Just the fact that she didn't think to try to kick me showed me she wasn't thinking straight.

Eventually, her breathing evened out, so I took a step back, giving her space, but still holding her hands captive in mine.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I shouldn't have hit you."