by J. J. Massa
“You’re my baby, Baby, this is my pup.” He moved down to kiss the little bulge below her bellybutton, tugging the panties over her hips and down her legs.
“I think Mykle is sleepy.” Mya looked at him through half-lidded eyes.
“Let’s rock him to sleep, hmm?”
“Yeah, let’s put our baby to sleep.” She stretched with a come-hither grin.
Lakon cupped her burgeoning breasts and kneaded them, pinching and rolling her nipples lightly. Scraping his jeans off, he rose above her and nudged her legs apart with his knee.
He slid between her parted thighs and buried himself deep inside of her. The feeling of completion overwhelmed him and his eyes grew moist. My mate and my pup, right here in my arms.
They made love slowly and luxuriously. There was no urgency in either his or her climax. Instead it was a loving sharing. Mya and Mykle fell asleep in Lakon’s arms. After an hour or so of watching his mate sleep with his baby inside her, Lakon drifted off as well.
* * * *
Home of Beauford and Anita Montgomery
Johnson City, TN
Tavist Darke was enjoying his visit with Beauford and Anita Montgomery. Although he’d bought some land and settled in North Georgia, he liked to get out and visit his friends. As an artist, he wasn’t restricted to any certain place or time frame. He liked the freedom.
He’d been filled in on Lakon’s big news and he was thrilled for him. They’d just finished a thick steak apiece when the phone rang. Beauford answered the phone.
“Holy Shit!” yelled Beauford. “Damn it! When?” He listened for another minute or two. When he hung up, he turned to Tav.
“What’s up?” Tav asked him. He didn’t waste words.
“Auggie Livingston’s escaped. He’s been bitching about Lakon and Mya a lot.” Beauford rubbed his face with a large hand. “Hell and damnation!”
“You head to Riker’s. I’ll head to Mya’s cabin. Which way did they go into the trees? I can follow Lake’s scent.”
Beauford would drive like a fiend, Tav knew. Anita would be on the phone to Riker and Elke. He also knew that Mik would be heading home with Mya’s brother. Visiting Mik had been his next planned stop.
As he made his way through the woods, he found himself praying and begging to Lakon in his mind. Please, Lake, please don’t leave that girl alone. Stay with her, man.
* * * *
Cabin North of Blowing Rock, NC and South of Johnson City, TN
Mya puttered around the little cabin, almost wishing they never had to leave. After much discussion, they’d decided to leave for Lakon’s house in Franklin the next morning. Lakon had gone into town to get a car.
He’d park it at the edge of the woods about a mile from her little cabin. It would be a pleasant walk, if a little chilly.
She was placing candles around. She wanted to have a really romantic evening on their last night alone together. Just her, Lakon, and baby Mykle, nestled safe inside of her.
As she was making the bed, the door opened. Lakon wouldn’t have had enough time to get there and get back, she knew. Whipping around, she saw a man she didn’t know. He favored Yancey just a tiny bit but had lighter red hair, she noticed distractedly.
“Ahh, Mya Brooks Montgomery. You’re even lovelier in person. I’m August Livingston.” Her eyes must’ve widened because he said, “I see you’ve heard of me?”
Stepping inside the cabin he looked around. “Cozy,” he observed. Then his eyes narrowed. “So, sweet little lady, take that shirt off, I want to see what the pretty boy did to you.”
“It’s practically healed,” she choked out.
In a few strides, he was in front of her. Ripping the shirt open he could no doubt see that her wound was much improved.
“Doesn’t matter, he’ll still look bad to…” suddenly the man grabbed her by both arms. “A pup!” he lifted her to his nose, sniffing between her naked breasts. “You are not going to ruin my plans!” he roared, shaking her.
“Please, let me go. Don’t hurt my baby!” She struggled in his grip.
“Your baby? You mean Lakon Montgomery’s pup, don’t you?” He leaned down and licked her from her navel to her sternum. “Mmmm. Little Mommy, you taste as lovely as the other mommy did. I guess I have a taste for Montgomery mommies…”
He licked her breast and sucked at her nipple as she struggled and cried out. “No, please no, just leave me alone! Lakon will—Lakon is—He’ll be right back!” she screamed, sobbing.
“I wish he was, pretty, sweet, tasty Little Mommy,” he snarled. “I’d love for him to watch what I’m going to do to you.”
Mya panicked, kicking him hard between the legs. He dropped her with an angry bellow. As soon as she hit the floor, she scrambled backward, throwing heavy candles at him whenever she could grab one.
Auggie began laughing. “You are going to be so much fun, Little Mommy,” he leered.
“Auggie, you aren’t supposed to hurt her!” Mya knew that voice. It was Cherese.
“Cherese!” she screamed. “Help me! Help my baby!”
“Gil!” Auggie bellowed. “GET HER OUT OF HERE!”
“Gil!” screamed Mya.
“Oh no, lovely lady!” She heard his voice get deeper and more guttural. “No, no,” he said in his now thick, bestial voice. “We’re going to get to know each other.”
“No, please no!” she sobbed. He’d ripped his shirt off and his pants.
She heard the popping and snapping noise of bones and cartilage changing shape. He wasn’t transforming into a wolf, her horrified mind realized. He was changing into a wolf-man.
The hand that grabbed her ankle had long razor-sharp claws and was covered at the back with hair. That hair traveled up his elongated arms to his barrel shaped chest.
The hair on his upper chest was thicker as was the hair on his neck and back. In horror, she saw that it thinned and became shorter as she glanced down at his abdomen. His penis was grossly oversized and obscene. His legs appeared to be on backward and arched out behind him.
Some part of her mind noticed that his coat had red in it like his hair and that his face was slightly pointed and so were his ears.
He jerked her toward him kicking and screaming as he reached for the waist on her pants. He pulled them down a little way and then sliced them off of her along with her panties.
“I’m the jackpot winner tonight folks,” he rumbled maliciously. “I get the girl, I get rid of the pup and I can still walk away with the pack!”
With all of her strength, Mya propelled her head into Auggie’s face. She saw stars as she connected. She knew vaguely that she had hurt him because he roared in pain and threw her across the room.
“Lakon,” she mumbled, “Mykle,” she whimpered, hitting the table and chairs with a crash.
The pain in her lower back was the last thing she knew before she lost consciousness.
* * * *
Tav had heard Mya screaming, “Cherese! Help me! Help my baby!”
He ran harder and harder. He heard savage scuffling in the woods in front of him and saw a male Were attacking a female. He jumped on the male and tossed him away.
“NO,” screamed the female. “Help Mya! Auggie’s hurting her!”
Another male Were came at them and the girl attacked him. He heard Mya sobbing, “No, please no!” and he ripped at a chunk of the male’s flesh and ran faster toward her.
He heard Auggie’s roar at the same time that he spotted the open cabin door. He burst through it and onto the half-man/half-Were that was bending over Mya’s crumpled body.
Tav and Auggie began grappling—Tav was still in wolf form and Auggie still in half form. Another werewolf came shooting through the door and hit him with a body blow. Tav saw Auggie escape through the open door. The second werewolf followed him.
As he transformed into human form, he heard someone limping toward him. The girl Were who’d tried to help made her painful way to the cabin. Further away, he heard a wolf ru
nning and hoped it was Lakon. He called out a howl as he crawled over to Mya.
She was lying in a pool of blood, hemorrhaging vaginally. Tav grabbed something—her pants maybe—and stuffed them between her legs. He wrapped her in a sheet and lifted her.
Carrying Mya, he began walking back the way he’d come, calling out to Lakon. The female Were turned and followed him. She was pretty beat up, too.
Lakon burst through the trees in front of him, transforming as he went. “Mya!” he yelled.
Tav placed Lakon’s mate in his arms. For one second, Lakon’s anguished eyes locked on his. Then Lakon turned and began jogging through the trees toward the car he’d parked almost a mile away.
He imparted that information to Tav as they jogged. Halfway to the car, Cherese found and had snatched up the clothes Lakon had been wearing when he’d changed to wolf form. She pulled his shirt on and kept the pants for him. When they reached the car, Tav transformed again into wolf form.
“Get her to the hospital and I’ll find a phone and call Anita to make sure someone meets you. I’ll be there pretty quick.”
*
Cherese took the keys from Lakon’s pants and opened the passenger door for him. She got in the driver’s seat and headed for the hospital. She’d been to Johnson City Tennessee plenty of times. She knew her way around.
When they pulled up at the Emergency Room entrance they were met by a doctor and two orderlies with a gurney. Cherese handed Lakon his pants and he pulled them on.
“I’m sorry Mr. Montgomery.” They stopped him as he tried to follow them into the treatment room. Lakon snarled menacingly. “Sir, it’s best.”
A lady handed her some scrub pants and she saw a big, red-haired man grab Lakon. “Son, they’re goanna do whatever they can. We don’t want to get in their way.” He led Lakon a little ways away from the group.
“Young lady,” the southern-voiced man said to Cherese, “I’m Beauford Montgomery. What’s your name?”
“I’m Cherese Livingston,” she began. “Lakon, I’m so sorry. This is partly … I didn’t know…”
“This is my wife, Dr. Anita Livingston Montgomery. Now I want you to let her treat your wounds. Lake, Tav has already called Mik, Riker, and Yancey.” Before Lakon could say anything, Beauford went on. “Myles is with Mik and Riker.”
“Dr. Livingston—I—I—I mean Montgomery…” Cherese had to clear her conscience.
“You work for me!” Lakon looked hard at Cherese.
“I didn’t know he would hurt her. I didn’t know!” Cherese was struggling not to cry.
Lakon growled threateningly.
“Lake, that’s not gonna help right now. Cherese, just tell us what happened.” Beauford’s voice and manner were soothing.
“I was mad at Lakon for choosing Mya and not noticing me.” She heard her voice crack. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Just tell us what happened, Cherese. We’ve got to stop him.” Beauford continued to stay calm. Cherese knew that Lakon was holding on by a thread.
“He—my brother told me that August Livingston was going to be Alpha and that Lakon and Mya had broken up. He said August needed my help and he’d make sure that Lakon noticed me.” She felt so rotten.
“He wasn’t wrong about that, I noticed you,” growled Lakon.
“August and Roland went down to the cabin a few nights ago. When they came back, Auggie was so sure that he had the key to becoming Alpha. He said that Lakon had hurt Mya and that Riker and Mik were covering for him.”
“Go on,” rumbled Lakon.
“He told me that if I wanted to mate with an Alpha, I had to get naked right away. He told my brother not to help me or he would only be a lower gamma when he took over.” She couldn’t hold back a sob. “I couldn’t fight him. He was in half form. But he swore that he wouldn’t do that to her. He said all he needed was to show her injury to the pack. That’s all.”
“What happened next, Cherese?” Anita had her arm around her and Cherese was glad for the comfort.
“After Lakon left the cabin today, Auggie got us all together to go there. He swore he just wanted to take her before the pack. Then he realized she was pregnant and that Mya wouldn’t speak against Lakon. He said he wished Lakon could see what he was going to do to her.”
“And then?” Anita encouraged her.
“He started changing and I tried to stop him. He had Gil and Roland drag me away.” She was sobbing but trying to hold it in. “That other Were came and tried to stop him but it was too late. She’d already begun screaming. He said he’d get the girl, get rid of the pup, and walk away with the pack. I don’t know what happened but he yelled out and I heard a terrible crash.”
She saw that Lakon was white faced under his usually tanned complexion.
Everybody turned when a doctor entered from the treatment room. “Mr. Montgomery—Lakon. I’m Dr. Yves Montgomery. Your mate has a fair chance of survival. We’ll have to do surgery. She’s lost a lot of blood and she’s in and out. She’s definitely in shock.”
“Our pup?” Lakon whispered. “Mykle?”
“I’m sorry, sir.” The doctor shook his head.
Cherese saw Lakon Montgomery clutching his friend Beauford, trying to hold on.
He followed the doctor through the double doors. Cherese was led away to another treatment room.
* * * *
Johnson City Medical Center
Johnson City, TN
Lakon stood in the parking lot behind the hospital and lifted his head in a gut wrenching, mournful howl. He could smell his father and his brother and—somebody or something Montgomery was with them. When he looked up, he saw Riker, Mik and Myles coming toward him. Tav, Bethany and Yancey were behind them.
He had only seconds to note that Myles’ handsome face was twisted in a feral snarl and his teeth had lengthened into lupine fangs. Myles shot across the parking lot and had him by the neck before Lakon realized his intent.
Lakon’s own teeth lengthened and he wrapped his hands around Myles throat. Someone was going to die at Lakon’s hands tonight. Maybe many. Myles might be the first.
The two men were rolling on the ground wrestling with each other when Mik landed on top of them. His hackles were raised and his ears were up. They had released each other and were on their backs with Mik standing half on one and half on the other of them.
Fangs bared and drooling, Mik snarled, “Do either one of you think you can help Mya this way? I promised that little girl I’d kick my boys asses if she got hurt again. You both smell like my boys. You ready to get your asses kicked? Turns out, I’m in the mood.”
Neither man made a sound so Mik moved backward off of them. Riker moved to help Myles up and Tav and Yancey moved to Lakon. Bethany stood back, out of the way. She was crying softly. Mik looked from Lakon to Myles and back again.
“We’ve lost a pup tonight,” his rumbling baritone faltered. “Our little girl is up there hurt and abused, maybe fighting for her life. Are you two rabid dogs going to make her choose between you or are you going to act like brothers?”
Myles turned to Lakon and growled. Lakon snarled back. Mik advanced on them rumbling a menacing growl.
“You hurt her, man,” Myles growled.
“I know I did. I’ll never forgive myself. Never. But I love her and she loves me. Our pup—our pup…” He couldn’t finish.
He felt his eyes begin to fill. Before he knew it, Myles grabbed him and wrapped his arms around him. Lakon could feel the younger man’s sobs. He couldn’t hold back his own.
After a minute or two, the men managed to pull themselves together. “We’ve got to stop that bastard,” Lakon gritted when he could talk again.
“I’m coming with you this time, Lake” Yancey spoke up.
“Yancey, I think your brother’s going to die tonight. Are you sure you want to be there?” Tav asked him gently.
“You guys are my brothers. He’s a dangerous animal that needs to be put down. I’m coming with you,�
�� Yancey stated firmly.
Lakon wrapped an arm around Yancey’s shoulders. Myles did the same.
“Riker, you and Bet will stay here and look after Mya?” Mik turned the group back toward the hospital.
“Yeah, we’ll stay.” Riker had Bethany tucked protectively under his arm.
“Tav,” Lakon said low, “Go walk with Bet, I need a minute with Riker, okay?”
Tav moved forward. Both men knew that Tav would hear what Lakon said to Riker. That was fine. Lakon just didn’t want Bethany to hear him.
When Riker dropped back, Lakon slowed Myles down so that the three of them walked together. “You know it’s possible that Auggie will try to come here, right?” Lakon said. “He might have some crazy idea of getting both Mya and Bet.”
Riker nodded. “I’ll get Beauford Montgomery to call the group that helped last time. His Beta got numbers for all the Montgomery’s and Livingston’s who were there. They have his scent.”
*
“Wait, Lake,” Riker stopped him. “You guys, give me a minute. Myles, take Bet upstairs.” Myles looked at him for a long minute and then did as he asked.
Lakon turned to his brother and looked at him. Riker didn’t know how to handle the pain in his brother’s eyes.
“It’s my fault. I’m sorry, brother. It’s my fault.” Riker struggled against breaking down. Maybe it was selfish, but he had to talk to Lakon about this now.
“Riker, don’t man. It was Auggie, he’s an animal,” Lakon growled.
“Lake, you’re my brother, my twin. I challenged you and you know it. You know it,” he insisted turning away.
“What do you want from me, Rike? You want me to fight you? What?” He grabbed his brother by the shoulder and jerked him around to face him. “You want me to admit that I wanted Bet? I did, you know I did. I had her in my car next to me. You don’t think I wanted to keep on driving? How about when I tackled her on the side of the road? It’s a damn good thing she sprayed that shit in my eyes!” Lakon snarled shoving Riker away.
“Lake, if I hadn’t challenged you, you wouldn’t have…” Riker couldn’t finish.
“Wouldn’t have what, brother?” Lakon gritted. “Wouldn’t have practically raped my own mate—my own wife? Wouldn’t have bit through her shoulder? Wouldn’t have hurt her and scared her so bad that she ran for the hills?”
