Feral Claim

by Fel Fern

  They shared a look and bolted. The ground underneath them alternated from smooth flat soil to a slippery terrain of protruding roots and rock. Sweat covered his front and back. Dave considered the odds of their survival. They carried nothing with them, no supplies. They left their bags in the car. There hadn’t been time, but he had his gun at the very least. Much help that would give them.

  It was Daryl and him, a former rookie cop against a trained, specialized team who captured Espers and other supernaturals for a living. That or up against the werewolves who claimed this territory as their own, who warned unwanted outsiders they would be executed on sight.

  God. This foolish idea had been his, but where else could they go? Either way, why did the Discipline Squad want his brother this badly? So many questions whirled in his head, but he had to focus on their survival first.

  A hawk’s screech yanked him back to reality. Behind them, they heard a gun going off. Daryl stumbled, but he reached for his brother.

  “We can’t give up,” he whispered. “Please, Daryl. I promised Beth and Brody I’d look after you.”

  “This is so hard,” Daryl whispered. “These woods, the emotions I’m feeling. I don’t know where it’s all coming from, but all I’m sensing is anger, pure rage.”

  His heart skipped a beat. “From the Discipline Squad?”

  His brother shook his head, eyes so wide, it scared him. “No, from something other than human.”

  * * * *

  Forrest Lowe scented the humans in the air instantly. All the fur on his back rose up, and he padded closer to the outsiders. All the enforcers for the Devil Hills wolf pack monitored a sector of the pack’s territory, along with the other allied paranormals who chose to settle in their lands.

  This area of the woods wasn’t part of his usual routine. As an enforcer, Forrest was one of his Alpha and Beta’s trusted lieutenants, and he had his own area to check on, but Isabella, the enforcer in charge of this sector, was about to give birth. Forrest volunteered to take over her duties for the day.

  He crept closer to the odd scents. In the pine trees ahead of him, a hawk shifter who belonged to the Devil Hills community let out a caw. He lifted his head. The avian shifter met his gaze, a signal telling him to follow. The wolves had been working closely with Malden’s hawks for decades, with the hawks being their eyes in the air.

  The scent grew closer, one intriguing to his wolf. He paused at that strange line of thought. To find a human, an outsider’s scent enticing? Few humans ventured to their territory, most were refugees, because the Humans Matter government finally learned after the pack dispatched a couple hundred bodies that the Devil Hills Wolves were a force to be reckoned with.

  Forrest hadn’t heard of any refugee requests lately, and their Alpha, Deacon, just had a meeting yesterday with the Beta and other enforcers.

  He tasted fear in the air. These humans were terrified, but of what? Them?

  He growled at the hawk, who stopped and landed on a tree branch. From here, Forrest would take over. The hawk lifted his wings to the opposite direction and flew back to the Devil Hills settlement. Both wolves and hawks had done this drill before.

  The hawk would bring reinforcements, but Forrest didn’t think they were necessary. He could easily deal with two humans, except more strange scents joined the first two. More humans, but these newcomers smelled different, like acid and metal.

  Discipline Squad members. Between two trees, he finally spotted the first two humans, both men in their early twenties. He stilled, watching for their next move and their pursuers. Both men had blond hair, the taller one had a darker shade and a lankier, fit build, but there was no mistaking the physical resemblance. Brothers or definitely blood-related.

  The thinner one stumbled, but the taller one jerked him back up. The short man smelled strangely different, and he finally understood why. An Esper. The Devil Hills settlement harbored Esper families, but those Espers’ ancestors had made a deal with the pack and chose to contribute to their community and keep their secrets decades ago.

  It might seem harsh to some, but the Devil Hills pack was considered one of the strongest packs in the region for a reason. Deacon didn’t just need to look after his wolves, but also the other long-time members of the community.

  “Don’t give up, Daryl,” the taller human whispered, the fierceness in his voice surprising Forrest. “I won’t let those assholes take you, brother.”

  The intoxicating scent came from him, Forrest realized with a shock. He kept his distance, although his wolf kept pushing him to introduce himself to these humans, especially the one with the delectable smell.

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out why these two were here. Those Discipline Squad members were probably on their tail, but still, it was ballsy of these two to venture into their lands without permission. The two signs on the road weren’t meant for show.

  Forrest followed them at a discreet distance, wondering if he lost his mind.

  If it had been another enforcer aside from Forrest, he or she might have gotten rid of these outsiders without question. To another, these humans were threats. Santino, another enforcer who hated humans with every fiber of his being, might rip their throats out without regret. Enforcers had that power, to decide if an outsider might be a potential threat. Something in him told him to wait, though.

  The pack might consider letting in refugees, but Deacon had strict rules when it came to trusting new arrivals. Deacon permitted humans or other paranormals on the run to live on their land for a few weeks. If the pack and the other long-term residences considered these newcomers trust-worthy, Deacon would extend their stay. Those they didn’t trust, they bade good luck and left with some supplies.

  Hearing gunshots raised his hackles. Anger swept over him. How dare those Discipline Squad members fire into their fucking woods? Like most of his kind, he felt zero pity or mercy for members of the Discipline Squad. Those ruthless humans slaughtered their kind and other paranormals, even women, children, and the old without blinking an eye.

  Copper hit his nose. The smaller human had stumbled, letting out a hiss. He probably tripped on a branch. Another predator would have let the humans battle it out and take out the weakened survivors. Forrest’s wolf kept pushing him to save the human with the amazing smell, and since it seemed the shorter one seemed important, he should save that one, too.

  He snarled softly under his breath. Two Discipline Squad members dressed in their tell-tale white uniforms appeared behind the brothers, both holding rifles. The two Squad members pointed their weapons at the two brothers. Forrest recognized the guns. One was a stun gun, which told him the Squad probably wanted the Esper alive. They both wore white helmets with visors he’d never seen before. Forrest tensed. New gear?

  “Halt,” the one pointing the rifle holding real bullets commanded.

  The brothers froze.

  “Don’t think about using your powers on us either, Esper,” said the one holding the stun gun. “Our helmets block out your abilities.”

  It was now or never. Time for Forrest to decide. Did Forrest want to get involved in this mess or consider all these humans, including the tasty little human that so intrigued his wolf, a threat that needed to be eliminated?

  Chapter Four

  “I’m sorry, brother, this is the end of the line for us,” the human that caught the attention of Forrest’s wolf whispered.

  Shifters had excellent hearing, though, so the words easily reached Forrest’s ears. Forrest didn’t like the defeat in that voice, or when his human whipped out his own gun. Instead of pointing it at the Discipline Squad members, he pointed it at his brother. Seeing the peaceful resignation in the other human’s eyes told Forrest the brothers had discussed this before.

  It was an admirable act, ending his brother’s life before the Squad could take him. Forrest had heard stories from Esper refugees about how captured victims of the Squad were “rehabilitated.” Most considered death a better alternative, but
it sure pissed his wolf off.

  This human his wolf couldn’t take its eyes off, cared about his brother so much that Forrest had a feeling that once the brother died, he would follow suit.

  “What the hell are you doing?” demanded one of the Squad members, moving his rifle between the two humans.

  Forrest used that opportunity to strike. He went for the one with the stun gun first, knowing a hit from that weapon could even knock a shifter of his level for a couple of seconds. Forrest ran the Squad member down, shoving the stun gun with his muzzle, then automatically going for the Squad member’s throat.

  Gunshots rang out. One bullet skidded along his side. He snarled, mouth still full of blood and flesh. Silver, he thought, anger worsening as he turned on the last Squad member. The bastard managed to fire off one more bullet before Forrest closed his sharp fangs over one leg.

  The Squad member stumbled with a cry, but this one looked more experienced than the other. Forrest felt the kiss of a silver blade later on. The asshole managed to score his belly, but it hadn’t been a serious wound.

  Forrest clamped his teeth over the man’s throat and ripped it out.

  Remembering he had an audience, he bared his blood-covered fangs at the two brothers.

  “Dave, drop your gun,” whispered the shorter one, Daryl, Forrest remembered.

  “Are you kidding?” Dave whispered fiercely, which amused Forrest a little. Didn’t the little human know he could catch every word? Dave went on, “This thing downed those two Squad members within seconds. I’m not letting go of our sole weapon.”

  He growled. This thing? This human certainly had guts, calling him that. Another dominant shifter would have taken offense. If not for his wolf’s strange new interest, he might have ripped out Dave’s throat.

  Not prey, not food, his animal reminded him. That stumped him. Usually, his wolf would never hesitate to end the life of outsiders who might pose a threat to the pack.

  “He would have killed us already if he wanted us dead,” Daryl told his brother. Dave wisely dropped the gun but didn’t take his gaze off Forrest. Dave’s actions told him the human had some kind of training, not Discipline Squad, because his scent would have otherwise given him away.

  “Okay, I’ll let you handle this,” Dave told Daryl. “You’re better at negotiation.”

  Dave jumped at his snarl. Who said there would be a negotiation? Dave looked wary as Forrest began to circle them. He smelled fear in the air. That was right. He had to remind these humans who was the predator in their midst.

  “Please. We came here to ask for help. Will you listen to us?” Daryl asked, clutching his brother’s arm.

  He felt sudden pity for these two lost humans. They were being hunted by the Discipline Squad, surely they deserved to be heard. Where the fuck did that line of thought come from? Forrest reacted out of instinct when he killed those Squad members, but he hadn’t quite decided whether these two deserved to live.

  Forrest felt Daryl pushing some kind of energy on him. He bared his teeth. Daryl blinked.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t control my powers well. I’m not doing it on purpose,” Daryl murmured.

  Dave stood in front of his brother, using himself as a shield, a noble effort. Forrest was liking his human more and more. Wait. His human? When had he started seeing this stranger as his?

  “Look, we got off the wrong foot. I’m sorry we barged into your lands, but we were desperate and had nowhere to go. Our grandmother once took refuge here with her mother. That’s how we know about this place,” Dave explained.

  Too late for reasoning, because a wolf howl lifted in the air, followed by two others. His wolf knew without a doubt that fierce sound of challenge and the magnetic pull to call for a fight could only come from their Alpha.

  Deacon emerged, fur tar black, as were his eyes. His Alpha was larger than any other wolf in the pack, and his presence was hard to ignore. Aggressive energy rolled off Deacon in waves as the Alpha took one look at the scenario. Sabine’s slender but no less deadly white wolf padded next to their Alpha. Like Sabine, Joe was also an enforcer, but he remained in human form. Joe pointed a rifle right at Dave, which didn’t sit well with Forrest.

  Just his luck that hawk shifter called to Deacon and two of the deadliest werewolves in the pack. Then he remembered Deacon had been visiting the small werefox community nearby, so it was inevitable he’d come running here.

  Seeing the murder in Deacon’s eyes, Forrest didn’t know what made him shield Dave. He knew Deacon’s hatred for humans was justified. The Discipline Squad had murdered the Alpha’s entire family and their old packmates.

  Forrest hadn’t grown up with their Alpha like Santino or Sabine. However, he’d been there when Deacon built a tiny pack full of outsiders and, in a span of a few years, transformed the Devil Hills wolf pack into a formidable force.

  “What are you doing, Forrest?” Joe spoke, frown on his lips. “Why are you protecting these two humans?”

  Sabine fluidly shifted from wolf to woman to speak. He did the same.

  She said, “No, not two humans. One of them’s an Esper. Probably the reason why these dead Discipline Squad members are here. Can you explain why you deemed these two safe, Forrest?”

  “Wait, we were explaining just now,” Dave began.

  “Shut up,” Forrest said with a snarl, looking over his shoulder to flash the human a warning look in his eyes.

  Dave looked ready to argue, but Forrest was amused the human’s gaze kept dropping from his face to the rest of him. In other circumstances, he would have appreciated the look. Forrest remained in top shape to do his job as pack enforcer well. It also meant that, combined with his good looks, he never lacked for bed warmers.

  A long-term relationship didn’t interest him, though, especially given the fact shifters mated for life. No thanks, because Forrest couldn’t imagine himself tied to one person his entire life.

  “Is that it, your dick’s dictating your actions?” Joe asked as he returned his attention back to them.

  “We should hear these humans out,” Forrest finally said, surprising himself a little. Then again, he didn’t go through all that trouble to save the brothers’ asses and arouse the suspicions of his Alpha and fellow enforcers for nothing.

  The enforcers, Beta, and Alpha formed the core of the pack. Forrest trusted every one of the men and women he worked with every day, would give his life for Deacon and any of them. Pack always came first before anything else, except something about his human had made him stand up to his Alpha. He didn’t fully understand his actions yet, but he’d think about the why later.

  For now, his number one priority was convincing Deacon to allow these two to live, and possibly, give temporary refuge. The Esper brother Forrest knew Deacon wouldn’t have a problem with, but the normal human?

  Silence. Forrest turned back to the brothers.

  “Tell them what you told me earlier,” he said, voice a firm command.

  “We heard about this place from our grandmother. She said you guys will help out Espers on the run because the wolves helped Gran and her mom in the past,” Dave explained.

  “Your grandmother’s name?” Sabine asked.

  Deacon might be prejudiced against outsiders, and Joe always took the Alpha’s side, but Forrest knew Sabine had always been fair.

  “Beth. She was Beth Strahan then,” Daryl said.

  Sabine frowned, regarding Deacon. Sabine had some Esper blood in her ancestry, as well. She and her brother Santino were the only two enforcers able to communicate mind-to-mind with Deacon. Then again, being childhood friends with the Alpha might have made the connection easier. Then Deacon flashed him a searing look, before padding away. The Alpha blended in with the trees and bushes like a shadow.

  Despite Deacon being in wolf form, Forrest could tell the Alpha had looked disappointed. Shit. He’d been the youngest of the enforcers and personally mentored by Deacon. Fuck, but Deacon’s disappointment hurt like hell.

&n
bsp; “Deacon says the Esper can stay but the brother must leave,” Sabine finally said, before shifting back to wolf and following after their Alpha.

  His heart sank a little at those words. Sabine might be one of his best friends, but pack matters always came first and she never disobeyed Deacon’s orders. He had hoped Deacon would allow both the brothers inside the compound.

  Joe remained nearby. Behind him, he felt Dave open his mouth, but Daryl reminded him to keep quiet.

  “I’ll help you clean up,” Joe said, nodding to the bodies.

  “I’ll handle it,” Forrest said through gritted teeth. “My mess.”

  Joe regarded him for a few moments, then nodded. “Don’t take it too hard. Deacon’s been having one of his bad days.”

  Thankfully, his mind continued to work. “There are two vehicles on the nearby road, one of them probably belongs to the Discipline Squad members,” he said.

  “I’ll get some wolves to drive by and get rid of it,” Joe answered.

  Once Joe left, he turned to the two brothers. Knowing he had an argument on his hands, he said, “Our Alpha’s decision is final.”

  “But—” Daryl began to protest, but Dave grabbed his arm.

  “It’s better than nothing.” Dave hesitated, and he noticed the little human kept looking up at his face, avoiding the rest of him.

  He would have been amused if he didn’t know they had to part ways soon. Dave would die, he thought with a sinking feeling, because once the Discipline Squad found out their two members were dead, they’d send reinforcements.

  The Squad would wisely avoid their lands as they did in the past, but they’d keep hunting down the closest friends and relatives of their targets. They’d always been relentless in their pursuit, and he wondered what made Daryl such a prize to them.

  “Spit it out,” he told Dave.

  “How does this work? I mean, how long can my brother stay with you guys?” Dave asked.

  Even now, Forrest thought, this human only cared about his brother’s safety. Dave would probably know his days were numbered, but despite all that, Dave seemed persistent on making sure his brother would be alright.