by Donna Flynn
“Leave it alone Angel, all too soon you’ll know everything, then you’ll wish you never asked.” He stood abruptly pulling his hand from hers flexing it at his side. “I need some air.” He walked outside leaving her staring after him.
“Luc?” She glanced to her brother for help, but he too seemed upset by her unwillingness to let it go.
“I swear when the time is right we will tell you everything.” He to stood too, but instead of leaving he walked to the sink and began washing dishes making no further attempt to explain.
“I think I will find Alec,” Mercy said to no one in particular, but before she could move, Gregory placed his hand on her arm stopping her.
“My son cares for you very much. Do him the favor of at least believing he does all of this to protect you.”
“I’m not six Gregory! He needs to stop protecting me, I can handle the truth,” she argued pulling her arm away and heading out of the door.
“I hope that is true,” he said, but she was already gone
*****
Mercy felt Alec’s presence immediately upon steeping otuside. He sat on the steps looking off into the woods his unhappiness mirrored in his eyes. Sensing his need for quiet, she sat next to him, but said nothing waiting for him to decide when he was ready to talk.
“If I could change everything and just live in a normal world with you I would,” he said.
“We don’t live normal lives Alec. I can do things that are unexplainable, and your family and mine are in some kind of trouble that I don’t understand. Nothing about any of this is normal.”
“I know and I wish I could tell you about it, but I’m so afraid that you will panic and run.” He reached his hand out and cupped her chin forcing her to look into his eyes. “There is so much in this world that you do not understand.”
“I want to understand, but you refuse to explain it to me.” His eyes swirled amber flecks taking over the chocolate brown as he stared at her and she felt an immense flow of energy in the air around them. “Are you mafia?”
He shook his head and smiled grimly wishing it were that easy.
“Witness protection?”
He laughed and let go of her chin. “Don’t be silly,” he chuckled putting his arm around her shoulders. “I can assure neither one of those assumptions are correct.”
“If you’re not a criminal or in trouble with criminals, how bad could it be?” She felt his arm stiffen and turned to look at him. “You could tell me anything Alec, I could never hate you.”
His heartbeat quickened and he pulled back taking her face between his hands. “I hope that’s true Angel.” His head dipped and his lips brushed hers forcing a sigh of surrender from her.
The conversation was over for the moment and she meet his kiss with a demand for more. He forgot everything, but her until the sound of laughter and footsteps interrupted them and he lifted his head to find Kirk and Lane both staring at them.
Mercy turned to look at what held Alec’s gaze and stiffened in his arms. “Kirk I …”
“Yeah,” he said laying the books on the rail then walking away resigned to the fact she was with the guy she truly cared for.
“Go,” Alec, said his voice tight as he let go of her.
“Thank you,” she murmured running after Kirk to explain and apologize.
Alec watched as she went, noting the members of his pack who stayed inconspicuous, but watchful for danger.
“Lane I …” Alec started to explain, but she walked to him stopping only to lay the books in her arms on the rail.
“I kind of thought that was the way your feelings were. Don’t worry about it.” She reached for his hand and clasped it in her own. “I was using you too, but in my case Kirk never even noticed or cared.”
Her lip trembled slightly and he hugged her close. “Then he is a fool.”
*****
“Kirk wait,” Mercy called out as he stalked to his car. The shame she felt at his finding her in Alec’s arms was torture. She had to explain, make him understand how sorry she was, but he refused to slow down and listen.
“I get it Mercy, just let it go!” he bit out as he reached his door and began to pull it open.
“No you don’t,” she cried out.
“I do, he’s the one you want, the one you can’t live without,” he argued.
“Please that’s not how it is.” Her entire body radiated the upset she felt.
“Don’t fool yourself, that’s exactly how it is and it’s not going to change.” He pulled the car door open, but she slammed her hand against the metal to prevent him from leaving. The sheer force of the strength she used made her pause, but the impression in the door where her hand had been left them both staring at it in awe.
“Just let me explain,” she pleaded desperately trying to ignore the excruciating pain that radiated throughout her entire body. Her bones seemed to move inside of her bringing tears to her eyes. She leaned over letting out a scream as tore through her abdomen.
“Mercy calm down.” Kirk took a step back. He knew desperation in a young wolf could easily force a shift, something she was clearly not ready for if the panic on her face was to be believed.
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen!” she cried out grabbing the side of his car for support before falling to her knees with a loud cry as her spine gave a sickening snap. Her mind filled with the image of a red wolf so pretty and untamed running through the woods. The animal turned to look at her with sea green eyes so like her own she let out a scream horror.
“Don’t fight it,” Kirk begged reaching out for her, but stopping abruptly when he heard a growl of disapproval from behind her. He looked up to see Alec advancing quickly towards them and took a step back watching as he knelt behind her wrapping her in his arms whispering into her ear as she shook uncontrollably.
Mercy’s eyelids flickered frantically, and her jaw become slightly distended as she fought the change from human to wolf, but Alec remained calm. “Easy Angel,” he said rocking her back and forth, as he used his power to calm her and keep her from changing. He felt her pain, the need for her to change and let out the rage she had been feeling and his own wolf reared its head in response, but he quickly squelched it knowing that would terrify her even more. “Relax and it will all stop,” he whispered melding his mind with hers, forcing her wolf back to where it hid deep inside of her.
She quieted in his arms as the wolf receded under his command as he held her offering his comfort and protection at her most vulnerable time. “That’s right settle.” She sagged against him her breathing ragged, her heartbeat faster than any humans should be, then turned wrapping her arms around his neck as she sobbed uncontrollably. “Let’s get you inside.” He lifted her in his arms, then looking to Kirk who seemed paler than usual. “She’s fine you can go.”
Kirk stared after them unsure why he had thought he could ever have been her mate when it was clear Alec was the one who could tame her wolf.
*****
By the time, Alec got her to the stairs of the porch Mercy was sobbing miserably shaking against him as she sobbed uncontrollably. He decided to take her to the swing instead of inside so they could be alone to talk about what was happening. As he settled her on his lap her crying eased and she laid her head against his shoulder while he rocked her patiently waiting for her to calm.
“What is happening to me?”
“Nothing, you just got angry,” he told her.
“I dented his door Alec! That is not nothing!” she argued.
“You probably hit a vulnerable spot in the metal, I bet you couldn’t do it again.” He knew she could though and probably would at some point in her life, but now was not the time to tell her that. No, it was better to keep her in the dark until he had no choice, but to tell her about what she was.
She bit her lip wondering if he was right, but in her mind, she saw again the fear on Kirks face. “If that’s true then why did Kirk look so afraid?”
“I don’t
know maybe he’s just wimpy.” He could not help the little smile he felt pull at his lips at the thought.
“That’s not nice I have hurt him badly,” she reminded him with a stern glare.
“I have the feeling he won’t mourn for long.” He stroked her cheek with his finger absently as he thought about Lane and her admission.
“I don’t know how I am going to face him when I get back to school.” She snuggled against him wanting to be as close as possible, to feel safe like she always did when he was with her.
“You will face him because he is still your friend and you are not the kind of person who abandons her friends.”
“You sure think you know everything about me.”
“It’s as if we were made for each other,” he murmured drawing her up and staring into her eyes. “As if we were one,” he whispered lowering his mouth to hers.
Mercy anticipated the brush of his lips tilting her head to accept it ready for the flood of warmth she knew his kiss would bring when the sound of a car door slamming filled the air interrupted.
Alec’s head lifted immediately and he stood swiftly shoving her behind him as a dark figure walked up the stairs then turned in their direction. The man was tall and thin with a jagged scar down one side of his face and Alec knew from past descriptions he was facing Lucan and Cade’s brother Trevor. The one person he never wanted anywhere near his mate.
Chapter Seventeen
Trevor watched Alec for a moment then dismissed him, his eyes going to Mercy ignoring the growl that rose from Alec’s throat.
“Well, well, what have we here?” another voice asked as a dirty, greasy haired man dressed in leather hit the top of the porch stairs his evil grin and heavy gaze as he looked her over giving Mercy the chills.
“Get out of here now,” Alec threatened his voice dark and full of rage.
“I will go when my brother tells me too. I don’t take orders from some young pup who still doesn’t know enough to lift his leg to pee,” Trevor said spitting tobacco from his mouth.
“Leave,” Lucan, commanded walking out of the door, Gregory on his heels.
“Ah Luc it’s been a long time.” Trevor turned to face him looking disgusted. “I came to discuss something with you. It would be impolite not to listen to what I have to say.”
“Yeah, he’s your brother you should listen close, as if the lives of everyone you love depend upon it, which it does,” his partner said his eyes riveted on Mercy despite Alec’s defensive stance in front of her.
“Shut it,” Trevor said to his accomplice addressing Lucan once again. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I came to warn you if your even thinking of challenging me I will take great pleasure in killing everyone you love starting with your sweet little girl there.”
Alec threw himself at Trevor pinning him easily to the ground as Gregory tackled his friend to keep him from interfering.
“Alec, get Mercy inside,” Gregory said calmly despite the tick in his cheek and the change in his eyes as he glared down at the man under him.
Alec turned to his father his eyes glowing with rage as he pressed down on Trevor’s neck cutting off the air to his windpipe. The urge to kill any threat to his mate was strong and he felt his body move under his clothes as the wolf inside him fought to be free. He hunched low his bones popping trying to reshape themselves to ready for the shift, letting out a loud snarl as the man under him fought to get away.
“Now son,” Gregory urged, but it was Mercy’s cry of distress that forced him off the fallen man. He was mid shift, fighting to stay human as he walked towards her, wanting only to ease her fears, but he clearly saw the horror in her eyes and knew it was too late.
“Alec?” she whispered her eyes growing wide as he approached. Fear gripped her as she took in the extended jaw, the change of his eyes color and the fur on the back of his hand, creeping up his arm and she screamed.
“It’s okay,” he growled shaking his head as he fought to free himself of his rage before he shifted in front of her.
“What are you?” she asked taking a step back when he reached for her looking to Lucan who was now in the process of lifting his brother in the air by his throat. “What is going on?”
“I will explain,” Alec, said his voice rough and distorted. He took another step towards her underestimating her ability to move swiftly.
Terrified of the sight before her, Mercy jumped over the rail and took off into the woods running with all of her might to get away.
Her fear was the trigger that his wolf needed and Alec jumped after her transforming easily to wolf form to pursue her.
Lucan screamed at Mercy to stop running knowing Alec was now out of control, but it was too late, she was too fast, and Alec was now in wolf form pursuing her.
The distraction was all Blade needed to free himself from Gregory, but he made no move to help Trevor. Instead, a small grin split his scarred face as he watched him choking, unable to defeat his brother.
“I’ll kill you this time,” Lucan snarled at his brother.
“Help,” Trevor gasped his terror-filled eyes meeting Blades.
“I don’t think so, it seems to me that you’re finally getting what you deserve. Our plan worked, the girl is in the woods where my men wait and Gregory’s son is a bonus I just can’t ignore.” He shifted easily and leapt off the rail then vanished into the woods leaving Trevor to deal with Gregory and Lucan.
“What is he talking about,” Lucan screamed slamming Trevor’s head against the column of the porch ignoring the loud crunch of bone that followed.
“It was a setup,” he panted. “He wanted to make you angry… to force Alec to change so she would run,” he whimpered.
“Why?” Gregory asked impatiently.
“I don’t know!” he shouted.
Lucan hit him in the mouth so hard blood spattered across the white porch rails and deck. “Answer him or I swear…”
“Let him go,” Mather said from behind them.
“I swear if you had anything to do with this I will kill you,” Gregory snarled.
“I came to help. I only just found out who and what Blade is.” He looked to Trevor the disdain. “How could you be so stupid? How could you involve yourself with a group who wants nothing more than to dominate the packs, to take over and use our people for their own gain?”
“I didn’t know,” Trevor cried out blood dribbling from his tattered lip as Lucan held him captive.
“Let him go, we need to save Mercy and Alec and he’s the only one who has the answers we need,” Gregory told him.
Lucan did as ask, letting his pathetic excuse for a brother fall to the ground with a thump.
“I want answers now,” Mather commanded unsympathetic to his son’s battered state.
“At first he said he only wanted to ensure the proper Alpha took control of our pack.” He wiped the blood from his mouth and looked to his father. “I thought he meant me, I swear I had no idea he meant to kill everyone in his way, including me.”
“You, you think I care about you?” Mather sneered. “After we find your sister I never want to see you again, I disown you and ban you from our pack.”
“Sister?” Trevor asked looking confused.
“That’s right Mercy is my daughter.” He looked to Lucan. “Did you really think I would not have known? I let her mother leave so she might have a life unlike yours and your brothers. I knew how much you both hated me and it was not what I wanted for my only daughter.”
“You knew all along?” Lucan said wearily.
“Since the day Linda found out,” he answered sadly.
“How could you let her go she loved you,” Lucan said.
“At one time she did, but in the end her love was for you and your brother. I had treated you both with such neglect I knew she would be better off finding a father for our daughter who would be there for her.” His eyes were suspiciously misty as he went on. “I never doubted I made mistakes with my children, but she ma
de them clear. I let her go, let you and your brother go, to make a better life, which you did for yourselves and your sister, for that I will be forever grateful.”
“Mather I don’t mean to cut you short, but we need to find Alec and Mercy before Blade and his men do.” Gregory said.
“My pack is in the woods. As soon as we found out what they planned we came after them,” he told him.
“My pack is also in the woods, they have been keeping watch since the first shooting, but we should go now,” Gregory told them his body already forming into that of his wolf as he headed towards the forest.
Lucan followed his lead leaving father and son on the porch.
“Father I….” Trevor pushed himself up trying to explain, but Mather reached down taking his throat in his hands. “Don’t, the sight of you makes me sick and to hear anymore of your lies will only force me to kill you here and now.” He let go and his son fell to the ground gasping for air. “I never want to see you again as far as I and the rest of the pack are concerned your dead.” He moved swiftly to the wood line never looking back as he transformed then disappeared into the trees hell bent on saving his daughter.
*****
Mercy ran far into the woods, fear making her foolish and desperate to escape from the very men who were closest to her. She could still see Alec, his body moving under his clothes, the feral growl he had let loose as his eyes changed and his bones moved under his skin. Worse, her own body had reacted to his change and now she feared she too would become a monster, but even as she ran, she knew it was too late.
Alec was not far behind her and she sensed many following her path, but still she pushed herself to run despite the excruciating pain her body experienced as her bones shifted and moved. One glance at her arms and she grimaced. Fur had begun to sprout from her skin and pain unlike any she had ever known tore through her body. She fell to the ground a mass of quivering skin, fur, and bones, screaming as her body contorted reshaping itself regardless of her begging for the pain to stop.