Twisted

by Rebecca Zanetti

  “He’s Skene.”

  “So?” Maggie glanced at Terrent. “I don’t know what that means.”

  “It means nothing,” Terrent said quietly.

  Felix spat on the ground. “We wiped out most a’ the Skene wolves three hundred years ago. We missed one.”

  Maggie pivoted to face Terrent. Her shoulder ached like a raw wound. “My people destroyed yours?”

  “Yes.” He kept his gaze on Felix.

  “Why?” she breathed.

  “We were natural enemies. My people reviled yours. So when the war broke out, a Vaile raiding party took advantage of the situation.”

  “You lied to me,” she said to Terrent. Flames heated her face, her spine.

  Felix bared his teeth. “The Skene counter our masking abilities—they were our competition for centuries ’til we wiped ’em out. He hunted you to kill you.”

  She coughed out, “Is that why I can’t mask my scent?”

  “No.” The wind whipped through Terrent’s thick hair.

  “Did you hunt me to kill me?” She kept her gaze on the new wolves while she threw the question at Terrent.

  “No.” Terrent eyed the two fighters with Felix. “You and I can fight later. Right now, we might have a problem.”

  “Fight? Fight later?” Good God. She might kill the man.

  “Oh no, mate. We fucking fight right now.”

  He slowly turned to face her.

  She stepped back. Damn it.

  Gone was her lover. The fighter from the Bane’s Council stood tall and indomitable. “Maggie, return to the cabin. I’ll be along shortly.”

  Her knees trembled with the need to flee. Away from the hunter, away from the pack, away from reality. “No.”

  Roger cleared his throat. “I don’t give a shit what any of you do. However, I have alerted the demons that you’re here, so you might want to get moving, Maggie.”

  Terrent released her gaze to pierce the new Alpha with a look that should’ve made him shrivel into nothingness.

  “You’re a dead man.”

  A pack of black wolves meandered out of the trees to the north. At least thirty wolves. About half were in wolf form, the other half human.

  Felix smiled. “As you can see, we brought backup.”

  Roger and Gerald leaped from the porch and landed next to Terrent.

  Gerald shook his head. “The Vaile pack would never align with the Ausgel pack.”

  “Just did.” Felix glanced past the men toward Maggie.

  “We can kill them first, or ya can just come with us.”

  Panic seized her lungs. She inhaled, counted to ten, and exhaled for the count of ten. “Why? I’m mated.”

  He lifted a lean shoulder. “I’d a hoped to take ya as a mate, but you’ll do as a whore. Either way, ya have resources ya will share.”

  Terrent scratched his chin and eyed Maggie. “Apparently you had money. Interesting.” The words were bland, the fury in his eyes anything but.

  “I’m not sharing with you,” she muttered. Settling her stance, she shook her head. “I release any and all fortune I may have had to the Vaile wolves. You can have that. But not me.”

  “I want you.” Felix chuckled. “In all sorts of ways.”

  As an attempt to goad Terrent, it wasn’t bad. But Maggie knew better. The werewolf hunter grew cooler and more thoughtful before attacking. He was currently way too calm.

  The sky opened up.

  Rain slashed down as if the gods were pissed.

  Maggie shoved wet curls off her face. “I can’t believe my own people would want to kidnap me.”

  “Come with us now, or I’m going to kill yer mate,” Felix spat. The wolves flanking him lifted their noses and howled.

  Chills cascaded down her spine.

  “You have to go,” Roger said urgently, water coating his face. “They’ll kill us.”

  “I really don’t like you.” Maggie glared at the Alpha. “I mean, grow a pair, Sally.” Her mind spun. The world closed in on her. There was no way she and Terrent could beat back an entire pack. She sucked one-on-one. “I have to go with them.”

  Terrent stiffened. “No.” Lifting his head, he emitted a piercing whistle.

  Jase Kayrs strode out of the forest, his eyes a swirling green, a scowl marring his handsome face. A pissed-off vampire might come in handy. Maggie shot him a smile.

  Then she sighed. While Jase could fight, they were still majorly outnumbered.

  Until Nash stalked out of the rock cavern followed by about fifteen men.

  Maggie nodded at him. “How?”

  Terrent angled his body in front of her. “They’re defying an order from their Alpha just by being here and helping us.

  I called them earlier this morning when you were sleeping.”

  She huffed out a breath. “I was tired. Having my shoulder almost ripped off by a lying, sneaking, butt-head of a wolf exhausted me.”

  “Did you just call me a butt-head?” he asked mildly.

  “Yes.” She elbowed him and stood free. “I’ll go with you, Felix.” They were still outnumbered, and she couldn’t let anyone die because of her. Plus, if she left, Terrent and Jase could just come after her. As plans went, it rocked.

  “Wrong.” Terrent nodded at Gerald.

  The ex-Alpha jumped between Maggie and danger.

  In a burst of power, Terrent Vilks leaped across the clearing and smashed into Felix.

  The two hit the ground with a boom louder than the thunder tearing up the sky.

  As quickly as that, all hell broke loose.

  Some wolves shifted, others rushed forward to fight hand to hand. Blood sprayed and bodies flew.

  Maggie wiped rain out of her eyes, her gaze seeking Terrent. He and Felix fought, fists flying too quickly to see. She angled to the side for a view of the battle. A group of Gerald’s pack needed help over by the far tree line. She stepped forward, only to be blocked by Gerald.

  “Let me help—I’m trained,” she yelled over the rising wind and cries of pain.

  He shook his head, white hair throwing water.

  A shadow slipped up behind him. Silver glinted through the storm.

  Maggie cried out a warning.

  Gerald pivoted in time to block Roger’s knife before it plunged into his neck. Roger smiled, sharp canines dropping down. Gerald growled and hit the new Alpha mid-center, throwing them both into the woods.

  Maggie turned to help Terrent and was stopped short by a snarling black wolf. Even on all fours, the beast reached to her chin. The wolf circled her, the rain matting down its fur.

  She dropped into a fighting stance, slipping and falling in the mud just as the wolf lunged. The animal flew over her head and smacked into a tree.

  Maggie scrambled to her feet and turned around.

  The wolf shook its head, baring sharp canines. A woman emerged from the trees, anticipation lighting her face. Long black hair cascaded down her back, while several piercings lined her chin. Another woman, this one with piercings on her nose, lurched next to her. “We’ve got her,” she said to the furry wolf. He took off.

  Maggie concentrated on the women as the battle raged behind her. “Now, ladies, is this really necessary?”

  “Yes.” The first woman angled around to the right. “You have a pretty face—it won’t be for long.”

  The other woman angled to the left. “I’m going to enjoy living on this mountain.”

  They were both taller than Maggie and definitely more muscular. She settled her stance, trying to remember the moves the vampires had taught her. “So long as I don’t look like you, I’m all right.”

  The first woman drew a knife from her pocket to swirl around. “You ever been cut?”

  A third woman slipped out of the trees.

  What the hell? “Three against one is cowardly,” Maggie drawled, her heart racing. Her ears heated, and her knees trembled. She’d have to take them out one at a time.

  The one with the knife leaped at her. M
aggie threw a cross-arm block, following up with a kick to the ribs. The attacker cried out, dropping to her knees. Mud sprayed.

  Holy crap. The move had worked. Maggie slid her strongest foot behind her body. Yeah. That’s right. Trained by vampires here.

  The second woman rushed forward, head down. She hit Maggie in the gut, and they flew several feet to land hard in the mud. Pain spread along Maggie’s shoulders and down her spine. She kicked her feet into the woman’s hips and sent her sprawling over Maggie’s head. She shoved to her feet.

  Backing to the side, she gulped air as both downed women stood. Fury lit their eyes, death a promise glittering deep. Why wouldn’t they stay down?

  The one with the knife charged, slashing wildly. Maggie jerked away. Her foot caught on a rock, and she dropped. Oh God. Her arm shot up to protect her neck.

  With the battle cry of all battle cries, Andrea and Shannon somersaulted out of the trees. Andrea locked her legs around the neck of the woman with the knife and twisted, sending them both sprawling in the mud. Shannon kicked and punched the second woman with a speed unmatched by any warrior Maggie had ever seen. Shit. Assassin cheerleaders. What is the world coming to?

  Maggie turned and side-kicked the remaining enemy wolf, following up with a front jump-kick that connected with a frightening crunch. The woman dropped like a stone.

  Whirling around, she sucked in air as Shannon knocked her enemy down. Andrea stood over the final wolf, pretty pink tennis shoe perched on the woman’s unconscious face.

  Maggie swallowed and blinked several times.

  Andrea shrugged a delicate shoulder. “What?”

  Maggie swept her arm out through the rain. “What? Seriously? What? ”

  Shannon wiped her nose with her wet sweatshirt sleeve.

  “Yeah, we’re cheerleaders, but we’re wolves, too. We’ve been training to fight practically since birth.”

  “You didn’t think the Raze pack controlled wolf-shifter headquarters just ’cause we’re pretty, now did you?” Andrea snorted and kicked the downed wolf. The woman barely moved.

  “Ah, no.” Maggie exhaled and shoved wet curls off her face, turning to find Terrent. His massive shoulders shifted as he threw one of Felix’s men into the forest. The guy hit several trees on his journey into darkness.

  Felix lay on the ground. Without his head.

  Although Terrent remained in human form, his deadly claws dripped with blood.

  Maggie shoved bile down where it belonged. The Ausgel wolf pack turned tail and ran into the forest. A triumphant cry rose from the Raze fighters. The battle was over . . . and her friends had won.

  A rustle sounded behind her. She turned in time to see Gerald stumble between two pine trees, his gnarled hand over a bleeding abdominal wound. The cheerleaders rushed toward him, and Shannon helped him to the ground.

  Warmth brushed Maggie’s back. A hard arm yanked her around the waist and cut off her oxygen. A sharp blade nicked her neck. She cried out, her body stiffening.

  “I told you to leave,” Roger hissed in her ear. “You should’ve listened.”

  She pressed against him to keep him from slicing her jugular. “Roger, don’t do this,” she whispered.

  He laughed, the sound cutting through wind and storm.

  “Shut up.”

  Gerald coughed and shoved to his feet. “Let her go, now.”

  “You’re not Alpha any longer, old man,” Roger spat, pressing the blade harder against Maggie’s neck.

  She hitched out breath, pain lancing her skin.

  Terrent advanced, his expression a cold mask of death.

  Roger backed up, taking Maggie with him. Her toes scraped through the mud. She blinked away tears. Panic muffled her thoughts.

  Shannon angled to the left, while Andrea maneuvered to the right.

  “No,” Maggie croaked, too afraid to shake her head.

  Roger grabbed her hair to hold her in place and slashed out with the knife. The blade sliced Andrea’s arm, and she jumped back with a yelp. Blood bubbled through her dark sweatshirt.

  Fury whipped through Maggie with so much heat she almost doubled over. Her blood popped inside her veins. The world pinpointed to the head of a needle. Absolute focus.

  She hissed and shot her elbow into Roger’s gut, hoping to maim him.

  She slipped at the last minute and nailed him right in the crotch.

  He screamed and released her. She jumped around in time to see him crash to the mud.

  For two seconds, nobody moved.

  Then he sprang up so quickly she could only gape as claws shot for her face. Terrent impacted with Roger a second before those deadly points connected. The men smashed into a tree, sending the century-old pine crashing down. Several small birch trees fell under the onslaught. Branches cracked and pinecones flew through the air.

  Terrent punched Roger in the face, following up with five claws to the neck.

  Roger’s head joined the downed tree.

  Terrent turned around, blood on his face, darkness in his eyes.

  Maggie’s knees trembled. She settled her stance. Enough of the panic. Oh boy, did her mate have some explaining to do. “You lied to me.”

  “Yes.” He strode toward her.

  Almost on its own, her fist darted out, nailing him right in the mouth.

  Chapter Eleven

  After hitting the pissed-off wolf, she did what any woman with a brain would do. She ran like hell.

  Dodging downed pine trees and storm damage, she hurdled several snags, only falling twice. Jumping up and taking inventory, she ran harder. How dare he lie? He’d hunted her for months. Her people had killed his. Damn Terrent.

  How could he lie to her? The thoughts whirled in her head so quickly, her ears rang.

  He’d lied.

  They’d mated.

  Son of a bitch.

  Hurt slid through her veins. Wait a minute. That wasn’t hurt. Fury roared through her veins.

  She should’ve hit him harder. A lot harder.

  He suddenly rose up before her, a powerful figure in a dangerous storm.

  She skidded to a stop, her ankle catching on a tree branch.

  Her yelp of surprise coincided with her rolling into a ball.

  She hit him mid-center.

  He folded over with a muffled “oof,” grabbing her in a bear hug. His shoulders smashed a blue spruce. The towering tree split in two, branches pelting the ground until the trunk sides hit hard.

  Terrent held her at arm’s length. Bruises spread across his face, and his lower lip had fattened. “Jesus, woman. You’re a menace.”

  Her hand clenched into a fist.

  He shook his head. “Hit me again, and I promise you won’t sit for a week.”

  She slid her dominant foot back in a fighting stance. How dare he threaten her? “You lied to me.” Yeah, she was mad.

  Something hurt in her chest, too.

  His strong jaw hardened. “I’m sorry, but I love you and didn’t want to lose you.”

  “I know that, you stupid son of a bitch.” She’d stomp her foot, but in the mud, she’d probably fall on her ass.

  He frowned, cocking his head. “You do?”

  Did he think she was a moron? “I may be brain-damaged, but I know love when I see it.” The hurt hit her full force.

  “You didn’t trust me enough to believe you. To still love you after knowing the truth.” Damn if that didn’t cut through her sharper than any knife.

  He scrubbed both hands down his damaged face. Even so, relief relaxed his shoulders. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “You kept my memories from me. Stuff I should’ve known.” She wasn’t quite ready to let him off the hook.

  “I know.”

  “Is that why we fought? The day I was taken by the Kurjans?” The wind whipped her hair into her face, and she shoved the curls back.

  He frowned. “No. We fought because you wanted to hunt werewolves with me, and I thought the idea was too dangerous.”r />
  “So I knew? All about our people’s pasts?”

  “Sure.” He sighed, eyes darkening. “Your reaction was similar the first time, and I didn’t want to take the risk of losing you this time. Plus, I thought you had enough to deal with from being kidnapped and working so hard to regain your memories. I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not damaged.” He had to believe she was complete. She couldn’t go through life feeling that he didn’t see her as strong enough to be his mate.

  “You’re perfect.” His frown matched the storm raging around them.

  Though, they were natural enemies. He should’ve come clean. Why hadn’t he? “Once you were trained, why didn’t you go after the Vaile pack?”

  His expression went blank. “I sought information and discovered the names of the men responsible for attacking us. Most of the raiding party that had destroyed my pack was killed in the war. So many died in the first war.”

  “Most of the raiding party?”

  A shield fell over his eyes. “Except for three men.”

  “And?”

  “I hunted them.” His voice remained calm and devoid of emotion.

  She breathed out while chills danced down her spine.

  “You killed them.”

  “Yes.”

  Well, okay then. Couldn’t exactly blame him. But, had he been atoning for that revenge his whole life? Being alone just to make amends? Protecting the world from werewolves in an effort to make up for the killings? “So, you’ve done your time, Terrent. You don’t have to be alone any longer.”

  He blinked.

  She sighed. Getting through to him would take time.

  “What about my people who still live? I mean, are they all jerks like Felix?”

  “I don’t think so.” Terrent glanced around the quiet forest before focusing back on her. “What little research I’ve done show they’re decent people now who are, I mean were, led by a jackass. Though . . . they’re still assassins.”

  She didn’t feel like a killer. “So, what now?”

  “Well, now we need to find you somewhere to live.” Terrent wiped blood and rain from his cheek.

  “So you can go hunt werewolves.” Her shoulders slumped.

  “Yes. We fought about this before. I’m not fighting about it again.”