Ashputtel

XII: Asher

Mature content warning

"Does that matter? He clearly locked us in here to settle whatever this is, so let's settle it," Winston said. "Any idea how?"

I get in a proper stance and say "A clean human fight. No wolf claws, no magic, just good old fashion kicks and punches. Best two out of three to pin to the other to the mat emerges the victor."

"You want to fight me? Physically fight me?" Winston looked taken aback. Nevertheless, he still loosened the first few buttons of his tunic, and got into a ready position.

"I'm tired of fighting you verbally with no results," I explained. " And then I remembered that with shifters, sometimes all it takes is a good old fashion punch to the gut, kind of like this." I quickly ram my fist into his stomach, catching him off guard. I look at him momentarily doubled over, and bounce on my feet. "Come on pup, we don't have all day."

I see anger flare in his eyes as he runs at me full force. I use his own momentum against him, grabbing his loaded right arm to flip him over my head, flat on his back on the mat, placing my booted foot on his tunic, looking him down as I say "You'll have to do better than that to beat me."

He pushes me off, rising to his feet, getting in a ready position, looking serious now. I smirk at him, mirroring his actions, waiting for him to take the first move, satisfied when he does exactly that.

Now, I don't condone violence against your mate in any way, mother has taught me better than that. All that being said, after a month of pent up anger it kind of felt good to twist the arm of the object of my frustrations until he was kneeling down in pain in a controlled, consensual setting. I waved my hand, instantly fixing it.

"Good match." With that, I rose to my feet, my back facing him, which was my mistake, as his anger at being bested took him over and suddenly I was on the ground with him on top of me.

I flipped us over pinning his arms above his head as I straddled him.

"Will you just quit it?" I ask Winston.

He growls in reply and I feel Cinder coming to the surface fighting me for control and winning. I felt the familiar pricks of my canines extending and I fight Cinder back, opting for growling back.

"Let me put him in his place." Cinder demands.

"Let's not do anything we regret here. I'm sure we just need to reason him down-"

"Reason might work with Winston, but this is Alto we're speaking with. He's been a bossy brat since day one." Cinder growls out.

I stare down at the eyes of the man below me and see that they're glowing Amber rather than Winston's usual brown, and let Cinder come forward.

"Alto, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, your choice." Cinder says, trying to get him to expose his neck.

When Alto lunged forward, trying to force a submission on Cinder rather than submit, I could almost hear the snap of my wolf's patience as I watch him slam him back on the ground and bite down unnecessarily hard on our mark. Alto struggled for a few seconds but Cinder held his clamp until he stilled completely and bore his neck.

Cinder lets go, without closing the wound, before giving me back control and I see Winston's usual brown return, before his face contorts in pain.

I rise to my feet, picking him up bridal style, placing him down on the bed. I went to close the wound only to find that he's already healed.