Therian Prize(87)

Heather jumped over her father then pressed against the wall, making sure no one could sneak up on her. She bent to one knee beside Nate’s head and pressed the gun against his temple. “Stop now or your alpha dies!”

The wolves paused but Nate laughed. “You don’t have it in you.”

“You’re right. I won’t kill you.” Tired of being underestimated and abused, she aimed the gun at his knee and covered the trigger with her finger. “But you’ll limp for the rest of your life—if you walk at all.”

A long, strained pause followed. No one seemed to breathe.

Finally Nate sneered, “Retreat.” He was obviously infuriated by the concession. “I’ll follow.”

“Like hell you will,” Heather whispered.

The wolves disengaged and filed out through the broken glass door.

As Heather’s focus expanded she found Erin, Ian and Devon standing in the living room. They looked calm, almost amused by the outcome.

“Hey.” Heather smiled, feeling giddy as she accepted that the danger had passed. She stood, gun still in hand, her legs wobbling beneath her.

I’ll be right back. Jake rubbed against her leg then headed for their bedroom, doubtlessly to shift back and dress.

Ian joined her in the kitchen and motioned toward the gun. “Do you know how to use that thing?”

“Yes.” But her hands were shaking so badly she passed the gun to him. “Dad needs to shift or he’ll bleed to death.”

“It’d serve him right.” There was no pity in Ian’s expression. “Grab a blanket or help him undress.”

She opted for the blanket, not interested in seeing her father naked. She spread the blanket over Nate and said, “Heal yourself but don’t try anything stupid. Ian will shoot you dead without blinking an eye.”

Nate glared at her then loosed his wolf and transformation rolled across his body. Usually he could transform so fast the change was instantaneous. This time the shift distorted his features and his body undulated beneath the blanket. He was weaker than she’d realized. After several moments of horrifying labor, his wolf finally appeared.

She tried to ignore the rush of pity inundating her heart, but he was her father. Despite his character flaws she loved him. She would no longer allow his decisions to poison her life but she would always love him.

They waited for Nate to shift back but he panted harshly and then closed his eyes.

“Is this an act?” Jake stood beside Erin and Devon on the other side of the breakfast bar.

“I don’t think so.” Ian nudged the wolf with his foot and waited for a reaction. “He’s out cold.” He set the gun’s safety then laid it on the counter, the muzzle pointing toward the wall.

“Take him below,” Erin directed. “He must be questioned before the Prime Council decides what to do with him.”

With far less care than Heather would have liked, Ian draped the wolf across his shoulders and headed for the front door. This house was too far out to be part of the tunnel network. Ian would take Nate to the nearest networked house and access the tunnels from there.

Jake came around the counter and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Are you all right?”

“Physically.” She glanced at the blood pooled on the floor and smeared on the wall and shivered. “This makes it all a little too real.”

“I don’t think he would have harmed you,” Erin said, compassion warming her green eyes.

“I’m not so sure.” She looked at Erin and took a deep breath. The time for denials was past. If she honestly hoped to build a future with Jake, she had to be willing to let go of her past. “He’s a self-serving traitor. He might not have killed me, but he would have been more than willing to make me bleed.” Erin and Devon stayed on their side of the breakfast bar, but Heather knew they were letting Jake comfort her rather than being indifferent to her pain. “What charges will be brought against him?”

“We have irrefutable proof that he has been working with the backers,” Erin explained. “We need to learn as much as we can from him before he’s sentenced.”

“Which means his sentence will most likely be death?”

“Only if it’s warranted.” Erin sighed and then added, “And in his case, I’m pretty sure it is.”

“He killed my brother. He manipulated the situation so it looked like Bruce brought it on himself, but I know Dad was behind it.”

Devon glanced at Erin and Erin nodded. Compassion turned to pity as Devon said, “There are solid indications that your mother’s death wasn’t an accident either. Anyone who crossed Nate Fitzroy had a way of ending up dead.”