Rafe’s anger grew as the words spilled from the rogue’s mouth and he couldn’t help himself from sending another, stronger wave toward the lowlife.
“Please!” he yelped, grinding teeth to withstand the pain running through him.
“How many of you were there?” Rafe asked quietly. He needed to know how many rogues they might have to deal with.
“There was about thirty of us but most of them left when everyone was dealt with. We knew one had escaped, so my boss, the guy you killed, his name was . . .”
“Irrelevant,” Rafe spat out. “Go on.”
“We tracked her until we caught up to her today.” His eyes looked into Rafe’s showing the lack of compassion held within.
“And you were going to play with her then kill her. Right?” Rafe asked, knowing the answer.
“Sure.”
“Then what?”
“What?”
Rafe exhaled loudly, barely controlling himself as he snarled. “What were you to do after you’d taken care of her? Where were you to go? Who were you going to meet? What was your next job?”
“We were to meet up with the rest and wait on word of where next to strike.” He paused. “As I said, the big boss, whoever that is, wants land, as much as he can get and you know how he’s going to get it. Take out anyone inhabiting what he wants. He’s got the magic to do it and he obviously doesn’t give a shit about a Pack of Wolves standing in his way.”
“Shit!” Rafe growled, desperate to know who was behind this horror. “Tell me where you were meeting up with the rest of your rogues?”
“If I tell you will you let me go?” the man whined.
Rafe snorted, shaking his head. “No. You have two choices. I hand you over to the Council or I deal with you.”
“But I’ve answered your questions! I was just following orders.”
Jacy gave the man another nip, his resulting yell causing Rafe to smile. “You killed an entire Pack who were infected with god knows what but something that made them vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. You cannot understand how that makes me, as Alpha of my own Pack, feel. I swear to Mother Earth I want nothing more than to end you and nothing, I repeat, nothing you’ve said changes that.”
The rogue’s face changed into a mask of hatred and loathing, his eyes closing to slits as he shouted, spittle flying everywhere as vitriol spewed from him viciously. “I demand the right to a fair fight! I challenge you, Alpha, and if I win I’m taking your goddamn Pack!”
Rafe couldn’t help the laugh that tore from him at the pure stupidity of the man. “Really? You’re challenging me?”
“Yes! Right here and now.”
“You don’t have the right to challenge me, you fuckwit. You’re a damn prisoner with no rights whatsoever.” Rafe shook his head. “But I’ll be reasonable and allow you a fight. I can’t exactly say a fair fight because you’re injured but I don’t give a damn about that. Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll fucking take it!”
Rafe undressed quickly then untied the prisoner, pointing to the door. “After you.”
As Rafe followed behind the rogue, Jacy’s Wolf nudged his thigh, sending his thoughts through loud and clear.
“I can take care of him for you.”
Rafe could feel the pent-up energy inside his Beta. He was raring to go. Jacy wanted to tear into this asshole as much as Rafe did.
“He had my mate in his filthy hands. Threatened her life. No, my friend, this bastard is all mine.”
Following the nameless rogue from the cabin, Rafe noticed the sun going down through the trees. The forest sounds reminding him just how precious his land was as small animals hurried around unseen, birds singing, and the scent of the multitude of plants and wildflowers filled his nostrils. He had to protect this.
It had been his family’s for generations, many hundreds of years ago they’d settled here in the plush, but wild land. He loved it as much as he loved anything and he’d die before he would allow anyone to destroy his home, his Pack, everyone he loved, including the mate he’d been certain he didn’t need.
How foolish had he been?
Tasha meant everything to him and he couldn’t wait to return to her and finally hold her to him as his lips found hers in that first, exquisite kiss. First he would deal with the lowlife that had dared to hunt her down and put his soiled hands on her perfection.
“Rafe!”
Jacy’s yell in his head brought him out of his inner thoughts with a jolt. The rogue already transformed and leaping toward him, jaws wide, teeth glinting off the waning sun and with one thought: to rip his head off.
Rafe darted to the side, morphing as he went, barely escaping the rogue’s attack. Realizing he’d been too wrapped up in his thoughts, Rafe had given the rogue the opportunity to transform and begin healing its wounds. The Wolf attacking him was a seasoned fighter, then again, he would be if he went around murdering innocents.
Its dirty grey fur rippled as it circled around, trying to catch Rafe off-guard. His own beast snarled viciously before launching toward its opponent, meeting mid-air in a clash of fangs and claws. The scent of blood filled the air as both made contact. Rafe suffering a shallow gouge along his flank as they tumbled on the ground.
In the background, he heard wild-life scatter and run, scared by the battle going on and heading for safety. Saddened that this rogue had caused such chaos to his peaceful haven only made his blood boil all the more. His anger rising to heights Rafe didn’t know he was capable of as he focused on destroying the Wolf before him.
Everything around him disappeared. Rafe could only see, focus, and deal with the beast hell-bent on killing him. He
