by Olivia Arran
Stop being a pussy, he’d say, disappointment on his face. Disappointment and sick excitement. You’re a shifter, you’ll heal. And then, he’d kick me again…and again…losing control until I blacked out from the pain.
When I hit my teens I’d started to fight back, lashing out like a crazy animal, letting my beast ride me — doing anything to survive. Then my mother had left me…explained it all in a note. I had found her body one morning, as I had been getting ready for school, my only escape from him at that time. She had been so cold, no matter how much I had tried to warm her. Hugging her to me, pleading with her to stay with me. Not to leave me with him.
“Oh, Sean, to have left you as a child,” Lisa’s heartbroken voice cut into my trance, filled with sorrow and anguish. With a jolt, I realized I had been mumbling out loud, spilling my secrets to the world.
“I didn’t know,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around my chest, trying to lend me her strength.
“Touching,” my father cut in, and just like that, I was back in the present.
“You tried to make me like you, but I’m nothing like you!” I growled, all my repressed rage rushing back, holding me tight. The rage he had fed, viciously coaxing and training me as a child, until he had me where he wanted. All alone, and dependent on him.
But, there had been one thing he hadn’t counted on. I hadn’t been alone. I’d had James and his family, and they had taught me control, how to tame my beast. But, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t teach me to love him, the animal that shared my soul. I couldn’t even co-exist peacefully with him — I was beyond that. So, we had settled on pure control.
“No. You’re a disappointment. I had such high hopes for you. Plans. We would have taken over that stinkin’ pack, ruled with an iron fist. No one would have dared to cross us.”
“You’re a drunk, a mean one. And, a loon. If you thought for one second I would—”
“I persevered, even when you were acting like a pussy — kin is kin, after all. So, I pushed you harder—”
“You tried to cut my face off while I was asleep, then my heart—”
Lisa gasped behind me, her hands halting their smooth rubbing motion.
“Small details…” my father waved off the accusation, like it was nothing.
“And then, you poured salt in the wound, so I couldn’t heal.” I still remembered the fiery pain searing across my skin, sinking deep into my flesh. I had thought I was going to die. At that moment, I had wanted to.
“And yet, you still didn’t retaliate…not like a real man would.”
“I tried to kill you! Thought I had—” I ground the words out, the partial memories a fog of blood and growls, teeth tearing and claws ripping. I had lost it, right there and then, my beast rearing up inside of me and fighting for survival. The scariest part was — I couldn’t remember everything that had happened. It was gone, lost in a fog of destruction and madness.
“A real man would have managed the task.”
“Do you want me to kill you now? Is that what you’ve come back for? Redemption, and to find a way to heaven? ‘Cause let me tell you, I don’t think the Mother of All will take you.”
He laughed, a hollow sound. “No. I came to tell you to back off. Leave the Smithrock and Sunclaw packs alone. But—” he grinned, an evil, twisted smile, “—now that I’m here, I think I’ll be taking a little something along with me for the ride…”
And then he lurched forward, claws extended and reached out — toward Lisa.
***
Lisa
Claws reached out for me, whistling through the air, missing me by a fraction as I leapt to the side. Bert might look like Sean, but he was nothing like him. To have done those things to a young boy! My heart had cracked open when I had heard Sean’s mutterings, his eyes wide and blank — staring off into memories only visible to him. And his father had just watched, laughing and jeering as he watched his son’s agony.
And now, he thought he could take me with him? That whore-mongering-child-abusing-maniac?
“Sugar, I’m not going anywhere with you!” I shouted, circling around, trying to keep distance between us.
Sean was taking deep, gasping breaths, his eyes flashing and flaming with gold, fists clenched tight, like small boulders at his sides. Watching his father circle, he turned, keeping himself between us, as tightly wound as a bow. His muscles bunched across his shoulders, a view I would admire at any other time, fingers flicking out with deadly claws extended.
“You have gone too far, old man,” he growled, his voice nearly unrecognizable.
Bert stilled, facing his son. “Oh, I don’t think I’ve gone far enough. Not nearly as far as I would like,” he called back, his tone insulting as he flicked his eyes to me, lust burning bright. “I’ll give you this though, you have excellent taste in whores. I’ll let you know how she tastes….”
On a howl, Sean struck out, his claws slashing through the air, striking his father’s chest and digging deep, ripping through muscle and sinew. Retaliating, the older man slashed back, his mouth open on a bloodcurdling roar. Falling to the ground, they rolled, tangled in a mass of arms and legs, punching and striking each other, an equal match in size and strength.
Sean landed a rib crushing punch on Bert, the sound of bones snapping echoing through the forest, the resulting howl of pain bouncing off the trees, piercing my ears.
Crouching, ready to jump in and help, I watched as Sean’s fists swung, again and again, pummeling relentlessly, his lips drawn back in a savage snarl, fangs extended.
Bert’s eyes were closed, one swollen shut and streaked with blood, but he grinned with a manic joy as he lay there, seeming to accept the beating.
Something wasn’t right…
In a flash, Bert threw his head forward, smashing his skull against Sean’s with a force that sent Sean reeling back, his grip loosening. The older man dug his claws into Sean’s shoulder, digging deep into the scar tissue that clung there, pulling.
“Come on, boy! Give it a bit of effort,” he snarled, tightening his grip and twisting viciously.
Sean’s eyes snapped open, fully shifted to gold, and I watched in wonder as hair sprouted on his back, trickling down his spine, muscles spreading and growing.
Bert twisted his wrist, jerking his hold on his son. “That’s more like it,” he hissed, satisfaction glowing in his eyes. Eyes that flashed to a matching glowing gold, as he too started to shift.
Sweet Mother of All! They had half-shifted! Only the very strong could do so, and not for very long. It was excruciatingly hard to hold the shift back.
But Sean was running on pure fury, lifting his father up from the floor with one massive, clawed hand, and ripping his chest free without a flinch.
Feral growls and bloodthirsty snarls filled the air as the two men fought, neither holding back, both aiming to inflict the most damage. Blood flew, splattering and coating the forest floor, painting the trees with garish stripes of crimson red.
His muscles rippling, jeans bulging and straining, Sean tackled his father, smashing him into a tree. The tree groaned against the strain, wood creaking, cracking, until it started to bend, fracturing and splintering.
Sean was winning! I hugged my arms around my chest tight, eyes wide like saucers, as I watched the man who was going to be my mate pin his father in place, claws drawn back, ready to strike.
Then I saw his face — twisted into that of a madman, all thought and reason gone — a savage glint in his eyes. This was not Sean, not the man I loved. The man I loved was tightly strung and aloof, sure — but underneath his rough exterior, he was kind and caring. Careful and thoughtful. A dark knight protector. And I loved him, with everything I had. Everything I was. I wasn’t going to let him destroy himself like this. He might never recover.
“Sean!” I screamed, scrambling toward him, tripping over stones and exposed tree roots in my haste. If I could just get him to listen.
His arm froze on its downward f
all.
Bert glanced at me, his eyes full of bitter contempt. “This is who he is, sweetheart,” he spat, his mouth full of blood. Turning back to Sean, he continued, sick admiration and awe on his face, “Just look at what I made. A killing machine, and to think I thought I had failed…replaced him with that coyote… Do it, son. I would—”
I blinked, frozen on the spot as Sean’s arm arched forward, claws extended, aimed at Bert’s exposed throat.
Bert smiled, closing his eyes.
I closed mine, too. I couldn’t watch.
***
Sean
I was swimming through a fog, a swirling mass of red and black, my vision narrowed, wholly focused on the man in front of me. He had to die. Painfully.
My beast snarled in my head, the sound trickling out of my human mouth. Together we pooled our strength, hoisting the traitor against the tree, piercing his skin and pinning him against the trunk.
We drew back our arm. He had to die. The swirling fog thickened, coaxing, demanding blood.
A female voice pierced the veil that surrounded me, calling a name…Sean? I paused, considering. That was our name. We knew her…Lisa! Visions of the woman swam in front of my eyes — her sexy as hell curves, silky skin, the riot of curls that topped her petite frame. And those almond eyes, sultry and sweet, they called to me, promising things. Things I had never dared to want for my own.
“This is who he is, sweetheart,” my prey’s voice taunted. “Just look at what I made. A killing machine, and to think I thought I had failed…replaced him with that coyote… Do it, son. I would—”
My arm flew forward, every inch of my being focused on the tangy scent of citrus laced with floral that floated on the cool breeze. My mate’s scent. Pure and clean — it called to both man and beast.
My claws raked the tree, shredding through the flaking bark, missing his cheek by a fraction.
His eyes flew open, pinning me furiously. “You disappoint me, son.”
I took a deep breath, pushing back the last of the crazed haze, drawing Lisa’s scent deep into my lungs. My lifeline. “I’ve already told you — I’m not your son.”
My father shook his head slowly, disgust on his face. “No. You’re not.”
He tried to wriggle out of my grasp, but I held him firm, keeping him in place. I had things I needed to say, things Lisa needed to hear me say.
“You tried to make me into you, Bert. All those year of pounding, beating, abuse — you tried to destroy me, just so you could rebuild me in your image.”
My father opened his mouth, so I dug my claws in a little harder, cutting him off. It was my turn to talk.
I leaned forward, crowding his face with mine, his stale breath coming out in short puffs and turning my stomach. “Well, it didn’t work. I am not like you. I never have been. All these years I’ve lived with that fear, the fear that I was just like you — or that I could be, if I lost control. But Lisa, my soon to be mate, has shown me that I’m not. Sure, I can lose control — but that is because I have always fought my beast, hating him, punishing him because of you! But, Lisa is the other half of my soul. I accept that now, undeniably, because she reached through the fog of rage that surrounded me, and she tamed him. She didn’t give me back my control. She’s given me the chance to live as equals with him. To learn to accept each other. I don’t have to be afraid of who I am anymore, do you understand? She gave me that.”
I glanced back at Lisa, who knelt silently on the soft ground, tears in her beautiful eyes. “That’s if you’ll have me?” I quipped, my heart in my throat. She had the power to cut me off at the knees, and decimate me.
Her mouth opened in a perfect circle, before spreading into the widest grin I had ever seen. “Sure thing, sugar. You’re mine, anyway,” she replied, swiping at her watery eyes. “Wouldn’t have you any other way.”
“Now, this is heartwarming, and all,” sneered my father, “a real tear-jerker, yada yada. Whatever. But, we have some business to finish—” And grabbing my hand, he dragged my claws out of his shoulder, freeing himself and dropping to his feet.
Taken by surprise, I reached for him, only to have him feint, dodging under my arm, his claws striking out—
Lisa shrieked, a sound of pained fury. She toppled to the floor, clutching her stomach, blood oozing from between her fingers.
“Lisa!” I sprinted to her, laying her out on the ground, trying to be as gentle as I could. Clutching her hands, I cautiously peeled them away, revealing the bright red gashes that marred her stomach.
“Sean, he’s getting away,” she choked out through the pain. “I’m fine — go after him. It’s just a scratch,” she muttered, struggling to get to her feet.
“Shhh, lay down while I look at you.” I urged her back down. My world had stopped, tilted on its axis when I had heard her scream. What if he had gone for her neck? Why hadn’t he? The questions fired inside my head, bouncing around, making no sense. “He’s long gone by now. And, it’s okay—”
“He mentioned the coyotes. Sean, what if he’s working with them?”
Her words rang a bell in my memories, as I replayed my father’s words.
“Motherfucker!” I hissed, grabbing the torn fabric of my t-shirt off the ground and gently wiping Lisa’s wounds. “We’ll have to tell James.” Fuck, as if my father hadn’t caused enough trouble for the pack, back in the day.
“He’ll understand—” she laid a hand on my arm, the touch heating my skin, “—but then, you have to decide what you want to do.”
I knew what she was getting at. Now that I wasn’t consumed by rage, did I want to kill my own father? Even after everything he had done, he was still blood kin. But, did that mean he should get a free pass — the chance to wreck and maim, savagely destroying everything around him?
I sighed, my heart heavy. “He doesn’t deserve to live, because of what he’s already done. If he’s working with the coyotes…then he deserves to die.”
“He might just be a pawn, being used by them,” her voice trailed off, doubt obvious.
“Not him. Never him. He has a big part in this. What, exactly? I don’t know yet, but I’m going to find out.” I finished patting ineffectually at the wounds, my big hands clumsy and inexperienced. “Now, can you shift to heal?”
She blinked up at me, surprise at the swerve in topic clear on her face, then her lips curled up in a sultry smile. “Sure thing, sugar,” she drawled, holding out a hand.
I grabbed her hand, pulling her up off the ground.
Fitting her body tightly against mine, she whispered, “Did you mean it? About wanting me for your mate?”
I nearly lost it there and then, the feel of her all soft and warm, caressing my cooling skin, lighting a fire in my chest. “I meant it.”
“Then, I’ll shift. Then, you hunt. Me.”
My cock sprang to attention, painfully hard at the thought of chasing this wonderful, sexy woman through the forest. Catching and claiming her, a growl rumbled out of my chest, my beast straining at the leash. But this time, I was not afraid he was going to hurt her. No — he loved her like I did. Wholly. Completely.
She backed away, a sensual swing to her voluptuous hips, holding my gaze. Ever so slowly, she peeled off her tank top, the white fabric stained a dark red with drying blood. Wincing slightly, she threw it to one side, and started to unfasten the top button of her jeans.
At the sight of her breasts swelling above the white lace cups, I gritted my teeth and turned around, giving her my back.
“Why did you turn around?” she murmured, the sound of a zipper being dragged down torturing my ears.
“Because if I didn’t, then you wouldn’t have time to shift.”
She giggled, a musical sound that danced across my senses, sending goose bumps racing across my skin. “Can’t wait, can you, big boy?
The rustle of fabric, then the familiar sound of shifting. I waited, gritting my teeth, counting for sanity.
A forced cough behind me, smother
ing another giggle. This time, a nervous sounding one.
“I’m ready, Sean,” she whispered.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sean
Slowly I turned around, nervous as hell. Why? I didn’t know. All that I knew was this woman meant everything, and suddenly butterflies were dancing in my stomach.
And there she stood, one arm draped over her chest, the other shielding her groin. Gloriously naked. I couldn’t help it — I stared, my eyes drinking in miles of soft skin, hungrily following the dips and peaks of flesh.
“Well, are you just going to stand there?” she said, winking at me, slowly placing her hands on her hips, teasing me with a stern frown.
My heart stuttered, fighting in my chest to catch a rhythm. Her breasts, full and ripe, swung free, tipped with dusky pink nipples. Not fighting it, my gaze swung low, zeroing in on the scattering of dark curls nestled between her plump thighs. Her scent saturated the air, thick with the spice of citrus, laced with the delectable smell of female arousal. It wrapped around me, tugging at my cock, thrilling the blood in my veins.
Deliberately, I unsnapped the top of my jeans, watching as her eyes widened a fraction, her nostrils flaring in anticipation. Yanking the remaining buttons apart, I kicked off my boots, shoving the denim down and off. My cock sprung out, abruptly released from its confines, virile and aching with need.
“That’s better,” she murmured, her eyes rooted on my cock, lips parted.
My beast pawed the ground inside my head, his ears pointed, tail cocked. He was ready for the mating hunt — and so was I.
“There’ll be no going back from this mating,” I warned her. “Once I have claimed you — you’ll be mine. Always.” Jeez. Way to put a woman in the mood, Sean. I kicked myself mentally. I’d never been any good at pillow talk.
