by Unknown
"Fine." Colin crossed his muscle arms over his chest, and my wolf prickled at the slight challenge. "What do ye expect me to do then?" We were on high enough alert that we didn't need to deal with anyone's attitude least of all that of the brother who'd interrupted my tryst with his sister. It was for the best, but it didn't mean I had to like it.
"There are crisps in the kitchen. That'll tide her over for a moment." If I'd been thinking straight, I would've made sure she'd eaten, but I hadn't had a chance to with all that'd gone on. Crisps wouldn't subdue her hunger for long. Shifters needed meat, protein, to satisfy the animal within.
Colin narrowed his eyes at me, but he walked off leaving the door open behind him. It was for the best. I'd done enough sulking about. If I wanted Alistair under our control, then I needed to go out and help the search myself.
The best defense was a good offense, and it was time Alistair paid for what he'd done.
Chapter Five
Caitlyn
My stomach grumbled again and I pressed my hands against it. It was surprisingly good seeing Colin again. While we'd never been exceptionally close before, I didn't think I'd want our relationship to stay that way in the future. He'd been understanding and caring when I'd told him about his father. I'd never anticipated that during all the times I'd played it over in my head.
There was a lot more activity in the house above than there'd been previously, and I wondered what was going on. Colin hadn't talked a lot about the werewolves, so I'd never really asked. I assumed they were probably having some kind of meeting.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I leaned my head back against the cage bars. It'd been a while since I'd truly slept, but even now with Colin gone to grab food, I didn't feel comfortable. Just knowing Alistair was out there was enough to put me on edge. Perhaps if I'd acquiesced to Colin's choice of going somewhere else I wouldn't be so tense. But that wasn't to be. Not anymore.
Part of me wished I'd asked him to turn off the spotlight before he'd left, but I'd gotten so distracted by his company and food. The darkness closed in around me, and I closed my eyes against it. While I wasn't afraid of the dark, I knew to be afraid of what lurked within it.
The soft creak of a door perked up my ears, and I looked to the direction of the stairs, expecting to see Colin with some food, or maybe even Dougal coming back to apologize. Not that I realistically thought he'd do that. But the creaking hadn't come from the stairs.
Butterflies fluttered in my belly, and I stood holding back any trace of pain from my face. Alistair. It had to be him. I clenched my hands into fists, keeping my ears open and taking deep breaths, one after another. "What do you want?" My heart thumped in my chest like a small animal trying to dig its way out.
The leopard within me beckoned to let her be free. Let her take care of our problem instead of worrying so. The sweet call of her spirit gently and patiently nudged at my weakened willpower, nearly making me give in.
No, as I'd suspected before, it would be a bad idea to let myself become overpowered by the beast. Once I let go, I didn't know if I'd be able to cling to humanity enough to reel her in, if I needed to. While others were at ease with their animals, I knew mine well enough to know not to completely trust the siren's song. My beast was powerful, but when it came to close quarters combat with a werewolf, I wanted to have my own thoughts flowing through my head.
“I know who you are now, kitty cat.” He let out a deep rumbling chuckle. “You still have that diamond-shaped birthmark on your thigh, the same as when you were a young lass over my knee. Took some time for me to place it, but how could I possibly forget you? You’re memorable. The whore’s little kitten.”
Revulsion and despair clenched in my entire body like a vise. Memories flooded back in, and I bared my teeth in his direction. The rasp of tennis shoes on concrete to my right told me that he was just out of sight, hiding in the shadows. Again, I cursed myself for not having the foresight to ask that the incredibly bright light spotlight be turned off. Then I would've been able to use my heightened eyesight to see him through the dark. But as it was, I was nearly blinded when I looked upward to the height at which Alistair stood—good for the werewolves who were preparing to interrogate people efficiently, and bad for me because I was the pseudo-prisoner in this situation.
“You’re a bloody arsehole!” The bars rattled to my left, and I whirled to face him. He remained out of sight, and the whole situation drove anger through my chest like a stake.
“Tsk. I bet your mum wouldn’t approve of that language. She wasn’t one for cursing. Perhaps I should take you over my knee like in the olden days.” He jingled the door, testing his strength against it. “What do you think of that, kitten? We could play all sorts of bedroom games. You always enjoyed those.”
“Fuck you,” I hissed. My leopard sent another gentle nudge, brushing against the surface of my skin, wanting me to give in. The idea was looking better and better. Fear spiraled through me, and my grasp of the uneasy self-control I warred with loosened. My fingers extended, claws breaking through their tips and replacing the nails. I groaned in discomfort and held my hands at my sides. The change was starting and I couldn't fight it anymore.
My legs gave way and I landed on all fours. The delicate cotton material of the T-shirt stretched and ripped as my muscles made wet popping sounds as they lengthened and reformed. Bones snapped below the surface of my skin, reshaping into my leopardess build. The horrific sounds echoed obscenely loudly through the room, enclosing the cage.
I whimpered; even my voice had changed from normal female to gravelly leopard. The one positive thing was that while my eyesight had been obliterated by the light, the wereleopard could see the wolf in human form staring, calculating and watching us. We didn't like it. Not at all. We wanted him to leave, and if he wouldn't leave, then he would bleed.
My teeth pushed from my gums, clinking to the floor as new, sharper feline fangs slid into place. Fur pushed through my skin and my body felt like a hive of bees was stinging it. But almost as soon as the pain began, it was over. I arched my spine, stretching out my newer, more powerful form.
"You can try to hide in that body, kitten, but you won't be able to do it forever. I'll catch you when you least expect it, then you'll pay for squealing to Mummy." His eyes glimmered with malice, and even in wereleopard form, I was afraid. That shouldn't be possible since I was more powerful than he was at the moment, but that didn't matter. He possessed a deep hold on my mind that haunted me.
We didn't want anything to do with him. If I was free right now and a safe distance from him, I would grab my things and leave. I’d spend my life on the run. I refused to be in the same territory as him. While werewolves weren't very pleasant to other shifters, they weren't all like this. I knew what my brother had said about the Pack he'd been briefly part of in the States before he'd been captured. Perhaps I might be able to ask to go back to their territory, despite my feelings for Dougal. Maybe I could find somewhere that didn't have a large group of wolves. Not that this area did, not anymore, but they... No, Alistair was more vicious than most. He'd never let me live in peace. I'd always be looking over my shoulder.
My mum had told me to leave and become nomadic. I had for a while, but that wasn't the kind of life I wanted to lead. I'd had enough of that growing up, especially when my father, and then Alistair, had tried to find her... us. By staying out of sight and one step ahead of them, we’d survived, and Colin had been able to live a fairly normal childhood. That was good. Life had more than made up for it as he’d aged.
I kept my gaze on Alistair as he circled the cage, taking my new form in. He licked his lips and walked back into the deeper shadows.
My leopard snarled at him and we took two steps in his direction, hoping to scare him away. Instead, he smirked in amusement. "Don't think you can intimidate me. I know who you are. You’re weak, timid, frightened. You’re my prisoner." He slid his meaty hand through the bars to rub over my back.
I snapped my te
eth around his hand, savoring the stream of blood flowing down my throat. It was sweet, coppery, and I relished the fact we were making him bleed. I bit harder, jerking his arm further into the cage.
He stumbled at the suddenness, growling and yelping at the pain. His head smacked the cage with force, and he reached his other arm in through the bars to get me off him. He punched me in the face but I held on, closing my eyes and focusing solely on his blood on my lips. The pain from the transformation had faded, but the hurt in my face was intense. He was strong, but we knew that.
I jumped back, yanking at his arm once again. He smashed his face against the bars, cursing up a storm. I tried to dodge the next blow, but it was too little, too late. His fist pummeled my head, strike after heavy strike.
One moment I was conscious with my teeth ripping into his wrist, and the next I was on the cage's floor, while the bright lights dimmed in my eyes.
Groaning, I fought to rise to my feet, to keep fighting, but he was walking away from the cage, disappearing into the dark. No, he couldn’t be going after Dougal and Colin. My vision blackened, and then sound faded completely.
Chapter Six
Dougal
Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my bones. The snarls of an angry wereleopard had cut up through the floor, and then were gone just as immediately. I hadn’t heard Colin head back downstairs yet. There was no reason for her to cry out like that—
Except for Alistair.
I rushed to the basement, taking the stairs two or three at a time. While I tried to rationalize my feelings toward Caitlyn, I couldn’t deny them. I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted another. Maybe it was strictly physical…or it could be the beginning of something deeper.
When I turned the corner, my heart ached at the sight of Caitlyn lying on the floor unconscious as she melted into human form, naked, with blood smearing her battered face and chest. My fists balled up at my sides and anger slammed into my chest, nearly taking away my breath.
Reasoning flew out of my head and I was at the cage’s door with keys in hand, desperate to check on her. The Pack’s doctor was presently tending to Duncan’s body, but as soon as Caitlyn was somewhere safe, I’d be bringing him back to check on her condition.
Instantly, I knew Alistair had been here. His scent lingered in the air, and I swirled around just in time to get body-slammed. Air rushed from my chest at the impact, and I blinked up into the bright spotlight as he leaned over me. His fist was cocked back ready to strike. That bastard.
He might’ve been bigger than me, but I was the Alpha for a reason. Power ran through my bloodline, and I wouldn’t be taken out by a monster who abused women and children. I opened the path that connected with my beast, letting him flow into me, but not enough to transform into my wolf form.
“Shite, you’re just like your da. I never did like that wanker.” He threw the punch, but I dodged it and used his momentum to throw him. He hit a wall opposite the cage and landed with a heavy oomph.
“What the fuck!” Colin rounded the corner, taking in the scene. He vibrated with anger, and I couldn’t see this father-son reunion going well. If I had my way, I would’ve handled this solo, but I knew just how furious the man was.
Alistair climbed to his feet and stared us both down. “Another minion of the wolf prince to do your bidding.” He huffed. “Can’t handle me without the Pack’s help, I see.”
Colin took a step forward. Tension raged within through him. I was impressed that he hadn’t lost it with all of Alistair’s goading. “I could end you. I’ve seen you fight before… Father.”
“Stand down, Colin!” I jumped between them. Alistair would die, but he’d die at my hand. I couldn’t bear the thought of any others being injured by this rogue wolf.
Alistair’s jaw dropped open and he stared at Colin in awe instead of hatred. “You’re my son?” He took a step toward him to get a better look. “I do see a bit of resemblance.”
“Sorry, laird.” Colin bared his teeth. “I can’t let this man continue breathing the same air as my sister.”
“Her?” Alistair waved his hand at the cage, then spat on the ground near our feet. “You’re the whore’s lad. Your mum was quite a ride for a wh—”
I threw myself at him. The force of my change from man to wolf was like magic, another gift of being an Alpha. I snapped my jaws around his throat, digging my fangs deeper until I knew I was cutting off his wind.
He rammed his fingers into my mouth, but I wouldn’t let go. When that didn’t work, he pressed his thumbs into my eyes. Pain gripped me and I jerked back, ripping out his throat. Gore coated my chest and I sank back onto my haunches. My head ached and I knew a few painkillers wouldn’t do me any good. This might well call for some of my da’s Scotch whisky.
“Ye should’ve let me handle him.” However, the tone of Colin’s voice was cautious and careful, like he expected me to do the same to him any moment now.
I just leveled him a stare, before starting the much slower and more painful transformation back to myself. The wolf was satiated from the kill. He didn’t have the same urgency to fade back into the background as he did to take over my human body.
“I am Alpha. This is my Pack. I’m responsible for everyone’s wellbeing.” I looked toward the cage to see Caitlyn move a little. “Even hers.”
“Aye, laird.” Colin bowed his head.
“Fetch the doctor to my bedroom. Caitlyn should be seen to.” He wouldn’t like me saying this, but I almost felt a need for him to understand. “Wait. There’s something I need to tell you.” Colin turned back to me. “I think your sister is my mate. I feel something for her deep within my soul, and so does my wolf. I don’t expect you to accept how I feel, but I’d appreciate if you could tolerate it.”
He drew his shoulders back and his chin up, but he nodded. “So long as she feels the same and you take care of her.” With that, he headed upstairs, but I respected his stance.
I unlocked the cage to check on Caitlyn. I desperately wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her no one would ever hurt her or those she cared for while I was around, and that was a fact. She would be mine, and mine only, even if she wasn’t a werewolf.
While I might get a lot of criticism from the Pack, I wanted to have her.
I knelt at her side and she groaned a little. My heart pounded with relief that she was starting to wake up, and that her injuries might not be as bad as I’d initially thought. With all of that blood coating her, I couldn’t have been sure. However, looking over her slight, toned form, I knew she held a respectable amount of strength within her.
She squinted her eyes open, and I kept still, unsure how she would react by me, especially after our earlier encounter. If she was uncomfortable, she might attack, and I didn't want her to further hurt herself.
Instead of lashing out, she blinked a few times and let out a steady sigh.
"Are you okay?" I asked, uncertain of what to say. She groaned in response. I scooted a little closer to her. "Alistair’s dead. You and Colin are safe now. Let me help you."
She nodded and closed her eyes again. Her nude body was like the painting of a Greek goddess come to life. I tried to keep my focus on her face, but her perky breasts drew my attention. They were more spectacular than I could’ve imagined. I stopped myself at her trim stomach. No, I wouldn't stoop to that level.
I slid my arms under her. She winced a little but didn’t fight me. Still, I took things slow and easy. I had to get her upstairs to my room and have her wounds treated. My mistake had been to leave her in the cage, thinking she’d be safe there. It had only made her more vulnerable.
She peeked through her eyelids again. "What are you doing with me?" Her voice was weaker than it had been, and I forced myself not to clench my jaw and just remain calm.
"I'm taking you to get treated by the Pack’s physician. You'll be fine, I promise." I gave her a slight smile, doing my best to put her at ease. While she might not trust me, I wanted her to feel sa
fe.
She kept her eyes open and her gaze bore into me, as if searching for something I’d left unsaid. But I didn't blame her. Our species had a rough history, and what had happened before didn’t improve things.
We headed upstairs. A couple of werewolves were around, and I felt their eyes on me. A tense feeling of unease sizzled through the air, and I knew Caitlyn felt it too. The other Pack members knew something was up between us, and I couldn’t be sure if Colin had told them about Alistair’s demise. That meeting would wait until Caitlyn was being looked after.
The wolves around us curiously watched the scene, but no one said anything. I straightened my shoulders and held my head up high, thinking about how my father would act if he was in a situation like this. He wouldn't let anyone make him feel insecure. He'd show himself to be the strong, capable Alpha he was.
“Are ye hurt, laird?” Kerr parted the growing crowd. “Shall I carry the lass?”
I shook my head, feeling her tense in my arms. “The doctor is awaiting us in my bedroom. I’ve got her.” The wolves dispersed a little, and I leaned a little closer to my second. "Alistair is dead downstairs. Once the doctor assists her, I’d like him to handle the body. I’ll hold a Pack meeting once I’m well. Anyone not in attendance without a fair excuse will be punished." I stared around the room, meeting gazes when I could. The wolves lowered theirs, and I felt a little more in control again.
“Aye, Alpha.” Kerr bowed his head, then turned to the others. “Enough gawking. Back to yer business, people.”
I walked down the hall to my bedroom and shut the door behind us. What was I going to do with a feline mate? I didn't even know much about her.
When I set her on the bed, she was out cold. Thoughts raced through my head as I waited on the doctor. Would she even want me? My jaw clenched at the wave of stress hammering at me with the possibilities.