Elizabeth and the Thunder of Dragons: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (RH Fated Alpha Book 6)

by Ava Mason

  It seemed like a freaking lifetime ago.

  A lifetime ago Aaron was alive, and I was just getting on the plane with my guys. Almost everything was perfect.

  And now, Aaron was dead.

  That asshole. And yeah, I meant Aaron. I couldn’t believe that he left me like that.

  And yet, I just knew that he felt like he had to do it on his own. I couldn’t stop the tumbling thoughts, that lay his death on my shoulders. He would never be able to accept sharing me, and he’d given up hope on us. I pushed those thoughts away, hoping they were wrong. I was sure that he’d gone with a sense of pride and honor, needing to stand up to his dad, and for Olivia, but it was hard for me to not take the blame for it.

  After awhile, I pushed all thoughts of Aaron away and focused on healing. I ate all the food they brought me, and I continued to exercise, as much as I could in this small room, grateful that James had taught us how to use our own bodies to provide the exercise we needed.

  And I prepared myself, focused all my thoughts on defeating stuupid Shithead Scarface. I forced myself to center my thoughts and feelings. Focused on everything that the guys had taught me about fighting, that Christian had taught me about being mentally tough. I pined for my necklace occasionally, but I had to figure out a way to fight without it. Relying on it in the past had only made me weak, because there might come a time when I wouldn’t have it, as had been proven with Ember and now with Garrett.

  I focused so deep, remembering all the things that Garrett had done to me as a child to humiliate me, and everything he’d done since. Killing my parents, taking over the pack, killing anyone who tried to stand against him, killing one of my best friends and lovers. My thoughts had grown so bitter, that by the time someone opened the door on the morning of the third day, I was pulsing in anticipation of killing Garrett.

  Xander was the special one chosen to bring me out and I noticed that Garrett’s gun was holstered on his side. He probably had orders to shoot me if I tried to escape. And he was probably just scared of me enough to use it, too. He sneered as he clipped the leash onto my collar and I showed him my teeth in response.

  The house was empty again and just as expected, everyone was out back, just like when Aaron fought his dad. Except this time, you could feel the intense burst of energy as soon as I walked out the door. Instead of being lined up, they were in a circle and they burst out in jeers when I was led out of the house. They didn’t reach for me, like before, but rather stood back, giving me space. Several members of my old pack gave me a nod of respect while others taunted me. Most of the crowd was standing but a few of them had brought lawn chairs and coolers, like they were watching a football game. As I was being led to the middle of the circle, I searched the crowd for my clan, hoping that Shayne or Ashton had somehow found a way to slip them in.

  I saw Avery first and my breath caught. Except he didn’t look happy to see me, he looked like he was ready to kill me instead of save me. I swallowed hard, guessing I deserved that. But he forced his face into one of encouragement, nodding with steel eyes and a look that told me he was prepared if anything went down. I nodded back and then searched the crowd for the rest. I saw Hunter next, and he was practically bursting with power and energy. He was breathing hard and I knew if I was wearing my necklace, I’d be able to see the orange energy of his dragon power pulsing around him. He looked ready to kill anyone who dared touch me.

  When his eyes met mine, his whole body stilled and his eyes moved over me. Then they grew angry, as they landed on the chain at my neck. I shook my head slightly, telling him I was okay, to chill out. Then I was tugged forward and lost him in the crowd.

  Christian was next. He wasn’t standing in the middle of the crowd but rather to the side. His hand was to his side as he took in the throng of people, calculating and planning his next moves. Then he met my eyes and took a step forwards towards me, giving me an encouraging smile. A warmth washed over me as I felt his undying devotion and love. And then I felt this strange pulse of hatred that overpowered the warmth I’d just received from Christian. I moved my eyes away from Christian, still being tugged by my neck through the crowd, and my eyes landed on someone strange.

  I was surprised that I hadn’t noticed him immediately. He looked severely out of place. Unlike the others, who looked like they were going to a barbecue, this guy was wearing a sharply pressed suit, complete with a vest and a casually folded handkerchief in his chest pocket. It was a dark blue suit and tailored to fit him like a glove. His dark black hair was perfectly coiffed and slicked to the side. His skin was tan and deliciously, perfectly smooth. The only dark mark on it was the tattoo that snaked out of his stiff collar. And I immediately hated him.

  Even though he had an impassive look on his face, my instincts were screaming at me that this man was dangerous. More dangerous than Garrett, much more dangerous. And his eyes were fixed squarely on me.

  This had to be Elias. It could be no one else.

  So. He’d come to see me fight.

  I was surprised to see that he didn’t seem to have anyone else with him; for he stood alone and aloof to the crowd.

  His eyes followed me, his face still emotionless, as I moved forward, and then I lost sight of him as I was pulled forward.

  And where the hell was James and Easton?

  I looked around, searching for James but he was either too hidden in the crowd or not here. That thought worried me.

  I finally found Easton and he wasn’t even looking at me, but instead staring ahead at the middle of the ring, where Garrett waited for me. He held himself rigid and tightly wound, uncaring at the crowd that occasionally tousled him or of the woman next to him who kept trying to catch his eye. His whole focus was on Garrett and I wondered if he was imagining himself tearing Garrett to pieces. The words that Easton had once spoken to me came to my mind. That I would never have to battle anyone alone, that I had a team from now on that would support me. I took in a deep breath and turned towards Garrett, knowing that my guys had my back, that they would be here for me if anything happened.

  And then all thoughts of my clan fell away as I faced Garrett. He was naked except for a loose pair of linen pants and there was no mistaking the large white diamond hanging by a chain around his neck. I growled and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, feeling possessive and angry. He smirked and I snarled, as the wolf inside me threatened to claw its way out of my body. I kept her in check, knowing I would need all her energy later.

  There was a strange feeling coming from behind Garrett and I looked behind him. A woman stood out. Not Jade, who was there, too, grinning, sucking on a charm pop; she was like a gnat to me and I barely noticed her. But the woman who stood next to her. Now, she caught my eye.

  Her skin was as dark as ebony and she had braids that fell in tight binds around her face and down her back. I could practically see the waves of power pulsing from her. This must be the witch.

  She gave me a smile. It was so slight, I couldn’t tell if she was happy to be here or not.

  When I looked back at Garrett, his smile had grown even bigger and I knew that meant he’d discovered how to use the necklace. Or at least, she had. My thoughts spiraled and I sucked in a deep breath, for once wishing like hell that my dad was here to comfort me. It was then that I noticed that Shayne was standing next to the witch. I focused on him, just for a moment, letting his comforting presence calm me.

  Garrett put his hands up and the crowd fell silent. Before he had a chance to speak, I called out.

  “I’m here to challenge Garrett Anderson as Alpha of the Southeastern White Tooth pack. He illegally killed my father, former Alpha of the pack and I saw it with my own two eyes.” The crowd stared at me in shock and I continued before Garrett, who was staring at me dumbly, could think of a response. “My parents were killed by Garrett and another wolf, one I’d never seen before. They killed him illegally, and they attacked my mom at the same time. I had to run for my life.”

  “Liar
!” Garrett finally recovered. His face was purple and harsh red lines marked his face. “This is the woman who’s been killing any threats to Alpha of the pack. All because she wanted to be Alpha herself. She killed her own parents!”

  “I’m only here to fight for what’s rightfully mine. I was Fated Alpha of this pack when my father was Alpha. And I will win back what’s mine. And,” I turned to face Garrett, “I will kill the man who murdered my family.” I glared at him, putting all of the hate I felt towards him into my look. “Take this collar off me. I’m ready now.”

  “No. You will fight with the collar like the traitor you are.” He glowered, angry at me for controlling the narrative, for stopping his agenda of spinning lies about me.

  “Whatever.” I shrugged. The collar was a powerful symbolism of degradation. It was also effective at making me look the criminal in front of the pack. But nothing was going to stop me from tearing his head from his body. Especially some stupid collar. “Let’s begin.”

  “Not yet. I have pack business to conduct first.” He looked at Xander and nodded. Xander tugged me forward so that I was right next to Garrett; only Xander stood in between us.

  Garrett called out to the crowd. “It’s come to my attention that there’s a spy in the pack, one who’s helped the other traitors escape.” His hands clenched to his side and my stomach rolled with panic.

  Several things happened at once. I stepped back, attempting to put myself between Shayne and me, instinct telling me Garrett was going for him. But Xander’s grip on my leash tightened; and he jerked me forward so that I fell to the ground at his feet.

  A blue wall of magic erupted out of the ground, separating our small group in the middle of the ring and the rest of the crowd. Immediately my clan shot forward, attempting to enter the ring but the wall was an impenetrable bubble over us.

  Garrett reached forward and, pulling the gun from Xander’s holster he screamed out. “I do not tolerate spies in my clan!”

  I gripped Xander’s legs, ripping them out from under him.

  Garrett turned and shot Shayne in the head.

  “NO!” I screamed out, and a thousand memories went through my head all at once while I watched Shayne fall. Him taking me fishing, his wolf-form bringing me a stick when I was just a child, his strong form standing between me and Garrett, his hands, thin and nimble inside my dad’s favorite watch. I yanked the collar out of Xander’s hands and scrambled on my hands and knees towards Shayne. His body was still, his eyes wide open, staring at the cloudless sky. A black hole darkened his beautiful face.

  I stared in horror; I had no power to bring him back to life. Garrett had taken my necklace from me when I needed it the most. Rage rolled over me; I was going to kill him.

  I heard Garrett yelling towards the crowd, saw the attempts of my guys trying to get through the bubbled barrier that encapsulated us. Everything else was silent, except for the ringing in my ears.

  I screamed, tears streaming down my face as I released all the agony and anger and rage built up inside me.

  And then I couldn’t hold her back any longer.

  My wolf ripped through my body, tearing my flesh apart as she took over, claws out and ready to kill the man behind me. I turned and raced towards Garrett, who was still shouting at the crowd. Xander and Jade fled from me but my eyes were only on the shifter I was going to kill.

  He turned, just as I pounced and in one second he’d shifted. I landed on top of him and he fell onto his back, slamming his head on the ground. Growling, he flung me off him with his powerful back feet. I flew against the magical blue wall.

  Snarling, I got up just in time to face him. Fuck, I hated him so much. He attacked me. He plowed into me, pushing me back towards the wall again. I stood firm, my claws digging into the ground, and swiped his face with my front claw. He barked, retreating a step or two. I took advantage, pushing forward, edging him back towards the center of the ring. Then I attacked, swiping his face, his side, and clinging to his back when he tried to retreat. We fought fiercely, each trying to gain advantage over the other. Then we circled each other, growling and ready to pounce. Finally, I jumped forward, and he met me, paws swiping, to claw my eyes. He jumped high enough for me to easily reach his neck.

  I chomped down tight, and he hung limply. I squeezed tighter with my sharp incisors, shaking him. He turned, snapping at me. He pawed me with powerful front paws and I jumped back, letting him go. He fell to the ground.

  Suddenly he jumped up and ran away from me. It’d suddenly became clear to him that he’d underestimated me. I chased him, growling. I jumped again, landing on his back. He bucked me off and I flew to the ground, skidding to a stop.

  I got up, not even dazed. He attacked me but I met his attack with mine own, every time. I pounded him relentlessly, landing on him enough to make him grow frustrated and resentful. He thought he was going to have a quick, easy fight. I landed on him again and he slid under me, then hightailed it to the edge of the circle and stopped, panting. I didn’t chase him but watched him carefully as he regrouped. I had to try something different, this wasn’t working. He shook his head, pawing at it, then he ran around in a circle. I edged closer, not trusting his fake wounded act. He trotted by his witch, brushing her softly. She had her hand up, holding the magical barrier between us. She nodded.

  Garrett ran towards me and the blue magic from my necklace spurt out in all directions. It shot through the magical barrier, hitting a few people in the crowd. Chaos broke out. People fell to the ground, using whatever they could find for protection. But most of them refused to leave, entranced by the fight.

  The blue magic missed me, but Garrett slammed into me. We rolled in the dirt and patches of grass, each of us trying to land on top. Blue magic spurt from my necklace again, this time landing directly on me. I flew into the air, then landed harshly, sliding across the ground, my mind a haze. Garrett’s lips twisted up, showing his canines. He walked slowly towards me, the magic spurting out of the necklace over and over. It hit me, blasted me, threw me across the arena.

  I tried to get up, to run from its heated blast. Each time it hit me, it got hotter and more deadly. I knew the witch was going to learn how to control it soon, enough to make a killing blast.

  My whole body shook in pain, but I rose again. Unwilling to die from this motherfucker. Unwilling to give in. He ran forward now, his mouth open, his neck stretched forward. I pounced at the same time as he did and we clashed in the middle of the air. Claws ripped, teeth gnashed, tails flicked. We landed on the ground, rolling and barely missing Shayne’s dead body. I arched my back away from Shayne, not wanting to disrespect his body. Garrett used the distraction to grab my neck and his teeth bit down into my neck. I couldn’t breathe.

  I pushed at him with my paws, my back pressing into the ground, but he held tight. My necklace hung loosely from his neck, the blue magic swirling around the diamond. He tugged on my throat and I knew he was trying to rip it out.

  Just like he did with Aaron.

  My eyes rolled backwards, catching sight of Shayne’s dead body.

  My friend. My protector.

  Aaron. My lover. My childhood best friend.

  My mom. My teacher. The person who loved me when no one else did. The person who took care of me when no one else did.

  My dad. My guide. My leader. My gentle commander.

  I screamed out, agony ripping through my body, the sound I made came out a strangled haunting noise. I felt my energy wane; I tried to take in a sucking breath.

  The necklace dangled right over me, the blue magic pulsing. I called it.

  Called it to me.

  Squeezed my eyes and commanded the magic of my mother’s ancestors to me.

  It burst out in a blaze, tearing Garrett from my neck. His teeth tore open my throat and my blood spurted forward.

  I choked, reaching my hand towards Garrett. The magic flew from his neck toward me, surrounding my neck, enveloping me in its magic. I rose in the air, just like t
he book, just like the mask. And the magic put me back together. Mended my body. Mended my soul.

  Garrett was back up, jumping towards me, but the blue magic surrounded me, protecting me.

  It singed at my neck, burning and white-hot, but healing.

  Garrett transformed into his human form and yanked the necklace from his neck, throwing it to the ground, but it did no good. The magic continued to protect me. So he turned and yelled at the witch, but that did nothing to help him.

  Because I was still calling, commanding the power to me.

  And then I fell to the ground, completely healed. I immediately jumped at Garrett. He swiveled, shifting again, but this time I was strong and powerful.

  Not because I had the power of the goddesses of my ancestors. But because I was the daughter of my father, the former Alpha of the Southeastern White Tooth Pack, and the Fated Alpha of this motherfucking pack.

  I slammed him to the ground and he put his paws up in a gesture of docility. I reached down and grabbed his neck. My teeth gripped through his fur and clamped down on his larynx. Bones popped and flesh and fur tore as I ripped it out of his body.

  His feet fluttered, pushing weakly against me. I spit his throat onto the ground and then ripped into it again, tearing out more. He laid in shock, his legs and nose twitching and his eyes wide with fear. They moved to look into mine, awe and respect shining through them. And then he stared ahead of him, towards what, I wasn’t sure, his eyes glazing over in acceptance and defeat. Was he thinking of his past sins, of the families and lives he had betrayed? Or, was he still rationalizing his actions?

  Most people almost always do.

  It made me pause, just for a second, to show reverence to the awesome life force that lived in us all. And I watched as the light of life left his eyes.

  And then I felt light, the weight of the world dropped off my shoulders.

  He was really dead.

  The magical wall fell and the witch turned and ran towards the parking in the front of the house. Noise from the crowd blasted my sensitive hearing. My clan ran toward me, sweeping me up in their arms, and I fell into them. Hunter was there first, clasping me anywhere he could touch, kissing me, feeling me, healing anything he could. Easton grabbed me out of his arms and held me tight, growling in my ear. “Next time you do that, I’m going to kill you, you understand?”