The Devil's Daughter: A Paranormal Romance

by Shyenna Renee

  She doesn’t respond. Instead, her eyes just scan over my face like nothing is wrong.

  Her eyes have unshed tears brimming in the corners. I couldn’t help but stare with admiration. Even on the verge of death, she has to be tough. My tough little angel never shows weakness. She always stays strong. I don’t even realize a tear has slipped down my cheek until her small hand reaches up and her thumb wipes it away. Her cracked pale lips part to speak. “Shhh, Austin. Chin up, eyes open. No tears shed and no hearts broken.”

  Her eyes fall shut for another time, but this time they stay that way. She used her remaining strength to try and comfort me. Panic rises within as I struggle to hear her heart.

  “No, no, no! Celeste, wake up!” I lift her head up by placing my hand behind her neck and head, pulling it forward so I could hear her breathing. Her breathing is shallow and light, barely there.

  “Where’s the doctor!” I scream as my beta comes into my line of sight. As if on cue, the doctor comes running out of the forest with some of my warriors flanking to his left and right. He runs up and sets his bag down before kneeling in front of me.

  “What happened, Alpha?” He takes her vitals, waiting for me to speak.

  “She forced herself to shift while her wolf was restricted. She shifted halfway before passing out.”

  He nods, taking in every word before taking her from my arms. I watch as he gently sets her down. Her raven-colored hair sprawls out under her as he does.

  “She needs to finish shifting or we’ll lose her,” the doctor speaks softly to himself as he digs around in his bag.

  Everything seems never-ending as he takes forever to dig.

  “How do we get her to shift?” I ask to which he releases a stress-filled sigh.

  “I don’t know, Alpha. A forced shift is different for everyone. Some just need an extra kick of adrenaline while others need to feel a certain emotion.” He runs his hand through his hair while he tries to think of something to save his luna. “Did she mention anything about how she was going to shift?”

  I shake my head no before turning my attention back to Celeste.

  “She wanted to feel angry,” a quiet voice speaks up from behind Dr. Greene.

  The male witch steps forward as he stares down at my mate.

  “What?” I ask.

  I watch as he leans down and rests on his knees. “Anger. That’s what she told me. When she was younger, she was forced to shift because her wolf was mad.”

  The doctor goes wide-eyed at his statement. “She forced a shift when she was a pup?”

  Cal nods slowly. “A rogue had almost killed her. Well, it did kill her. As she was taking her last breath, her wolf got mad at her for not wanting to survive. So, it took over. Her human side was dormant until she was sixteen.”

  I take a second to think about this new information. She went through this pain once more because of me. She knew how much it would hurt, and yet she still did it for her family.

  “Well, then we need to kill her.” The doctor’s words snap me out of my thoughts. My eyes are wide as I look at him.

  “You will not touch her,” I whisper darkly, and Dr. Greene visibly gulps, swallowing the fear building up inside of him.

  “Alpha, I only want to do what’s best for my luna, and if my suspicions are correct, her wolf will finish shifting before her heart can actually stop. Her wolf is obviously strong and doesn’t plan on letting her human die.”

  At his words, I lose the glare I have set on him. “And you’re sure she’ll survive?”

  He nods quickly while scooting a few feet away from me.

  “Fine.” I force the word out. It comes out as more of a growl. “Do what you have to do.”

  I stare back at my mate, and he goes back to digging in his medical bag. After pulling out a syringe and a vial of clear liquid, he fills the syringe up to less than a quarter before he comes closer to Celeste.

  “What is that?” I ask as the horrible smell wafting off the needle hits my nose.

  “Wolfsbane with a dash of silver. She’s weak enough that just this small amount will stop her heart.”

  A lump forms in my throat as my wolf itches to grip on to Celeste and never let go. “Will this hurt her in the long run?”

  “Of course not, Alpha. The shift will force the wolfsbane out of her system.”

  Taking a second to think, I give him a curt nod, and then he injects the horrible liquid into her blood stream. Her body starts to convulse within seconds, and the doctor begins to yell at me, telling me to hold her down. “She’ll hurt herself if we can’t keep her still.”

  I hold down her shoulders while he and Cal keep a tight hold on her legs.

  It takes a few minutes before her body finally settles down and the cracks and pops of her body rearranging are heard.

  “Stand back,” the doctor orders. “Once she shifts, she’ll be feral because she will be defensive as she tries to find a threat.”

  Her eyes open wide and she jumps up to rest on all fours. Her back arches, the bones of her spine twisting and cracking. The movement is visible through her thin t-shirt. Grey fur sprouts out as her skin tears, along with her clothes.

  In no time, a giant dark-grey wolf stands in front of me, stretching and shaking out her fur. Scars cover her body; the only speckle of color being the small splatter of white dots coating her left thigh. Her red eyes, scan the surroundings before stopping on the unfamiliar group of people watching her every move.

  She crouches close to the floor, letting out a warning growl as she stares at my warriors in caution.

  “Celeste?” I call out, and I gain her attention.

  She gives a low hum of disapproval, trying to convey that she isn’t the small girl I’ve gotten to know over the last few days.

  “What’s your name?” I call out softly as I take small steps towards her. I smile in relief when she lets me get closer.

  “Cat.” Her voice echoes in my head as I walk. She begins to circle me a few times before finally positioning herself in front of me. She refuses to move her eyes away from the group behind me.

  “It’s okay, Cat. They’re our pack. They won’t hurt you.”

  I place my hand on the top of her head, stroking her surprisingly soft fur, calming her tense nerves.

  “So, you are the one that blocked me from my human.” She turns her head slightly, her hard gaze never leaving my eyes.

  “I’m sorry about that. I regret it deeply.”

  “Yes, your wolf has told me already,” she replies slyly, turning her head back to my warriors. “It’s okay, though. You did it for the safety of your pack. Besides, you had no way of knowing how much Celeste actually needed me.”

  I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My relief is short-lived. My breathing hitches once I see her eyes set back on me. She stands on all fours with her teeth on display as she gives a low growl.

  “But if you ever come between me and Celeste again, I will not hesitate to kill you. Mate or not, you have no idea what she has been through. She can’t function without my support, so leave me and her be if you want to keep her as a mate.”

  “I won’t come between you and Celeste again. I’ve learned what happens when I do, and I don’t wish to have that pain inflicted on her again.”

  She nods her giant wolf head in satisfaction before resting down by my feet.

  “Cat, when can I have Celeste back?”

  Her eyes close, and for a second, I think she may have fallen asleep until her exhausted voice plays in my head again.

  “She’s resting. I’ll be stuck in wolf form for at least a week to replenish her strength. Until then, she’ll be dormant. Once she is fully healed, I will let her have control.”

  I nod, soaking in all the information. Not long after, she falls asleep, curled in a ball at my feet. Oddly enough, her sleeping form reminds me of a kitten curled up for warmth.

  I send my men back to the rest of the pack as I bend down to stroke my mate
’s fur. I give her a kiss to the forehead before shifting myself and lifting her five-foot frame to my own six-foot. I carry her on my back as I start walking towards our home.

  I stop for a second to talk to the witch cowering behind me.

  “Are you coming or what?” I ask through a mind-link between us.

  “Seriously?” he asks, his eyes wide as he stares at me. “

  “Well, I have some questions, and you have the answers. Celeste wouldn’t like it very much either if I denied her the right to see her friend.”

  His open mouth snaps shut as he starts walking behind me. He follows my lead as I make my way through the bundle of trees to our home.

  CHAPTER 12

  |austin|

  It’s been nearly two weeks and Celeste still hasn’t healed enough mentally to wake up. It’s just been Cat and me. Well, mostly just me. Cat has decided her rightful place is outside in the woods. She sleeps, eats, and trains out in the woods all day.

  Even though Celeste hasn’t fully healed mentally, her body has. I’ve seen Cat walking around in human form quite a few times.

  I got excited, only to be let down when I went running out in the hopes of talking to my mate. I remember last week when I first saw her.

  “Alright, everybody, training is over, so go shower. You’re all sweaty and stinky,” I say to my warriors. We have been training for the last four hours.

  “Alpha Roman?” As I’m about to leave, one of my top warriors, Ash, runs over to me.

  “Yes Ash?” I cross my arms as he gives a slight nod in respect.

  “Luna Middleton has been spotted on the north side.”

  My brow rises in confusion. Everyone knows she is staying outside. Why is he coming to me with this? “I know. Her wolf prefers the outdoors.”

  He shakes his head, a sigh leaving his lips. “No, Alpha. She’s in human form roaming around…bare.” He clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable with speaking about this.

  “Go to the pack house and gather some clothes from her closet. Meet me on the north side when you’re done.”

  He gives a curt nod before sprinting off to the house while I make my way over to my mate.

  It only takes me a few minutes of running to catch her scent. She is nowhere in sight, but I know she’s near.

  “Celeste?” I call out as I stomp my way through the woods. “Celeste, come out.”

  A rustling to my left has me freezing as her small form steps out. Her thick raven-colored goes down to her thighs, covering her front and back.

  “Celeste?” I whisper, hopeful that she would not bolt or become defensive.

  “Celeste is still asleep. I am Cat.”

  Her voice is a little rougher than Celeste’s, probably from lack of use. She looks around, cautious, as we stand in silence.

  “You can relax. No one will harm you while you’re on my territory.”

  “Force of habit. As a rogue, you can never let your guard down.” She states with a shrug of her shoulders as she turns around to sit on a boulder.

  This has me catching sight of a speckling of birthmarks that runs down her thigh. They match the ones on her wolf, along with the scars on her body.

  “Is that how you got all those scars?”

  She stares down at her body with disinterest. “These are from rogue fights and alphas when they actually got lucky enough to catch me.”

  “They tortured you?”

  She bobs her head, her wavy hair swaying slightly in the wind. “I’ve been whipped, cut, and burned. I’ve even been starved and poisoned, but I’m just glad it was never Celeste who felt that pain.”

  “Right, I forgot you had control for six years.”

  She smiles slightly at me, the action alone causing my heart to skip a beat. “You’ve done your research on us.”

  I give her a nod of confirmation as she stands and takes slow strides towards me.

  “So, I’m guessing you’ve read about the lives I’ve taken? The innocent families I’ve slaughtered during my rampages?”

  Her smile grows wicked as she halts only a foot away from me.

  “Yes, I have, but I won’t let what you’ve done affect my love for Celeste.”

  Her smile turns comforting as she appears pleased with my answer. “Good, she shouldn’t suffer for any of my wrongdoings.”

  She looks away, avoiding my eyes as hers grow sad. “The bond has grown, making it nearly impossible for us to leave. So, we shall stay and see how things go. But you must know: I am not the monster that you have read about.”

  She looks at me, almost pleading for me to believe her words.

  “What are you talking about?”

  She opens her mouth to speak, but Ash steps through a bush, causing her to slap her mouth shut and look away. I turn to block Cat from Ash’s view, taking the bundle of clothes from his hands before dismissing him.

  When I turn back around, though, she is gone. With a heavy sigh, I set the clothes on the boulder where she was resting moments before. I know she’s watching. I can feel her stares drilling holes through my head.

  “This is not over, Cat. We will talk about this before Celeste awakens,” I call into the afternoon sky before I turn around and walk back home.

  A sharp knock on my office door snaps me out of my memories.

  “Come in,” I shout, my voice exhausted from all the restless nights without my mate.

  The door opens and in steps my freshly showered mate in simple jeans and a t-shirt. Judging by how big it is, it’s one of mine. That brought a smile to my face.

  “Celeste has begun speaking. She’ll have full control within the next two days,” she says while shutting the door. She walks over to take a seat on the chair in front of me.

  My wolf is beginning to beg me to walk over and hold her. We haven’t had any contact with our mate in over a week, and it was driving us mad.

  “Have you come to discuss what you said during our conversation last week?”

  The muscles in her jaw tenses as she gives a curt nod. “The stories about me are false. They are rumors spread by whining little alphas and rogues.”

  She spits out the words like they are poison on her tongue.

  “But you asked if I knew about all the innocent people you’ve killed,” I ask and immediately got the reaction I was expecting.

  She clenches and unclenches her fists, clearly not liking this conversation. “I needed to know if your feelings for my human were true. I wanted to know that if trouble came and you heard the lies of an alpha who has it out for me, you wouldn’t listen and hand her over.”

  She looks up at me, anger spreading through her soft features as she thinks about what could happen.

  “I’d never give my mate over to the people who wish to harm her.” I growl, my own anger starting to get the best of me. “It hurts to know you think so low of me. You are my mate, just like Celeste. My duty is to protect you as well as her.”

  She searches my face, looking for any sign that I am lying. A content sigh leaves her lips when she sees I’m telling nothing but the truth. “Well, my dear mate, knowing that will make trusting you much easier.”

  “Now, may I know what it is you meant?”

  “Of course,” she says with a sigh while leaning back into her chair, her body relaxing as she closes her eyes and begins to spin her tale.

  CHAPTER 13

  |cat|

  “The first time I came across an alpha was when I was fourteen years old.” I begin my story with a heavy sigh, my eyes involuntarily fluttering shut as the memories floods back.

  My large paws thud against the forest floor. My heartbeat rises as it pounds against my rib cage. Even though I am only fourteen and still a pup, my wolf form is larger than any other girls my age. For the last four years, I have been training and building my strength, readying myself for when I faced my parents and the ones who have harmed us.

  The rotten smell of rogues assaults my nostrils and my steps falter and my body tenses. My br
ain goes into overdrive as I use my speed to zigzag my way through the trees.

  “Come out, come out, where ever you are, little rogue.” A taunting voice echoes around me as I push my legs to run faster. The familiar feel of a pack becomes stronger and stronger as I get closer to my destination—my home.

  The little cottage I had called home for seven years comes into view, and I nearly freeze when I see its condition. The door is off its hinges, the roof is caved in, and dust and leaves cover everything as animals sleep in it. I almost whine at the state it’s in, but the sound of paws racing behind me snaps me out of my thoughts.

  I shift, and I head inside. The smell of the Davidson pack, a pack that lives just a few kilometers past here, reeks all throughout the house. They’re the ones who ruined my home. I give out a low growl. “They better have a damn good reason for destroying this place.”

  The sounds of voices outside slams my mouth shut as I fall into a crouched position. A cold breeze runs across my bare skin, making me shiver slightly.

  “Hold on,” one of the guys calls. The sound of him sniffing can be heard in the deadly quiet of the woods. “We’re near pack territory. We need to leave.”

  “But, boss, the girl?” a younger voice asks.

  “Leave her. If she’s headed that way, then there’s no way she’ll survive.”

  With that last sentence, they run off. The sound of their clothes ripping and paws running is clear as day.

  “Stupid rogues,” I mutter under my breath and a small chuckle sounds from behind me. “Okay, either I’ve gotten even crazier or…” I pause, and I turn around, “…there’s someone in my home.”

  My red eyes collide with equally menacing greens. I snarl, showing off my still-growing canines.

  “Easy, Celeste…wouldn’t want to get in trouble with an alpha now, would we?” Tom Davidson steps out of the shadows. That same smirk from my childhood is plastered on his face.