Bad Blood Panther (Bad Blood Shifters Book 4)

by Anastasia Wilde

  This wasn’t Flynn’s fight. And Xander was done letting other people shoulder his responsibilities for him. It was time he stepped up.

  He sure as hell didn’t want to be alpha of this hellhole, and there was no way he was going to stay here with Jenny and Brandon, fending off challenge after challenge.

  But these were her people. If they were going to have any chance of surviving, of turning back into a viable clan, someone had to take this guy down.

  This wasn’t his mess. But dammit, he was going to clean it up.

  Xander nodded. “I’ll finish it. If I can.”

  Flynn nodded, and for the first time, Xander saw respect in his eyes.

  Jenny had shifted back to human form, and she ran over and put her hand on his chest. “Xander, no. You’re hurt.”

  He gazed down at her. So amazing. So brave. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, right on her scar. “I have to,” he told her.

  She held his eyes, then nodded reluctantly.

  He turned to Flynn. “But you better be ready to back me up. I’m bleeding pretty hard here.” He knew Flynn would get Jenny and Brandon out, if things went bad.

  Flynn nodded, and clapped him on the shoulder.

  Cool blue energy, like water, emanated from Flynn’s bracelet and through his hand, spreading through Xander’s whole body.

  For a second he felt dizzy. It was like he was inside his own body, watching it work. Broken bones knit together. Bleeding slowed and then stopped, as muscle and tissue and blood vessels healed.

  “Fucking A,” Xander muttered. “What was that?”

  Flynn smirked. “I told you I was going to make it a fair fight.”

  It was a short, brutal battle. Xander wanted to fight with his head, be cool and calculating. But his cat was fighting for his mate and his cub. And his cat didn’t care that their crew was there to back him up.

  Jenny’s bond to Alton would never be completely broken, as long as he was alive.

  And Xander’s panther needed to be the one to take him down.

  He needed to dominate, to destroy, to prove to his mate and his son that he was worthy.

  Their bodies crashed together, claws ripping and tearing. This was it. It was all or nothing; kill or be killed. Alton hammered at Xander—not just with his body, with his teeth and claws, but with his mind.

  He was a born shifter, a born alpha, with the mental strength of the obsessed. Xander felt him pushing relentlessly at his will. Submit. You’re not good enough. You’re not a real panther.

  You don’t deserve a mate. All you ever do is whine and fuck up.

  Loser. Pathetic.

  Shit. He was losing. He couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t feel his strength. He needed the rage, and it wasn’t there.

  He thought of his family, reaching down deep inside himself, and he found something else.

  Power.

  Alpha power, to match Alton’s. That sheer force of personality that made people bend to your will. It rose up in him, and he punched it back at Alton. You can’t intimidate me, fucker, he shot back. I’ve spent a year defying the most dominant shifter you’ll ever meet. And now I’m stronger than ever.

  I’m stronger than you.

  He launched himself at Alton and went for the throat. Let’s finish this.

  Alton struggled to the end, but Xander locked his teeth and hung on. He could feel Alton’s lifeblood streaming away, taste it in his mouth. Alton panicked, trying to shake him loose, but Xander hung on. Like Brody. Like Jasmin. Like every damn one of his crew. Like Jenny.

  Never give up.

  Never say die.

  There are good things in you, Xander Fierro. You’ll see. And I’m going to show you all of them.

  Their strength kept him going, until Alton was gone.

  It was over.

  Chapter 31

  Xander’s panther raised his muzzle into the air and gave a triumphant scream.

  A stunned silence filled the arena. The Broken Hill Clan stared at the body of their fallen alpha.

  At first, nobody moved. Then, slowly, like a wave, they bowed their heads in submission.

  Jenny watched Xander look out over the arena, alpha energy oozing from every pore.

  He’d been accepted into the shifter world. His panther was a badass to end all badasses. He was an alpha.

  Power radiated from him, shivering through her, making her want to kneel to him. He Changed, turning to human. Bloody, battered, proud and magnificent.

  He turned to one of the guards. “Get my son. Now. Take him to his mother.”

  The man took off, beckoning to someone. In a moment, Brandon ran out of the crowd, yelling “Mama, mama!” and then she was swooping him up and holding him close.

  She glanced over at Xander. When he first Changed back, he’d looked almost like a stranger, but now he gave her a faint version of his familiar cocky grin.

  He walked over, encircling her and Brandon in his arms for a moment. “You okay?” he said.

  She nodded. “You?”

  “As long as you are.”

  She leaned against him. “You defeated Alton. You’re the alpha now.” She didn’t want him to be alpha. She didn’t want to be the alpha’s mate. She didn’t want to leave the Bad Bloods. But he’d won the battle, and that was how it worked, all over the shifter world.

  Broken Hill was his clan, now. He was responsible for them, unless he was defeated in a challenge.

  Xander snorted. “Not to worry, babe. I can fix that.”

  What?

  “Take Brandon off the field.”

  She looked at him questioningly, but he just jerked his head. He had enough alpha juice going that she went without argument.

  She walked over to stand by Flynn. “What’s he doing?” she whispered.

  Flynn shook his head. “No fucking clue.”

  Xander turned to face the platform, and pointed at Trace Powell, still standing behind the throne. He was also still dressed; apparently, he wasn’t one of the people who had jumped at Cindi’s command.

  “You!” Xander said. “Powell. Get down here!”

  After a slight hesitation, Trace jumped down from the platform. He walked forward, warily, until he and Xander were about ten feet apart. He pulled off his t-shirt and tossed it aside, flexing his muscles.

  Jenny bit her lips. She knew Trace. He was strong, and tough, and Xander was beat to hell. What was he thinking?

  Xander folded his arms. “You the money guy?” he asked. “For the clan.”

  Trace paused, looking confused. “I guess. I’m the CFO.”

  He reached for his fly, to get rid of his jeans so he could fight. “Dude, cut that out,” Xander said. “I don’t want to see any more panther dicks today. Come here.”

  Trace froze. “Come on,” Xander said. “I order you as alpha. Come and stand right in front of me.”

  The whole crowd was watching, trying to figure out what was going on. Trace walked forward, looking to the right and left like he expected some kind of trap to spring on him.

  “I hear you’re a decent guy,” Xander said quietly. “Not insane. Which, frankly, is more than you can say for me. So, hit me.”

  Trace stared at him like he was a lunatic. So did Jenny. What was he doing? Hadn’t he taken enough punishment?

  “Are you deaf?” Xander said. “Hit me. Right here.” He pointed to the left side of his jaw. He gave Trace his cockiest, most annoying grin. “You know you want to.”

  Trace looked around, shrugged, and then hauled off and punched him in the face. The blow spun Xander around and knocked him to the ground.

  Trace growled and got into a fighting stance. Xander pushed himself partway up and spat dirt out of his mouth. “Come on,” Trace ground out. “Get up. Get up and fucking fight me!”

  “Hell, no,” Xander said. “I submit.” He rolled to his knees and bowed his head, baring his neck for a moment.

  Trace froze. “What?”

  “You heard me. I submit.” Jenny c
overed her mouth, choking back a hysterical laugh. Xander got up, dusted himself off and said, “You win. You get to be alpha.” Then he muttered under his breath, “Sucker.”

  As Trace stared at him, stupefied, Xander turned around and walked over to his crew. Flynn was shaking his head, snorting with suppressed laughter.

  “What?” Xander said. “You always said I never know when to quit. Now I do. Aren’t you glad I learned something?”

  Tank clapped him on the back. Jasmin shoulder nudged him. Jenny stepped toward him, carrying Brandon. Xander opened his arms and folded them to him, rocking them back and forth.

  “Come on,” he said, wrapping his arm around Jenny’s shoulders. “We’re leaving.” He waved to the crowd, raising his voice. “It’s been a blast, everyone. Fuck you very much.”

  He turned around and said to Flynn out of the corner of his mouth, “I hope you can open another one of those fucking doors in the air. Because otherwise, you’ll totally ruin my exit.”

  Flynn gave him a crooked grin, touched his bracelet, and tore a hole in space to take them to the spirit world—and home.

  Chapter 32

  The trip back through the spirit world was mostly a blur. Without Flynn guiding them, they would have been hopelessly lost. The landscape telescoped and changed without warning, grassy plains to forest to blizzard to a strange empty black glass city, and too many others to count. Xander stopped watching. He just walked beside Tank, who was in bear form, carrying Jenny and Brandon.

  Every now and then he reached out to touch Jenny, reassuring himself that she was really there. His amazing, beautiful mate, who’d given him strength and courage when he needed it most.

  How the hell had he ever gotten so lucky?

  At one point, when they were walking across the endless grassy plain again, Flynn came up to walk beside him. “What the fuck was that last stunt?” he asked. “Submitting to the fucking CFO? You could have been alpha.”

  Xander snorted. “Hell no. I just got my trailer the way I like it. And anyway, why would I want to be the alpha of a bunch of fucked-up, half-crazy brawlers?”

  Flynn laughed. “Now you know how I feel.”

  “Yeah, well,” Xander said, “I like to think I’m smarter than you.” He shoulder-bumped Flynn. Massive pain shot through him. “Ow,” he said. “I think Alton tore my rotator cuff again.”

  He pulled Flynn a little ways away from the others. “So,” he asked quietly. “Who did you have to kill, bribe, or threaten to get those bracelets?”

  Flynn cut his eyes toward Xander, and then returned his gaze to the front. “No one,” he said. “Ashley Silver gave them to me.”

  “Because?”

  “Because I’m descended from the fabled Lion Guard of the Draken,” Flynn said.

  Xander waited for the punch line. Then he realized there wasn’t one.

  “You work for the dragons?” he said.

  “No,” Flynn said flatly. “And I don’t intend to. But any descendant of the Lion Guard can use the bracelets. That’s who they were made for.”

  Xander thought about that for a few minutes. “And the catch would be?” he asked. Because there had to be one. Anything that powerful had a catch to it.

  “My problem,” Flynn said, in a voice that shut down any more questions.

  Okay then.

  Instead, Xander said, “I wanted to say thanks. For saving my ass, and Jenny’s, with that awesome eleventh hour arrival. For having my back. And for making me step up.”

  Flynn snorted. “Since when can I make you do anything?”

  “Shut up,” Xander said. “You’re ruining my beautiful moment. You’re a fucking good alpha. There. I’m done.”

  Flynn raised his eyebrows. “You’re not gonna give me a cupcake or something?”

  He looked pleased, though. Probably people should tell him more often he was doing a good job.

  “Maybe some bib bear poop on your welcome mat,” Xander said. “Or a glittery dead possum, if you’re lucky.”

  “Finally,” Flynn said. “I thought I was the only one in the crew who wasn’t going to get one.”

  Xander nodded at the dragon bracelets. “There’s a cost to using those, isn’t there,” he said. “I mean, aside from you possibly going crazier than you already are.”

  Flynn kept his eyes front. “I made my choice,” was all he said.

  “I hope you don’t regret it.”

  “I don’t.”

  They walked in silence for a few minutes. Then Xander said, “Okay. Can I go back to being an asshole now?”

  “Please do,” Flynn said. “I can’t stand all this mushy shit.”

  Xander nodded. “Fuck you, then,” he said, and went back to walk with his family.

  Back at the compound, Jasmin and Brody made everyone dinner, and then Xander took his family home to their trailer.

  He had never been so happy to see the inside of it in the entire time he’d lived there.

  Brandon was completely crashed out, so he and Jenny put him to bed and then took a shower together, standing under the hot water and just holding each other while the dirt and blood and terror of the day washed down the drain.

  Afterwards, still naked, Xander picked up the baby monitor and led Jenny outside to the cabana, which had taken up permanent residence on the porch. After setting up the monitor in the corner, he lit the candles they kept out there, creating romantic ambiance and shit.

  Jenny lay out on the bed, her skin glowing in the candlelight. He stood looking down at her, still amazed at how lucky he was to have her.

  She’d given him her strength and her faith. She’d made him into a better person. Someone who was maybe worthy of having a family like this one.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked, looking up at him.

  He lay down beside her. “How fucking amazing you are. Badass and beautiful.”

  She dropped her eyes. “I’m going to have more scars.”

  “Yup,” he said. “I was also thinking how cool that is. You will be more beautiful and badass than ever.”

  She kissed him slowly, then let her fingers drift down his face. “I love you, even when you lie to me,” she said.

  “Not lying.” He kissed the scar on her cheek. “They show what you’ve been through, how strong you are, what you’ve overcome. I love them. Wanna know my favorite?”

  “You have a favorite?”

  “Well, I like this one,” he said, kissing her cheek again. “But my most favorite is this one.” He moved his lips to the claiming scar on her shoulder. “This means you’re mine. My forever mate. And I get to love you as long as I live.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “You’re right,” she said. “Best scar ever.”

  “Mmm.” He kissed her lips, long and slow and deep, like he could spend all night just doing that. After a while he said, “I want you to give me one.”

  She pulled back. “A scar?”

  “A claiming mark.” He let his hand drift down over her breast, across her ribs, into the hollow of her hip, and back up to her heart. He laid his palm right over it, to feel it beating. “You wanted to Turn me, after I fell in love with you, and you didn’t get the chance. But I love you now. And I would love to be your panther. If you could still Turn me, I’d let you do it right now. But since I’m already Turned, I want you to claim me back.”

  He heard her tiny intake of breath. “Really?”

  “Yeah, really.” More than he could ever tell her. “I want to do it the cool way, when we’re having sex, because that’s supposed to be epic. And then I want to wear muscle shirts all the time, even when it’s inappropriate.” He stopped and thought about that. “Especially when it’s inappropriate. So everyone can see the scar and know I belong to you.”

  Damn, it was worth everything to see the look on her face. Like the sun was coming up inside her and shining out her eyes, she looked so happy.

  He’d move heaven and earth to keep her that happy.

  He started ki
ssing her again, losing himself in the feel of her. Letting it all just happen, like a dance to silent music—hands, lips, tongues, everything moving, touching. Weight shifting, limbs entwining, feeling the anticipation building but not having to rush it.

  Feeling like they had all the time in the world.

  He slid between her legs and kissed down her rib cage, across her belly, and rested his head on her thigh, opening her legs. He tasted her core, kissing her clit real slow, like he was tongue-kissing her mouth.

  She made faint little sexy noises, and that, along with the heat and scent of her, the little strokes and touches, made him so fucking hard, made him want her so bad.

  He would never get tired of this. He reveled in it, bringing her almost over the edge, but not quite. They had to do this together.

  He moved over her, positioning his hips between hers. Resting on his elbows, he cupped her face in his hands. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, running her hands up and down his back.

  “Let me see your eyes, Jennycat.”

  She opened them, smiling at him, and she looked sexy as hell and drunk with love. He slid slowly into her, watching her face, feeling her take one deep breath, and then relax into bliss.

  “Still my favorite position,” he whispered, and then took her mouth with his. The kisses were deeper this time, more insistent, more needy. He did need her, God he needed her, and he didn’t care who knew it.

  He would never have made it without her.

  He let the rhythm build, the sensation of being inside her so incredible he wanted to die right there. He plunged into her, deep and strong, bringing her to the edge all over again.

  Bringing them both to the edge.

  His face was buried in her shoulder now, and pure sensation took him over. Her pants and moans made him crazy, made him want her more. Everything spiraled inward, to the center of him, and he couldn’t hold back any more. Her teeth scraped his skin, just where his neck met his shoulder. Just a little more…

  As he started over the edge, he heard Jenny snarl. Her teeth closed on him, biting—deep, deep, until the blood came. The skin tore, obliterating his Turning scar, obliterating Cindi, obliterating three years of pain and rage and darkness.