Voracious (7 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Alric came to when something hard slammed against his face. He blinked a few times, and the room came into focus. A low growl erupted from his throat. Everything that had happened came to the forefront of his mind. Blood filled his mouth, and he turned his head to the side and spat it out.

His jaw ached, but that was the last thing he would worry about. He sensed Sam beside him, and when he turned his gaze to his mate he saw him already awake and a look of rage focused in front of him. Alric followed his gaze and saw Dalia standing in front of the fire. The only things she wore were her bra and panties.

And then he saw the male that had a hand on her belly and a look of possessiveness on his face. That was the motherfucker Clay.

Alric growled again, which in turn had Sam doing the same.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the wolves who thought they could take my female and heir from me. What did you think you were going to do, raise my young and fuck my mate?” Clay stood and stalked toward them.

No, he wouldn’t sit here and watch as some fucker touched and hurt his mate. Neither of them would.

Clay moved toward them until he stood a few from where they sat. With a snarl Clay slammed his fist into first Alric’s jaw, and then did the same to Sam. Alric stared at Dalia. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, and she tried to cover herself with her arms. He wanted to make sure she was okay, make sure she knew that they would protect her, that they would put an end to this.

The scent of aggression filled the room, and Alric searched his surroundings, getting a good grasp of what he was up against. Five males stood along the right side of the wall, their stances hard and determined. They were waiting for their leader to make a call. Alric surmised that these assholes were nothing more than pawns that couldn’t make a move without the go-ahead. Three other males stood by the front door, and two more on the left side of Clay. Jackson stood beside Dalia, a smirk on his face. Alric wanted to tear that look off, wanted to rip the tracker’s limbs from his body and make him watch while he did it.

“I had planned on just taking her back with me, but I think I want to make an example of this situation so you know the consequences for taking another’s property. You had your fucking hands all over her, tainted her with your scents, and now you’re going to watch while I fuck what’s mine and mark her.”

Alric’s heart stuttered, and he felt Sam stiffen beside him. “If you touch her I’ll make your death slow and agonizing,” Alric growled the words out. Hell, he was going to do that anyway for all the pain he’d put Dalia through. He needed to get rid of Clay’s pack members first, and then he could focus on really drawing out his death.

Clay threw his head back and barked out a strong of laughter. “Funny, seeing as you’re at my mercy. Do you really think you can stop me from taking my mate?”

“She isn’t your mate,” Alric and Sam ground out at the same time. Alric strained against his bonds, but the knots only tightened with his movements.

“If you’re itching for a fight then untie me and let’s fight like worthy males, hand to hand. Don’t be a coward.”

Alric grinned at Sam’s words. His fierce mate had beaten him to saying it, and he was proud. He could see Clay’s jaw work and knew what he was about to do before he did it. Alric strained against his ties again and roared out when Clay struck Sam with enough force that his head jerked to the side. The smell of his mate’s blood filled the room, and he felt himself on the verge of shifting. He needed to stay calm and controlled if he planned on getting his mates out of this alive.

“That one has a mouth on him, doesn’t he?” Clay brought his bloodied knuckles to his mouth and licked them clean. “So you think you can have not only one mate, but two?” Clay walked toward Dalia.

“You keep the fuck away from her.” Alric’s voice had dropped to a deadly growl. Clay stopped and looked over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised in question and amusement.

“You can’t decide if you like males or females, huh? Just think you’re going to have one of each in your bed?” He ran his finger over the swell of Dalia’s breast, and Sam lunged forward. The movement caused the males to jump into action. They surrounded Sam and tackled him to the ground.

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Sam growled low, even though he was on his stomach.

“I’m going to fucking kill you if you touch her.” Alric stared at Clay with red in his vision.

“What, you mean like this?” Clay covered the mound of her breast with his hand and grinned.

Alric seethed at the fact that his mates were being touched against their will. He looked at Dalia, and saw her gaze on him. Her fear was strong and heart wrenching, but there was something else that lay beneath the surface. And that’s when he noticed the poker she held. If she were going to do what he thought she was going to do, he would have to act fast. With the males trying to keep Sam subdued and Clay’s attention on Dalia, Alric needed to take control of the situation, now.

Sam continued to struggle, and Alric watched Dalia grip the poker and swing it toward Clay’s head. Alric let his animal free, his inner beast clawing and roaring out in triumph as the room crackled and sparked with electricity. His transformation was quick, and with everyone occupied no one was able to subdue him before he was fully changed.

Snapping and growling, he lunged for the first male he saw. He needed to get to Dalia, but he needed to get the males away from Sam first so his mate could help. There were too many of them for him to take on his own.

He was able to snap the necks of four of the males before they started shifting, but by then Sam had shifted as well and he took out another three. Blood filled Alric’s mouth, but it was a flavor he relished. He would kill anything that stood in the way of protecting what was theirs.

The cost didn’t matter.

Chapter Fourteen

When Dalia swung the poker with all her strength the sound of it cracking against Clay’s skull made bile rise in her throat. She hadn’t thought she would ever have the strength to face off against Clay, but survival and the need to be happy and have her own life were strong in her.

As she looked at Alric and Sam then down at her belly, Dalia felt love for them course through her. She was stunned to realize that when it came to wanting to protect what she held most dear, and what she wanted in her life above all else, anything was possible. Clay would not win, because if he did then everything that she had learned in the short time she’d spent with Sam and Alric would be for nothing.

They’d taught her to be herself, even if they didn’t know it. She didn’t need to fear anyone or anything. Alric and Sam loved her and her baby despite everything to the contrary.

How could she not fight for them?

Clay fell to the ground, and a tortured groan left him. Everything else around her was chaos. Things seemed to go in slow motion, and she turned to see Alric shift into his wolf form. He didn’t hesitate as he attacked and killed four men as if the act were nothing. And then Sam shifted and killed others.

There had been twelve males in all, including Jackson and Clay. With seven already down and Clay incapacitated for the moment, Alric and Sam faced off against the other males, all of them already shifted. Jackson stood in front and lunged forward, snapping and growling. And then they all attacked, the room filling with roaring wolves, and the scent of blood strong.

Clay moaned right before she felt him grab her around the ankle. He wrapped his hand tightly around her and gave a sharp tug, successfully making her lose her footing and fall backward. She landed on her ass, the air leaving her in a
whoosh
, and sharp pain filling her. Blood trickled from Clay’s hairline, and his face was a mask of fury. He was injured, so his wolf and human form wavered between each other. The poker had fallen from her grasp when she fell, and she blindly searched for it with her hand, her fear mounting when her grasp continued to come up empty.

“You stupid fucking cunt.” Spittle and blood spewed from his mouth as he climbed over her, rage evident on his face.

She kicked out, trying to get loose from his grasp, but even though he was weakened he was stronger than she was.

“I’m going to keep you chained up in my room until you push my son out, and then I’m going to rip your fucking throat out.” He snapped his mouth shut and growled low.

His touch was like acid on her flesh, and when he gripped her throat, cutting off her airway, she knew she couldn’t go out like this. She had to protect herself and her unborn child, and she had to be strong for Alric and Sam.

I want a life with them.

He loosened his grip for only a second as he adjusted himself above her, and she sucked in a lungful of air.

The fights continued all around them. She wanted to look and see if Alric and Sam were okay, but she couldn’t turn her head with Clay’s grasp still on her.

“This is only the beginning,” Clay whispered, his mouth right by hers, his hot breath brushing across her face. Tears fell down her cheeks, but they were ones of anger.

This was happening because of her. The baby growing inside her would never have a happy life, and Alric and Sam would be killed because of her foolishness in thinking she could just run from her life.

Renewed strength filled her, and she clawed at his hand. With her other free hand Dalia continued to search for the poker. And then she felt the cold metal, curled her hand around it, and told herself to end this.

Dalia clenched her hand around it and swung it forward with all her might. It slammed against the side of Clay’s head, and the sound of something cracking filled her head. He widened his eyes for a second, time seeming to stand still. And then she saw blood fall from his head in a great rush.

His grip had loosened, and she didn’t wait for another opportunity. Dalia swung the poker again. Over and over she hit him, the sound of metal meeting flesh filling her ears and drowning everything else out. It was as if her animal had taken over, her inner self realizing he would always come after her. She screamed out in fury, tears blurring her vision, but never stopping from hitting Clay on the head.

Blood covered her face and chest, filled her mouth as she roared out, crying, angry, and sad from everything that had been her life.

“Never again,” she screamed at him. It was then she realized she was the one on top of Clay now. Dalia cried out through her tears and lifted the poker to bring it down on Clay’s unmoving body. Before she could strike again, someone took the poker from her, lifted her off of Clay, and pulled her into an embrace.

The smell of Alric and Sam filled her senses, and she turned around, burying her face in Alric’s chest. She cried, her emotions a torrent. Sam’s arms came around her a second later. Alric brushed a tendril of hair away from her cheek, and she pulled back to look at him. When he removed his hand she could see blood smeared across his fingers, and her stomach roiled.

God, she was covered in Clay’s blood.

She looked at the man that had tormented her for her entire life. His body was beaten, his face unrecognizable. Nausea rolled through her.

I did that to him.

She kept her eyes trained on the ground because she didn’t want to see the carnage, didn’t want to look at the violence any longer. Sam moved in behind her and wrapped his arms around her as well. They were nude from shifting, and the smell of blood lingered on each of them.

But the scent of their love for her overrode all of that.

Closing her eyes, she didn’t know if this was the end or the beginning.

Everything will be okay, because I won’t settle for anything less.

****

One week later

The carnage was cleaned, the scent of violence and blood gone, and as strange as everything was, Dalia actually felt peace. It may have only been seven days since she’d ended Clay’s life, and the nightmare he’d made for her, but after the shock had worn off all she’d felt was warmth and solace.

After the fight Alric had faced the storm and gone to where his former pack was. They’d come to the cabin hours later and after the story had been told, she figured they’d want her gone after causing so much trouble. In her pack she would have been killed or banished, but she hadn’t expected the welcome they’d given her, or the protection they’d offered.

They’d been brought into their pack, and she’d never felt such love or happiness before, not since she’d been with Alric and Sam.

It was enough to bring tears to her eyes for the hundredth time.

“You’re doing okay, baby?”

She nodded and smiled at Sam.

“The pack physician will be up later today just to make sure you’re still doing well,” Alric said and came up to give her a cup of warm cider.

“I’m fine,” she assured them.

“We want to make sure the baby is doing okay, too.”

Sam and Alric placed a hand over her belly, and as if the little baby in her felt their presence, he gave a tiny kick.

It wasn’t until she’d been in Alric and Sam’s life that she had realized what she’d been missing. It hadn’t been until she’d felt love that she had understood the meaning of truly living. It was this life she was supposed to live, and where she was supposed to bring up her child. And it was these men that had given her the hope and strength to actually find her own happiness.