Actually, this was better than he deserved. With everything he did to this pack, the twenty-four shifters who had lost their lives to him—Clay should die a death much worse than this one. He should be tortured just the same as he tortured the others. This death would be a mercy.
I stood straight, examining Clay as he stumbled backwards, clutching his neck and staring at me quizzically, almost like he didn’t understand what was happening.
The poor fool. The poor, murderous fool.
I felt my claws sink into my nailbeds, once more human hands. Behind Clay, the wall of fire magic, the wall keeping the rest of the pack at bay, started to flicker.
From the way his suit hung on his body, I knew he was starting to fade. Death was taking him…however, death itself would not merit the final blow—but the pack? The pack deserved it, and so it was the pack who would have it.
“Goodbye, Clay,” I said, lifting my foot in the air and kicking him square in the stomach, sending him flying back. I probably wasn’t much of a badass, considering I was stark naked, but it was the best line I could think of. Simple, elegant.
Still too good for him.
Clay’s eyes widened, the red in them dimming, becoming dull until they were a dark brown once again. He wasn’t braced for the kick; the impact, combined with my shifter strength, sent him flying towards the barrier. His body broke through the magical fire, and he landed hard on his back on its opposite side. The barrier flickered out of existence, allowing me to see where Clay had landed.
Right in front of a large, snarling black wolf, with eyes brighter than the sky.
Forest.
Chapter Twenty-Six – Addie
It was a fitting way to go. Clay, at the mercy of Forest, the alpha of the pack he’d taken so much from. The alpha he’d stolen packmates from, the alpha whose mate he kidnapped, tortured, and killed. If anyone should have the first go at him, it was Forest.
Forest looked every bit as intimidating and dominating as he had in the past, only this time, I was not afraid. I understood every emotion behind the wildness in his blue gaze, and I accepted it. No one could ever fill the hole Hannah had left in his heart, but love was not finite; it was the very opposite.
Love was everything. Love was eternal, enduring, limitless and undying. It lasted as the years went on, as it would last until the end of humankind itself. I realized then, as I watched Forest’s jaw clamp down on Clay’s shoulder, as his ivory fangs dug into the death priest’s flesh, I loved this pack, and every single shifter in it. I belonged here, with them. This was my new home, and the pack advancing on Clay’s body was my family.
After Forest had the first bite, the pack swarmed Clay, and though Clay’s screams were full of wet, liquid-y sounds, they rang through the air, settling above the mass of growling and attacking wolves.
The pack was vicious; I had to turn away when I witnessed the tearing of limb from limb. Arms, torn out of their sockets, bloody and grotesque—at least the part of them that wasn’t skeletal and already dead. Clay’s screams halted soon after, though the sounds of the pack tearing into his body remained.
Were they really eating him? I shivered at the thought.
I wouldn’t think about it.
The adrenaline still coursing through my veins, I turned and stumbled towards Maze, falling to my knees beside him. He bled out of his abdomen, his chest slowly rising and falling with breath. I set a hand on his neck, eyes glued to his wound.
Forest had survived an arrow to the gut—not only an arrow, but a poisoned arrow. Surely Maze would survive this? This wasn’t a wound that would kill him. No. I would not lose anyone to Clay.
“You fool,” I whispered to him when his brown, metallic gaze opened and stared at me. I rubbed his furry cheek, drawing my hand around his ear. “You should’ve let me handle it.” My skin was still a bit pink from my dip in the lake, but I no longer felt like exploding. Being cooked in a giant, natural pot was not something I’d like to relive anytime soon.
Another wolf walked up on Maze’s other side, shifting into the naked human form of Dylan. “He’ll be okay,” he said, his blonde hair hanging over his eyes. He looked so different without his glasses, weird. Not like himself. “We’ll get him stitched up.”
“Why can’t he just shift?” Shifting would kickstart the healing process. I knew this pack was huge on tradition—tradition that included never shifting to heal, because it was seen as weak or whatever—but surely they could put it aside this one time?
Landon escaped the devouring horde, shifting to kneel beside me. “It’s a deep wound. Bet it hurts like a bitch. He might not be able to shift for a while, until his body gets used to the pain.”
I continued rubbing Maze’s head, heart hurting as I did my best not to keep glancing at the wound in his lower stomach. I wanted to tell Landon getting boiled alive had been extremely painful and I was able to shift, but now was not the time to play who’s a better shifter. Plus, maybe I was still a little different. Maybe I’d lost my ability to control magic, but I was still Arthur’s daughter.
I turned my head, watching as a large, black wolf squeezed out of the frenzied pack, blood on his muzzle. Forest shifted, standing tall above them. The blood remained around his mouth, and he wiped it off with the back of his arm. “It’s over,” he said.
Now was most definitely not the time to lose myself in the timbre of his authoritative voice, nor was it the time for me to stare at his…well, his package, but being a shifter now, there was nothing I could do. I was practically in heat.
But first, we had to take care of Maze. Then, when I knew he’d be okay, we could take our relationship to the next level.
And the orgasms. I planned on having lots of those wonderful things.
I managed a nod as I averted my eyes, looking back to Maze. “Arthur and Zak did it,” I said, sounding just as amazed as I felt. With everything Clay had done to this pack, everything he’d done to me in the short time I’d been his prisoner, it was tough to grasp the fact he was gone.
Gone as in dead. Dead as in not coming back to life. Dead for good.
Landon let out a short growl at no one in particular. “At least that traitorous wolf was good for one thing. But I swear, if I ever see his face again, I’m going to tear him apart.” No one argued with him, because that was the agreement. Zak was not allowed back in the pack.
“Now,” Forest said, “we can clean up the mess.”
I was about to ask what he meant, because the only mess I knew of was Clay’s body, which by the sounds of it, had been torn in multiple parts as the still-shifted wolves devoured him bit by bit. It was a ritual I’d never be okay with. Blame it on my human upbringing. Eating my enemies did not sound appealing.
The mating part? Totally different story there.
But Forest wasn’t talking about the severed corpse, I realized as I moved my gaze from Maze and to the lake behind them.
Crystal Lake, while once again clear, was full of fish and other underwater creatures that had floated to the surface, belly up. Of course. They’d been boiled just as I was, only they couldn’t escape the water before the searing temperature killed them. If we didn’t clean up the lake soon, it would start to smell. I had been around lakes enough in my life to know there was hardly a worse-smelling thing than a rotting, dead fish, let alone hundreds of them at once.
Yeah, dead, rotting fish? Best avoid that.
We took Maze to our house, and Forest stitched him up after everyone found clothes. It was as I stood above my suitcase, gazing down at my beloved jean jacket—this one a purple, rich and dark, a little gaudy, but I loved it all the same—when my mom ran in the room and enveloped me in a hug. Luckily by then, my skin was only a dull shade of pink. In the shadows, I looked normal.
“I’m so glad you’re alright, honey,” Sarah breathed into my hair, squeezing me a bit too tight, given recent events. But I let her hold me close, ignoring the slight pain it gave me.
After everything, I was sti
ll staying here, so I figured Sarah earned herself a few extra hugs.
When she slowly pulled away from me, she blinked, her hazel eyes worried. “Are you sure you want to stay here, Addie? You can come home with me. We can get you enrolled in another college—” She stopped the moment I shook my head.
The Addie who’d wanted to leave this place, the Addie who fought against having more than one mate, who wanted nothing to do with shifters, was long gone. There was no more doubt in my heart or my mind. This was where I belonged, so this was where I’d stay. The life my mom had run from was one I welcomed with open arms.
“I’m staying here,” I whispered.
Sarah did her best to put on a happy front, but I knew her better than that. Even though Sarah was smiling, I knew internally, she was beyond sad. Things would change for us now; things would never be the same as they were before.
“Okay,” she said. “Anything you want me to pack and bring to you? Your other jean jackets? Your hair dye?”
She knew me too well.
I gave her a smile as I reached for the purple jacket and slipped it on. It fit me like a glove, almost as if it was made for me. I felt at home wearing my jean jacket. It was not a feeling I’d trade for anything.
Well, maybe one thing. Birth control.
I gave her an affirmative on the dye, and a few other things I’d want.
Before Sarah left, I had to ask: “Mom, do you know where she is?”
Sarah froze near the bedroom door. “Who?”
I let the silence linger for a few moments before saying confidently, “My sister.”
Needless to say, we had a long, long talk about it. Finally, no more secrets between mother and daughter, no more hidden lies masked as truths. This time, when my mom left, I was confident that I knew it all. Every piece of the puzzle. Everything had come full circle, and even though it was odd to think I had a sister, a twin, in my heart I knew I had to meet her. Had to warn her of what shit might be headed her way.
Mom wouldn’t help with that, though. She’d given her up for adoption nearly twenty years ago. To my surprise, Arthur might be a better helper for that particular quest.
As the daylight dwindled and the pack returned to their homes, my mates and I picked up the pieces of Clay that were left. We cleaned up the lake, getting on boats and using long-handled nets to sweep the dead fish from the surface of the water. It wasn’t the same with Maze back at the house, resting and healing, but I knew he’d be alright.
This was the beginning of my new life. It probably wasn’t the end of my troubles, but I’d handle whatever life threw at me next. No matter what happened next, no matter what trouble I ran headfirst into, I only had one thing to say.
Bring it on.
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Two Weeks Later – Addie
I breathed him in. He smelled like the woods around Crystal Lake, like raw earth, wood and smoke. It was a scent I was trying to burn into my memory, because it was something I wouldn’t smell for a while after this.
I’d spent last night with Maze, touching him, giving him attention only I could give—not to mention whining at him and trying to get him to go with me. He wouldn’t, because Forest had made him his second, kind of like an alpha-in-training.
Who knew the beta didn’t automatically get the position?
And Maze had returned my touches in earnest, hungry and carnal. It was a night I owed to my mom, ironically enough, who had helped me get an immediate appointment with the doctor and get prescribed. Sarah did her best to pretend not to realize she was getting birth control for me so I could sleep with my four mates.
What could I say? I’d become less modest all around after fully shifting.
Now was not Maze’s time, however. Now belonged to Forest.
I’d spent the last hour in his bed, in his arms, strong and sure as they were. He definitely liked to be on top, I’d realized. Playing alpha didn’t cut it. He was alpha, in and out of bed. Luckily for me he wasn’t a cruel master.
The orgasms were abundant and frequent and oh so amazing.
So amazing, in fact, I’d told him—half jokingly and half seriously—that while I was gone, he should teach Maze how to get better. Not involving any other females, though. I was the only female for them, and they only had eyes for me in return.
It was…one of the best feelings in the world, actually.
I rested on top of him, cuddling against his chest, both our bodies naked and sweaty from our last excursion. My hair, newly dyed with violet semi-permanent dye to replace my faded pink bits, splayed across his chest, and I relished in the absentminded circles he drew on my lower back with his thumb.
“And if I force you to stay?” Forest whispered, practically growling beneath me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find his growls attractive. It was like I was becoming more and more wolf every day.
I grinned at him. “You can try, but it won’t work.”
“I can’t believe—”
I let out a sigh. “I know,” I muttered. “But I have to go to her, Forest. I have to meet her, make sure she’s all right.” As it was, I’d probably already waited too long before going.
I glanced to the clock. Shit. It was later than I thought it was.
I rolled off him, about to crawl off the bed when I felt his hand curl around my wrist, tugging me back to him. His lips crashed against mine, desperate and wanton. I felt myself melt in his grip, and I nearly gave into his strong, urgent touch.
But not quite.
I managed to squirm out of his grip, practically leaping to the floor. If I didn’t get dressed and leave the room within the next minute, all hope was lost and we’d have to postpone our road trip yet another day.
Couldn’t have that.
“Not this time,” I giggled out, bending to slip on my clothes. Last, of course, was the jean jacket. Purple to match my hair. I rather liked the purple, thought it made my green eyes pop.
Forest sat up, the sheet falling down, revealing his muscular torso. He gave me a small smile as he shook his head and said, “You know how to drive me crazy, don’t you?” It was a question everyone in the pack knew the answer to.
Even after all this time, I wasn’t used to his smiles. They were soft and gentle things, very infrequent and saved up just for me. They made me feel special, they made me happy.
“You better save all those smiles for me,” I said, zipping on my boots.
“I can do that,” he said, watching as I sauntered from the room.
I’d already packed, and hopefully the others had worked on packing the car. I didn’t like leaving the pack so soon after officially turning and becoming one with my wolf—not to mention so soon after the claiming—but my sister needed me. There were other death priests about, and whatever Odon’s nefarious plan was, I’d do my best to stop it. He would make no new hybrid if I had a say about it.
The pack would be fine in my absence. Things had settled down after the night the pack had converged on Clay and torn him apart. With Henry gone, things were quiet. It was nice, even though I knew I couldn’t get comfortable. Not yet. Not until Odon and his priests were all dealt with.
The sunlight was warm on my head as I emerged from the house, bounding down the porch steps. The car was already parked on the street nearby, Landon and Dylan leaning against it, waiting for me. Maze stood nearby, and though he wasn’t going with them, he was busy frantically tapping his watch-less wrist as he looked at me.
The jerk.
I practically skipped to them, crossing my arms and looking unimpressed with Maze’s antics. Who the hell was I trying to kid? I was going to miss him terribly, and a smile grew on my face in spite of myself.
“I’m assuming our plan to keep you here failed, yeah?” Maze asked, grinning, his dimples deepening.
“What plan was that exactly?” I cocked my head.
“Sex. Lots and lots of…” Maze quickly trailed off, his brown eyes moving to someone behind me. Near the car, both Landon and Dyla
n were trying their best not to laugh, though Dylan’s reddened cheeks gave it away. “Sir, good to see you. I definitely wasn’t just talking about having sex with your daughter. I mean, I don’t even know what sex is—”
As he went on and on like a blabbermouth, I spun to face Arthur, who’d gotten out of his parked car and strolled over. He’d been staying with the pack since yesterday morning, helping to set up more Wi-Fi and hand out more cell phones. With his help, this pack would enter the twenty-first century.
He didn’t look happy, though. Probably because of what Maze was saying.
“Ignore him, please,” I said, practically begging. Arthur looked like he wanted to pummel Maze and then go inside the house and pummel Forest—wait, no. Forest wasn’t inside the house. He was on his porch, wearing pants but nothing else, which only earned a hard glare from Arthur.
The last thing I needed right now was a fight between my father and my mates.
Grumbling, Arthur held back. “I’m heading out, too.”
“Did Zak find her?” The moment I spoke Zak’s name, I heard a groan from Landon. Some of my mates were not thrilled with the prospect of Zak working with us, but after standing before the seven high warlocks in the assembly—and having his mind voluntarily wiped of the whole ordeal so he never spilled the warlock’s secrets to the world—he’d somehow earned Arthur’s trust.
Everyone made mistakes. Everyone had a past. It was what one did with the future that mattered.
Zak had…a lot to make up for.
“Not sure,” Arthur finally said. “I gave him a phone, but the damned shifter isn’t answering it. I’d go investigate, but…”
“I know,” I said. He couldn’t keep sticking his nose into things, otherwise the assembly might start to get suspicious. The only reason his involvement in Crystal Lake didn’t seem suspicious was because he had a history here, with its old alpha. He would not put either of his daughters in danger again. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”
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