A Mate's Revenge(25)

Cael didn’t remove his clothes before he turned. The wolf wouldn’t wait and neither would he. Isabesh needed them now.

His body changed in an instant, becoming fur and instinct and raw power. Catching the trail of their scent was easy, and he took off in the direction of his mate. His mate. Oh yes, she was fucking his, intended or not.

Cael crossed the field, like an arrow aiming for the tree line. Just across the ridge, he took in the scene with fury tinged eyes. His mate was… was… aiming the .9 millimeter directly at Jax’s broad chest. Her hand was rock steady but tears streamed down her face.

“You took everything from me,” she screamed. “But I have more now than I ever could’ve imagined. And now… now I’m taking everything back.”

She was going to kill him. Isabesh was going to shoot him dead.

“You don’t have what it takes to win against me,” he sneered. “Not even with a gun. Bow, bitch. Or I’ll make this a million times worse on you.”

Wolf pawed at the ground. The desire to rip the fucker’s throat out was nearly unbearable. He wanted his revenge. He wanted to protect what was his. He wanted to save her. He wanted…

He wanted her to heal, and wolf recognized this was the way.

“Never. Again,” she ground out.

Before Cael could rethink the situation, he bolted forward, lunging at the disgusting piece-of-shit excuse for an alpha, dragging him to the forest floor. His teeth clamped down on the bastard’s throat drawing blood, but not ripping. Restraint had always been Cael’s strong point and right now, he was fucking glad he’d had so much practice at it.

Jax struggled, but wolf applied enough pressure to his trachea to make him docile. He was no more threatening than a fly.

Isabesh ran over, and Cael caught her eyes, conveying his message: this kill was hers. He’d always give her whatever she needed to be stronger. Whether it went against his instinct or not. He cared too much to worry with his ego.

She nodded, understanding, and he waited for her shot. His ears were going to hurt like hell, but he couldn’t care.

Jax snarled, trying to turn into his animal, but Cael had too tight a hold on his throat. He shifted slightly to the right, giving Isabesh room to get her shot off. Close range. It was a sure thing.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The sound exploded, causing Cael’s ears to buzz. He pulled back to find Jax stunned but not dead. She’d missed. On purpose.

Isabesh spat in his face, words being said, but not heard. But as soon as she turned to check on Cael, Jax’s wolf sprang forward, snarling, and snapping. Skin becoming fur, and fingers becoming claws.

Grip. Aim. Squeeze.

Her shot hit Jax in the ribs, and Cael clamped down on his throat again. This time, Isabesh unloaded the gun in the wolf’s head. A wound that wouldn’t heal.

Cael felt the alpha’s heartbeat slowing, slowing, slowing until it was no stronger than a thread. And it was done.

The threat eliminated.

Isabesh dropped the gun and backed away.

Several breaths later, Cael shifted, returning to his human state.

“Were you really going to let him live?” he asked skeptically.

She shook her head, wide-eyed. “No. I was going to let you kill him. I felt how bad you wanted to.”

He stepped closer to her. “I’m glad it was you.”

She nodded, her whole body shaking with excess adrenaline. “I did it,” she murmured. “I took back my power.”

Just before she sank to her knees, Cael swept her up and into his arms. He carried her over the ridge and across the field, never taking his eyes off her face.





Chapter Ten


Vesh and Avan had some fucking explaining to do. In the morning, Cael and Besh would head back toward an area where there was cell reception, and he’d call Lexar to pick them up. There was no reason to stay here any longer.

He’d find out why the Ozarka alpha was still wasting precious oxygen. But for tonight…

He set Isabesh down inside the small bathroom and reached in to turn on the shower. He didn’t waste any time getting her naked, pulling her sweatshirt over her head and untying her boots.

She didn’t say a word as he removed her jeans and pushed her under the spray of the water. He followed her into the shower, closing the door behind him.

Starting with her hair, he washed her, removing all traces of that bastard’s scent for fucking good. He tried to ignore what touching her body did to him. That is until a soft moan slipped from her lips.

He tilted her face up, brushing drops of water from her cheeks. “What do you want, my Isa?” His voice was harsh from the change, and from emotions that were running amok within him.

“I want to thank you for—”