by L. P. Dover
“It was simple really. We took your clothes and left them with a note at Amelie’s house. We told him if he didn’t come alone, we’d rip you apart. My guys said he’s almost here.” He was telling the truth. I could smell Finn slowly approaching, with no one by his side. It was going to be him against eight wolves.
Jaret moaned in my ear and cupped my breast, squeezing it through my shirt. “Looks like he needs a little encouragement.” He snapped his fingers at his men and two of them stalked over to Amelie.
“Don’t you fucking touch her,” I shouted.
Jaret jerked my head to the side and growled. “They’re going to do more than that, sweetheart. But it’s nowhere close to what I’m going to do to you.” He grabbed the back of my shirt and ripped it off.
I screamed as his teeth bit into my neck, his fangs tearing through my skin. The pain was excruciating, the blood flowing like crimson rivers down my chest. All throughout the room, eyes glowed and the energy spiked. However, there was one person I could feel more than the rest. Finn. He was there.
“Let them go,” he yelled, appearing at the door.
Jaret ripped his teeth out of my flesh and laughed. “It’s about time you showed up.”
Finn met my gaze, his jaw clenched tight. He knew he was going to fight to the death. Tears slid down my cheeks as I glanced from him to Sebastian, lying motionless on the floor. They weren’t going to let us go, it was never in the cards.
Finn held out his arms, marching right into the middle of the barn. “I’m here and I’m alone. It’s what you wanted, right? Now take your revenge and let them go.”
Jaret’s men surrounded him. “The bitches are mine, Olcan. They’re not going anywhere.” He took off his shirt and tossed it on the ground, meeting Finn in the center. “You and I, however, are going to finish this once and for all.”
Finn’s eyes flashed. “Have it your way.” Turning on his heel, he pushed through the others to march outside, ripping off his shirt.
Once they’d left the barn, the sound of howls filled the night air. I looked over at Amelie, who had blood dripping down both sides of her neck. She hissed in pain, but I could see the strength in her eyes. She was ready.
“We have to get out of here and help them,” I said. “I can’t let Finn fight my battle, not again. If I can just get down to Sebastian, he’ll be okay.” Amelie nodded, but then her gaze landed on something to the other side of me. A small smile spread across her cheeks and I froze.
“Not unless I get to you first,” Sebastian murmured in my ear. Gasping, I turned my head, but he placed a finger on my lips. “Don’t say anything. We don’t want anyone to hear us.” His eyes flashed and he growled when he saw my neck. He freed me from the ropes and pulled me into his arms.
“I don’t understand,” I cried, running my hands all over his face and chest. I missed the way it felt to be in his arms. But something had happened. His face was free of burns, and his energy was stronger than before. I could feel him in my mind; the link was open.
“Let’s end this,” a voice whispered from behind.
I turned around, ready to fight, only to find Laila cutting Amelie out of the ropes. Amelie even smiled at her. What the hell was going on?
Sebastian turned my face to his. “She’s helping us, love. You can trust her.”
“What happened? Just a few minutes ago it looked like you were close to death.”
“It was a façade, a glamour of sorts. Laila put a spell on me to make me look like that. I was awake the whole time.” His jaw clenched. “Even when that fucker bit you. Hearing your screams about killed me.”
“There was no choice,” Laila interrupted, pocketing the knife in her pants.
Sebastian tore off his shirt and dropped his pants. I started to do the same, but he grabbed my wrist. “Not this time.”
“Have you lost your mind? You need me out there,” I hissed low.
“No, he doesn’t,” Laila said. “The others are here.”
I jerked my attention to her. “Who? There’s no one else here, except Finn, who’s going to get ripped apart if we don’t get out there and help him.”
She huffed impatiently. “Finn’s pack is here. I found him earlier and explained everything. I then used the same spell I put on Jaret’s wolves on his. That way, they could come in undetected. They’re here, ready to fight.”
Growls erupted outside and I heard a yelp. It was Finn. “Come on,” I cried, jerking out of Sebastian’s grasp.
He grabbed my wrists again, his glowing gaze full of heat. “You can’t, Tyla.”
“Why? I fight all the time.”
His gaze shifted to my stomach. “Not while you’re carrying my child, you don’t. I can’t lose you both. I’m not willing to take that risk.”
“This is insane. You’re not making any sense. Don’t you think I’d know before you?”
“I felt your baby’s energy last night when I gave you that tonic,” Laila confessed. “I thought Sebastian should know what was at stake.”
The more I looked at her, the more everything fell into place. I knew where I recognized her from. “I saw you in Sebastian’s mind. It was a vision many years ago, but you were there.”
She froze and quickly glanced at Sebastian before turning back to me. “It was my mother, not me. We’re running out of time, let’s go.”
Now it was my turn to freeze. She had the same eyes as Sebastian. And as selfish as it may seem, I didn’t want to think of him fathering another child other than our own.
Sebastian clutched my face in his hands. “You need to get out of here. Go,” he commanded. “Keep our little one safe.”
“I’ll help protect her,” Amelie promised.
I shook my head. “You can’t.”
She smiled. “I’m not pregnant, Tyla. Laila only told Jaret that to keep me safe. Now let me do this for you.”
Sebastian kissed me and placed his forehead to mine. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He raced off and shifted mid-air, lunging at a wolf right outside the barn. Amelie shifted and nudged me with her nose. I turned to see Laila rushing to the back door of the barn. She held her hand up to stop us when we approached.
Listening intently, I couldn’t hear anything other than the wolves out front, battling it out. “Where are we going?” I whispered. My wolf itched to break out and fight, and if I had to, I would in a heartbeat.
“My car. It’s in the driveway. If I can get us away from here, we’ll be safe.”
“Why can’t you just shift?”
She lowered her gaze and huffed. “I don’t have that ability. I’m only half wolf.”
“What else are you?”
Her blue eyes turned my way. “Fae. I guess I take more after my mother.” Amelie whined, rubbing her head against her legs and Laila smiled down at her. “Thanks, Am. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long.” Opening the door slightly, she looked around. “I think we’re good. Let’s go.”
We followed her out and bolted toward Jaret’s house. The driveway was around the front and we were almost there. Then a snap in the woods caught my attention. I turned to the noise just in time to see glowing hazel eyes lunging straight for Amelie.
Tyla
“Amelie!” I shouted.
She yelped as Jaret took her down to the ground. Then all was still.
I started to run to her, but Laila jerked me back and jumped over me, her knife poised in the air. She took off at a sprint, heading straight for Jaret, but he turned to face her at the last minute and smacked her with his claws. Flying through the air, Laila landed hard against a tree, the breath leaving her lungs. She gasped and tried to stand, but then fell back to the ground.
Jaret faced off with me, while Stefan shifted and jerked Laila to her feet. He grabbed her knife and held it to her throat, the blade biting into her skin. Jaret shifted and glared at her. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Saving my friends,” she spat. “They’r
e my real family.”
He scoffed. “How dare you turn your back on me. I’m the one who raised you.”
“No, you used me. And it’s time you paid the price. I’m not going to let you and your father get away with what you’ve done. If he was still alive, I would kill him myself.”
His anger blasted through us. “Traitor! He was your father too.”
Tears fell down her face and she shook her head, the knife slicing her throat. Blood ran down her neck and she cried. “He was yours. My father would’ve never done what he did.”
“Move out of the way, Tyla,” Sebastian said in my mind.
While Jaret focused on Laila, I rushed over to Amelie. Her fur was covered in blood from a deep gash to her stomach. Her eyes were closed but her chest moved up and down, heart racing rapidly. “You’re going to be okay,” I whispered.
Sebastian snuck up the hill, followed by Finn. Jaret noticed them and spread his arms wide. “Here we are, at last.” Stefan threw Laila’s knife deep into the woods and dropped her to the ground so he could shift. Jaret pointed at her, his voice gravelly and dark. “You’re going to wish you were dead by the time I get done with you.”
He shifted and Stefan joined him, both stalking off toward Sebastian and Finn. Sebastian would have to get through them before he could get to me. My spine tingled and the hairs on my arms stood on end. The energy was so electrifyingly high, I could feel it charging everything around me. I’d never seen a battle between four lethal warriors. It was as if some unspoken countdown ensued.
I could hear Sebastian’s thoughts, all jumbled together, on which steps to take and where to move. I never knew such tactics existed. Usually when I fought, I went straight in without another thought to my reactions. Maybe that was why Sebastian was the best. It was intriguing to hear him, but also terrifying to know just how skilled of a man he was. I had a lot to learn.
The time had come. Jaret lunged first and it was on. Sebastian jumped out of the way and Finn countered with a leap in Stefan’s direction. Teeth snapped and the sound of ripping flesh echoed in the wind. The smell of blood was everywhere, including Sebastian’s.
Laila came running over and fell to her knees beside Amelie, her throat already healing shut. She looked at Amelie’s wound and placed her hands over it.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m channeling the earth’s energy to heal her.”
“You can do that?” I asked incredulously. I’d heard of the fae, but I’d never met one. Their magical capabilities far outstretched our own.
“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s part of being a fae. Since I’m part fae and part wolf, my magic is unchartered. I don’t have anyone like myself to compare notes with.”
The wind picked up and the ground trembled. I could feel the earth’s energy seeping up through the soil, binding itself, not just Amelie, but to me as well. “What’s going on?” I’d never felt anything like it.
Laila smiled, the wind blowing her long, red hair in all different directions. “It’s the earth’s way of saying hello to you. It’s a gift.”
A yelp caught my ear; it was Finn. “Oh no.” I got up and raced down the hill. Finn hobbled on three of his legs, and Stefan used his momentary lack of weakness to creep up on Sebastian from behind. I could see the twinkle in Jaret’s eyes as he watched Stefan close in.
If he turned to Stefan, Jaret would get him from behind. There was only one thing left to do. Taking a deep breath, I raced down the hill and shifted, my clothes tearing as they ripped off my body. Stefan was getting closer, but I was gaining on him. I jumped in the air and time stood still as I waited for my body to land on his. When I landed on his back, I bit into him and we tumbled on the ground.
“Tyla, no!”
Stefan bared his fangs and bit me in the shoulder. The pain shot through my arm and down my spine. Sebastian was too far away, but he turned and headed straight for me. “Stop. I’ve got this!”
Finn interfered first and tackled Stefan to the ground. Biting him under the neck, he held on until his body went still. Sebastian and Jaret both stopped in their tracks when Stefan went down. Jaret’s eyes blazed and he howled. He was outnumbered and he knew it, but that wouldn’t stop him.
Finn hung back and stood guard over me, while the final battle ensued. Their growls made the earth shake as they tore into each other. But it was easy to see who had the upper hand. Sebastian was the better fighter.
In a momentary slip of Jaret’s judgment, Sebastian got a hold of one of his hind legs and latched on. Twisting and shaking, he ripped it clean off. Jaret howled in pain and tried to run away, but Sebastian tackled him and swiped his claws across his belly. Visions flashed in his mind, all of them centered on ripping Jaret apart. He wanted to make it as painful as possible. While Jaret lied on the ground, Sebastian bit into his other leg and tore it off as well.
“Tyla,” Laila shouted. I looked up at the top of the hill and saw she wasn’t alone. Amelie had awakened, eyes glowing and dialed in on Jaret.
“Sebastian, stop!”
He jerked his head to the side, his white fur covered in splatters of red. “He needs to suffer.”
“And he will. Just let Amelie deliver the final blow. She needs this.”
Amelie raced down the hill, as if she was never hurt in the first place. She then circled Sebastian and Jaret, waiting for her turn to strike. A brief moment passed when Sebastian and Amelie stared at each other. I knew they couldn’t speak mind to mind, but it was like there was an unspoken oath there.
When Sebastian was done, he walked away and stood beside me. “Don’t ever do what you did again. Promise me,” he growled.
I rubbed my head against him and looked up into his glowing blue eyes. “I was worried about you. You say you refuse to lose me, but I refuse to lose you too. I’m not raising this baby on my own.”
“I had it under control, Tyla. I knew Stefan was coming at me from behind. I was prepared.”
“I didn’t know,” I said honestly.
He nudged me with his nose. “That’s why you’re going to let me start training you. Micah and I can help you and Amelie, and even Laila if she decides to come back with us.”
The way he said Laila’s name with such meaning bothered me. I knew he had been with countless women before me, but if she was his daughter, I couldn’t help but be jealous of the fact. Laila joined us and stood beside Sebastian, keeping her gaze on Amelie as she continued to circle around Jaret. He yelped in pain, most likely wanting her to end it, but she let him suffer. That was exactly what I would’ve done. He didn’t deserve a quick death.
By the smell of Jaret’s blood, it wasn’t going to be long before he bled out. Amelie knew this was her last chance. Instead of ripping out his throat, she shifted and grabbed a large stick off of the ground. Holding it high, she slammed it down, piercing it through his chest. He was gone in a matter of seconds.
Amelie fell to her knees, burying her head in her hands, the sound of her cries filtering back to us. Laila rushed off toward her as the rest of us shifted.
“It’s over,” Finn murmured.
I reached for his hand and held it. “I’m sorry you lost everyone. I didn’t even get the chance to see them again.”
He squeezed my hand, his amber eyes gentle. “They were happy to know you were alive, but even more than that, they were ready to end this war. For years, the Sierra Pack has hunted us down one by one. Now we don’t have to fight anymore.”
“True, but we lost everyone. None of our people survived.”
“That’s not true,” he said, smiling sadly. “Three of us did.”
“Where are you going to go now?” Sebastian asked.
Finn shrugged. “Don’t know. I guess from here I can go anywhere.”
“You can come back with us,” I said.
He glanced back and forth between us, and it looked like he was considering it, but then he shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a great idea just yet. Maybe one d
ay I’ll find my way there.” Pulling me into his arms, he held on tight. For years, I’d thought he was dead, and now I had to let him go all over again. “I’m going to bury my men. Be safe going home,” he said.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I hugged him back and let go. “Goodbye, Finn.” He shook Sebastian’s hand and then took off toward his fallen wolves.
Sebastian put his arm around me and held me close. “You’ll see him again, love. One way or another, your paths will cross again.”
“Does that bother you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, but I know there’s something bothering you.” He nodded toward Laila.
Sighing, I glanced at her and then back to him. “When were you going to tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“That you were her father,” I blurted out. A small smile spread across his lips, then he burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“You are, love. I kind of enjoy this little jealous streak bubbling inside of you.”
I huffed and crossed my arms across my chest. “Glad I could amuse you.”
He pulled my arms apart and made me wrap them around his neck. “She’s not my daughter.”
I gasped. “But her eyes . . . they look exactly like yours.”
He chuckled. “They do, but have you forgotten I have two brothers? Why did you assume she’d be mine?”
“I don’t know,” I lied. His gaze narrowed and I huffed. “Okay, fine. I know your track record with women. Out of you and your brothers, you’d be the most obvious culprit.”
“And the least?” he asked.
Micah was a flirt but he wasn’t as bad as Sebastian. And Zayne was a whole other story. He was more reserved and serious all the time.
Releasing a heavy sigh, he twirled one of my curls around his finger. “Just because you’re not an outgoing person doesn’t mean you don’t know how to love.”
I could feel the turmoil inside of him. “It’s Zayne?” He nodded. “And he doesn’t know he has a child?”
“That’s something I’ll have to handle as soon as we get home. I just need to make sure Laila’s ready for it all.”