by T. Cobbin
Finally reaching the basement, Duke purposely slowed his approach to the large iron cage they had built in the furthest corner. He wanted Frank nervous, scared even. But the male surprised him and spat between the bars and then sneered.
“Big man alpha comes to see the little man in a cage. Where’s the little woman? Too afraid to face me?”
Duke stopped, glanced at Frank, then turned his back toward the foul being; it wasn’t just because he didn’t want to look at the male any longer than he had to—Duke wanted Frank to know he wasn’t worth looking at. With every fiber in his body, he wanted to open the cage door and rip the male to shreds.
“Are the patrol spaces filled?” Duke asked the female enforcer watching over the male. “We don’t need any more rogues infiltrating us.”
Kira nodded. “The spaces of the three males who are off because of their mates being in heat have been filled, and Jasmine asked Marcus to take two of our teens on as replacement for the two that are now on guard duty.” She motioned over her shoulder, toward the two men Duke had walked past coming into the basement. “Plus, for precaution, she has placed two more men at the main hall door.”
If Frank somehow managed to get out of the cage, he wouldn’t get out of the hall alive. There was another secret passage out of the basement, but only the alphas and beta knew about that. If, by chance, that passage had to be used, the pack would have to walk out of it in single file. It was dark, dingy, having no lighting or proper path to it. The only people who’d walked that path in years had been himself, Raven, and Jasmine to make sure it was still escapable.
“I touched your woman, Alpha. She has such fine skin.”
Duke closed his eyes for a few seconds and inhaled deeply to control his temper.
“I had my hands all over her body,” the male continued. “Her naked body lay on that bed, wet. Wet for Timmy to fuck her. Wet for me to do the same.”
Opening his eyes, Duke watched the infinitesimal shake of Kira’s head, as if she read his mind.
“Jasmine also mentioned that Joseph stopped her up on the way here and asked if it was okay for him and a few others to be the ones to carry Buddy to the goddess,” Kira said.
Duke was slightly shocked, but then examining the pack’s emotions toward Buddy over the last few weeks, he’d seen some of the male’s friends approach the man and befriend him now that he wasn’t hanging around with Timmy. Pleased he wasn’t being ridiculed and was accepted for a friend, Buddy had worked solidly and without complaint to be a good person. At first some of the pack seemed to dodge him, but now as he was being laid to rest, any animosity was forgotten. It was told no matter what you did in life, when you met the goddess, she would decide what your next life would be. If you were deemed evil, you could end up as a cockroach in the next life.
“Good, I—” Before he had the chance to say he was pleased about that, Frank started ranting again. The iron bars rattling as he shook them didn’t help the noise.
“Come on, Duke, let a man out so he can have some sweet alpha pussy before he dies. She’s knocked up, right? So I can’t fucking get her pregnant. I’ll even take her arse.”
Duke couldn’t take any more. Spinning on the spot, he placed his hands over the top of Frank’s on the bars and shifted his fingers to claws. He dug them into the male’s skin, stopping only when he touched bone. The scent of fresh blood filled Duke’s nostrils. He could feel Kira’s anxious emotions along with Frank’s pain. It was almost too much to handle.
Frank roared at the top of his lungs, his scream rebounding off the basement walls. It was a good thing this place was sound proof.
“Shut your foul mouth,” Duke shouted. “You will never touch another woman again. If you’re lucky, you won’t even live to see another day.”
Frank stopped screaming and placed his face between the bars. “Fucking kill me now, or are you waiting for the woman to do it?”
Withdrawing his claws and shifting them back to fingers, Duke stepped back and inhaled deeply. “If it was my decision, I would kill you right now on the spot. But per pack law, Buddy’s living relatives have a right to judge you. So you will stay here until the man is sent to the goddess and his family decides what to do with you.”
“You can’t leave me here. I’ll…I’ll get out. I’ll…I’ll kill anyone who comes near, so you have to kill me.” The male started stuttering, his words rushing out in a panic.
Duke turned around, ready to walk away, but he noticed Raven standing by the doorway. At first, she seemed hesitant to step forward, but emotionally wise, Duke felt her metaphorically straighten her back, hold her head up high, and basically kick herself into alpha mode. He couldn’t have been prouder of his mate as she walked over to him, pulled his head down, and kissed him.
“Your clothes.” She smiled at him as she handed him the items she was carrying before turning toward the leering male in the cage.
Duke watched, ready to drop his clothes if the male so much as raised a finger toward his mate. Even if Frank was still behind bars, Duke would break each one of his digits.
“Frank.” Raven nodded toward him as she moved closer, stopping just out of arm’s reach. “I couldn’t be happier to see you in this cage.”
Frank didn’t say a word, just stared at Raven.
“We will be sending the male you murdered to the goddess. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours. Which means you will be down here probably ’til tomorrow morning. Perhaps even longer if the family deems it,” she said.
Duke knew that would be a punishment already. Every wolf hated being trapped, let alone underground.
“Why did you kill Buddy?” Raven asked. “He wasn’t a threat to you or Timmy.”
Frank still stayed quiet; it was a little unnerving.
Not receiving an answer, Raven went on. “Well, I want you to know, tonight he will go to the goddess with our forgiveness and love. You, however, will go to the goddess as a mutt.”
When Raven said the word mutt, Frank couldn’t hide his anger. He rattled the iron bars with his fists, his face turning ugly. Calling a wolf shifter a mutt was the ultimate insult. A dragged-up wolf, with no home or family. A stray.
“I’m no fucking mutt,” Frank spat out. “My mother fucking loved me. I had a home and was…was loved.”
On the surface, Raven looked calm, but her emotions told a different story. Duke wanted to take his female into his arms and hold onto her, never letting go. But she had to show this male who was the alpha female, so he refrained. He’d do it out of eyesight later.
“You have no home. You have no family. They have disowned you. Your mother and father know you are on pack land, and where you are currently being held. But after being asked if they wish to see you, they both declined. They told me to tell you they never had a son and whatever Buddy’s family decides to do with you, they won’t hold any grudges.”
“Bullshit.” Frank let go of the bars he was holding and reached out to grab Raven but missed. Curse words rang through the air until the male stopped struggling. He stepped back from the bars and seemed to gather himself. “I’ll be free soon enough, Alpha.” He sneered the last word. “You will see. Timmy will free me, and I’ll have my way with you yet. He will kill your mate and will be alpha. You will see.” He growled low, apparently believing every single word he uttered.
“In your dreams,” Raven retorted, turning her back to the man.
Duke quickly pulled his clothes on, while she and Kira talked quietly. With extra sensory hearing, he heard them talk about guard duty and the funeral later. Kira offered to stick around and guard Frank with the others. Raven agreed with the female and thanked her. Both Raven and Duke knew it would be hard to be on guard duty in the basement, while the pack needed to see and feel the support from their Alphas. Fully dressed, Duke glanced one more time at the heaving male before he turned and placed a hand on Raven’s lower back, leading her from the vast underground room.
With the sun lowering in the sky, and
the heat of the day chilling with it, Duke couldn’t believe the difference from the morning. Waking up and having shower sex, to saying goodbye to a pack member who had been murdered. He and Raven stood holding each other in the middle of the community hall. All around them food was being brought in and placed on tables for the gathering after the pyre had burnt. Looking around at the plates, Duke was proud of his pack. They knew Buddy had wronged them, but they showed their absolution tonight by being there to say goodbye, and being there for his family.
* * * *
“We have to go see Frank’s family,” Raven said, looking around at the pack members going in and out of the hall with various items of food and drink.
Her arms were tightly wrapped around Duke’s waist, and her head was resting on his chest. She heard the rumbled acknowledgement vibrating from him.
“We need to tell them not to hide tonight,” she said. “They loved Buddy just as much as their own son. As kids the pair of them were always in and out of each other’s houses.”
“I can feel their embarrassment.” Duke sighed.
“I know,” Raven said sadly. “But they shouldn’t be held accountable. It was Frank who chose this path, not them.”
“It will be hard to convince them to come tonight.”
Raven lifted her head and peered into her mate’s sad green eyes. “You think Holly might help?”
Duke looked thoughtful. “That woman is a tough old boot, she might just do that.”
Raven allowed herself to smile a little. “I’ll go see her and you see to the pyre?”
Immediately Raven knew Duke was going to say no. The brief glance at her belly before returning to her eyes, and his emotions, near enough shouted at her that he didn’t want her to go back to Buddy’s place. He didn’t want her to suffer such intense emotions while she was pregnant. He was worried it might be too much for her in one day. Stepping out of his arms before he could say anything, she tilted her chin up and growled low.
“Don’t start going soft on me now. I’m alpha just as much as you are, and I can do what you do. Just because I carry our pup doesn’t make a difference.” Then, cupping his cheek, she said softly, “I’m okay.” She picked up his hand and molded it over her bump, placing hers on top. “We are okay.”
Duke sighed and dragged her back against his body. “If you need me, howl.” He kissed the top of her head and released her. “I’ll go join the others at the gathering ground.”
“Stripping time?” she asked with a giggle.
“Not this time.” He chuckled. “I’ll walk with you ’til the trail splits.”
“Shame,” she replied and slid her hand into his.
Together they walked until the trail split. She went back to see Holly and Belinda, while he went to help the others build the pyre.
Opening the Hounds’s cabin door, Raven called out. “Holly?”
The house looked and smelled better now than it had earlier. Several pack members loitered outside on the front porch, either waiting to carry Buddy to their goddess or to follow with the family. Buddy was now wrapped and lying on the bed he’d shared with Belinda. As Raven passed their room, she paused briefly, watching as Belinda, who was kneeling beside their bed, whispered things to her mate in between her weeping. Raven had done the same thing with her father not so long ago. Leaving the woman, Raven went in search of Holly.
“Holly?” Raven shouted out again.
“In here, dear,” Holly replied.
Opening the bedroom door, Raven found her hunched over, looking through a large wooden chest.
“Whatcha looking for, Holly?” Raven stepped into the room, ready to help Holly with her search.
“I can’t seem to find it.” Holly sighed. “I’m looking for my white head scarf, the one I wore to see Freddie off.”
Instantly Raven recalled the tall and well-spoken male. Being a good friend of her father’s, Freddie was often at their cabin. He never missed a poker night.
“No, dear, he didn’t.”
Raven was shocked; she hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud.
“Actually...” Holly’s voice drifted off. She stood up, her eyes glazed, lost in memory. “He missed one night.” A smile appeared on her wrinkly face, the crinkles growing larger. “The night Buddy was born fell on a poker night. It was the only one he didn’t attend.” A tear gathered in the woman’s eye and fell down her cheek.
Raven stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the woman’s shoulders. “Oh, Holly. I’m so sorry.”
“After Freddie died, Buddy was all I had left. I knew that Timmy was bad news. I warned my boy over and over, but would he listen?” After a few more minutes, Holly waved her hands and pulled away from Raven. “I’m okay, lass. Now help me find that scarf, will you?”
With them both looking through the chest, they soon found what Holly was looking for. Wrapped up in tissue paper inside a small blue cardboard box, was a pristine white scarf with a red flower embroidered on it.
“This belonged to my mother. She wore it around her waist on her wedding day.”
Raven looked at her, surprised.
Holly chuckled. “I know that look. But my mother was a tiny woman, even for a shifter. She was so small she had a waist my father could put his hands around.” She pulled the scarf from its box and tied it around her head. “Now, dear, it’s still light, which means you’re not here to take Buddy yet, so why the visit?”
Raven swallowed. The woman didn’t pull any punches. “I came to ask a favor of sorts.”
Holly sat on the edge of her bed and patted the bedding at her side, indicating Raven should sit.
“Frank’s family,” Raven said bluntly, sitting down. “They know what Frank did. Of course, everybody knows by now. But when they found out, they disowned him and refused to visit him.” Raven wasn’t sure how to go on. Suddenly her good intentions seemed cruel. To ask Holly to see Frank’s family and tell them she held no animosity was—
Holly cut through her thoughts. “You want me to tell Emily and Keith that I don’t blame them.” Holly’s eyebrows lifted as she waited for Raven to respond. Raven must have had a surprised look on her face because Holly chuckled. “Girl, I haven’t gotten as old as I am and still be dumb. I’ve been through life, I know what it’s about.” Holly patted Raven’s thigh. “I’ll come see them. I don’t hold shit against them. That boy had a mind of his own.” The old woman stood. “Let me go see Belinda first.”
Chapter 12
Raven watched the flames build. Sparks from the occasional damp piece of wood sent tiny flaming butterflying pieces into the air. All their pack, apart from those on patrol or guard duty, had turned out to send the male onto the goddess.
She and Duke were standing next to Holly and Belinda. Holly stood as proud as she could with tears streaming down her face, whereas Belinda had collapsed to her knees, her pain ripping her heart open for all to see. In Raven’s mind, all she could see was her father on top of his pyre. She couldn’t comfort Belinda while her own pain was tearing shreds from her.
Raven wanted to shift to her wolf and run; run as far as she could until she collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. She closed her eyes, but it didn’t help; she could still see her father in her mind, could still feel the heat from the fire, and see the light dancing through her eyelids. Duke must have sensed she was finding it difficult, because he pulled her to stand in front of him, her back to his front. His arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly enough that she felt comfortable.
“I’m here, princess, lean on me,” he whispered into her ear. His warm breath flowed over the skin on her neck. Even with the scent of the fire, she could smell his manly aroma surround her. One of his hands was running up and down her long plait over her right shoulder.
Slowly, the memory of her father’s funeral slipped to the back of her mind and she could concentrate on Buddy’s.
“Todd and Mary have offered to stay with Holly and Belinda until they’re ready to leave. Let’s wo
lf, babe, and I’ll take you home,” Duke said, his silky voice wrapping around her heart.
Indecision split Raven in two. She should stay for her pack, for the family that was hurting. While the other side of her wanted to be at home, wrapped under a quilt with Duke. Home won.
When she started to strip off her white cardigan and black dress, other members of the pack followed. She shifted to her wolf, sat back on her haunches, and sang to the moon and her goddess, her thoughts full of the male she had forgiven, hoping that the goddess did too. Before the lighting of the pyre she had vowed to her pack that she’d make sure Belinda never wanted for anything, that her pup would never know of his or her father’s wrong doing. She was glad when the pack responded positively, each of them agreeing to do the same. At least Raven could offer some kind of peace to the family.
As the singing died down, Raven took her leave; staying in her wolf, she just turned and ran. And run she did, with Duke hot on her tail. They ran through the woods, over dead trees, through old and new trails, and past the stream that flowed through their lands. She moved with the night, her eyesight sharp, her ears listening all the time, as the wind whipped past her.
Eventually, she slowed and headed for home, her breathing coming out in sharp pants. She was more than exhausted. When she made it home, she shifted and promptly fell into bed, falling asleep instantly, but not before feeling Duke spoon quietly behind her.
* * * *
A month later.
Raven woke slowly, her sexy dream leaving her horny. Looking toward the bedroom window, she could see a new day just rising over the trees. Sunbeams shining amongst the many branches gave the old trees an almost radiant glow.
Duke moaned and pulled her toward him in his sleep. His movement was warm, welcoming. His scent drifted around her, making her nipples peak. One thing she was discovering about being pregnant was besides her hormones being everywhere, she felt more amorous. She pushed her hips back into his groin, his morning erection nudged between her butt cheeks. Duke groaned and pushed back against her.