How the fuck had they found her so fast?
“You’re probably wondering how we found your mate.” He held up a small hand-held device. “They use these things for tracking pets. Microchipping or some shit. Came in handy today.”
That piece of shit had microchipped his woman? Liam didn’t want Rebecca to witness the carnage, but his alpha wolf was done playing nice. He barreled toward Payne, knocking his men aside in the process.
Jake and Eli were on the scene with Lilla. Sarah had been injured, and Emily was with child and was likely back at the homestead. They all fanned through the clearing, fighting, killing, decimating the enemy pack.
When Rebecca cried out, his wolf turned its attention to her. Power flooded his veins as the male holding her put pressure on her neck. Without her, there was nothing to live for.
He changed course, his mate’s safety more important than revenge, more important than everything. Liam stopped dead in front of Rebecca. His chest heaved, his adrenaline flooding his system with energy and strength.
“Stay back or I’ll snap her neck.”
Liam had to make his next move carefully. His human woman was fragile, body and mind. A rash choice could get her killed.
“I’m not your pawn,” Rebecca shouted, stomping her foot down on the male’s. The moment of distraction was enough for Liam to bolt forward and latch onto the man’s arm, tearing him away from Rebecca. She fell to her ass, leaning back on her elbows as she watching him bite the man over and over, long past his death. No one touched his woman and got out alive. Every one of these fuckers had a death sentence waiting for them.
He took slow, measured steps towards Rebecca, not trusting his wolf. She had on no panties, and he could smell her heat. Hear the blood flowing through her veins. He moved closer, sniffing her. When he found his love bite at her neck, his wolf and man merged, and his mind grew clearer. Human or not, Jake was right. He could never harm his mate.
Liam licked her mark, and she reached out and sank her hands into his thick black fur.
“I can’t believe this is you.”
He’d been so worried about rejection that he never stopped to consider she could be okay with his secret.
“Liam, watch out!”
He turned his head as Payne brought down a machete, striking him in the haunch. The pain only spurred him on. He whirled around, his hulking wolf taking down his enemy. Payne shifted into his grey wolf, and they tussled on the forest floor. The earth rumbled beneath them as they battled, slamming each other and striking out with fangs and claws.
He noted Lilla leading Rebecca away from danger, so he could let loose. His men waited on the periphery, and they wouldn’t interfere in an alpha battle unless asked to do so.
“You’re a monster, Payne. A worthless little shit.”
“And you’re going to lose.”
Their growls and snarling kept everyone away. They had a wide circle of space where they clashed, violently attacking, their wolves taking extreme punishment. But Liam knew he had to end this. Payne was evil, and he wouldn’t stop until Rebecca was his and he’d destroyed everything good in the shifter population.
Liam rolled to his back, feigning injury. When Payne leaped atop him, he went for the jugular, sinking in hard and deep, ensuring there was no coming back from this wound. As the other wolf’s life ebbed away, the taste of his blood flooding Liam’s mouth, he flipped up to his feet and looked down at his enemy.
It was over.
Payne would never hurt Rebecca again.
Liam shifted into his human form, and when he looked down his skin was covered in blood, some his, most of it Payne’s. He was tired, strung tight, and needed the comfort he could only find with one woman.
She was standing in the near distance with Lilla. Her mouth was slightly open. Was that shock or fear in her eyes? He didn’t want her to hate him, to be disgusted by what he was.
He didn’t approach her, not wanting to scare her.
Rebecca took slow, robotic steps toward him. When she was within arm’s length, her scent enveloped him. “Are you afraid?”
She licked her lips. “Numb.”
“My wolf likes you.” He ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek, loving every single thing about her.
“I like your wolf.”
His beast howled within, and all was right in his world.
Chapter Ten
Several days later
Rebecca stared out of the window at the beautiful forest beyond. Liam had been spending a lot of his time either making her tea, dinner, or patrolling the perimeter. They hadn’t exactly had a good talk since he saved her from his enemy Payne. At night, he wouldn’t come in until he thought she was asleep.
She’d pretend as she knew he found it all a little difficult to talk about. The thing was, he’d bring her tea, they’d eat lunch, and she saw the hunger he had for her in his eyes. She felt that same exact hunger herself. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, there was no getting away from what they shared.