Task Force Three and the Irish Jewel [The Men of Five-O #3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  William grabbed Brennan by the shoulder to stop him.

  Brennan growled as his eyes changed to that of a wolf, and Ava gasped in shock.

  He felt his incisors elongate and his temper flare at being stopped by William, yet his wolf senses kicked in and reminded him that Ava had mates.

  “I will protect her with my life.”

  “I am not letting her out of my sight,” William exclaimed as he grabbed Ava’s hand and led them out of the house and into the fields.

  Chapter 29

  It was chilly, and Ava was grateful for the thick wool sweater she had changed into earlier. She clutched it tightly against her chest as they escaped into the darkness.

  The others remained behind them, ready to fight and protect Ava. Now Angus stood beside Brennan and William. She could feel the tension between the men. Brennan had been her protector, her friend for her entire life. She loved him and respected him, but it seemed that he was holding something back. He was acting strangely toward her, and she noticed. The fact that William, Alpha wolf and one of her mates, was showing even greater concern over her was nerve-wracking. William would eye Brennan suspiciously, and Brennan remained close by Ava’s side. It was awkward.

  The sounds of fierce growls began to permeate the silence of the night. From where she stood behind a set of trees, Ava could hear the destruction taking place inside of the home. William gripped her hand tighter.

  She had a sensation in her gut that there were so many wolves attacking at once. Her concern grew for Pat, Kyle, Sean, and Mick. The fact that she could see nothing through the darkness made her feel susceptible and open for attack. She remembered that the wolves could see at night, and by the glowing of eyes around here, she knew her protectors were on guard.

  She clung to William’s arm. “Will the others be okay?” she asked, her teeth clattering as she spoke. It was a combination of fear and the chilling temperature. She was worried about Sean, Pat, Kyle, and Mick. She was worried about the other men, too.

  “There are too many,” William whispered as she watched his eyes glow as he stared into the distance. It was as if he could see what was happening, and she wondered if he were connected to his brothers through their mind link.

  “Willy?” She questioned him as she touched his cheek to make him look at her.

  “I can feel them and hear their thoughts, Ava. The same goes for the intensity of our love for you.”

  Ava was shocked at the intensity she felt, and as she remained silent, trying to digest the information, they pulled her farther away. The sensation inside her gut grew stronger. Somehow she knew that they needed help.

  Ava stopped Brennan, Angus, and William.

  “You have to go help them. You need to be with them, William.”

  “No. I will not leave you,” William insisted with a growl as he squeezed her hand tighter and pulled her further ahead.

  She planted her feet in one spot and forced him to stop moving.

  “No, William. They need you. Don’t ask me how I know. I just know that they do.”

  “I will go. You continue to walk further. Find a safe place to hide out until I send a signal,” Angus exclaimed then took off, shifting into a wolf and disappearing into the darkness.

  Suddenly both William and Brennan grabbed Ava. William stood in front of her, and she immediately placed her hands against his back as Brennan stood behind her with their backs against one another. They moved in a circle slowly, staring into the trees as if they saw something about to attack.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” Ava whispered.

  “We’ve got company,” William stated.

  Just as Ava clutched his shirt and gripped a fistful, two men jumped from the darkness and attacked. Both Brennan and William began to fight.

  Ava wasn’t sure what to do as the men exchanged swings and hits and then shifted to wolves. She tried to step out of the way but was struck in the side by a stray claw as the wolves fought. She screamed then covered her head and carefully planned her escape.

  Ava looked on the ground for some kind of weapon. There were sticks and some rocks but nothing that could possibly hurt a wolf or provide protection against one. She continued to step away from the wolves when someone grabbed her shoulder.

  Immediately on the defensive, she screamed then swung at him, making contact with his face. The man’s eyes glowed green as he lifted her by her hair and pulled her onto his shoulder. She screamed, kicked, and yelled as her scalp burned and her body bounced every time his feet hit the ground. He was running and then sprinting across the darkness as she continued to fight him. It was so dark she couldn’t even see the ground below them.

  “Let go of me!” she yelled as she continued to kick and scream. Her throat ached, and her voice cracked the more she yelled. She was frightened out of her mind the further she was taken away from her mates and Brennan.

  She hadn’t expected the direct hit to her body as the man slammed her onto the front hood of a vehicle. The intense, hard impact caused her to lose her breath and feel as if her spine had suffered injury. She gasped for air and the tears streamed down her face as she gulped like a fish trying to get air into her lungs.

  The man pulled her by her hair and shoved her into the backseat as another got into the driver’s side.

  The man was on top of her on the floor of the car, holding her down with his knee in her ribs and a handful of her hair tangled in his fingers.

  “The bitch is tough, that’s for sure. Fucking witch nearly got me back there,” the one attacker stated, and when she caught a glimpse of him in the light she was shocked to see that it was Pete, Fenly’s guard, and she could see that his lip was bleeding and his eye was beginning to swell.

  “Let’s get her to Fenly and be done with this,” the other one stated, and she recognized his voice. It was Miller. Her stomach sank, and her body began to shake with anger and fear combined. They were bringing her back to Fenly. He was going to demand to know where the Jewel was, and then he was going to kill her. The tears stung her eyes as she thought about her mates. This was it. She was never going to see them again unless they got away. But even then it might be too late for her.

  * * * *

  Brennan, Angus, and Willy fought side by side, snapping necks like twigs as Ava’s cries of fear echoed through the woods. They couldn’t get to her. Each time William took out one of Fenly’s wolves, another took its place and then another after that. It was crazy, and he was incredibly angry and worried about Ava.

  The battle seemed to go on for an unnatural period of time. He could feel himself losing strength, feeling like he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer, when suddenly there were fewer and fewer wolves attacking, and ultimately they won the battle.

  As he killed the last wolf he fell to his knees and tried to catch his breath.

  “Fuck!” William heard his brother Mick yell as he fell to his knees next to William. William wanted to run to get to his mate, but he knew she was gone, and he knew he couldn’t quite move yet. The others slowly joined them, taking stock of all the bodies around them.

  “The only ones that got away were the ones who took your mate,” Angus stated as William slowly rose to his feet.

  “We have to track them,” William responded.

  “Ava? They got Ava?” Brennan asked as he emerged from the darkness, looking just as tired and worn as the others.

  “They grabbed her when we were attacked. I heard her screams,” William stated as he looked off into the direction the wolves had taken her. He knew they were Fenly’s men and that they were bringing her to the castle.

  “We need to get to her. Fenly cannot have her,” Brennan yelled as he grabbed William by the shoulder and shook him. William pulled away from Brennan and growled along with his brothers who now took position beside him. Brennan looked shocked, but he stood his ground. “We have to regroup. We must stop him,” Brennan added then began to pace.

  “We have to make a plan. I’m not run
ning in there blinded by my anger. We need a plan to get the upper hand.”

  “We do not have time to plan something strategic, Alpha. Ava will be killed.”

  William ground his teeth and stared at Brennan.

  “He’ll want her to tell him where the Jewel is. Ava’s smart, she can give us the time we need. We could be ready to attack in less than an hour,” Mick added to the conversation.

  “You don’t have an hour. Once he knows that she doesn’t know where the Jewel is, he will have his way with her then kill her. He knows that the five of you are her mates. He wanted her for himself.”

  “He wants the Jewel, the fortune, and the power,” Sean stated.

  “He’ll have all of that and then some if he chooses to force Ava into a marriage.”

  “She is mated to us!” Pat yelled at Brennan as he stepped toward him.

  All eyes were on Brennan as he took a deep breath and stared at Ava’s mates as well as the men of Fennigan pack.

  “Before Patrick died he had chosen a second-in-command to take his place. I am the King of the Secret Order,” Brennan stated, and they were shocked as they stared at him. It was Angus and his brothers who bowed first and then Declan pack.

  “There is more. Ava is…the Jewel of Ireland,” Brennan revealed, and they all gasped.

  They were silent as his words sunk in.

  “We cannot wait. Gather the men, anyone who is loyal to the King, the Circle, and the Secret Order. We leave in five minutes,” William announced, and they began to gather their army in preparation to save their mate and their leaders.

  Chapter 30

  The moment Miller opened the door, she scrambled out, falling to her knees then quickly getting up, prepared to run. She never expected the fist to her ribs or the strike to her gut by both men as she fell back down to the ground. She tried to catch her breath, but they had knocked the wind out of her and caused massive pain. It was Miller who threw her over his shoulder and carried her into the castle.

  She heard the shrieks of upset and surprise by staff she knew all her life as they saw she was alive and back inside of the castle.

  “Oh sweet Jesus. What have ya done ta her?” Mary, one of the maids and caregivers, asked as she began to move toward Ava.

  “Go back to work. I will deal with her.”

  Ava turned to see Mary hurry away as Fenly appeared and a small smile of triumph filled his face.

  He walked closer to her, looked her body over with eyes that clearly stated his intentions until he was inches from her body, staring down at her as he inhaled.

  “I can smell their stench on you. You dare insult me like this.”

  Ava did everything she could not to spit in his face or verbally attack him. She wasn’t sure where her next move lay, but she was certain that her men, Brennan, and Fennigan pack were on their way. She just needed time to stall.

  He reached for her cheek, slowly, but she still flinched at his approach, which only turned the Alpha wolf on more. He knew that he could intimidate her and that he currently had the upper hand. She would not give in to his demands. She would not allow him to have her. She would rather die.

  He clutched her cheek, and she closed her eyes, willed the disgust and anger away best she could. But then he moved closer.

  She felt his other hand glide along her hip bone then across her ribs before resting on her breast.

  She attempted to pull away, but with precision and speed, he held her neck beneath her hair and maneuvered his thigh between her legs. He was tall and large, a definite force to reckon with, and he appeared determined.

  “Your breasts are perfect Ava, just like you are. So sweet, so innocent you were before fleeing to New York. Before those lowlife wolves got their paws on you. I searched for you. I’ve wanted you to share in this wealth and in the new world I would be King of.” He nuzzled along her neck and inhaled.

  “You reek of them. You chose some lowly pieces of crap over someone like me?” he stated then yanked her head back, revealing her neck and her shoulder to his view. His eyes grew wide, and they changed color, revealing his wolf before he spoke again.

  “They marked you,” he stated as he abruptly released her, causing her to lose her balance and land near the couch. Ava arose quickly, prepared to defend herself best she could.

  “They will die for that, and then you will belong to me. Now tell me where the Jewel is. Tell me where your father hid it,” he demanded to know as she slowly stepped farther away.

  “I don’t know where it is. He never even mentioned the Jewel before.”

  “Liar! I know he told you where it was. He confided in you with everything. You were practically running his businesses.”

  “I know nothing, Fenly.”

  He took two steps toward her, striking her across the cheek. She took the hit but would not fall. Instead the anger and hatred for this man grew stronger.

  He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along with him toward the stairs.

  “I have ways to make you talk, Ava. Ways to make you succumb to my total command. You will be mine. All mine in every way. There is no other life out there. What happened in New York and with those wolves is over now. You are mine.” He growled as he dragged her up the staircase despite her continued efforts to fight him.

  She fell to the steps numerous times, trying to stop him from bringing her to the bedroom, but she was no match for his strength.

  When he reached her bedroom door, he threw her inside and onto the bed.

  “Take off your clothes or I will do it for you.”

  She shook her head as she absorbed his glowing eyes, the feral look of hatred and anger spewing from his tone and body language. This was going to be painful.

  “I hate you, Fenly. I will never be yours,” she screamed, and he launched himself toward her. She rolled to the side as he reached out, grabbed ahold of her, and tumbled to the bedroom carpeting with her. She began swinging her arms, trying to fight him off. He struck her face, stunning her a moment before grabbing her wrists and holding them above her head as he straddled her waist.

  “Stop fighting me, Ava. We are going to consummate this relationship whether you are awake or unconscious.”

  “I will always fight you. I’ll never stay here with you.”

  He smirked as he leaned closer to her face.

  “I’m going to fuck you, Ava, mark you my mate by biting into your neck and sealing your fate, and then I’m going to break your leg. If you try again to escape or I even think that you’re planning something, I’ll break your leg again so you can’t move for months. I’m not playing around, Ava. I’ve had two years to plan this.”

  Ava was shocked at his words.

  “You sick bastard. What in the world is wrong with you?” she asked, uncertain that Fenly was sane.

  He moved closer, his lips inches from hers.

  “You are going to be all mine, Ava. Get ready,” he whispered then covered her mouth with his own. She tried to stop him, but he clutched both her wrists with one hand, restraining her as he used his other hand to explore her body. There was no way to fight him. He was so big and strong, and she knew that he could kill her with one twist from his hands. She felt the sweater rip then his hand grope her breasts as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t scream as his scent filled her insides and made her feel like vomiting.

  Oh God, please let them come. Please let them save me.

  Ava felt his hand move away from her breasts a small sensation of relief filled her belly until she felt his hand push under the waist of her jeans.

  She wiggled her hips, trying to free herself from his control. Then she felt something sharp, realizing that his nails turned to claws and cut away the material from her thighs.

  “Please stop! No, Fenly, please!” she screamed as she tossed side to side from underneath him. She felt the pain radiate through her body as she attempted to get free. Her hip pulled, the muscles in her neck and shoulder strained f
or relief, but he was just too damn strong. She cried out for him to stop, and she sobbed for help.

  He released her lips and licked down her throat and over her neck.

  “Mine,” he stated, using his torso to shove her legs apart as he held her hands above her. She couldn’t fight him. He had massive strength, and now her legs were spread over his shoulders, her mound in front of his face.

  He closed his eyes and inhaled as she cried.

  “Let’s get you ready.” He stroked his tongue across her panties up then down before she felt his teeth replace his tongue. She screamed out in pain just as the door to the bedroom swung open.

  “Fenly, they’re here. They’re invading the castle,” Pete stated, and Fenly quickly rose up, dragging Ava up with him. The room spun, and Ava tried to turn away from Fenly.

  Her panties hung loosely against her body, and her bra and sweater were torn, barely covering her breasts.

  “You guard her, while I take care of the problem outside.”

  “She got away the last time, Fenly. Should I bring her somewhere else?” Pete asked.

  “Stay in here with her. If she tries to escape just tie her to the bed. She’ll be in that bed most of the time anyway. She might as well get used to it,” Fenly stated then grabbed her face and shook it.

  “Don’t try anything, Ava. Remember what I told you earlier,” he said then walked out of the room.

  Ava felt the tears roll down her cheeks. She couldn’t fight Fenly alone. She couldn’t fight this guy Pete either. What was she going to do?

  Chapter 31

  Brennan led Fennigan pack as well as Dolberg and Fagan pack through the hidden tunnels beneath the castle. They spread out with numerous men taking each section of the castle, prepared to simultaneously attack. Outside the front gates, William and his brothers took position. They were going to head through the front doors with the other men. As William had predicted, Fenly stood pompously alongside numerous men.