Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 168

Briar 

The shop crew stepped out of the woods along with the parents of the boy I had found, as well as a few other known and unexpected faces, some with hand guns and rifles raised, pointed at my quarry. There was a chorus of bike engines approaching, as Lana stepped forward her phone filming as it had been the entire time. Thank goodness for battery packs. I watched Creedon’s throat work. I had surprised him with my support. He was backed into a corner with no way out.

“I win and Carter and I go free, you lose your life and your pack. I become the CEO and I still get to become queen of your empire. You win and if you decide to take my life, you are free of the bond. If you choose to spare me, I will go with you willingly with the provisions you have declared here before this group of my people—a group of riders rounded around the house, a group of unbiased witnesses—Lana you have it all documented?” I asked. 

“Yes, and I can’t wait to watch you put this Alpha piece of shit to shame,” she yelled from just beyond the treeline.

Whatever happened here I wanted no qualms about its validity.

“Good,” I said, grinning smugly at Creedon as I straightened.

“Briar,” Carter tried to warn me.

“I’ve got this mate,” I promised him. I spared him a glance and mouthed I’ love you’ over my shoulder as I turned and handed Mazzie the shotgun and shucked off Jake’s jacket letting it fall to the ground. I took a deep breath of the evening air as I walked backward into the open field near the house.

“You coming Creedon, or are you scared a mere woman will best you,” I taunted, grinning at him and showing my fangs as I stopped and kicked off my boots. They wouldn’t survive this if I shifted, I needed my agility here anyway.

“I’ll fucking destroy you,” he snarled.

I shrugged, “You already did, and I survived, I have nothing to lose. Either you take everything from me again or I take it from you,” I pointed out nonchalantly, as he finally forced himself to move. I wondered what was causing him to drag his feet. Maybe he just didn’t want to kill me, or maybe his wolf didn’t want to fight me. Perhaps he was just too crazed to think rationally; at least that was on my side.

I paused, waiting for him, and popped one earbud in. The music would help me focus. The wolf was already perked up, alert, and ready to go. I’d come to realize the difference when I was feeling her emotions and such since talking to Lana about being a werewolf. No wonder she had been mourning the loss of Creedon as her mate, but she wasn’t pathetic. Carter had won her heart just as much as mine. She would never forgive Creedon for what he did to us in return for a rejection I didn’t understand. Had he shown up at my apartment, explained and begged me that day instead of brutally attacking, drugging, and rapeing me, the outcome may have been very different. He chose violence then, and now I chose to end this in the same way. I had done the personal work, found my faults, and now that real love had found me, I wasn’t losing it to anyone, least of all this man. Not to mention the state he had left my mate in. Karma was a bitch when she sent your victims to unleash your punishment for years of transgressions. You see, it wasn’t just me; Creedon had a history of playing “doll” with whatever naive girl he chose to fancy at that moment. A few days, weeks, or months spent as a god damned accessory, or was it goddess damned? I hadn’t known I was a wolf long enough to decide about the whole spiritual part of it. Unfortunately, I was the one he became obsessed with.

“Addy baby, stop this foolishness. Concede now while you still have a chance, because I’m not going to go easy on you,” he warned.

My wolf and I marked each and every one of his slow, powerful strides, for what they were. A predator measuring his prey.

“Not a fucking chance, and get it right, I go by Briar now, I intend to live up to the name,” I lifted my fists, getting ready to fight him as a human or a beast, whichever he chose to throw at me.

The bastard laughed at me, but I wasn’t listening. I was beyond that; this was life or death. My wolf and I wanted his blood. The wolf’s primal power surged through me under my skin as he approached. 

“This puts us on even ground. This time, you don’t get to drug me and tie me to your bed and rape me to your sadistic heart's content. I’m conscious and I know who and what I am, I won’t let you take another life from me again,” I promised.

He laughed.

“Then so be it,” he snarled at me. “As if a pathetic bitch like you could best me. Don’t expect any mercy from me Addy dearest” he snarled.

“Didn’t know you knew what mercy was,” I growled back, my voice hoarse in my throat.

“Rest assured any I may have had for you died, the second you ran,” Creedon spat.

“You mean the moment I saved my bruised and battered body from your tourment? My broken soul? Go fuck yourself Creedon. Let’s get this over with,” I found myself snarling back.

His teeth bared at me, so I bared mine right back before he lurched forward and I deflected, stepping aside and pushing him away with a combination of my wolf’s speed and strength and my very human judgement.

He narrowed his eyes at me as I spun and met his. We circled. He lunged again and this time I got a knee into his stomach and my claws which I hadn’t realized had sprouted had cut him against this arm and shoulder as I pushed him away. His next lunge I took a punch to the gut that caused me to wheeze, My skin prickled and my mind refocused. I didn’t let him lunge again as I flew forward, landing a punch that snapped his head like a swivel and he stumbled back,  from the power that I  had pushed into it.

“So my little slut wants to play hard?”

“I was a virgin before you stole that from me. I don’t need to ask around the office to know you’re the real slut here. I heard all the whispers,” I spat trying to rile him. It had the desired effect. The next moment he came at me with teeth and claws. He caught me with his claws along my thigh, but I barely noticed as I blocked and pushed off his advances. I wanted him to think he had the upper hand. We circled each other again and I wasn’t ignorant to the change in his facade, the angles of his face sharpening, claws and teeth lengthening; preparing to shift. My wolf pushed and I conceded to her, a surge rushed through me and I could feel the shift in my features but my eyes never left his. I could sense the change as it began to wash over him. Danger went off like warning bells, my instincts on high alert. 

“Briar!” Carter yelled into the night. I barely heard him, already conceding to let the wolf take over; it felt beautifully natural as she filled my being.

That was the instant I opened myself, trusting in that primal urge. I sank into it as it rose within me and lunged just as his paws hit the earth. I barely felt the change as it raced through me, the next thing that ran through my senses was air through fur as the wolf leapt, focused on the pulse in Creedon’s neck as his suit fell away in tatters, his wolf emerging into a mangy looking brindle wolf, then the sharp metallic taste of Creedon’s blood warm within my mouth.