by J. E. Cluney
“I can see how they’d want to, but I don’t agree with taking a child away like that,” I murmured.
Ray just gave me a strange look as he finished his burger, as if he was seeing a part of me he hadn’t yet seen before.
“You’re something else. To be abused like that by him last night and to still not wish such a thing upon him. You really are a kind woman,” he said softly.
“I want him to pay for what he’s done, but those around you should not be punished for your sins,” I said firmly.
Ray just nodded in agreement. “I wish he thought that way.”
He frowned as he contemplated something before finally giving in and asking.
“What’s your Pack like? How do you all live? Your Alpha, how’s he treat everyone?” he fired off the questions.
“My Pack,” I sighed. “Well, they’re family. We all look out for one another, much your Pack. But we live freely, working together to keep the ranch going, having communal gatherings and dinners, and the occasional hunt. My father leads the hunts, and he runs every gathering and dinner. He’s not taken a mate since my mother died, I wish he would, he deserves it, but he hasn’t,” I said. “There’s a theater for the children in our mansion, and we’re all welcome to the large kitchen, but most of the Pack just cook at home. We have fundays quite often, where the focus is on the children, and my father works hard to keep the Pack happy and working together. He settles disputes carefully, so no one is left feeling like they got burned, but he’s busy quite often, dealing with outside Pack issues since he’s the Area Enforcer too.”
“What are the dinners like? We just handle communal stuff ourselves, Richard wants no part in it,” Ray pouted, but he leaned forward eagerly, pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged. He was like an eager puppy, desperate to know more.
“We have big feasts, some of the men use the big barbecue out back while the women use the big kitchen to make all sorts of yummy goodies. And the desserts, damn, they’re amazing,” I moaned in memory of the countless delicious cheesecakes I’d had. They were by far my favorite.
“Wow, that sounds amazing,” Ray sighed as he closed his eyes. It was like he was picturing such a thing here with his own Pack. It made my heart ache for him.
“It’s quite the way of life to be honest,” I admitted. And I’d just walked away from it so easily. How I was kicking myself now. My father had been right all along. I’d never known just how lucky I was.
I could only imagine if I’d been born into this Pack instead.
I pushed the thought aside as I helped Ray finish the fries in a comfortable silence. I was glad for his company; he was sweet and kind. I was surprised so many of this Pack were so kind after the lives they’d lived under Richard’s rule.
“Must be hard finding yourself a potential mate if so many of you are related,” I murmured through a yawn.
“Yeah, it is. And I don’t know how I’ll fare knowing they’ll be taken from me by Richard,” Ray said as he stared hard at his hands.
“Yeah, it’d be hard.”
“Have you got someone back home? May said you had someone,” Ray asked.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“They must miss you something fierce, I hope this gets resolved. The way he treated you last night, no she-wolf should ever be treated like that. My momma raised me to respect a woman, to know that without them, we are nothing,” he frowned.
“You’re momma is a good woman,” I remarked. “And I know I’m missed, I just hope they don’t get themselves killed.”
“This Alpha challenge, do you think Richard will try something dirty?” he leaned back into the couch with a perplexed look.
“I don’t doubt it. He didn’t follow our ways in asking for me as his mate, why would he respect the rules of an Alpha challenge?” I growled.
Ray just nodded sadly before rising and clearing away the platter and crumbs.
“Want a drink?” he asked as he headed for the kitchen.
“Just water, please,” I managed to call out, the extra force making my throat protest.
He returned in a few moments with a glass of water and a tall glass of milk for himself which I grinned at.
“I hear the Ashwood Ranch has some fine horses. We focus on cattle mainly here, but we’ve got some horses too,” Ray said.
I nodded and proceeded to tell him about our stud and the many foals we’d had over the years. Our ranch worked with a different breed of cattle to the Williamson’s, so that helped relieve the rivalry a bit between the two Packs.
I told Ray about many things from home when he asked, how Scott was one of the main builders and woodworkers, and how Jaye was an artist. We had women who crafted and knitted clothing for the younger ‘wolves, others that sewed. We grew a lot of our own foods in a large veggie field on the way down to the river, off to the right behind the mansion. It was a communal field, so anyone could come take what they needed, as long as they gave something in return, be it some weeding or watering, or trimming away anything dead.
Ray was silent for the most part, enjoying what I had to share about my home. I could see his gentle smile as he wondered what such a life would be like.
I grew tired as the hours passed, with Ray telling me about their own ways of dealing with things. They had a communal veggie area as well that they all tended to, and many of them hunted their own food. Deer were scarce now, and he worried they’d hunted them down to only the last few in the area, but since few were allowed to leave and work in the towns, there were little other options. There was one worker who could pick up fresh meats in town, but it took a decent chip out of everyone’s allowances, which they clung to like a lifeline.
It was sad and wrong, but there was nothing I could do for now.
I told him how my father made sure to bring in new deer to replenish the wild ones, and Ray was shocked and awed at such an idea. Richard would never even listen to a thought like that.
We talked for ages, swapping tales about our families and friends, but sleep crept up on me, and before I knew it, he was carrying me to my room, telling me how I didn’t deserve this, that I should be home with those I loved.
He tucked me in, informing me he was leaving the door unlocked in case I needed the bathroom. He’d be back in the morning. I wanted to ask him to stay, not wanting to be left alone in this strange lodge, knowing Richard could return at any minute. But he had his own family to worry about, and May had already told Richard to let me heal.
I just hoped he listened.
The need to pee woke me from my slumber, drawing me from my dreams of laughter and jokes with my three men. How I wanted to be with them so badly.
I groaned as my body argued against rising, aching at the mere thought. Werewolves healed faster than humans, but it’d be another few days until I was myself again completely.
I fought off dark thoughts as images of Richard ravaging me seared through my mind.
I focused on feeling for the bedside lamp and flicking it on, blinking as my vision came into focus.
I carefully stood, stretching slightly as I yawned and wincing as my body throbbed with soft pain.
I headed out into the darkened hall, using the flood of light from my room to locate the bathroom next door.
I did what I needed to and came out, still groggy and ready to go back to bed.
I felt his presence before I saw him.
My heart leaped to my throat as I turned around, the hulking figure before me grunting as I stood frozen. I wouldn’t run away from him, that’d only make it worse.
“Well, aren’t you quite the perfect little fuck,” he slurred.
I just frowned, the stench of alcohol hitting me and making me nearly gag.
Before I could make any move, he lurched forward and pinned me to the wall.
“May says to let you heal. You won’t fall pregnant if I keep taking you this way. Well, fuck her, what does she know. If I do it enough, you’ll catch,” he grunted.
I
didn’t move as I just glared at him, forcing my body to not tremble as he held his arm against my already bruised and sore throat.
Then I was flipped, my face against the wall as he yanked my pants and underwear down.
I bit down hard on my lip to refrain from whimpering.
I needed to heal; I needed to be capable of telling my father that this challenge was a trap, that Richard would disregard our ways and kill him somehow.
I gasped in pain as he slammed into me from behind, my body sliding up the wall from the force and my area splitting once more.
“You are mine now, you little bitch,” he grunted into my ear, one hand latched onto my arm behind me to keep me in place. “He thinks he can challenge me. I’ll have him shot before he even crosses my borders. I’ll kill him, and I’ll take his Pack.”
I gritted my teeth against the pain as he thrust into me, my legs shaking from the brutal force. The feel of the wood pressed against my cheek was something I’d never forget. That little nail a few inches before my eyes that jutted out slightly, the way the light spilled from the doorway of my room.
Thankfully, maybe because of his alcohol infused stated, he finished with a snarl and slid out of me, dropping me to the floor like a rag-doll.
“That’s all you’re good for,” he spat as he pulled up his jeans.
I just stared at my pants still tangled around my ankles, the painful throb between my legs rocking through my body.
He left me there in a heap on the floor, staring numbly at my legs as he retreated down to his end of the lodge.
I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, unfeeling, no tears coming forth from the pain and loathing. Instead, I sighed and pulled my pants up weakly, my mind slowly returning as I replayed his words.
He had the full intention of having my father killed before a challenge.
And then he’d take my Pack, my home. The thought fueled me, and I managed to climb to my feet as I used the wall for support.
I would never allow that monster to become our Alpha.
I stood in the hall, my mind struggling to fight off the ugly thoughts as I tried to think. I needed to do something, now.
Him being drunk and in this state, now was as good a time as I was ever going to get.
And despite knowing that if I killed him, my life would be forfeited by Pack laws, I didn’t care. He’d taken my honor and my pride, he’d raped my body and left me broken.
And not even the thought of my three loving boys could stop me now. It only made me more determined.
I would not let them suffer the same fate as this Pack.
8
Scott.
Forcing ourselves to keep busy and not seek out Tay was the hardest thing we’d ever had to do. I struggled to focus on the dresser I was making for Beth now that she was moving into her own separate room after sharing with her younger brother since they were young. I couldn’t find the drive to work, and I found myself spending most of my time just staring at it, trying to quell the anger and fury inside me. And the sorrow. I couldn’t stop thinking about Tay, about what was happening with her right now, how she was being treated.
The day dragged by, and Nathan visited me in the workshop, unable to focus either. He’d fixed a few fences and moved the cattle, but his mind was too chaotic, stressed about Tay and furious about Richard.
Even when we decided to have lunch and Jaye joined us, we were abysmal. We sat in brooding silence, barely tasting the cooked steaks and fries. Jaye had tried to paint and ended up with a destroyed canvas. At least it wasn’t the commission for the rich woman, whose painting he’d already had shipped out.
“What do you think she’s doing right now?” Jaye muttered as he played with a fry.
“Hopefully she’s meeting the Pack, getting to know everyone, seeing the children,” Nathan said, but his heart wasn’t in it.
“I think she’s being raped by that pig,” Jaye snarled. “We should be there, we shouldn’t be just sitting here waiting. The longer we wait, the more harm could come to her!”
“The Alpha has made his decision, we have to trust in him,” I said, but Jaye’s words were like a knife to the gut. Hearing my own worries out loud only made my own emotions more chaotic.
I clenched my fork with unnecessary force, struggling to keep my emotions from spilling out. One of us needed to be calm and collected, and I hated feeling like I was the only one capable of it right now. I wanted to shout and vent my own fears and worries, just like them, but I refrained.
“How do you think Frank’s meeting with Reggie is going to go this afternoon?” I tried to move the topic away from dangerous waters.
“Who knows, although Lawrence is making sure he takes a satellite phone to give him in case we need to contact him urgently,” Nathan said as he pushed his plate away, his half-eaten steak of no interest to him.
“We should head off now while he’s busy, go there and bring her home,” Jaye growled.
“We could get shot on sight. We need to be smart, Tay wouldn’t want us throwing our lives away,” I grumbled. I set my fork down, worried I might bend it beyond repair if I kept holding it like a vice.
Jaye grunted and averted his eyes as he crossed his arms, pissed and impatient. He wasn’t the only one, but he was the main one to show it.
“Neema should be here soon, she said she had one last Rogue issue to deal with and then she’d be here after lunch. Having her here is good,” Nathan nodded.
“That prick needs to die. He’s no good,” Jaye muttered.
“And he may very well fall in battle with the Alpha, we don’t know,” I said, annoyed with him. He was making it hard to keep a cool head.
I left the pair to their own devices as I headed outside to continue attempting to finish the dresser for Beth. I needed to keep my mind occupied until we heard back from the Williamson Pack.
But I was also itching to hear from Frank when he returned home from seeing Reggie in town. Maybe he could fill us in on what had been going on at the Williamson Pack with Tay.
By the time Jaye came to fetch me, I’d miraculously managed to get some actual work completed on the dresser. I’d carved the wooden stand on top that would hold a mirror, and the drawers had the rollers put on and everything had been sanded. All I needed to do now was put a coat of oil on it, screw the knobs on, and put the mirror in.
“Frank’s back,” Jaye informed me, his brow knitted together. “Says he’s got news for all of us. Nathan has called Chris, he’ll be here shortly, we’re all meeting in the living area. Neema is there too.”
I set my tools down, clenching and unclenching my hands as I pursed my lips. Why did I feel like the news would be anything but good?
I followed Jaye back to the mansion and through the front doors. Lawrence and Nathan sat on the first leather couch, so we took the opposite one. Frank had settled into an armchair, but he had a scowl on his face as he drummed his fingers on the arm of the leather chair. Neema stood off to the side, looking like the mighty Huntress she was, already dressed in her jeans and tight black top. She had a silver hunting knife tucked into its sheath on her belt, and I suspected it wasn’t the only knife she was carrying. Her earthy brown hair was pixie cut to keep it from interfering with her work, and her sky-blue eyes were cold and pissed. She was none too pleased with the turn of events in regards to Taylor.
I knitted my fingers together, fighting the urge to demand knowledge from Frank. We had to wait for Chris.
Nathan had a hand over his mouth as he bounced his leg impatiently, and Lawrence had a blank look, expressionless. It made me uneasy.
Jaye sat beside me, tugging at his shirt and shifting uncomfortably as he growled in annoyance.
Thankfully Chris arrived shortly, and he had a grim look on his face. Somehow we all knew already that the news wouldn’t be good.
“Well, we’re all here now, you can tell us what Reggie informed you,” Lawrence finally said as he rested his hands on his knees, leaning forward to hear wh
at the old ‘wolf had to say.
“It ain’t pretty,” he growled as his eyes flicked around to all of us.
“Just tell us,” Jaye snapped, and Frank just let out an exhausted sigh.
“He claimed her last night before the Pack, Reggie said he was brutal, forced himself on her, hurt her.”
The words had barely finished leaving his mouth before we broke into chaos. Rage tore through me as images of Taylor bruised and injured filled my mind. How dare that bastard hurt her? I howled along with the others in anguish and pain, the fury and deadly anger that hummed in the air only revved me up more. Yellow eyes flashed all around as snarls broke out, and Jaye was shaking uncontrollably beside me as we stood.
It took some time before Lawrence gathered himself and reined us all in. It was a miracle no one tore out of the house to head over there right away. Even Neema’s eyes were blazing yellow, but she was withholding her wrath, standing firmly with her arms crossed, her claws digging into her arms as her jaw set.
“There’s more,” Frank murmured once we’d all settled to soft growls and cracking of knuckles.
I wanted to kill something. Someone. I wanted to rip that brute limb from limb and shove his cock down his throat. I wanted to make him suffer and experience the most excruciating pain imaginable. I could already taste his blood as my teeth tore into his throat, and I’d leave him to die slowly, bleeding out as we tortured his body.
“What?” Lawrence urged Frank on, raising a hand to silence us. It wasn’t easy, the air was thick with desperation and wild animal, the desire to kill and destroy exuding from us, riling us all up.
“He intends to wait it out, force you to go to him and have you shot on sight. Explain it away as an accident to Council,” Frank’s eyes flashed yellow, and we all vibrated with barely restrained rage and savagery.
“Well, I guess we speed things up then,” Lawrence growled as he stepped before all of us.
The Alpha exuded power and authority, an influence that made us all shut up and listen. The air about him had changed, and the dangerous tension that filled the room made my skin prickle and seethe.