Page 43 of Into the Dawn

With a weary sigh, Rusty bends down and slices his neck open with an extended claw, putting him out of his misery. He looks around at the shell-shocked crowd. "There was no coming back from that. He was bleeding to death, and even if he wasn't, there's no life for a man like Chuck after the injury he sustained."

Maybe I should feel guilty for doing that to a fellow male of our species, but I don't. He asked for it. Some lines you don't cross, and he blew past all of them.

I stay quiet, watching Jed retch at the sight before him and how casually his father wipes his bloodied claw on his thigh to clean it. I’m biding my time as the fog clears from my brain. I canfeel my strength returning, my beast stirring more strongly with every passing minute.

Let them fight amongst themselves while I continue to recover.

I reach a hand down to touch Vanessa's shoulder, to let her know that everything's going to be okay, even though I'm not certain it is.

But as long as we're both breathing, there's hope. And now that Chuck's dealt with, maybe the others will think twice before trying to claim what's mine.

23

BEN

For a moment, everybody freezes, nobody quite believing what they've just witnessed. Chuck lies lifeless in the middle of what they expected to be an entertaining barbecue. The acrid smell of death mingles with woodsmoke and fear, creating a nauseating cocktail that makes even the strongest shifters step back.

The world goes silent, save for the crackle of the fire and the faint hum of music drifting in the background right before all hell breaks loose. Shouting, snarling, and someone sobbing.

My mate sags against me as people surge forward. As the scent of her shock and exhaustion hits me, my beast responds instinctively to her distress.

"Easy, Nessie. You're safe now. Rest for a second." I ease her to the ground, standing guard over her while she gets her bearings back. I don't know if she's in any state to shift right now, but I need to be able to fight. I touch her shoulder and look down, willing her beast to come through and take charge when her human side is struggling. We'll deal with the emotional fall out later when she's safe. "Shh. I'm going to get us out of here. Just stay with me a little while longer."

Her eyes are glazed with a distant expression as she stares to the side, unblinking, watching the puddle of blood creep closer to her along the hard dirt, the metallic scent growing stronger as it spreads.

"Don't look," I say, my voice sharp. "Don't look, Nessie."

She scurries to the side, away from the rapidly spreading crimson pool, then lifts her head to look around. Her gaze drifts to the glowing eyes that now surround us in a wide, menacing arc.

The clan's beasts are close to the surface, drawn out by the violence and death. At the centre of it all, just a few feet away, stands her father.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for that," Rusty says, a wicked gleam in his eye, confident with his clan gathering behind him.

This is an alpha in his element, and he's enjoying every second of the chaos. The primal instincts, the drama, the violence, it's what he lives for. His scent carries notes of excitement rather than anger or fear, like almost everyone else around him.

But it's not Rusty that concerns me the most. It's Jed. That little shit is nowhere to be found, and that's a problem. He's liable to sneak in from the shadows and land a dirty blow against either me or Rusty, maybe both.

Rusty wants a fight, and I'm happy to give it to him, but Jed just wants to win. And the air carries no trace of his scent, so he must be downwind, hiding like the coward that he is. Waiting for his chance.

"Nessie," I whisper, "I need you to keep watch for Jed. He's gonna try something."

She nods, but I'm not sure my words have really sunk in. I just have to hope her beast is on high alert and paying attention.

I let my animal fully take over, my body shifting, bones cracking and reforming, then I stand in front of her and blockher from those who wish to hurt us. The transformation is smooth despite the lingering effects of the drugs.

My beast rises to the challenge, determined to protect Vanessa, even if it’s the last thing we do. I'll be damned if Rusty or anyone else here lays a finger on her, ever again. They don't deserve to breathe the same air as my mate. And once we get out of here, she's never coming back.

Rusty chuckles as he circles me with slow and deliberate steps, assessing my balance and movement.

"Even if you beat me, son, there's a dozen other animals here ready to take my place. You gonna fight them all? Kill them all, overher?"

My beast nods. That's exactly what we plan to do. The certainty of it flows through our shared consciousness, we will always protect what's ours.

Rusty pulls a sheathed blade from his belt and tosses it to the ground, catching the firelight as it falls. There will be no cheating and no weapons. The rest of the clan edges closer, tightening the circle around us. With the smoke still swirling around, and the heat radiating from the fire behind us, it's starting to feel claustrophobic.

"This is my mountain," Rusty shouts, thumping his chest. "You don't come in here and kill my clan without consequences."

He jerks a finger toward John, who’s slumped off to the side, clutching the nasty wound Jed left him with. Blood is seeping between John's fingers at an alarming rate. The human scent of it is different from shifter blood, sweeter, more fragile, and not stopping. He needs to be seen by a doctor, and fast. I grit my teeth and plead with my beast to wait. He wants to leap at Rusty, to rip his throat out, and then deal with whatever comes next.

---