“Uric also told me something very disturbing.” Cylus paced back and forth in front of her. “Seems you’ve been whoring with one of the Lee County pussies. Is that true, Ross?”
When she didn’t answer, he smacked her. Pain radiated throughout her body, and she struggled to catch her breath. She was tied and hanging from a tree. Her arms were secured over her head as she dangled with only her toes touching the dirt below her feet. Any movement caused excruciating agony.
“Answer me!” he demanded, but still she remained silent. “I swear if you don’t answer me, I will burn you for the witch you are.”
With every ounce of strength she possessed, she raised her head and stared straight at him, even managing to partially open her swollen eye. “I would rather burn, you bastard.” She spat at him. It was a mixture of blood and spit, which landed on his chin and neck.
He punched her in the stomach, sending her body swinging and her screams of pain echoing around them.
“Get wood!” he bellowed, then turned his focus back to her. “You’ve made a big mistake, Ross. You could have lived like a queen by my side, yet you betrayed me. Now I’ll not only show you what happens to those who betray me, but the others as well.”
With her head dangling, Roslyn watched as they piled wood under her feet. Soon the pain and humiliation would be over, but her heart screamed with the unfairness of it all. She loved Dell Farris with everything she had. Knowing in time he would realize she hadn’t left him, but had tried to save the pack gave her some solace. This time she let the tears flow.
“Wait!” Cylus called out, halting the piling of the wood. “Are these tears of regret, my dear?” He lifted her head, searching her face as if he cared.
She looked at him, really looked into his eyes and saw nothing but an evil that shouldn’t exist in the world. With a wobbly smile on her cracked lips, she shook her head slowly. “No, you bastard. It’s relief to finally be free from you.”
If she wasn’t sure she was going to die before, she was now. The pure fury behind his glare said it all. She had gone too far, but she would do it again in a heartbeat. There was no rescue for her. She knew she would go out of this world with thoughts of her time with Dell, the man she loved more than her own life.
“You’ve sealed your fate, bitch.” Cylus walked over and took a long stick of fire out of the pit and walked toward her. “It’s such a shame because you sure were a nice fuck and could suck cock like no other.”
“Fuck you,” Roslyn said, her head rolling back on her shoulders. “Go on! Do it, you piece of shit.” She urged him on because in all honesty, she was scared to death and if this was her fate, then so be it. However, she wanted to go out without screaming for mercy and was so close to begging. Please, she wanted to go out strong.
“It’s a shame how you talk to your mate,” he continued, as if teasing, knowing she was on edge. He was pushing her to break.
“You are not my mate,” Roslyn hissed, her hatred for the man slashing out.
“No other man would have you.” Cylus laughed, waving the fire at her. “I made damn sure of that.”
“Cylus Kane!” a familiar voice called out. Roslyn’s head lifted so fast she cried out in agony. Seeing Dell walking into the middle of their camp with his arms outstretched had her shaking her head.
“Who the fuck are you?” Cylus growled, turning to face Dell.
“I’m Dell Farris, alpha of the Lee County Wolves and mate to Roslyn Starr.” Dell’s voice rose with each word. “And I’m the man who will end you.”
******
Seeing Roslyn dangling from a tree, beaten, bleeding, and bruised was more than Dell could take. Fuck backup. This motherfucker was going to die now, as was his pack. Anyone standing doing nothing while his mate suffered would suffer in the most painful way in return.
Dell took off his wet shirt and removed his boots, all while staring at Cylus. “I challenge you.”
Cylus actually looked confused for a second and then laughed. “You’re outnumbered.”
“My issue at the moment is not with them, but with you.” Dell didn’t even look around at the others, but continued to stare at Cylus. “Their time will come when I’m done with their alpha.”
“You’re a cocky son of a bitch.” Cylus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll give you that, but you see, in my pack, you have to go through them before you get the privilege of having a shot at me.”
“Oh, so you’re a pussy.” Dell cracked his neck back and forth. “Good to know.”
Dell took a second to look at Roslyn, only to see the fear in her eyes and her shaking her head at him. He knew she was warning him, but he didn’t give a fuck. Just the sight of her sent him on a killing rage and this bastard was going down.
“That’s not too smart, coming into someone’s pack and calling their alpha names.” Cylus clicked his tongue.
“I don’t see an alpha, motherfucker.” Dell tilted his head as his eyes narrowed. “All I see is a woman beater who uses fear to lead. Now, are we going to do this because I’m getting bored as fuck, and my mate looks mighty uncomfortable.”
Cylus growled as he gave the go-ahead nod to his pack. Two came toward Dell, but Dell didn’t even give notice to them. He continued to stare at Cylus until they were only a few inches away from him. Dell lifted his arm, making the two flinch back, but he only pointed at Cylus. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be with you in just a minute.” The fear that flashed in Cylus’s eyes was exactly what Dell wanted to see.
With one fluid motion, he moved his arm and hit the closest asshole in the throat, taking him out in a second. The other rushed him, but Dell lifted his knee and, with the other hand, slammed the man’s head down on his patella, knocking him out cold.
“You want three to come this time?” Dell asked Cylus with a smile.
Three didn’t come, but four did. Dell got hit a few times, but nothing fazed him. They couldn’t control him; his anger and fury were too great. The longer he fought with these bastards, the longer Roslyn was in pain. That would not do.
Once they were finished, Dell looked at the remaining pack. “How about the rest of you?” He waved his hand, urging them toward him. “Come on, us Lee County pussies can’t fight. Surely five of you can take me down.”
They all came at him, and he let loose. The odds were definitely not in his favor, but even stupid inbred wolves like these should know that when a shifter’s mate was in pain or trouble, nothing short of death would stop the other from saving them. The more he got hit, the more pissed off he got until he was kicking, spinning, and throwing everything he knew at his attackers. Soon nothing and no one was coming at him. He glanced around for threats, but no one was left standing, other than Cylus Kane. Even the scarred son of a bitch Uric was out on the ground. He had no clue how many were alive or dead. As long as they stayed on the ground, he didn’t give a shit.
“You take one step toward me, I’ll burn her alive.” Cylus held the stick of fire over the wood under her feet.
Dell knew without a doubt the man would do as he said. “Either way, you’re going to die,” Dell responded, his eyes never leaving the bastard. “You do have a choice. You drop the fire and your death will be quick. You drop it near the wood under her feet, and your death will be slow and painful, but either way, you will die.”
Cylus was no longer looking so sure of himself. One thing that sickened Dell more than anything was a weak alpha who preyed on those who couldn’t protect themselves, such as children and women who were outnumbered and tied to a fucking tree. He picked the wrong woman to abuse, his mate, and Cylus was going to pay dearly.
“Son of a bitch!” Hunter’s voice sounded behind him, but Dell didn’t even react. He continued to watch the man with the fire and reveled in the moment Cylus realized he was now the one outnumbered. With lightning speed, Cylus dropped the stick in the wood as he grabbed Roslyn pulling her as far back as he could, staying safely away of the ignited wood. Showing just how much of
a coward he was, he hid behind her with a knife to her side.
“I swear I’ll gut her in front of your very eyes.” Cylus sneered. “Now, you and your bitches need to walk out of here, or she dies.”
Fuck! Dell was hoping the wood wouldn’t catch, but it was slowly starting to burn. His eyes went to Roslyn, who was watching him closely and with such sadness his heart practically stopped beating. This couldn’t be it. Her abused mouth moved, and he read her lips. She silently mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” as a tear slipped out of her unswollen eye, and she closed it in shame.
No! his mind shouted, refusing to acknowledge this fucker was going to win. Determination pushed him forward as he leaped toward them, his eyes never leaving the knife, as his feet scattered the burning wood away from Roslyn. Relief so swift ran through his body as his hand made contact with the knife. His own hand closing over the blade to take any punishment from it. He heard Roslyn scream out in pain, her body swinging by the rope. His yell of rage spurred on his pack, as they took action as one.
The knife pulled out of his hand, but he welcomed the pain. With a swift kick, he knocked the blade out of the bastard’s hands and then punched him in the throat. As Cylus gagged for breath, he picked up the knife, put it in his waistband, and checked to make sure someone had gotten to Roslyn. Garrett along with Marcus was carefully cutting her down. He turned back toward Cylus.
“For every abuse you brought down on my mate, you will now suffer,” Dell promised, as he backhanded Cylus across the face. Cylus struck out, punching Dell in the face, but Dell only smiled with a mocking laugh. “That’s all you’ve got?”
When Dell had first stood in front of Roslyn, he had taken in every bruise, cut, and scrape on her body. His fury knew no bounds. They’d bubbled and grown, readying for this moment. With precision, he elbowed Cylus in the right eye and took satisfaction when it immediately began to swell shut.
“Go ahead, hit me again,” Dell taunted. “You pathetic excuse for a man. You are no alpha.”
Cylus swung out, but Dell blocked it instead. Fuck getting hit by this piece of shit. Instead, he took the knife out in one fluid motion and sliced it across the bastard’s stomach, mimicking the nasty slash across Roslyn’s.
“Fight me!” Dell pushed him, making him trip over his own feet. As Cylus stood, Dell spun and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him a few feet back on his ass. He stalked over and picked Cylus up by the hair. He continued beating him to the point he became bored. The piece of shit wasn’t even fighting back. All he did was cry, but then again, not many could stand up against Dell when he was pissed. Even Dell knew that. Fighting was what he did best, and his level of fury did this bastard no good.
“Oh, God, her feet are burned.” He heard Leda cry out.
Dell’s vision turned red as he looked down at Cylus, who was close to death. Cylus also heard, his eyes shooting to Dell’s in terror.
“No!” Cylus shook his head. “Please! No!”
“Did you stop when she asked you to?” Dell growled down at the man. When Cylus turned white, he knew the answer. “That’s what I thought.”
Dell picked him up by his hair and beat the shit out of him some more. He then hauled him up over his head and moved toward the large bonfire they had roaring. Dell was going to give him one last chance to defend himself, until he looked down at Roslyn’s battered body and blistered feet.
Setting Cylus down, he grabbed him by the throat to keep him standing. “Any last words?”
Cylus, who didn’t look like a badass, now glared at Dell. He then made the biggest mistake of his life. “She will always be my whore,” Cylus said. His eyes then rounded, realizing that death was near.
Dell leaned back and lifted his leg up as he front kicked Cylus into the fire. Never had he wanted to kill anyone more than he did this piece of shit. He stood watching him burn and almost attempted to pull him back out to pound him more, but stopped himself. What mattered most was behind him, not in front of him. With one last show of disrespect, he spit in the fire then turned toward Hunter. “Make sure the motherfucker burns.”
“Don’t think we have to worry about that.” Hunter’s eyes widened, but he gave Dell a nod.
Once before Roslyn, Dell bent and scooped her up against his chest, before he turned and walked out of the camp, leaving everyone behind.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered down to her, but she was unconscious and didn’t hear him. As he held her, his eyes scanning what the bastard did to her, his head dropped back, his face lifting to the sky. The anguished rage that came out of his mouth would have been enough to scare the man who did this to her to death, but death had already claimed the bastard, yet still Dell was unsatisfied. He wanted to kill him again and again. Glancing back down at Roslyn in his arms, he softly touched her cheek. “And I’m never letting you go.”
Chapter 22
Roslyn woke in wolf form. Her eyes adjusted to the light easily. Feeling claustrophobic, she tried to sit up, but couldn’t. Out of fear, she shifted into her human form, but the pain was so powerful, she struggled with her shift.
“Stop!” A familiar voice soothed her immediately. “Roslyn, you need to shift back. You’re not fully healed.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. She tried again, but still nothing. Finally, after a few more tries, she asked for water, which magically appeared. Dell raised her slowly, helping her as much as he could.
He gently laid her back down and sat next to her. “How are you feeling?”
She shifted her body but flinched when she tried to move her feet. Sitting up, she gently removed the covers to see the healing blisters on her feet.
“They’re healing, but taking more time to heal because the burns were worse.” Dell’s voice was low with anger. He took the covers from her hands and covered her legs back up. “How are you feeling?” he repeated.
“Fine other than my feet,” she replied then touched her face. Her eye felt back to normal, and the tear in her stomach seemed to have healed, but she peeked down at it. Sure enough, a scar was there. They may heal quickly in wolf form, but they still scarred. Feeling embarrassed and a little uncomfortable, she didn’t know what to say other than, “Are you mad at me?”
“Furious,” Dell responded immediately. “What in the hell did you think you were doing?”
“Saving you… the pack.” She knew her response sounded dumb, but it was the truth.
Dell snorted and stood up to walk across the room, his back to her. “Why don’t we wait until you’re better to have this conversation.”
“No.” Roslyn tried to sit up but moaned at the pain it caused in her feet.
“Yes, you need to shift.” Dell turned to stare down at her.
“I’m fine,” she replied, then added without thinking. “I’ve had worse.” Which was a lie. Nothing she had ever endured compared to this time.
Dell growled, then punched the wall. He pulled his hand out of the hole and stormed out of the room. Roslyn just stared at the gaping hole in her bedroom wall. She did this to them. Having taken the responsibility of keeping her safe out of his hands, she’d put herself in harm’s way.
The vision of Dell walking into the camp, taking care of fifteen or more men on his own, and then saving her life before killing Cylus, would be burned into her forever. She’d also known at the moment, she had made a huge mistake thinking she was fixing something, when in fact she had only made it worse. She never expected him to come, because no one in her life had ever cared enough for her, but Dell Farris had. Would he ever forgive her? Seeing the wall, she had her doubts.
Once again, she removed the covers and carefully dangled her legs over the bed. Slowly, she placed her feet on the floor and stood. The pain shot clear up her legs, into her stomach and chest, and to her head, making her dizzy. A hiss of agony squeezed past her clenched jaw.
When she took a step, she wanted to vomit, but she held it back. She needed to talk to Dell, who was obviousl
y upset with her, and it was killing her. Step by step, she told herself it wasn’t that bad, but the fire shooting throughout her body told her that was a lie.
Making it outside the room, her eyes searched and found Dell standing at the kitchen sink, staring out the window. Not paying attention, she took a step, landing not so softly and cried out. Dell was in front of her in seconds, lifting her into his arms.
“What in the hell are you doing?” He held her tight. “You can’t be walking yet.”
“You left,” Roslyn said, then bit her lip as pain radiated throughout her leg.
“Dammit, Roslyn. You’re going to drive me insane.” He took her back into the bedroom and laid her down so he could check her feet.
His tenderness as he cared for her was totally opposite of the emotions that had poured off him when he’d punched the wall. She was so confused she was sure she was going insane. Not able to handle everything, she put her face in her hands and cried. She couldn’t help it. She wasn’t a crier, never had been, but since meeting Dell Farris, the dam broke.
“Hey!” He sat on the side of her bed and gently pulled her hands from her face. “What’s hurting, Roslyn?”
She couldn’t answer. Tears clogged her throat, so she just shook her head. When he persisted, she grabbed his hand and placed it over her heart. “My heart,” she finally managed to say. “I’m so sorry, Dell. I should have come to you, but you have to understand something. Never have I had anyone care for me. I’ve been on my own for as long as I can remember, fighting my way through life. I’m not telling you this for pity, but for you to understand. I never thought you would come after me. I had the power, for once in my life, to do something good. I’ve done some bad things in my past, things that wouldn’t make for an alpha’s mate. I knew once Cylus had me, he would stay away from you… from the pack.”
Dell held her hands in his as he stared at her. Finally, he let go of one hand to wipe her tears away. “At first I thought you left me,” he finally said, his eyes searching hers.
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