Page 54 of Redeemed Wolf

“There’s nowhere to run, Silas,” Eric taunted, leering. “But please, feel free to fight back. I would love to see what these bodies can do…”

I lowered to a crouch, growling, muscles tensed to pounce. But before I could make a move, Greg burst into action, pivoting and swiping his long arm in an upward arc. He claws sank deep through the torso of the ex-guard who’d been poised to attack. Blood sprayed through the air, but the creature didn’t go down. In fact, it only seemed to make him mad, his wounds healing abnormally fast.

“What are you waiting for?” Greg shouted. “Take them down!”

While Greg kept that one occupied, the rest of us played divide and conquer. Isaac was already a wolf, so he darted out and sank his teeth into Sandra’s leg. Damon was right behind him, shifting to go high, jumping over Isaac and knocking Sandra to the ground where they descended on her. Alphas from my pack converged on Nathan, but he was ready for them, keeping his center of gravity low and swatting them aside with a sweep of his arm. He was knocked back by a bullet to the shoulder, another to the thigh, but he just kept going, the wounds sealing shut before our eyes.

Meanwhile, I tried my best to keep my mind clear of distraction. I had to trust that my pack could take care of themselves. I prowled toward Eric. I’d dealt with worse monsters than this. My father, then my Alpha… A tiny voice of doubt tried to whisper to me that I was never strong enough, fast enough, smart enough to win one on one. I’d been beaten, abused, left to bleed out and die, but still, I had survived.

And I was no longer alone…

Pacey moved to walk at my side, and we traded a glance. He was pack, my friend and found family, and he always had my back. Together, we’d found something to fight for. Something worth dying for.

Eric smiled in welcome, his arms held wide. “Take your best shot.”

The two of us attacked, splitting to come at him from both sides. Pacey went full wolf, while I remained half shifted, taking claws and fangs, sharper vision and reflexes, but this way, I had more control over my movements. I slashed and bit, ducking and dodging his swipes.

Eric moved faster than he had any right to with his awkward frame. It was only a matter of time until he drew blood. When Pacey dodged in on the left, teeth flashing, I mistakenly thought Eric would be distracted. I moved in from behind, aiming to bury my claws deep under his ribs, but at the last second, he spun, his fingers sinking low into my gut.

I grunted, the pain registering distantly in my mind, but I was focused on my target. I slashed at Eric’s neck. If I could get a kill shot, it would be worth it. There was no way I should have missed from this close, but instead of pulling away, Eric drew in closer, inside my reach. He sank his teeth into my shoulder, and I felt hot blood pour down my chest.

My wolf whined, sharing in my pain. I should’ve died, was prepared for it. I’d cheated death before, and I was no cat; there were no nine lives for me. But before Eric could tear out a mouthful of muscle and flesh, Pacey landed on his back. My Beta was no dainty pup, and his full weight bore down as he bit Eric’s neck, dislodging his teeth from my flesh.

I dropped to a heap on the ground, groaning, as Eric arched back, reaching over his shoulder to grab Pacey by the paw. “No!” I cried, reaching as he swung Pacey toward the woods. Pacey’s back struck a tree with a sickening crunch, and he dropped hard, pawing uselessly at the ground before going limp.

We’d been in plenty of fights before, against shifters, animals, and humans, but this wasn’t like anything we’d faced before. I hated to admit it, but we were way out of our league. I turned my head to survey the damage and saw too many limp bodies, both theirs and ours. Relief filled me when I noticed that theparents with young children had managed to get out when the fighting started. Now, the only figure that remained standing in the parking lot was Vesta.

A shadow fell across where I lay, and I fought to crank my head around to look up at Eric. The look on his face was pure disgust. “What did we ever do to make you hate us so much?” I gritted out, trying and failing to push myself up. The wound in my gut was healing but not fast enough.

“In another world, another lifetime, maybe creatures like you were revered as gods, but all I see when I look at you is a perversion of the human race. Humans are the apex species, not you. You think you’re better than we are, with all your superior skills, but if you’re so natural, then tell me, why the hell are you all in hiding? It’s because you know you’re abominations too.”

“I don’t think I’m better than you,” I said, smirking. “Iknowit.”

“Tell that to your mom when you see her in Hell.” He lifted his foot and set it on the side of my head.

“Fuck,” I cursed as he pressed down, the pressure building. I tried to move, tried to push him off, my claws slicing up his leg, but it was like I was no more a nuisance than a fly buzzing around his head. The pain! It felt like my head was going to split right down the middle. All I could see was red, red,red!I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

But then the pressure stopped, his foot lifted. Through the ringing in my ears, I heard the sweetest voice. “Stop! Please, Dad, you don’t have to do this!”

I blinked to clear my vision, but I couldn’t understand what I was seeing. My mate, my love, pulling Eric’s arm to get his attention. Tears streamed down Carter’s cheeks, dripping off his jaw, and instead of disgust, Eric looked softer somehow, almost tender to Carter’s pleading.

Eric turned to face Carter. “I had hopes for you, you know. Hopes for a cure, that we could somehow excise that impurity from your blood. I thought I could save you. You were my son…” Eric reached out, as if to touch Carter’s cheek. “I don’t want to kill you, Carter. I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone, but let’s be honest. Death is a mercy for them. And for you…”

The look of grief and regret on his face was a contrast to the way he pulled his arm back, preparing to slash my mate’s throat.

Chapter 22

Carter

When I saw Ericstanding over Silas, crushing his skull under his foot, time seemed to stop. The future spread out before me, a million different paths I could take. I could run away like Silas had begged for me to do. I could raise our child alone, never truly safe, always on the run, worrying about who would find us and what they might do. But as much as I already loved the child growing inside me, there was only one future I felt was worth living, and that was the one with Silas at my side. Our lives were inextricably entwined, forever and always. We could conquer anything together. Even death.

And so, decision made, I stepped forward and time kicked back in at double speed.

“Please, Dad,” I’d said, hoping the name would remind him of the role he used to play. It couldn’t have all been fake. All the times we’d watched movies on the couch, our feet up on the coffee table, bowl of popcorn between us. I had real memories of kindness and affection. Had it all been an act?

And for one single moment, I thought I’d gotten through to him. But then he’d reached for me, his hand stalling in the gap between us. “Death is a mercy for them. And for you…”

He’d pulled back his arm to strike me down, and I closed my eyes, prepared to die if it meant being with my mate.

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