Moonlight Kin: A Wolf's Tale (8 page)

Get out of the pity pool, before you start to prune.

The temperature had dropped significantly since sunset and fog rolled in from off the coast. Madie brushed her arms to alleviate the chill. They rounded the final corner that led to Sarah’s house. They had a few more businesses to pass before they reached the residential area. Madie could see Sarah’s porch-light glowing on the next block.

As they moved between the dress shop and the corner market, a rumble emanated from the alleyway.

Hair prickled at Madie’s nape as she relived the fear from last night’s mysterious encounter. Startled, the group halted and turned toward the noise. Sarah’s grip tightened on Damon’s arm. His muscles tensed beneath his leather jacket.

Madie stepped back, her eyes trying to discern animate from inanimate objects in the shadows. The memory of the piercing howl from the night before seared her mind.

It’s back
, she thought, as blood crystallized in her veins.

Before they had a chance to think or react, a white blur lunged from the darkness. Sarah screamed. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she dropped with a thud onto the sidewalk.

A cry seized in Madie’s throat. It couldn’t be. She stared at the large pale white wolf. Her mind worked to make sense of what her eyes were telling her. The wolf took a step sideways.

It’s real.
They’re real
. Madie’s heart slammed into her ribs, taking the breath from her lungs.

A musky animal odor surrounded her as the wind shifted. Unable to move, Madie stared in horror as the wolf crept forward, gray eyes glowing and fangs bared. Bits of saliva dripped from its mouth, pooling on the dull cobblestones before freezing. The creature sniffed the air, then dropped its head dangerously close to Sarah’s face.

Madie’s terror grew. The crazed beast was going to kill her best friend and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. Her mind scrambled to find Damon. He’d been standing next to Sarah when the commotion began. Where was he now? Had he gone for help, leaving them to fend for themselves? Or had the wolf frightened him away?

She longed to look over her shoulder to see if he was there, but dared not take her eyes from the beast. The wolf sniffed Sarah twice, before giving her cheek an unexpected lick.

“Get away from her,” Madie croaked, finally finding her voice.

The wolf’s head shot up and its eyes flashed.

Madie watched the wolf stalk her. It had lowered its head and the hair on its neck stood on end. Its deadly claws clacked on the cobblestones each step bringing her closer to death. A low growl emanated from deep inside its throat as the pale menace hunched to leap.

Her heart lodged in her throat, choking her. Madie’s pitiful life played before her eyes. She’d done so little and now she’d never get the chance to do anything else. The wolf lunged for her. In slow motion, she watched it hurdle through the air. Closer…closer…closer. This was it.

The moment before contact, Damon yanked her out of the way. She stumbled, twisting in his grasp. He clutched her sweater in his fist. His eyes glowed amber. Madie screamed and struggled to get away.

In a blink, the gold was gone and the hazel had returned. Damon glared at her. “Get behind me,” he growled, then slowly released her.

Madie took a step back. The wolf circled them and lunged again. She ducked. The wolf missed her, but hit Damon, knocking him to the ground. Its teeth snapped viciously, latching onto his jacket. The material ripped like tissue paper.

Strong white teeth sank into Damon’s flesh. Madie shrieked as blood spurted out of his chest like a fountain, steaming upward in the cold night air.

The wolf was going to kill him if she didn’t do something fast. Scrambling her feet, Madie looked for anything that could be used as a weapon.

There was nothing.

She clenched her fists and felt the leather of her purse strap biting into her palm.

Fury the likes of which she’d never experienced surged through her body, propelling her toward the melee. Madie swung the purse a couple of times around her head to build momentum. On the third swing, she brought the purse down.

The heavy section that held her wallet and water bottle smacked the wolf in the middle of its back, drawing the beast’s attention away from Damon. She swung her purse again, hitting him in the muzzle and clipping his nose. He yelped.

If Madie didn’t know any better, she’d swear a look of surprise crossed the wolf’s face.

Madie swung the handbag once more and lost her footing on the frost-covered road. She fell hard, slamming her head onto the cobblestones. Blinding pain shot through her. Her vision faded in and out, then comforting blackness enveloped her.

Fear squeezed his chest as Damon watched Madie fall. He wanted to rush to her side, but he couldn’t. Luc, his Beta tried to rush her, but Damon latched onto his leg. His flesh burned from the wounds the wolf inflicted, but he didn’t cry out.

Luc had no right to interfere. As Beta, he had not only overstepped the boundaries set by the pack—he’d demolished them. The attack was a direct challenge to his position as Alpha and Damon wasn’t about to let it slide.

Damon growled menacingly at the youth, as his teeth and fingernails began to grow. The beast within struggled to break its leash. Pain ripped through him and his clothing fell away as he willed his body to make the change.

Between the injury and the lack of full moon, shifting was difficult.

The pale wolf sensed the danger and jumped away from him, lowering his eyes from Damon’s gaze. Too late for that. Damon lunged, his jaws clamping down on Luc’s neck. He shook him, tearing bits of flesh. Blood covered his white fur. Luc whimpered, but did not fight back.

Damon continued to squeeze until Luc’s air was cut off. His Beta dropped to the ground and rolled over, baring his belly and throat to Damon’s sharp teeth. He held Luc for another minute, then slowly released him. Damon wanted him to know that the only reason he lived was because he’d allowed it.

Luc stayed down. He didn’t try to challenge him again. Why would he give up so easily? Understanding flashed in Damon’s mind. The Beta came for Madie tonight, not to try to take over the pack
.

Leave now, Luc, while you still can
, Damon barked out the mental command.
We’ll settle this later
. He fought for some semblance of control as he slowly shifted back. His mind switched violently between wolf and man, as Damon struggled to his feet, then quickly dressed.

Luc tucked his tail between his long legs, then limped off. He faded into the darkness, rumbling under his breath—a cowardly action, considering his hasty retreat. Damon watched until he knew he was gone, then held his leather coat out in front of him.

Damn, this was his favorite jacket. Puncture marks dotted the leather. Thank goodness, the coat took the brunt of the attack. The pup owed him a new one.

Damon glanced up and down the street to see if any cars approached. The last thing he needed was to have to explain to a bystander what had just occurred. He heard a moan and hurried to the women. It was stupid of Luc to jeopardize the pack this way. Unnecessary exposure was not tolerated.

The biggest surprise had been the care Luc displayed for Sarah. Tenderness in the face of viciousness was not the norm. Damon planned to have a serious talk with his Beta about his brash actions. Later. When he didn’t feel like ripping Luc’s throat out.

Damon looked down at his torn T-shirt. Blood seeped through in a steady stream. He inhaled. The coppery odor seemed at odds with the fresh sea air. His elongated canine teeth began to recede, along with his claws.

He squatted next to Madie. Her face was pale set against the mossy cobblestones. She’d fought Luc like a true she-wolf defending her mate. Her actions surprised him, though he knew that they shouldn’t. Something in the vicinity of Damon’s heart softened.

Her breathing was regular and even, but he could smell her blood as it mingled with her flowery perfume.

Damon brushed a wisp of blonde hair from her brow, the texture soft as silk against the thick pads of his fingertips. With the back of his hand, he gently skimmed her cheek. She was warm and supple.

Heat spread to his groin and he groaned. Despite the gravity of the situation or perhaps because of it, his need returned with a vengeance.

Damon’s fingers fisted in her hair.

A trickle of blood rolled down Madie’s forehead. Her eyes were still closed. Damon waited to make sure that she wasn’t going to open her eyes, then he leaned forward and lapped at the wound with light strokes of his tongue. Spice mixed with sugary fire hit him like a rocket, exploding across his senses. He sucked in a startled breath.

His question from last night had been answered. Madie did taste as sweet as she smelled
.

A soft moan to his right brought his attention back to the situation at hand. Damon released Madie’s hair and turned to help Sarah.

Sarah stumbled to her feet and glanced around. Her wary gaze darted to Madie’s still form. “What happened? Is Madie all right?”

“She’ll be fine. She wasn’t out long,” Damon said. “She slipped on the frost and hit her head. She’s coming around now.”

“Is the monster gone?” Sarah asked.

Anger filled him. His jaw tightened as Damon fought his knee-jerk response. It was typical of humans to call anything they didn’t understand a monster. He nodded curtly. Sarah looked back at Madie and her returning color started to drain. She swayed.

Her fingers shook as she pointed to her friend. “She’s not moving. Are you sure she’s still alive?”

Damon’s gut clenched at the thought. He didn’t think to stop and ask himself why it should unsettle him so. “She’s strong.” He forced Sarah to sit down on the edge of the curb and put her head between her boney knees. “Take deep breaths,” he demanded, before tending to Madie.

Tenderly, he felt around Madie’s head. Her lashes fluttered. There didn’t appear to be any fractures, but she’d probably have one whopper of a headache.

He patted her hand. The fleshy skin heated under his touch. Her eyes slowly opened. She looked at him, her gaze unfocused for a full thirty seconds, before sucking in a violent breath. Madie bolted upright in a panic. She swayed and her hand flew to her head.

“You’re okay,” he said.

Madie gasped. “The wolf. Where’s the white wolf?”

“It wasn’t a wolf, it was a wild dog,” he said matter-of-factly.

A look of confusion crossed her face. “That was no dog. I saw it attack you. It was a wolf. I’m sure of it. Are you all right?” she fired out in rapid succession.

“I’m fine.” He released a heavy breath. “I got an up close and personal look at the animal.” Damon pulled out his T-shirt for emphasis. “I think you should take my word for it, when I say it was a dog.”

“I saw it, too.” Sarah raised her head.

“I hit it on the snout,” Madie insisted.

Yes, you did
. Damon caught himself before he smiled. He made sure his expression was stern when he spoke. “You and Sarah saw it for a split second, before she fainted and you fell.”

Heat rushed to Madie’s face. She’d never passed out before in her life. Now at the first sign of danger, she’d rushed in without thinking and ended up knocked out cold. The fall could have killed her, if the wolf didn’t.

Gaston would be so proud
.

She shook her head, pain splintering her thoughts. She strained to recall the few seconds before the attack and subsequent fall. “I suppose the animal
could
have been a dog,” she conceded.

“Of course it was,” Sarah, concurred. “No way would a wolf come this far into town. It would have to be rabid.”

“Exactly,” Damon seconded. “Everyone knows wild wolves are extinct to the area. It was probably someone’s malamute or more likely a hybrid. People are breeding wolf hybrids for pets these days.”

“It was white and it did have a lot of fur.” But Madie didn’t believe her own words. She knew what she’d seen, and it wasn’t a dog. Dogs rarely behaved like that, did they?

Her eyes were drawn to the burgundy slashes and puncture wounds across Damon’s shirt. Her stomach lurched. He saved her life. Whatever attacked was intent on killing her.

Madie rubbed her throbbing temples, trying to clear the fuzziness. She looked around at her surroundings as if she’d never seen them before. Damon his hand held out. Madie let him help her up. She wobbled and he caught her before she could fall. He brushed her hands and face using a gentle touch, then picked debris from her hair.

After tonight, she owed Damon Laroche
.
Big time.

That single thought caused her whole body to shudder. She shook her head in silent denial. The pain rushed back. Her heart pounded as a second rush of adrenaline pulsed through her.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “I didn’t feel any fractures, but you should go to the hospital to get checked out. Both of you should.”

“I’m fine. Luckily, I have a pretty hard head.” Madie winced. “I’ll make sure I get checked out by the student health clinic in the morning before class. For now, I just need to go home.” Unable to stop herself, Madie reached out and touched his chest. She traced the slash marks with her fingertips. He was warm, despite the temperature.

She felt wetness and looked down to see blood glistening on her skin. She attempted to pull away, but Damon captured her hand before she could do so, holding it flat against his chest for a few seconds. His eyes locked on her face, his heartbeat steady and strong.

Madie once again felt like she was falling, only this time it was into his heated gaze. She pulled her hand away slowly, reluctant to break contact. She swiped her palms along her clothes, wiping away the blood and the warmth of his body. “Y-You need to see a doctor. That wol-dog could have rabies.”

“He doesn’t.” Damon ran his hand over his arm. “I mean I’m sure there haven’t been reports of rabies in the area. I’ll see to it in the morning. Are you sure you are okay? You don’t feel sleepy, do you?”

“No. If I thought I had a concussion, I’d go to the emergency room immediately. I think I’m more stunned than anything.”