"Yes. I'll watch for you."

"I'm coming. And I'm going to kill the son of a b.i.t.c.h."

"Zane, there's one thing, just in case you don't -"

"I said I'd be there."

"Please."

"What is it?"

"Your father...he didn't order Bryan's murder. He was telling you the truth. He was torn up about it. I was there. I saw him. I know."

I paused, things falling into place, my own mistakes and failings heavy on my conscience. "I'm on my way, Maria. He'll make it."

He had to.

"What's going on?" Aria asked.

"My father's hurt."

"What?"

"Ace. He didn't quite kill him, but close. He probably didn't want to take a chance on alerting me."

"What do you mean?"

"Technically, I'm Alpha when Cain dies. That's the natural continuation so even if I don't accept the role, I'd feel it if he died. I'm going to the compound to confront Ace."

"What? You can't!"

"I have to." I turned away from her, dialing Fly. He answered on the second ring.

"It's three in the f.u.c.king morning. Guessing this ain't good news you're calling with."

"Cain's hurt; he's been locked up. Ace thinks he's taking over."

"On my way."

"No. I need you to take Aria. Hide her."

"No. I'm going with you!" Aria tugged on my arm.

"No, you're not. It's what he wants." I may have claimed Aria, but Ace didn't play by the rules. If I didn't survive this, then, without my protection, she'd be his for the taking, and he'd not only have Savage Blood, but he'd have Xander at his mercy, too. He'd use Aria to bring Rage to heel. Fly needed to hide her.

"Be there in fifteen minutes."

"I can't wait for you, but Xander has men outside."

"Make it ten then. Go, man."

"Thanks." I disconnected the call.

"You're not leaving me behind, Zane. I'm coming with you."

"No, Aria, you can't. I'm shifting. I can get to him faster that way. Fly will be here in ten minutes."

"I can follow you in the truck."

I stopped, rubbing her arms, walking her backward to the bed and sitting her down. I knelt on the floor, holding her hands in mine. "Aria, I need you to stay, do as I say, and let me handle this. It's going to be a bloodbath. I can't protect you and deal with Ace on top of it."

"But I can help."

She wasn't going to listen.

"I know you want to." I stood, kissing her, opening the nightstand drawer as I did and quietly retrieving the handcuffs I kept there. I wrapped one around her wrist, and, before she realized what was happening, I closed the second one around a rung in the headboard.

"What are you doing?"

Straightening, I set the keys out of her reach on the dresser and picked up her cell phone, handing it to her. "Call your grandfather. Tell him what's going on. Tell him Fly is coming for you, but he needs to come, too. Tell him I need his help at the compound. To send men." I hated to do it. I hated to ask for help, especially from Xander. I'd be in his debt.

"Zane -"

I looked at her sitting there, so vulnerable, so human. This was bigger than me. I needed Xander's help if I had any hope of winning.

"I love you, Aria. I'm sorry for everything." I kissed her, the tears on her face making mine wet. Then, without another word, I left, waiting just outside until I heard Fly approach, knowing he'd keep her safe while I returned to my home to confront my enemy once and for all. To salvage what I could, hoping I wasn't too late.

Chapter Nineteen.

Aria I watched him go, the image of him blurry through my tears, his last words to me sounding like just that: final words. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone and scrolled to find my grandfather's phone number. He answered within moments.

"Aria?" I could hear the panic in his voice.

"I'm okay."

"Thank goodness."

"But Zane's not." I sniffled, wiping a hand across my nose. I heard the downstairs door open.

"Aria?" It was Fly.

"Up here."

"Who is that?" Xander asked.

"It's Fly. He's here."

"What's going on, Aria?"

"Maria called. I don't know who she is..."

"She's the woman who raised Zane after his mother pa.s.sed."

It still baffled me how interwoven our lives were.

"Cain's been hurt. Ace, Zane's cousin, hurt him."

"That's a long time coming. Cain was a fool."

I didn't care about that. "He needs you, Grandfather." It was the first time I'd called him that. First time I'd said that word to him...ever. "He went to the compound. He's alone." My voice cracked at that, at the thought he'd face all those men, all those men who hated him, alone.

"Aria, you okay?" Fly walked inside, his eyebrows rising at the handcuffs.

"He left the keys over there," I said to him, wiping my face.

"Who are you talking to?" my grandfather asked.

"Fly's here. Zane asked him to stay with me."

"I'll be coming to pick you up myself."

"No. Please. Go help him. He needs you there. I'm safe. Fly will keep me safe." I looked at Fly as he released me from the cuffs. "I trust him." Fly almost smiled then nodded, turning away when I stood wearing only a T-shirt.

"You're most important to me, Aria, not Zane."

"I can't live without him." A sob shook me. Fly put his hand on my shoulder, and I wiped my face yet again.

"Your men are here already. They're outside. Alert them. Send more if you want, but, please, go help him." My grandfather was the only one who could.

I could hear him take a deep breath on the other end. "I'm sending more men to you. And when this is over, you're coming home with me, understood?"

"Whatever you want. Just don't let him die."

We hung up.

"s.h.i.tty situation, huh, kid?"

"Couldn't really get s.h.i.ttier."

"It can always get s.h.i.ttier. Come on, get your jacket. We're going to the bar."

"The bar? Why? Zane said to stay here."

Fly shook his head. "I've got something there Ace wants."

"My grandfather is sending more men."

"Leave a note," Fly said, rolling his eyes.

I got dressed as fast as I could and followed Fly out to his bike, hugging my leather jacket to me as we stepped out into the cold but clear night. Fly climbed onto his bike and patted the seat behind him, holding the single helmet out to me. I strapped it on my head, got on, and held tight as he tore out onto the road and toward the bar. By the time we arrived, my blood felt like ice running through my veins, but Fly just got off the bike as relaxed as usual, not seeming at all bothered by the cold.

"Let's get inside."

"What's here that Ace would want?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Of course. Story of my life."

"Sounds like you made up with Granddad there."

I shrugged a shoulder. "Zane needs him. I don't know how he thinks he's going to go up against a whole - pack - on his own."

"He's got something powerful on his side: vengeance. Cain didn't order the killing of your brother or mother. It was Ace. I've been trying to tell him that for f.u.c.king years. Ace is the rotten apple in that family. Not Cain."

"How do you know?"

"He approached me once, wanting me to talk to Z. To change his mind and make him believe."

"But why do you believe? How can you be so sure he wasn't lying to you?"

"Because Cain is responsible for Derek's death. He put the hit on his own foster brother."

I stared, unbelieving. Fly obviously didn't see my expression though because he continued.

"He was young, manipulated by men he trusted. Knows better now, but didn't do much to save your dad, did it?" He stepped behind the bar and got me a beer and a gla.s.s of water for himself.

"He had my father killed? Zane's father is responsible for my father's murder? For my mother running all those years?"

Fly stopped, realizing his mistake. Tears burned my eyes as I lowered myself onto a stool. He put his water down, coming around the bar to take my shoulders.

"s.h.i.t."

"s.h.i.t."

"You didn't know?"

I shook my head, meeting his gaze.

"He'd been trying to make up for it. Sending Z to bring Bryan back. To eventually coax Heather into coming back with you."

"Did Zane know this? Has he known who was responsible for my dad's murder all along?"