Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Lion’s Arranged Marriage Chapter 16

Gwendolyn

No one could have interfered once Blake initiated the battle. While Raymond had antagonized the whole thing, my alpha dominated the field, lunging at the Gilbert alpha with the force of his pain. It radiated throughout the line backing him up, transferring from shifter to shifter, bouncing between us all like a ball on a court.

Our alpha was in pain and we shared that pain. It fueled my jump from Neil's back as Samuel shifted into his dire wolf form, snarling menacingly while Shelly retreated behind him.

Did she really think these assholes were going to protect her? They would probably snap her neck as soon as they won the war. She would just be dead weight to them-so she might as well be dead if that was the case.

That was just how I figured Raymond would think. Spending extended time with his mad doctor friend had taught me about plenty of things that I could tell were too uniquely Gilbert-like betrayal and harboring secrets.

I had once harbored my own little secret, that I wanted Neil so badly it almost killed me from the inside out. I'd heard of mates who went unbonded living short lives made out of heartbreak and misery. That would have been me if Neil hadn't accepted me-and I was grateful that it wasn't.

It was a thought that prompted my next move. I flew directly at Samuel's face, pointing my beak at his eyes. As I extended my neck to reach him, a flash of silver sliced my vision and I fluttered off to the right, heading toward the open jaws of another dire wolf. Neil intercepted, snapping the dire wolf's neck with his mighty jaws. A corrective flap sent me back to Samuel, who was focusing on Blake. Raymond was dancing between circles of fighting animals. He sliced and slashed through the battlefield, hooting and waving his weapon like it was a magic wand.

With him distracted, I could swoop in and peck Samuel's eyes right out of his skull.

My corrected course took me back to the evil half-brother. Blake circled Samuel, the two facing off each other like they were defending territory. The sight of such an imbalance in size made me nervous. But I had confidence in my alpha. I believed in his strength. I knew what he was capable of doing.

Neil roared behind me. His voice came unbidden in my head, Up high! Quickly!

I pointed north and flapped hard, feeling a rush of air smack my underbelly. When I glanced at the ground, I noticed a griffin snapping up at me. I screeched while redirecting my course, choosing to swoop with the wind as I knew the griffin would follow. Samuel's eyeballs would have to wait.

Air whooshed behind me in rhythmic waves. I didn't have to look back the know the griffin had taken flight. A mighty squeal vibrated the air and burned my ears, the eagle's beak releasing a supernatural sound that made my entire body tremble. It was like a car burning rubber on wet tar. And it made me want to hide.

But I couldn't hide. These griffins were dangerous. I knew that personally. I had to get them away from the battlefield so my pack had a chance to defeat our enemy. With the griffins distracted, the shifters below would be free to fight undeterred.

I circled around and flew straight to the griffin. Its beak parted to reveal those awful teeth, tiny sharp rows of death spikes that would certainly tear me to shreds. I didn't have to defeat the griffin; I just had to make sure he was pissed off.

At the last minute, I feigned left and dove right, causing him to spiral around me. Two more griffins popped up, barreling in my direction through the air like rockets. I hovered for a moment, waiting for them to get close, acutely aware of the griffin behind me heading in my direction.

One wrong move would have the three of them colliding with each other.

They weren't exactly particularly smart shifters, were they? If that was the case, then Dr. Myrtle had focused on size and strength instead of intelligence. Though it wasn't clear what he had tested on me exactly, I could see now that he was more obsessed with mixing things up and creating a more terrifying appearance than making anything that could properly function.

So, there was a minor flaw in his creations-which meant I could fool them.

I stared down the two griffins in front of me. My body screamed to move while my brain assured me I had time. All I needed to do was be patient.

It was the same thing I had asked of Neil. Patience. Something that, funnily enough, he had plenty of when he was in dire circumstances. Yet behind closed doors, he was ravenous for my attention and focus. Even as he chased me away.

My eyes widened as I prepared to fly out of range.

Just a little closer, I urged quietly. Come on, just get closer...

Both griffins squealed. The one behind me released a piercing shriek that turned my brain to mush. Instinct was all that remained when I flapped my wings hard just once and launched myself higher into the air.

I glanced down, waiting for the moment of impact, smiling internally at my clever plan.

Only to witness its failure.

The three griffins swam around each other like eels, cooing with a loving tone that reminded me of pigeons. Were they mixed with something else?

It didn't matter as their beady eyes darted north and focused on their target.

Me.

I had severely underestimated their ability to collaborate. My assumptions had been misguided, based on what I had observed while I was under the influence of stress, drugs, and a mad doctor's influence. He had fooled me-and so had his experiments. If I didn't act soon, I would surely die.

Another screech sounded around us. The very molecules of the air vibrated with its weight, signaling something even bigger than the griffins approaching. Fire burst through the air, marking a path beneath me that hid me out of sight.

Triumph entered my gut. Milton was on the scene, sweeping his long neck wide to spray the griffins with flames. The eagle-lions shrieked and flitted off, some of them carrying singed feathers. Burnt flesh tapped my nose. I gagged as I flew toward Milton, trying to ignore the overwhelming stench of sulfur.

How the heck does Brandi handle this smell? I asked. I mean, I'm sure your mate loves you regardless, but...

Milton cackled, parting his jaw to reveal his sharp teeth and split tongue. She probably doesn't smell it at all. Mate bonds are interesting like that. Haven't you noticed?

At the mention of my partner, my heart seized. I peered at the field below, noticing the blood soaking into the soil and the bodies that were strewn about. Things were getting bad down there. We had to interfere before things got worse. Milton bellowed and flattened his wings to his body-I did the same.

The two of us dove to the earth like bombs, wind whipping around us as we picked up speed. Just a mere few feet above the ground, I spread my wings, catching the air to carry me over the battle. Blake was down. Neil fought valiantly beside him. Raymond was nowhere to be seen-which made plenty of sense to me. He was probably with Dr. Myrtle. Surely the two had an ace up their sleeves that didn't involve Samuel.

I flew to my mate's aid. Samuel stood roughly twice the height of an average shifter wolf. He snarled with every lunge, snapping at Neil's heels and forcing my mate to jump back. The more Neil jumped, the more space he left for Samuel to attack. He was losing his ground next to our alpha.

I had to help him.

Spray his feet with fire, Milton, I shouted through the pack channel. Do it now!

Milton did as I requested, flames sprouting over the ground and dashing toward Samuel's feet. It distracted the dire wolf enough to give me room for my attack-to finally gouge out his stupid eyes.

A vicious cry accompanied my attack. I gouged one eye and went for the other, but not before he could swipe me away. I hit the ground hard and rolled toward another figure. One massive paw rose over me. I squawked as I tried to scurry away, recalling how I had nearly been trampled back at the beach.

This was the end for me. I'd done as I wanted-had pecked out that bastard's eyes-but it wasn't enough. Someone else would soon take me out. And I still hadn't said what I needed to say to Neil.

But instead of crushing me, the paw cradled me. It pushed me under the belly of a beast.

Of my beast.

Neil stood proudly over me while he belted his protective roar to those around. The earth under me quaked as our pack members joined the mighty bellow. Indeed, this was the cry of our family, friends, and neighbors, a strong statement that we wouldn't go down easily.

In fact, we wouldn't go down at all.

My blood raced with a renewed sense of pride as I fluttered out from under Neil and flew back into action. I went for Samuel's eyes while Milton fought off the other dire wolves in the area. There weren't many left. As soon as I had damaged Samuel's other eye, I flew high to check the remaining field.

A victorious gasp shook me to my core. They're retreating!

Cheers echoed in my mind. But the battle hadn't yet been won. We still had to grab Raymond and Dr. Myrtle.

We had to make sure they paid for their crimes.

I spotted Tanner and Leah below. They raced past Blake and followed the retreating creatures. I followed them to a nearby tree to make sure they were safe as no other pack members had accompanied them.

Soon, I discovered why they had raced into the trees.

They had located Raymond and the evil doctor.

A syringe came into view. That icky concoction stabbed my tongue with its taste, the rusty tinge causing me to gag immediately. I knew what would come next.

And I had to stop it from happening.

I dove into the fray, snatching the syringe from Dr. Myrtle just as Tanner and Leah arrived on the scene. While the doctor shouted obscenities at me, Raymond howled for me to bring the serum back, snatching at the air like a petulant child. Tanner took that opportunity to attack.

He railed Raymond from the right as Leah took down the doctor. With the two men disoriented, the wolves dragged the sinister shifters back to the field.

Where the alpha hovered over his injured mother.

Blood coated her stomach. Dirt was smeared all over her face. The expressions of the surrounding pack members who had shifted back into humans were grim. A heavy sadness carried over the field, smelling like copper, rust, sweat, and tears.

My heart snapped when I found Neil. He hung his head next to his alpha, still in his lion form. I landed on his back and nuzzled into the back of his neck, knowing that my comfort would do a little bit to help him-but it wouldn't be enough to heal the wounds widening as a result of Shelly's own behavior.

When I lifted my head, I watched Tanner and Leah drag Raymond and Dr. Myrtle to the pile. Samuel lay on his side on the earth, his chest heaving, his hand covering a nasty wound in his chest. His wide eyes rolled to his brother, to me, and then to Raymond. The Gilbert alpha snarled weakly. Blood trickled from his head where it had been smashed against something during his scuffle with Tanner. It was hardly much of a scuffle at all. And his sword was missing. The evil doctor was knocked out cold. What were we going to do with them?

Blake sucked air into his lungs and extended his hands, allowing them to float over his mother's arms. "Why did you do this?"

Her smile was stained with soil. "Because I didn't have a choice."

"You killed my dad."

"No, Blake. That truly was an accident."

He shook his head. "You broke the bond. That's what killed him, Mom. You cheated on him and had someone else's child. And you betrayed us all..."

Watching my alpha break was more painful than the injuries I had recently sustained. His voice cracked as he tried to speak again. Neil stepped forward, nudging his alpha's shoulder with his snout.

Blake reached back to caress Neil's mane. He focused on his mother, parting his cracked lips to whisper, "You can go now, Mom. You don't have to hang on anymore."

"I just want to know..." She raised a shaky hand. "...that you love me."

"I can't forgive you after what you did."

She licked her lips and shook her head. "No forgiveness. Just love, Blake."

A tense silence stretched on as we all watched. Even Raymond seemed to hold his breath. Darkness kissed the sky above, tinting the cerulean sky with an indigo blush as the sun disappeared.

Night had fallen. In all that chaos, I hadn't even noticed the sun was setting.

How long had we been fighting?

Blake grabbed his mother's hand. He squeezed it hard, commanding her attention, forcing her eyes to bulge as he leaned forward. "I love you. But I won't forgive you. May you rest and meet your fate with the ancestors." Shelly croaked.

The distinct sound was awful, shattering my grip on reality. She died quickly. It was nothing like in the movies where it was long and drawn out, full of the promise of healing in the future.

Instead, she became a lifeless husk that slumped to the ground in a matter of seconds. A dull sheen stole her eyes, turning them into glass balls like those of a porcelain doll. My stomach flipped.

Merciful gods, she had really just died in front of us.

Blake stood up, wiped his face, and settled his heated glare on Samuel, Raymond, and Dr. Myrtle.

"You," he said sternly. "Every single one of you will face punishment for what you've done."

Raymond spat on the ground. "You can't hurt me, Blake."

"I don't have to hurt you," Blake stated simply. He cocked his head, inspiring everyone to fall silent as a series of screeches erupted in the distance. And seeing as Milton was right beside us, I had to wager that it was those griffins trying to find a place to hide. "You'll be taken to the mountains-or wherever those creatures end up-to be sent into the wilderness for the rest of your days." "And I suppose you'll be watching, won't you?"

Blake stomped toward Raymond and grabbed him by his collar. "Yes, I will be watching, Raymond. I will monitor your every move. You'll be naked, without any resources available to you other than what's provided by nature."

"That's hardly a punishment."

"But I haven't finished, Raymond." Blake glanced at the unconscious Dr. Myrtle. "Your dedicated doctor will undoubtedly snap under my command. I can have him edit that serum so that it drives those hybrids nuts." He growled as he drew uncomfortably close to Raymond. "And they'll be trained to see you as their only source of food."

Without another word, Blake dropped Raymond to the ground. He walked toward Samuel, their eyes locked on each other. They would have been mirror images if either of them had been cleaned up. Maybe they could have even been friends if Shelly hadn't been so deceptive.

Maybe they could have protected the pack together.

Blake placed his foot on Samuel's throat. "You've caused my pack enough harm. I hope you find peace where you go-because you won't find peace if you stay here."

Crack.

That was the end of Samuel Gilbert. Raymond grumbled curses under his breath as he watched on, not bothering to fight against Tanner and Milton restraining him. He would be handled soon enough. And soon, our pack could get back to the important things.

Like each other.