Page 42 of Into the Dawn

I only realize that I'm still battling to get at Jed and rip his head off when one guard hits me with a nasty blow to the kidneys. With a grunt, I bend over to the side and drop my elbow to shield myself against further blows. The pain is sharp, cutting through my drug-induced haze.

"Sit the fuck down," Rusty says. "I'd hate to have to kill you before we even get to see you fight."

Chuck resumes his disgusting appraisal of my mate. Rubbing a dirty thumb across her cheekbone, he grazes it down against the edge of her mouth toward her chin. The sight of his hands on her is making my blood boil as my beast starts thrashing against his chemical chains.

Vanessa's eyes are wide and wild. She looks scared, but it's more than that.

I think this night is the realisation of all her worst fears, forced to accept that this is really what her family is. She's been hiding from the truth in the woods all these years but being forced to face it all, here and now, in high definition, there's no denying what these people are. I can tell from the way she struggles to avoid recoiling from his touch that she wants nothing to do with any of them.

Chuck gives Vanessa a smarmy smile and drops his pants, pointing one elbow out to the side in Jed's direction. "I've got to be better than that, sweetheart."

Jed growls, low and threatening, but we all know he won't challenge Chuck outright in a one-on-one battle. So Chuck continues on boldly. "You give me what I want, and at least you know I can protect you from that piece of shit."

He is just vile.

Chuck shoves his trousers down off his hips then hooks his thumb into the top of his graying, once-white, ill-shapen boxers.

From the way Vanessa's nose twitches and her head twists to the side, not only are they sagging and gross, but they also smell. Vanessa stares up at him, not fighting or arguing, with her hands folded primly together.

Somehow, I'm now on all fours, crawling, trying to drag myself through the dirt to get to my mate. Everybody else is more focused on what's about to happen in front of them, transfixed, as Chuck releases his half-limp cock from the confines of the cotton and holds it in his hand a mere foot away from my mate's face.

Vanessa’s chin drops as she turns her face away. She grimaces and takes in breaths through her mouth to avoid scenting whatever disgusting bodily odor Chuck's giving off.

He laughs like he knows exactly how repulsive he is and clearly enjoys seeing her discomfort.

The sound of his amusement sends another surge of rage through me. How dare he enjoy seeing her upset.

With my fingers buried in the soil, I feel another glimmer of something inside me spark to life as my beast starts banging at the door to my brain. He's somehow outraged enough to find the will to push forward as my claws lengthen and dig into the dirt. I suck in a deep breath, knowing I'm only going to get one shot at this. And I'm probably going to get myself killed, because I won't be able to hold form, but it'll be worth it.

I see the fingers on Vanessa's right hand flick, like she's telling me to go away, and not to do whatever I’ve got planned,but as Chuck lifts one foot, ready to step toward my mate with his gross dick extended in front of him, everything turns black.

My beast bursts from me and lunges forward, claws extended, heading straight toward Chuck's less-than-impressive appendage.

Vanessa falls back onto her heels with a shriek and scurries out of the way as I blast past her, swiping at his dick with one hand and shredding it, while the other plunges my claws deep into his groin and lower stomach, ripping at his flesh, tearing his intestines and his scrotum clean off.

The satisfaction of his cries appease my beast, who feels this man’s utter disrespect has been avenged to his liking.

A blood-curdling scream, worse than anything I've ever heard, comes from Chuck’s mouth as he staggers for a second before he keels over sideways. I've severed an artery.

An arc of blood sprays up into the air from Chuck's flayed limb. The scent of blood fills the air, and the sight of him rolling on the ground, guts exposed, is enough to make some of the watchers gag and vomit.

I hit the ground with a dull thud, all of my energy spent on that burst of aggression.

Rusty's eyes lock onto mine for a brief second before my ability to hold form disappears again, and my beast recedes, leaving me helpless on the ground once more. But there's a gleam of respect in his gaze now. He knows what I'm capable of, and that I’m a worthy opponent.

“For fucks’ sake,” he mutters, kicking Chuck’s boot with his toe and looking at the mess I’ve made of his clearing.

Vanessa scrambles toward me, face pale, and I tug her into my side. She's going into shock, and I don't blame her. Her heart pounds against my chest as she looks at the gruesome sight beside us, but her presence steadies me.

Everybody seems too terrified to move, so they just stare dumbly as I stagger to my feet, starting to feel a little less affected by the drugs that Jed gave me, but still not a hundred percent.

Jed shakes his head, not giving a fuck about the man's penis that now looks like minced meat but is more concerned with the fact that I'm regaining my strength rapidly. "What the fuck? That dose should have been strong enough to keep you down for an hour."

Rusty cuts him off. "This is why you don't rely on drugs, dipshit. It might be enough to knock you out, but you never know how strong somebody's beast is or how quickly they'll metabolize it.” He points a gnarled finger in my direction but continues to dress down his son in front of the entire clan. “This guy, just because he doesn't go around acting like the big man like his brother, has the same fucking genetics. You can hardly be surprised that his beast is a bit of a fucking animal, can you?"

Chuck stretches out a hand and grabs the leg of Rusty’s jeans.

Rusty kicks Chuck's arm away and tells him to stop wailing and shut the fuck up, but Chuck just mutters a few incoherent words before he passes out.

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