by Ariel Lei
“You...you...” Her legs gave out as the room began to spin. Gary shot forward to catch her in his arms before she hit the floor.
“I’m sorry,” his voice held sincerity. Her body went limp, and her vision blurred. He lifted her in his arms and started walking towards the door. She tried to move, but couldn’t.
“Please...no...” Fatigue washed over her and her eyes began to grow heavy. She tried to fight against it, but the sedative was fast acting.
“I’m sorry, Neoma,” she heard, just before she slipped into unconsciousness. This time, the words didn’t belong to Gary.
They were Mason’s.
Mason.
Mason cradled Neoma’s unconscious body in his arms as he carried her through the forest. He’d been carrying her for almost an hour, making his way towards the border of his territory where he was meeting Earl. She barely weighed anything. She was thinner than what she was when he’d first saw her. Too thin. He didn’t like it. Partly because it was his fault. She hadn’t been given enough food during the time she’d spent locked in a cell. He’d made up for it during the three days she was kept in his father’s old cottage, making sure she had three meals a day. She hadn’t eaten much, but it had been more than she’d had before.
Mason looked over at Wade as Jake shoved him forward. He was going to kill him, but decided against it. The man had earned Mason’s respect. Despite being tortured almost every day, he’d remained loyal to Neoma and their Pack. His hands were tied behind his back, and a blindfold was tied securely around his eyes. Cuts and gashes streaked down his chest and back. His wounds would heal. Neoma’s, however, wouldn’t. The cut Mason had made with the silver dagger would forever be carved above her breast, marring her otherwise perfect body. Had he known at the time that she had never shifted into her wolf, was unable to heal, he would never have used silver on her. He knew there was no point dwelling on it, because there was nothing he could do to change it, but he felt guilty all the same.
The swap for her father was taking place on no man’s land away from the village. Away from the woman and children. Earl had said he was bringing two men with him to escort Neoma back home after the exchange. Mason knew better than that. He’d most likely bring more. So he was prepared. Escorting him were Jonas, Jake and Gary, his most trusted and strongest. Following behind from a distance were another twenty men. If Earl tried anything, he’d be ready for him. Being prepared was the best form of defence. His father had taught him that.
Several feet from the border of his territory, he lay Neoma down on a bed of daisies. Her blonde hair fanned out like a halo around her head. The sun shined down on her, making her glow like an angel. Mason’s gut tightened at the sight of her, knowing today would most likely be the last time he’d set eyes on her. He turned away, reminding himself why he was doing this. His mother would have her justice. Finally. This was what mattered.
He quickly scanned his surrounding to make sure everything was as it should be. Larch trees dominated this part of the area. Moss covered most of the ground. A little stream snaked its way down a small mound, trickling onto the rocks below. The unpolluted air smelt fresh with wild berries. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And he couldn’t smell any trespassers.
Gary pushed Wade down on the ground next to Neoma. “Shouldn’t Earl be here already?” he muttered, looking around suspiciously.
“He’ll be here soon,” Mason announced. Just then, twigs snapped from the other side of the border. His men turned to the sound. From the way their bodies stiffened, he knew they were preparing for the worse.
Mason saw a foot appear from behind a tree several feet away from the border, followed by a tall, slender body belonging to a middle aged man. He had long, braided, grey hair, sparkling blue eyes, a straight nose, thick mouth, and sharp face. He was topless, dressed in brown pants made from animal skin, and wore wooden sandals. Around his neck was a necklace carrying a gold ring. Two large men stepped out next to him. They were also shirtless, wearing similar pants and sandals. They were young and muscular. One had long, brown hair, hazel coloured eyes, and a tattoo of a black skull on his right arm. The other had cold, dark brown eyes. The majority of his head was shaved, except for a long braid hanging down his back from the middle. A red, jagged scar ran down the left side of his face that must have been made with silver before his first shift. Around his thick neck was a necklace full of animal teeth in different shapes and sizes. He was as big as Gary, and no doubt intimidated a lot of smaller men. But not Mason. He wasn’t even bothered that the guy was glaring at him. All he cared about was the man in the middle. Alpha Earl.
He watched as the older man’s eyes settle on Neoma on the ground behind him. She moaned, beginning to awake from the light sedative Gary had given her.
“Earl.” The name tasted bitter in Mason’s mouth. He spat on the floor. Earl turned his attention to him with a calm look on his face. The men at his side didn’t look as calm. If anything, they looked like they wanted to shred him to bits.
Bring it.
Mason was more than ready for a fight.
Chapter Fifteen.
Neoma.
When Neoma heard her father’s name, her eyes shot open. Trepidation hit her hard. Oh, goddess no. Mason stood in front of her dressed in black jogging bottoms and a white wife beater. By the way his hands flexed at his sides, and how stiffly he stood, she could tell he was ready for a fight. When her eyes drifted passed him and landed on her father, a sob worked its way up her throat. It had felt like months since she’d last seen him. He looked older. Stress lines that weren’t there before covered his forehead and his eyes seemed darker. He must have been worried sick about her.
Movement to her right caught her eye and she turned her head to see Wade on his knees. Relief flooded her. She’d feared he was dead.
“Send my daughter and Wade over,” her father demanded.
“You first,” Mason sneered.
“No,” Neoma cried, struggling to get to her feet. She was dizzy and still groggy from the sedative she’d been given. Mason turned and yanked her to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her in front of his body.
“Get him up,” he ordered. Jake pulled Wade up and shoved him. “Start walking, old man,” Mason demanded. Her father started forward, but Dwain held out his arm to stop him. His brown eyes connected with Neoma’s.
“He should send her over first,” he growled. Her father looked down at his arm.
“Remove your arm, Dwain.” Dwain’s lips curled in displeasure, but he did as he was told. At his name, Mason’s arm tightened around her. His chest vibrated as if he was holding back a growl. She turned her head and looked up at him. He looked down at her, and his mouth tightened.
“Hurry old, man,” he bit out. Her father started forward again. When he stood on the edge of Mason’s territory, Mason nodded his head at Jonas. Jonas shot forward and took her father by the arm, dragging him over the border. Neoma growled and struggled to get to him as Mason held her tight. Her wolf rose from within, but she pushed it back down. She was scared to shift. The pain from the first time still lingered with her.
“No. You can’t do this,” she shouted. “He’ll kill you.” Her father gave her a soft smile, love shining in his blue eyes.
“Your life is worth ten of mine,” he responded. He pulled the necklace he wore around his neck off and held it towards her, the gold ring dangling from it. “I want you to have this. It was your mothers.” He threw it at her, and she snagged it from the air. The light from the sun made the blue gem sparkle. The only time her father had parted with it was when he shifted into his wolf. For him to part with it now, Neoma knew he planned on never seeing it again.
Jonas pulled a needle from his black hoodie and injected her father with yellow liquid, causing him to grimace. Wolfbane. Tears welled up in Neoma’s eyes. She held the ring against her chest as if it would stop the pain in her heart.
“Give me my mate,” Dwain snarled from no man’s
land. A growl rumbled in Mason’s chest. His nails grew, turning into claws and biting into her waist as he tightened his grip. Neoma ignored the pain and turned in his arms, sensing his inner struggle to let her go.
“Take your revenge out on me. Keep me here. Do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt my father,” she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. A muscle in his jaw started ticking as he stared down at her. His eyes kept swirling from black to his normal colour. He was fighting his instincts.
“You made a deal, Mason. Let her go,” her father shouted, his tone desperate as Jonas dragged him away.
Neoma smacked Mason in the chest. “You can’t do this. You can’t take him away from me.” He ground his teeth together and turned his face away from hers as if he couldn’t bear to look at her. Her gut twisted painfully.
He pushed her at Gary. “Take her,” he ordered, his voice strained. She screamed as she was pulled away, kicking and scratching at Gary, trying as hard as she could to get to her father. Fighting her instinct to shift was becoming more difficult. Her body was beginning to ache with the need.
“If you hurt him, you hurt me,” she yelled, struggling wildly as Gary got closer and closer to the border. “You didn’t even let me say goodbye,” she sobbed, her heart aching. The thought of never seeing her father again crushed her. How could Mason do this? Did he really not care about her?
At the border, Dwain took her from Gary, throwing her over his shoulder like a caveman. She screamed louder, kicking her legs as she tried to get free from the brute.
She expected Mason to look at her. He didn’t. He turned his back on her instead, and she watched as the distance between them grew, the ache in her heart growing heavier with each step Dwain took.
She knew then that Mason truly didn’t care about her. His need for revenge meant more to him than she did. He had let it consume him.
Her emotions stretched to the breaking point, and she finally snapped, crying like she’d never cried before.
***
Dwain set Neoma down on her feet. They’d been travelling for a few hours. Her tears had dried up. Her throat was sore from all the screaming and crying she’d done. The ache in her heart had grown into a dull thud, spreading down to her soul. Not only had she lost her father today, but her mate, too. Both woman and inner wolf hurt with the knowledge that they’d been cast aside for his misplaced revenge. She fingered the ring around her neck and shut her eyes. I’ll never see my father again.
When she opened her eyes again they landed on Wade, and she noticed for the first time that he was still blindfolded and that his hands were still tied. She frowned and looked up at Dwain.
“Why is he tied and blindfolded still?” she asked, her voice sounding croaky. Dwain cocked his head as he looked over at Wade. He shrugged.
“It’s no concern of yours,” he replied, in a matter of fact tone. Neoma frowned.
“He is a concern of mine. Now untie him,” she ordered. Dwain’s head slowly turned back to her, his black braid swinging against his bare back. His brown eyes darkened, making him look menacing. The red scar running down the left side of his face didn’t help any either. It made him look scarier. He took a threatening step forward, and Neoma backed up, nearly falling over a rock.
“You take orders from me now, not the other way around. Your father isn’t Alpha anymore, sweetheart. He’s probably several feet under by now,” he sneered. Neoma’s lips trembled at the thought of her father already being dead. Dwain smiled at her reaction and took another step forward. “I’ve waited so long for this moment. Almost twenty years.”
Neoma stared at him in confusion. “Twenty years for what moment?” she whispered.
“Neoma,” Wade called in an urgent voice. She turned to look at him as he struggled with Skull to try and get to her. Skull had been her father’s fourth in command.
“Let him go,” she demanded. Skull ignored her. Dwain grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into his chest.
“Twenty years for Alpha MacKaye or his son to kill your father,” he answered her earlier question. Neoma pulled away from him in anger.
“He didn’t do anything,” she snapped. “He doesn’t deserve this.” Dwain’s laugh boomed around the forest, scaring off the small animal. Clouds covered the midday sun, making everything suddenly darker.
“Oh, I know he didn’t,” Dwain replied, his smile turning into a twisted grimace. His words caused a shiver to run down her spine. The animal within her rose up, sensing him as a threat.
“Neoma, run,” Wade yelled. Skull punched him in the gut.
“Get rid of him,” Dwain ordered. Neoma’s eyes widened. She started forward, but Dwain grabbed her.
“I don’t think so. I won’t have him ruining everything I’ve worked for,” he growled. Skull pulled Wade through the trees away from them. Neoma kicked out at Dwain in an attempt to get free. He backhanded her across the face, and she fell to the floor. Black dots swam in her vision. Her right cheek throbbed.
“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, rubbing her cheek to sooth the pain. He knelt down next to her.
“It’s simple. I’m getting rid of him before he can become a threat.” He smiled cruelly and leaned over her. “You’re father didn’t kill Alpha MacKaye’s mate. I did.” Neoma blanched at his confession. Her mouth opened. No words formed.
Dwain’s smile grew taunting. “I knew he was passing through Alpha MacKaye’s territory, so I paid off some rogues to kill his mate, knowing your father would find the body and get the blame. Unfortunately, he managed to escape before Alpha MacKaye could kill him.” Neoma was too stunned to react. Her mind was rejecting his words, even though she knew them for what they were. The truth.
Dwain went on. “After you were born, I realised that I needed to try again at getting him killed. I didn’t want him to have a son who he could pass the Alpha title onto. So I paid off more rogues to kill your mother, and tried to make it look like it was retaliation from Alpha MacKaye so your father would start a war. However, he wasn’t as stupid as the other Alpha. He knew rogues had killed her. I killed the rogues before he had the chance to find out who ordered her death, and have been waiting patiently for another opportunity to take him out. I could have easily killed your father in one to one combat, but he had men who were loyal to him. Now, I have no need to worry about them,” he paused, his taunting smile growing wider. “Thanks to you following Wade and getting captured, I’m finally able to take over your Pack.”
“But I was promised to you. You would have become the Alpha mating me,” Neoma whispered. Dwain ran his hand up her leg, moving the yellow dress up to expose her thigh. He licked his lips. She shivered in disgust.
“Ah, yes, but who knew how long that would have taken? I wanted the Alpha position now. And you along with it.” Neoma slapped his hand away, yanked down the dress, and glared at him.
“I will never mate with you,” she hissed, angry tears falling down her face.
Dwain’s smile was anything but friendly. He leaned even closer. “Sweetheart, you won’t have a choice in the matter. By the end of the day, you’ll be mated to me like it or not. That sweet body of yours will be mine to use every night.”
Neoma’s blood boiled. Her body began shaking. Her heartache turned to anger. She wanted to kill him. The white hot rage filling her was like nothing she’d ever felt before.
He’s ruined all our lives. He’s the reason I have no mother. He’s the reason Mason is going to kill my father. He deserved to die. Was this what Mason felt like? The need for revenge was consuming. This time she couldn’t hold in her wolf. The muscles in her body tightened as hairs began sprouting across her entire body. Baring her sharp canines, she let out a fierce growl, and as she jumped forward to attack Dwain, his fist shot out. The impact from his punch sent her head snapping backwards.
The pain she felt was quickly followed by darkness.
Chapter Sixteen.
Neoma.
Neoma awoke slowly to find she w
as staring up at a roof made from wood, leaves and clay. She pushed up from the bed of fur she was lying in and whinged from the pain in her head. Her right cheek was slightly swollen and bruised from being punched in the face.
The candle on the table beside her cast a small glow on her surroundings. Looking around, she realised she was inside the shelter she shared with her father. In fact, she was in his bed. She could smell his slight earth and woodsy scent on the fur underneath her. The smell comforted her. It was also a reminder of what had happened.
She shut her eyes and shook her head in dismay. He’s gone. Tears pooled in her eyes. She wanted to pretend that she was dreaming, and everything that Dwain had told her was a lie. Knowing the truth would drive her into madness. Mason had rejected her and taken her father over something that had never happened. And nothing could be changed about that.
She stood up on shaky legs and pushed open the tattered curtain separating the bedroom and the rest of the shelter. The curtain separating her own bedroom was gone, along with her makeshift bed, side table and chest of clothes. In its place was a rough and ready couch covered in brown and grey animal fur. Dwain hasn’t wasted any time changing things, she thought, angrily. Two small stools sat either side of the table, a bowl of fresh fruit and a flute of water placed atop of it. Scattered across the dusty ground was a couple of rugs made from vine and twine. Neoma walked across them towards the flap leading outside. She was a few feet away when the flap flipped open, and Amelia walked in.
Amelia was small and slight. Her slightly wrinkled face was drawn in, making her cheekbones and nose look sharper. She had unique violet coloured eyes. Her grey and black hair was bunched up on her head. She wore a long tattered dress and leather sandals. When her eyes met Neoma’s, they glistened with sympathy. She held out her arms, and Neoma ran into them, desperate for some kind of comfort.
