Chapter Twenty Three
Stiff confidence was brushing across Ray’s senses, as he and his siblings headed for the forest that night. Julia’s confession had rocked him to his core, strengthening his belief that she was the one for him, fueling his desire to protect her even further. He wouldn’t allow fear anywhere near his soul. The prospect of a life with her was more than enough to keep that awful feeling away.
The Bradford’s arrived at their destination a few minutes early. A mere glance to the right told Ray that the pack was already there, waiting for them in the diner. Sadly, however, Helena was still nowhere to be seen.
“I’m not going in there,” Raul declared, as they crossed the parking lot. “I don’t have anything to say to them. When Helena gets here, Melissa is going to notify them to be on standby.”
“Can somebody please tell me just what the hell she has in mind?” Ray asked, thrusting his arms out, as they halted between two, towering, balsam fir trees.
“Your guess is as good as mine, kid,” Raul spoke in a low tone. “She said something about a woman. If she mentions using Melissa, I’m calling it off. We’ll find another way.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Melissa grumbled, glaring up at him. “If there’s anything I can do to help, I’m in. I don’t need your permission.”
“Now’s not the time for an argument, kids,” Dean spoke, stepping between them. “Have some patience. We’ll find out soon.” He added, lifting his arm to point up ahead. The witch was pacing towards them, dressed in her usual, black cloak. The smile she was wearing puzzled Ray. Indeed, Helena seemed less like she was going to war than going for a walk in the park.
“Good evening, my dear pups,” she said, her voice feathery, as her footsteps brought her closer to them. “How are you all doing?”
“Ok, something’s wrong. She’s never this cheerful,” Ray commented, as his face contorted in confusion.
“On the contrary; circumstances could not be better,” Helena countered, her gaze fixed on the Alpha, as her smile broadened. “I was at your property. Monica told me about her pregnancy. She also said you would name your baby after me, if it’s a girl. Thank you. I am honored.”
“Don’t mention it,” Raul waved his hand in front of his face, as his lips curled into a smile. “You’ve been there for us. This is just a small token of our appreciation.”
“Now…” Helena began, reaching into her inside pocket. “Take these,” she went on, exposing three, small bottles in her palm, as her fingers unfurled. “It’s cedar. It’s going to mask your scents.”
“I’m still curious about your role in this,” Raul stated insistently, as he and his brothers picked up the bottles.
“This is the neatest trick I have ever attempted,” Helena professed, as a smug smile crept across her face. “The female to draw out Dominic would have to be special. She would also have to look stunning, and mean a lot to the pack. Prepare to be amazed.”
At the snap of her fingers, Helena’s staff dropped to the ground. Ray’s gaze followed the stick, but, as he bent down to pick it up, he noticed that her shoes were not black anymore, but red. The witch’s cloak had vanished as well. His jaw dropped, as he ran his gaze up her body. She had a tight, red, mini dress on that accentuated her curves. Still, this was not the biggest surprise she had in store for them. Her face had lengthened slightly, and her skin tone had darkened into a light caramel. Helena’s red hair had been replaced by deep-brown, longer, curly hair. Her nose had thinned, her eyes had narrowed a bit, and her breasts had increased in size. She looked precisely like Monica. As a flowery scent spread out into the air, Ray realized that she even smelled like her.
“Holy God…” Raul whispered as his eyes widened and he shook his head in utter disbelief. “How did you pull this off? And why did you choose Monica?”
“Kate’s book is an absolute treasure,” Helena’s voice was identical to Monica’s, a notch deeper and somewhat less feathery than her own. “I chose her, because no female in the pack is as important as the Alpha’s mate. Dominic will have done his homework. He’ll know what she looks like, what she sounds like, and what she smells like. Tell me, what would be better for him than to get a visit from his rival’s disgruntled mate? An act of betrayal by her would bring you to your knees. Believe me; he will jump at the chance to break your spirit. Ray, please take my staff with you.” She requested, turning her attention to him. “Don’t shift just yet. Wait for my signal. Raul, Dean, it would be wise of you to shift now. Let’s go.”
“You got it,” Raul gave a firm nod. “Melissa, go to the diner. Tell them to wait for my call.”
Ray was still in awe, as the wolves broke out of his brothers’ skin. Helena’s stunt was impressive to say the least. More than that, she had made a valid point. Few men in this world could resist Monica. Most likely, Dominic would be tempted by her impeccable looks, and the opportunity to destroy Raul’s morale.
The three brothers set off into the night, right behind the witch, as a light breeze rustled through the trees. Ray was throwing furtive glances around him. The chances of them being followed were rather slim, but letting his guard down was not an option. Their enemies could be watching, waiting for the opportune moment to sneak up on them. A conversation between them was also out of the question, for the same reason. The tiniest whisper could give away his presence, and the rival pack had to believe that she was there alone.
Three minutes later, as his brothers spotted the bush from which two guards had emerged, they halted, and anxiously glanced at each other. Dean’s brown wolf padded to the left, towards a large bush. Raul’s gray wolf followed in seconds. Ray hid behind a brush pile, a few feet to the right of his spot, feeling his adrenaline rushing through his veins.
The sound of a twig snapping, forced him to crane his neck over the pile. The two wolves he had run into on Saturday night were padding towards Helena. Almost immediately, they raised their upper lips, as their snarls filled the air.
“My name is Monica Mills. I’m Raul’s mate,” Helena stated in a businesslike tone, maintaining eye contact with the guard closer to her. “I wish to speak with your Alpha. Would you please fetch him for me?”
The snarling ceased, as she finished her sentence. The second wolf let out an excited yip, and then spun around. Licking his lips, his comrade sat down on his back legs, as Helena tapped her palm beside her hip in her impatience.
“Show yourself, you son of a bitch.” Ray thought to himself, lowering his head. “And get your little bitches out, too. We’re going to have so much fun together.”
Glancing at his brothers, he discovered that they were too tense to sit down. Both of their wolves were standing, but their tails were not moving at all. If they did, their scents would cover the cedar that Helena had given them, rendering her trick useless. Gray and black wolf lay perfectly still, looking up from the bush.
A frantic bark signaled the return of the second guard. He was running towards his comrade, with his tongue hanging out.
“Thank you,” replied the witch smiling down at him, as he hurried back to his spot.
“It is true,” Ray recognized Dominic’s hoarse voice at once. It was not close yet, but the distinctive rumbling left him no doubt. He even smelled two, separate wolf scents. Once again, he allowed the unfolding events to pique his curiosity. Craning his neck over the pile, he noticed the massive Alpha, sauntering through the trees, as he made his way towards Helena. He was not alone. His lieutenants traveled with them, in wolf form. The reddish wolf held station on his right, therefore leaving the orange one to cover his Alpha’s left. “Raul’s mate is here to see me. My name is Dominic Granger. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“How do you know if I’m telling you the truth?” Helena wondered, shrugging her shoulders.
“My agents have been to the hospital you work in, Ms. Mills,” Dominic responded, as he closed the distance between them. “Would you please answer my question?”
“I would like to leave my mate’s pack,” she said, her voice losing its nerve, as her smile fell from her lips. “It’s been very hard to even be around him lately.”
“Then do it,” he urged, his own voice riddled with an air of indifference. “What does that have to do with me?”
“It has everything to do with you,” Helena declared, giving an emphatic nod. “You see, if I ditch him, his brothers will come after me. I’ll be dead before I make it to Shandaken. I need you to protect me.”
“Protect you!” He exclaimed, as his eyes narrowed in confusion. “I don’t even know you!”
“It’s never too late for that,” her voice lowered to a deep, husky tone, as she leaned in towards him. Helena swept the tip of her tongue across her upper lip, as he scanned her body, from top to bottom. “I would gladly give myself to my protector. Would you take what I have to give you, Dominic?”
“Hell, yeah,” he grunted, stopping his gaze on her face, as he took a short step closer to her.
“Then come with me,” Helena whispered, her eyes glinting with mischief, as she beckoned him to her. Tremors of fear sliced through Ray, as the Alpha snatched her hand in midair. Dominic even pulled her close, his light-brown eyes filled with desire and lust. But, Helena was undeterred. She kept her composure, and remained focused on him.
“Go away.” The Alpha commanded, casting a fierce glance down at his two guards.
“Actually....” Helena’s voice picked up volume, as her irises flashed the bright, familiar red. “I changed my mind,” she went on, jerking back out of his hold. Dominic’s lieutenants lunged forward, as she spun around. Assuming her regular form, she hurtled across the forest, her gaze locked on the brush pile. Ray knew there was no point in hiding anymore. Gripping the top end of her staff, he jumped up, as his brothers’ ferocious snarls tore through the atmosphere.
“Now!” Helena cried out, her face stiff with tension. Ray tossed the staff over to her, as their two rivals galloped towards them. A fierce growl rolled through his chest, as the beast within sensed the danger. In an instant, silver fur sprung from the pores in his skin, as his jaw stretched and grew. His legs thinned and shortened, as his hips reshaped. The wolf’s pointed ears sprouted from his head, as the witch turned and slowed down behind him. Sitting back on his haunches, he waited, as the sound of the galloping became louder by the second. He jumped up in the air, as the orange wolf leaped towards Helena. A painful yip escaped his rival, as Ray’s paws pushed him violently back. Don’s body landed with a loud thump, and then rolled over, as the silver wolf began making his way towards him. Ravenous rage was burning deep within him. He would not stop, until the wretched creatures that threatened to take over their land, had stopped drawing breath. But Don’s wolf was fast and agile. He bounced back up, exposing fangs and teeth, as he curled his lips. The orange lupine lowered his head, and then leapt onto Ray’s wolf, as his eyes flashed gold in the darkness. Closing his jaws around his front left paw in a blur, he snapped it with a hard bite. The silver wolf’s yelp of pain echoed through the woods, but, along with it, an even more overwhelming desire to rip Don apart arose. The skin on his paw was slashed, as Ray yanked it out of his opponent’s mouth. In a swift move, he moved around him, his eyes on his neck. A hair-raising howl filled his ears, as he thrust his snout down. Warmth sprayed into his mouth, as he sank his teeth into Don’s throat. The orange wolf thrashed and twisted beneath him, infuriating him even further. Guttural snarls were escaping him, as he dug his teeth deeper and deeper. Ray could hear his rival’s slowing heart rate, as Don’s movement weakened with each passing second. He would not leave him, until he was sure that Dominic’s lieutenant was dead.
But then, an agonizing cry for help forced him to reconsider. He recognized that voice. And, as he whirled his head to the left, his worst fears came true. It was Julia. Victoria was driving a massive dagger into her stomach. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, releasing Don’s dying wolf, as his mate’s body swayed backwards. Ray shuffled off towards Julia, dragging his battered paw across the forest floor, catching a glimpse of Dean, standing over his victim, out of the corner of his eye. Having pinned down Dominic, Raul jerked his powerful neck, and snuffed the life out of him, as Helena turned to face Victoria.
“She-wolf whore!” The witch gave a furious grunt, clutching her staff, as her red eyes darkened with rage. Thrusting it to the right, she sent the blonde shifter flying in the air. The distinctive sound of a neck snapping was heard, as her body was thrown up against the trunk of a tree. Shifting back into human form, Ray limped towards Julia, staring at the gushing wound on her belly.
“Julia?” He said, his voice a choked, pain-ridden whisper, as he dropped to his knees beside her. “Talk to me, baby.”
“Pretty boy,” she whispered, her voice coming out drowsy, as a small smile formed on her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you close your eyes,” he urged, slipping his arm under her back, feeling tears pooling in his eyes.
“I…” Julia swallowed hard, blinking slowly, as a tear streamed down her cheek, “I would have stayed with you. I’d never leave you.”
“Shhh…” Ray hissed, cradling her in his arms, lifting her so that he could hold her closer. “I know, mess.”
“Oh, my God…” Helena sighed, stopping over him. “We need to take you out of here. Hold h…”
She didn’t have time to finish her suggestion. The ground began to vibrate beneath their feet. Despair settled over his heart, as he realized that Dominic’s pack was approaching. It didn’t resemble the sound of galloping wolves. On the contrary, it felt more like the rumble of a stampede.
“No time for that,” Helena groaned, turning around to face them. “Raul, Dean, get behind me,” she commanded, gazing out at the forest, as she eased her staff down onto the ground. The two wolves obliged, tails swishing out behind them, as they sped past her. “Ok, you bastards. Let’s see if you can handle this.” She grumbled, her face stiffening, as she banged the lower end of the stick onto the forest floor. A tremendous shockwave shot upwards and forwards, carrying dust, rocks, leaves and twigs. Trees started to bend in the wind, as it shot past them, picking up speed. Whistling resounded through the forest, as the wave neared Dominic’s pack. One by one, the rival wolves flipped around, and began to run back in the direction they had come from. Helena sighed in relief, before rejoining Ray and Julia.
“Hang in there, Wolfborn,” she whispered, closing her eyes, as she reached down to put her free hand on Ray’s shoulder. “I’m taking you to your friend.”