Alpha Wolf Rising (9 page)

Sierra turned on him, moving close and lowering her voice. “You forget your place all too quickly. It’s not your choice.”

She nodded to Nolan, who grabbed his arms and subdued him. Marek fought Nolan’s hold, a loud and anguished howl ripping from his throat.

In a blur of fur and throaty growls, all hell broke loose as Cole burst through the basement door. Various pack members tried to run, while others shifted to wolves. Sierra ran for Cole but couldn’t intervene before he knocked both Marek and Nolan to the ground.

All three rolled together, biting and yelling.

Next to her, Gabriel shifted to wolf form, and Sierra moved quickly to tackle him to the ground. She couldn’t have him hurting Marek or Nolan by accident. She knew Cole was outnumbered, and throwing another wolf into the mix would turn deadly.

Gabriel rose up, snapping teeth first, his razor-sharp canines only a breath away from the tender flesh of her neck. She twisted violently until she was able to roll out of his reach. Before she could spring to her feet, Gabriel tackled her again, rolling them several feet in the opposite direction of her mates, who still fought for dominance.

In this position her body couldn’t go through a complete shift without a few seconds of vulnerability that would give Gabriel all the time he needed to defeat her. So instead she opened to the wolf while mentally blocking some of the magic that would affect her whole body.

Her canines lengthened, and she could feel the bones of her face and hands contorting. She swiped the claws that ripped from underneath her nails across her challenger’s snout. On a whimpered cry, Gabriel’s head reared back, but he didn’t release her like she’d hoped.

The awkward twist of the wolf’s body flipped her over, belly down. Sierra bucked and fought, but the sharp teeth of her challenger bit into her neck, and the warm trickle of blood pooled on her skin.

Thoughts of Nolan and Marek avenging her death filtered through her brain as she anticipated the final bite that would end her life. Instead, the wolf on top of her went flying across the room and into the solid exterior wall. Her body was flipped, and Cole loomed over her, the blue eyes of the human clear and knowledgeable. For a few seconds, she thought maybe, just maybe, he could control it. That the man could defeat the feral wolf inside.

Then a wicked and frightening smirk crossed his face a split second before he dropped her and dived for Nolan. In the tussle for control, she spied a knife in Cole’s hand, and a sick wave of horror erupted inside her.

Sierra only had seconds to decide whether to shift or not. No, her wolf would go for the throat, and she couldn’t kill anyone.

“Cole!” She ran across the room trying to gain his attention. But in the throes of the uncontrollable pull of the feral wolf inside him, there would be no human reasoning. For whatever reason, he saw Nolan as a threat, and nothing short of killing would stop him.

In a fair fight Nolan could hold his own easy enough, but the occasional glint of the silver knife worried her. Sierra reached for the dagger she kept strapped to her leg and inched closer to the fray. If Nolan got the upper hand, there was a chance they could subdue the changeling and no one would die.

“The alpha can’t let this happen. Unless you are prepared to abdicate your position, do something.” Gabriel’s heavy words beat at her brain.

She palmed the weapon and tightened her fingers around the heavy hilt. Her arm rose, the butt of her knife angled to deliver a vicious blow to Cole’s temple, when he raised his own knife and plunged it toward Nolan’s heart.

Adrenaline fueled by fear for her mate kicked in, and Sierra threw herself at Cole, knocking them both to the ground. Heads cracked against the wood floor. The breath whooshed from Sierra’s lungs. Pain seared in her chest, and she couldn’t focus. For a few dazed seconds, time stood still.

Nolan and Marek pulled Cole off her and rolled him to the side. She watched their mouths moving at the same time but didn’t hear any sound beyond the blood rushing in her ears.

Slowly, the pain subsided in her head, and air once again filled her lungs. She struggled to focus on her mates while taking short and shallow breaths.

“Sierra, talk to me, baby. Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I think so.” Her chest and head hurt, but she didn’t think anything was irreparably damaged.

“What about Cole?” She turned her head and saw the wet, thick blood pouring from his chest. Panic gripped her insides as she struggled to reach for him. “Oh gods, Cole.” When she shifted to a semi upright position, she found the heavy handle of a knife buried in his chest.

Her knife.
She sprang for him, her hands going to his chest to stop the flow of blood spilling from the wound. “Someone call the doctor. And get me something to put pressure on his chest.”

“Sierra. Don’t.” Nolan’s fingers wrapped around her shoulder, stopping her. She jerked free and desperately tried to help him.

“This can’t be happening,” she cried out.

“We’ve called the doctor, but it’s too late. The knife must have punctured a lung,” Nolan explained.

She twisted to him in fury. “Don’t say that. It’s never too late.”

“Sierra.” Cole whispered her name, and she moved closer to hear.

“Cole, don’t try to talk. Help is on the way.” Blood oozed from his mouth, and her heart sank.

Nolan wasn’t wrong.

Cole didn’t have much time left.

Chapter Ten

Sierra cradled Cole’s head and lifted him to her lap. Gods, after the last few days, it made her ill to think this was how it would end. Her knife in his chest and him bleeding out on her cabin floor.

“I’m really sorry for what I did to you back then,” Cole wheezed.

“Shut up, Cole. Save it for when you get better.”

“Gotta say it now, and you know it.”

“Then I should be the one apologizing. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t bitten you that night. I was so stupid.”

Cole tried to smile, but an odd grimace crossed his face instead. “I deserved it.”

Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall. His attempt to apologize at this point was more than she could handle. “Please, Cole, hang on. It doesn’t have to end like this.”

“Yes, it does. I would have killed your mate if you hadn’t stopped me, and that’s exactly what I wanted. For the nightmare to stop. I don’t want to be locked up or experimented on. At least now, I’ll be free, and more importantly you’ll be happy.”

“How am I going to be happy if you die?” she wailed.

“Because Nolan and Marek will be here to take care of you. Because you are the alpha of your pack, and I know you’ll be kicking ass and taking names.” He managed a small smile. “Yep, that makes me very happy.”

“You’re incorrigible even when you’re bleeding all over my floor.” She had to keep him talking. Somehow if he stayed focused and kept talking, then maybe everything would be okay.

“I’ve missed you, Sierra, and you can’t fathom how happy I am that I got to see you again. Finding my way back to you has been my goal for so long, I wouldn’t know what else to do.”

“Stop it. It really doesn’t have to be the end.” Unbidden tears dripped down her cheeks.

“Yes it does. You had a job to do, and you did it. Be happy, babe. That’s my wish…” His head slumped to the side.

“Come on, Cole. You have to stay with me. We can fix this.” He didn’t respond. Wild grief raced through her. Uncontrollable and off balance.

Marek pushed his fingers into the thick flesh of Cole’s neck, hunting for a pulse. He shook his head and backed away.

“No!” Sierra wrapped herself around Cole, heedless of the blood soaking her clothes and hair.

“C’mon, sweetheart. The doc is here. Let her take care of this.”

She glanced up at Marek, his words not penetrating her brain. The loss of Cole was impossible after everything they’d been through in the last few days. Her mating with Marek, Nolan’s increasing difficulty keeping his part of the triad a secret, followed by Cole’s appearance and devastating revelation.

The overload of it all kicked in, along with a sudden overwhelming surge of adrenaline. She whipped her head around and faced the pack that had come to challenge her. The knowledge that her father had somehow been involved in this burned betrayal deep into her soul. They hadn’t even given her a chance as their alpha before they’d assumed she couldn’t handle the role.

Challenge my ass.

Then there was Gabriel. He’d recovered from the earlier tangle and now stood propped against the far wall, a look of bored disinterest on his face.

“This is your fault.” Her accusation rang loudly through the room as several of the pack looked at each other, unsure. “All of you.”

“Sierra, you need to calm down. Getting hysterical isn’t going to help the situation.”

A growl ripped from her throat, aimed in her father’s direction, simmering anger spilling into the room. She’d had enough of them all, but especially him.

“I’m done with you, old man,” she spat before turning away from him.

“And as for you.” She pointed to Gabriel still lounging in the corner. “You made a challenge, so let’s get this over with.

“Sierra, wait.” Marek grabbed her arm, but she jerked it from his grasp.

“No! He thinks he’s ready to be alpha, then fine. I’m answering his challenge.”

“Considering the circumstances, I think the challenge can wait.” Gabriel’s quiet words did nothing to assuage the burning rage inside her.

“Nope, sorry, doesn’t work like that.” She stalked closer to him, the other pack members moving out of her way as she did. “You came here and issued it, so either put up or shut up.”

The mask of nonchalance slipped from his features at her words. Sierra had deliberately baited him in front of his followers, because she intended for this to end here and now, whether they liked it or not. Cole’s blood might be on her hands, but she’d share it with them to teach them a lesson.

Before Gabriel had a chance to react, her arm shot out, and she wrapped her hand around his throat, cutting off his air supply. If he wanted to breathe, he’d have to fight for it.

They wanted a ruthless alpha, then fine. That was exactly what she’d give them. Her gaze didn’t waver from Gabriel’s as he struggled for composure.

“Get off me,” he wheezed.

“Fuck you.”

He grabbed her arm and tried to break her hold, but as usual, he’d underestimated her strength. Sierra would never have taken on the role of alpha from her father if she didn’t possess the certainty that she could defend herself.

His gaze darted from left to right, surveying those around him. No one moved.

“Your challenge. Your choice, Gabriel. Fight or submit.” Sierra couldn’t see her own appearance, but she could well imagine the image she presented. Other members of the pack looked at her with naked, abject fear on their faces and had backed away from her in horror.

Her muscles twitched with the need to fight. Adrenaline pushed through her, and she tightened her grip further on Gabriel’s neck. Bloodlust fueled her now, and instinct demanded a kill. Her canines lengthened, and her bones began to shift. A vicious howl tore from her throat and roared through the room, the wolf demanding control.

“I withdraw the challenge,” Gabriel whispered, but the wolf couldn’t hear. She moved closer to him, the length of her snout practically touching his face. She bared her teeth and pushed a deep rumble from her throat. Words were meaningless now.

Her bloody fingers loosened marginally, and Gabriel struggled to breathe. When she didn’t back off, however, the panic on Gabriel’s face renewed. One thing and one thing only could stop the wolf, and he knew it.

She opened her mouth and flashed the row of razor-sharp teeth that had settled in her jaw. Just the thought of spilling his blood made the wolf whimper to be free. Sierra couldn’t hold her back much longer.

Slowly, more slowly than was respectful, Gabriel tipped his head and bared his neck. He’d acquiesced and offered his submission, yet it somehow felt hollow and far too late. Tradition and rule demanded she accept it, but nothing said she couldn’t have a little fun first.

Sierra leaned in until certain her warm breath heated his skin, and the pulse in his neck beat at her mouth. It would take but an instant to rip his throat out and be rid of him once and for all. To avenge Cole’s death and assure her place in the pack forever. Her mouth watered for his blood—for revenge.

“Sierra, it isn’t polite to play with your food.” Nolan’s level voice sounded at her ear as the warmth of his body surrounded her back. The soothing tones pulled the violence back, smoothing the rough edges within her.

Still, she scraped a single tooth against her challenger’s perspiration-covered flesh, just deep enough to draw a few droplets of blood. Her tongue lapped it up, and Sierra savored the blood of submission. That was more like it.

Satisfied, the wolf drew back, and Sierra took a few steps away into Nolan and Marek’s arms.

“The changeling is gone, but don’t think for a second things are going back to the way they’ve been.” She glanced around the room, making eye contact with each and every pack member who’d dared to bring this on.

“Marek and I have chosen to form a triad bond with my hunter. I have accepted both of them as mates, and as your alpha I declare it law. No one, and I mean no one, can challenge it.”

A few of the people who remained in the room wore looks of shock, but the majority nodded, including her father, who smiled tightly in her direction.

“Now get out.”

One by one, everyone filed out. When the door closed, Sierra collapsed onto the floor. All the angry energy she’d expended left her weak and used up.

“I don’t know whether to hug you or kick your ass.” Nolan pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her cheek. “You make one hell of an alpha.”
“What about Cole?” The guilt of their secret still weighed heavily on her.
“He's alive. Barely.”

Epilogue

Three and a half weeks later…

“Are you ready?” Nolan looked at her in question.

“Yes.” She inhaled deeply, allowing the warm, clear air of the night to fill her lungs. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of pack activity all laced with a measure of grief and guilt. But they’d all decided tonight would be a new beginning. If they pulled down the magic from the dark moon, they’d cleanse some of their troubles away and start fresh.

“The ritual won’t be as powerful as on the night of a black moon.” Sierra drew her cloak apart and let it fall to the ground, the light from their small fire illuminating her nude form.

“The magic isn’t what’s important. It’s the meaning behind it.” Nolan followed suit and shoved the loose pants from his legs before kicking them to the side.

Marek laughed at them both. “You two seem a little excited, and I can’t say as I blame you.” He’d already removed his clothing and gotten into position around the fire bowl.

“Did you each bring your chosen crystal?” Sierra opened her hand and revealed hers. A small, flat disc of rainbow obsidian. She’d specifically chosen this one for its natural ability to release the user from the pain of its bearer’s past. Her symbol for letting go of any former emotional bondage and keeping her open to her chosen mates. And of course Cole. Who'd recovered from the stabbing, but remained at the clinic with Amanda and her hunter around the clock.

Sierra dropped the stone into the fire bowl and watched the smoke billow and rise. The herbs and workings of the spell she’d begun earlier made its way into her stone. Focusing on the remnants of her past, she inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled slowly out through her mouth, the cords of old love breaking free from around her heart and the grief associated.

“Good-bye, Cole,” she whispered to herself, careful no one else heard. His future within her pack remained uncertain at best, but the doctor was adamant that she could help him finish the transition. Sierra suspected something was going on between the changeling and the biologist and had agreed to give them both time.

Marek went next, dropping his malachite into the pit. The deep green of his stone and its properties suited him to a T. If ever a man had been created to keep the peace, he was it. The crystal’s ability to amplify natural empathic tendencies would serve the three of them well. Her wolf mate balanced them all. Not just in their relationship, but within the pack itself.

She turned and settled her gaze on Nolan. He’d struggled for days on which stone to choose. His painstaking attention to every last detail was the perfect complement to her often impulsive decisions and Marek’s tendency to go with the flow. She truly believed that the three of them together formed an incredible alliance. Sexually, spiritually, and intellectually.

He opened his hand and revealed that he too had chosen obsidian, only he’d opted for red-black. She sank her teeth into her lips and did her best to squelch her laughter. He dropped the stone into the fire, and it popped and hissed for several minutes before finally the plume of smoke rose and swirled around them.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Sierra let loose on a peal of laughter until she nearly cried.

“What is so damn funny?” Marek demanded.
But the confusion on his face only made it worse as she grabbed her sides and giggled hysterically. After a few minutes of laughing and gasping for breath, she stood and faced Marek.

“The stone he chose is partially representative of virility and stamina.”

“Well, someone needs to do something to ensure we keep up with you. You are insatiable.” Nolan smiled wickedly at her as he pulled her into his arms.

“So much for a serious ceremony.” She grabbed at his biceps and balanced herself.

“Honey, I am very serious about this, and keeping our woman sexually satisfied is very important. Wouldn’t you agree, Marek?”

Marek’s warmth touched her naked backside, the solid length of his erection pressing between the cheeks of her ass.

“Yes, very important.” Marek’s words brushed the back of her neck as he trailed kisses along her quickly heating skin.

Her ability to think straight wouldn’t last long at this rate. There had been so much Sierra thought she’d needed to say, but maybe they were right. They’d talked enough, and now was the time for living.

Nolan plucked at her nipples, tightening them between two of his fingers until the bite of pain made her gasp in pleasure. He would never grow tired of that sound. The throaty catch in her voice that signaled to anyone within hearing distance how much she loved what he did.