Wolf Out of Water: Mythic Series, Book 4

by Abbie Zanders

  Of the challengers, there were only two that warranted real concern. One was Helen, who had actually fought in the Women’s UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) circuit before she was nearly outed as a Were. Helen had no interest in Lucas (her tastes didn’t even run that way), but she did like to fight and fight hard.

  The other was Lucinda. Lucy did want Lucas. For as long as she could remember, Lucy had been telling everyone she was going to be Alpha female someday, and had been warming Lucas’ bed for a number of years to increase the odds. As far as Lucy was concerned, she already was Lucas’ mate. She wasn’t as big or as skilled as Helen, but she did like to fight dirty and had a hell of a lot to lose.

  * * *

  As outwardly confident as he was, Matt was a little worried on the inside. He couldn’t help it. It was in his DNA to protect that which was his, and Jessie most definitely fell into that category. He also knew that he was greatly outnumbered and in hostile territory, and that the best chance for success came down to the timing.

  Despite the fact that Lucas was much older and more experienced, Matt would take him down -—or die trying. It was everyone else he was worried about. Once he challenged the Alpha, all hell was going to break loose, and Matt wanted to keep the collateral damage to a minimum. From what Malcolm had been able to glean, most of Lucas’ pack would be glad to see him go, but there were always a few who had undoubtedly risen in the ranks on Lucas’ patronage more than their own abilities. Bullying suck-ups and ass-kissers who knew what side their bread was buttered on and would do what they could to stay in Lucas’s good graces and keep him in power.

  Matt’s guys already had their orders: in the event something happened to him, they were to take Jessie and her family and get the hell out of there. Brandon and Jason were charged with keeping Lucas’s inner circle out of play until everyone was safe. They hadn’t been happy with that plan, but once he reminded them of their blood oath to the pack -—and to him -—they had no choice but to go along with it. The mage and the vampire were not bound by such an oath, but agreed as well.

  Using concealment charms Brandon had created (based on the one Jessie had been wearing), they crept toward the clearing, unseen and unheard. The moon was full up above, enhancing the power of the bespelled stones, but they probably hadn’t even needed them. The entire focus of the gathered crowd, including the so-called guards, was on the action in the makeshift ring.

  Matt sucked in a breath when he first spotted her. She was magnificent! Every bit as beautiful as he remembered, but ten times as fierce. She kicked and leapt and struck with mesmerizing grace and incredible accuracy.

  “We are so putting her in charge of training,” Malcolm breathed after watching her for a few minutes, in which she had taken out three opponents with ease. “Your mate can kick some serious ass, Matt.”

  Matt grunted in acknowledgement, but inside, his chest swelled with pride. That was his mate.

  Chapter 12 - Taking Care of Business

  Jessie blinked away the sweat dripping down into her eyes; she didn’t dare let her guard down for even the second or two it would take to wipe it away. As expected, it had come down to the three of them -—Helen, Lucy, and her.

  In a half crouch, she pivoted, trying to keep both in her sights at the same time. The two females seemed to have teamed up against her. Like a light bulb flaring to life right above her head, Jessie realized that that was probably Lucinda’s plan all along. The cunning she-wolf was most likely paying Helen to weaken her, then Lucinda would come in at the last second and claim victory. A glance toward Lucas and the scowl on his face supported her theory.

  That brief distraction cost her. Lucy launched herself at Jessie. When Jessie leaned away to avoid a direct hit, Helen dove in from the side, sweeping out her legs from under her. Jessie felt her tibia give way. Or was that her fibula? Biology had never been one of her better subjects.

  Before the pain even had a chance to fully register, Jessie shoved it far to the back of her mind and reached out to grab Helen by the straps of her skin-tight tank, making sure her claw-like nails dug deep. She used their combined momentum to keep Helen beneath her, ensuring that the other woman also received a firm elbow right beneath the ribs in an attempt to knock the wind out of her as they went down.

  Helen’s oomph was satisfying, but there was no time to enjoy it. A second later, Lucinda was right back on top of her, alternately trying to rip off her skull cap and scratch her face.

  “Get up, Jessie. Get up and kick that heifer’s ass.”

  It was barely more than a whisper; it shouldn’t even have been audible over the cheers and taunts of the rowdy crowd, but it got Jessie’s immediate attention.

  Matt?

  Clearly she must have taken a few shots to the head if she was hearing his voice. She shook out the cobwebs and tried to focus through the pain of Helen groping at her broken leg and twisting beneath her and Lucinda’s beefy forearm currently crushing her windpipe.

  Except she heard it again, still soft but more urgent. “Come on, baby. Finish her off.”

  It didn’t make any sense. How could Matt be here? For a brief moment Jessie’s heart soared, bringing to mind the dreams from her deepest heart -—that against all odds, Matt would find her and that he would somehow find a way for them to be together and keep her family safe.

  Jessie tried to look past Lucinda’s big frame, but the little dots now dancing through her vision kept her from seeing clearly. But it didn’t matter. Even if her mind was playing tricks on her, the words were a timely reminder that her family’s safety and welfare depended on her victory.

  She used that to relight the fire in her blood, reaching past the pain to fuel the rage that would give her the strength she needed. When Helen shifted to get a better grip on Jessie’s smooth-shaven, oily skin, Jessie twisted her good leg enough to find purchase on the ground. Then she bucked suddenly and violently upwards, launching Lucinda over her head.

  Without Lucy’s crushing weight, Jessie gasped in a big lungful of air, which cleared most of the swimming dots. Between one heartbeat and the next, she flipped over and jammed her knee right into Helen’s ribs while raining blows down on her face.

  “Roll and block!” Matt’s disembodied voice whispered to her once again, and this time Jessie didn’t waste a single moment trying to rationalize it. She grabbed the straps of Helen’s tank and threw herself backward, taking Helen with her. A heartbeat later she felt the impact as Lucinda charged, but Helen took the brunt of it with her back and lost her hold on Jessie.

  “You stupid bitch!” Helen roared back at Lucinda. Jessie took the opportunity to scramble backward and draw herself up. With one leg broken, she was forced to put all of her weight on the other Karate Kid style, but it would have to be enough.

  “Get her!” Lucinda screamed. “What are you waiting for?”

  Helen swiped at the blood from her broken nose and looked at Jessie as if she couldn’t believe she was still standing. Shaking her head, she advanced toward Jessie, making her hop backward and away from Lucinda.

  “What is with you?” Helen said as she swung. It looked realistic enough, but Jesse knew she had pulled the punch. Jessie had felt firsthand the force behind one of Helen’s hits, and this one fell far from the mark.

  “Why not let her have the Alpha?” Helen asked under her breath. “You don’t really want him, do you?”

  “No,” Jessie said quietly, ducking another punch and making a few jabs of her own. “Lucas is going after my family if I don’t win this.”

  Helen spun out of Jessie’s reach and got behind her, burying her fist in her hair and yanking Jessie backwards. Again, it could have been a lot harder than it was. “No lie?”

  “No lie,” Jessie breathed. “I hate that bastard.”

  “If I find out you’re lying to me, I’m coming after you, you hear? Now reach around and grab me behind my neck. Bend forward and toss me over your back, but make it look good.”

  Jessie didn’
t understand what Helen was doing, but she went with it. She wavered a little until she found her center of balance, then did exactly what Helen had said. Helen twisted in mid-air and landed hard on her back. Jessie went down with her knee in Helen’s chest and a hand around her throat, placing considerable pressure on Helen’s carotid artery.

  “Do it,” Helen hissed. “Take Lucinda down, but stay away from her midsection. She’s carrying Lucas’s pups. One shot, left temple should do it.”

  Jessie’s eyes widened in shock, but nodded. Seconds later, Helen stopped struggling as she passed out from the pressure against her artery. An inhuman shriek rent the air, cutting through the din of the crowd. Jessie turned just in time to see Lucinda bearing down on her, eyes wild.

  “You can’t have him!” Lucinda screeched. “He’s mine!”

  Adjusting her weight slightly so that Helen could breathe easier, Jessie rebalanced herself. She kept her center of gravity low and let her right arm hang limp as if injured. Lucinda advanced and raised her arm; Jessie leaned back slightly and put her left arm over her face as if to block the blow.

  “Lucas. Is. Mine.” Lucinda grinned wickedly and twisted at the waist, pulling her arm back even further. Just as she started bringing the punch forward, Jessie curled her right hand into a fist and lunged, concentrating all of her weight and power into the hit.

  By the time Lucinda saw it coming, it was too late. The force of the blow snapped Lucinda’s head back with a sickening crunch. Jessie saw her eyes roll back in her head before she even hit the ground.

  For several long moments the crowd was silent, then it erupted into ear-splitting cheers.

  Jessie wiped the blood away from her nose and mouth with the back of her hand, then looked up at the Council. Lucas was standing, his mouth curved into a wicked grin and his eyes filled with heavy amounts of both triumph and lust.

  “The winner!” he proclaimed, holding his hand out to Jessie. “And your new Alpha female!”

  “Not so fast,” said an all-too-familiar voice. The crowd parted as a lone male stalked toward the raised platform. “By the laws and guidelines of the Were High Council, I challenge the Alpha for his mate.”

  Jessie looked at Matt, torn between wanting to leap into his arms and an overwhelming desire to beat him senseless. “What the hell do you think you are doing?” she hissed.

  Matt looked over at her and winked. “Saving my mate, of course.”

  Jessie’s gaze, along with everyone else’s, turned back toward Lucas to see his reaction. For all intents and purposes, he looked bored, but Jessie could see the rage simmering just below the surface.

  “And who are you to challenge for my mate?” Lucas asked smoothly.

  “Matthew Gullwolff,” Matt said with easy confidence. “Alpha of the Mythic pack.”

  Murmurs went throughout the crowd upon hearing the name and the pack. Jessie inhaled sharply. She had no idea her Matt was that Matt. Everyone had heard rumors about the Mythic pack and their leader; it was considered one of the strongest and best packs on the Eastern seaboard.

  But none of that mattered now. “Matt, stop. You can’t do this. My family - ”

  “Is under my protection at this very moment,” he said softly without taking his eyes off of Lucas. “So go get those injuries taken care of and let me handle this, all right?”

  Jessie put both hands on her hips. “Are you serious?”

  “Babe, you’ve already won your fight. Now sit back and watch your mate win his.”

  Despite the gravity of the situation, Jessie’s lips quirked as hope began to blossom in her chest. “You’ve got this then?”

  Matt smiled. “Yeah, I got this.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this, pup?” Lucas interrupted, raising his hand and waving it at the makeshift arena.

  “Yeah. I’m sure.”

  “Do you even know who I am?”

  “Yeah. You’re the guy who thinks that fear is the same as respect. The one who has to threaten a female’s family to get her to agree to mate with him.”

  Lucas’ expression hardened, his eyes blazed with anger. “You insolent little whelp!“

  “Enough stalling, old man. Do you accept my challenge or not?”

  It was silent enough to hear a pin drop as everyone held their breath, waiting for Lucas’ answer. Matt knew he had caught the Alpha off guard by putting him on the spot like that. It had been part of the plan. Half of any battle was mental, and Matt would take any advantage he could. Physically speaking, Lucas was slightly bigger and definitely more experienced, but Matt hoped he’d gotten a little lazy over the years, leaving the terrorizing to the bullying sycophants and brown-nosers he’d surrounded himself with.

  “I accept your challenge,” Lucas said finally. He didn’t appear happy about it, but Matt had left him little choice by calling him out in front of his entire pack. If Lucas didn’t accept, he would be seen as weak. Any leader who ruled the way Lucas did, by inciting terror and fear, needed that image of invincibility to remain in power.

  Lucas made a big show of removing his shirt and cracking his neck and knuckles.

  “Ground rules?” Matt asked.

  “Only one,” Lucas said. “The only rule is, there are no rules.”

  “Just what I was hoping to hear,” Matt growled through a fierce smile. It was no less than expected. Scheduled events, such as the one in which Jessie had just partaken, often had some general code of conduct by which to abide, and usually limited participants to one agreed upon form (human or wolf) at the outset. But an Alpha-on-Alpha challenge was a no-holds-barred fight to either death or submission. Given their natures, Alphas were much more likely to die fighting than to submit.

  There was little prelude. Lucas leapt, shifting almost instantly into his wolf form in mid-air. It was a move meant to intimidate; only the oldest and strongest were capable of changing into their wolf so quickly.

  Matt was prepared for it, dancing just beyond Lucas’s snapping jaws as he summoned his own wolf. It waited there, just beneath the surface, howling to be freed. In a flash of gold, Matt allowed his wolf to take over.

  The two huge beasts circled each other, snarling and snapping. Menacing growls replaced human taunts as the two predators sized each other up.

  In a blur of fur and fang, the two suddenly leapt at each other, their great bodies slamming together with the impact. They moved so quickly that it was impossible to see what exactly was happening. Flashes of dark gray swirled with gold and platinum. The air was soon tinged with the heavy, coppery scent of blood; those gathered remained in stunned silence as snarling and yelps filled the night.

  The battle only lasted a few minutes at most. When the smoke and dust cleared, a dark gray wolf lay panting heavily on its side, a massive golden maw wrapped around its throat and a set of sharp claws ready to slice into its underbelly.

  A whine went up from Lucas’s battered form. Matt shook his jaws a little -—a final warning -—before backing off. He had won the challenge, but he would not take another’s life if he could help it.

  Without taking his eyes off of Lucas, Matt changed back into human form. He went almost immediately to his knees, panting and breathing heavily.

  Jessie was instantly at his side, her hands running over his back and shoulders, now heavily crisscrossed with deep gouges and furrows. “Matt? Are you all right?”

  Matt grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. Instead of answering her, he captured her mouth in a core-clenching kiss, growling when he released her. “I thought I told you to get yourself taken care of.”

  She ignored him. “Did you mean what you said? My family is really safe?”

  Matt nodded, and Jessie smothered him in a hug that a few of his broken and battered ribs didn’t fully appreciate. She felt him flinch and released her hold, but only slightly.

  “How did you know?” she asked. “Who I was? What I was? How to find me?”

  Matt looked deeply into her eyes, stroking his hand over he
r hair. “You are my mate. I will always find you.”

  Jessie’s features softened.

  “Look out!” Matt recognized Malcolm’s voice a split-second before he saw Lucas’s wolf lunging toward them. Matt wrapped Jessie against him, caging her in his arms protectively as he spun away, hissing when Lucas’s sharp teeth plunged into his human skin.

  The sound of a single gunshot rang out, and the beast at Matt’s back fell away. Matt curled his body even tighter over Jessie.

  “Matt. It’s over.”

  Recognizing his spymaster’s voice, Matt began to ease his hold on Jessie. Together they turned around to see Lucas on the ground again, blood pouring from his side. They looked into the crowd, which had backed away from an attractive sable-haired woman holding a rifle.

  “Mom?” Jessie asked, incredulous.

  “Ain’t a kill shot,” Elsa Sablewolf said, keeping the weapon pointed at Lucas’s prone form, “but it will be if that bastard tries cheatin’ again.”

  Chapter 13 - Hair on the Soap

  “So explain this all to me again, please, and start at the beginning,” Jessie asked, wincing as her mother dabbed at the numerous scratches on Jessie’s face. Beside her, Malcolm was pouring some kind of foul smelling concoction on the deep bite marks in Matt’s back. Jason stood watch just outside, while Jace and the others kept the peace and ensured that Lucas’ henchmen didn’t cause trouble until Matt could get back out there and address everyone.

  “It’s very simple. You left me, Jessie. That was unacceptable. So I came for you.”

  She gaped at him. “That’s it? That’s all you got? What are you going to do next, pound your chest and pull me away by the roots of my hair?”

  Matt sighed. “It won’t be necessary.”

  “Do you really think I’m going to just jump into your arms and follow you anywhere now?”

  “Yes.”

  Jessie tried to keep a stern face, but it was nearly impossible when he was being so perfectly Alpha. “And why would you think that?”