Angel Blackwood

by Sophie Summers

  “Let’s get you away from here,” Axel says, pulling my arm towards the car and opening the door. I climb in without hesitation, not bothering to look out of the window at my mates.

  I don’t know how much longer I can continue to play this cat and mouse game. They either want to be my mates or they don’t. They need to make a decision or else I’m going to make it for them.

  ****

  After driving for a few minutes, I turn to look out the window. Not recognising the road I ask Axel, “Where are we heading?”

  “There’s a neutral zone half an hour away. It’s a small town, but they have an awesome bar there. Didn’t want to bring you to Crystal Bay, Caspian might have decided to pay you a visit, didn’t think you’d be up for that,” Axel says, keeping his eyes on the dark road ahead of us.

  I don’t reply, but continue to look out the window.

  Nixon turns around in the passenger seat. “Don’t worry about what Kate said Angel. She was clearly angry by what Axel said, she just needed to take it out on someone. Should of seen her face when you mentioned the virgin thing, swear I saw sadness for you,” he says reassuringly.

  “I don’t care what she feels for me. I thought she was all sweet and innocent, but after that. I fucking hate the bitch,” I reply firmly.

  We soon arrive in a little town. The only sound in the dead street is coming from a two story building that has flashing lights shining through the window. There are cars on either side of the street, but the only place that seems to be open is the building with the lights and loud music.

  I stand between the boys as we walk in. We find a booth near the stage where a band plays a couple of country cover songs. Nixon doesn’t want to drink, but that doesn’t stop Axel who helps himself to whisky on the rocks, bringing me back a large fruity cocktail. Nixon narrows his eyes at Axel, but I ignore the both of them as I take a huge sip of the delicious drink.

  Two drinks later and the familiar, blissful feeling takes over. All that matters is the here and now, I happily forget all about the past few weeks. I dance with Axel and force Nixon to dance with me too. Nixon drives us back to his place soon after. I’m not drunk to the point where I don’t know what the hell I’m doing or saying; my words aren’t slurred yet. No, I’m at the point where everything is funny and where my feet aren’t quite co-ordinating with my brain. Nixon wraps his arm around me, keeping me from falling over. We pass a group of young pack members as we make our way toward Nixon’s house. I don’t miss the worried looks on my mate’s faces as I stumble pass them standing on the main pack house porch.

  Axel is totally wasted. He picks me up and flops us onto Nixon’s guest bed before accidentally rolling off the bed. I laugh until my stomach hurts. There’s a hard knocking on the front door, Nixon chuckles and shakes his head at us as he leaves the room. Axel tries to lift himself onto the bed, but he fails miserably. He ends up lying flat on his back on the floor.

  “Fuck it!” He mumbles.

  “Why the hell would you allow her to drink?” Talon’s angry voice echoes through the walls.

  “Why the hell do you even care?” I yell from the room.

  Axel starts laughing again, I can’t help but to join in too.

  I hear him stomping down the passage towards me. Usually I would back away from an angry wolf with anxiety, but with the alcohol running through my veins, I’m totally chilled. My laughter dies down though when Talon walks into the room.

  He picks me up with one quick movement, throwing me over his shoulder and walking out of the house. I call for Nixon out loud. In my head I hear his voice say, “It’ll only cause more trouble if I stop him, Angel.”

  “Thanks a lot, Nixon,” I mumble out loud.

  “I’m not in the mood to be fucked with, Angel. Nixon knows that,” Talon says.

  “And you think I’m in the mood? Let me down,” I retort.

  “No!”

  “For fuck sakes, Talon. let me down!” I pound at his back. When he doesn’t flinch I slap his ass with an open hand. He pauses mid step before spanking me on the ass harder.

  I squeal then start laughing… again.

  “I can do it harder. Want another one? Maybe you should make more noise and let everyone see the state you’re in?” He continues to walk. I keep quiet the rest of the way.

  “Good girl.” He rubs my ass gently.

  Talon carries me into my room and throws me on the bed. He walks to the door, I expect him to leave but he closes it instead. He comes back, pulling off his shirt. I shamelessly stare open mouthed; I’ll never get over how handsome he is. I shake my head trying to get rid of those thoughts. I start pulling my shoes off, noticing from the corner of my eyes that he’s taking his pants off too.

  I groan, “What do you want Talon? You told me no more lies, so I told you the truth about sleeping with your brother and then you’re a dick to me. Now your back here and what? You wanna tuck me in?” I raise an eyebrow and scoff.

  “Not here to tuck you in,” he says pulling off his socks, leaving him standing in my room with nothing other than a pair of tight white boxer briefs on. Realisation hits and my shoulders sag.

  “Ah… I get it. You want your turn. You want in on the action too.” I reach for my pants repeating the words he’d said earlier.

  “A turn? Action?” He asks confused.

  I pull them down, leaving me in a pair of turquoise lace panties. Rolling over on the bed, I say,

  “Yeah. A turn, Talon. How do you want me? On my hands and knees like Tyler?” I move into position.

  “You can tug on my hair too if you like. My scalp is still a bit raw from where your brother yanked on it, but hey, I’ll deal.” I hold my hair out with one hand for him. I feel the tears forming, but I don’t let him see them as I look down at the silver comforter on my bed.

  He doesn’t say anything. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my top on so you won’t have to see the scars,” I whisper on a sob.

  “Jesus.” He climbs on the bed in front of me, pulling me onto his lap. I don’t want to hold him, but his wolf calling for me and I can’t help but soak up all the affection I’m getting from him in this moment. I rest my forehead in the crook of his neck, trying to get the tears under control.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. So sorry. I should have been here for you. He shouldn’t have taken you like that. God, he shouldn’t have treated you so brutally. Jesus, I know it’s no excuse, but you should have told him you were a virgin,” he says breathlessly, his voice breaking. It only makes me cry harder into his neck as he holds me tighter.

  “I told you guys about me being a virgin. You knew. I didn’t know what to do, I just lay there.” I shudder and close my eyes pulling away from him. He holds me close though, refusing to let go.

  I watch him wince. “I know, baby. But we thought that you would’ve slept with your boyfriend since then. It was a couple months and you didn’t speak to us, Angel. What were we suppose to think? We didn’t know what to do!”

  “So you just assume I slept with him? I hardly saw him in those months. After the attack, I didn’t want anyone to touch me. No one, Talon,” I say softly, looking into his sad blue eyes.

  “I know, okay. I get it… we shouldn’t have left things the way we did. I’m sorry.” He pulls me into his chest and I hold him. I hear the bathroom door open behind me and I smell the sweet scent as he enters. I hold onto Talon even tighter as he rubs my back.

  “I need to talk to her, brother,” Tyler says gently.

  “No, brother. You need to leave,” Talon growls.

  “Please, I need to make it right,” Tyler pleads.

  “Don’t leave me alone with him, Talon,” I say against Talon’s chest. He tenses when I say this. I feel him nod his head on my shoulder, but when I feel Tyler’s warm hands wrap around my waist, I cling to Talon in fear.

  “I promise he won’t hurt you. You need to talk to him, Angel,” Talon says, pushing me towards Tyler who sits behind me on the bed. I reach out for him like
a baby wanting their mother. He looks down at me sadly, walks to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Tyler wraps his arms around me bringing my back against his chest.

  “Please stop struggling against me.” He sounds pained as he says this.

  “Let me go then,” I say through gritted teeth.

  I can’t feel the effects of the alcohol any longer; my state of blissful ignorance is gone.

  He doesn’t let me go, but turns me around to face him. He grabs my face harshly and cradles me cheeks. I scratch at his hands trying to free my face.

  “Stop struggling,” he says calmly. I stop.

  “I’m sorry, Angel,” he says, looking my face over intently. His usual neatly combed over hair is messy and out of place. Habit has me reaching out to move the hair out of his face and he leans his face into the palm of my hand without hesitation.

  “I’m so sorry for what I did to you. The way I took you was awful. I still can’t believe I treated you that way.” I watch a tear fall down his cheek. His once blue eyes aren’t so shiny and vibrant anymore. He looks as if he’s lost weight and he has dark circles under his eyes. I want to feel sorry for him, but I just can’t. He drops his hands, resting one on my bare thigh. I stare down at his big tan hand against my fair skin.

  His other hand runs back and forth on my jawline. “Did I hurt you?” He whispers.

  “Yes," I whisper back.

  “I was so angry and upset. I wanted you so bad and couldn’t control myself. I kept telling myself I couldn’t do this to Kate. When you asked for Caspian I was furious, my wolf was furious,” he says, stroking my cheek gently. I pull my face away from him, watching his hand drop and shoulders sag.

  I’m so hurt that I have to take a few minutes to compose myself before I can even form the words. “Why did you tell her about what happened between us? I know it wasn’t that good, but… but did you really have to tell her all the details.”

  “I just told her that we had sex, Angel. I didn’t tell her anything else. She must have seen your scars when we went to her apartment after Drake attacked you; she helped dress you. I can’t believe she said those things to you. She’s not a mean person, Angel. You know that. I don’t know why she was so harsh to you, but I do know that she feels terrible about the way she treated you.”

  I sit frozen, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. After everything… he still has the nerve to defend her.

  I turn stiff in his arms and I move away from his warmth.

  “Angel? What? What did I do?” He sounds panicked.

  “Can you… uh can you please leave,” I say politely, scratching my head and looking away.

  “What?”

  “I just want to be alone right now,” I say, still avoiding his eyes.

  “Angel?”

  “Please, just go!” I say harshly. I hear movement and then footsteps as he makes his way to the door. From the corner of my eye I see him standing in the doorway staring at me, but he doesn’t say a word. A few seconds later he leaves.

  Chapter 26

  I wake up to loud screams, yelling and howls. I’m alone in bed in the clothes I passed out in after Tyler left. I run over to where I left my balcony doors open and I’m immediately met my chaos. Wolves attacking wolves. Growling and snarling, people yelling and panic all around.

  “Rogues. They’ve been spotted on the east side!” Jacob’s voice filters through our pack link.

  I run back into my room and throw on some clothes. I don’t have time to put on shoes as I’m already out the door and going down the stairs.

  “Angel! Are you okay? Answer me!” My father’s voice booms in my head.

  “I’m fine. Where are you? Jacob says there are Rogues on our land,” I link back quickly.

  “We’re close, Honey. You need to go to Noelle, you’ll be safe there. No wolves will dare enter the compound with that spell in place. Get in your car and get out of the pack house.” My mother’s worried voice has me starting to panic.

  “I can’t just leave, Mom. I can help here!” I head for the back door.

  “No. You must leave and go to Noelle’s right now, Angel.” My father’s authoritative voice makes me freeze in place. His voice then returns, but this time it’s soft and gentle as he pleads, “Honey, I’m begging you. Please… just listen to me. Go to Noelle, she’s waiting for you. Phoenix is worried too. If you don’t go to them, they’re likely to come looking for you. You don’t want them caught in the crossfire, do you. Please… just do this for us.”

  The thought of Noelle or Phoenix getting hurt because I can’t follow a simple instruction is enough to agree with my father. “Okay, Dad. I’m leaving now.”

  I head out of the front door, keeping an eye out for any wolves that don’t have our packs scent. I don’t shift into my wolf because I’m not sure whether the spell the witches have to ward off wolves will affect me when I’m not in my human form.

  Wolves are scattered around the clearing. I head for my car keeping an eye out for Talon and Tyler, but I don’t see their wolves anywhere.

  I climb inside my car and I’m just about to start it when I feel Tyler trying to link with me. I open the link and allow him to speak. Faith needs to know he’s safe.

  “Tyler?”

  “Angel, I need you. Please… I need you to come.” He sounds as if he’s in tears .

  “Are you hurt? Where are you?”

  “I’m at the lake. Come quickly!” He’s frantic now. I jump out of my car and start running in the direction of the lake. The stones and branches hurt my bare feet, but I don’t care. My adrenaline is pumping, I’m so worried about Tyler.

  I make it to the lake and see him hunched over something in the darkness.

  “What’s going on? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I start yelling as I get closer to where he’s kneeled in the sand. Tyler stands up quickly and I notice there’s blood all over his shirt. Tears run down his face as I look down at whoever he was hunched over and see Kate.

  “Rogues… they attacked her. I couldn’t shift, I couldn’t help her,” he sobs, bending down and gently wiping the hair away from her face with a shaky hand. This gesture as well the way he’s looking at her is enough to tell me that he loves her. He stood up for her earlier, even after the nasty things she said to me.

  God. He loves her more than he loves me; his mate. I cover my heart with my hand feeling the pain beneath it. I take a step back and at this he turns his head, looking up at me.

  “You can save her! You can heal! You said you have healing powers, I need you to help her. She doesn’t have to die, Angel.” He stands up frantically, grabbing my shoulders. His face is so red and blotchy and I can see his pain in the moonlight.

  “Ty… I can’t-”

  “You can!” He starts shaking me. “You can do it! You can save her. I’m begging you! Please, Angel. Please save her! She’s dying.” He breaks down in tears, it pains me to see him this way.

  I love him so fucking much and I’ll do anything to make him happy. If he wants to be with Kate, I’ll do it. I love him enough to do this for him, regardless of the repercussions.

  I move away from Tyler’s shuddering body as he weeps into his hands, moving towards where Kate lies covered in blood. I kneel down next to her. She’s got bite marks and deep scratches all along her chest and neck; her clothes are ripped and her eyes closed. I reach out to see if I can find a pulse. She has one, but it’s faint.

  I start with the biggest and deepest cut, raising my hands over it. My hands tremble, I can’t stop the tears from running down cheeks because I know what’s gonna happen; her wounds are not the type you survive from. I’ve never feared death as much as I fear it in this moment.

  I know what’s going to happen.

  I look to see Tyler kneeled down in the sand on the other side of her body. He runs his hands through her hair affectionately, it only confirms that I’m doing the right thing.

  “You have to promise me one thing?” I say softly, trying to keep
my voice strong.

  “Yes, of course. Anything,” he says quickly.

  “Tell Talon that I love him, that I’m sorry.” I blink away the tears and watch as the hand he strokes her hair with stops.

  “What?” He whispers.

  “Just promise me you’ll take care of him, okay?” I clear my throat and look back to where my hands rests over Kate’s chest.

  He nods his head quickly, I can tell he’s confused about what he just agreed to.

  I close my eyes feeling the tears fall down my cheeks. My fate is sealed, there’s no coming back this time.

  ****

  TYLER POV

  I watch little orbs light up and start circling Angel’s small hands. Tears run down her cheeks, but I have no idea why. I know she isn’t fond of Kate. I could tell by Angel’s reluctance, she didn’t want to heal her. It’s my fault Kate was attacked. We were fighting and I told her we were done, that I was gonna complete the mate bond with Angel. She ran off. I followed her down to the lake but it was too late, the rogue had already gotten to her. I couldn’t turn, my wolf still won’t shift. I’m starting to realise that it’s because I haven’t completed the bond with Angel.

  I promise the Fates that as soon as this is over, I will do exactly that. I love Angel, I want to be with her and only her.

  I lean in closer. Angel’s eyes are still closed, but I continue to watch as the little light orbs slip into the deep cut across Kate’s chest. Angel lets out a sob, I watch her shoulders shudder as she starts crying harder. I wanna reach over and hold her to me, but screaming and yelling has me looking in the direction of the pack house.