Ryker’s POV:

I picked up his scent right away. It wasn’t hard since he made no effort to mask it. I felt my blood boil at the thought of him on my territory. He escaped my father before, I wouldn’t allow him to get away a second time.

“Alpha?”

Devin’s voice cut through my mental rage.

“Where’s the letter?”

I didn’t try to hide the fury I was holding at bay. Snatching the envelope when he held it out for me. The stench coming from it was enough to have my fist curl around the paper. Doing my best to not rip it before I had a chance to read it, I slowly unclenched my fingers.

Tearing it open, I carefully removed the small sheet inside.

Ryker,

So nice to find the pack under new management. I see that git you call a father finally stepped down. Taking care of that whore of a mother of yours, is he?

Now, as much as I would love to sit down face to face and chat, I’m quite busy. So I’ll come out and tell you what I want.

I want Dallas.

I claimed her long ago, pup. So be a good boy and let her go. As much fun as it would be to finish what I started all those years ago, I simply can’t be bothered –but make no mistake- if you don’t give me the girl I will kill twice as many as before.

I’ll make you a deal.

Don’t come after her and I will let that bastard you took in live.

Brody.

SHIT! I thought as I dropped the note and took off running back to the house.

He wanted this! He wanted me to come here and leave Dallas and Tristian free for the taking. How could I be so stupid! I just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

‘Shift and get back to the house! This was a trick, he’s after Dallas!’

I boomed through the pack link. There weren’t many fighters left near the house but as soon as I gave the open order I could feel them shift and run to check on their Luna.

‘John? Where are you? Are you with Dallas?’

When I left, I told him to stay close to her. I knew she wasn’t fond of being watched but this was why he was there. He couldn’t fight –yet- but he could keep an eye on her.

‘We’re just coming to the house now. She sent me with Shane to pick up Tristian while she got cleaned up. I’m nearly there.’

Before I could respond I could feel the connection break. Something was happening.

Dallas’s POV:

I was struggling with the zipper to my jean, it didn’t want to go up. I knew I had gained a little weight since being here but this was just ridiculous! Giving up, I only had one leg out of them before I heard a commotion in the back yard.

I didn’t pay it much attention, I figured it was just J and Shane with Tristian. I had sent John with Shane to pick him up so I could get washed up. My afternoon activities with Ryker had made me a bit….sticky.

I was a little disappointed that we hadn’t been able to finish, but I knew soon we would and I was actually looking forward to it. He had been so gentle with me, so caring. It was nothing like being with him. I knew when we mated, it would be the same, he would be soft and tender.

My heart swelled just thinking about how he made me feel. It wasn’t just the physical feeling -which was amazing- it was so much more than that. I could see the love he held for me, his eyes gave everything away.

“Where is she?”

My head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice. What surprised me was they were no longer in the yard, they were in the house. Pulling on a pair of sweats I ran towards the door. Just as I opened it I could hear Tristian’s laughter booming from the clearing. They were close and there was a stranger in the house.

‘LUNA!’

John’s voice rang through my mind as I walked out to see who was here. I could sense the fear in it, something wasn’t right. I tried to answer back but I couldn’t feel the connection, I couldn’t hear him anymore. It was like a mental block, one that John was teaching me to use, but much more powerful.

“You look just like her. I chose well.”

I hadn’t realized I had turned back towards the bedroom until I spun around to come face to face with an older man. I would admit he was handsome, his blue eyes had a shine to them but there was something behind them…something wicked.

The smirk he wore frightened me, it had a menace behind it that told me he was very much like my foster father. He wasn’t very tall, much shorter than Ryker but he still had a few inches on me. His build was toned but not solid, lean with a softness to him. His light brown hair long, falling over his ears, as his trimmed beard was mixed with same brown as his locks and spots of grey.

All in all, he was a pretty face. With a sharp nose –even if it had been broken- it suited him. His bottom lip fuller, giving him a natural pout…he had a puppy dog face. Cute, with a hint of playfulness, until that smirk came out. That smirk held so much evil it transformed his nice features into something twisted.

“Who the hell are you?”

Coming out of my mental assessment of him, I watched his movements. Taking note of the small steps he took forward, steps that if you blinked, you wouldn’t notice. He was a tricky one and I had to keep my guard up, he looked like one to take the advantage and attack mercilessly.

“Brody, but you can call me mate. I’ve been looking for you for quite some time now. Pity you killed Darien, I would have liked the honors for his stupidity –you know- for letting you go and all. I didn’t pay him to take you just so he could lose you before I was able to return for what belongs to me.”

His voice was calm but I could hear the anger behind it. Not knowing what to say I just stared at him. He was on about me belonging to him, he paid that piece of shit to keep me. Did he also pay for him to beat and rape me?

My own anger rising, my whole life I was tortured and it was all because of this man.

“I have a mate and it’s not you. I suggest you leave before I do to you what I did to Darien.”

I spat, I hated using his name. It made him sound like an actual human being, instead of the cockroach he was.

Brody made no attempt to move, instead he simply looked at me before breaking out into a fit of hysterical laughter. His laughter died down when he sniffed the air, spinning on his heels he locked eyes on Tristian.

“I don’t see what’s so special about the bastard. I should kill him now and do him the favor. He won’t grow to be much, certainly not an Alpha.”

A loud, floor shaking growl rang out. The vibrations felt within the walls and floor boards. So deep and threatening it broke whatever mental block was up. I was surprised to know it came from me, but he was eyeing my baby in a way I knew if I didn’t rip his head of soon, he would hurt Tristian.

It didn’t matter though, I could hear John talking to Ryker. They were close.

“Look at him again and it will be the last thing you do. I don’t know what you want and I don’t care. You have one chance to walk out of this house, I’d take it if I were you.”

I knew he wouldn’t get far, not with Ryker and the fighters so close. I just hoped he would take the offer, I didn’t want Tris to see me if I shifted. It wouldn’t end pretty for the stranger and my baby didn’t need to see that.

Psycho simply turned back to me with that scary smirk. Before I could even make a move he was right in front of me, arm stretched out as his hand reached out to grip my throat.

Shit! That was fast. I thought as I tried to think of a way to get out of his grasp.

“Don’t think I will leave here without you. I didn’t kill that bitch of a mother of yours just so you could grow up and play house with someone who isn’t me! YOU ARE MINE!”

I froze.

What the hell did he just say? He couldn’t have killed my mother, she was attacked….

By a wild animal.

Things started to take a red tint, my breathing became labored as I fought to control myself. He had taken everything from me. Everything bad that had ever happened to me was because of this…creature, and there was no way I was letting him go. Not now.

I couldn’t take it anymore, I felt the familiar tremors run down my spine. The air around me becoming thin as I let my shift take over. One moment we were standing there, his hand around my neck, the next I had him pinned to the ground. Nipping at his shoulder, I caught the material of his shirt.

‘Have Shane get Tristian the hell out of here! DO NOT LET HIM GO OUTSIDE!’

I didn’t wait for a response before I had Brody locked in my jaws and we were crashing out the hall window. He managed to shift half way down and land on his paws, but I was fast. He didn’t have time to right himself before I was on top of him, biting into his neck. The odd angle we were at didn’t help me get the target I wanted. His jugular.

It did –however- put him in perfect position to use his hind legs to kick me off him. His hind legs connecting with my sternum painfully, ignoring the pain I lunged for him again. I could hear the rustling of branches and fallen leaves from the edge of the clearing. I knew it was Ryker so I didn’t take my focus off the beast in front of me. He wasn’t very big, but he was strong.

I wasn’t prepared for him to put up a fight, especially not one this good. Most rogues I had fought were nearly twice his size and were much stronger than he should be.

‘You’re going to have to better than that my dear. I made you, you’ll never be stronger than me. Give up and come nicely and I won’t be back to kill that rat you call a pup.”

I let out a growl. No one would get near Tristian, not even this sick fuck.

Just as I was about to lunge at him again, Ryker broke through the tree line. Brody looked to see what had caught my attention and froze for a second when he saw Ryker and the line of fighters running full speed towards us. I didn’t miss the shock that –even as wolves- each one of them had on their face when they eyed the crimson coat of my red wolf.

Knowing he couldn’t take all of us on, Brody turned to face me for a split second.

‘When you’re ready, follow the blood to me. If I have to come back, it will be for the boys head and your heart.’

With that he leaped on the roof and over the other side. My guess would be there was no one there yet, so he had a clear chance of getting away. I was raging, he threaten my pup and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

He was stronger than me….for now. I knew what I had to do. It was time to call Jax.

Ryker’s POV:

‘Alpha? Did you know?’

Devin’s voice cut through my awing, my mate was the red wolf Tristian said she would be. But she lied to Cordy about it. I was a bit disappointed when she told me Dallas was a regular wolf but it really didn’t matter to me. I’d love her even if she was purple.

‘No, she told Cordy she was a brown wolf. Normal.’

I was still in amazement when Dallas spun around, looking down. Hanging her head, she whimpered before walking over to me. She was huge! Most female’s don’t get that big, but she was nearly the size of my wolf. She was absolutely beautiful.

Shift back! I can’t be out with her, not like this. I’m close to taking her here.

My wolf all but screamed in my head. I could feel his control slipping, having his mate in wolf form right in front of him was practically begging him to take over fully. He knew we would frighten her if we took her now, in front of everyone, and marked her. There was also a pretty good chance we would mate her here as well, and that was something neither my wolf nor I wanted anyone to see.

She was for us only, for our eyes alone. So without thinking about it I shifted, biting back a laugh when Dallas just shook her head and slowly made her way over to me. Very slowly, it was like she was afraid I was mad or something.

“It’s ok, love. Come here.”

I coaxed her closer. Once she was within arms’ reach I gripped the fur at her sides and pulled her into me. Wrapping my arms around her as I inhaled her sweet scent. It was off, mixed from where that filthy twat touched her.

He touched her.

Shit! They were fighting.

Without thinking, I pushed her back enough to look her over. I would have answered the small whimper that escaped her if it weren’t for the fact that I was wandering around her, poking and prodding to make sure she was alright. When I got to the underside of her right rib she let out a yelp.

“Everyone round the boarders of the house. Devin get a blanket and call Shelly. I think it’s a rib.”

No one replied but I knew they were all off doing what I ordered. I knew the pack was worried for their Luna. I could feel the fear and sadness rolling off them as they waited for news. Word spread fast when Devin mentally yelled for the pack doctor to come quickly. Getting the attention of those not around during the last few minutes.

The fighters were the worst ones, I could feel the physical pain they felt walking away from their Luna. They knew it was for the best but that didn’t make it any easier in their eyes.

‘She’ll be fine. She’s stronger than any of us. She’d want you to protect the pack right now, not worry about her.’

It was true. Over the last four months she had taken over role of Luna effortlessly, not even knowing she was doing it in the beginning. She put the pack before herself and would be pissed to know anyone slacked on their duties if it meant –even one member- got hurt.

As soon as Devin returned with a blanket he turned, wanting to give her as much space to shift back without accidently seeing anything. I was too worried about her to kick his ass for staying. With a few grunts, Dallas shifted, only to fall in my arms panting for air.

“I’m fine….it’s broken though.”

She wheezed out, pointing to her side. It would take a few hours to heal up but by morning she would be ok. Or so I kept telling myself. My wolf and I both trying to keep control as our mate lay in our arms in pain.

“I’m taking her upstairs, get Shelly here NOW!”

I yelled to Devin as I ran into the house, desperate to get her comfortable. As soon as her head hit the pillow she sighed and tried to deal with the small breaths she was forced to take.

“Once Shelly wraps this, I need your phone.”

I looked at her funny, why the hell would she need my phone? Her giggle -turned whimper- had me running my hands up and down her arms trying to relax her.

“No laughing. Just sit back. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Ryker, give me your phone.”

Her demand left no room for argument. Reaching down for my pockets I realized I was still naked. I tried to hide the blush that crept up my neck but her strangle chuckled told me I was caught.

“Go put some clothes on. Than get me your phone.”

Kissing her forehead, I turned and ran into the closet. Pulling on whatever I grabbed first, I was back out in seconds. Getting my phone I handed it to her with questions in my eyes.

“Hope you get on with vamps. One will be here soon. Please don’t let the pack kill him, tell them I need him and tell him….Red’s out.”

She went limp for a second, but just before I could freak, her soft snores reached my ears. I breathed out a sigh of relief just as Shelly, Cordy and Devin all came barging into the room with Shane and Tristian right behind them.  

*Brody~ Sam Trammell ~~>*