Mark of the Wolf (23 page)

“
You're mine, Kane,” he growled, and
then felt his body thrust forward, fall toward the ground, shrink
and crunch in sweet satisfaction. The Change felt so good that it
was like a drug.

And then he was standing on all fours, his
senses heightened to the point of pain, every heartbeat and breath
around him intensified a hundred fold. He looked at the wolf across
from him, a burly, stout beast with small, cruel eyes. Although
naturally the eyes would have been yellow, they now glared red. It
was the same as the last fight had been seven years ago, except
seven years ago everyone had been so consumed by the pack frenzy
that it had been impossible to point out the wolfsbane. This time
he had exposed Kane in time. There was a new flavor to the pack's
energy during this fight - anger, rage. Even if he won, his Alpha
status would be in question.

But Gareth wasn't going to give him that
chance.

The two wolves began to circle each other,
sizing the other up, smelling and studying. The light from the fire
glared intensely and a nervous energy ran through the animals.
Gareth grew tense, the moon's power crashing over him in a wave.
His teeth ached, he wanted to sink them into Kane's flesh so badly,
taste the blood, chew on the flesh.

Kane suddenly lunged forward, throwing his
large body through the space between them. Gareth dodged to one
side and leapt, crashing into Kane's ribs, sinking his teeth into
the thick fur — he missed flesh by millimeters. He felt Kane's
sharp claws on his shoulder.

The fight had begun.

* * * *

Maddy tucked herself into a tighter ball if
that was possible. She was alone, confused, and scared shitless –
the jacket didn't cover her hardly at all, despite being
comfortable and soft and still-warm from Gareth's body heat. It
smelled like him, and that was the only thing keeping her from a
full-on panic attack.

The wolves danced and paced on every side of
her, yowling and nipping at one another, nuzzling and barking. A
large white wolf stayed close to her side, though still a good yard
away, and she was thankful for that extra room. These animals were
not the tame, fluffy beasts that she had read about in stories, but
rather wild, vicious monsters. She wanted to duck her head and
disappear.

The fight was in full swing now; she could
barely watch. The idea of Gareth fighting Kane despite the other's
use of wolfsbane struck terror in her heart, because now there was
an even greater chance of him losing. And him losing meant....

She couldn't think of that now; it made her
sick. She wouldn't be able to stay if he lost – she would have to
run before seeing the horrendous sight of his body ripped to shreds
by a hundred wolves.

Gareth and Kane circled each other slowly,
one large and black, the other smaller and thick-set, a dull gray
color. She recognized Gareth's wolf-form from when he had saved her
in the cabin, though this time he seemed bigger, more vicious. The
moon was shining full through the broken skylights and she wondered
if it effected his Change, making him stronger, faster. Certainly
more wild.

There was a roar. Kane lunged at Gareth,
though the black wolf smoothly sidestepped and then smashed into
Kane's side. The two went tumbling across the floor, ripping and
growling, teeth and claws glinting in the firelight. Maddy had to
force herself to watch, because all she wanted to do was clamp shut
her eyes at the vicious sight. The wolves howled around her, some
of them snapping their jaws in excitement.

She heard the sound of skin ripping and blood
spilled across the ground, though she couldn't tell who was
bleeding — everything moved too fast. The two dodged back to the
other side of the circle, jaws snapping at each other though they
kept about a foot of distance. The length of their fangs was
terrifying. Gareth snapped at Kane's throat but the smaller wolf
dodged back; then Kane tried to get a hold of Gareth's leg but he
slipped loose. Another stand-still. The two glared at each other,
fangs displayed. She watched, transfixed, as Kane started pushing
Gareth backwards, making small lunges and snaps at his legs.
Finally they were almost pressed against the far wall.

Then Gareth leapt backward onto a box and
sprang over Kane's head, landing on the other side of him, burying
his teeth into his back. Kane howled, twisting in pain, swiping
Gareth's face with his paw – more blood spilled. He reached back
and the two went in circles for a moment, Gareth refusing to let
go, but then Kane kicked his throat and the black wolf released
him, wheezing and ducking away.

Bad move. Kane whirled faster than Maddy had
thought possible and lunged on Gareth, smashing the black wolf to
the ground and rolling on top of him, growling and tearing at any
part he could reach. Gareth roared, a sound of anger and
frustration, and tried to reach for Kane's head, but it was at a
bad angle. Flesh tore and a chunk of fur ripped from Gareth's side,
opening a gash that trailed down his rib cage. Maddy cried out, her
hand flying to her mouth. Kane was trying to reach his gut, to bite
into the soft side of his underbelly, but Gareth writhed and
twisted. The two wrestled, blood spilling across the ground, until
Maddy didn't know who was winning anymore. It seemed to be a fight
based on both wolves utterly destroying each other.

They toppled over piles of metal pipes and
boxes of old junk, each throwing the other back, trying to bash him
against something deadly. Then they were rolling again, locked
together, their saliva dripping in the firelight. Maddy pressed her
forehead against her knees – she couldn't look anymore, she felt
sick, wasted, small. Kane's glowing red eyes had focused on her
more than once, and she got the feeling that as soon as Gareth was
finished, she would be next. No matter what Isak's orders were, no
one could stop the rabid wolf from tearing her apart.

There was a final, shattering crash of metal,
then abruptly the howling of the wolves fell silent. The shuffling
went still. Maddy looked up, terrified of what she would see, yet
knowing that she couldn't hide from it. She could already see the
picture in her head – Gareth's body broken and bleeding, impaled on
some sharp spike, the life seeping out of him across the ground.
She felt in his jacket pocket and found his car keys, just in
case.

But the sight that met her eyes stunned her.
She could hardly believe it.

The large black wolf was standing over Kane,
his teeth sunk deeply into the other's throat, holding the
twitching body still as blood gushed from the wound and onto the
ground. Gareth's coat was matted and stiff from blood, his eyes
wild, gazing down at Kane with what could only be pure hatred.
Kane, meanwhile, shook and trembled. The body convulsed, but it
seemed that the Alpha had given up struggling. A dull whine leaked
from his throat; an unintelligible gurgle of air.

Maddy wanted to be sick, but she couldn't
help the surge of relief that met her heart. Gareth had won. She
wasn't sure what to expect next, but one thing was certain – they
were both going to be okay.

* * * *

Please let me live,
Kane whispered through his eyes into Gareth's
head. It was a plea for his mind alone; the rest of the pack could
not see his begging.
I fucked up, I know it, I'll leave and never come back.
Just please... please don't kill me.

It's the Law,
Gareth replied steadily. The coppery-sweet taste
of blood drenched his mouth, making him insane with fury and primal
instinct. This was his favorite part of the fight, of the hunt.
Standing still over the body of his prey, feeling the pulse lessen
against his teeth, the warm blood slowly drain from the body, the
life go out in the prey's eyes. Kane was no different – except
perhaps more pathetic.

I'll make it worth your while. I have connections, you can
control entire cities of wolves, not just a tiny piece of shit like
Davenport,
he
pleaded.

You tried to kill my lifemate,
Gareth replied. As the blood leaked
slower and slower, it was getting harder not to think of Maddy, of
her warm little body, the tight slit that was wet and ready for his
member. He needed her now more badly than ever – his cock was
already erect.

I didn't know,
Kane whined.

You knew.

The rage coursed through him, and with a
sharp wrench of his teeth, he snapped Kane's neck. The other wolf
went limp in his mouth, and the blood stopped gushing as the
heartbeat withered and died. Gareth released his throat with a soft
sucking sound, licking his tongue across his lips and nose,
smelling the intensity of the pack around him. They were all
straining against the urge to rush towards him, to bury their noses
in his fur, to display their bellies in submission and acceptance.
But he wasn't ready for that yet, and they all knew it.

He turned to look at Maddy; she was beautiful
through his wolf eyes, her disheveled red hair, her light blue gaze
fixed on him in uncertainty. She was wearing his jacket, but her
smell was still evident – she was ready for him, even in this
violent place. He saw her squeeze her thighs together and knew she
was uncomfortable. He would have to soothe that.

It was easy to change back to human – he felt
his tail absorb back into his spine, his legs lengthen, his paws
split into fingers and then hands. He knew he was entirely naked,
that there was an ugly gash running down his side, that he was all
but covered in blood – but he didn't care. He needed to be with
her. Now.

She needed to be accepted by the pack, and
this was the only way to do it. It was a timeless ritual, laid down
by the ancients, a rule of the pack that was rarely invoked since
it was so uncommon that a werewolf found a human lifemate. But here
she was and the perfect situation had presented itself. He needed
to take her now. Inside the circle. Surrounded by his pack and
under the heat of the full moon. Only then would they accept her as
a fellow wolf, without her actually having to become one.

He was standing before her now, inches away,
and she looked up at him with wide eyes. He reached down, taking
her hand and pulling her to her feet. Then he grabbed the back of
her head and kissed her fiercely, his mouth on fire, the pain of
his wounds lost in the ecstasy of his arousal. He needed to claim
her now and he wasn't going to hold back this time.

His tongue slid into her mouth and sensed her
arousal immediately increase. She melted against him, so weak, and
he pulled her close, allowing her to feel his erection.

“
Mine,” he whispered against her
mouth.

She gasped as he dragged her to the
ground.

* * * *

He was wounded; the gash ran all the way down
his side. Blood was smeared across him, decorating his tattoos,
dripping down his chest and arms. He had wiped off his mouth, but
there was still some smeared across his lips. Wen he kissed her,
she could taste copper — but then his kiss had consumed her and she
couldn't think anymore.

Her body had been humming since that morning,
but now it a burning ache, her panties soaked, her nipples like
small, hard cherries. They pushed against his jacket in aching
points. She moaned in frustration and he stripped the material off
of her, exposing her naked back to the surrounding wolves.

“
Gareth!” she gasped as he drew her
carefully to the ground, now in the center of the circle. “What are
you doing?” She told herself she needed to care, but she felt drunk
off of his kisses.

“
I told you to trust me,” he growled
back, and she was relieved to hear his voice. He looked so wild and
feral that she needed to know he was still human. Still, something
in his eyes told her that he was more animal than man at the
moment. “They're not human now, babe. Ignore them. They're a bunch
of animals consumed by the moon. They're not thinking.”

She knew he was trying to calm her, but even
being naked in front of so many animals was unnerving. He pulled
her close, sheltering her with her body. They were on the cold
cement floor now, sitting next to each other. She felt the warmth
of him, the energy that skittered across his skin and she was
addicted. She needed to feel more.

“
Touch me, please,” she whispered,
dizzy with need. His hands went to her nipples and he pulled her
into his lap, holding her like a child, his lips sucking on her
throat and then down to her collar bone. She gasped. His hand
trailed from her nipples to her stomach, then down to her hips,
where he smoothly slid under her panties. She was dripping and
ready for him. He played near her hole with his fingers, testing
her, rubbing her fluid up to her clit. She groaned, whimpering as
he rubbed her, pressing herself against him. “I can't think,” she
gasped. Why was his touch so intoxicating?

“
Good,” he growled, and pulled her on
top of him so her legs were on either side of his hips, then he
pressed her backwards. Her back was on the dirty, hard ground; he
was hovering above her, removing her panties, already naked from
the Change. She grabbed him around the neck, pulling him down to
kiss, the exotic angles of his face made even more beautiful by
firelight. His eyes were sparkling with a deep passion, dark and
wild at the same time. His hair was tussled and she sank her
fingers into it. There was a stiffness in his shoulders and a
tension in his body that spoke of tight control.

“
I'm sorry,” he panted, “if I hurt
you.” And then his hands grabbed her hips. The power of him was
terrifying for an instant and she felt him abandon his control. His
cock slipped along her cunt until it was hovering over her hole,
then the thick head pressed against her, pushing into her, making
her cry out in surprise and pleasure. It was thicker than anything
she had felt before — relentless, steadily opening her channel. At
first it felt good, but then she started to feel pain as he
continued to stretch her, forcing her unused passage to accept him.
She felt nerve endings that had never been touched before, making
her gasp and pant, her nails biting into his arms. A whimper tore
at her throat.