Craving the Alpha: Part Five: BBW Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance (Lycan Lovers Book 5) (5 page)

I can just imagine what he has in store for me and fear courses through my body. Talika’s eyes widen, a look of horror on her face as she see her father wrap part of the belt around his wrist. “What has she done, father?” Quinn ignores her as he focuses on me, his dark eyes flaring.

“And what are you going to do?” she cries out to him.

“She will get what she deserves—ten lashes on her legs and ass with my belt—hard lashes.”

“But father. You can’t…” her voice breaks off.

I don’t know how I am managing to stay standing. My head feels light, and any minute I fear my knees will buckle and I will fall in a heap to the ground.

“Talika, you are and always will be my little girl. And through the years we have sent you away to study the healing arts and protected you from seeing some of what we must do to keep order in this camp. But you are old enough now that you must know that what I do and the punishment I order protects us all.”

“But father, she has done nothing.”

“She has inconvenienced me by running away. Not once, but twice. She helped the other girl get away. What do you think that girl will do? She will tell the Lycans where one of our main camps is. Kristen has put our clan in danger, and for that, she shall be punished.” He snapped the belt to the ground a few times, cracking it against the earth.

My legs trembled as the full effect of what he was going to do to me sunk in. I closed my eyes. The nausea and the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach had just amplified a thousand fold. I was not only being punished for running away-I was being punished for rejecting him.

“Tie her to a tree. This is a public punishment and everyone shall watch and see what will happen to them if they dare to disobey.”

Chad snickered as he pulled my leash to a large tree nearby. “You’re getting what’s been coming to you, Kristen,” he grunted. “That’ll teach ya.” He looped the leather around the tree trunk, securing it tightly.

“And who wants to administer this punishment? Do I have any takers?” Quinn asked. “Or shall I do it?” He paused, snapping the belt again. A few beefy men in the crowd stepped forward.

“I’ll teach the bitch good. She will never run away again,” one of the men said, licking his lips.

Quinn eyed him and the other men. As he was making his choice, he was interrupted by a scuffle. Dorian and Troy had returned back to camp, and they were pushing and shoving one another, their faces etched with scowls.

“What is going on with you boys?” Quinn asked as the two men grew nearer. “Did you get the information we need on the Lycans?”

“Yeah, they haven’t moved on. The Lycan clan is still at Camp Vickers,” Dorian said dully.

“And that fuckin’ Markus is with them too,” Troy said to Quinn. His yellow eyes flashed with anger as he looked at Dorian. “You said he’d be eaten by vultures before he got out of those ropes you tied him up in.” He slapped Dorian hard on the back, “you should have killed him” he said angrily.

So, Markus was alive and safe. He was with the Lycans! My heart did a flip-flop of happiness as I thought of the man I loved back with his clan. I strained my ears to hear more of what happened.

“You screwed up royally, Dorian.” Quinn said coldly. “What other news do you have for me on the Lycans?”

Dorian shoved Troy, returning his angry look with a fierce one of his own. “This has nothing to do with the Lycans, but on our journey back, Troy told me he wants to screw Kristen. I said no. She is mine, after all!” Dorian said in a shrill voice. “He won’t listen to me. Tell him no, Quinn.”

Quinn eyed the men thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “Dorian, you have not been able to control the bitch. I see no reason why Troy cannot have a turn between her thighs. That might even quiet her down. Then you can have her after, or you two can share her.”

“What the hell!” Dorian’s mouth dropped open. “That is one of the main reasons I joined this pack. To get back what is mine. Kristen belongs to me!”

“Then fight it out!” Quinn spat. “If you want her, fight it out for her.”

“Father!” Talika cried.

“Go back and sit with your mother, Talika. This is a matter for men.” Quinn crossed his arms, his posture rigid.

Talika started to protest, but Quinn pointed to where Dalia lay. Her shoulders sagged as she walked back and sat down next to the older woman.

“This is not supposed to happen,” Dorian said, resentment in his voice. “Why do I have to fight my brother for what is my property already.”

“Are you afraid, Dorian?” Troy asked slyly.

“No fool. I am not afraid,” Dorian responded, whining. “It’s just not fair.”

“If you are not afraid, then let’s fight it out, brother to brother,” Troy grinned broadly. “In wolf or man—it’s your choice.”

Dorian’s hesitated. His yellow eyes narrowed into slits. “Wolf, you bastard!”

“And we are agreed,” said Quinn, “that if Troy wins this fight, Dorian must share Kristen with him. And if Dorian wins, he can take Kristen and do as he likes.”

Dorian started to protest, but shut up as Quinn gave him a harsh stare.

Listening to the men’s chatter was surreal. It was so far removed from what was once my everyday life as a student at the University of Maryland … even as my life living with the Lycan wolf tribe. These weremen were hateful, sick monsters. And I … I was forced to do their bidding. I slumped down by the tree, fighting back my tears. Dorian was evil, but Troy seemed even worse. It was hard to believe I had to root for Dorian to win this fight—but I did.

Dorian let out an angry sigh as he transitioned, and Troy shifted seconds later. Warily, the two wolves circled one another. Dorian’s innocent, pure, furry white coat defied the evil that lurked within, as Troy’s reddish fur bristled with excitement and anticipation. He obviously loved a good fight, and with me as the prize I could see from the light in his eyes that it turned him on.

“Fight, fight, fight!” a wereman in the crowd chanted. And soon the others chimed in, egging on Dorian and Troy, screaming, “fight, fight, fight!”

Troy made the first move. His sharp canines bared, he hissed and snarled, leaping towards Dorian. But Dorian was ready for him. Without hesitating, he leapt back at Troy and aimed his sharp teeth at his furry, ginger neck. But before he had a chance to bite, Troy bit Dorian on the cheek. Reeling from Troy’s razor sharp incisors, Dorian pulled back, fresh, bright blood mottling the perfection of his snowy white coat.

The crowd was roaring with delight. It was shocking how they got so much joy from this sick savagery.

I gnawed at the tip of my thumb as I watched Dorian rebound. Leaping on Troy, he tried to clamp down on his neck, but Troy was ready for him. He threw his furry legs and paws in the air, blocking the attack. Now I knew why he had so many cuts on his arms. The attack grew in intensity as the two battled it out, hissing, snarling, growling, snapping, and biting.

Suddenly, a loud cry went up from the crowd. I looked over to see Talika sobbing as she cradled her mother in her arms. “Mama just passed. She is gone!”

Quinn paused. For a moment, I thought he was going to ignore Talika and his alpha werewoman’s death, but then he yelled to Dorian and Troy. “Stop fighting now! We will have to finish this later. And,” he added with a nod in my direction, “we will deal with Kristen’s punishment later on also.”

I almost collapsed with relief. But I knew the reprieve from the punishment was only temporary and it terrified me. I looked over at Dorian and Troy. If the two weremen were upset over the loss of their mother Dalia, they didn’t show it. The wolves continued to eye each other aggressively, ignoring the cries of their sister to let their mother’s passing day be a peaceful one. Finally, several of the Vlodiks rushed over to them to make sure that they did not continue to attack one another.

After the fight broke up, most of the Vlodiks returned to their daily routines, but from the tree where I was tied I could see Talika and a few others rushing hurriedly around. I assumed they were making plans for Dalia’s death ceremony.

I was still tied to the tree when Chad gave me a small lunch of meat and berries. I could barely choke any of it down but I knew I had to try to keep my energy up. My chest and throat were tight as I thought of the penance Quinn had in mind for me. The sickening thought of what Dorian—and even worse what Troy—would do to me if I survived the beating with Quinn’s leather belt weighed heavy in my mind. 

Later in the day, I could see a crowd gathering in a clearing near a heavily wooded area. Chad was chewing on a piece of grass. “It looks like they are putting the old lady in her resting spot. Watching you hasn’t been a picnic, but at least it got me out of going to that cry fest.”

“It is sad for everyone,” I said softly. I watched as the Vlodiks laid Dalia in the hole they had just dug, covered it with dirt, and sprinkled flowers on the mound

“Nah, Miss Talika is likely crying buckets right now. She was very close to her mother. But the old man is probably thrilled to have Dalia gone so he can get up to his old tricks easier.”

“Old tricks?” I could just imagine what that meant.

“Yah, Dalia tried to rein him in, but he was always on the prowl. Now he just won’t have to hide it, not that he was that good at hiding it before.”

It looked like the crowd was dispersing.  Suddenly, Quinn barked at them to stop leaving, and commanded them to sit near the campfire. He looked up at Chad and motioned for him to bring me over.

As we neared the gathering, I couldn’t help but notice the smug expression on Quinn’s face. “I have made some decisions,” he announced. “Let it be clear that my choices are final. There will be no questioning, second guessing … or any other nonsense.”

The crowd started murmuring, wondering what he would say. A sense of expectancy shadowed Talika’s face. In my heart, I knew she wanted her father to put everything right so she could put all of the shocking events of the past few days behind her and mourn her mother’s passing.

I tried to concentrate on his words, knowing he would say something about my punishment. I wondered if the beating would take place now or on another day. It was all too much. I was hungry, yet my stomach was in knots and I couldn’t eat. I was sleep deprived, yet my focus was in high gear. I was shell shocked over what was going to happen to me, yet thrilled to know my Markus was alive and back with the clan … a whole range of thoughts were racing through my head.

“Today, the day of Dalia’s death, does not have to be a sad one. It can be one of joy and newness. As you all know, as your leader, even though I am older in years than most, I am still young and vigorous. I can out run, out fight, and certainly out wit most of you. I can still mate and have many more werepups.” He glanced over at a group of werewomen and a few of them tittered giddily.

“But, father …” Talika interrupted.

“Do not say another word,” Quinn uttered. He put his fingers to his lips.

Talika put her hand to her mouth and stepped back.

“It hurts me to see my sons torn apart by a simple werewoman,” he said, spitting out the words as he looked at me, “especially one that is not even of our clan. Yet, what can we do with her? We can’t send her back to the Lycans, or let her go. It would seem a shame to kill her.”

Slowly he walked over to me and cupped my chin with his hand. “And just look at her. She is of very fine stock. She has nice skin, pretty eyes, and even white teeth.  You had to notice her curvy hips. They are generous and strong, she is made for breeding. And her full, creamy breasts can suckle many a werepup, creating big and strong weremen.”

I trembled as he walked around my body. Oh God, where was this leading? I covered my face with my hands; I couldn’t stand the tension.

“Yet,” he said, raising his voice, “we have seen the discord she brings to our clan. She has back talked most of us. She has tried to run several times. She upset my dear daughter, Talika. Her very sexual ways have bewitched my two sons into fighting with one another. She needs someone who can handle her. And that is why, my family and friends … that is why, I have decided that…” he glanced around at all the weremen and women, their eyes wide with anticipation.

“I will be keeping her to mate with myself!”

The sexy love story concludes in