Alpha Darius deserved his fate, don't you think?
TYSONWhen we arrive at Blood Fang, it is still before dawn, but Ben and Mary are waiting for us on the steps of the packhouse. They are sporting new mating marks and are holding hands. It is a wonderful sight and I hope to see many more new matings coming in the future for this pack. I know I would like to have a few mate gatherings soon between all of my allied packs.As Thomas and I exit my vehicle, I see Phillip peek out of the tree line near the packhouse. I motion him forward and he is hesitant to approach with all the pack members arriving and taking over the front lawn. But I motion again, and he slowly walks to us. I introduce him to Thomas, and I see Ben’s curious face.“Phillip? Darius said you died. Is our scavenger hunt today because of you?” Ben asks, not out of anger but true bewilderment.“Yes, Beta Ben. My family is still being held within one of the bunkers.”“Damnit! I’m so sorry Phillip. I wish I would have questioned that more.” Ben says hanging his head in shame.
ROSEThe back of my head is pounding. That incessant beeping is back again. Fuck, I’m back in the hospital. I think back on events, and I remember all that has happened in the last few, what… days?... weeks?... how long have I been down? I moan out from the pain, then I remember what happened with Darius and I go under again when the fear and shame overwhelm me.Once again, I try to come up and the pain holds me down. Why can’t I come up from the depths? Maddie… she’s been taken… she needs me! I need to clear my head of this fog. I try to open my eyes, but I fail and succumb to the darkness.The darkness lets up and I can finally open my eyes. The light in the room is blinding, and I wince in pain.“Hold on baby, I’ll get the lights,” I hear Patty say and I then hear a little click from the light switch. Patty. She’s here and I’m not dead. I’m safe.“Patty?” I try to say, but my throat is dry, and I cough out instead. The taste in my mouth is awful, like death and mud and metal. I fee
ROSE“I’ll start with a shifter world overview.” He states, but it seems more like a question. But that is good. I need a basis and an overall understanding of the shifter world in and of itself in order to comprehend the specifics of my now crazy life.I nod at Tyson in agreement, and he continues, “Wolf shifters have lived on Earth since the dawn of man. We were originally created by the moon goddess, Selene, to live as companions to humans. Able to blend with nature and communicate with both sides of the world, human and animal. Some shifters like to believe that we were originally humans that were cursed by the Goddess to live as part animal due to some unforgiveable sin we committed. But I believe, as most of my kind does, that we were meant to help humans and create a mutually beneficial living system within nature.We are much more social creatures than humans. We live in large groupings called packs. Most packs are like one super extra-large extended family. We love each other
ROSE“Yes Rose, you are.” Tyson answers with a soft smile. But I can’t return that smile. I take in a shaky breath and tears begin falling down my cheeks. Tyson looks panicky when he sees those, and it breaks me even more. I hold up my hand to Tyson when he starts to move toward me, indicating I don’t want him touching me yet.“Explain what ‘The Royal Mother’ is,” I tell him. He tilts his head in confusion.“I don’t understand, Rose,”“Kent called me that. Can you explain it?”“Oh, ummm… I can try. But, Rose, are you in a state that you can tell me what happened to you? About the kidnapping and everything afterward. Maybe if I have more information, more context, I can answer your question better.” He says.I dry my face of the tears and nod, taking in several shaky breaths until I am calm and composed. I can do this. I pull up my shield and revert into my detached voice that I reserve for reliving horrible memories. It is much harder to do this time. I guess I’ve gotten used to not u
TYSONSheila has a flower arrangement ready for me when I get back to pack lands. I grab it with a hasty ‘thank you’ and speed toward the hospital. Once I am there, I head to Rose’s room, eager to see her. But I am stopped by Ike.“Alpha sir, you should use the spare room where George is sleeping to shower. You are covered in blood.” He says with sincerity on his face. I look down and I am indeed covered in dried blood from our bunker/sex slave rescue mission. I hand him the bouquet and rush down the hallway to the spare room. I shower quickly, put on some spare lounge clothes that are there and come back to her room. When I approach, I can hear a banshee like sob coming from her from inside her room.*Patty? What the fuck is happening in there?* I ask.*Rose is crying. She hasn’t spoken much but she practically demanded a shower to, and I quote, “I want that vile demon’s blood and skin off of me.” Don’t come in yet. Let me get her clean and settled back in bed. She needs some mom tim
TYSONI knock on her hospital door and pause for a few seconds before I peek in.“May I come in?” I ask, hoping she won’t refuse. I see her in the bed and her leg is still sticking out with an open wound. But it looks quite a bit better today. “I brought you ladies breakfast.” I say with a smile. Rose gives me a smile in return, but then she frowns a bit. I can see her conflicting emotions and thoughts. I don’t wait for permission; I walk in and settle Rose’s food on her tray table and push it up to her. I hand Patty her food, then the guys standing guard theirs and then I settle into the other chair with mine. We all eat in relative silence. Once Patty is done though, she gathers the empty containers and then walks out the door, shutting it behind her. Giving us privacy once again to talk.“I heard from my surveillance team at Kent’s pack. He’s returned, but no signs of Maddie yet. We knew he’d have to return soon. His mate gave birth recently, so she will need him close.” I tell Rose
MADDIEI fight. I fight hard. With all of my might. But I am helpless against this giant neanderthal jerk Alpha, who is apparently my biological father, when he pulls me from my Mama’s arms. As I am contorting and wrenching myself within his grasp, I use a claw and cut the hello kitty watch from my wrist. Infinity says she can feel that Tyson is on his way, he is very close. But if I keep it on, they will follow me and not come to Mama’s rescue. She needs him more than I do right now. She is fully human and cannot heal like I can. So, I purposely leave it with her. I hope and pray that he gets here in time before she is hurt more.“Stop fighting me, Little Beast. It is pointless,” Alpha dummy grunts out when my elbow gets him in the gut unexpectedly. I smirk, knowing I am stronger than he thought I’d be. I hear a trunk opening and I groan. Perfect. Cold car trunk again. I get tossed in and it is slammed in my face before I can object to being in here. At least this one is clean and onl
MADDIE“What the hell is this, Alpha Kent?” A deep baritone voice asks, laced with irritation. “I’ve already told you that no matter how much money we owe, we will NEVER get involved with slavery. I won’t stand for it on my property, and I will NEVER let you use my members in such a disgusting way. Now, who is this child?” I hear a sniff and a low growl. “Who’s heir is this? She smells like an Alpha.”“This heir… is mine.” Kent says back smugly.“If she is yours, why is she tied up? And why are you bringing her here?”“Well, her mother kept her hidden from me. I just recently found her, and she was reluctant to come with me to learn her place.”“Reluctant?... meaning you kidnapped her from her mother.” He growls out. Good. Maybe I can get them to call Mama and Tyson.Kent laughs. I have no idea why he is laughing. And it sounds like a psychopathic laugh. It is the first thing he has done or said that has made me shiver. This laugh is scaring me. “Oh, Cain… semantics. I need a place to