As she got closer the other werewolf went into fighting mode. He was new, she didn't know him. He must have arrived while she was away. She swore as he sniffed the air. Faith curled her lips up at the side and knew she had a feral smile. She had to use more dirty tactics, as she wasn't sure how long her warning would hold off Blake and she was out of practice.
"You really shouldn't touch me. I'm the alpha's mate. Get my brother out of the hole, and I won't hurt you."
The new wolf laughed. "Bitch, you are not tricking me." He came forward to grab her, but she blocked him.
"Jeez, you're not a smart one, are you? It's your funeral. Didn't you notice how Blake never yelled at me or retaliated? Trust me, I am the alpha's mate."
The new wolf paused for a second, which was all she needed. Faith wasn't going to take any chances with this werewolf. She had never heard a werewolf speak to a woman like this guy was to her, and no matter how focused on the battle a werewolf was they should be able to listen and take notice of those around them. Holding Blake's blade, she ran and stabbed him in the stomach, using his body to flip over him.
She ran the last steps to the manhole and yelled down to her brother, "You can climb out now, but be quick."
Once she could see his hand, she grabbed it and helped him out. Suddenly a half-changed wolf grabbed her around the waist with his claws. She screamed as he said, "You fucking bitch, you'll pay for that."
He went to throw her, but she used the blade to slash his hands. She kicked off his chest, backflipping off him. Blake was running over and yelling at the new guy to stop, but it wasn't getting through. There was something wrong. Werewolves were trained to listen while in battle, so why wasn't he?
Faith faced him. "Bad, bad, doggie. You are in so much trouble. You should listen to Blake."
He growled and tried to punch her. "No way. I will get you for cutting me, I'm not a pansy who falls at a woman's feet."
She moved, blocked, and ducked as she slid under his legs on her knees, slashing what she could with the blade. His clawed hand grabbed her hair, pulling, while the other raked her back. She screamed again, and then a second later his clawed hand was removed by Bengie, who had a vise-like grip on the new guy's hand.
Just as Blake grabbed the new guy and spun him around they heard a loud howl followed by some other ones.
Faith winced. "Oh shit, new guy, you're dead now."
Blake sighed. "She's right. If you don't recognize her name I was using, how about the one her mate, the next in line to be alpha, calls her. Princess. I'm not a pansy either, but when a woman tells me she's the alpha's mate, I would definitely never hurt her. Contain her, yes."
The new guy changed back. His face turned pale and his body trembled. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I'm so sorry."
Blake snarled. "That's no excuse. You're two hundred years old, and you've been training since you were five. You should have known better."
There was a loud growl. Faith stumbled, her legs trembled then folded under her. Before she hit the ground, she felt strong hands catch her, lifting her. She glanced up at her brother, throwing her arms around him as he hugged her tight against him. She hugged him back. "Thanks, Bengie. I love you too."
Bengie smiled, showing sharp teeth. "I thought he was your mate, the big one. Mum said you would have a mate, she wouldn't tell me what that means exactly. She said I was too young, but I'm not, I'm a big boy, I just turned twelve."
A "holy shit" could be heard before she nodded and passed out.
* * * *
Kane was shocked. The princess he knew would never have done what she did. Four years ago his princess was a quiet, shy, little mouse. The last three days had really opened his eyes to a new woman. His princess was now a confident, stubborn, loyal-although she always had been, just more vocal-independent, feisty, alpha woman, ready to fight for what she wanted and believed right. Kane loved his old princess, but the new one was making him hotter than ever. Damn, he was so lucky. If at all possible he loved Faith more and more each day. He was sure if any other woman went through what she had gone through she would have cracked, but not his princess, she was the perfect woman to stand beside him, and someday help lead the pack.
Kane ran down to the cliffs, his brothers and father following. When they were in sight of the manhole they saw Faith being attacked by one of their wolves. He grabbed her by the waist, and Faith used a blade to slash and cut his hands, then she backflipped off him.
"Fuck, that was hot. She really did listen in practice."
Kane shot a glare at Jamie for that comment. But he did admit to himself she was a fantasy come to life. All she needed was tight leather pants and a fitted leather corset, and wham bam, she would be his walking wet dream. He shook his head.
Kane growled so loud he would swear the ground shook as the half-changed wolf tried to punch his Faith. She blocked and dived for his legs, slashing them.
The wolf was fucking dead for touching his princess. He picked up his speed and growled again when Blake grabbed the guy he now recognized as Luke. Luke was trembling and pale. Faith's body went limp, and the half-breed caught her just before she hit the ground.
A second later Kane reached them. "Give her to me." Bengie passed her over, and Kane studied her body, checking all her cuts and bruises, mentally calculating so he could treat any if necessary. To make sure Luke got the same done, he glanced over at his brothers and father. "You deal with that." He inclined his head toward Luke. "Because if I do it, I will kill him."
A dull, meaty thud and bones cracking reached Kane's hearing as he walked with his precious bundle back home, the half-breed following. His father growled, "Rules are rules, you touch a mate, and you pay the price. You're old enough to know we don't treat any woman like what you just did."
"Mum said she would be safe, but she's all bleeding, cut, and bruised. She is fighting people so they don't kill her. She's sad, I feel it." Bengie crossed his arms over his chest.
Reaching the back door, Kane turned to the half-breed and asked, "What do you mean she's sad?"
The half-breed's eyes furrowed and a look of concentration passed over his face. "She feels sad, and not just because her body hurts her."
Kane shook his head. "How the hell do you know, half-breed?"
"Mum had been trying to teach me. She said I could feel feelings inside people. I got it from her." He shrugged his big shoulders.
Kane kissed Faith and cuddled her closer to his body. She snuggled into his arms, sighed, and opened her beautiful brown eyes. She smiled at him and kissed his chest. Then, as if she remembered everything, she froze and sat up in his arms. Looking around, she yelled for Bengie.
"I'm here. He took you from me but I followed. I won't let anyone hurt you again. Sorry I got kind of scared before."
Faith smiled at him. "Oh, Bengie, I'm so sorry for these idiots. They will never hurt you again, will they, Dr. Wolfen?"
She glared daggers at him. He winced at the Dr. Wolfen. She only seemed to call him that when she was really pissed. Fuck, he had only just got back into her good books, she had been calling him Kane. She kept glaring at him, and he sighed and looked at the half-breed.
"You're welcome in our home."
Faith frowned. "And … "
"Maybe I shouldn't have put you in the hole."
Faith continued to frown. "And … "
Jeez, what else! He was not going to apologize for protecting her.
Faith did her own little growl at him, which made his dick stand to attention. Fuck, she was hot, even sitting in his arms battered, cut up, and bruised. He shook those thoughts out of his head and glared back at her.
"And I'm so..." He knew he was being childish by refusing to apologize, but he'd been protecting her.
She pulled his head down, whispering so softly that if he didn't have werewolf hearing he wouldn't have heard. "Say you're sorry to my brother, who is only twelve. If you don't, I'm sure one of your brothers would gladly give up a room or two for us."
He growled, frowned, and shook his head. Turning to the half-breed he whispered, "I'm sorry."
He could hear his brothers laughing at him.
Faith smiled. "I didn't hear that, Kane. Did you, Bengie?"
Bengie nodded and started to say yes, but Kane growled and nipped Faith's shoulder. "Don't push it, princess. That's the best you're going to get."
Faith smiled at him, and it was one of her smiles that brought the whole sun out. He opened the door to their house and everyone went inside.
Chapter 7
Faith was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The last four days had felt like a lifetime. She had learned Kane loved her. The man she had loved since she was a little girl. She had thought nothing would ever come of it since she was human and she believed he saw her as nothing more than a necessary evil. But now they were mated. Not only that, she had learned she was switched at birth and her biological mother taken by demons, where terrible things were done to her. She had a brother who was half-demon, she had fought a demon, helped save two special girls, and lastly she had the two most in-depth, longest, scariest visions of epic proportions that she'd ever had.