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Yosemite National Park was not the place for such a confrontation as was to take place today, but Robin counted her lucky stars it was mostly empty of people as she led her allied packs into the park. Her heart was pounding, and she had to wipe her hands on her skirt more than once. She could already see Asher and his allies gathered, waiting for her, and she swallowed. It was the first time she'd seen her ex-husband since his departure from the New York mansion, and when she saw the look on his eyes, she wished herself anywhere but here.
"So you showed up," Asher said, cracking his knuckles. Theo looked sick, as did quite a few of the enemy wolves. It was clear Asher's will was binding them, and Robin decided to show mercy in the face of her ex-husband's thrall. "Terms," she said firmly. "No quarter, but if any of your allies choose to surrender, they'll be spared. The same goes for any of my allies who choose to surrender to your side. If one or the other alpha is killed, the battle is over, and the winning alpha can do with the survivors of the opposing pack as they will."
Maria nodded approval, but Asher snorted. "This is why you fail at being an alpha," he said dismissively. "But since you're so ready to sell your allies out, I'll agree, if only to pay you back for your betrayal. I hope Ashton rots in hell, by the way. He should never have laid a hand on you, but at least he had the good sense not to father a cub on you."
Robin kept silent, while Satine rolled her eyes. "Bastard," she muttered. She was standing in for Sarah due to George and Gloria needing protection in case things went wrong. Amanda was likewise standing in as alpha for Jessica, who'd dedicated herself and a select handful of pack members to protect Rose.
"Shut up," Asher snarled, glaring at her. "I'll have the head of whoever let you go, you dumb bitch! It'll give me great pleasure to rip your fucking throat out!"
Several of Robin's allies bristled, but kept quiet, as per her instructions the night before. None of them were to let themselves be baited into a premature attack, and they held to their word, much to their leader's relief. "Asher, stop," she ordered. "Blustering isn't going to do you any good. Do you agree to the terms or not?"
Asher's glare swung to her, but she held her ground. "I agree," he snapped. "But I'm warning you; you will suffer to the end of your days when I get my hands on you. And this time, no one will be able to break the chain I'll place around your miserable, snivelling little soul. You think you had it bad before? It's going to get much worse." He shifted, and as one, his allies did the same.
Satine was the first to shift in response, until Robin was the only one left standing. But she'd planned for this, and even as she reached out to Ashton's spirit, she felt his aid from beyond the veil. The world blurred around her as she shifted on the strength of the love she shared with him, and when her eyesight cleared, she smirked wolfishly at the shock on Asher's face. 'How?' he demanded, horrified.
Robin didn't answer. Instead, she threw back her head and howled, and, driven by instincts as old as time, Asher forgot his shock and howled back. With no further pleasantries, the two packs surged towards each other, howling to freeze the nerves as they collided in a snarling, snapping mess of wolverine aggression.
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Robin picked off each wolf who came against her, tearing out throats left, right and centre. She could sense Satine, Amanda and Maria wreaking havoc close by, but her thoughts were focused on the big black and grey wolf who was tearing as indiscriminately through her ranks, and she knew now was the time to attack.
Hamstringing yet another enemy wolf, who howled in pain as he went down, Robin lunged at her former husband, and they went down in a snarling tangle. The battle stopped as if on cue, and both packs gathered in a circle around the two fighting alphas. Robin's packs waited, ready to exact revenge on their enemies, while Asher's allies did the same. But Robin had thought only for Asher, who knew every dirty trick in the book, and had the temper to match. Robin, on the other hand, had been taught by Maria, who knew of more dirty tricks in the book than most wolves, and she used them to full advantage. Asher was already bleeding in a dozen places from other attacks, giving Robin an additional edge.
Time seemed to stop as the battle between the two alphas raged, but in reality, it lasted only a few minutes, right up until Robin flipped Asher on his back and tore his throat out. Blood sprayed her muzzle, but she ignored the bitter tang as she stepped back, waiting for Asher to die. He thrashed once, twice, three times, before going still, and Robin sensed the moment both he and his wolf died, their spirits dissipating on the air as they crossed the Wheel, no doubt on their way to face Ashton's scathing judgement. But she held off on her proclamation until she was sure Asher hadn't sent his human spirit into another wolf, and once she got the all clear from Maria, she threw back her head and howled. Her allies howled with her, but the surviving members of Asher's united packs stood silent, morose in defeat.
Once the announcement was done, Robin turned to her former enemies. 'Your alpha is dead,' she told them. 'As per the terms, I am now free to do with you as I choose. And I choose to let you live, on one condition. You must all swear, here and now, that you will never take up Asher's cause again. He was a tyrant and a bully, and he turned out to be a truly cruel and hostile man. I lived five years as his wife, and I suffered abuse no one should ever have to face.'
'We hate him as much as you do,' a young male said. He'd never recover the use of his left eye, but he faced Robin with unwavering courage. 'Truth be told, he forced us into alliance by kidnapping our females and threatening their wellbeing if we didn't accede to his wishes. We've done as he's asked, but we've paid the price; we received word that our kidnapped wives and daughters have all died, killed the moment his twin spirits crossed the Wheel.'
Robin's eyes widened. 'I'm so sorry,' she said contritely.
The young male shook his head. 'It's not your fault,' he told her. 'He was a spiteful bastard, and though we grieve our loss, we're glad to see the back of him.'
'Then let me offer alliance,' Robin suggested, looking at Maria, who nodded. Satine and Amanda likewise gave silent endorsement to her plan. 'We've all suffered under Asher's rule, but if we band together and make a new start, we can put his ghost to rest and ensure he can't hurt anyone from the other side.'
'I'll drink to that,' an older male declared, and this time, when Robin led the howling, her defeated enemies-turned-allies howled with her, letting the world know a tyrant was finally dead, his reiving ways put to rest once and for all.
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