Her Pack by Tamara White
Chapter Forty-Six
Why can'tI save them?
As I stare at my three mates, my body shakes with terror. I've tried to call my will, to use some kind of power to stop Luke and his lackey’s from hurting the people I care about. But no matter how much I try, it's not working.
Luke grins across the space at me, one of his hands reaching up to grip some kind of charm wrapped around his neck. "What's the matter little queen, power coming up short? Hmmm, or maybe it's not working at all?" He takes a few steps away from the others, his confidence pissing me off. "Once I knew you were truly the Alpha Queen heir, I had no other choice but to seek out unsavoury means to get what I want. It took a little bargaining, but you no longer have any power over me. You can wish and plead all you want, but nothing you can do will get me to bend to your will. Let's see how strong you truly are without all the advantages of your bloodline."
His eyes sparkle maliciously. "Let's show everyone here just how powerless you truly are." Luke turns to Walter with a mischievous grin. "What do you say, Uncle Walt, want to start this off?"
My eyes widen at the affectionate tone and nickname Luke has for my grandfather. Walter nods once, and in a move so quick, he snaps Jonnie's neck, letting his body drop to the ground with an oomph.
I stare in complete and utter shock, not quite believing it. My legs come out from under me, my mouth opening in a silent scream as I crash to the dirt, my hands trying to hold my body up.
Aiden is at my side, gripping my shoulders tightly to keep me upright while I stare at my mate’s lifeless eyes. No, no, no, no, no, no! This can't be real. This is some sick coma dream. He's not dead.
Cam and Mitch are both screaming in rage, thrashing against the various wolves that now try to contain them and hold them back. Two more wolves appear out of nowhere and wrap silver chains around their necks.
Both of them cry out in pain, dropping to their knees. They’re both subdued by the silver containing them. I've never felt weaker.
Where are the rest of my mates, why is no one coming to help us? Surely they must have seen or heard the commotion by now? Or felt my pain?
Walter steps over Jonnie's body like he didn't just kill someone I cared about. "It's quite sad, really," Walter says, his gaze on me. "The boy really did care for you, maybe even loved you, but he cared for his father's safety more.” His tone is mocking as he walks towards me and my fists ball up in anger. “We used his love against him, made him tell us where you were, what you were doing and so much more, simply on the promise he would get to see his dear old dad again."
"His dad's dead. He knew that. You're lying," I growl out through my tears. My eyes burn with frustration because I can't even tell if it's the truth or not. Whatever power I had is gone. How am I going to beat Luke if I can't even save my mate or myself?
"Oh, we're not stupid, Danielle. The boy's father was alive for a while. Until we no longer had need of him, that is. Only then did we get rid of him," Walter sighs, glancing back at Jonnie's body. "But the boy had hope. Sometimes hope is a powerful thing. Other times it's nothing but a weakness that will result in death."
I sniffle, the tears flowing freely down my cheeks while I glare up at him. He takes another few steps closer until he's right in front of me, looming down on me with disdain. My wolf rages in my mind to kill him. To rip out his still beating heart.
"Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you?"
His eyes darken with anger, and his leg twitches. I'm so broken that I didn't even prepare for the inevitable kick aimed my way, but Aiden must have known because he pushed me out of the way, taking the brunt of the hit.
With the way he pushed me to the side, his face ended up being Walter's target. Aiden sits up and crawls to crouch in front of me protectively.
"Move boy, I need to teach this little bitch a lesson."
Aiden spits blood out on the ground at Walter's feet. "And what lesson is that? That you're a pathetic loser who needs to hit a woman to feel like a man? Because news flash dude, it just makes you even more pathetic than you are. Hitting a woman while she's on her knees grieving the loss of someone she loves? Yeah big fucking man you are."
"You dare insult me! I'll snap you in two!" Walter reaches down to grab Aiden by the throat, a wicked grin aimed at the wolf hunter. Aiden moves faster than I've ever seen a human move and stabs him in the gut, then pushes him away, watching in satisfaction as Walter drops down to the ground in shock, clutching his stomach which is now oozing blood.
Chaos erupts around us, and I give into my wolf. Just as I see Blake turn on his father's wolves, and free Cam, Rick and Jake rush to help Mitch get free.
I trust that they can handle this, my gaze is fixed solely on Luke. I run at him, my mouth salivating at the thought of burying my teeth into the ruff of his neck and tasting his blood. It’s time to end him.
Luke shifts into his wolf a second after I leap through the air. I tackle him to the ground. My teeth sinking into any bit of fur I can get hold of. His yelps of pain spur me on, I become frenzied in my attack, desperate to taste more blood.
He uses his paws to shove me away, and I hit the ground hard with a yelp of pain. There must have been a sharp rock under me because blood is seeping into my fur.
I ignore the pain though, getting to my feet and attacking Luke again. Part of me knows I'm being stupid, reckless in my attacks, but another part of me doesn't give a shit. I want to destroy this asshole. I want to make him hurt.
Luke and I lunge at each other, both of us trying to get at the other's necks. Something lands on my back, trying to take a chunk out of my shoulder. I shake the wolf off, but not quick enough to avoid Luke's next attack. He rips a chunk out of my collar bone, blood pouring down my chest and my arm.
For an instant, my world sways and I worry I made a stupid mistake. Luke attacks me again, this time going for my leg, biting so damn hard it snaps.
A small whimper of pain escapes my wolf, and I try to back away, to get some distance between us so I can bide my time to heal a little. Luke stalks towards me, my blood dripping from his mouth. Everywhere I look, people are occupied with their own fights. I'm on my own.
Luke leaps at me, and I try to dodge his attack, but I'm too weakened. Jason's wolf suddenly appears, attacking Luke mid leap. Another wolf is at my side, one I recognize as Eli. Pete joins in on my other side, rubbing his body against mine. My body relaxes at the feeling of safety they emit.
You okay?Pete asks, his eyes are filled with worry when his eyes rake over my bloody wounds.
I don't get a chance to reply, wolves coming out of nowhere and attacking us left, right and center. They seemed to just appear from the woods as if they were waiting here the whole time. Where were they hiding?
Eli and Pete do their best to keep me protected, but this is too many wolves. It has to end. I slink closer to where Luke and Jason are battling, my eyes are fixed on Luke's back and I’m ready to pounce. I make the jump, eager to taste his blood. I land on his back and don't hesitate to dig my teeth into his neck.
He tries to shake me off and manages to only after I've gotten a good chunk of his neck. I slump on the ground where I landed, panting with the pain that is rushing through me.
Luke is swaying in wolf form. Weakened from my last attack. Jason is about to attack him from behind when I interrupt. Don't. He's mine.
Jason stills, and backs up a step. It seems like the wolves of Luke's pack are dropping like flies. A ring is forming around us, each of the wolves familiar in scent. People I've scented before. People I can trust at my back.
I rise to my feet, my body visibly shaking. But I'm determined to end this. To give my people freedom from this monster.
With one last rush of adrenaline, I run at Luke, letting my body drop as we collide and going for the meaty part of his neck and sinking my teeth into it. He tries to use his paws to push me away by ripping open my belly but I'm not giving in. This bastard is gonna die right here and now, even if it means he takes me with him.
He grows weaker, but still fights to free himself. I keep a firm grip on his neck, only letting go when there's more blood on the ground then in his body. I hobble to my feet, standing over his body as he shifts back to human form. I do the same, and stare down at this pathetic man. The man who had me scared for so long.
"Please. Don't kill me," he splutters out, coughing up more blood. His body has gone pale from the blood loss.
I glance around, looking for someone in the crowd. I promised I would help Aiden. I won’t take the kill from him. He deserves this as much as I do.
When I find Aiden in the crowd, I gesture at him to come over. He avoids my gaze, looking down at the man now covering at my feet. "The kill is yours if you want it, Aiden."
Luke's eyes widen at my words, but his fear doesn't move me. Just as I'm sure it has no effect on Aiden either.
"No, I don't need to kill him. Seeing you do it is reward enough. Watching this little piss ant die at the hands of a mere teenage girl is enough satisfaction to last me a lifetime.”
Aiden steps back and pulls out a phone. When I throw him a questioning gaze, he grins. "Gotta record it though."
I should be bothered by that thought. That I'll be naked on video and killing another person. If any human member of the law got hold of it, I could be put in jail. But right at this moment, I don’t care anymore. I just want him dead.
My eyes fix back on Luke, and I have to admit, there's a definite moment of joy when I scent his terror. "You can't kill me. If you kill me, you're not worthy to lead. Your mate told me everything," he says like he thinks it means a damn thing.
My hands lash out and wrap around his neck using all the power of my wolf behind me. I squeeze tighter and tighter, his hands scratching at my hold on his neck.
I lean in close to whisper. "Don't believe everything you hear." My hold on his neck, causes his neck to break, the sound echoing around me.
As soon as his heart stops beating, I let go of his throat and let his body fall back to the ground like the trash he was.