“And I think you have a death wish, leave these lands now or you leave us no choice!” I reel back in shock, I have never heard Hunter sound authoritative and scary, he’s the carefree jokester brother.
“Not without the girl!” A woman snaps, I can’t see her face properly, but I can see she is the blonde-haired woman beside the man, whose name I don’t even know.
“Then prepare to die!” Cass shouts, and before I can blink the men shift and start to attack, I can’t keep track of them. I try to spot my dad and brothers wolves, but I lose sight of them in the chaos. The men that were kneeling have now shifted and join the fight, growls and snarls fill the air followed by yelps and screams. More wolves that I have never seen before come running from the woods behind where the man once stood. There is so many of them! Panic seeps into my bones, I have a bad feeling a…really bad feeling, that we will not win this fight. As more wolves keep coming, I can tell this fight is already over before it began, this man didn’t come unprepared. He knew we would retaliate, making sure he has enough power behind him to overthrow us. Tears trail down my cheeks as I see members of my pack in wolf form and human injured on the ground. I have to stop this before more people get hurt, or worse die.
I stand here and contemplate what to do, the man’s voice booms through the chaos.
“Stop now or your alpha dies!” I gasp and screen through the bodies trying to find my father. I can’t see anything due to so many bodies blocking my view, a tense moment passes before members of my pack shift back to two legs and drop to their knees. I cover my mouth with my hand in shock, not only are they on their knees, but each of them are also bowing their heads in the ultimate display of submission. I dart my eyes around searching for my brothers. My eyes finally find my dad and tears of horror stream down my face, he has my father on his knees with his hand wrapped around his neck. I glance at Cass, Blake and Hunter hoping that one of them has an idea about what to do.
“Let him go and take me.” Hunter shouts, the man’s cold eyes swing to Hunter as he shakes his head.
“You have three seconds to give me Gabrielle or your alpha dies.” Oh my god, what am I going to do? My brothers share a look, but I can’t see their faces to gauge what they are thinking. “3….” I race to the front door and grip the handle. “2….” Just as he’s about to say one I wrench the door open and run to the edge of the porch.
“STOP!” I shout, my eyes meet the man holding my dad for a second then it hits. I scream and drop to my knees clutching my head between my hands. Buzzing begins in my ears as the stabbing pain in my head intensifies. You ever had a migraine where light hurts your eyes, and your head feels like it’s going to explode? That is what this feels like, but ten times worse, it feels like my head is cracking open. There are so many people out here and it’s overwhelming my senses. Visions of pack mates and strangers I have never met begin to flash behind my eyes, I scream out. It’s too much I’m gonna break soon, I can’t handle it. I feel myself being lifted but I can’t hear or see anything, we’re moving but I don’t care where, I just hope whoever it is,istaking me inside so the visions will stop.
Minutes tick by and finally my head stops pounding. it’s now just a dull ache. I still can’t open my eyes, more out of fear than anything. The buzzing sound in my ears has faded, I hear footsteps around me, still clasping the sides of my head afraid to let go just in case it falls apart. I saw so much pain, death and suffering, these visions are a curse!
“She needs us, move now!” I know that voice and it brings me comfort to know he is okay, my eyes still won’t open. I haven’t experienced that much pain from visions in years.
“Why should I let you?” That voice belongs to the alpha male who gave me no choice but to exit my safe haven in order to save my father.
“Because she is my daughter, we are the only ones who can help her. Allow me to do this and then I will...let you finish what you started.” Growls sound out.
“I don’t want to kill you, Gabriel; I just need your daughter.” I shudder, moments later I feel a presence in front of me but still don’t open my eyes.
“Belle, we’re right here your brothers and I are fine. Can you open your eyes please?” I shake my head; I’m still fighting against the pressure that is making me feel like my head is going to crack open. which means there are more people around me.
“You need to get back! You’re all too close to her.” I’m beyond grateful that Cass is able to pick up on my distress and knows exactly what I need.
“And risk you escaping with her? We’ll pass.” Comes from a woman.
“No, you dumbass, she has to have space so the visions will stop. If it’s her help that you seek, refusing to back away will not help the situation.”
“The rest of you wait outside now, I’ll stay.” I hear footsteps and then a door slam, my stabbing pain at the base of my skull begins to lessen. I slowly start to blink my eyes open. Once I’m sure that no more visions are about to assault me, I drop my hands. I sigh in relief when I see my dad and brothers standing in front of me, dad moves forward to hug me, but I shake my head, sighing he drops down next to me on the couch.
“Belle––.” I can see from the look in his eyes that he feels immense guilt for what I did.
“Dad, stop. I did what I had to do; I would never let you.” I look to my three brothers. “Any of you die for me.” Hunter darts his gaze behind me, and that’s when I remember the man is still here. I jump to my feet and spin around to face him.
Oh my god, it’s him!
Chapter five
Belle
Istandtheremouthagape just staring at him, I don’t know how I didn’t put it together earlier when the vision of him saying he was here to claim me. I have never seen his face before, but a feeling deep inside me tells me that he is the man I have been having visions about for months. The man standing before me doesn’t look broken or hurt like in the visions, this man looks cruel and mean. He wears a mask around his emotions, he has hardened himself to the world and refuses to let others in. His eyes narrow but he won’t look away, I’m no threat to him because I’m not a wolf. His eyes stare through me, he isn’t looking at me, it’s like he is looking inside me and that is unsettling. As he comes closer and is illuminated by the light I can see him better, his chest is bare, and he only wears a pair of shorts. Tattoo’s cover his arms and chest, he has a body to die for! He has long black hair that is slicked back and striking ice blue eyes that sear you with an intensity. He has high cheek bones and a straight nose, black perfectly shaped brows, full lips the size women pay money for. This man carries an aura of power with him.
“I will die before I let you take my daughter from me!” My dad’s voice has me snapping out of my thoughts, I turn toward him and melt at the look in his eyes, he looks so defeated and that isn’t a look I am used to seeing on him. I move so I can comfort him but stop when a growl pierces the still air, every fiber of my being feels taut and strung out. As if I am compelled by this beast of a man, I slowly turn back toward him, even though my mind screams at me to run to my family for safety. I feel Cass and Hunter press in close to me and watch as the man narrows his ice-cold gaze at us. Not wanting to poke the bear, I step forward, he watches me with an intensity that makes me feel as if he is trying to gauge my thoughts.
Goodluck, my mind is the last place you would want to be.
I don’t stop moving until there is two feet of space between us, I run my gaze over him, and he does the same. I can feel his eyes lingering over my body as I can feel every part of me heating under his inspection. What seems like an eternity is over in a second, that’s when I see it, the pain in his eyes sears me. He seems way too young to have such a broken look in his eyes. His body is ridged and tense, the tattoos that cover him are like a road map to his life. I want to inspect them further and gauge each of their meanings from him, but I doubt now is not the time for that, the fact I am standing so close to him and not being plagued by visions is…weird.
“Why have you come?” I whisper, his body seems to tense further at the sound of my voice.
“Because you seem to be the answer to a lot of my problems.” My brow furrows in confusion. Something about this man is throwing me off, my visions may give me a glimpse into the lives of others, but it didn’t prepare me for meeting him inreallife.
“I don’t know who you are or why you have been raiding other packs, whatever it is you think my sister can offer you, she can’t. If it is soldiers you need then my brothers and I will take her place.” Tears cloud my vision as I turn to face Blake.