Claimed by the Claws

by Laura Wylde

  The man that was my messenger, also gave me information that I needed. I would have tortured him to get what I needed from him, but I didn't have to. Once he realized that I was going to spare him if he gave me information, the man started singing like a bird. He talked about wanting to join us, but I told him that I didn't need somebody like him in my crew. Everyone that was behind me now, I knew would never say a word. I needed that kind of loyalty. Lack of loyalty with half of Greg’s crew was half of the reason that he was going to fail.

  Once I found out where Greg was, the first thought in my mind was just to go find him and take him out. He has caused enough trouble in my life, killing Buck, my mentor and then almost killing my mate. These were things that could not be forgiven and they had to be punished. It was Bree that reminded me of the crew.

  “What is the point of having a crew to watch your back if you don't let them?”

  “What do you want me to do, not go after own?”

  She shook her head and told me that was not at all.

  “I want you to do this the smart way and not get yourself killed.”

  “I promise you that it's not going to be me that dies Bree.”

  I wanted her to understand that this had to happen. I was nervous when I asked her if she wanted me to kill him because I don’t know if I would have been able to go along with it if she wanted him to live. I didn’t and I wasn’t going to be able to go on, knowing that he was still breathing. I didn’t want to. He was someone that needed to be gone, one way or another.

  She ran up to me before we left out to meet up with Greg. He planned to attack a shipment that was coming in for me and I was going to make sure that he got more than he bargained for. I was done worrying about Greg and I knew that the only way I was going to be able to let this all go, was to kill the man that had hurt so many. While I was trying to do the right thing, I knew that it was Greg that had brought all of the violence to Lost Hills. He was the one that had changed the place I loved and I wasn’t going to stand for it.

  “Just be safe Daxton and know that I am here waiting for you.”

  I kissed her back and I never wanted to let her go. It was literally the best thing that she could have told me, because I was going to think about it the whole time I was getting back to her. Before, I never had anything to make me come home, but now it was different. Now I had a whole life ahead of me and all I could think about was getting home so that I could start it.

  “I promise you that as soon as this is taken care of, we aren't going to leave the bedroom for a week.”

  “Promises, promises.”

  It was hard leaving Bree, but I knew she was safe with some of the gang and Sandra promised that she would take care of her. I knew that Sandra would have been good for the battle, she was born for it after all, but I would feel better knowing that no one was going to get Bree. Greg would do anything to get to her and while I didn't blame him for it, I surely wasn't going to let him get to her. She was mine now and I didn't even want another man putting his hands on her.

  We got to the meeting spot and instead of only a couple of guys going to pick up the goods like it usually was, I made sure that there was another 20 or so in the bushes. Everyone that I had spoken with before the fiasco with the Alpha thing was done, was still here and we had quite a crew. I don't know if it was as big as Greg was, but his numbers were dwindling quickly. And after tonight, I didn’t figure there wouldn't be any left. If there was, they would leave if they knew what was good for them.

  I got a call from Sandra a little bit after I left the house and she was insisting that they come to the meet spot. She said that Bree wanted to know where the meeting spot was and she wasn't going to let it go.

  “She's just going to leave, Daxton.”

  “Don't let her leave Sandra. I know that you're stronger than her.”

  She may decide to tell me that she was very offended that I would even think she would do it and I had to rethink how I was going to ask. I didn't want Bree here because I was afraid something was going to happen and I knew that her being here was going to tip off Greg even further. Greg was already going to freak out and the last thing I needed was a kamikaze in the end.

  “I'm not going to beat her up, Daxton. That's not what I'm saying at all and you know it.”

  “Then what are you saying?”

  “I'm saying talk to her and make her understand.”

  Sandra told me that obviously I didn't know my mate very well.

  “She's going to do, what she's going to do and it is best if you tell me where to go, instead of us just walking into it. That is the only reason I called. Think of it as a courtesy call.

  Taking a deep breath, I told her where we were going to be. I also told her that they had to stay in the car and they had to stay up on the bluff where they could see down but wouldn't be in the action. If Bree was so keen to see, I wasn't going to stop her, but I was going to make sure that Greg couldn't get to either.

  Sandra got off the phone and she seemed to be happy with the compromise. I knew from my own experience that Bree could be quite persistent when she wanted to be and I had a feeling that she was giving her friend hell. I was going to have to tame her eventually, but I was really enjoying the wild one that I had at the moment.

  Another ten minutes went by before I saw the car pull up on the bluff. They weren’t that far away. It would only take them a couple of minutes to get down here, but I felt better knowing that they were safe. I don't know what would happen if Bree was hurt and I never wanted to find out.

  I didn't have to wait long for Greg and his crew to show up. He came out shifted, they all did and I was rather surprised at how unbothered they were. Not many people would shift in public like that. The place was not that isolated.

  The two sides came together and we started fighting in the street. There were cars passing by and none of us seemed to care. it must have been a sight to see, thirty or forty fighting to the death in the middle of the road. I wanted to look up and make sure that Bree was okay, but I was busy with a lot of other things. I knew that Sandra was with Bree and that she was going to be fine. Most of Greg’s crew went down pretty easily. While Greg had taken over the area, he hadn't paid attention to any of the elders to learn anything. He was of a new breed that wanted to be different. With the old ways, they had been around for a long time for a reason. It kept us all safe.

  I had Greg underneath me and it would have taken nothing to snuff him out. I wanted to, I really did, but something in me told me that I needed to break the constant killing. It all started with Buck’s killing and I didn't know if it would end with Greg. I wanted my clan and people to have peace, and I knew that the only way to do it was to find another way.

  “I'm not going to kill you Greg. I want you to go away and never come back, but I'm not going to kill you.”

  “You should Daxton. I'm just going to come back with more people and we're just going to take you out.”

  I gritted my teeth together and wished that he knew how badly I wanted to kill him. It was in every fiber of my being and the only reason that I hadn’t already was because of Bree. She made me believe in the future and I wanted it to be a good one. I didn't want to have to worry about it every time she left the house if one of my enemies was going to get to her. The only way that we were all going to be safe and I could ensure her safety forever, was to put aside these differences and let him go on his way. I wanted to believe that he would learn and stay away.

  “Shut up or I'm going to change my mind.”

  He must have seen that I wasn't joking around because he finally shut his trap. I was thankful for that, if only because I was able to breathe again and I looked up at the ridgeline where Bree should have been. But she wasn't there or rather I could see her climbing down. I knew that she would be down here in a minute and I didn't want her around Greg. I had told her that I was going to kill him.

  I started to walk towards her to stop her. I didn't want her to com
e face to face with him, she shouldn't have to. After everything he’d done to her and so many others, I knew that it was a lot to ask for them to understand what I was doing. I was afraid that she was going to want him killed and then I was going to have to.

  “You need to go back up there, I mean it. I don't want you down here.”

  “I want to be here for you. It was hard to watch but I'm glad that you are safe. You are bigger and stronger now.”

  I grabbed her and started to kiss her, but she pulled away and said something about Greg. I hadn't seen him coming towards me and he was about to stab me in the back with a knife, when Bree got in the way.

  All my thoughts of peace were gone and all I could see was red as I watch the woman I love, fall to the ground. Blood started to spread across her shirt and I knew that nothing was ever going to be the same again.

  Chapter 27

  Bree

  I woke up and I was hurting very badly. Everything that had happened so quickly and before I knew what was happening, I was moving in front of Daxton because of Greg. I couldn’t let something happen to the man that I loved because of me. It was all because of me. I knew that and I just couldn’t let it happen.

  After that, it had been darkness and now I was in a hospital. It was strange to be there because last time I’d been hurt, I’d been taken to Sandra’s dad. I worried what that meant.

  “I’m glad you’re awake.”

  “Where am I?”

  “The hospital in Lost Hills.”

  “Why am I here?”

  “You were stabbed.”

  “I know, but why didn’t you take me to go see Charles?”

  Daxton just shook his head like it was a silly idea. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

  I knew that the police would be called and questions would be asked. It was all things that he didn’t want to happen and I was thankful that he cared enough about me that he was going to make sure that I was okay.

  “Where did he stab me because everything hurts.”

  Daxton smiled at me and leaned down to kiss me.

  “In the shoulder. There shouldn’t be any permanent damage. I can’t believe that you did that for me.”

  “Isn’t that what the vows meant?”

  “No, not like that. I would have rather Greg hurt me than you.”

  “Greg will hurt everyone he comes in contact with. That’s just how he is.”

  Daxton agreed and I waited to hear of the man’s fate.

  “So?”

  “What?”

  “Did you kill him?”

  Daxton was taken aback by my question.

  “Yes. He won’t be around to hurt anyone ever again. After I saw you fall, I just sort of lost it. There is no one left that followed Chris. They have all been exterminated.”

  “You killed him?” My face sunk.

  “You didn’t want me to?”

  I looked away and he moved towards me, trying to get me to tell him that everything was okay.

  “I mean, you didn’t have to.”

  Daxton looked distressed and I couldn’t hold it in, anymore.

  “What, you were joking?”

  I grinned and told him that I was. Trying to move, I forgot that I was stabbed in the shoulder and I winced at the pain.

  “You really joke about this?” He was incredulous and I thought it just made it better.

  “Yeah. You did on our wedding night.”

  He didn’t correct my terminology, but he laughed.

  “Truce?”

  I had to laugh, thinking the whole time that we had some messed up sense of humor. The laughter died when the doctor came in. It wasn’t something that we needed to get out and I was worried about what he was going to say. We shouldn’t be in here laughing, especially not about another’s death. It was wrong and the doctor was like me from a week ago. He didn’t know who he was dealing with.

  “I can't lie, it is good to see that you are in good spirits. You have quite an injury and I always say that healing is more mental than anything else. It looks like you're on the right track.”

  I set up a little straighter in the bed and asked him how much it was. I was worried about permanent damage and being able to use it again.

  The older, dark skin man told me that I was going to be fine. I didn’t feel fine.

  You are going to heal just fine. It won't be long at all before you are back to normal. You really are lucky that it didn't hit anything important. There will be muscle pain for a while, but that too will go away fairly quickly.

  He acted like he had more information and I waited for the rest of it. I was waiting for him to tell me that while my shoulder was going to be fine, my hand wasn’t. It didn't seem like being in this much pain was normal.

  “So what else then?”

  He smiled at me and then looked over at Daxton. “Well, it seems like I am the bearer of good news as well.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that you are pregnant. And you're not that far along, so I know that you probably haven't missed a period yet. It just goes to show that good things come from every bad situation.

  I was stunned more than anything else and I didn't know what to say. Daxton thanked the doctor for taking care of me and he followed him out of the room. The two talked for a few minutes and I was left in the bed alone. My thoughts were reeling and I wasn't sure how Daxton was going to take the news. I didn't know how to feel until I saw his reaction. I didn't know if he was going to be mad. We hadn’t only known each other for a few days after all. We were mated now, but it all seemed like a whirlwind when looking back at it.

  Daxton was only gone for a moment or two, but it felt like forever when I felt so unsure. He had a smile on his face when he came back and I was hopeful that it was for me as well.

  I waited, holding my breath for him to say something and he did for a while.

  “I didn't think it would happen so soon.”

  “What?”

  “You being pregnant. I mean, I knew that I was going to happen, I hoped that it would happen, but I thought that we would have a bit more of a wait.”

  The way he was talking, I wasn't sure if he was happy or not. I was still hesitated to go one way or another with it because it was not a happy occasion if Daxton was upset about it. I didn't want him to be mad at me.

  “So are you going to say anything about it?”

  He was asking me if I was going there right after finding out. I still didn't know what to say or what to feel about it.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  Daxton leaned over the bed and kissed me.

  “I want you to say that you're as happy as I am to be carrying my child. I don't know, something. Are you not happy about it?”

  Now that I knew he wasn’t mad about it, I could relax and I immediately felt better about it than I did before. Now I knew that Daxton was happy, so I was as well. There had been a moment, I had imagined what it would be like if Daxton didn’t want it and he left me. I don’t know what I would have done.

  “Then I am happy that I am pregnant. If you are happy Daxton Tyler then I am too. I had given up on men altogether, so in a way, I figured that I may never have children.”

  Now he was the one that was looking worried, asking me if I wanted children. I told him that I did and he smiled at me.

  “That's good Bree, because I know that you're going to make a damn good mother.”

  Laying down for a kiss, I felt safe in his arms and it was the first time since I'd been awake that I didn't feel any pain. He had a way of taking all of it away from me, and giving me something better in return. Daxton was all that I was ever going to need and I knew now what it felt like to finally be complete.

  The End

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