Alex stirred beside him, drawing his attention. “How are you feeling?” He didn’t like the fact they’d been unable to do anything about her injuries. He wanted her home where he could take care of her.
“Shouldn’t that be my line?” She rubbed her hand gently over his injured arm. “I can’t begin to imagine how you’re feeling right now. To have your own people betray you like that.” Alex sighed and shook her head. “I know you’ve got to be hurt and angry. I know you feel as if you failed Ian and want to avenge him somehow.”
Once again he was reminded of just how lucky he was to have found this special woman. She understood him better than anyone else ever had. “I did fail him. We all did. We are the Striker family, the protectors of the pack. We never should have left him unguarded in the compound.”
That’s what burned in his gut worst of all. He and his family had always been responsible for the safety of the pack and the alpha couple.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Then whose is it?” he countered angrily. “It is our responsibility. My responsibility.”
“You have to let it go, Joshua.” Her fingers tightened around his. “You were doing what Ian asked you to do, what your alpha commanded you to do. You were fulfilling your duty to him and the pack.” Alex scowled at him. “We’ve had this discussion before. You’re not omnipotent.”
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease some of the tension that rested there. The gashes on his arms, back and chest pained him, but it was the ache in his heart that hurt the most.
“Give it time.” Her voice was low and soft, a balm to his battered soul.
He knew Alex was right, but that didn’t make it any easier. All any of them could do was go forward and face whatever lay on the path ahead of them. They were almost at the compound.
Alex stumbled and he caught her easily in his arms. She had to be close to collapsing, but she never uttered a complaint. Her face was chalky, her lips pale. Dark circles ringed beneath her eyes and the bruise on her face was a sickly yellow and black. He knew her body was battered and bruised as well and that her arms and feet needed tending.
He pulled her to a halt, picked her up and placed her on a tree that had fallen across the path. “Rest.” She didn’t like his order and made to stand. “We need to wait for Isaiah. It won’t do for us to go into this blind. We’re less than an hour away.”
“Oh.” She settled back on the log and sighed. “I guess that makes sense.”
Joshua fought back a grin as he watched her. “Glad you think so,” he added wryly.
The others came up alongside them with James in the lead. “How much longer until Isaiah gets back?”
“Not long.” Joshua knew his brother would be back as quickly as possible.
The words were barely out of his mouth when Isaiah appeared from between two trees. He didn’t waste any time, shifting back to his human form immediately. He launched straight into his news. “Ian and Patrice are dead.” The news was as stark and blunt as his voice. “Luther and his brothers took them unawares. They didn’t make it.”
Joshua flicked his gaze toward James. The older man stood there, still as a statue, and absorbed the blow. His brother and sister-in-law were both gone.
“What about the others involved in this betrayal?” Joshua turned his attention back to Isaiah.
“Some of the younger pups of the Brody family are waiting at the compound.” An unholy smile lit Isaiah’s face as he took his clothing from Simon and pulled on his jeans. “Seems they want to challenge you, brother. They think they can defeat the Striker.”
Joshua swallowed back his anger. So much loss. So much death, and all of it unnecessary. No wonder their kind was dying out. They couldn’t stop this incessant fighting amongst themselves. He felt Alex’s hand at the base of his spine. The heat from her palm, the contact between them, soothed him. “They are welcome to try.”
He felt Alex’s fingers jerk against his skin, but she said nothing, made no protest. She’d faced nothing but violence since she entered his world. He honestly was afraid she wouldn’t want to stay with him in Wolf Creek. And who would blame her? Certainly not him. At this point, he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay any longer. He was tired. Tired of all the fighting and death. And what was it all for?
Alex leaned into his side, her softness nestling against his hard body and he swallowed back the surge of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.
This is what he fought for. For the chance to have a few moments of peace. To protect a special woman like Alex. For a chance to rebuild their society.
He wanted to howl, to change into his wolf form and run free through the woods with Alex by his side. He wanted to curl up after a long hard day with Alex in his big bed and spend all night making love to her. He wanted to fall asleep with her curled in his arms and wake in the morning with her still there.
And he would have it too. Determination fired him again, pushing away his fatigue. “What about the elders of the family. Donovan Brody isn’t a stupid man.” The Brody loyalty had never been in doubt until this moment and Joshua found it disconcerting. Donovan was not only a good friend, but also a man whose opinion he respected.
Isaiah smirked. “You might not get a chance to meet the younger Brodys. When I left, Donovan was headed for the compound with blood in his eyes.”
“Damn it. That’s my job. They challenged me.” He knew his friend would handle the problem, but he would pay a terrible cost. It wasn’t easy to have to kill a member of your own family, even if it was an extended member. “Which Brodys are involved?”
“His younger brother’s children.” Joshua knew they were all young males, ranging from the ages of twenty to thirty-five. Old enough to know better and young enough to be stupid. “It has to be the influence of the boys’ maternal uncle. Their father is mated to a Carlos, isn’t he?
Isaiah nodded.
It all made sense to Joshua. All those young men thinking they could destroy the fabric of the werewolf society and take over. What they didn’t yet realize was the very survival of their race depended on that same society and the rules that were in place to protect it.
“We have to get going.” James prowled forward. “The deaths of Ian and Patrice must be avenged. Then we will deal with the Brodys.” He didn’t wait for the rest of them, but moved off on his own.
The rest of them followed quickly. They knew the pain James was feeling. They’d all experienced it at one time or another. It was never easy to lose family.
Alex trudged forward. Each step was bloody painful. She wanted to ask if they were almost at the Wolf Creek compound but couldn’t muster the energy. It had to be close.
She was so intent on just staying on her feet that she didn’t realize Joshua had stopped until she plowed into his back. She grabbed onto his waist for support and managed to stay on her feet.
She could see the worry in his eyes when he gathered her close to him. “I’m okay.” She patted his chest, loving the hard feel of it beneath her palm. She could tell he wasn’t convinced, but there was nothing either of them could do about it right now so there was no point in talking about it.
“I wanted to show you something.”
She heard it then, a loud rushing sound just beyond the trees. She was shocked she hadn’t heard it before now. Stepping beside him, she let him lead her off their original path. The trees seemed to part suddenly and her breath caught in her throat.
About thirty feet in height, the rock wall reached to the sky. Cascading over it was a shower of water, wild and fierce. Plants of all sorts grew along the banks of the river. The lush green was peppered with a splash of red and white as some flowers and berries flourished. A fine spray of mist shimmered along the top of the pool that formed at the base of the falls. It was completely untamed and absolutely breathtaking.
Joshua’s arms came around her from behind. His chest was nestled up to her back and she leaned against him, careful not to put much
of her weight against his injured chest, but wanting—no needing—the contact with him. His fingers slid beneath the fabric of her shirt and rested lightly on her stomach. “This is part of Wolf Creek,” he whispered in her ear and she understood why he didn’t speak aloud. There was something about this place that seemed almost magical and certainly awe inspiring.
“It’s beautiful.” Her words were totally inadequate to express what she truly felt, but she sensed he understood what she was trying to say.
His lips skimmed the curve of her ear. “When this is all done, I’ll bring you back here and we’ll swim in the pool.”
“Really?” She tilted her head back against his shoulder. Reaching down, he brushed a lock of hair off her cheek as he skimmed his finger along her jaw.
“Absolutely.” His lips curved upward. “I think it’s something we’d both enjoy.”
His smile was filled with such promise she forgot all about her aches and pains, forgot all about his injuries. When his head dipped toward her, she leaned upward to meet him. His tongue skimmed along her bottom lip and she gasped. Heat flooded her body, pooling low in her groin. A gnawing restlessness grew within her, goading her onward. She wanted this man, wanted his hardness within her. Thrusting. Claiming.
Joshua pulled back, his eyes closed as he sucked in a deep breath. “Not now.” His eyes opened and the heat in them almost singed her flesh. “But soon.”
It was a promise she planned to make him keep. “Soon,” she echoed, returning his vow. He growled low in his throat as he took her hand and tugged her away from the majestic falls and back on their trail.
They hurried their pace until they’d caught up with the others. His brothers looked at them, but didn’t say anything. Her father glanced her way and smiled, but it was a sad smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
The tension mounted as they moved closer to their home. They stopped and waited several times as three of the men slid soundlessly into the brush only to reemerge a short while later with their fists clenched and their faces set in anger.
Finally, the entire group came to a halt behind a stand of rocks. From here, Alex could see a ten-foot-tall wooden fence that surrounded a group of houses. The large gate in the front was open as if in invitation. This had to be the compound.
Levi and Micah stepped forward. “There were two scouts in the woods, but we left them alone.” Levi shook his head. “Honestly, one of them is barely twenty. The Brodys managed to coax two of the young Tallant pups into joining them.”
Joshua shook his head at the foolishness of youth. “We’ll catch them later and leave them to their uncle.” He knew Grady Tallant very well and his nephews would rue the day they’d ever got involved in this mess. The Tallant family was much like the Striker family and prided themselves on their loyalty to the pack.
James stepped forward. “It’s time to end this.” He glanced behind them. “I don’t trust them not to bring in more hunters. This might be our territory, but with so many traitors in our midst it would be easy for them to slip through. They might even take the opportunity to attack our women and children.”
Joshua noticed how easily James used the word “our” and not “your”. It seemed his pack loyalty was there full force. But he was no longer their alpha. “You’re absolutely right. That would be a major coup for them and something our young hotheads wouldn’t consider.”
He turned to his brothers. “I’m going in to face the Brodys. Protect Alex.” He ignored the outraged feminine gasp and focused on the protesting men. “It is my right as Striker. It is me they are challenging.”
“No.” Isaiah said no more than that, but that one word said it all.
James pinned him with a steely glare. “I owe them for my brother and his mate.”
Alex turned to Joshua. “If you think I’m going to let you go in there alone, you’ve got another thing coming.” It seemed it didn’t pay to ignore a woman. Alex was currently trying to drill a hole in his stomach with her finger. He caught her hand to keep her from poking further at him. Her gray eyes were the color of a winter squall with all the fury that it brought.
Joshua wanted to laugh. Most of his life he’d felt alone, distant even from his brothers. His job had demanded it. Or so he’d believed. It was the way his father had done things, but Joshua was beginning to believe his father had been wrong. There was strength in family, in sharing the burden. Not that he’d allow any of them to put themselves in danger, especially Alex, but it was nice to not feel so alone.
“Are you smiling?” Alex poked him with her other hand. “Honest to God, Joshua Striker, if you’re smiling I’m going to pop you one.” She curled her fingers into a fist.
He rubbed his hand over his jaw, covering his mouth in the process. “No, I’m not laughing.”
“You are.” She yanked her hand out of his and took a step back. “Men!” She threw up her hands and turned away, but he caught her and hauled her back into his arms.
Ignoring the fact they had an audience, he leaned down, letting his long hair drape over his face to muffle the words he whispered in her ear. “If I’m smiling it’s because you make me happy, Alex.” She stilled and sighed. He knew she didn’t truly understand, but now was not the time to explain.
He released Alex and faced the rest of the group. “I go in first. If you’re determined to come, watch out for one another.” They knew he meant for them to watch out for Alex, but he wasn’t stupid enough to make that kind of mistake twice and say it out loud. All the men nodded. They understood.
“Here, take this.” James reached around to the small of his back and withdrew a handgun, handing it to his daughter. “There are six silver bullets.” Alex nodded as she took the weapon and checked it before stuffing it into the waistband of her jeans.
Joshua felt better knowing Alex wasn’t completely unarmed, even though he had no intention of letting her anywhere near the fighting. His brothers and her father would protect her while he met the challengers.
Putting all thoughts from his mind except those of the coming confrontation, he strode down the path, following the familiar trail toward home. This time he didn’t notice the trees or hear the songs of the birds. All his senses were trained on the gate in front of him. He could already smell two men just inside and knew there were more. Their fear tainted the air and burned his nostrils.
They should be afraid after what they’d done. They’d murdered the alpha of the pack and his mate. Treason. The only possible fate for them was death. He was their court, their judge and their executioner, and he’d come to pass sentence on them.
He strode through the gates like he owned the place, which he did. This was his home and they had dared to invade it. One of the young men hurtled himself at Joshua, but he met only thin air. Joshua whirled with blinding speed, caught the man around the neck and twisted. A sickening snap filled the silence. Joshua let the body drop and moved on.
“Luther and his brothers are dead.” Stopping, he turned in a circle, sighting or smelling five other werewolves. “The hunters are dead as well. Come forward and face your punishment like men or I will hunt you down like the dogs you are.” It was the ultimate insult to call a werewolf a dog and Joshua knew he’d get some reaction. These men had already proved themselves to be hotheads.
Sure enough, two more of them surged forward, both of them shifting into wolves on the run. Joshua stood with his arms folded across his chest, his legs spread wide and waited. He waited until the last possible second and then moved. Catching one of the wolves in midair, he flung it into the other one. They tumbled to the ground, quickly regained their feet and began to growl.
Three shots rang out in quick succession. Everyone froze as a cry tore through the air. The wolves in front of him turned tail and ran. Werewolves did not use manmade weapons during a fight. It was considered dishonorable. They met a challenger with their bare hands or in their wolf form.
Stupid! These werewolves had already shown they were without honor. H
e had been too angry to think properly. That was an error in judgment that might cost him his life. But more importantly, he’d put Alex’s safety at risk.
“That’s one who won’t give you any more trouble,” Alex said.
He should have known. Turning, he faced Alex, who stood with her legs braced apart and the gun her father had given her at her side. She’d already proved to be more than capable of defending herself and him.
“We don’t use manmade weapons on one another during a challenge.” If she was going to be his mate he had to teach her their laws.
She snorted. “Tell that to the guy with the rifle on the roof.”
His gaze shot to the rooflines of the house and sure enough on the top of Ian’s home a man was slumped over, his body hanging half off the roof, a rifle dangling from his fingers. “My apologizes.”
“Accepted,” she snapped. “Can we just finish this?”
“With pleasure.” He stalked forward with his brothers by his side, sensing that the rest of the betrayers were making a break for the back gate. Joshua broke into a run. There was no way he could let them escape.
Frightened howls and vicious growls ripped through the air. Joshua and his brothers came to a screeching halt and watched the carnage unfold in front of them. Donovan Brody and the rest of his clan had arrived and they were making short work of their kinsmen. They showed no mercy. It was over in mere minutes.
Bodies of men and wolves alike littered the ground, their blood seeping into the dirt. Joshua tilted back his head and roared at the sheer sickening loss of it. He’d never understand what could cause a man to turn his back on his own kind, on his family, and betray their trust. But just because he didn’t understand it, didn’t mean he didn’t feel the sorrow at their passing. They were all much too young to die.
Donovan shifted from wolf to human and strode toward him, seemingly totally unconcerned by his nudity or by the bloody gashes on his chest. He stopped when he was in front of Joshua. His pale blue eyes, so unusual for a werewolf, were as cold as ice. “My clan offers an apology to the Wolf Creek pack. We understand if you do not wish us to remain among you.”
Alexandra's Legacy l(-1 Page 24
