Hidden Destiny (Redwood Pack)

by Ryan, Carrie Ann

  He fell to the ground, and North didn’t give him any time to take another step. He fisted his hand and punched the bastard in the face. He felt bones shatter and the cartilage of a broken nose under his fist, and he growled.

  “Fuck!” Corbin yelled, yet North still didn’t relent.

  He punched over and over again, the man screaming under him as he tried to fight back. North gripped Corbin by the throat and squeezed like he had before.

  “Not…yet…” Corbin gurgled, and North frowned.

  Again, like before, something was wrong.

  North risked a glance at the demon, who smiled then held out his hands. The resulting shock surprised him.

  Mating wards were the strongest of the strong. No one, not even a witch, light or dark, the Alpha, or any other could break through. The moon goddess herself set the wards, not the wolves themselves. He hadn’t known demon magic could go through strongest of wards.

  Yet he should have.

  His head lulled back, and the darkness came.

  He’d failed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “No!” Lexi screamed and ran to where the demon stood, grinning—though she could tell breaking the wards had cost him. He was weaker. Good.

  Pain, unending pain, cascaded through her like sharp blades slicing over and over, but she ran. Her feet pounded into the dirt, her muscles straining as she pushed herself to the limit. She needed to get to him before he noticed her, before she was too late.

  She knew Cailin would have her son so she could push that to another part of her mind.

  Right now she wanted blood.

  Demon’s blood.

  Her claws pushed from her fingertips, and she sprang, raking them down the side of the demon’s face. The feel of his porcelain skin breaking under claws made her wolf howl. She growled, her fangs slicing through her gums, ready to bite, to fight…to do anything she could to stop this demon.

  Caym wrenched away, blood pouring down his face. He staggered to a stop and put his hand on his cheek. He turned to her, clear surprise in his eyes. “You dare mark me?”

  An odd sensation flowed through her limbs. Magic poured into her, the earthy and unearthly taste that she knew was the moon goddess even though she’d never felt it before. Her body grew stronger, her focus sharper. Time almost seemed to stand still and she narrowed her eyes on the demon that would rule them all.

  “I don’t have much for you, my child. I’m sorry. Use it well.”

  The moon goddess’ voice in her head didn’t surprise her. It should have and later she would think about what this meant, but right then, she knew the goddess who took care of the wolves was using her powers to help Lexi—even if it wasn’t much.

  That the moon goddess would break her silence to the non-elder wolves humbled her.

  Using her new found strength, Lexi growled and stepped forward. Caym moved slower, no, Lexi just moved faster. She knew this. The moon goddess had helped her in such a way Caym would at least be hurt. Lexi shouted, then pushed the demon into the wards. The crackle from contact deafened her for only a moment, the bright light of the wards hitting flesh shocking her senses. Yet with the moon goddess running through her veins, she held him there. It might not be enough to kill him, she might not be enough to kill him, but she could hurt him.

  Caym screamed—the first scream she’d heard from him and she reveled in it. Blood seeped from his nose and mouth as his body shook and scorched within the wards..

  “You can break through the wards with a spell, but the wards will break you, you bastard!” she screamed, her heart breaking for what she would have to see once she looked into the circle. The warm sensation of a hand cupping her cheek made her blink and then the moon goddess faded away, as if she was too weak to do any more than she already had. The goddess had broken through to the human realm to save Lexi and her family. It was enough.

  It was more than enough.

  She would be forever grateful but first she needed to take care of what was hers.

  And by doing that, she needed to take care of the demon.

  Caym growled then pulled himself up, his face pale and gray. “Take the wolf,” he spat. “Corbin’s nothing now anyway. He’s served his purpose. Or at least he would have. He failed. Like all the others. Bastard.”

  With that, the demon disappeared. She risked a glance to where he’d been then ran to her mate. She looked up and held back a sigh of relief as Cailin carried Parker away, Logan protecting the both of them. They were leaving the scene without another chasing them thankfully. Parker didn’t need to see this. Gods, she didn’t want to see what was in front of her but she didn’t have a choice.

  Her baby was safe. Now it was time to protect her mate. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other Centrals fighting against the Redwoods and Talons, but she had true focus for only the one who remained in the center of the circle.

  “North,” she gulped.

  He opened his eyes and glanced toward her, and she held back a scream.

  His eyes.

  Oh goddess, his eyes.

  They had once been vivid green with gold rims. Now they were all white with no pupil or iris in sight. Blood dripped like tears as he blinked.

  The demon had blinded her mate.

  Oh goddess.

  Though he hadn’t killed him.

  “I’m fine, Lexi,” North lied, though he wasn’t facing her fully when he said it.

  They would deal with that in a moment.

  “You little fucker!” she screamed and kicked and punched Corbin. The other wolf was cut, bleeding, but not dead.

  “You’re a fucking bitch, you know that,” Corbin spat. “I should have just killed you long ago, but my wolf was too sentimental. I won’t be making that mistake again.”

  “You won’t be doing anything again,” she countered then punched Corbin in the face. His head rocked back, and he struck out, his claws sliding along her arm. She wasn’t as good a fighter as North; she knew this, but damn it, she had to do better than this.

  She kicked and punched, and he countered most moves.

  “Lexi, where is he? I can only hear where you are in general.” North looked directly at them, but she knew he wasn’t seeing anything.

  Couldn’t see anything.

  “We’re in front of you, wolf,” Corbin called. “Come closer so I can finish what my demon started.”

  “Your demon?” Lexi asked. “Your demon left you.”

  Corbin’s eyes widened, and he looked over to where Caym had been, and then before she could blink, he had his claws in her belly. She looked down, dazed, at the blood pooling around her then fell to her knees.

  She sucked in a breath, an oddly calm feeling washing over her. She knew if she didn’t get medical attention soon, she would die, yet all she could do was stare at the wolf who was killing her.

  This wolf was nothing.

  He wasn’t strong.

  He was weak.

  He used others to gain what he wanted. He killed, raped, stole, and lied to become who he was. The blood in his veins might have been Central royal, but it was nothing. He was just a small little man who listened to a demon who had far different goals than he—even if no one knew what those were.

  Yes, his claws were in her belly, yanking and tearing her flesh and organs, but he was nothing.

  She might die here, but Corbin would never breathe again.

  Her family and Pack wouldn’t allow it.

  Corbin had nothing.

  This man, the man who in another lifetime would have been her mate if he hadn’t been so corrupt, so evil, was killing her yet she didn’t care.

  She only cared she wouldn’t again see the man she loved.

  The man that she deserved.

  Lexi was far better than the man who was ending her life and she knew it.

  From the glint in Corbin’s eyes, he knew it to.

  “I pity you,” she rasped. The coppery scent of her blood filled her nostrils and she felt th
e warm trickle of it drip down her chin from her mouth.

  “Bitch,” he sneered. “I should have killed you then. That bastard you birthed will die by my hand. I won. Can’t you understand that? I’m the fucking Alpha and you are nothing compared to me. You’re dying by my hand. Your fucking precious mate is dying. No wait, he never bonded to you. You’re going to die knowing that I’m the one bonded to you and you’ll never have the eternity you want with the other. How is that for fucking justice?”

  “Get your fucking hands off my mate you piece of filth,” North said from behind Corbin.

  Lexi took a shallow breath, her body fading, but never let her gaze leave North’s. He couldn’t see her but she knew he felt her there.

  “She’s not your mate, is she? No she’s mine,” Corbin spat.

  “No, she’s mine,” North countered. “She’s also her own. She doesn’t need you to lay claim you fucking asshole.”

  Corbin opened his mouth again but North growled, the low sound more dangerous than she’d even heard before. Her true mate reached for Corbin’s neck and sank his already bloody claws into the man’s flesh.

  Corbin gasped as North ripped his head from his shoulders.

  Lexi blinked at the now-dead man from her nightmares then up at the man she thought would be her future.

  “Lexi? I can smell your blood, baby. Shit.” He threw Corbin’s head to the ground then fell to his knees the same as she had. She reached out for him, her body weak.

  “North, I’m here. I’m here.”

  He pulled her into his arms, and she held her wounds closed, knowing if she didn’t get to a Healer soon, it would be bad.

  “I’m sorry,” he cried, nuzzling her closer. “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”

  Tears slid down her cheeks. “You’re plenty strong, my mate. You killed Corbin.”

  “No, we did, my love.”

  She tried to smile but didn’t have the energy. “We can bond now.”

  He cupped her face, but she knew he couldn’t see her. “We will.”

  She closed her eyes, leaning on her mate, praying this wasn’t the end but knowing it just might be.

  They’d killed the Central Alpha, taken another step toward the end of the war, and wounded the demon.

  But it hadn’t been enough.

  The darkness came, and she was grateful.

  ****

  “Are you sure she doesn’t want a fruit basket or anything? It’s been four weeks, and I still think we should get her something.” Lexi lay next to her naked mate, a smile on her face.

  North rolled his eyes, though she knew he still couldn’t see from them. “Honey, Hannah is the Healer. If you sent her a fruit basket, she’d only invite you over to share it.”

  She turned on her side and cupped his face, his beard tickling her skin. “Honey, she saved our lives. We should get her something more than a thank you and a hug.”

  He moved then, sliding between her legs, his body hovering over her. She knew he couldn’t see her, but he could hear her, taste her, feel her. “In that case, I’ll send her a fruit basket a day. She saved your life, my mate, my heart. I will forever be grateful for that.”

  She looked into his eyes and sighed. The change in them didn’t scare her now as it had when she’d first glanced at them. “I’m sorry she couldn’t Heal you.”

  He lowered his head and nipped at her lip. “She’s still trying, and the elders have added this to their ever-growing list of things to find answers for. Caym didn’t take my eyes. He took my sight through a curse. There’s got to be a way to fix that.”

  She nodded then winced. All her little non-verbal cues and answers meant nothing to him at the moment. She was getting better at it, but it still hurt to forget. Parker, of all people, was taking this with the most grace. He made sure things in the house didn’t have any sharp corners and ensured all pieces of furniture were always in the right place. As a wolf, North’s senses were already heightened, but she knew they were even more so now. Parker was making sure that North would feel comfortable with his knew way of life.

  “Noah is helping Hannah too, right?”

  “Yes,” North said, his tone a little sad. “Noah’s been great taking over my clinic for me. I can’t do what I need to do without my eyes, but since the kid already went through most of medical school, he’s a great asset.”

  “And you’re helping him with what he doesn’t know. It isn’t like you have nothing to do.” She was making sure of that.

  “You don’t have to try and make me feel better, baby. I’m okay with what happened. We’re both alive, and Corbin is dead. I don’t need anything else right now.” He lowered his head and nuzzled her neck. She shuddered beneath him, angling her head so he would have more access. Her wolf ached for her, ached for what they were lacking.

  Four weeks had passed, and they still hadn’t bonded.

  She’d been healing all this time, unable to do more than breathe and sleep because the wounds had been that bad. Even though she’d been down for only a couple hours after being bit by two Alphas, that had been different. The near-death was almost always healed quickly because of the change that was occurring within the newly transformed wolf.

  Hannah had rushed to her side almost as soon as she’d blacked out. The Healer had used all she could but hadn’t been able to Heal her fully. Lexi was fine with that since she’d been alive to feel the pain at least.

  She and North agreed that because the moon goddess had put her energy within Lexi’s body, it had taken a toll. Yes, they’d hurt the demon, but Lexi knew it also hurt her in the process. She still had no idea why the moon goddess had chosen her at that time and place to help, maybe the goddess hadn’t been able to do so until right then. That meant though, that they had no idea if the goddess would be able to help again in the future.

  The demon wasn’t dead.

  Far from it.

  Nothing could be done for North though, and it hurt her to think about.

  Once the Redwoods and Talons had killed the other Central wolves, they’d cleaned up the bodies, tended their wounded, and tried not to celebrate the death of the wolf that had taken so much from them.

  It didn’t seem fair to celebrate when so many had died before and when the demon was still alive, ready to fight again.

  Yes, the wards and Lexi had hurt Caym, but she knew that hadn’t been enough.

  Their fight wasn’t over, no, far from it.

  They’d done all they could with the power they had. Now it was time to find another way…a way Lexi wasn’t sure of.

  The Talons had left saying they’d be back to help in the war. She had a feeling a bond had been struck, and there would be a future with them…if the Redwoods had a future to begin with. That, though, was another story.

  Now she was healed, and her wolf wanted their mate.

  She lifted her hips, cradling his cock, and North froze above her.

  “Lexi,” he rasped out. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She tugged on his hair to bring him closer. Her mouth trailed along his temple so he would be able to feel her lips move as she spoke. “You’ll only hurt me if we don’t complete the bond. Come on, my mate, it’s time.”

  He growled then rose slightly above her. “If you’re sure.”

  She growled back then reached down toward his cock, moving him so he brushed against her entrance. “I’m already wet for you. Make love to me. Mark me. Mate with me. Please, my North.”

  He filled her slowly, oh, so slowly, and she sighed. She’s missed the way he felt inside her, so full, so right. He put both forearms to her sides so that they could tangle their fingers together then pulled out of her. She moaned at the loss of contact, and then he pushed back in, just as slowly.

  His gaze met hers. Even if he couldn’t see a thing, she could still see the beauty of him and his love for her. He made love to her, soft, sweet, and oh so gentle.

  This wasn’t about scorching heat and passion—no, that would
come later. This was about love, mating, and everything they’d been denied for so long.

  Her hips met his with each thrust on a slow roll, and he grinned down at her. They both panted as they rose up, their climaxes almost there. She turned her head to the side, inviting, and then whispered his name.

  Taking his cue, he bit down on her shoulder, his fangs sliding in smoothly. It was an exotic pain, sharp, yet erotic as he marked her. He pulled away, blood dripping from his mouth then turned his head so she could do the same to him. He tasted of sweet wine and brandy, a delicious combination that set her off, her body coming around his cock.

  His seed filled her, and she felt the snap of the bond settling into place.

  She looked at him, at the glow that surrounded them, and felt him through their bond.

  “I don’t need to see you to know you are beautiful, my Lexi,” North rasped out, awe lacing his tone. “I can feel you in my heart.”

  She sniffed, tears running down her cheeks, and lifted her head so she could steal his lips in a kiss.

  “This is it, North Jamenson. This is our destiny. Our forever.”

  He smiled down at her. “You’re my forever. You’re my everything.”

  As he was to her.

  For eternity.

  Epilogue

  Caym ran a hand down his face, the rigid scars from that wolf-bitch’s claws pressing against his palm. She’d surprised him, that wolf. Oh, he’d liked the fire in her eyes when she’d attacked him and then thrown him into the wards.

  If he’d cared just a little bit more, he’d have liked to see how long it took to extinguish the fire before he eventually killed her.

  Now, though, that didn’t fit into his plans. Maybe if he had time when he killed the Redwoods, one by one, he’d play with her a bit.

  She seemed like she’d enjoy it as he sliced ribbons into her flesh.

  The sounds of Takeo drums filled the air, and he looked at the Pack circle, bored. They were celebrating the rise of a new Alpha as their old one had died so…tragically.