Half-Wolf (The Alpha's Daughter Book 1)

by Nicholas Jordan

  “So the other werewolves think you’re a murderer then?”

  “Yeah . . . I guess so.”

  “Doesn’t that bother you?”

  “No. Your father knows the truth, and now so do you. That’s all that matters.”

  Demi smiled. “Well, thank you for telling me the truth then.”

  “Of course. Now let’s get moving. There’s no time to waste.”

  They continued on their way through the dense undergrowth. Every step Demi took gave her just a little more confidence that they were actually going to pull this off. They were actually going to escape.

  But then Tobias abruptly came to a stop, prompting Demi to skid to a halt right behind.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” She placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “I heard something.”

  Demi’s ears perked. All she heard was an owl hooting, plenty of crickets chirping, and a gentle rustling as the wind whipped through the trees, swaying them back and forth. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, but there was nothing to see save for tall trees, tiny saplings, and thickets of underbrush.

  “Never mind,” Tobias said at last, “I guess I was just hearing things. Let’s—”

  His sentence was never finished. A massive gray wolf burst out of the brush and tackled him to the ground, pinning him in place with a powerful paw placed on his chest. Then jaws wrapped around his throat, ready to puncture the soft flesh and crush the life out of him in an instant.

  “Get off of him,” Demi cried, bending down to pick up the biggest stick she could find near her feet. She then rushed towards the gray wolf.

  But she never made it.

  Her arm was grabbed and she was spun around to find herself facing the last person in the world that she wanted to see: Korver.

  “You shouldn’t have run off, Demi,” he growled. “Now I won’t be able to keep my promise to you.”

  His nails dug into her flesh, sending sharp pain shooting through her arm and forcing her to drop her improvised weapon. Then he pulled her close to him, their faces just inches apart, his hot breath on her face, sending a chill down her spine.

  “Please, just leave us alone,” Demi said, not believing that he would, but the words just came out.

  He inhaled deeply through his nose, closing his eyes as a grin spread across his face, revealing teeth stained pink. “You reek of fear, Demi. Why? Do I frighten you so much?”

  She tried to pull away from him, but he was too strong.

  Korver laughed before he spun Demi around and wrapped one arm around her waist while the other grabbed her hair, pulling her close so that her back was pressed against his chest.

  “Hugo,” he addressed the gray wolf. “Bring Tobias back to the mill with us. It’s time we put an end to this. I’ll take the half-breed as my mate now, and afterwards—to teach her a lesson in obedience—we’re going to kill the traitor.”

  No . . . this can’t be happening. Demi’s heart shattered. I never should have left. I never should have tried to escape with Tobias.

  Now not only would she be forced to become Korver’s mate, but she was going to lose Tobias.

  This time forever.

  Chapter Seventeen

  DEMI WAS DRAGGED ALL THE way back to the lumber mill, where she found the rest of the pack waiting. They were gathered in front of the large wood and stone structure that had once produced lumber, but was now nothing more than a relic.

  The mill had been built alongside a wide stretch of the stream. A wooden water wheel was lying on its side in the water, covered in algae and other plants, apparently having collapsed into the stream at some point since the mill was abandoned.

  Since the wooden structure was left unattended in the wilderness for years, the wood had taken on a greenish hue as moss and other tiny plants grew all over. The roof was even worse. A layer of thick, vibrant green moss carpeted the top of the building like icing on a cake.

  There was also several piles of logs—some as long as a hundred feet—spread out around the structure, the remains of tall trees that once stood erect in this very same area.

  Each log was covered in a layer of the same moss that adorned the mill itself. Mushrooms, ferns, and other leafy things were sprouting right out of the logs as if they were somehow still alive. But in reality they were just corpses that now served as hosts for numerous smaller plant and fungal life.

  Little saplings grew all around the logs, perhaps even their descendants, preparing to one day tower over the mill as their ancestors once did.

  In the clearing just in front of the mill was a large bonfire that produced flames nearly fifteen feet high. It was around this blazing inferno that the four shaggy-haired werewolves stood, their yellow eyes catching the light from the flames and giving the impression that they were glowing with some kind of supernatural glint.

  As Demi was dragged closer by Korver—Hugo doing the same to Tobias just behind—she saw Natasha appear from behind the bonfire. Her eyes also shining in the glow of the flames.

  If looks could kill, Demi would have dropped dead tight then and there. She could only imagine the violent and unfiltered thoughts that dwelled inside the head of the female werewolf right now.

  When Demi was led past Natasha, Korver pulled her closer to him and shot a look in the direction of Natasha, a throaty growl informing her to back down just in case she thought about trying something.

  The way that her face fell and her body drooped, Natasha looked more hurt than angry. She lowered her head and took a step back, showing submission to her alpha for the rest of the pack to see.

  And showing submission to me too, Demi realized. By not interfering with the ceremony, Natasha was openly conceding to her. Even so, Demi had a feeling that Natasha would still be a problem in the future.

  Not that I care about the future.

  She was about to lose Tobias—they were going to kill him right before her eyes—and there was nothing she could do to stop them. Part of her wished she were about to be killed too. That was better than being bound to a monster like Korver for the rest of her life.

  Korver stepped up on to one of the log piles and pulled Demi up to stand beside him. They climbed all the way to the top and then looked down at the werewolves gathered around the bonfire. Then Korver spoke in a loud, clear voice that seemed to cancel all other sounds of the night.

  “The time has come. Here, beneath the moonlight, I will take Demi, daughter of Ridley, as my mate. I feel Lupa watching over us. Now, I ask her to bless this bond as I say the customary vows.”

  Apparently unable to watch the ceremony, Natasha suddenly shifted into a white wolf and took off running down the slope, vanishing into the woods. Demi could not understand what Natasha possibly saw in someone as horrible as Korver, but she did feel some affinity with Natasha. Because of Korver, they were both unable to be with the person they wanted to.

  If Korver minded that Natasha left, he didn’t show it. He grasped Demi’s hand so tightly that she could not pull away, despite how much she wanted to. Then he raised their entwined hands into the air and began to speak again.

  “Lupa,” Korver began. “I ask that you give this bond your blessing and that it might last for eternity. If you do, I vow to forever surrender my lust and desire for all others and dedicate myself entirely to Demi and the union between us. I make this vow to you, to her, and to myself.”

  Demi chewed her bottom lip. She didn’t believe for a second that there was any sincerity behind his words. He had already made it clear that he was only doing this because he needed her.

  “Your turn, Demi,” he whispered in her ear. “Say the vows.”

  “And then what?”

  “Then we’ll go to the cabin. Just you and I. To consummate our mating,” Korver said in a raspy growl that left Demi sick to her stomach.

  How can he expect me to sleep with him after everything he’s done? Her heart sank. Probably by not giving me a choice.

  “And what about Tobias?”
she asked, afraid of the answer she would receive from him.

  “I already told you. I’m going to kill him,” he said as if it were no big deal. “Now what are you waiting for? Say the damn vows already.”

  But Demi did not say them. In that moment, she felt like she was literally being asked to choose between life and death.

  If she chose to say the vows, she would lose Tobias forever and have a life of misery to look forward to. And if she refused to say the vows, she would still lose Tobias and Korver would probably find some way to force her to be his mate anyway. Or just kill her.

  No. He can’t, Demi came to a sudden realization. He needs me alive to get what he wants. So why give in? Why surrender to his will? He doesn’t have the power here—I do.

  “No.” The word came out of her mouth barely any louder than a whisper.

  He furrowed his brow. “What did you just say?”

  “I said no,” Demi spoke louder this time, looking him right in the eye. “I won’t say the vows, I won’t let you take me as your mate, and I won’t let you win.”

  The fury building inside of Korver was plain to see. His civilized façade began to melt away, replaced with a burning rage. Like a monster right on the verge of bursting free from his skin.

  “I’m only going to say this one last time. Say the damn vows.” His gaze briefly fell on Tobias. “You know what will happen if you don’t.”

  “And I know what will happen if I do.” Demi lowered her eyebrows. Ripped her hand away from his. “Nothing will change. You’ll kill him either way.”

  The monster was finally released. In the blink of an eye, Korver smashed the back of his hand across Demi’s face, sending a flare of pain through her face. She found the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

  With her head turned from the unexpected blow, she was gazing down at Tobias. Her werewolf protector struggled in Hugo’s vice-like grip, and he was rewarded with a swift knee in the gut from Hugo that caused him to double over and gasp for air.

  Demi wiped the blood from her busted lip with the back of her hand. A rage swelled inside her. Unlike anything she had ever felt in her young life. Clenching her fists, grinding her teeth, and staring daggers at Hugo, her body shook with the rapidly rising anger.

  So raw.

  So powerful.

  It frightened her. She even considered quelling it, pushing it back down inside her and stomping it out, but then she thought about everything that Korver and his pack had done to her. Everything they took from her. She didn’t want this newborn feeling to go away. She wanted to fuel it. To nurture it.

  She wanted it to consume her.

  “Hugo,” Korver barked. “Kill the traitor and show this bitch what happens when she disobeys me.”

  “No,” Demi howled in a voice she didn’t recognize as her own. It was deeper and throatier, more like a growl. It felt foreign coming out of her mouth. As if she were coughing up something that was stuck in her throat and didn’t belong there.

  And it was only the beginning of her body’s sudden changes. Every bone was filled with a tingling sensation—not dissimilar to when her leg or arm would fall asleep. She had no idea what was happening, but she didn’t fight it. Somehow, she just knew—deep down—that she shouldn’t fear this.

  She should embrace it.

  Falling to all fours, Demi looked down at her hands and watched as her fingers shrank away until they almost disappeared, while her nails grew longer and more pronounced. Thick white fur sprouted all over her hands and arms. Not just that. All over her body.

  It was then that Demi came to grips with what was happening to her.

  She was shifting into a wolf.

  Chapter Eighteen

  DEMI’S TRANSFORMATION WAS COMPLETE. SHE stood on all four of her new wolf legs, feeling awkward in the strange and unfamiliar body.

  The sensation of shifting from one species to a completely different one was practically impossible to describe. But if she were forced to try, she would liken it to waking up from a vivid dream, or perhaps descending into one, depending on which form she chose to look at as her true form.

  Perhaps the even stranger sensation was how vastly different she saw the world with the senses of a wolf compared to that of a human. Her nose and her ears were so much keener than before that it was actually overwhelming.

  She was experiencing the world in ways that she never even thought possible. It was like wearing sunglasses for hours and then suddenly taking them off to realize how much brighter the world really was.

  Turning her gaze on the werewolves gathered around the bonfire, Demi discovered all eyes on her. Hugo was so shocked by her transformation that he must have forgotten all about Korver’s order to kill Tobias.

  But Demi hadn’t forgotten.

  And maybe now she could actually do something about it. She wanted to charge the oversized werewolf. To bite down on his neck and rip his throat out.

  He deserved to die.

  But before Demi could make a move, her new set of ears were filled with the sound of Korver’s laughter. She shifted her gaze to her wannabe suitor, hating the smug grin he wore.

  “Well what do we have here?” Korver crossed his arms. “Looks like the little half-breed has more of her father in her than we thought.”

  A threatening growl escaped Demi’s wolfish lips and she took a step towards him. Seeing him through new eyes, Demi found herself no longer intimidated by him.

  She could now see what a cowardly and pathetic creature he really was—preying on those weaker than him. He was only concerned with accumulating power, without any regard for the people that he hurt along the way.

  Well Demi was not going to be his prey any longer. She wasn’t weak anymore. This new body gave her strength she never thought possible.

  “Not backing down I see.” Korver’s grin faded. “Well, you certainly look like a werewolf . . . let’s put that to the test.”

  He transformed as well, taking on the shape of a large black wolf with a lean but muscular frame. He snarled at her, and then hunkered down low.

  Had Demi known more about werewolves, she would have anticipated his next move, but she was largely clueless and did not have enough time to react before Korver sprang forward and tackled her. The two of them rolled down the side of the stacked logs, getting battered and bruised as they went, before Demi landed hard on the ground, paws up in the air.

  Then Korver reappeared, looming over her. He pinned her in place with one paw, teeth bared and ready to strike.

  But Demi was ready for him this time. She moved her head to the side just as the other werewolf lunged forward to try and bite down on her neck. Instead, he only got a mouth full of dirt and grass.

  While Korver was ridding himself of the unwanted earth and plant matter, Demi seized the opportunity to roll to the side and knock his feet out from under him, escaping at the same time. She scrambled back to her feet and turned to face her opponent.

  Demi noticed that none of the five werewolves loyal to Korver were interfering. Hugo still had a firm grip on Tobias, holding him in place, but he and the other four were merely watching the fight, apparently content to wait and see who the victor would be.

  Demi wondered—for just a moment—what they would do if she won before she decided it was probably best not to think about that.

  No point getting ahead of myself.

  As soon as Korver had recovered, he charged forward, paws ripping into the muddy ground and slather dripping from his fangs.

  Demi met him.

  Standing on their hind legs, the two wolves clashed in a flurry of teeth and claws. Biting and wrestling while each trying to get the other to show their vulnerable underbelly or neck. The first one to get a grip on the other’s neck would almost certainly win.

  Demi could not allow that to be Korver.

  Despite learning quickly that she could match him in strength and speed, Demi was keenly aware that she did not have anywhere close to the experience or skil
l, which put her at a distinct disadvantage.

  Her movements were awkward compared to his, and he predicted every move she made before she made it. Almost as if he could read her mind.

  Demi was practically a newborn werewolf—since this was her first time in wolf form—so it was like fighting two opponents simultaneously. One was Korver, and the other was herself, uncoordinated and inexperienced.

  That disadvantage soon started to show itself. Korver was overpowering her, not with brute strength, but by expending less energy to do all the same things as her.

  When she attempted to bite him, his counters were fluid and effortless, but those same counters were draining for Demi. The more tired and sluggish her movements were, the more prone to mistakes she became. And when one wrong move could be the difference between life and death, a single mistake was a very big deal.

  If she allowed this to keep up, that mistake was inevitable.

  She was fighting a losing battle, and something had to change. If she couldn’t win on even ground like this, then she was going to have to change things up.

  Before it was too late.

  While locked in a fierce wrestling match with Korver, Demi caught a glimpse of the lumber mill out of the corner of her eye.

  That might work, she thought. Maybe I can get the jump on him in there.

  But if it was going to work, it had to be now or never. She just needed to wait for the right opportunity, then she would make her move. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long.

  When Korver made yet another lunge for her throat, Demi changed tactics this time. Instead of withdrawing or moving her head to the side, she ducked down and smashed her forehead right into his chest, forcing him to fall back on all fours—giving her the second that she needed to turn tail and beat a hasty retreat towards the mill.

  As soon as she reached the door, she shifted back to human form—feeling a bit dizzy being back on two legs but fine otherwise. It was so strange to suddenly know exactly how to shift at will as if it were something she’d been doing her entire life.