Moonlight's Peril (Moonlight Series Book 1) (15 page)

Twenty-Two

Pheromones perfumed the air with violence. Tobias smelled the wolves before he felt the vibration of the ground. Looking to the south, he saw headlights and heard the distant rumbling as they traveled up the ridge.

“We got company.” Gavin, his beta wolf, came over and stood next to Tobias.

Momentary panic caused him to stand. The moon was high in the sky. His people were still powerful from the full moon. Reminding himself of the fact, he looked for the girl. His granddaughter was his legacy.

“Chessa, come here,” Tobias shouted.

The pack laid settled in the grass, but now all attention was on him. Chessa sat up she’d been lying down for the night beside Clint’s mate. Her young face peered up, sleepy and confused. She stood, her legs wobbly from dozing, and came over to the RV.

“You stay close,” Tobias told the girl. Gavin took hold of her upper arm. She’d be his soon. Family. Tobias needed an heir, and he could think of no man he’d rather have father his great-grandchild. Spunky as her grandmother, Chessa tried to pull away. “Settle down, girl.” His pack was starting to stand. The vehicles were close now. “Take her,” he ordered Gavin.

Chessa struggled as Gave snatched her arm and started to pull her away from camp.

“Let me go!” Chessa dug her heels into the grass.

“Settle down,” Gavin snarled.

A flurry of chaos broke out. The camp became a war zone. Before the SUVs and trucks even stopped men exited half-transformed and ready to fight. Law Foster was the only man approaching that wasn’t showing his wolf.

“Tobias!” Law screamed. “Tobias, we need to talk. You can prevent violence.”

Foster was an idiot if he thought preventing violence was something Tobias wanted. Tobias threw his head back, laughing. Then he stopped. He viewed his panicked pack, and the pheromones stirred his blood. “Come and get me, pup, if you can.”

“Let Chessa Archer go. I’ve claimed her mother. Give me the girl and my pack leaves. That’s the deal.”

It’s too bad I’m going to have to kill the boy, he’s family now.
“I’m no fool,” Tobias shouted.

“Give us the girl or the blood is on you.”

“I’ve lived my life covered in blood. Bring it, Foster!”

A born wolf rushed at one of Tobias’ bittens. Snarling and yelping echoed off the trees surrounding the meadow.

Tobias took a deep breath and drew the smell of blood into his lungs. He exhaled slowly, cracking his back. Grinning, he sprang forward freeing the wolf.

****

Chessa struggled against Gavin. He pulled her through the woods. “What’s going on?”

He grunted and kept going. “Come on,” he said forcing her forward and allowing thorns to rip her already holey hand-me-down sweater from Joy.

“Ouch.” Chessa jerked again, but his grip was tight. For an old man, Gavin was strong he had to be at least forty. He stopped just long enough to shake her until her neck hurt.

A vicious growl made her captor stop.

“Let her go.”

“Stay out of this Trax,” Gavin said.

“Let her go.”

Chessa felt Gavin’s grip loosen. “Watch out, Trax!”

Gavin sprang. Chessa didn’t know how she knew, but Gavin was a full-blood werewolf. Trax wasn’t. They were both wolfing out. The half-man and half-animal males circled each other as if they were trying to find an opening to attack.

Trax lashed out, clawing Gavin’s bicep. The older man dodged fast enough to avoid a worse injury.

“If Tobias dies, I’m your alpha, kid. Think carefully about what you want. Wolves aren’t meant to be alone. No other pack would have you.”

“I don’t care. I won’t let you hurt her.”

Gavin laughed, he laughed hard. “She’s mine boy. Her grandfather wants me to father his heir. Our pack will go on long after I’ve killed you.”

Chessa’s world stopped. Her nightmare just escalated. “No.” She tasted bile in the back of her throat.

Trax growled. He launched himself at Gavin with blind rage. Chessa saw a flicker of amusement on the older man’s face. He’d goaded Trax. “Watch out!” Chessa warned, but as the last syllable died, she watched Gavin’s claws shred the sweatshirt covering Trax’s stomach. Red. Chessa screamed until she was hoarse.

Twenty-Three

Law wiped blood out of his eyes. It wasn’t his. The warmth of Nik’s half-transformed body was against his back. They fought the onslaught of Tobias’s feral pack. These bastards had no problem killing so as far as he was concerned the packs were doing the world a favor by putting the psychos down. Going full wolf would be easier, but Law needed a voice when they found the girl.

“I haven’t seen Chessa,” Law shouted over the noise.

Nik grunted.

“Watch out!” Law growled the warning and Nik ducked just in time to avoid the claws coming at his face. Nik sprang forward. Red. More blood spattered his face. Grunting, the attacker fell to the ground. Law raised his arm to block a blow. None of these men was full-wolf, but Law smelled a full-wolf. He and Nik were trying to make their way that direction. Tobias. Killing him would scatter the pack unless he had a hell of a respected beta.

Dodging the fangs of another attacker Law reached out and sank his claws into the man’s chest. Big brown eyes bulged as the man glanced down in shock. He looked up at Law and the confused terror in his expression broke through the blood-lust to reach the human side of Law’s conscious. No time for regret—he dropped the man—no victory except survival.

“Oh dear God,” Nik rushed away.

Law growled and fought as two wolves pounced on him, as they seized the opportunity Nik provided.
I’m going to kill him if we make it out of this.

Law jerked as he took razor sharp claws to the face. Attacks were coming from all directions. Snarling, Law lashed out. His attacker yelped as Law took a chunk out of the man’s shoulder. The other man might have drawn first blood, but Law would make sure another bleed last. His focus was on staying alive and with every formidable swipe, Law pushed his attackers back. The wolves yelped and twisted as they endured the primal fury of a born wolf. The one who’d clawed him ran, but the other made the mistake of exposing his neck. Law took the opportunity to open the delicate flesh. His opponent dropped to his knees and rolled onto his side, staring out at the carnage with the unseeing focus of death.

Law stood, panting and slightly dazed. The wild commotion of fighting dwindled, and he looked for his pack. He refused to think about losses until after Tobias was dead.

“I found her,” Nik said.

Relief dulled some of Law’s adrenaline. He looked back at where his friend’s voice originated from, but it wasn’t Chessa Nik discovered. Joy lay in Nik’s arms. Her eyes were closed. He hadn’t seen his sister in so long that all the aching he’d suppressed ravaged his soul as he drank in the sight of her. She was pale, too pale.

“What happened to her?” Law asked. Emotion strained his voice.

“She jumped on Clint’s back as he was going to attack me. The bastard threw her against a tree. He’s dead.”

“Put her in the truck. She’s coming home,” Law said.

His heart sank. There was no sign of Bianca’s daughter. He went after the only other thing that would make this nightmare worthwhile. Tobias.

****

Gavin tried to drag Chessa away from Trax. She pushed Gavin back, but he took hold of her shoulders. Trax’s eyes stayed closed, and he bled. She pressed her hands down on the wound across his stomach.

“Hang on,” Chessa whispered to him. Rage filled her. She’d never felt the kind of anger that seeing her friend’s blood on her hands made her feel. Hate. Gavin pulled a little harder. Chessa let the wolf have control. As she went lax, the older man pulled her to her feet, but she felt him pause.

“What the…”

She turned, slashing with her claws while howling her sorrow and rage. This ferocity was for her father, her mother, the brave boy dying, and the human girl who she’d been. Chessa let her darkest places free, and the wolf relished the freedom. She owned being a monster’s grandkid as she slashed and fought the sicko who wanted to hurt her. He fought back, but she was quicker and faster.

Chessa’s vicious attack ended when two men sprang on Gavin. Gavin growled, but the sound died as one of the men cut his throat with a knife. Using a weapon seemed very un-wolf-like. Gavin’s anticlimactic assassination left Chessa dazed. She gazed down at the body until she started slowly coming back to her human form. The red rage was gone, and she found herself shaking. Remembering Trax, she turned and fell to her knees beside him.

“Trax, come on, don’t die,” Chessa whispered, and her voice sounded strange. She realized the distortion existed because she remained partially wolf. “Live.”

“We’ll get him back to town.”

Chessa looked up and realized she knew the half-transformed wolf. “Mr. Adams?”  He ran the hardware store.

“You bet kiddo. Welcome to the club. Your mother has been frantic,” said Mr. Adams. He handed her his torn shirt before he and the other wolf picked up Trax. Chessa pulled the plaid fabric over her head. Returning to Trax’s side, she pressed her hands to the stomach wound again.

“I can’t ever go home, not like this,” Chessa whispered.

****

Tobias growled as Law and Nik moved in on him. Watched Tobias go full-wolf. The cartoonish half-human vanished, and a large gray wolf stood growling.

Nic glanced over at Law in alarm.

“Do it.” Law let his ancient form free. The alpha wolf relished the release. Nik’s black coat flashed out of the corner of Law’s eye as his beta wolf circled their nemesis.

Tobias sprang. Law used his body to block the attack on Nik. Law and Tobias rolled, fighting. The need to destroy became everything. Nik joined the fight.

Tobias bit into Nik’s flank. Nik’s yelp sounded almost like a scream and Law bit into Tobias’s shoulder. The wolf let go of Nik and growled, turning his attention to Law. He ignored the ache in his face where earlier claws marked him.

Tobias stood his ground. When Nik’s jaws snapped, Tobias snarled. The old man seemed unbreakable. He bounded forward, and Law responded. They leaped at the same time, and mid-air Law sank his fangs into Tobias’s neck. He shook his head with vicious force. Tobias growled as he bled. Law pinned the older wolf to the ground. He couldn’t hold the wolf, and human frailty stole his raw animal strength. Malice burned in Tobias’s eyes as he died.

“Come back; you’ve done it, Bro,” Nic said.

Law pushed the wolf down. The man fought to be in control again. Naked, Nik sat in the grass. Law felt the cold on his vulnerable human skin. Blood snaked down the hill in a trail away from the dead man. Law rolled away.
I killed Bianca’s father. Will she hate me?

A group of the town wolves came and took Tobias’ body. “Where are you taking him?” Law asked.

“Kane wanted proof when he was dead.”

Law frowned. Kane should be here if he wanted to see Tobias dead. Taking the body back to town was risky.

Nik found their tattered clothing and the pants were good enough to cover what needed covering. Law sat dazed for a second, but then pulled himself together and got dressed in what was left of his pants.

“It’s no wonder most of our kind go commando,” Nik mused. “The cost of underwear would bankrupt the pack.”

Law snorted. Even in the midst of all this carnage, the man could crack a joke. He knew Nik was trying to distract him from the killing. The wolf accepted ending a life, but the man always fell into the melancholy of regret. Nik, being more in touch with his primal side, handled it better.

“Check on Joy. I hope she hasn’t run,” Law said. Then he heard the brush rustle. Looking up Law saw a sight that made his heart lightened. Chessa. She had her hands on a naked, bloody boy, but she was alive. He stood and rushed to where the men were loading the boy into the back of his pickup. Peter Adams morphed back into a human. The older man had never fully transformed during the battle, but he was a born. Nik had put Joy across the front seat next to him.

“Your woman will be happy to see the kid,” said Peter. “She should ride with you.”

“I’m not leaving Trax,” Chessa said.

Law sighed. “I’ll ride in back with you then. We have a lot to talk about, Chessa. My name is Law Foster, and I will keep you safe. Your mother has my protection.”

He could see the girl didn’t fully understand, but she shrugged. “Can you help my friend?” 

Something inside of him broke.
The girl is so young and vulnerable. She’s my responsibility. A daughter, I have a daughter.
Immediate love took him by surprise.
“I’ll do everything in my power to help this boy.”

Chessa gave him a sad, shy smile.

Law’s heart twisted. He helped her into the truck before pulling himself up. Chessa gazed down at the injured boy, and Law saw how much she resembled her mother. This child belonged to his pack, and more importantly to his woman.
I’ll never let anything bad happen to Bianca’s little girl again.