Stop.
Dan did as Nick asked, slowly coming to a standstill. Looking around him, he felt his body grow tense, wary of something that he couldn’t see.
They’re here.
Sniffing, Dan realized that Lucy's scent had become intermingled with another two at least. He'd been so intent on following hers that he hadn't stopped to think about what else might be there.
The truck pulled up behind them, and, together, the pack stood as one, just waiting for either Lucas or Dominic to reveal themselves.
“Well, well, well,” came a loud voice. “So this is the pack that Lucas has been telling me about.”
“Yeah, that’s them,” growled Lucas, walking towards them. “I reckon we can take them.”
Dan’s chest rumbled with a long growl, warning them off. His eyes were fixed on Lucy, who was being held firmly by Dominic. He'd even had the gall to tape her mouth so that she couldn't shout for help. A red mist descended as he lurched forward, only for Tom to step directly into his path, stopping him.
Wait, Tom warned.
Dan bared his teeth, wanting nothing more than to sink his teeth into Dominic’s arm and let Lucy go free, but Tom was right. Attacking now wasn’t a good idea. He didn’t know who else from the Northern Wind pack were waiting to join the fight.
It was just as well he listened to Tom, because, right at that very moment, two other bears sprang from the shadows. Savannah took on one, while Tom slapped one large paw into the other. At exactly the same time, Dominic shoved Lucy hard, so hard that she fell backward and hit her head on the ground. Dan caught the smell of blood almost at once, and charged towards Dominic who was in the process of shifting.
Dominic was a huge bear, there was no doubt about that. While not an alpha, he was bigger and stronger than Dan, batting him away fairly easily.
Careful, Dan, Nick warned, before launching his attack on Lucas.
Dan didn’t know what else to do other than go at Dominic again and again, no matter how often he was knocked back. All he could see was Lucy, lying there on the ground, with the scent of blood in the air. Anger fuelled him, pushing him to attack, but Dominic simply kept batting him away. His skin tore, his fur ripped, but still, Dan kept going.
Staggering back as another clawed paw crashed into his face, Dan took a moment or two to regain his balance, his blood still pumping furiously through his veins.
You’re weak, Dominic laughed, making Dan growl with fury. Lucy is weak too. You probably deserve each other.
Dan growled, his paws clawing the ground. I won’t let you take her.
Dominic snorted, blowing a short breath through his nose. Looks like you can’t stop me. He began to walk towards Lucy.
Furious, Dan launched himself at Dominic again, this time throwing all of his weight behind his jump, managing to knock Dominic flat. Dan used his advantage to keep Dominic on his back, using every ounce of strength to fight with his teeth and claws. Dominic had to block his attack, unable to move.
Eventually, his strength slowly wearing away, Dan threw himself towards Lucy, standing between her and Dominic. His chest was heaving, as he blew out breath after breath through his nose, while still keeping a strong stance. Pushing himself onto his hind legs, he stood as tall as he could, making his meaning absolutely clear. Dominic wasn’t going to get to Lucy. Dan would die trying to keep her safe.
The world slowly became clear again, as Lucy pulled the tape from her mouth.
“Dan?” She rubbed the back of her head, wincing as she pushed herself up with her other hand. All she could see was fur but her bear told her that it was Dan. She didn’t need to hide from him.
Slowly getting up, Lucy took her hand away from her head, finding it sticky with blood. All she could remember was Dominic trying to force her towards Lucas' pack when she had been fighting with all her might to get away. She'd known that if he managed to get her there, she might never escape but Dominic had been too big and too strong for her.
A bear - Dan’s bear, turned around to glance at her, and Lucy smothered a gasp. His mouth was ripped and torn, and one of his eyes looked swollen. He’d obviously been fighting.
Scrambling to her feet, Lucy stood glanced around Dan's bulk and, with horror, saw Dominic's gigantic bear with a lot fewer wounds than Dan. It was all becoming clear. Dan had been fighting Dominic, in an attempt to keep her safe.
Her eyes travelled around the rest of the pack, taking in the other fights going on, although she saw that there seemed to be a lot of domination going on. There were two bears fighting another two, but they were being easily held back, and the two bears fighting across from Dan looked exactly the same. Recognizing the alpha bears, Lucy realized with a sigh of relief that Tom and Nick were holding back Lucas' pack. She just had to get Dominic to go.
“Dominic,” she shouted, stepping out from behind Dan. “Leave me alone. Go! I don’t want to go with you. I’m a part of the Alliance pack now.”
Dominic’s bear growled at her, his lip curling back to reveal his teeth. Next to her, Dan stamped at the ground with his front paws, warning her to stay away.
Lucy saw the way Dominic tensed and knew he was going to attack Dan again. Without even choosing to, her bear tore from her skin, for the first time in a long time. The pain was agonizing, almost forcing her to drop to the ground, but instead, Lucy roared aloud, letting the pain out through the sound.
I said no, Dominic. She moved in front of Dan, despite his attempt to get next to her.
Get out of the way.
Lucy snorted, once. No.
Standing tall, she stared at her brother, refusing to give in. If she had to, Lucy knew she would fight for Dan, fight for herself and her freedom. There wasn’t any way she would go back with him. Not now. When it came to the crunch, Lucy knew that even though Dominic was her brother, her allegiance was with Dan. He had her heart. He had welcomed her in and made her feel safe. He was her everything.
After a long minute, Dominic dropped to the ground onto his four paws.
You’re dead to me, he said, rage and anger poured out with every breath he took. You stupid, worthless bitch.
Lucy stood still, refusing to move, refusing to speak. His words tore into her, but Lucy didn’t want to show him even the slightest weakness.
If you come near my pack, I’ll fight you myself, Dominic warned, his eyes filled with a darkness she’d never seen before. I don’t have a sister any more.
Turning his back on them, Dominic wandered back into the woods, and, to Lucy's great relief, the rest of the pack followed. The Alliance pack stood together, watching them leave. The scent of blood clung to the air, but still, they stood strong together.
That’s not the last we’ve seen of them… Let’s go home, Nick said, once the danger had passed.
Without a word, Lucy followed Nick back along the path towards the mechanics. She felt dazed. Her brother’s words and actions had just proven that he was exactly who she’d thought he was. He hadn’t changed. In fact, he’d just become more violent.
Lucy couldn't quite believe she’d shifted so easily. What had happened to her vow? Why had she been unable to keep the bear down? It had pushed to the surface without even a hint of warning, determined to defend the shifter she loved. There was a strength to their bond that held them together, as shifters. Bear and human loved with such a deep strength that Lucy didn’t think it could ever be broken.
The closer they got to the mechanics, the more Lucy wanted to shift back. This bear was unfamiliar, unwanted. She knew that Dan would probably be thrilled that she'd shifted, but it wasn't something Lucy wanted to do again. She had seen her brother in a darker, more violent form, seen the way the shifters had been battling with each other, and that wasn't something Lucy wanted to be a part of again. She had made her stance clear with her brother, and that had to be the end of it now. He wouldn't come near her again, not now. His words ripped at her soul. Lucy knew she was nothing to him now, believing that he meant every word that
he’d said. If she went near him, as part of the Alliance pack, he could easily tear her apart. This wasn’t a life she wanted to be a part of.
Guys in the workstation, Nick growled, as they approached the mechanic's shop.
Heat tore through Lucy as she remembered she’d be completely naked once she shifted back. Beside her, Savannah let herself go back into her human skin, letting out a sigh of relief. Jo parked the truck next to her and handed Savannah a blanket before looking enquiringly at Lucy.
Gritting her teeth against the pain she knew would come, Lucy forced the bear back. It struggled and fought, having only just been released, but, eventually, Lucy stood in her human skin, screaming in pain. Her breath came in gasps as Jo wrapped a soft blanket around her, putting an arm around her shoulders as Lucy finally managed to stand upright.
“Are you okay?” she asked, gently.
Lucy swallowed, fighting the tears pooling in her eyes.
“I’ve heard the first time can be rough,” Jo continued, her eyes suddenly looking past Lucy. “There’s Dan - dressed, thankfully. He’ll look after you.” Giving her a quick smile, Jo walked away, just as Dan reached them.
“Lucy,” he murmured, putting a strong hand around her waist. “Let’s go inside.”
Lucy let Dan lead her inside, wanting nothing more than to curl up on to the bed and cry until she had nothing left.
Chapter Nineteen
The following day, Nick gathered the pack together. Dan gave Lucy a worried look as she sat down. He had spent the night holding her, not knowing what to say. Lucy had alternated between tears and anger, and all he’d been able to do was be there for her. There was nothing he could say to make her pain any less. He had no experience of what it was like to have your own flesh and blood treat you so cruelly.
At the same time, Dan wanted to tell Lucy how proud he was of her. She had stood in the face of terrible danger and had chosen to shift in order to protect him. As much as he had fought Dominic, Dan had to admit to himself that he probably would have been severely injured from Dominic’s beating, if not fatally. She had stood up to her brother once again, to the point of choosing Dan and the Alliance over her own brother. Even though Lucy truly disliked her brother, Dan knew that she was still hurt deeply by his words. To know that your brother would willingly attack you, should you come near his pack again, must feel like the bottom had dropped out of your world.
“How are we all feeling?” Nick asked, his eyes on Dan.
Dan winced, as he shrugged. Dominic had certainly left his mark. He had needed a couple of ice packs last night. He couldn’t see all that well out of his left eye and his mouth had a pretty bad tear. It would take a few days to heal.
"That good, huh?" Nick asked, with a slight grin. "Well, hopefully, we'll be safe for a while. We've discovered that there are a few things going on in the Northern Wind pack, things they're going to have to sort out themselves before they can even think about launching a fresh attack on us."
“What sort of things?” Dan asked, frowning. He’d been aware that Nick had disappeared for a while last night, once they’d all come back, but didn’t know where he’d gone.
Nick glanced at Tom. “We did a little scouting,” he answered, quietly. “We stayed downwind but managed to pick up enough of their conversation to understand the kind of thing that’s going on.” His eyes darted to Lucy. “It’s not good, I’m afraid.”
Dan saw Lucy visibly tense. Obviously, whatever Nick had heard was to do with Dominic.
“What is it?” she asked, her voice quiet. “What is Dominic doing?”
Pausing for a moment before answering, Nick let out a long breath. “I’m not going to lie to you, Lucy, but it’s pretty bad news. It looks like Dominic is planning a takeover of the pack somehow.”
"A takeover?" Dan repeated, frowning. "But Lucas is the pack leader."
“Yes, we know,” Tom interrupted, gruffly. “But we heard Dominic talking to one of the other pack members, far back from the others. Looks like he wants to lead, not Lucas.”
“And that means there’s going to be a lot more fighting ahead,” Nick continued. “From what I saw of Dominic yesterday, he’s not one to hold back.”
"He likes to fight first and think afterward," Lucy said, softly. "You're right, Nick. This isn't a good thing."
Nick gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Lucy.”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”
Dan watched as Lucy got to her feet and left the shop, walking outside and into the cold air.
“Do you think I should go after her?” he asked, helplessly. “I don’t know what to do.”
Savannah put a calming hand on his arm. “Just leave her for a little while, Dan. Give her some space. She’s been through a lot.”
“She did shift, at least,” Jo added. “That’s got to be a good thing, right?”
Dan didn’t know, choosing not to answer. He wasn’t sure that Lucy planned to shift again, given how awful she felt about the whole thing. Perhaps the fight yesterday had just cemented the idea that all shifters were angry, hate-filled fighters.
“Just give her some time, Dan,” Savannah said, apparently seeing the distress on his face. “You’ll get her back soon.”
Lucy walked away from the others, and out into the cold wind, barely feeling it. Dominic was doing what he always did, vying for control. He wanted to be in command, to be the one calling the shots. He'd want to attack and rip this pack to pieces so that he could claim victory. That's all it was to Dominic. It didn't matter what other people thought, Dominic could never be the one in a lesser position. No matter what it took, Lucy knew she and the others wouldn't be safe from him.
What was she going to do? A huge part of her urged her to run away, to leave the pack behind and go and start over somewhere else….but her heart told her she couldn’t. Not after the kindness they’d shown her. They’d taken her in, given her a roof over her head, food to eat and, now, a job she could call her own. And then, there was Dan.
Lucy couldn’t deny she loved him, even with the pain in her heart. He was there for her, right from the start. Right when she needed help to step away from Dominic that night outside the bar, he’d been there trying to help her. Of course, he’d only managed to get a punch that had knocked him to the ground for his trouble, but he’d tried and that had shown her exactly the kind of man he was. He was the kind of man that would stand up for someone he saw being treated unfairly, the kind of man who wouldn’t let her down.
She remembered how she had seen his bear, battered and bloodied but still fighting against Dominic. If she hadn’t managed to stop Dominic, Lucy wasn’t sure what would have happened to Dan. Would he just have kept on trying to fight for her, no matter what happened to him?
Thrusting her head in her hands, Lucy walked towards the woods, not really knowing where she was going. She needed to get away from it all, to think alone.
Lucy didn't know how long it was she had been walking for, lost in her thoughts, but she suddenly realized she had no idea where she was. The woods were dark, the tall trees blotting out a lot of the early morning sunshine.
Looking around her, Lucy felt a frisson of fear rush up her spine. What if Lucas or Dominic was looking for her, caught her scent in the wind? She was entirely alone.
Her bear growled, growing wary. The sensible thing to do would be to let her bear out so that she could use her senses to find her way home, but Lucy really didn't want to do that. Tired from forcing her bear back down, from refusing to let it tear out of her skin, Lucy dropped to her knees and began to cry.
“Lucy?”
Looking up, Lucy saw Dan walking towards her, his arms outstretched. He’d followed her. He hadn’t left her alone. Crying even harder, Lucy felt Dan pull her into his arms, sitting down on the forest floor next to her.
“Whatever you’re going through, I’m here,” Dan whispered in her ear, holding her tightly. “You don’t have to go through this alone, Lucy. I�
�ll always be here for you. I’ll never leave you.”
Lucy sobbed into his chest, her heart breaking and healing at the same time. Dan had proven himself time and again, proving that he would never let her down the way Dominic had. He would always want her, he’d never turn his back on her and leave her to live life alone.
“I’m here, Lucy,” Dan murmured, over and over again. Lucy let herself rest against him, letting out all of the emotions she felt until there was nothing left. And still, Dan held her tightly, reassuring her softly. She had never felt more loved.
Chapter Twenty
“How is she?”
Dan shook his head. It was now a week since they’d fought against Dominic, Lucas and the Northern Wind pack and still Lucy hadn’t come out of her shell. She was still quiet and sad, often caught staring into space, lost in her thoughts.
“I don’t know,” he replied, seeing Jo’s eyes grow sad. “I don’t know what to do, Jo.” He glanced at the walls, which were now painted with a white undercoat. “How has she been here?”
Jo shrugged. “She works just as hard, but, like with you, she’s very quiet. Nothing like the Lucy we’ve come to know.”
Rubbing a hand over his face, Dan’s shoulders slumped. “I wish I could help her.”
"You are helping her," Jo assured him. "Just being there for her and listening to her when she needs to talk is doing more than you realize."
“But she doesn’t talk,” Dan replied with a frown. “That’s what I’m saying, Jo. She doesn’t talk to me. I get the impression that she’s holding something back from me, but I don’t know what it is.”
Jo looked thoughtful. “Have you asked her outright?”
“No,” Dan replied, quickly. “I don’t want to impose.”
“I don’t think you would be,” she replied, gently. “You are closer to her than anyone else, Dan. Just try and talk to her. See if you can get her to open up.”
Doubtfully, Dan shook his head again, although he didn’t outright refuse. Perhaps Jo was right. Perhaps that was the only way to get through to Lucy. Asking the difficult questions might help her to open up to him.
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