Bad Love: An Alpha's Regret (Leah and Aaron) novel Chapter 223

Chapter 223
I struggle against Tobin’s two men holding me, but it’s no use.
I look past Tobin to where Aaron is lying motionless on the floor, barely conscious, his skin sizzling and practically melting
from the wolfsbane-infused silver.
Who even ever heard of something so diabolical?
I can’t imagine the Council have approved or are even aware Tobin has such ho rrific tools to use against other wolves. And what about the fact that Tobin apparently has a whole army worth of rogue wolves at his beck and call, besides his own large pack?
Aaron’s belief that Tobin is the one who’s been trying to ki ll him seems more and more plausible.
Tobin must be acting without the Council’s knowledge.
I think if there was some way to alert Karolina or another Elder, then Aaron and I could get official backup from the Council to deal with Tobin and everything he’s done once and for all.
But that doesn’t help me in this moment when I have no idea
how to get myself and my mate out of this alive.
Especially as Aaron’s very life is slipping away before my very
eyes.
More than that, I can feel it through the mating bond, how he’s growing weaker and weaker. How I’m beginning to feel his actual pain, making me sweat and grow dizzy.
Making my wolf almost crazed with the need to save him, to
save both of us.
“Why are you doing this?!” I yell at Tobin, realizing my cheeks are wet with tears streaming unchecked down my face.
Tobin returns to Aaron and reaches down to grab a handful of his hair, before yanking his head back.
“It’s simple, I’m taking back what’s mine.”
Tobin inhales deeply, as if taking in Aaron’s very lifeforce.
“Not long now,” he says gleefully.
“What are you even talking about?” I scream desperately.
This can’t be happening.
There must be something I can do.
I can’t lose Aaron now.
Not like this.
Not after everything.
Tobin releases Aaron, leaving him to fall in a blo ody heap.
“You even need to ask?” Tobin says angrily as he stalks back toward me. “Those Roberts Alpha powers? They were supposed to be mine. The Leithrow Alpha powers? Mine!
I’m meant to be the wolf with the power of three Alphas, not Aaron!”
Tobin paces, his eyes glowing and muscle rippling, like he’s fighting his own wolf for dominance.
“That night Brian took you, I had it all planned,” Tobin continues, his steps short and his movements agitated. “Convincing your father to name you as heir, then arranging for Liam to kil l him, making sure Brian managed to nab you and bring you to that clearing at exactly the right time.”
At this point, it seems more like Tobin is talking to himself.
Meanwhile, I can barely believe what I’m hearing.
I didn’t understand how or why so many things had
happened-like what my father and brother had been trying
to achieve-but now it seems they were simply caught in
Tobin’s machinations.
“And Karolina?” I demand. “Was she in on it too?”
Tobin makes a dismissive gesture. “Karolina is insignificant. She interferes in things she should leave well enough alone.”
So did that mean she wasn’t helping Tobin, and had been there to stop him instead?
“It was meant to be straightforward, seamless,” Tobin continues, becoming angry now. “But then Aaron showed up and ruined everything. Everyone knew he didn’t ever plan to mate you. He barely tolerated you as his wife. He wasn’t meant to get involved. But he did, and he ended up with Brian’s Alpha powers, and then protected you, letting the Roberts Alpha powers transfer to you, a mere human who had no wolf. It was laughable!”
Tobin pivots to face me and ice cold dread goes through me from the way he’s staring at me.
“Obviously I couldn’t let that stand,” continues in a dangerous tone. “It was bad enough that Aaron had the Leithrow Alpha powers on top of his own. But then Liam had to go and try to play his own game, leaving Aaron with the power of three Alphas-powers that should have been mine. I’ve been
training my mind and body for years to take on those abilities, and Aaron just survives them out of nowhere! It should have
been me!”
By the end of that rant, Tobin is shouting.
However then he takes a breath to settle himself.
“None of it matters now,” he says, grinning down at Aaron. “Soon, I’ll have everything I was meant to get.”
My heart is pounding so hard and fast, it’s making me dizzy. I can’t even tell if he’s breathing any longer.
What if I can’t help him in time?
What if I lose him just like I lost my child?
I know I won’t survive.
But I’m not giving up until the last breath has left my body.
I’ll fight for us.
I’ll fight for Aaron.
I just have to figure out how.