“Talk to me,” I focus on the woman I love. Concern still etched upon her beautiful face. Our eyes locked in an intense stare.
I’m just about to open up and bleed my soul dry of all the fears that haunt me, when I hear the front door open, and the echo of high heeled shoes tapping along the hardwood floor.
“Merick.” Rowan offers me a forced smile. I know it's more to keep the calm around Taryn and not because everything outside these walls of our home is safe. “You’re needed outside,” continuing to move across the room, she steps up to our sides. “I’ll stay with Taryn.”
I assume she is putting on a happy appearance, trying to rid her mind of any alarm for the benefit of my very pregnant girl. I appreciate it, I do, but she should know that Taryn is not oblivious to tension and fear. She can read our thoughts, feel our unsteadiness. It’s impossible to hide from her gifts.
“Go,” it's Taryn that urges me to join the others. “We’ll be fine.” This timid, fearful girl, or so she was when I first met her. A woman trapped in her own mind, lost in the hustle of everyday life and oblivious to the unseen that looms the world. She was so innocent and now, she too knows the scary world she lives in. She knows what’s out there. Only now she is strong and fierce, ready to protect.
My everything.
Leaning in I press a soft kiss to her lips and allow my head to rest against hers for a few seconds before stepping back and turning my back. I know if I stay much longer, I will be unable to leave her. And the one thing I had to do now was ensure that we are safe.
“Footprints? anything?”“
“Nothing,” my father looks out over the mass of land before us. “We’ve scoured and searched, there isn’t anything to show otherwise.”
“So nothing more than misfire.” My nostrils flare with the irritation I feel. One idiot, and the entire thing explodes, literally. “I thought they were the best.”
“The best we had at the time, but not the best.”
Doing all I can to rein in my frustrations I try not to lose my shit.
“Who’s responsible?” Fighting the urge to shift as the anger takes over because it’s not helpful, but it’s no use as I take off. No words can be heard from my father, but they didn’t have to be. I could sense the nervous energy, feel the fear in the ties of my pack.
“Merick,” my father's booming voice echoes through the trees, but I don’t pause. I have one goal in mind, seek and punish. Incompetence gets people killed, and when they are guarding my family, there is absolutely no room for error. No room for ass hatting around.
Thoughts rush through my mind, thoughts of other pack members. The name of the idiot that thought it would be fun to test the barrier runs through the minds of those within my pack.
Mykel
Over and over again it swarms my thoughts.
Through the clearing up ahead I see them, half wolf, the other half still in human form. And there in the mix is Ryder, holding our young Mykel by the throat. Pinned to the large tree behind him, Mykel looks almost terrified. Fangs bared Ryder holds his stare.
Slowing to a stroll I circle the crowd and try to filter out the chants of those around me.
He’s just a boy.
It’s better to know now, than for a true enemy to penetrate the shield.
He’s cocky and arrogant, he should be taught to respect the pack.
All words make complete sense and I know I should take them into consideration, only I can’t. The anger is too high, the need to prove a point much too strong.
I huff, gaining the attention of Ryder and the young man. The fear in his eyes intensifies when he realizes who it is that has now arrived.
“It was a joke,” suddenly I’m able to justify what I feel I must do. A joke?
I shift, lurching forward and practically knocking Ryder to the ground as I take his place.
“A joke,” I snarl. “You think that the safety of my family is something to fuck with?”
“No,” his voice trembles. “Not at all.”
“Let me make one thing very clear, to you, in fact to everyone.” Zoning in, ensuring I have his full attention and anyone else that is around for that matter. I do not plan to repeat myself, next time and there better not be a next time. But if by chance anyone else decides to pull some fucked up shit I would make them pay -- no explaining, no more second chances, I will destroy them. “I stake my soul on it, if you or anyone else chooses to ignore the importance of the safety of my family I will rip out their throats. No hesitation, absolutely no remorse, I will end them. Do I make myself clear?”
“Y-yes.” He attempts to nod only with the way I am holding him, it is next to impossible.
“You better run Mykel.” His eyes widened. “You better remain scarce, if and when you decide to resurface, I’d advise you don’t step out of line, don’t even fucking hiccup in my presence.”
I hold him for a few more lasting seconds and then I turn, removing him from the pressure of the tree pushing on his back. Giving him a good shove, he stumbles and falls back on his ass. Then he hurries to stand and like his ass is on fire he runs. The sounds of him shifting in the distance as his
