“Let’s play, little girl,” the Alpha Vampire smirked, blood dripping off his chin. In the blink of an eye, his expression tore her shock to shreds. Rage surged back into her, screaming in her head what she wanted to do to him.
“I just played with your minions,” she returned the smirk, striding towards him. “You can’t imagine how much I enjoyed destroying them.”
At that point, his smile vaporized. Letting out a fierce snarl, he thrust his arm forward. Helena ducked, keeping her eyes open. Looking up, she saw his exposed midsection. However, just as she was about to make her move, the shadow of a wolf covered her foe. His gray fur left her no doubt. Michael’s paws crashed into Dominic’s chest, sending him reeling back. They landed with a thud, flattening the grass, the gray wolf managing to keep his paws just below his enemy’s throat. The vampire thrust his arms up and gripped Michael’s neck, causing him to yip in pain. He snarled and jerked his head sideways, struggling to break free of his hold. A kick to his midsection added to his agony, his cry rising above the mayhem around them. Michael slid his paw up Dominic’s chest, his nails ripping into his skin. The vampire squeezed his eyes shut, his tortured scream reverberating through Helena’s skull as shards of glass rolled down either side of his neck. He let go of Michael for a split second and jerked his arm back. A powerful blow to his muzzle rocked his head back. Stunned, the wolf couldn’t stay on top of his enemy. His body was thrown to the left, Ray’s reddish lupine galloping past him.
“He’s mine!” Helena growled, stopping Michael’s friend on his tracks.
Dominic arose to his imposing stature, agony etched into every line of his face. Twisting her staff in her palms, she glared up at him, the green in her eyes darkening. Without waiting any longer, Helena drove her staff into his gut, fire consuming cloth and skin alike. It shot up and down the wound, scorching her arch enemy to ash.
Chaos was swirling around her. Wolf bones were getting crushed, yips lacing the air, along with vampire limbs getting torn off. In her confusion, Helena tried to focus. Three, almost simultaneous hisses drew her attention. She flipped around, noticing three pairs of yellow eyes, blurring closer. Slivers of fear sliced through her. She had been able to take out their Alpha; yet, fighting three of them at same time was perhaps more than she could handle.
Helena knotted her hands around her staff and held it out in front of her, before bringing it parallel to the ground. A gust of wind blew through her hair, picking up ashes from the earth.
“Seas of sorrow – Tears of rain
Hear my call – Take the pain
Undead horror – Cold at Heart
A wave of fire shall tear you apart”
Flames lengthened and shot upward as she completed the incantation. They plunged down on the ground, forming a wave of fire that raced forward. It scorched and singed grass and brush in its wake, shooting towards the vampires. Upon contact, the flames shot upward, pulling her enemies into a deadly embrace. One by one, they were consumed by the fire, their forms dissolving into ash.
Helena swept the clearing, her breath coming out in gasps. Michael had trapped another of their foes under him, growling as he attempted to end him once and for all. With a violent jerk, he ripped the vampire’s head off, a black and a white wolf snapping his neck like a twig.
Severed arms, legs and hands littered the forest floor, along with a few of the Alpha’s kind. He sniffed his fallen friends, letting off yips of sadness. A mild breeze scattered ashes and shards across the earth, the moment their eyes met across the clearing. Bittersweet emotions were running their course through her. They were victorious, but the prophecy had been fulfilled. The man who brought her to this world was lying dead amongst the remains of his allies. Alas, Helena could not leave him there. To the outside world, he was a distinguished businessman. His disappearance could raise questions. So, she did what she thought was right.
Placing both hands over his stomach, she teleported back to the mansion. The mixed scent of death, mud and balsam fir was replaced by the scent of roses, as she found herself standing outside the front door. The light from the leaving room told her that she was just seconds away from an unpleasant meeting with her mother. Even though she wanted to kick her out of the mountain and fulfill the prophecy she had mentioned to her, Helena didn’t wish to linger. Unlike her parents, she still had humanity left in her. Martha would come across her husband’s dead body; her daughter didn’t have the heart to tell her to leave.
Teleporting back to the clearing, she found Michael padding away from the battlefield. He headed for higher ground, his tail swishing out behind him. Peering up at the full moon, he threw his head back. His howl of pride rose in the air and resounded across the valley, his comrades joining him in moments. They had triumphed over their rivals. They had held on to their homeland. The shifters of Mercer had proved their worth…
Chapter Twenty-Three
Michael
“Hail the sons and daughters of Mercer!”
Michael’s stentorian toast commenced the celebrations for his kind’s victory in “Jimmy’s” diner. The shifters’ cheers rumbled across the hall as they all raised their glasses to their Alpha. They were ecstatic, smiling at one another, being their usual, loud selves. Still, something prevented him from enjoying this to the fullest.
Over the past three days, Helena had barely uttered a word. She didn’t eat more than a few bites at a time, she didn’t address him much and most of all, she didn’t smile. Every time Michael came back from work, he spoke to her about any mishaps, in an attempt to make her laugh. To no avail. She would excuse herself and leave him alone in the kitchen. In essence, the happy girl he had met outside “Purple Rock” didn’t resemble at all the woman after the battle.
Michael didn’t have to ask what was wrong with her. She had witnessed her father’s murder. Yes, he had betrayed her, but that didn’t change the fact that she was his daughter. And the young witch had proved over and over again how much she valued the people closest to her. Losing one of them in such a horrific way had taken a serious toll on her.
Her attitude remained the same that night as well. Wearing a polite smile, she lifted her glass to everyone and then sipped some wine. Without even glancing at Michael, she shuffled off towards the door and went outside. Although he didn’t mean to speak with her until the party was over, he realized that he couldn’t let the night go by like this. The Alpha left his table and walked out of the diner, his gaze following her while she strolled down the stairs.
“Talk to me, girl,” he requested, clicking the door shut behind him. “What’s on your mind?”
“My father’s funeral was today,” she informed, trotting into the parking lot. “My mother didn’t have the decency to tell me. I found out from Mrs. Tompkins, our next-door neighbor. She called to ask why I didn’t attend it.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Michael uttered, his voice coming out lazier than usual. “Anyway, that was today. Why have you been so distant lately?”
“Why?!” Helena exclaimed, turning to him. “Here’s why. Up ‘til a month ago, both my parents were alive. I thought I had a family who loved me, but all they loved was power. Now, my dad is six feet under, and my mom pretends I don’t even exist. Would you be happy if you were me? I don’t think so.”
“I was, sort of,” he stated, staring down into her eyes. “I woke up one morning and both of my folks were gone.”
“Yeah, but your folks stayed true to you,” Helena countered, her voice wobbly. “They didn’t betray you, did they?”
“No,” Michael sighed, noticing tears in her eyes. “Look, I know betrayal hurts. No parent should treat their child like that, but when I lost mine, I realized they were not my only family. My MC really came through back then. They comforted me; they fed me. They assured me I would never be alone.”
“I don’t have a motorcycle club,” she spoke in a broken voice, tears toppling over the edges of her eye. “I don’t even have a home.”
&nbs
p; “Yes, you do,” he disagreed, assuming a mellow tone. “Helena, maybe you’re too upset to see it, but you’re like royalty around here. You helped us take out a vampire clan. Hell, you killed almost half of them. You’ll always be welcome in Mercer. And make no mistake about it; you’ll always be welcome in my cabin.”
“That’s nice to know, but it doesn’t change the truth,” she whispered, her lips trembling.
“Move in with me,” Michael said, attempting a firm tone. “Graduate and come live in Mercer with me. I love you, Helena. I love the brash girl who danced into my life and wouldn’t leave, even when we agreed to stop seeing each other.”
“Yes,” she gasped, nodding at the same time. “I’d love to move in with you,” she added, bringing a smile of bliss to his face. Michael curled his arms around her and held her near, a sea of joy flooding his heart. “I love you, too,” she confessed as he lifted her up to his level. Seeing the world in her eyes, he claimed her lips, his heart thumping against his chest. Helena cupped his face in her hands, her delicious scent pouring through him, intoxicating him like the strongest whiskey he had ever tasted. Only her scent was not harmful by any means. It was his motivation. It had given him the will to carry on, even when the odds were stacked against him and his pack.
“You won’t regret this, you brash little thing,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. “I promise you, you won’t.”
“Oh, Michael,” she chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement.
“There’s the sweet girl I fell in love with,” he smiled, her grin broadening. “I’ve been wondering where she’s been these past few days.”
“You have every right to complain,” Helena said, her voice rising in volume. “My body was here, but…” She paused. “My mind was back in Highland.”
“I’m not complaining,” Michael maintained, pecking a kiss on her forehead. “I just missed you, that’s all.”
The noise of the door being yanked open made them lift their heads and look up. Johnnie was standing on the top landing of the staircase, with a bottle of whiskey in his grasp and a wicked smile on his face. The introduction of Guns ‘n’ Roses “Paradise City” was playing from the speakers, more of his comrades queuing up at the door.
“There they are!” He cheered, tossing the bottle across the parking lot. At that, he rushed down the stairs, his eyes fixed on his Alpha. “It’s time to show our witch how shifters like to party, baby! Woo hoo!”
Michael and Helena burst into loud laughter while more of his kind stormed into the parking lot. In a matter of seconds, they surrounded them, their fists up in the air as they cheered for them. The most common words coming out of their mouths were “vampire slayer,” “badass witch,” and “worthy Alpha.”
Michael didn’t appreciate the interruption. He was in the middle of a private moment with Helena. Nevertheless, he didn’t complain. They had earned this. Their freedom had come at a heavy cost. Celebrating their victory with their leader was only natural.
He held his witch in his arms, savoring the happy sounds all around him. And, judging by her huge grin, Helena was delighted, too. His proposal had changed the way she felt. The two of them had been through hell, a nightmare that could have claimed their lives. They were not unscathed; she had to live with the burden of her parents’ betrayal, and he mourned the loss of eleven of his brothers and sisters. However, they were victorious and still together. The storm had not managed to break them. They had ridden it out, even though it seemed that they would perish in the hands of their enemies. This was Michael’s biggest test of character and he had passed it with flying colors. He didn’t have a clue as to what the future had in store for him, but with Helena by his side, he was confident that he would emerge victorious yet again. Because she was more than just a witch. She was his rock. His happy girl. The love of his life…
The End
A Note from Felicity Jordan
I hope you enjoyed Raging Wolf. I had a lot of fun writing it. I’d love to hear what you think, so be sure to leave a review. It can make all the difference for authors like me.
I also wanted to offer you a freebie. Just head on over to my website at https://felicityjordan.com and you can download Saving the Alpha (A Werewolf Romance) totally for free! I know you’ll love it!
Synopsis
My sister is dying.
The doctors have tried everything.
As a scientist I believe her only hope may be an exotic herb mentioned in ancient texts. Now I’m deep in the woods looking for it.
By myself.
No problem right.
Of course, I didn’t anticipate running into a beast – an injured wolf shifter.
I should’ve known better than to take him back to my cabin in the forest, but I just couldn’t leave him.
Now, I don’t want to.
He has secrets he’s keeping from me.
Someone’s hunting him.
Perhaps together we can save the ones we love.
And maybe even save each other.
Raging Wolf: A MC Werewolf Romance Page 13