Every muscle in her body clenched with intolerable pain as she snapped to awareness once again. With hands pressed into the carpet, sensation bombarding her, tears streaming down her cheeks, she knew that this had to stop.
“Hannah,” Allan whispered into her ear. “Stop fighting me. Let me in, I can help you.”
She shifted, realizing that her head lay on his lap, cradled in his arms like he’d caught her when she passed out. Holding her upper body against him, her arms spread around his waist as if he positioned her to hold him back. If she wasn’t in so much pain, she’d have recoiled from that idea.
“I can’t take this.” She tilted her face up to look at Allan, biting out her next words. “Help me, in whatever way you can.”
Allan, staring down at her, gave a tight nod, relief evident in his gaze. “I know this is not ideal, Hannah. I’d imagined this in many ways but not like this. I promise that I’ll make it up to you.” He gulped as he brushed her hair from her face. “I’m going to place my bonding mark on you, but I don’t know how it will be impacted by Mayhem’s mark.”
As if by the mention of his name, her entire body buzzed with new stimuli. Mayhem. Mayhem. Mayhem. Like he was there. “I can’t…” She reached her hands up to clench the sides of her head, her skull feeling like it was going to explode, pulling away from Allan.
Allan let her shift from his lap, moving to kneel next to her, his hands on her flesh. His touch felt as if a thousand pokers of hot metal were searing her, his fingers pressing into her, swirling along her skin. A stab of betrayal clenched her heart. Mayhem wouldn’t approve Allan touching her. She closed her eyes, pushed those feelings down, desperate now for the overwhelming sensations to disappear. Whatever Allan could do. That was what Mayhem would want. For her not to be in pain. Right? She whimpered. Too much. Too much. “Make it stop.” What did you do to me, Mayhem?
Allan’s mumbled words barely penetrated her thoughts. “I give myself to you, my Huntress, with a vow of protection that no beast shall put asunder.” His fingers trailed over her skin. “Take all of me and use me as you will.”
Vow. Beast. Huntress. His words circled around. Poking holes through the wall of pain, offering Hannah the briefest moments of reprieve.
She had no concept of time passing, every second feeling like ten million years when that kind of pain is coursing through your body. But slowly, by the smallest degrees, the noise did subside. The pain faded. The onslaught of emotions ebbed away. And in its place came a flood of other things. The Order. The Legacy. Allan. All that he was. All that he knew. Came pouring into her. Enough that her mind clicked. Managing her powers as he’d trained to do.
“Rage and fear, two of the most powerful emotions. Control them and you control everything,” Allan’s voice whispered to her. Confused, she opened her eyes to find he was staring down at her and what she felt was something she didn’t know how to process. Love? From him, toward him. No. That can’t be. She blinked, looked at him again. Like she was seeing him for the first time. A deep, deep desire for this man warring with the same feelings for Mayhem.
“Oh god,” she moaned as she pulled herself away. The emotions were still there, knocking at her, wanting her attention. Swirling in her subconscious, floating to the surface where she could pluck them out, intensify some, dulling others. All this power. Now she understood. Now it made sense.
“Hannah?” Allan’s voice was strained. Hope surging, something she not only heard but felt coming from him. “You’re in control. It worked!”
Hannah shook her head, hating that he stared at her with expectation. Like she was going to be his. Hating that she wanted to give herself to him. Her heart betraying Mayhem in degrees even though it still beat fiercely for him. She’d loved Mayhem before he’d marked her and that gave him the edge. Feelings for Allan were there, oh yes, and gaining strength. A beastly roar sounded inside her head, like Mayhem knew what had happened. She closed her eyes briefly, following that noise. Comprehension came seconds later.
“Mayhem.” Hannah started, her throat catching as she opened her eyes to look at Allan.
Allan’s smile faded, his high crashing. “Mayhem?”
Hannah cleared her throat, tried again. “Is here. Mayhem is here.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was night. He was back in human form. He knew where Hannah was—just beyond the tree line and yet he couldn’t get to her. Mayhem slammed his fist into the nearest trunk, bark splintering everywhere. “Talia said there would be a barrier to keep us out.”
Summer nodded. She was standing next to one of the wooden posts that marked the outer edge of the property, the muted glow from the lantern mounted on top cascading over her. “I can feel it. These posts have been etched on.” She frowned as she glanced over at Mayhem. “I wonder…” She took a few steps backward, turning and walking with purpose. Those few steps took her to where the trees tapered and thinned out, a perfectly manicured lawn just beyond.
Dyami trailed behind, a shrug in Mayhem’s direction as he walked past.
With a quick glance over her shoulder, Summer moved past the supposed boundary, her body fully on the property of the Order. Mayhem’s hackles rose.
Dyami growled as he tried to follow but was repelled. “Get back over to this side, Summer. Now.”
Summer did as he demanded, one shoulder lifting to a shrug. “Guess that means we go without you.”
“Like hell!” Dyami snarled.
All the men reacted similarly, if not in words then in growls. Jay gripped Aubrey at the elbow, pulling her closer. Raven put himself between Darcy and the border.
“Don’t even think about it, ladies,” Mayhem commanded. “This is not up for negotiation.”
“We could slip in, get Hannah and slip out,” Darcy said with a smirk. “I’ve got the skills, May, you can’t deny that.”
It had taken Darcy nearly the whole day to perfect her spell but when she had, it had worked in ways Mayhem wasn’t expecting. Connecting with Hannah sexually had not been on his mind when he’d first seen her in her thoughts, but then the emotion of the situation, as well as Hannah’s own reaction turned it into something more. He’d bitten her, though—enough of a mark to allow him to find her. Dave had arranged transit, calling in a few favors to get them onto a private jet while still in their wolf form, utilizing one of Darcy’s emerging spells that cloaked them in a kind of fog. The flight took them toward Hannah in less time than it would have taken to drive. Now they were here, on the boundary of Hunter land with no way of getting beyond, just as Talia had warned.
“You’re not thinking, Darcy.” Mayhem jabbed his finger toward the mansion in the distance, anger, fear, frustration simmering in his words. “Those are Hunters in there, men who live to find their Huntresses.” He turned his finger toward the girls, each one in turn. “And you three are Huntresses…just what they’re looking for.”
“My Hunter is dead,” Aubrey said as she crossed her arms, pulling her elbow away from Jay. “No worries about me.”
“Somehow I doubt that will matter to those guys,” Mayhem said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache threatening to explode.
“You’re not going in there alone, ladies,” Jay said, his tone brokering no argument.
“So you’re telling me that your Hannah is within view—” Darcy motioned behind her “—and you’re not going to use any means to get to her?”
“What’s your plan then, Mayhem?” Summer asked, her tone matching Darcy’s, both women sounding pissed. “Seems like Darcy has a point.”
“What is it with you women?” Mayhem growled. “I said no. That’s enough.”
“Who died and made you king of all decisions? We’re Huntresses, Mayhem, we can hold our own,” Aubrey growled back.
“And you of all Huntresses should know better than to question the alpha!” Mayhem roared, his thundering respons
e actually making her flinch. “I will do anything to protect my pack! I don’t want those Hunters to even know you girls are here. Whatever happens tonight will not destroy my pack. I vow it and so it will be. This is not the time to fight. This is the time to take back what’s mine and leave.”
He rubbed his head again. Something was wrong. He didn’t normally get headaches. He closed his eyes. Frowned. What was he feeling? Pain seized his skull, like a battering ram pounding in deep, sending him to his knees.
Someone gasped and was at his side, hands on his shoulders.
“Mayhem!” Raven voice came at him from all sides like a torturous echo.
“There’s something wrong,” Mayhem hissed through clenched teeth, the words barely coming, eyes clenched shut as if that could keep the pain out. “Hannah…”
“What’s happening, May?” Raven’s voice was full of concern.
The pain in his head peaked, slicing like a million knives. Was Hannah experiencing this? Was she in pain? Was he feeling her through their bond? No, no, no. That wasn’t it. His heart squeezed, like a hand was clenching him there.
He snapped his eyes open. “She’s been bonded.”
He let out a guttural roar so loud that he didn’t hear Talia’s approach.
“So dramatic, Mayhem,” Talia said as she stepped from a thicker part of the woods. Her swaying hips tugged at a few twigs as she broke through. “I told you that would happen, didn’t I?”
Mayhem jolted to his feet, dizzy from the lingering pain and yet set to ram her to the ground with everything he had. “You fucking bitch!”
She lifted her hand casually. “You will cease.”
Mayhem froze in place, her compelling gestures and words like a slap to this body, holding him where he was.
With a roar, Raven and Jay launched at her, acting in unison, claws popping from their fingers.
“That’s enough of that,” Talia said calmly, her smile never leaving her face. “All of you—” she pointed to the rest of the group “—will cease any attacking movements until I tell you otherwise.”
“Release me, Talia!” Mayhem bellowed, straining against the magical bond, his wolf roaring from within.
She smirked. “Or what, Mayhem?” With a wink, she motioned behind her. “Come, my pets.”
Mayhem’s eyes grew wide, his heart kicking ferociously at his chest. A group of at least fifty beasts came forward, their eyes glassy, their gait like those of the walking dead, staggered, clumsy.
“It took us longer to get here than I thought it would. Wasn’t sure if you’d beat me here or not.” She directed her wolves forward. “My pack will line up at the border, keep walking until you feel the magic repel you and then freeze.”
When the beasts did exactly as she said, brushing past Mayhem and the rest of his pack with little concern, Mayhem truly understood the power she wielded.
“Impressive isn’t it?” Talia sounded giddy, her smile beaming. “I had no idea the extent of my powers. To control the strongest of your brethren. The beasts. How stupid of the Order to push me out. To suggest that I no longer belonged. That I was a disgrace to them.” She scoffed as her smile faded. “When they see my beasts approach, when they realize what I can do, they will regret their hasty suggestions.”
“You can’t get past the wards. We’ve tried.” Mayhem didn’t like the strange gleam in her eye. Not that he cared much for the Order, but Hannah was within the premises and Talia looked like she’d totally lost her shit.
Talia’s smile returned. “You can’t, no.” She shrugged. “Not without a little magic intervention. Normally, my powers wouldn’t work on another Huntress. That’s usually how it goes. But—” she motioned toward the women “—you all are limited in your powers. The downside of mating with a wolf.”
“What are you talking about?” Aubrey narrowed her eyes, no doubt seething at the magical handcuffs. “Our powers are emerging just as they should.”
“Slowly, sweetie,” Talia cooed. “Not anywhere near what they could be. Plus you don’t have the benefit of all that Order knowledge, all that training that comes from the Hunters. They devote their lives to our service, you know, to make us the strongest we can possibly be. You chose love, I guess. How sweet.” She rolled her eyes. “But look where it’s gotten you.”
Talia sauntered toward Summer. “You’re the spell weaver, right?”
“Do not touch my mate or I will rip your motherfucking head off.” Dy strained his neck to the side, a slight movement that Talia didn’t seem to notice, but gave Mayhem some hope that her control wasn’t absolute. Dy didn’t even realize he’d done it.
“You’ll do no such thing.” Talia laughed. “And if you don’t stop with the posturing and threats, I’ll make you do something horribly embarrassing in front of your mate. Or better yet, I’ll make you fight to the death with one of my beasts…and make sure I determine who wins.”
“I am a spell weaver, but like you said, not a powerful one.” Summer wasn’t being totally honest—everyone in the group knew that. Over the past few weeks she’d begun to understand how to control and sometimes create her own etching symbols specifically for a purpose. “I don’t know how my symbols work really.”
Talia smiled knowingly. “You’re not as powerful as me, but you are powerful.” She traced a finger along Summer’s cheek and down her throat. “You’ve been marked here.” Then traced a circle on Summer’s neck, making Dy bellow his rage once again. “It’s amazing, this whole bite thing, I wasn’t expecting it to mark me so profoundly.” Talia ignored the outburst as she transferred her touch to her own neck. “Sensual even.”
“What do you want from me?” Summer asked, her eyes blazing, looking the brave warrior that she was.
Mayhem felt a surge of pride. His pack, despite their weaknesses, would stand together, fight together.
“I want you to use your etching powers to null the symbols that are blocking us out.” Talia laid a finger against Summer’s lips when she made to argue. “Don’t say you can’t. Your instinct knows what to do. The poles are etched with a spell to keep the beasts out, as well as humans. They need to be accessed from the inside. You’re going to walk into the boundary and null these three poles.” She motioned to the sides.
“I don’t know how to do that!” Summer said, frustration tinting her words. “Seriously, I have no real control over what my mind conjures.”
Talia reached behind her back and unsheathed her weapon—only one of her Sai, its prong-like end looking as deadly as ever. With a crooked eyebrow, she walked over to Dyami and placed the tip against his chest. “You’ll figure it out. I have faith in you.”
“You bitch!” Summer spat.
“You may move now, Summer,” Talia said sweetly. “And remember, if you don’t work quickly I can always use my powers to compel you to work faster.” She pressed the tip of her weapon deeper into Dy’s flesh. “But I’m sure this is all the incentive you really need.”
Summer’s body seemed to relax in a whoosh. She stumbled to the side before catching herself, and with an angry look in Talia’s direction, walked into the Hunter’s realm.
“Just trust your instinct, my dear,” Talia said brightly. “It will never steer you wrong with matters of the Order.” She let out a bitter laugh and shook her head, obviously enjoying her own private joke.
“And what is your plan once you get inside?” Mayhem snarled.
Talia didn’t bother looking at him, her eyes glued to Summer. “Oh, you need not worry about my plans. They don’t impact you at all.”
“Like hell they don’t!”
Talia frowned as she snapped her gaze to Mayhem. “Keep your panties straight, Mayhem. I have no intention of hurting your precious mate. I told you I’d help you get to her, didn’t I?” She nodded toward the mansion. “When that barrier drops, I’ll release you and your pack. You can go fetch your
beloved, and as long as you stay out of my way, we won’t have a problem.”
Mayhem’s gut twisted, his conscience somehow not liking the idea of the attack on the Order. Even if the Order was his sworn enemy. Up until a year or so ago, he had no idea they’d even existed beyond fairytales. Now he was realizing that having been turned and abandoned, he’d been left with a limited understanding of his place in the wolf-Hunter world. He had no idea what his role truly was. Alpha to a small pack, woefully naive and underpowered compared to his beastly counterparts. His ignorance could have gotten them killed many times over. Still might, in fact.
He was vulnerable and that pissed him off. Unable to protect even Hannah from the bond of another male. He had no idea what it meant that she was marked by her Hunter now. Would she welcome the sight of Mayhem? Reject him outright in favor of her Hunter? Try to kill him? His gut clenched hard. As long as Mayhem got to her, made sure she escaped from what was sure to be a shit storm of battle. If she killed him, at least he’d die knowing she was safe.
“Summer, sweetie, tick tock.” Talia twirled the tip of her Sai against Dy’s skin, a gesture that Mayhem knew would impact his entire pack the same way. One nick would send the Huntress poison into his blood stream, an experience none of them—especially Dy—craved to experience again.
Summer’s frown deepened, her hands already against the pole, sweat beading on her forehead. Her mouth was in a tight line, lips pressed firmly together.
With a definitive nod, she lifted one hand and pressed her finger to the wood of the pole, her movements suddenly quick, her eyes sliding closed as she traced what Mayhem hoped was the correct symbol.
A moment later and Summer opened her eyes again. “I think that’s it.”
Talia cocked an eyebrow. “You three beasts, the ones closest to pixy girl, step forward.” She glanced toward Mayhem with a wink. “I really should have named and collared them, but there wasn’t time.”
Much to Mayhem’s astonishment, the three beasts stepped through the barrier.
Mayhem: The Order of the Wolf, Book 5 Page 14
