Perfect Mate (Book Two: A Werewolf BBW Shifter Romance) (8 page)

Suddenly, the heat of the bonfire dropped to almost nothing.

Damien was already in the middle of the motion and did not stop. He jumped forward and tore into Trax's hind leg with his teeth. The leader kicked out with his leg and shook Damien off, but the damage was done. Damien could hear his leg dragging as he spun toward Dee. He heard another snarl as Dee moved in and tried to snap at Trax's throat, darting back out after missing. She was too far away, entirely too far to do any damage. Was something wrong with her senses?

Then he realized that the bonfire had been covered with something to block out the light. It was his chance. He jumped forward again and landed on top of the leader. Quickly, he bit down on the scruff of Trax's neck. He tore at the wolf's back with his hind claws, slicing into his muscle. Trax reared back and howled. Dee lunged forward and bit at his underbelly. With one leg, Trax lashed out and caught her with his claws. Damien heard the flesh rip but held on with his teeth for dear life.

The scent of blood was overpowering, and Damien did not even smell the other wolves coming until they had already emerged from the trees. He heard Julia gasp, and the scent hit his nostrils all at once.

Kyle and Katherine.

Just at that moment, the leader whipped his body sideways, flinging Damien away. He flew across the clearing and hit a tree trunk. He slid to the ground, gasping for air. The breath was gone from his body. For a moment, when sound and air left the world, he thought that he was dead. How would he know? He might already be dead. Then the scents of blood and wolves came rushing into his nose, and he drew a ragged breath. He struggled to his feet, leaning against the trunk of the tree.

Damien shook his head but could not get his bearings. There were yelps echoing off of the cabin and the trees around him. His balance was thrown off by the ringing in his ears.

He gasped and breathed in the night air but there was not enough oxygen in it. He took a step forward, shaking on his leg. Under his paw he could not even feel the ground. The air grew warmer and Damien's ears began to separate out the sounds. He was turned around.

Turning back, he heard the leader's growl, the agonized squeal of Dee in pain. He lurched towards the sound. If he could only get one bite in, he would hold on for dear life. He would tear Trax's throat out. He would save Dee.

Then Kyle and Katherine's snarls sounded loudly in his ears. He stumbled, the tendon in his leg torn. He let out a yelp as he struggled to get up, but he could not walk.

"Take me," he whispered, but his words were lost in the sounds of the howling fight. "Take me instead."

His muscles gave, and he fell forward in surrender.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Julia watched in horror as the two people she loved most battled against the other wolves. Trax and his pack members seemed so strong, so much bigger, but as she watched, Damien won his struggle against the other wolf. Her heart leapt with hope as he turned to join Dee in the fight. The other wolf that he had injured lay bloody, his breaths shallow, just near Julia.

But she—she was a wolf too. She could shift. With a start, Julia realized that she would be able to fight if she’d just…

Just what? How do you change into wolf form? She focused her attention on her body and willed with all her might to shift. She imagined herself as a wolf, her hands growing claws.

Nothing. She couldn’t do it.

With every lunge as Damien and Dee fought the leader, Julia's breath was held. Trax's teeth gleamed razor sharp, and he snapped his jaws so closely to Dee that she could not believe her grandmother was able to retreat at every try. Damien pushed forward, but every one of his attack was parried with a swipe of the leader's claws. With his strength and size, Trax had just enough of an advantage to keep them at bay. Jordan and the female wolf were rolling in combat, and Julia felt herself torn with the desire to help. She had to do something to help Dee. To help Damien.

Julia looked at the bonfire, and before the idea was even fully formed in her mind, she was rising and letting the blanket fall from her shoulders. She whipped it around as she took the few steps toward the bonfire. It was searingly hot but she didn't care. She flung the blanket across the flames and immediately the clearing was thrust into darkness.

Julia backed away to the cabin, listening to the growls and bites, the snaps, scared to be caught in the middle of the fray. Jordan and the woman slammed into the wall of the cabin next to her and she shied away from them. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness and saw Damien coming in for a jump, landing on top of Trax.

Only a few seconds passed before the blanket caught fire and then there was light again, brighter than before. The leader tore Damien off of his back. Julia screamed as she saw her grandmother's neck torn by Trax's claw. Then his body twisted and he tossed Damien as easily as if he were a puppy, across the clearing and into a tree. Julia felt her heart stop as she heard the loud crack of his body against the trunk of the tree. She stepped forward to go to him but then her grandmother struggled up again and Julia froze, unable to tear her eyes away from Dee.

Blood gushed over her white pelt, turning it scarlet. The blood spilled over her shoulders like a red shawl. Trax was hurt, but she was hurt too, and her agility was gone whereas his strength was still there. She backed up and then two other wolves were at her back from out of nowhere.

Julia gasped.
Kyle and Katherine
. Dee looked at them, then turned back to Trax. Tears ran down Julia's face. She couldn't look away. She knew what would happen, but her eyes were glued to Dee.

Then Kyle and Katherine sprang forward over Dee and at the leader. Katherine snapped at his haunches, catching his leg, and he howled in pain. Then Kyle bit down on his neck, and the howl turned into a gurgle. Blood rushed from his neck, pooling on the ground. By the light of the bonfire it looked almost black.

Dee limped toward the cabin. Julia ran over to her and bent down. Dee nuzzled her snout against Julia's nose.

It was the same gesture that Granny Dee made as a human: "Everything is alright."

Jordan was still fighting the female wolf, and Kyle and Katherine turned to her. She kicked away from Jordan, limping. She whimpered and backed up against the edge of the clearing, the three other wolves closing in on her.

"Stop."

Damien's voice was clear. Amid the hubbub, he had shifted back into human form and he now stood naked, stepping forward slowly with his arm clutching his chest in pain. Everyone stopped in their place. He addressed the female wolf directly.

"Your leader is dead. Join our pack."

She rolled over in a gesture of pure submission, exposing her belly. The other wolves retreated and Damien stood among them in the middle of the clearing, the light of the bonfire playing over his wounds. He turned his head to Julia, who stood naked along with him in the light of the flame.

"Julia," he said, and held his uninjured hand out to her. With Dee following in wolf form, she walked forward to him, her broken arm hugged close to her chest. When she reached him, he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. His voice, still in pain, was deep and low.

"Join my pack. Be my mate."

Julia looked up at Damien, his chest smeared with blood, his eyes golden in the light of the fire. She had never loved him so much.

"I already am," she said.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Ow! Could you not do that?”

“I don’t know, could you stop being such a baby about a couple of stitches?”

On top of Julia’s bed, Damien leaned his head back onto the pillow. Jordan pulled the last of the stitches tight and Damien winced.

“There, was that so bad?”

“Horrible,” Damien said, unclenching his jaw. “How is the rest of the pack?”

“They’re all recuperating downstairs.” Jordan put the suturing tools back into his bag and snapped the clasp shut. “I think Kyle is trying to convince Katherine that part of his recovery requires sexual therapy.”

“I didn’t think Kyle was hurt in the fight,” Damien said, lifting his arm so that Jordan could finish bandaging up his ribcage.

“He wasn’t.”

Damien chuckled. A knock came on the door.

“Go away, we’re busy making pups!” Jordan called.

The door opened slightly and Kyle eased himself inside, the scent of guilt on him. Damien’s smile quickly faded.

“Can I talk with you, sir?” Kyle asked. His voice was quiet, contrite.

“Yes,” Damien said.

“I just need to finish bandaging this up,” Jordan said apologetically.

“It’s alright,” Damien said. “You can stay. This won’t take long.”

Kyle entered the room and stood in front of the bed. His breaths were shallow.

“Sir, I—”

Damien held up his hand.

“Before you start to explain, I know that you are on my side. You and Katherine both. But there are a lot of questions that need answers. The
pack
needs answers.”

Damien tried not to wince as Jordan tightened a bandage on his side. Kyle shifted his weight on his feet.

“I betrayed you, sir.”

Damien waited. After a moment, Kyle continued.

“I lied. I—I betrayed the pack. But Katherine had
nothing
to do with it. Please. Even if you exile me, don’t force her out.”

Damien raised his eyebrows. “I don’t think she could let you leave without coming with you.”

Kyle exhaled, a long, deep sigh. A crack of guilt worked its way into his voice.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I thought I could fight them off before they got to Julia.”

“Your old pack? The ones you
told
about Julia?” A growl came into Damien’s throat.

“I contacted them before I ever knew she was your mate!” he said. “I thought she was just a shifter.”

“One you could throw to the wolves?” Damien snapped. Kyle choked on his words, and Damien waited for him to calm down before going on. “Kyle, that doesn’t sound like you.”

“I didn’t know what they were planning to do! I thought they just wanted her to join the pack,” he said.

“Why would she want to join a pack like that? Why would
you
?”

“When I was a pup…I don’t know, it seemed different,” Kyle said, speaking quickly. “It seemed more like a game. And the wolves were so strong, and I—I was so weak. I wanted to be like them. And then my leg got more twisted, and I knew I couldn’t stay, but…but I always wanted to go back.”

He sounded so young, and Damien could hear the pain in his voice.

“I’ll do anything to make it right. And if you tell me to go, I’ll go. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Jordan stood silently and began to gather the rest of his medical equipment. That was what good friends did; they talked when you needed it, and stayed out of the way when you needed it. Damien lay quietly, thinking. On a gut level, he’d wanted to throw Kyle out of the pack the instant he read the letter. The kid was right. He
had
betrayed the pack. And when Damien thought of what might have happened to Julia, his blood ran cold through his body.

And yet…he sensed that Kyle had matured after seeing Julia and the pack being threatened. There was no longer the brash certainty that he’d come with when Damien had first met him. While it was certain he had a long way to go, Damien thought that he could be trusted. At the very least, given another chance. Damien hated to think of the kid out on his own, with no pack to look after him.

“You can stay in the pack,” Damien said flatly. “But if you ever lie to me again, you’re gone.”

Kyle swallowed hard.

“Thank you. I can’t—I…Thank you so much.”

“Can you tell Julia we’re almost done here?” Damien said.

“Yes! Yes, yes, I’ll go find her right away.” Kyle nearly tripped on his way out of the room.

“You’re going soft in your old age,” Jordan said.

“Yeah, well, what could I do? The kid saved my life and Dee’s.”

“Is she coming into the pack, too?” Jordan asked.

“Why? You don’t think she’ll want to join?”

“
Join
?” Jordan laughed. “I think she’ll challenge you for alpha status.”

Julia came into the room, her perfume wafting through the air ahead of her. Damien inhaled her scent, calming down as she came to sit next to him.

“How’s he doing, doctor?” she asked.

“I’m afraid I have bad news,” Jordan said. “I was able to fix the cracked rib, but he’s still blind.”

Julia’s worry vanished into good humor.

“Oh, no!” She squeezed Damien’s arm in mock horror.

“Don’t worry,” Damien said. “The rest of me is in perfect health. And I do mean perfect.” He slid his hand around Julia’s waist, and she leaned over to kiss him.

“Well, I’ll just take my leave then,” Jordan said.

“Thank you,” Julia said, a smile in her voice.

“Just doing my duty,” Jordan said, clicking his heels together and closing the door behind him.

Damien kissed Julia again, pulling her in more closely.

“Thank you for letting Kyle stay,” Julia said, her breath warm on his cheek. “He and Katherine are off celebrating. They’re adorable together.”

“Good. I was worried what you would think. He did sell you into slavery, after all.”

“And then rescued me.”

“I would think you’d be more upset.”

Damien felt a mix of emotions flowing from Julia. He caressed her cheek and she kissed his hand softly.

“Truth be told,” she said, “I’m happy that I learned about my past.”

“Well of course you are.
You
didn’t crack any ribs.” Damien grinned.

“I’ll crack another one if you keep sassing me,” Julia said.

Damien pressed his hand on hers, turning serious. “What did your grandmother tell you? About, you know…”

“About shifting? She says she doesn’t know if I’ll ever be able to shift again,” Julia said. “It didn’t work, you know, when I tried it during the fight. Dee says it’s the procedure they did.”

“She doesn’t know how to reverse the process?”

“No,” Julia said. “But she thinks we
will
be able to have children. Shifter children.”