Chapter 50
When Grayson followed my view, he jumped to his feet, running towards the man with his fists clenched. He was like a maddened ape-man, protecting his territory as the alpha.
I scrambled to my feet, racing to catch up. Jax had a head start, jogging towards the assailant. Grayson was on his feet in seconds. They shared a look, a pack communication that I didn’t understand.
They were faster than me and reached the man before I could even make out who it was. I pushed myself harder to get to them, fear sparking in me at Grayson’s promise to kill.
The closer I got, the clearer the person became. No blood was being spilled yet, but his blonde hair was unmistakable. My heart pounded in my chest and my hands shook with fear for Julien’s safety.
Jax was turned to Grayson, a hand on his shoulder as he spoke to him. Grayson looked absolutely simmering. Not just a simmer, he was on fire. As I came closer, I could see the golden ring around Grayson’s eyes. He was holding himself back, his wolf trying to rip through him.
Julien looked unharmed. A scared yet determined worry set into the crease of his forehead. When I neared close enough, a relief washed over him.
"Rebel, please tell them. I mean no harm, I came to warn you. All of you." He eyed Jax and Grayson’s friendliness towards each other.
"It’s Dominic,"
A growl erupted from Grayson, his body was starting to shake as his claws pushed out and retracted repetitively through his fingertips.
"Let him talk," I demanded and Jax gave me a look of pity, though I wasn’t sure if it was for me or for Julien.
The space was quiet aside from the crashing waves and Grayson’s huffing. When no one attacked, the story started falling from Julien’s mouth.
"Dominic’s gone mad. After you left and Marek stopped his attack,"
"What happened to Marek? Where is he?" I interrupted.
"He left. It was a mess, Rebel." He looked so hurt, like he had seen something that scarred his soul. I felt bad for him.
"Marek wouldn’t let up. His wolf took over and he and Dominic fought until they were both so bloodied and torn up that neither could walk away. Marek was trying to kill him, if Dominic wasn’t so strong then he would have."
"Was Dominic trying to kill him?" I had to ask the question. I had to know how dark Dominic would go.
"I don’t think so. We were both fighting him off, trying to incapacitate but not kill. When they were both too injured and tired to keep going, I dragged Dominic away until Marek could calm down."
His words were speeding up, falling out of him like he had been holding onto the weight of it and waiting to drop it at my feet.
"Dominic was torn to pieces, I wasn’t sure he would make it. When I returned, Marek was gone. I haven’t seen him since."
It’s been two days since I left them behind, two days that Marek’s been out in the wild on his own. I wasn’t worried for his safety, any creature would run in fear from his mass. I was afraid for ours, however. With the full moon only a day and a half away, Marek would not be himself anymore.
"What happened with Dominic?" I asked. Grayson’s wolf side had calmed as we all listened intently to Julien’s story.
"The first day he was bed bound, I had to pin the shreds of his skin together so they would heal." His eyes twitched at the memory.
"Once he could move freely, he started wrecking the village. He destroyed every hut, burned every wood or cloth thing we’d built over the years. Everything. It’s all gone. Except this,"
He reached into his bag, retrieving a small wooden wolf and handed it to me.
"I thought you might want that more than anything else left behind."
I stared down at the trinket. Jax’s gift that had comforted me in a time of sadness.
"Thank you," I whispered.
I wanted to be surprised by his kindness but it had always been in him, even when he betrayed me it wasn’t in malice. I still couldn’t look past his deceit that had me in its wake, the damage was done, but this cherished gift eased the sting.
"What happened next?" Jax asked with only seriousness in his tone.
"He turned on me."
My eyes jumped to him with concern.
"Hurry your story," Grayson warned, having felt my worry.
"I’m fine," he reassured. "He wanted me to submit, to declare my obedience and help him take you."
"This is a trap," Grayson growled.
"It’s not! I told him no. I swear, Rebel. He turned into his wolf form and attacked, he took out a chunk of my ear for denying him."
He pulled back the sun-bleached hair to show the top of his ear. There was no blood but the edges were jagged where the cartilage was missing. The wound had healed over but the hole still remained, making me wonder if it would grow back or if such losses were permanent in werewolves.
"I believe him," I told Grayson.
"You would believe a rat if it told you it was a lion," he snarked back.
"He’s planning something big. I don’t know what it is but I know it won’t be good for you," Julien continued.
"I can handle him." Grayson was starting to seathe again.
"He’s an alpha after his mate, you won’t be able to stop him," Julien snapped back. His courage was surprising against Grayson’s anger.
"She’s my mate." His teeth were gritted as he stared Julien down.
His courage faltered, "No, but. You...the bond was broken. She’s still a virgin, I can smell it."
"We’re fated," I said softly.
His gaze darted back and forth between us, searching for something he didn’t understand.
"No," he whispered and Grayson stood taller, triumph circling his features.
I grabbed at Julien’s hand before a fight could ensue and pulled it to my chest. "Julien, we will be fine. Go find Marek, you two find somewhere safe to go. Stay far away until the full moon is over, understand?"
His eyes were locked on mine. So much emotion swirled in them, the light having died down since I first met him but the small gold fleck in the bright blue remained. He nodded slowly and reluctantly, unable to deny my request.
I let his hand slide from mine and pushed him away. "Go," I told him and watched as he retreated towards the tree line.
"He wants to join our pack," Jax commented and my spirit lifted at his inclusion of our.
It hadn’t been spoken out loud but it was obvious between them that Jax’s allegiance had merged with Grayson. I was what brought them together but Grayson accepted Jax with an ease I didn’t expect him to possess. He more than accepted Jax, he was fond of him. I could feel it whenever Jax spoke to him.
"Over my dead fucking body," Grayson hissed.
He turned abruptly, snatching my wrist before I could brace and pulled me back towards camp. Jax followed and we hiked back to the camp in half the time it took us to leave.
I sat down by the smoldering fire pit, its heat having left hours ago. Images of Julien’s description of events played over in my mind. My knee bounced with worry while I rubbed the markings on each wrist.
They both joined me, Jax sitting next to me. He was so close, our knees touched and I leaned my head on his shoulder. Grayson sat across from us, watching intently for the spark of something more.
I blocked him and kept my mind empty, if he didn’t know about my dream the previous night then I would never let the thought slip. I needed Jax’s comfort, he was the only solid thing I could depend on.
I didn’t need to tell Grayson how worried I was, it was something I couldn’t hide, he could feel it in me. Tomorrow would be the last day, the final stretch of resisting Dominic and then I would be free.
We already knew he was coming, I could feel the pull vibrating like tracks that were hot with an oncoming train. And now Julien had warned us he had a plan.
I closed my eyes, feeling his presence as he watched me closely. It was an eerie feeling knowing he was always there. I searched our connection to find any answer, any inkling of what he may be thinking. All I could see was rage, pure hatred for every single one of us.
I had taken his pack and stolen his power. His hunger for revenge made me start to shiver uncontrollably.
Jax moved to start up the fire, thinking my shaking might be from coldness. But Grayson knew. He was staring at me, thinking things deeper than my power could pull.
He knew as much as I how dangerous Dominic could be. Only he wasn’t worried, his look communicated strength and a self righteous command. He would fight for me, and so would Dominic.
I settled a little deeper into my seat, refusing to look away from Grayson’s glare as I fretted over who I might lose with this full moon.