by Lacey Thorn
I clenched my teeth tight, holding the growl of my wolf at bay. I shook my head instead.
“Don’t you hurt her!” Cammy’s scream didn’t pull Benji’s attention from me. Or mine from him. We glared at one another, neither of us backing down. I knew better than to show an ounce of fear. Men like Benji fed off fear. It made them hungry. Made them hard. He looked forward to hurting me. Most likely, counting down the minutes.
“They know she’s missing.” One of his friends ran over. I enjoyed the stench of sweat, the pallor of his skin, and the way his hands trembled as he gestured. I hadn’t realized he’d been missing earlier, but it was obvious he’d been outdoors, checking on my brother and our pack. “They’re moving out. The big guy’s with them.”
“And my whore? Where’s she?” Benji demanded, shoving me away as hard as he could. I took pride in the fact I remained on my feet.
“Everyone’s at the main house. The big guy took Rebbie there. I watched a bunch of people go in. Then a group of the men came back out. James and his beta, along with four others, left. Rebbie’s mate was one of them.”
“Six wolves.” Benji’s glare returned to me. “Who would have thought James would find five wolves willing to risk their lives for you.”
My brother would have Cyan with him. And Taylor. Michael and Gabe. And most likely Simon. Simon wouldn’t be left behind if he thought I was in danger. I’d tried to discourage his puppy love, but he didn’t understand that I wasn’t his mate. There was no pull between us. Once he found his mate, he’d understand I was never his. If something happened and he was hurt before that happened, I’d never forgive myself. I’d never forgive myself if any of them were hurt.
“I guess we’ll need to speed up our timeline.” Benji stomped over to Cammy, who still sat on the ground. “What did you do?” He grabbed her by the hair and jerked her up onto her knees.
“Nothing! I swear!” Cammy was terrified, and there was nothing I could do to help her. Not with a fucking chain around my ankle.
“You did something, or they wouldn’t even be aware she’s missing right now,” Benji snarled.
“Please,” she begged. “I didn’t. I swear!”
I laughed. It was the first thing I thought of to grab his attention. To get him away from her.
“Messing up your plans, is it? Poor, poor Benji. Did you think you’d walk back in here and be able to crawl away again?” I shook my head back and forth slowly. “This time, you’re going to die.”
I’d planned to fake a vision, to use it to try to intimidate or scare him, but there was no need. It hit me fast. I dropped to my knees, cradling my head at the intensity. This was stronger than I’d ever had.
“Blood. Death. He comes for justice and will settle for nothing less than vengeance for what you’ve done. Hurt for hurt. Pain for pain.”
My shoulders jerked back, forcing my hands to fall behind me as my body leaned back. It was as if electricity coursed through me. It was a vision but so much more. It was as if the man I saw was seeing me also. As if he looked through my eyes.
I moved my gaze around, sharing as much as I could of where I was. I stopped and focused on things I thought might help with location. I let my gaze touch Benji, still holding Cammy by her hair as she knelt before him begging. I zeroed in on Hutch then on to the two others with Benji. I wanted the man I was connecting with to know who was with me. Then I skimmed back to Benji’s face, holding his gaze.
“I’m coming for you. You sealed your fate when you took her. I’m going to bruise you. Break you. Make you bleed. Isn’t that what you told my mate?”
Benji’s gaze flared wide, and my heart beat like a jackrabbit in my chest. The man I’d connected with was inside me. Speaking through me. That had never happened. Never had a vision consumed me as this one did.
“No one can save you now. I’m coming for you. Coming for you.”
I wasn’t sure if the last was meant for Benji as a warning or for me as a promise, so I’d hold on. Fuck! These damn visions left me weak and disoriented. This one? It would leave me on my ass, scrambling to gain some control over my body and senses.
Only it didn’t. It was as if a cord were severed between me and the man. It clicked in place a moment too late for me to share awareness along the link. He was my mate. I’d made a connection with my mate, who I’d yet to even meet. He was gone as quickly as he’d arrived.
I blinked my eyes several times before focusing on Benji again. “Beware the enraged beast. He fights for love, and all will fall before him.”
I stood as a wave of energy restored me. I had no idea what had just occurred, but I swear my mate had shared some of his vitality with me.
Cammy took advantage of Benji’s distraction. She managed to jerk free, took two long strides and shifted mid-run. Hutch and one of the others were on her immediately. I screamed when her bones crunched. A startled yelp followed by a weak whimper and she was back in human skin, curled on her side with blood trickling from her mouth. I couldn’t see her face, but she was still. Too still. Had they broken her neck?
“No!” I screamed, jerking at the chain as I strained toward her. “Leave her alone. Come get me! I’m the one you want. Killing her won’t punish my brother. It won’t punish Taylor for taking Rebel.”
Her name snapped Benji out of whatever thoughts had held him still. He ran toward me, hitting me like a freight train and taking us both to the ground. I’d been prepared for him to come at me, but I’d expected some type of finesse to it. My mistake. Big mistake. My head slammed against the concrete, and he was on me before I caught my breath. Claws dug into my sides, bruising and drawing blood as he raked them over my skin. I threw my elbows up and out, working to break his hold as a scream of rage tore up my throat.
I kicked and clawed, giving as good as I got. He grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the cement again. Still, I fought. Fought as dizziness and nausea tried to suck me under. He ripped my shirt down the middle then bent lower and bit, narrowly missing my breast as I jerked to the side. I felt the puncture of his teeth and screamed as he ripped them free, taking my flesh with him. I used my elbow again, banging it against his jaw and the side of his face in a bid to shove him away. We rolled and fought, and somehow, I forgot about the damn chain until he had it in his hands, using it to bend my leg at an impossible angle.
“Die, you fucking bitch!” he screamed. I heard the snap seconds before I felt the excruciating pain rip through my body.
The sounds I made then were guttural, more animal than human as my wolf fought to be let free. I couldn’t now, though. The broken bone would make her weak as she tried to repair muscle, tendon, and bone. Weak and vulnerable. She’d be easy to kill, and I couldn’t allow that. My mate was coming for me.
After all my waiting, the planning and preparing for his arrival. This was how it would happen. He’d see me at my worst. At my weakest. His first view of me would be of a broken wolf. One who hadn’t been able to protect and defend herself. He’d see me as weak. I was many things. Freak. Weirdo. Crazy. But I wasn’t weak. I would never be weak.
Benji grabbed the chain, jerking a length of it up to try to pin down my arms. Maybe, he planned to use it to break one of them, too. I didn’t know. All I knew was, somehow in all of this, it had remained just the two of us. I didn’t know where his buddies were and why they weren’t jumping in to help him kill me. I would worry about them when they were in front of me.
I managed to get my good leg up and used it along with my hands to jerk at the chain in his hands. I heard the pop, followed by his growl as his shoulder dislocated. Knowing that, I added more force. This was life or death, and I planned to live.
Benji retaliated by grabbing my leg and digging in his claws before using his hold to twist the already broken bone. I screamed, my vision dimming as pain threatened to rob me of breath.
I heard a snarl followed by screams, and I laughed when Benji rose over me again. He plowed his fist into my cheek then quickly wrap
ped his hands in my hair and slammed my head against the floor again.
My vision faded quickly. My brain desperately tried to stay engaged. I needed to hold on just a bit longer. It couldn’t end like this. My mate was here. I knew he was here. I saw Benji raise the fist of his good arm, and I laughed. The sound was mad, crazy, and it gave him pause as he stared down at me.
“He’s here for you. You’re going to die, Benji. You’re going to die.”
“Then I better make sure you go first,” he snarled. He slammed my head down one more time before cranking it back so that my throat was exposed. I knew what he was going to do. I’d already seen his plan, had fought like hell to make sure it didn’t happen. Not like this was a mantra in my head. I was so close. So close to having the mate I’d been waiting for.
“No!” I yelled, shoving at him, kicking at him with my good leg. I fought like the wolf I was, fueled by the alpha blood in my veins and the promise of my greatest dream. I would not let this piece of trash rob me of my future.
I reached up and pressed my fingers into his eyes. I used every ounce of force I had and didn’t stop as he yelled and thrashed above me. Twice more he bashed my head. Each hit weakened me more, draining the strength from my hands. Still, I clawed, unwilling to stop my bid for survival.
Benji managed to grip one of my hands and bent it until the wrist snapped then tossed it away to reach for the other. I clawed, but there was no coordination to my movement. I was motion with no control. I was exactly how he’d promised I would be. Bruised. Broken. And bloody. My only solace was that he was all that, as well.
I took a blow to the ribcage that robbed me of air, and this time, I couldn’t get my lungs to work on the inhale. I gasped, desperate to suck in oxygen I couldn’t seem to find. What had I done that would force Benji’s face to be the last thing I saw? I caught a flash of light brown fur, and the largest wolf I’d ever seen loomed beside me. His massive jaws caught Benji’s useless arm and yanked, and as darkness pulled me under the last thing I heard was Benji’s scream.
Chapter Four
~Hannibal~
I headed toward the industrial area, the taste of her blood still on my tongue. I struggled to free my mind from thoughts of her so I could focus on finding her. I had no idea what she looked like. This woman who was mine. I only knew I had to find her before they took her from me. Permanently.
East had been a general direction. The roads wound as I followed them into the industrial section of town. Some buildings were obviously in use. Well-lit parking lots were filled with activity. I knew my mate wouldn’t have been taken to one of those places so I kept driving, waiting to find the rundown section Walt had mentioned. There was no missing it either. From one block to the next, you saw where businesses had folded up or moved out. Broken windows, unlocked gates that tilted against the pavement, and myriad graffiti advertising desertion like neon signs.
I pulled my truck behind one of the neglected buildings, parking out of sight before stepping from the cab and stripping to the skin. From here, I’d let my wolf take hold. My mate’s scent would be easier to follow when I gave the animal free rein. I didn’t know how far ahead of me they’d been. In my hurry to get to my mate, I’d forgotten to ask how long ago she’d been taken. Not too long, going by the freshness of the blood I still tasted on my tongue. Blood Benji would pay for. My mate’s blood.
I slipped easily into the light brown coat of my other half. Dropping to all fours as my body shifted and changed. I lifted my head to the night sky and let my howl sound, warning to anything around me. It was the only warning I would give. Anything that stood between my mate and me would be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Except for the man who’d taken her, who’d drawn her blood. Him I’d take my time with, exacting retribution one red drop at a time.
I inhaled deeply, sorting through the scents filling the air until I found the one I wanted. Locking in on it, I spoke to her in my mind. A promise that I was on my way. The response was instantaneous and almost knocked me on my ass. Her voice echoed in my head as if she were right beside me. No, as if she were inside me or I was inside her.
“Blood. Death. He comes for justice but will settle for nothing less than vengeance for what you’ve done. Hurt for hurt. Pain for pain.”
Me. She was giving her captors a warning about me. I caught a brief glimpse of her. Too brief. Pale skin against clouds of long, dark hair with a metal chain wrapped at one ankle. One moment, I stared into her pale, blue eyes. The next, I swear, I stared out of them. She moved her gaze around, sharing a glimpse of where she’d been taken. She paused here and there as if trying to give me details to help narrow my search for her. Her gaze focused on Benji, who held another woman by her hair as she knelt before him, begging. Then my mate’s gaze bounced among his friends. She made sure I knew who was there in the room with her, who needed to be punished. What she didn’t know, couldn’t know, was that I’d already been hunting them. If only I’d caught up to them sooner.
I’m coming for you. I whispered the thought to her, not questioning the connection we’d managed to make. Then I ordered her gaze back to Makers and my words poured from her lips.
“I’m coming for you. You sealed your fate when you took her. I’m going to bruise you. Break you. Make you bleed. Isn’t that what you told my mate?” The words spilled forth as she shared them with me. I’d rip the motherfucker in half. Shred him until nothing remained but blood and gore.
“No one can save you now. I’m coming for you.” My final warning to Makers. There was no place he could go that I wouldn’t find him. Nothing less than his death would satisfy me now. Then I was looking at my mate again, and I gave her my solemn vow before our connection was severed as quickly as it had formed. “Coming for you.”
I willed my strength to fill her, but she was gone too quickly for me to know if she’d felt it, received it. My lips peeled back from my teeth and vicious snarls spilled from me as I took off. I’d gone less than a hundred feet when her screams filled my head. Black rage consumed me, nearly taking my feet out from under me. Shaking it away, I focused on getting to her, on stopping them.
I howled again as I closed in on where her scent was strongest. I saw the SUV they’d taken her away in, smelled the metallic scent of her blood that stained the inside. I dashed for the door and the man standing outside it, looking to make an escape from the screams echoing from indoors. Her screams. One vicious bite and the one they called Mullins was on the ground writhing in pain, arms wrapped around his torn and dislocated knee. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would incapacitate him until I could get back to take care of him. Right now, my mate was my priority.
Mullins had left the door ajar and managed to kick it wider during his roll on the ground. I ducked inside, following the grunts and cries of my mate. I encountered two more of Benji’s cohorts about twenty-five feet inside the door. I took them down hard, ripping the throat out of the first one before remembering my promise to make them suffer. I grabbed the other by the shoulder and flung him against the wall like a rag doll. He didn’t move but I knew from the rise of his chest that I hadn’t killed him. Death would come later, and it wouldn’t be easy.
Now that I’d discarded them, I could see what they’d been focused on. There was a naked woman on the floor. Blood trickled from her mouth and nose, and each breath was a harsh gasp. I didn’t have time to pause, though. Help would have to wait. Even now, my mate’s pain washed through me. I glanced over just as Makers snapped her wrist. Still, she fought with uncoordinated movements that did little to thwart her attacker. She didn’t give up, though. She was the definition of courageous.
As I moved toward her, Benji landed another blow. One that had her gasping, and from her expression, the oxygen wasn’t reaching her lungs. I stopped at her side, nudging her with my paw even as I locked my jaws around the arm hanging uselessly at Makers side. I added fierce to the list of my mate’s attributes. I jerked hard on his arm and reveled in the way he screamed.
>
I tugged and pulled, not caring when I heard the rip of muscle and tendon. His arm was the least of his worries. I dragged him from my mate. He punched at me with his good fist, trying to gain his freedom, but it wasn’t happening. I might have only caught a brief glimpse of my mate, but it had been long enough to note every ounce of damage done to her. Had I needed to find her once she’d fully healed, I’d never recognize her by looks alone. Yet, she was the most beautiful woman in the world to me.
I attacked Makers with a vengeance. One part of my brain knew I needed to keep him alive. The other part was ready to show him exactly what happened when someone laid hands on my mate. Bloodlust settled over me as the wolf took full control. With every bite and swipe of my claws, I saw my mate in my mind. Covered in blood. Gasping for breath. I was going for his throat when the sound of someone screaming my name finally penetrated the fog of anger.
“Han! Han, you’re going to kill him! Stop!”
I blinked before turning my head and taking in Cici. What the hell was she doing here? I took in the area around her. Alone. She was supposed to be with Walt, waiting on the James Pack to arrive. She wasn’t supposed to be was here with me, in the midst of utter chaos, blood, and gore.
She dropped to her knees beside my mate. “Oh, god, Han. She’s out cold. I think her wrist is broken, and going by angle alone, her leg also. There’s so much blood. Her side.” Cici swallowed, gaze bouncing between me and my mate. “We need help. She needs help.”
I left Makers in a pool of blood. He’d passed out at some point, and I growled at the thought I could have killed him without him being cognizant of what was happening. I wanted him to know he was going to die. Wanted to see the fear and terror he’d inflicted on others reflected in his gaze. I padded over to Cici and my mate. Cici reached out and ran her fingers through my fur as if I weren’t the scariest thing she’d ever seen. I knew blood dripped from my mouth and matted in my fur. I hated her seeing me this way. Hated her being a part of this side of me. Then I forgot about her as light, blue eyes blinked open and linked with mine. Those eyes were my lifeline. My future.