The Devil's Pride (Wild Beasts Series)

by T. Birmingham

  Alexia moved to the side as she saw her big Man Bear drag Cam out the back door. She wasn’t worried. Her mate could teach his brother a lesson, and from the blank look on Mindy’s face, Cam needed a major lesson.

  Alexia realized suddenly that, in the rush of this past week, she had neglected her best friend. She may have been going through a ton of shit, but Mindy was her soul sister. Mindy was family, and she’d been breaking this whole time. Alexia had seen her and Cam together. She’d seen Mindy reach toward him and his looks of disgust and anger. She’d brushed it off, thinking there was no way they would ever be anything other than Mindy and Cam, but Alexia had missed it. She’d missed the cracks forming in her best friend.

  “Come on, Mind,” Alexia whispered, past the pain in her side. Mindy hesitated, but then hung her head and Alexia saw tears start to steadily move down her cheeks.

  She gathered Mindy in her arms, taking most of her weight, and they walked into the guestroom. Alexia shut the door, and she plopped down on the bed and grunted at the pain, but she could breathe past it.

  Alexia could already feel her side knitting broken pieces together, already healing the muscle tears and the cracked rib. Alexia held Mindy as she cried out in soulful gasps of loss and frustration and hurt. She rubbed Mindy’s back, her wolf feeling protective and needing to make it known that this was a person who belonged to her. Cam would never again hurt Mindy. She wouldn’t allow it. So, the wolf may not have wanted to come out to play, but she sure as shit was protective of those she cared about.

  Mindy’s crying slowly subsided, but she tensed when they heard the back porch door open. Alexia could have killed Cam just for that moment of Mindy feeling unsafe. Mates didn’t do that to each other. Devon would do everything in his power to make Alexia feel appreciated and loved and safe no matter what. In just the couple months she’d known him, she knew that truth. And she would do the same for him. Mates loved one another completely. They gave. They accepted. They loved unconditionally. Love. Did she love Devon Waters? She smiled for a second, but then let it fall from her face. Mindy didn’t need to see her smile right now.

  “It’s okay, Lex,” she said, her voice gritty. Mindy looked at Alexia. “It’s okay to be happy. Don’t feel guilty about being in love and being happy. I want that so much for you.” She gave the first genuine smile Alexia had seen in a week.

  “I love you, Mind,” Alexia said, kissing Mindy’s forehead.

  “I love you too, freak,” Mindy said, and Alexia laughed. They were going to be okay. They just needed to get out of Cam’s house and back to their apartment, but they were going to be okay.

  The door to the guest room opened quietly, and Devon stuck his head in. He was still naked, the handsome beast.

  “You guys okay?” he asked, seeming to test whether he should come in or not.

  “Yeah, Man Bear,” Alexia said, smiling as Mindy moved away from her.

  “Come on in, Devon,” Mindy said, finally meeting his eyes and lifting her chin to show she’d be okay.

  “You sure?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Mindy said, smiling and looking back at Alexia with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Now, get that beautiful, naked bottom in here, so Lex can check you from head to toe to make sure that douchebag twin of yours didn’t do any permanent damage.”

  Alexia felt a growl in her throat and let it loose when Mindy said beautiful, even though she knew Mindy wasn’t after her man.

  At her growl, Alexia heard a booming laugh, and something inside of her calmed. She hadn’t realized she’d been so tense until she heard that laugh fall from Mindy’s lips. Her friend would be okay.

  She checked her inner wolf at the door and got up to give her man a hug – and to hide his beautiful, naked bottom. And yeah, okay, to check the rest of him for injuries. There wasn’t a scratch on him. She knew because she checked him from head to toe with her new, awesome supernatural eyes. She’d known he could handle himself.

  “All right, guys. I think I’ve got to go be a grown up now and get my stuff from Cam’s room.” Mindy hopped off the bed and went to the door.

  “Cam left. He won’t be back until tomorrow,” Devon said as he turned around to hide his scarred back. Alexia had noticed he did that a lot. Hid his physical scars. She reached back and gave his back a rub to show him she understood before standing in front of him. He reached around her middle to hold her as his chin rested on the top of her head. She could feel him against her back again, and a delicious shiver made its way from the place where his chin touched her all the way to her toes that curled of their own accord. This man... Her Man Bear…he undid her. She blushed at the very public display.

  “Good,” Mindy said, taking a deep breath. “Good. That’ll give me more time to pack up my shoes and bags and move it all back to the apartment.”

  “It’s time for both of us to move back,” Alexia corrected her.

  “Lex, you don’t have to—”

  “Fuck that, Mind! You’re my best friend. You’re family, and Cam’s being an asshole right now, and we are not staying here when he gets back,” Alexia said with finality.

  “Okay,” Mindy replied, giving a shaky smile. “Well, it’s what? Eight now? A little late to move back to our humble abode, but I guess I can pack up a few things and head back there to sleep at least.”

  “Great,” Alexia said and turned to Devon. “You okay with that, Man Bear?”

  “My mate’s wish is my command,” he said, but the statement came with a look. She knew what that look meant, and she warmed at his gaze even as she felt a trill of fear. Because that look meant things had changed between them, and as wonderful as that was, it was also scary as fuck.

  “Later,” Alexia whispered, and she gave a quick kiss to his forearm to let him know in the best way she could that they were good. He relaxed behind her, and she felt his tendrils and hers when she concentrated on them. Devon turned her into his arms as Mindy moved to the door, and the sudden growling of Alexia’s stomach caused a chuckle to come from Devon and Mindy both.

  “I’ll get dressed, you can get cleaned up in the shower, and then, we’ll head out to get some food, Red. Trappe’s closes at one on Fridays, right? We’ll get you your smoothie—”

  “And my burger and fries! You aren’t forgetting those, mister,” she said, grabbing some clothes from the closet. “Damn, eating at Trappe’s is like having a come-to-Jesus moment, Devon. For real… Mind, you gonna join us?”

  “Ehhh,” Mindy said, shrugging. “I was just there this morning getting some payroll done. And I’m not really up for it.”

  “Let me rephrase,” Alexia said, narrowing her eyes at her. “You are coming with us.” Alexia didn’t give her time to answer. She gave Mindy a big hug and rushed into the bathroom. Before she went to start the shower, Alexia threw a towel at Devon and watched as he smiled and wrapped it around his waist. Knowing he was covered calmed her inner wolf. Crazy jealous – sort-of awesomely protective – bitch.

  Alexia heard Devon and Mindy talking as she finished showering, and she realized her hearing had improved, like, majorly improved.

  “Thanks, Devon,” Mindy whispered. “For everything.” She breathed out in a sigh. “You didn’t hesitate in taking care of things with Cam, and I appreciate that. But more than anything, I appreciate how happy you’ve made Lex. I’ve never seen her this in love—”

  There was a sharp intake of breath at the word.

  “I mean—” Mindy cut herself off. “Damn it! That’s what I do,” she said, and Alexia heard her friend’s quiet sobs start again. “This is why Cam doesn’t want to be around me. This. Right. Here.”

  Her voice rose, and Alexia stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around her body. Devon was standing closer to Mindy, rubbing her back. Yes, still mostly naked, but Alexia didn’t mind now. She walked to Mindy’s other side, and she held onto her. Mindy held Alexia back, and Devon backed off.

  He rubbed Alexia’s back and kissed her forehead and whis
pered, “I’m gonna shower” before he headed into the bathroom. Alexia sat with Mindy on the edge of the bed while Devon showered, but the normally confident, emotionally-open Mindy shrank back from Alexia when Devon entered the room again. Alexia let her back off. She’d had a lifetime of practice in being emotionally-closed off. She got her best friend in that moment in a way she’d never understood her soul sister before.

  “I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” Mindy said. She put on a fake smile that felt so much like a lie, Alexia wondered how someone like her could do such a thing, someone who understood emotions so well. Mindy fake smiled like a pro, and Alexia had a sudden image of herself as a wolf eating Cam’s face. The image made her feel better for all of a second.

  “I’m not going out tonight, Lex,” she said, giving Alexia a stern look. “But you and Devon are. I need some alone time. I need to get my head on straight, and it’s just not gonna happen if I’m out. I’ll steal some Ben & Jerry’s from Mama and Papa Martinez’ freezer on the way because I need to see your mom anyway, and then I’ll curl up on our old green couch. I just can’t sleep in that room. I’ve got to be back in our place tonight.”

  When Alexia would have protested for safety reasons, Mindy held up her hand. “I’ll give James a call. I’ve been texting him this week about the Azima Clan. He said I could ask him anything – day or night… But you two,” she said, pointing to a now dressed Devon and Alexia, “You’re gonna go out, and have a good night, and you’re not going to feel guilty.”

  She gave Alexia a hug, her eyes watering up again, and then she pulled away quickly and left the room before Alexia could say anything more than, “Okay.”

  Mindy had been talking to James while Alexia had barely said more than a few sentences to the man because they were so nervous about their relationship and what might be said. Then again, Mindy had that quality about her. Everyone just loved her right off. She was, quite literally as they’d just found out recently, magic.

  “Leave her be,” Devon said, pulling Alexia into his arms when she tried to go after Mindy. “She’ll be okay, Red.” Alexia held onto him, letting his comfort seep into her bones. She slowly let go of him and walked into the bathroom to get ready to go out.

  It had been quite the day, but despite Mindy’s broken heart and the sadness surrounding them with the deaths that had been happening, a part of Alexia was rejoicing. She could feel her Clan heritage rushing through her veins. She could feel the connection, the net of safety that now supported Devon and her. She could also feel her Skröm blood coursing through her veins, and instead of cringing at the unknown, she gathered her newfound calm around her in benediction for the wonderful feeling of discovering what she had thought was evil was actually pure and beautiful.

  And that new-found sense of self gave her greater hope for the future. They would find the person murdering these families. Mindy would heal. And Devon and her would be happy.

  Alexia smiled as she threw up her bright red curls into a ponytail and put on her favorite blue Tyler Farr t-shirt and Rockstar jeans. The happiness didn’t fade from her soul even when she and Devon walked out to his Triumph and rode to Trappe’s.

  Life wasn’t perfect, but damn it, she was gonna work on getting it to her kind of amazing.

  “You look just like your mother,” James rasped out through his bloody lip. Alexia might have been badly beaten, but she’d gotten in some fantastic shots. But fuck! She didn’t know if that was a good thing.

  They’d made it through the last few weeks and especially the week before without a murder. They’d been sure that the full moon on the 22nd of April would have brought the crazies out the woodwork. Well, it had, but it hadn’t brought the particular crazies they were trying to catch. They’d even taken shifts and partners near all of the park entrances, including the secret places Alexia had scoped out in the past during her midnight runs and hikes.

  Alexia continued training, but still, there was no wolf. No change. Instead, Alexia found herself working on the physical and the psychic skills she’d need to gain control of as Hybrid. Her Anthro classes had finished the week before, and she’d been doing double time with Hercules, Tinkerbell, James and her mate.

  She’d just mastered grounding, entering another Clan member’s mind and using the power to add to her Light powers, so if needed, she could weaken a Skröm, an Other, or a Shadow.

  She’d also been working with Devon on their bond. There was so much they could do with their newfound bond, and she wasn’t just talking sex. Of course, the sex was through-the-roof amazing, but damn, she was getting a little addicted to the rush of magic her Clan sides brought forward.

  With their bond, they could not only feel each other and see pieces of each other’s pasts – which Alexia had thought would be scary, but which she was finding was sort of amazing. They could also boost their power and double the Light that was being thrown out in battle. In fact, Devon had said his mental abilities had never been stronger. Normally, the mirrored twin would have added that element, but she still wasn’t talking to Cam, and Devon wasn’t bringing him up, so Alexia just figured Cam hadn’t yet changed his mind or his whiny, childish attitude. Mindy was heartbroken, but they were settling back into a rhythm, and with Devon or James staying over every night on their green couch, Mindy and Alexia were safe. During the day, Alexia trained and Mindy worked at Trappe’s Bar. And because classes had ended, Alexia had also picked up some shifts at Trappe’s.

  What currently worried her was how much time Mindy was spending with James. She didn’t sense anything sexual or romantic, and thank God because that would have been creepy. Sure, he looked like he was in his thirties, but he was her father and not as young as he looked. Plus, he’d killed his fated mate, and Mindy had lost her mate – fated or not, Alexia wasn’t sure – to the guy’s own stupidity. They had a lot in common, and Alexia wanted the best for both of them, but James was still a stranger to the both of them. She still didn’t really understand James’ role in Mally’s death, not to mention ewww. So, yes, part of it was her childishness showing.

  They had also moved their practice area. It was much warmer being that it was the end of April, but also, the weather had decided to skip spring and jump right into summer. So, despite the heat and humidity, for the past couple weeks, they’d been working out in the nearby state forest. The park ranger, Katie Larsen, was apparently a friend of Devon’s from college. Alexia had been a little jealous of the other woman until they’d met up with her in the park and she’d sensed her Azima Clan heritage – a talent of the Vuković that James had been working with Alexia on, and Alexia had noted the wedding band on Katie’s ring finger. Katie was happily married and mated to another member of the Azima Clan, a woman named Lauren Mathers. She was also two hundred years old. The ages of some of the Clan folks scared the shit out Alexia. Even Tinkerbell and Hercules weren’t the young spring chickens she’d thought. They’d both been born in the roaring twenties. Almost 100 years old. It was insane.

  The new practice area had definitely been needed because it wasn’t just Alexia who was training. Mindy joined them every other day. James, Hercules, and Tinkerbell were even working on some new skills and practicing old ones. And Devon was improving as well. For a guy who seemed to think he was all brawn, it was beautiful to see him take so well to their bond and to his mental abilities. He was so much smarter and so much wiser than he gave himself credit for.

  As for the physical, Alexia could now hold her own in a fight, but James had quite a few decades of training on her, and she couldn’t duck every shot. Like the hit she’d just been dealt, for example.

  She clutched her ribs and gasped for breath, but James didn’t let her go. He kept pushing, and she was definitely his kid because she couldn’t let it go, either. She couldn’t let him win. She felt her eyes change to a flaming red, and she smiled in comfort, not in fear. The Skröm was always there, and she’d come to love that part of herself.

  She just couldn’t get her wolf to p
ush forward.

  “You feeling bad for me, James?” Alexia asked with a teasing tone in her voice, but she was so grateful to be taking a break. She might have advanced healing, but her body was new to all of this.

  “Nah,” he said, taking a swig of water, and wiping the blood from his cheek. His split lip had already healed, but she’d gotten in a few more shots, and she was mighty proud of the gash on his cheek. “Doesn’t look like your little she-wolf reacts to a physical fight. But don’t worry, we’ve got a couple more hours yet, and there are still a few things we can try.”

  “Joy,” she muttered, thinking back to all the tactics they’d already tried. Nothing had worked. Nothing.

  “Trust me, if fighting was a trigger for you, we’d have pulled the she-devil out by now.” He paused and reached out and hesitated for a moment before he cupped Alexia’s bruised cheek. And she let him.

  Mama and Papa Martinez were her mom and dad, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t room for James.

  “Okay,” James said, standing tall and surrounded by dense forest as Hercules and Tinkerbell moved back to the side. He came at Alexia again, and they parried, back and forth. She was exhausted. Mentally and physically exhausted, but she’d promised herself she would really try today. Devon had been right a couple weeks earlier when he’d suggested that it was Alexia herself who was holding the wolf back. But she honestly didn’t know how to get her beast out.

  Alexia watched as James stopped for a second to grab some water, but she also saw that instead of grabbing for the bottle, he quickly turned back into the huge wolf she’d seen so often over the past few weeks. His clothes shredded as he charged toward her.

  Devon’s bear rushed out of him in a flash, and he was on James before Alexia could do anything to stop him. Hercules and Tinkerbell moved to the edge of the wooded area while Devon hit James from the side in a blur of motion imperceptible to the human eye. But Alexia wasn’t human. She was Clan. She’d spent most of her life with normal human senses, but she’d awoken her Skröm side, and even discovering the Clans had been a catalyst for her growing power. But the change was only final when the Vuković or Luna Clan member accepted their animal, performed their first ritual as was the case with the Azima Clan, took their first blood, or whatever gift that was special to their Clan was activated. It was different for each Clan as Nicky and Devon had both explained to Alexia on separate occasions. It made her wonder how many Dormants or Hybrids there were out there. People who didn’t know their heritage. And she also thought of what Nicky had told her about the three families who had been killed and she cringed. Yes. How many Dormants were there, and if some were being killed, why?