I jerked my head back and forth, ripping his flesh. The angle at which I’d caught him, just behind his front leg, just out of reach of his head, made it impossible for him to retaliate. If he wiggled, he would only worsen his wound.
Dom howled, his war cry encouraging my wolf.
Tears stung my eyes as a chorus of howls sounded behind us. If we failed, if Dom and me couldn’t suppress my father, couldn’t stop him together, there was a pack of wolves ready to move in. This was my battle, but it had become our war.
I pushed my father into the floor, onto his side. He abruptly began to bunt, testing my hold. It was tough as iron though. Years of anger had sutured my jaw shut around his disgusting flesh. Years of oppression had me clamping tighter, thrusting my teeth deeper into him.
My wolf growled around him, vibrating his rib cage. She was declaring herself no longer a victim. She was declaring our victory.
My dad made one last futile attempt to free himself, snapping my head about, but my mate was there. Dom bit into my father’s neck, pinning him. He couldn’t move, unless he wanted to die.
Pity weighted my heart. He deserved many things, but I was never one to promote capital punishment. Furious tears stung, sliding down my fur covered snout, dripping onto him. What man would choose death over his daughter? My anger grew hollow, less dense, as it gave way to sorrow. What person would choose to live as he did? What parent would choose to be as he was? I didn’t understand him. I couldn’t comprehend what would drive anyone to choose as he did. I could wrap my mind around his chosen path. No one in their right mind would choose a dark and dreary existence over sunny days filled with happiness.
Money didn’t buy happiness, for happiness couldn’t be bought. Happiness was created; happiness was always there, but only if we embraced it.
He could have easily made the most of our situation. He could have appreciated what he had rather than scorning life, rather than abusing me over what he didn’t have.
That’s all he was: a jealous, bitter wolf. He was consumed by what he wanted, focused on the lifestyle he craved, rather than the life he could have easily created had he only tried.
It was over. He didn’t have a hold on me anymore. So why didn’t I feel free? Why wasn’t I rejoicing?
Because I was too busy mourning the loss of my final parent.
That’s what I’d been afraid of being all this time: an orphan.
Being an orphan meant either my parents didn’t want me or God, Nature, decided I didn’t deserve any…
Perhaps I was the bitter one all along.
I unclamped my mouth from around my father’s stiff wolf.
A look backwards showed the entire pack stood as wolves, aside from Dan. Confusion twisted his features as he watched me closely.
Suddenly, I felt closed in, trapped…the very thing I was trying to escape.
My emotions slammed into my chest, adrenaline shot through my veins sending my wolf running. I propelled my wolf’s body into the door, throwing open the escape route. I heard my name being shouted but continued. I sprinted. I ran. I broke free, allowing my wolf her much deserved freedom.
The cement sidewalks crushed the pads of my paws as I bound aimlessly through the well-lit streets of the city. The wind rushed into my lungs, kindling my spirit. My limbs burned with bliss as I ran faster and faster. Nothing had ever felt so exquisite.
A howl of laughter exploded from my wolf as we flew through the city at a lightning speed. I was a fat girl, but I was a sleek, athletic wolf. I was a worn and weary girl, but I was beautiful, powerful wolf.
Air ruffled my fur as it slid through the strands. My paws sent dust, dirt and debris flying upwards with each stride. My heart pounded in my chest; my pulse was a steady, harmonic rhythm pulsing beautifully. I was free. I was a fool because there was nothing to mourn; there was nothing to feel sorry about.
My wolf came to an abrupt halt as Dom entered our thoughts. I was okay with my orphan status because of him; because, while I was now an orphan, I wasn’t alone. I had lost someone who never cared about me, but I’d gained someone who cared immensely about me. I’d lost a warden in order to gain a partner, someone who would love me forever just as I was. I’d gained someone who was willing to fight to free me rather than to shackle me…
…and, without thinking, I’d just done the one thing he’d begged me not to do. I’d just done what he admitted was he biggest fear: I ran.
I was so used to running. It wasn’t an excuse though. Dom had just fought beside me, helped me defeat my personal demons. I owed him, not because he demanded a penance from me, but because I loved him enough to give him one.
Chapter 36
Dominick
I stood frozen in front of the door. I didn’t care that I stood as a naked man, bared and broken before my pack. I didn’t care that they could see my pain. I didn’t even care that he could see my pain.
She ran. She up and left me.
My heart thundered in my chest. I was too stricken to embrace one emotion. She ran…
My father clasped a hand over my shoulder. “Remember what I said, son. She can only fight the feeling for so long. She’ll be back.”
I didn’t acknowledge him. I couldn’t.
He lingered nonetheless. His attention drifted to Sophie’s father being cuffed and bound. He would be taken before the counsel, tried and punished for his crimes by the only ones capable of suppressing a man like him, a wolf like us: our own.
My dad squeezed my shoulder. “You did good, Dominick. I’m proud of you.” Still he stayed, refusing to move until he’d said whatever was on his mind. I heard him swallow hard. “Your mother would have been proud of you.”
I stared through the blackened glass, a small smile lifting my lips. I didn’t think about my mother often; it was too painful to because my memories always turned dark, always crashed into her death at the end. Instinctively I knew she would have loved Sophie though.
I blew out a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm descend upon me. I didn’t think it was possible with the tension binding my body, but, miraculously, it did. Possibly because I knew my dad was right…at least, I hoped he was.
“Thanks, Dad.” I met his gaze.
He nodded his head. His lips rounded up in a knowing smile as he turned away from me. “Heed your father’s words, son, and watch the door.”
My wolf perked up immediately. My senses were on alert; I forced myself to listen, to search the entrance and everything closing in on it.
There, in the distance, I heard her. I just knew it was her.
It didn’t matter that I was naked or that there was an elderly couple exiting a chauffeured car across the street, I threw open the door and stepped outside, waiting.
My skin tingled, my heart sang with anticipation as she came bounding around the corner, still in her wolf form. She was a gorgeous wolf: silky soft chocolate. She was a beautiful young woman: curvy and courageous. And she was my mate. Damn if I wasn’t proud that she was my mate.
My heart stopped when she stopped a good six feet in front of me. Fear pinched my lungs when she refused to meet my gaze.
It was swiftly dispelled when she did the amazing, the humbling. There was no way I could remain a hard as stone future alpha when she did things like that.
She sat where she was and lower her head, surrendering to me. It was the ultimate submission, to leave yourself vulnerable as a wolf while your mate stood as a powerful man before you. It was the greatest apology. It was the most prevalent show of trust. It was the mightiest proof of love.
It was a moment I would never forget. It was an act I would never forget. Sophie was an amazing woman who, even should fate steal her from me too soon, I would never forget.
I now understood my father’s lot. I couldn’t imagine living a day without her. I couldn’t imagine facing tomorrow knowing she wouldn’t be there; I couldn’t handle being buried in her memory, in the many memories we’d created together day after day. I couldn’t i
magine doing as my father did.
I loved her. And if one day too soon I lost her, I would willingly accept the pain, for love was worth the risk. Loving her was worth the pain of losing her. She was worth it. She was worth life and death to me. She was my mate, and would always be my everything, whether she was here or not.
Chapter 37
Sophie
Dom lowered himself before me; he made himself my equal…or perhaps he made me his equal.
His fingers coursed my fur as he leaned in and kissed my nose. “I love you.” He gazed into my eyes, staring at my wolf and me without hesitation. “Now shift back so I can claim you properly.”
My eyes darted around the area. An older couple stood at the entrance to their building; their eyes were trained on us. Their heads were cocked with confused interest.
“Trust me, Sophie. I swear I’ll protect you.”
I closed my eyes, willing my wolf to take a step back, willing her to recede back inside me. I promised her freedom again; I assured her it wouldn’t be years before she ran again. I refused to imprison her again.
Gracefully, she slipped back into the depths of me. My shift back to human was much easier. The pressure was brief, not lasting. My body was relaxed, not panicked, making it less difficult to process the mental and physical changes in unison.
I opened my eyes to find myself naked and lying face down on the sidewalk. I lifted my head to gaze upon my mate. Love shone in his eyes as he offered me his hands. Trustingly, I slipped my hands into his. He stood at the same time as he lifted me, immediately tugging me into his front once we were erect. He did just as he’d promised on all fronts. He protected me, he defended me, and he loved me. There was nothing more a girl could ask for.
Just as every couple does at the end of every cheesy romantic comedy movie, we stared into each other’s eyes with big smiles on our faces, silently acknowledging our plans for forever with each other.
“Claim me, Dom.”
He winked cheekily at me, his dimples seeming to do the same. “Oh, I’m going to claim you, sweetie. I’m going to rock your world.”
I smirked, unable to contain my amusement. “I thought you already had? I never would have stood naked with a boy in the middle of a city before you.”
He laughed a humorless laugh. “This is nothing. I want you howling my name naked in the middle of the city.”
“Who says you can make me howl?” I quirked a brow.
His eyes narrowed as I challenged him. “You don’t think I can?”
I knew my eyes sparkled with the light he gave me, with a spirit he encouraged within me. “No. I asked who gave you permission to make me howl?”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” His voice carried to us, jarring us from the moment.
Dom and I spun our attention to our alpha. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his gaze was averted. For the first time, he appeared uneasy. “Go upstairs. You have two hours before I’ll be back.”
I chuckled, feeling only a little sorry for Dan.
Nerves that weren’t there before slid into place as I met Dom’s intense stare. Gone was his humor; gone was the playfulness. Before me stood my mate, the man I would spend the rest of my life with, the only man or wolf I ever wanted to submit to again. His wolf was present, a faint glow in his eyes. It was in his eyes, in him that I found my strength. Dom made me the wolf, the woman I wanted to be, and in him, I became the wolf, the woman, I was.
“I love you, Dom.” I looked down at his hard, muscled body pressed against my soft one. He had the body of a future alpha, the body of a werewolf capable of protecting his own, the body of someone capable of claiming anyone he chose. It was humbling to know he was submitting to Nature and choosing me. “Claim me, Dominick.”
A wide grin split his face as mischief lit his eyes. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
I shrieked as he hoisted me into his arms. I clung to him ensuring he covered as much of me as possible as he carried me up to our new home, as he carried me into the better future I’d always longed for.
~*~
And when the day comes I must say goodbye
It’ll be with happy tears, not painful cries
For we will have lived a life of love and laughter
We both will have enjoyed our happily-ever-after
~*~
~~*~~
~*~
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Dominick and Sophie’s story.
For more information on the Future Alphas series, and my other titles, please visit: www.christinlovell.com
Thank you for picking up this book.
Christin
~*~
Curves & Courage Page 12
