by J. E. Cluney
“Your lip is split too, that should heal on its own though. Anywhere else it hurts? Ray said you caught a nasty blow to the stomach too,” May frowned.
I nodded, not stopping her as she gave me a questioning look as her fingers caught the edge of my shirt. She lifted it up and frowned, her green eyes unhappy as she gingerly touched my bruising abdomen.
“He got you real good. I can’t believe you took him on, I mean, that’s so brave of you,” she said in disbelief, a strange look of satisfaction crossing her face as she began carefully smearing the balm on my stomach. “You did what many of us want to do. And you broke his nose.”
So she wasn’t a fan of her Alpha either.
Ray came in with a glass of water and some painkillers, and I accepted both graciously before tossing the pills back and gulping down the cool, refreshing water. My throat was tight and parched, and this was heaven, washing away the taste of blood in my mouth as well.
“I brought you some clothes to change into. I can wash the ones you’re wearing and have them ready for you after… you know. Thought you might want something familiar,” May’s face dropped to a troubled one.
I nodded slowly, understanding what she meant. I was grateful she’d thought about my comfort. They were sweet people despite their horrible Alpha, and I truly felt sorry for them. They deserved a proper leader, someone who acted like a true Alpha, not a tyrant.
“You should try to rest before then. I’ve got some numbing cream, you know… for down there, if you want it,” May said softly, shooting Ray a questionable look. He nodded and left the room, leaving us alone to speak about what was to come tonight.
“Do you know… what will happen?” I had to bite my lip, wincing when I caught the split in my lip instead.
“His last mate, whom you know passed in childbirth, well, it was different. He wasn’t as cruel back then, sure, he was still hard on us, but nothing like he is today. I think when she passed, he lost it,” May murmured. “So as to what to expect, I have no idea. I imagine he’ll be rough, and it won’t be over fast. The women he’s had while they’re in heat, even though they’re being driven by hormones, he has hurt them. Made them bleed down there from his brutality, especially those who are used to gentler partners. He’s rough and aggressive, likes his women to submit to him.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest, the pounding in my head letting up ever so slowly. God bless Ray for those painkillers, they were some strong ones.
“I won’t submit to him,” I said stubbornly.
“I know,” she said with a soft chuckle. “But for your sake, fake it tonight. If you don’t, I’ll be patching up a hell of a lot more injuries on you,” she murmured, her eyes pained as she looked over me. “Such a pretty young woman, you don’t deserve this, even if we’re meant to consider your Pack the rivals, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
“When the raids happened, did those men even want to be a part of it?” I asked.
“Not really, but we do have a deeply rooted need to continue our lines, to expand the Pack, and our Alpha makes sure to push that onto us, even if he steals the females away from their mates sometimes. Even when he had his own mate, he still did it. His father did it before him as well. So there are a quite a few of our Pack who are of his lineage. Luckily, my own father had my mother during her heat when I was conceived,” May said as she tested her ponytail with a soft furrow on her brow.
“It’s wrong, you need to keep the Pack lines strong. With him breeding with the she-wolves like that, surely there have been some… unnatural unions,” I murmured.
“Yes, we have some of our young who are falling for each other. My niece, Gretle, has fallen for the young ‘wolf Ethan, but they share bloodlines. Her mother was conceived from the Alpha’s father, and Ethan is Richard’s child,” May sighed, her jaw set in dismay at the way the Pack was turning.
“It’s another reason why he’s realized he needs to join the Packs. He’d rather that than to stop stealing she-wolves in heat. But for him to rule another Pack like he does this one, I wouldn’t want that. It pains me to say this, because this is my home and my family, but I surely hope that when the time comes… your Alpha will put him down,” she whispered, as if she might be overheard of this treasonous talk.
“I’m surprised there hasn’t been a coup. Many of you must feel strongly against his ways.”
“There was talk about it, years ago, but those who intended to lead it wound up mysteriously dead. No one is willing to even think of it now. And there are still those completely loyal to the Williamson family. They’d do anything for their Alpha, they’ve grown accustomed to the ways of his family and how they rule the Pack.”
I shook my head, sickened so much more by this pig of an Alpha. But to hear of his brutality and willingness to kill his own Pack mates for talk against him, it also terrified me. I was an outsider, even if I was supposed to be a part of this Pack now, what would happen if I went against him? I obviously couldn’t fight him again, not in this state.
“I’ll go along with it all, for now. But I can’t stay here, I already have someone I consider my mate, although we weren’t yet properly mated. I don’t want to lose them,” I murmured, my voice breaking.
“Oh, sweetie,” May’s face dropped to one of sympathy and heartache as she carefully wrapped her arms around me.
I took comfort in her warm embrace, but it did little to drive off my worries and undeniable fear of what would come tonight.
I would find a way out of this, but for now, I had to deal with tonight and then focus on recovery. In order to do that, I needed to play along to avoid falling to the terror of Richard’s fists.
And it seemed like I had help, ‘wolves who’d help me in whatever way they could. Even Ray, despite his fear of what Richard would do to his Pack mates. He would probably want to help me, and May certainly would. Hell, she wanted her Alpha dead.
“Why hasn’t anyone left? Gone lone wolf?” I asked as I pulled back.
“A few have, even successfully, moving far away, but we’re family here, and some of us are stuck. We’ve got children, and we can’t be on the run forever. Richard has money, and he pays bounty hunters to round up his abandoners. Those he gets back are severely punished. Others he orders to be shot and returned dead, if he’s pissed enough,” May spat, fury flashing through her emerald eyes. “My brother tried to leave. He’d already pissed off Richard plenty. Spoke out against him at communal nights despite the beatings. He was hunted down and shot. We buried him two years ago. He makes sure those ordered dead are brought home to be buried, says it’s their home so they should be buried here, but I know it’s because he wants to remind us what will happen if we go against him.”
To say I was utterly mortified at this ruling of the Pack was an understatement. This was exactly the type of thing my father and the Council were around for, they were meant to stop such tyrannies and select a new Alpha.
“I guess, with my father, the rival Alpha of this Pack being the Area Enforcer, no one went to him for help,” I murmured.
“No. We’ve had it drummed into us from children that the Ashwood Pack is the enemy, and now Richard wants to join the Packs. Some have tried to go to the Council, but they refuse to interfere due to Richard’s family history and the ancient lines of our Pack. I don’t know if they just fear us, or if they don’t care.”
“That’s ridiculous! It’s the Council’s job to protect us all and help us deal with issues among our kind!” I growled, ignoring the dull throb in my head.
“I know, but the Williamson Pack is one of the oldest, just like yours. We’re considered royalty to many other Packs throughout the region, an ancient Pack with strong lines. They don’t want to risk tearing this Pack apart.”
I just stared at May, pissed at the Council. How could they just turn the other cheek on such an abusive Alpha? It was wrong, on so many levels. But it was also why Area Enforcers had been chosen, to help handle matters the Council didn’t deem enoug
h of their problem.
Too bad the Area Enforcer was considered the enemy.
“Do you have a phone?” I asked, wishing desperately I had my cell.
“No, there’s no signal out here. Another fun reason why it’s hard for us to try to get help. We can only use the landlines, and they’re monitored,” she sighed, but then a look of thought washed over her. “Although, I may know where there’s a satellite phone. Why?”
“I need to call my father, tell him everything. With knowing what Richard has done, he’s not fit to be Alpha. My father could maybe even go to the Council and get support to usurp him.”
“You really think the Council would help him?” May gave me a disbelieving look.
“Maybe, but if not, he’ll still find a way to get this sorted himself. My father wouldn’t look the other way against this,” I promised. My father was a family man, Pack came before everything. Sure, he could be firm and tough at times, but nothing like Richard. He’d never hurt his Pack members for speaking against him, besides, they had no reason to. And the odd times there were disagreements, my father encouraged that all opinions be heard and considered on certain subjects. He was a true leader, worthy of his title.
Richard was scum, and if it wouldn’t result in my own death, I’d kill him myself.
I wished so badly that I’d completed my training as a Huntress, that I had the authority to make that kind of call. My father could call in his sister to help with Richard. Between the two of them, they could end all this.
They could save this Pack.
“I need to go, I have to start making sure preparations are made for tonight. You should try to get some rest, the painkillers should make you a bit more drowsy. I’ll come see you before it’s time. Give you some numbing cream if you want,” she said with a sad smile. “As for the phone, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you, May,” I murmured and gave a soft nod as she stood up and gathered her first aid kit.
“Oh, should I help you change first? So I can wash your clothes?” she turned back.
“That’d be great, thank you.”
May helped me undress and change, my aching body protesting, but once I was in the clean, loose clothing, I was grateful. No tight jeans making my stomach hurt even more.
“They’re just some pajamas I had, they’re loose, so I figured that’d be good for you. Richard will probably want you dressed in something else for tonight, but hopefully it’ll give you some relief for now,” May said as she bundled my clothes up under one arm and picked the first aid kit back up. “Catch some rest, talk soon.”
I nodded as I lay back against the pillows, glad that they were comfy and soft. She was right; the painkillers were starting to make me drowsy, and I was glad that the throbbing in my head had dulled down.
But sleep evaded me for some time as my mind whirled with thoughts of tonight. There was no way out of this, I’d just have to grit my teeth and make it through this wretched night.
I’d think of my boys, about how this was protecting them, protecting my father, and how I’d use my time here to gather knowledge about Richard. If I could find his weaknesses, I could be of help when my father came. But first, I needed to call him.
I just hoped May could get her hands on that satellite phone. I was putting my faith in a woman I’d just met.
I prayed I wasn’t making the wrong choice.
2
Jaye.
When Richard landed that horrendous blow on Taylor’s face, my body split, the wolf inside me howling and clawing, wanting to rip the man apart for harming her. The blood that dripped from her lips and the way her head lolled to the side, I thought for a heart stopping moment he’d killed her.
I shot forward, my eyes flashing yellow and my claws extended, ready to shift and tear into him as I howled with rage. I didn’t care if he killed me. I’d do my best to take him with me. But I would not stand by and watch him take the only woman I’d ever loved from me.
Nathan’s furious howl rung out as well, but he remained frozen in place.
I roared as my Alpha stopped me, fury and fear swirling in his darkened eyes. I wanted to push past him, ignore his commands for me to stand down.
I could feel Nathan bristling beside me as he, too, wanted to go after this treacherous man who’d hurt our sweet Tay. Scott’s eyes were glowing yellow, and blood dripped from where his claws dug into his hands as he held himself back.
“If you interfere, you could die. You’re no good to her dead,” Lawrence growled, his voice barely audible over Richard’s triumphant howl.
It took me a moment to understand what he was saying. This wasn’t yet over.
But seeing Tay locked under that beast of a man, her face already swelling and blood pooling from her mouth; it killed me inside.
“You three need to leave, Chris, take them away from here,” the Alpha instructed his son.
Chris looked broken, confused and pissed, all at once. He moved sluggishly, disbelieving what this lost fight meant for our Tay.
I was grateful afterwards that Lawrence sent us away.
I doubted we could’ve stopped ourselves from all going after the Alpha when he’d loaded Tay into his trunk after tying her up. Carlos was the one who told us about that afterwards, and Nathan had smashed his windshield upon finding that out. It was one of the few times I’d seen him show his emotions so strongly, unable to hold them back.
Scott helped stitch up the deep cuts in Nathan’s hand as we all gathered inside the mansion, sitting in the living area while we waited for our Alpha to return.
“This is fucked,” Nathan spat, shaking his head as Scott tidied up his bloody hand from punching his windshield.
“We’ll get her back. I doubt Lawrence is just going to accept this,” Scott mumbled. He’d been rather quiet during the drive home, and I can’t say I was too quiet. I was pissed as all hell, and there was no way I’d rest until she was home and safe.
And to think that she’d undergo the mating ceremony with him, having to have her body raped like that, it sickened me and sent me into another round of pacing as I fought off the raging wolf inside me. If I didn’t focus on keeping it at bay, I knew it’d break through, and I was no use to Tay as a Feral wolf. She needed me a man and in my right mind.
“Don’t worry, Lawrence has a plan, he gave me the heads up before we left. He has no intention of letting Richard keep her, I’m sure he would’ve preferred if we’d all just killed him right then, but with a Councilman present, we couldn’t. He was a vampire after all,” Carlos said from his perch on the steps leading down into the sunken living area.
“He’s going to mate with her,” I spat, my canines drawing blood as they dug into my lips. It helped center me though, and I took a deep breath as I focused on Tay, imagining her guiding me back from my Feral mind.
Her sweet smile, her laugh, her defiant spirit right to the end. Despite how she’d lost the battle, I couldn’t help but be proud of her, even if I thought it was a stupid idea to challenge an Alpha. And that final act of defiance, breaking his nose, that was the Tay I knew.
I took comfort in knowing she’d make Richard’s life hell until we got her out. There was no way she’d let him take her without one hell of a fight.
“I hope she’s not scared,” Scott murmured as he carefully worked on stitching up the worst of Nathan’s cuts, ignoring the grimaces and winces Nathan made at the jab of the needle.
The thought of Taylor scared and alone with that man made my inner wolf roar and snarl, screaming to be released so it could hunt her down and bring her home. But I needed to be logical, not driven by my ‘wolf. I’d die before I crossed into their borders in a Feral state.
“Lawrence will have a plan, you boys need to keep your heads about you. Taylor needs you all in your right mind if we’re to bring her home,” Carlos admonished.
He was right. We were all maddened and enraged, but that wouldn’t get her back.
I resigned to pacing the li
ving area, waiting painfully for Lawrence to return. Gadion was bringing him back apparently, Lawrence had sent Carlos back here to check on us, not trusting us to not do anything stupid.
“I won’t let him keep my sister. She belongs here. I knew that once she’d done this Huntress thing, she’d make her way home to us, after all, we’re her Pack,” Chris mumbled from his seat on the far couch.
He was staring at the floor, lost and broken. He wasn’t as fiery as the rest of us, but I could see his unease and anger in the way he clenched his hands together, the whites of his knuckles showing.
He was the Alpha’s true son, the next in line to the position. He’d been trained from a young age to keep his emotions in check, to think ahead and to consider the Pack before all else. He’d been more able to manage his emotions than Tay, who let them rule her quite often.
Time passed slowly as we all waited in agonizing silence for our Alpha to return.
And when he finally did push through those front doors, he was pissed. The look in his eyes made me relax.
Taylor was coming home, there was no question about it.
3
Nathan.
Seeing Tay fall, the look of despair as she realized she was going to lose the fight, it crushed me inside. I’d finally started to believe she could beat the giant Alpha, with her quick feet and swift blows.
But then she was pinned down, and the desperate last attempt to save herself by breaking his nose cost her as he punched her in the face.
The resounding thump of his fist hitting her made me freeze up, snarling as my wolf surged forth, protective of my sweet Tay.
