by Sam Crescent
“No, he’s not. You’re not thinking clearly. You’re much better than this. You’re a better fighter. A champion of my pack. Stop thinking about Addie, and remember that failing is not acceptable. Failing will kill your mate.”
Shaun shook his head and groaned as pain exploded inside his head. The hit to the head was the worst thing he’d ever felt.
“I can’t.”
Edward slammed his fist down by the side of Shaun’s head. “If you don’t get up, Brendan will take Addie and rape her. He’ll force her to bow down to his will, and he may not even let her change to repair the damage he’s caused. Are you understanding me?”
Addie was in more danger if he didn’t win. Brendan would be worse than ever before. The punishments he’d dish out could kill Addie.
I fucked up. I’m not strong enough.
I’ve got to get up.
Help Addie.
Edward stepped forward and dropped his voice low and deadly.
“Brendan will put his dick in what’s yours. Will you accept that for your woman? For your soul mate to know the touch of another man? His seed inside her creating babies? The babies you should be having.”
“Shaun!” The sound of Addie’s pain-filled voice penetrated his foggy mind.
Turning away from his father he saw Brendan had pulled Addie into the fight. The other wolf tore the dress from her body. The yank of the fabric made his woman cry out in pain. It infuriated him that the pack members stood back just watching everything go down. Damn their old world beliefs while the woman he loved, his mate, was brutalized.
Without waiting for anything more, Shaun got to his feet. The pain was there in the forefront of his mind, but he blocked it. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to his woman. Slowly, the pain lessened as he faced his enemy.
For as long as Shaun could remember this man had terrorized his woman. Addie was so small. He watched as the cloth covering her body was removed. He saw the bruises all over her and the split in her skin from the break in her arm.
“Shall I take my prize?” Brendan asked.
Brendan made the fatal mistake of cupping one of Addie’s breasts while with the other hand cupping her mound. Anger, rage, disdain, all of it revolved into one inside Shaun. With an almighty roar, Shaun charged at Brendan. He pulled Addie out of the way and passed her to Jackson. In the next instant, he grabbed Brendan around the neck and pulled him in tight against him.
The other man slammed his thigh. Shaun ignored the pain and held onto Brendan. He struggled and tried to hit out. The strength of the alpha consumed Shaun. He was destined to rule his father’s pack when it was his time. Brendan was not an alpha. Brendan was not strong enough, and Shaun knew the other man was going down.
They collapsed to their knees in the center of the forest. Shaun locked Brendan’s arms behind his body with one arm, and with the other he wrapped his fingers around Brendan’s neck. He cut off the oxygen getting into his opponent’s lungs. Holding on as tight as he could without killing Brendan, Shaun looked at Addie.
She was in her brother’s arms with a jacket wrapped around her body.
“Give up,” Shaun said.
Brendan continued to fight. There was no giving up in the other man. No matter how tight Shaun held on Brendan kept fighting, and for that, Shaun respected the other man.
“It never had to be this way. You should have left her alone. Your biggest mistake was going after what was mine.”
Tightening his hold, Shaun felt Brendan slump in his arms. Brendan had been defeated. The other man was not dead, but he was going to be asleep for a long time. Applause rang throughout the forest. Shaun continued to hold the man in his arms.
Lifting Brendan up, he walked over to Alfred. Brendan’s father had tears in his eyes.
“Your son is not dead. Brendan knew Addie was mine. He should have known this day would come.” He gave Alfred back his son. Alfred took the heavy man in his arms. “I beg forgiveness for what my son has done. I never knew he’d harm a woman, and I would never allow for a woman to be put in harm’s way in my pack. I will make sure he’s suitably punished.”
Shaun nodded and then walked away.
Edward and Helen ran up to him. They threw their arms around him. He sensed their love and their pride in the way they were holding onto him. His father cupped his cheeks. They were bruised from the fight. “That’s how you become an alpha. You show mercy, and you never break the rules.”
Smiling, Shaun grabbed his father close. The fight hadn’t been easy. The fight had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Turning away from his parents, he accepted the respect of the other pack members as he made his way towards his woman.
Jackson stood in front of her along with his father, Steven.
Going to his knees, which also hurt, Shaun bowed his head. “Mr. Caldwell, I have loved your daughter from the day I first saw her. She means everything to me, and I will do everything to protect her.”
He stared up at the older man. “She got hurt because you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself.” Steven said. The pack around them gasped. Men in the Northern Mountain pack, in every pack, were supposed to protect their women.
“I never wanted her to get hurt. I didn’t anticipate Brendan’s anger. She means everything to me.”
“Dad, I can vouch for Shaun. He will do everything to protect her. You have my word,” Jackson said, finally sticking up for him.
“You will be invited for dinner a week from today. I expect you to be there with my daughter. I give you my daughter, respect, and loyalty.” Steven bowed to him and moved out of the way. Addie stood with tears streaming down her face. Shaun stood, then staggered over to Addie. She deserved him to walk to her.
When he stood in front of her, Shaun collapsed to his knees in front of her. He stared at the ground and bowed his head. His body ached all over. The torn muscles, tendons, and flesh on his arm were throbbing. He needed to change into wolf form, but he wouldn’t do anything without Addie’s consent and until she was healed first.
His face hurt from the punches delivered by Brendan. His leg didn’t feel right either, and he figured a couple of kicks may have dislocated the joints in some way. If he’d been human, his back would be broken from the contacts he made with the trees. To top everything off, his head was throbbing, and he felt sick from the pain.
Placing a hand to his stomach, he saw blood was seeping through his shirt. The pack was tense around them. They were waiting for Addie to give her blessing. None of the pack could interfere during the challenge, but now they were waiting for Addie to make her choice. It was up to her to accept him or to turn away from him. He wanted her to give him her blessing. Shaun couldn’t handle it if she pushed him away.
Shaun closed his eyes, remembering the feel of her tight cunt wrapped around his dick. There was no answering heat inside his body. His body hurt too damn much to be turned on. Lifting his gaze to his woman, Shaun stared into her tear-stained face. Her face was pale from the loss of blood and the pain.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She looked at him confused.
Bowing his head once again, Shaun waited for her to give her consent or to show any sign of her love. He closed his eyes, waiting.
Chapter Nine
“I love you, Shaun. I want you as my mate,” Addie said through her pain.
Shaun sagged forward, his massive upper body bowing at her words. She could smell the relief and love pour off him. Had he really thought she would deny him, after all they had been through? She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. There had never been a time when she had been in so much pain, but she couldn’t deny that the end result had been worth it.
Shaun was alive and the victor. He had claimed her as his mate and proclaimed his love for her in front of everyone. Their families approved, and Brendan was no longer a threat.
Shaun stood and carefully wrapped his arms around her. The warmth and safety his body provided were a balm to
her tired, aching limbs. Closing her eyes, Addie sighed in relief and let everything wash away. His arms slipped beneath her knees as he lifted her into his strong embrace. She needed to shift and heal her broken body, but she didn’t want an audience. Shaun made his way through the trees and away from others. When he was far enough out he gently laid her on the forest floor. The urge to shift was strong, and she would not hold it in any longer, not when her body was screaming for her to relieve the pain.
A soft cry left her as her bones broke and realigned and as her muscles and tendons stretched. The air was charged with electricity. Once fully shifted, Addie lay on her side, panting as sweet relief filled her. The change allowed any injury, as long as not life-threatening, to be healed. It was one of the many gifts of her kind. Lifting her head, she watched as Shaun knelt beside her in his human form. The scent of his blood and pain filled her acute senses, and she whimpered, urging him to shift as well. There was no need for him to suffer.
The air crackled, and then he was in front of her, his massive, powerful body towering over hers. Compared to Shaun she was small. His body, thickly corded with power, was at least double her size. His rough tongue licked a slow path up her muzzle. A low, needy sound left him as he tried to comfort her. With the pain gone she stood and nuzzled him then made her way slowly to their spot. She knew he would understand where she wanted him to go, where she wanted to be at that moment.
The fight between Brendan and Shaun slammed into her mind like a movie reel. Flashes of blood sprayed, punches being thrown, and claws unsheathed to tear into flesh, assaulted her. Sickness washed through her as the scents rushed forward, as if she were still there witnessing the violence. Addie was no stranger to destruction, but when it concerned the man she loved that brought it to a whole new level.
She had been a stupid fool to let Shaun claim her in the woods right before she was to mate with Brendan. Addie should have known the sociopath would have been able to scent Shaun on her, but Addie hadn’t been able to help herself, and even if she could take it all back, she wouldn’t.
Being with Shaun had been the most incredible experience of her life. Feeling him inside of her, taking her virginity and proclaiming his love and devotion to her had been something she had only dreamt about. Of course, now it was her reality, and it still seemed so surreal.
What she hadn’t anticipated was the abuse Brendan would so violently deliver to her. He had come out of nowhere, his rage so thick and tangible in the air it had suffocated her. The results of his anger were her battered body and her mate’s pain. If she could have fought him, saved Shaun the pain, Addie would have done so in a heartbeat, but then again if she had stood up to Brendan she would most likely be dead right now.
The cave, nestled away from her pack and hidden away from prying eyes, had been a place they had gone several times when they were younger.
Addie had always thought of it as “their” spot, but she doubted Shaun saw it that way. There were even times she had gone to the cave by herself. A small pool of water sat in the center, with an even smaller stream of water coming through the cracks to feed it. The water was fresh and clean and came straight from the spring at the top of the mountain.
The scent of earth and water surrounded her as Shaun stepped into the cave in front of her and made his way through the narrow, winding tunnel. The ground started to decline as they went deeper into the cave. Once full inside they both shifted to their human form at the same time. Shaun took her into his arms immediately.“I’m so sorry, baby.” Shaun whispered against the crown of her head.
Addie gripped his shirt tighter. “I love you, Shaun.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
“God, baby, I’m sorry.” The strain and pain in Shaun’s voice had her feeling it just as strongly as if it were his own. His emotions wrapped around them like a cloak of despair. It wasn’t his fault this happened. Everyone knew what a sick fuck Brendan was, but no one wanted to stand up to him. Everything would change now, that Addie was sure of.
They both moved to the edge of the pool of water. She sat down and dangled her feet into the cool, stillness of it.
Even though she was no longer in her wolf form Shaun’s sorrow over her getting hurt was strong. His rage over Brendan causing her said harm whipped around the room like a tsunami intent on destroying the world. Now that her pain had receded all Addie could think about was how close Shaun had come to dying today.
When Brendan had thrown him against the rock she had heard bone break. The scent of his blood had called out to her inner wolf, but she had been too stunned by the events that had transpired to do anything but watch in horror. No one helped Shaun, and it seriously made her rethink her place in the pack.
She knew all too well the belief system within the pack. Not many would stand up for their own children, and certainly not against Brendan given the fact he was their future alpha. Just because he was the alpha’s son didn’t mean he could properly lead their people. It took a strong, powerful male to be the alpha, one that could lead their people to greatness. He couldn’t just be strong physically. He also had to be mentally and emotionally capable to handle all the weight being an alpha caused. Shaun had shown that today, had shown that he was strong physically, but could refrain from using that strength when need be. He had proved himself today. The scent had been in the air, and despite the pain, something in her shifted over the fact that he was recognized as an honorable, strong fighter who defended what he cared about. He had gone up against a sadistic asshole like Brendan solely because he loved her and would stop at nothing to make sure she was his.
Addie closed her eyes and relaxed into Shaun when he moved beside her. He wrapped his big body around hers, keeping her warm while showing her affection. Memories of when they were younger moved through her, and she buried her face deeper into his chest.
“Do you remember when we came here all those years ago and you kissed me for the first time?”
“Of course I do, Addie girl.” He pulled her more tightly against his body. “You were a lanky little thing, all arms and legs.” His amusement was tangible, and she couldn’t help but smile.
The memory was still fresh in her mind, even after all these years. She had been fourteen and he seventeen, but his body had been hard with muscle. He had taken her to this very cave, touched her for the very first time until she had been weak in the knees. He had asked her if he made her nervous, and God, he had made her so nervous. Even now she could still feel his warm breath as it brushed along her ear. The sound of trickling water had filled the cave, just like it did right now. He had touched her waist, brought her closer to his body. In her mind’s eye she could see the memory as clear as if it happened yesterday. She had tilted her head back
“You asked me if I had ever been kissed,” she said on a breathy whisper.
“And you told me no.” His thumb moved back and forth along her bare arm.
“Then you asked me if I wanted you to kiss me.”
When his mouth had touched hers fireworks had exploded inside of her. Even now she grew aroused from the thought. He had been her first kiss, her first everything. It had been at that exact moment that she knew there would be no other male for her but Shaun.
Now, still curled into his body, she wanted to make more memories, experience more “firsts”, ones that would further change her life for the better.
Chapter Ten
Shaun felt tears fall from his eyes. His body was mended, and all he wanted to do was hold his woman in his arms in human form. Addie had been hurt. He sensed her pain and waited until it started to lessen. Wrapping his arms around her, Shaun waited for her to be fixed.
Once her pain subsided, Shaun changed into human. Addie followed him seconds later into human form. Stroking her hair, he stared into her eyes. They were filled with tears.
“You’re so beautiful and brave. I love you so much.” He kissed the top of her head and held her close. Tears spilled from her eyes.
&nb
sp; “I thought I’d lost you. I heard your head hit the rock, and you didn’t get up. Your father looked ready to do murder,” Addie said.
He smiled. There was nothing more he could do. He’d survived one of the hardest battles of his life. “When are you going to realize, Addie, when it comes to you, there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you?”
She shook her head. He met her terrified eyes. “You could have died, Shaun.”
“I’m not dead.”
“But you could have been.” She swiped at the curls from her face. Her eyes were red from her tears. “I can’t handle this.”
“Baby, it’s done, and you’re mine now. Nothing else is going to happen. Brendan is not going to come for you. You’re safe.” He cupped her cheek, feeling the soft smooth flesh. They were both naked, and he pulled her on top of him.
His cock thickened at the feel of her generous curves. Her tits smashed against his chest, and her hard nipples poked him. Desire filled every part of him as he stared into her pretty eyes. Shaun wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m here, and nothing is going to happen to me. I’m safe, and you’re safe.”
“I believe you.” She smiled down at him, and then her lips were on him. Shaun took her lips, wrapping his fingers in her hair as she moaned.
Rolling over until Addie was on her back, Shaun gazed down into her eyes. He saw the desire in her depths. Desire and need combined together, and he scented her arousal on the air.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Please, Shaun, I’ve been waiting so long for you. Please, don’t make me wait another minute.”
Pressing a finger to her lips, Shaun stopped her from speaking. When she remained silent he took her lips under his. There was nothing he wanted more than to hear Addie cry out in pleasure. He needed to replace her pain-filled screams with ones he wished to remember.
She gasped, opening her lips for more of him. Happy to give her what she wanted, Shaun plunged his tongue into her mouth. He stroked inside her mouth, feeling her come alive under his ministrations.