by Marissa Teng
His mate was now deeply asleep against him. He held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. Things were going so well for him and despite the impending meeting that might or might not happen with the stupid wolf Alpha, he couldn’t help but think that things couldn’t get any better. He had a mate who he loved and she was in his arms safe and sound. Things were going so well for him.
Ten
Jaxson watched Stellan as he would walk from one part of the front yard to the other. Once he would reach one end, he would stop, sniff, listen then watch the woods for exactly one minute before he would turn around and walk to the other end of the house and do the same thing.
Soon, he started doing it at the side of the house and after that, competently around the entire house.
Not only was he patrolling, but he was doing it was a tenacity that no six-year-old should have. This was a skill Jaxson had to teach many of his guards before they started. All of which were over 18 years old. But here, Stellan was doing it without training and better than most of his own men. He didn’t know if he should praise the boy or kick himself for having warriors who could be shown up by a young boy.
But besides all that, he was proud. Proud that he now had a son who was so intelligent and brave that he had no fear of passing the pack to him when he came of age. Whether or not the pack would follow him was another matter.
After the tenth circle around the house, Jaxson had enough. He already told himself he wanted Stellan to have a normal childhood and patrolling his house at five in the morning wasn’t on his list of what a normal childhood consisted of.
Jaxson placed the strawberries, grapes, and bananas he had just cut up into two bowls. He grabbed two forks and the tub of Nutella and walked outside. He placed the two bowls on a wooden table and Nutella on the porch railing then went around the side of the house to get Stellan.
When he turned the corner, he came to a halt. Stellan wasn’t there. He quickened his pace to get to the back of the house where he also did not find Stellan. Now in the back yard, he decided to run around the entire house until he was in front of the porch once again and there was no Stellan in sight.
He opened his mouth to shout for the boy when he was suddenly startled.
“These are for me, right?” Stellan said from behind Jaxson. Jaxson nearly jumped three feet in the air and cursed. Stellan raised an eyebrow at Jaxson’s reaction. He pierced another strawberry and popped it into his mouth.
Jaxson crossed his arms and scrutinized the small boy.
“Yes.” Jaxson sighed as the reprimand he was about to use on the boy for starling him died on his lips. “What are you doing up so early anyway?” he asked instead. “And why are you patrolling the house?”
They had walked back to the porch now and Jaxson sat in one of the chairs with his bowl of fruit while Stellan sat on a wooden box next to him. He would have to get some more chairs for out here. Maybe a patio set, he was sure Lucia would love it. Maybe she would love a porch swing. He remembered having one as a child and his mother loved it.
“It’s been two weeks.” Stellan answered looking into the woods that surrounded their house. It was peaceful there but soon, once construction started the following week, the area would be rowdy with workers.
“And?”
“And...my fa—Sterling, should be coming for us today.” There was no fear in Stellan’s voice but Jaxson didn’t miss the boy’s slight shake of the hand when he lifted the fork to his mouth.
“I won’t let him take you or your mother. I want you to know that, Stellan.” Jaxson assured him.
“The man we saw last week...that wasn’t Sterling.”
“You and Lucia both mentioned something like that. What did you both mean?”
“Sterling was never scared or unsure of himself. Something was really off about him. It was almost as if he was a different person.”
Jaxson nodded at him as he began to eat again. If he was being honest with himself, something about the “alpha” had been a bit off-putting. He wasn’t giving off normal Alpha vibes. If anything, he was giving off fear. But what was he scared of? If Lucia was really special to him, he wouldn’t have treated her the way he did. Jaxson still wanted to kill the man who hurt his Lucia.
“Either way, my pack and I will protect both of you. He will not get you back.”
Stellan put down his plate on the step next to him. He stared at the woods for a long time before he finally spoke. And when he did, there was a mixture of sadness and resolve in his voice.
“If you can only save one of us then save Mommy. Don’t worry about me. He never hurt me as much as he hurt her and I don’t want her to go back to that.” With that, Stellan jumped off the steps and began his patrol again.
Jaxson gritted his teeth together so hard that he felt they would crack any second. He hated that he couldn’t take away his son’s pain. He hated that the two had gone through something so monstrous and there was no way he could help them forget.
No longer having an appetite, Jaxson put down the bowl and stood up.
Suddenly, he heard Stellan run from the backyard to the front. He stopped right in front of the porch and had his hands at his sides ready to attack.
“He’s here.” Stellan growled.
Now on full alert, Jaxson jumped down next to Stellan.
“How do you—" He started but then he saw him. Emerging from the woods and walking with a casual strut towards his house was indeed Alpha Sterling.
Holden! You want to tell me why my mate and son’s number one threat is now walking onto my property!? Jaxson linked to his brother.
What are you talking about? There’s no way! We have a full set of guards on for today. Holden mind linked back.
Get your asses here now and help me protect your Asteri and future Alpha! Jaxson ordered.
We’re on our way!
Jaxson closed the link and took a step in front of Stellan.
“That is Sterling.” Stellan growled.
Jaxson right away noticed the difference in this man’s aura. Murder, hate, and bloodlust emanated off him in sickening waves. This man was dangerous and he wanted him nowhere near his mate and son, not to mention his pack.
“Stellan get inside.” Jaxson ordered. “Now.”
“But...you can’t take him on alone!”
“He won’t be alone, kid,” Holden said as he appeared from behind the house. He had gotten there faster than Jaxson thought, it must have meant he was nearby. Good. “Listen to him and go inside.”
“But—"
“I need you to get inside and protect your mother!” Jaxson yelled. “There is something I don’t like about his aura.”
“It’s sinister.” Holden stated, agreeing. “This is a totally different man than the one we saw two weeks ago.”
Jaxson heard Stellan hesitate before he finally turned and ran up the steps to stand on the porch. When the screen door slammed, Jaxson felt a bit more at ease that his family now had an extra layer of protection if they so needed it.
Sterling got closer and closer as two more of Jaxson’s pack members showed up and stood by his side. Jaxson was grateful for them even if they let this son of a bitch get this close to his family undetected.
“That’s enough, wolf,” Jaxson shouted once Sterling was a good twenty feet away. “You want to tell me why the fuck you’re on my land?”
Sterling smiled and stopped. “I want my son and little bitch back.” Jaxson snarled and his hands shifted to his bear claws. He would rip the man apart!
“They aren’t yours anymore! She is my mate and we both have already marked each other. If you keep threatening her you will have a war on your hands!”
“And we will defend our Asteri with our lives.” Added Holden. Jaxson felt relieved that Holden had finally accepted his mate as his Asteri. It meant he saw her as one of the pack.
“Yeah, see, her father gave her to me and just because I didn’t mark her doesn’t mean she wasn’t mine. Are you really goin
g to go against her father’s wishes?” Sterling smirked.
“Get off my land!” Jaxson roared. “If you don’t leave, I will kill you right here, right now! Lucia is mine!”
Sterling chuckled. “Fiiine. Bitch isn’t even that good in bed. Always screaming and fighting not to mention I could never get a decent blowie from her ‘cause she’d always bite—"
Jaxson saw red as his bear came to the surface. He was so angry that he couldn’t hold back the shift. His bear totally took over and ran after Sterling. Sterling seemed surprised by the action and had to jump to the side to avoid a deadly swipe from Jaxson’s massive claws.
Jaxson let out a powerful roar that shook the ground beneath them. Sterling pulled out a gun and aimed it at Jaxson. Before he could pull the trigger, something clamped down on his hand producing a loud cry of pain from him.
Stellan must have shifted into his wolf-pup form and gotten past the others using his uncanny stealth.
“Fucking piece of shit!” Sterling shouted using his other hand to punch his own son. “Let go of me you little bitch!” Stellan held tight and took the punches like they were nothing but Jaxson knew no matter how strong the boy was, he was still a six-year-old and this had to be hurting him.
Suddenly, Holden and the other bears shifted as well and now surrounded Sterling. Sterling saw he had no way out so like a trapped rat, he reacted like one. With his free hand, he quickly grabbed ahold of Stellan by the scruff and yanked him as hard as he could. A chuck of Sterling’s skin came off with that yank but he didn’t even bat an eye.
More fully shifted bears ran out of the woods and surrounded Sterling as they backed up their Alpha. But that didn’t matter. Sterling had a plan which further proved how much of a sinister man he was.
Sterling brought up Stellan by his scruff and held him up high so that everyone could see, he shot one of his legs. Stellan yelped in pain as Jaxson roared in anger and ran at Sterling.
“Ah-ah-ah,” Sterling warned as he now brought the gun up to Stellan’s head. “There are tons of bitches in my pack and I can easily get another heir. Back the fuck off or I’ll kill him.” He threatened.
Jaxson stopped in his tracks and then took a step back, shifting back to his human form.
Don’t let him take our little boy! Pleaded his bear and for the first time, he heard his bear sound helpless. Jaxson felt helpless. Stellan whined and struggled in Sterling’s hand trying to get free but failing.
“Now, you can keep the bitch but I’m taking back my son.” Sterling said now so angry that his eyes went black. “Either I get him or no one does.”
“You won’t get away with this!” Jaxson shouted. “You’ve started a war and I hope you are ready to die!”
“A war with the bears.” Sterling mused. “Maybe once I kill you out on the battleground, your little...I don’t know what you call yourselves, clan? Yeah, your little clan will be mine. Now clear a way for me so I can take my son home.”
Jaxson nodded his head to the five bears that had joined them and were blocking Sterling’s exist. They clearly didn’t want to move but they obeyed their Alpha. Sterling began backing away from them still holding the gun to Stellan’s head as Stellan whimpered and whined with too much blood dripping from his leg.
“Stellan!” Jaxson shouted as they got further away. “I promise you we will get you back!”
“No, they won’t.” he saw and heard Sterling whisper into his ear just as they reached the forest line. The two soon disappeared into the sea of trees as Jaxson could only helplessly watch his new son go back into the hands of the monster who tortured him for his entire life.
“Prepare for war.” Jaxson told his pack. “Come nightfall, we are getting my son back. I don’t care how many wolves we have to kill.”
Eleven
Lucia felt he second Sterling, the real Sterling, stepped out of the forest. She didn’t need to look out the window to know he was there, and that he was coming for her. His aura shot out and reached her like she was its beacon. It wrapped her tight in its hold and paralyzed her with fear, much like it always had. This was familiar. This was her hell. Almost as if on auto-pilot, her body started to become immobilized with fear, but she remembered something: She had escaped him once before. She was free now.
She had Jaxson. She had her mate.
Yet still, her body would not move.
The door crashed open and in ran Stellan. Good, he was safe. She needed to protect him. She pushed herself and forced her body to move, running to him.
“Mommy, he’s here and it really is him this time.” Stellan told her as he crashed into her arms. “He’s gonna hurt Jaxson. I know he is!” he cried. Lucia was torn between running and helping Jaxson. What would the best course of action right now be? She had to keep Stellan safe. He was always her number one priority. But now, she also had a mate and they were tied. If that bond broke because Sterling killed Jaxson…no, she wouldn’t think of losing her mate after just having found him.
“I don’t think Sterling has brought many people with him. He’s arrogant so he thinks he could take on Jaxson alone.” Lucia knelt down in front of Stellan and grabbed his shoulders as her plan ran through her mind. “All we have to do is buy enough time for more of Jaxson’s pack to show up here. If we distract Sterling, it might give Jaxson the opening he needs to take him down.”
“How do you want to do that?”
“If we run out the back, Sterling will think we are escaping. He doesn’t expect us to run again, not with him this close.” Lucia grabbed a thick sweater and put it on Stellan.
“But…I think he will expect us to run.” Stellan said as Lucia put on her own sweater. “And if he expects us to run then someone will be waiting for us…” he trailed off as he stared out the back window. It would almost be too easy for them to escape. “Mommy, I think—” But Stellan never got to warn his mother. The back door crashing open was what alerted her. Frantically, Lucia turned and jumped towards her son at the same time.
There standing in her back doorway was Trenton and Sterling’s third. They both wore scowls and looked none too happy to be there.
“Well now, looks like our future Alpha is very smart.” Trenton sneered. “Let’s see if our Luna is also smart, will not bother fighting us, and will come quietly.”
“Stellan stay behind me!” Lucia ordered as she pushed her son behind her protectively. “I am not your Luna and we are not going anywhere with you!”
“Whoa, Isiah, looks like she she’s finally decided to grow a backbone and fight back.” Trenton mocked. Lucia glared at the two men who were in her new house, her new home with the thought of causing her, her son, and her mate harm. Not anymore.
“She always fought back…” Stellan said though his voice was nothing more than a whisper.
“What was that, little pup?” Isiah asked, finally speaking. His voice was deep and rough like he was gargling with gravel and spent his entire life smoking along with drinking whiskey. It wasn’t a pleasant voice and maybe that was why she never heard him speak “Speak up, or your voice will never be heard, much like your weak little mother’s.”
“Mommy always fought back!” Stellan shouted and there was no mistaking the anger and strength in his little voice. “Every time, every time he came after her, she fought. Every time he hurt her, she made sure it wasn’t easy for him. No matter what, Mommy always fought him even if she knew she couldn’t win! Mommy never stopped fighting and Mommy isn’t weak, you are!” Stellan pushed Lucia out of the way and shifted. He lunged his small body at Isiah and his small fangs connected with his shoulder. Isiah let out a scream of pain and then reached up and grabbed Stellan, ripping him off his arm and throwing him against a wall.
“Stellan!” Lucia screamed. Stellan wasn’t hurt though, he got up and shook his body growling at Isiah. “Stellan run!” Lucia shouted and then she herself shifted. As she did, he saw that the back door had slammed shut. Trenton was escaping, but she also heard that Stellan had run the
other way out the front door. Isiah however, smiled wickedly at her wolf.
“I had always wanted to see your wolf.” He said maliciously. “They say the Luna is supposed to be the most beautiful wolf. Well, that much is true, but you will go back to him. And so will the boy.” Isiah took off his shirt and was about to shift when Lucia felt something move inside her.
Stellan cried her wolf. Sterling has Stellan!
The popping of bones brought her back to reality as Isiah began to shift. He was slower than her or Stellan, so she took advantage of that. Lucia leapt at him, exposing her fangs fully. Joining forces with her wolf, they attacked together and latched onto Isiah’s neck. He was mid-shift and his yell was a mixture of a wolf’s whine of pain and a cry of a man who was hurt.
Isiah shook his neck and swung Lucia’s body from side to side trying to get her off but her hold was solid. Lucia wasn’t letting go. She sunk her teeth in deeper feeling the skin break then even further as the blood covered her fangs. She needed him to stop fighting her so she could go after Stellan. Isiah was preventing her from doing that.
He started to struggle less and was now a fully shifted wolf. She felt his fur beneath her fangs and heard his low growling, warning her too let go. His own fangs were attached to her front paw and she knew it should hurt her but she did not feel the pain. She felt nothing but fear for Stellan and the need to get him back. That need pushed her to not let go of Isiah until he was dead.
But suddenly, he was ripped away from her mouth and tossed backwards into the clutches of a waiting bear. A bear that was not her mate. Her mate was now in front of her, kneeling and naked, covered in blood. He was in his human form, and he was trying to speak to Lucia. She pushed the cloud of fogginess aside that coated her when she was fighting and she listened to her mate.
“—need you to shift back, my little wolf, alright?” Jaxson asked. He wanted her to shift back? But they needed to go after Stellan and she was faster in her wolf form.