The Delta's Daughter Chapter 15

LAMIA

Mike and I made it downstairs to the front steps of the academy with my bags and one box.

There were three stretch SUVs parked outside and Kellen’s truck, there were 10 Royal guards standing around the cars as we made our way over. Kira, Greg, Sam and Travis were outside waiting to say goodbye already. Mike had just finished loading my stuff into the back of the truck when Kellen came out the front doors accompanied by Wilson, Hunji (who would be coming with us) and the Royal Beta.

“Uncle Mike!” I happily squeaked, running over to him and leaping into his arms. Mike was the spitting image of his father, not just the same eye color, hair and height, but also the sheer mass and stockiness of them. He wrapped me in his arms and squeezed me tight.

“Princess, I hope you have kept the boys in line?” He joked, lifting me up and twirling me. Even though I was tall and stood at 5 foot 10, and could easily kick his ass, he still thought of me as this little girl and treated me as such, always wanting to protect me.

I pulled back from his embrace once he set me down. His eyes looked older with deep circles underneath and lines crinkling the corners. His smile and demeanor was still as youthful as ever. Seeing him made me yearn for my own parents even more.

Wilson stepped forward, clearing his throat, a stoic expression on his face. “Langley, it’s been a pleasure teaching you. You have out ranked and out preformed any student who has ever passed through these doors.” He reached his hand out to shake mine and I took it graciously, thanking him before he went and spoke to Mike.

“Hunji will ride with me and two guards, you three will ride behind one car and the last will follow behind mine.” Uncle Mike explained. “Say your goodbyes as we have a long drive home and your parents are waiting to see you.” Kellen and I nodded at him and turned to our friends as Beta Mike went to greet his son.

I wrapped Kira’s tiny frame in my arms, hugging her tight “I’m going to miss you Bitch!” she said, sobbing on my shoulder.

“Don’t cry! You will make me cry!” I tried holding back my own tears. “Besides, I will see you in a couple of weeks.”

“You better believe it!” She swatted my arm, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You better look after my girl!” She pointed between Kellen and Mike.

Mike laughed “More like she will look after us.” We all laughed, it was true. We had no idea how true that statement would become so soon.

We said good bye to everyone else with the promise and motivation that we would all see each other soon when they came to visit the Royal pack.

Mike was driving, Kellen was in the passenger seat and I got to stretch out in the backseat by myself and we pulled out honking our horns to our friends as we left the academy we had called home for the past year and a half behind.

*****

We had been driving for about two hours, it was a four to five hour drive home, and the boys had been talking about pack stuff, and I had started to drift off to sleep while listening to music playing on the stereo.

I hadn’t closed my eyes for what felt like a few minutes before I was awoken to shouting and Kellen’s truck being hit hard by something!

My ass flew up from the seat as I felt the truck lift in the air, a hard knock to the truck and we were sent sailing into the air, the truck turning over and over and my body bouncing off the interior until it came to a sliding stop against a tree on the side of the road.

I heard more shouting and the screeching of brakes. I was trying to gather my wits. What the hell just happened?

“Lamia! Lamia!” Kellen was yelling at me. My ears were ringing from the impact and my vision was slightly blurry.

I lifted my hands to my head, feeling a small trickle of blood. The truck was on its side and Kellen was leaning through the back shaking me. I looked at him confused. There was panic in his eyes. “ROGUES!” he shouted at me, bringing me out of my stupor.

I was scrambling to right myself and glanced out the busted back window to see the Guards and Uncle Mike outside their cars and fighting a large group of Rogues and some surrounding our car. Mike's door was suddenly ripped off the hinges, a large growling roar penetrating my nerves as I watched Mike being ripped from his seat and tossed through the trees, his limp body disappearing in the dense treeline.

I screamed his name “MIKE!” and saw the bear run towards where he had thrown him like a rag doll.

Kellen tore his way out of the truck and was met by rogues who started attacking him immediately.

Climbing out the back window, I looked to where Mike had been thrown. “Mike!” I yelled again. Knowing Kellen could handle himself, my heart sank at the thought of the bear getting a hold of him and what he could do to him. I shifted into my black wolf and raced after the bear.

I could hear Kellen calling me, telling me to stop; I glanced back once to make sure he was OK. He was fighting off four rogues, but no sooner had he ripped them apart, then there were 3 more.

Mike needed me, so I ran, catching up behind the large brown bear easily. He was over Mike’s body that wasn’t moving and was ready to swipe him with his long back claws across his still form, I could smell the blood. Mike was hurt, and I didn’t know to what extent.

I let out a menacing growl flying through the air, landing on the bear's back and digging my claws and fangs into him as deep as I could, stopping him from killing Mike.

The bear growled and tried shaking me off, his paws reaching behind and clasping my fur, he got a good hold and was able to toss me off. I landed on all four paws and took a stance, baring my teeth at him.

All his attention was focused on me as he charged. I stood my ground till the last second and dodged him, catching one of his hind legs with my teeth and ripping out a chunk of flesh. I had hoped this would slow him down.

He turned glaring at me, his red eyes angry, his long sharp fangs showing as he stood on his hind legs to his full height. Shit, this bear was easily 7ft tall. I felt the color drain from my wolf, my nerves becoming a watery pool. I was scared, for the first time I was terrified and froze.

‘SHIFT!’ Inanna yelled at me, coming forward. ‘Shift, we can’t take him in wolf form. But we can in human form’

‘Are you sure?’ I asked,

‘You are just as strong in human form as wolf form, and we can do more harm, shift and give me control!’ She almost commanded.

I trusted my wolf, and shifted, giving her full control as I took a back seat and let her steer my human form. I felt her power grow and radiate through my bones. All my senses heightened as I felt her strength, I could hear the fight far behind me still happening, I could smell who was injured and who’s blood had been spilled. I could hear Mike's heart beat, slow and shallow but alive.

I could see every detail of the beast in front of me. His dingy brown fur, his wide red eyes, and the drool hanging from his teeth as he charged towards me again. My legs crouched and arms out ready to be tackled. He came barreling at me full speed, gnashing his teeth.

This was it. I could die here, I thought.

I watched as the bear came closer to me and went for my head. My hands shot out, grabbing the top and bottom of his snout, holding him back as he pushed forward, my feet scrapping against the bare floor as he pushed me back. I was fighting a 7ft bear, naked!

My arms twisted to the side, flipping the bear over, a yelp coming from him, but as his body hit the floor his front paw managed to swipe the top of my thigh. I howled in pain from the deep lacerations he left in my leg, the searing pain bringing me down to my knees. The bear quickly corrected himself and stood on his back legs ready to pounce and crush me.

Not today. I will not die today!

Inanna pushed more power into my body, giving me the strength to stand. As the beast came down, I grabbed his paws, holding him above me. He was pure brute strength, but his movements were slow and predictable, giving me the upper hand I hoped for. I pulled him forward by his paws, making him land on his belly. Quickly, I swung around, before he could claw me again, and straddled his back. I ignored the shooting pain from my leg that was oozing blood.

I had to put this thing down and fast!

My arms latched onto his thick huge head from behind, straining to reach his jowls, I hooked my arms under his jaws and pulled with every piece of strength I had, my claws extending.

His paws were reaching behind his head, desperately trying to rip me off him, catching my arm, causing more lacerations. But I didn’t waiver. A guttural roar left my lungs, the earth shuddered and trees shook as I tore his head from his body. At that moment, the forest around us stood still. Black dots blurred my vision as I collapsed onto the beast.

*****

KELLEN

“Lamia! Lamia!” My heart raced as I watched her run after the bear, fear gripping me. I didn’t know what state Mike was in and my girl was running to sudden death. I was ripping through the rogues as fast I could, killing them with ease, but as one died another would attack.

Where the fuck were they coming from?

I have killed at least 7 of them so far and there were more surrounding us. Beta Mike and the guards had their own group that surrounded them. Hunji had pulled a sword out and was slashing his way through them to me.

I yelled at him as I snapped a rogue’s neck. “Lamia went after the bear shifter!” He nodded and ran towards the line of trees just as I felt a burning pain rip into my thigh. I looked down but I hadn’t been injured. I saw no blood. I realized it wasn’t my pain, it was Lamia’s. She was hurt, hurt badly.

Conri was howling in my mind, trying to claw his way out, wanting to get our queen. I let him take over so we could dispose of these filthy wolves fast. I couldn’t and would not lose her. When no more rogues were coming at me, we shifted and ran towards where they had disappeared within the trees.

A painful but powerful roar, not a growl but a roar, was heard. I felt the power from it as trees bent and the ground beneath me quaked. My heart dropped and my breath caught. I stopped in my tracks behind Hunji at the scene in front of me.

Mike was stirring to the left and seemed OK, just knocked out. Hunji was going over to help him.

Lamia lay limply straddled on the bear's back, holding his separated head in her hands. The blood; it was everywhere. She was covered in it. Her beautiful strawberry-blond hair tainted red, her naked body drenched. There was so much blood I couldn’t tell if it was hers or just the bear shifters.

At first I stood paralyzed, it was only a second before I ran to her, everything moved in slow motion.

I lifted her body into my arms, her hands letting go of the shifters' head, that, rolled to the side, his red eyes glaring, although lifeless, tongue hanging out and dried blood crusted to his snout and teeth. Conri was whimpering and my eyes glazed over with tears.

I could hear her heart beat, but it was weak. Blood was oozing from her thigh. Five big and deep claw marks had ulcerated her skin and she wasn’t healing. Her arm had been clawed also, but they weren’t as deep. I turned and let out a howl full of agonizing pain because of the state she was in and saw the rest of the guards and Beta Michael that came up behind us.

I looked at Mike who was leaning on Hunji and he nodded to say he was OK. Beta Michael stepped up to take her from my arms. I growled and held her closer. He would not touch her, nor would any of them look at her naked. The guards averted their eyes and Beta Mike looked into my eyes.

“Let me see her wounds, Kellen.” I growled at him again as he reached a hand towards her. He pulled off his own blood-soaked shirt and draped it over her body in my arms. He looked at me again, a deep sigh leaving his chest. It was only then I saw the look of concern and hurt in his eyes.

His voice laced with concern “I need to see her wounds.” He said again. I shifted her body slightly so he could get a good look at the top of her leg. The blood dripped off my arm to the ground where it was still pooling from her injuries.

Hunji came over tearing strips from his clothes and tying them around the thigh in an attempt to stop the bleeding. “We need to go.” He stated with no emotion, just matter of fact. “It’s too dangerous to stay out in the open, get her back to our car and we can treat her as we drive. More could be coming.”

Bata Michael agreed. I carried her to the car at speed, Mike’s father helping him back. Mike was OK; my concern was for Lamia and the amount of blood she was losing. Why wasn’t she healing? Her heart beat was weakening. “Stay with me love, stay with me, you’re going to be OK, I promise” Kissing her blood-soaked hair, whispering to her, a tear escaped rolling down my cheek.

*****

MIKE

Lamia lay unconscious in Kellen’s arms, as we made it back to the convoy of cars. Kellen’s truck was upturned and smashed, the truck was totaled and our belongings were strewn across the road and ditch.

I heard my father yell at the guards. “Clean the bodies up! Drag them to the trees and dispose of them!”

I had never seen my father lose his composure, not even in battle, but right now he was concerned about our friend, the girl who was like a daughter to him. We all were.

My body felt like it had been run over by a truck. The bear shifter had thrown me like I was nothing, ripping me from the car, flinging me a good 100 feet at least, until I hit a tree. I had slid down it and passed out. I was sure I was dead when everything went dark.

When I started to come to, I could see Lamia fighting the bear, but I couldn’t move. Every bone in my body felt like it had been broken. My wolf, Duke, was trying to heal me as fast as he could but the wind had been knocked out of us. My chest still felt tight.

They had managed to lay Lamia down in the back of my dad’s stretch SUV, and were working on stopping the bleeding from Lamia’s leg.

“Got it!” Hunji held up a large black claw that must have broken off in the fight, his mouth turned up a small smirk. “It was lodged in her bone, deep. That’s why she wasn’t healing. Look, it has silver on the tip.”

I held my hand out for it and Hunji willingly gave it to me. “Hold on to it.” He said and turned his attention back to her. I felt useless. I had been laid on the opposite seat, all I could do was watch.

I looked at Kellen, my body shuddered and my eyes welled up with tears. “Is she…? Is she going to be...” I trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. She was in this state because of me. She came after me, to save me. She did save me!

I was sure if she hadn’t, the bear shifter would have torn me to shreds. This was my fault. She shouldn’t have tried to take him on. I felt bile rise in my throat and tried swallowing it down.

But I also remembered the sheer power that emanated from her as she ripped the bear's head off, the sheer will in her eyes. Her eyes were glowing the brightest green I had ever seen. I had never witnessed a wolf’s eyes glow like hers, not even the king's. The brute strength and capacity of her power sent a shiver down my spine. What I had witnessed scared me.

I didn’t fear Lamia herself, but the pure raw power she displayed had my wolf cowering. If she died, I would never forgive myself. Kellen would never forgive me. I felt a sharp pain in my heart at the thought.

“She will make it.” Kellen’s voice was cold and cracked as he fought to keep his own composure.

The cars were moving now, speeding as fast as they could to get her home to the hospital.

My father’s voice cut through the tension and thick atmosphere. “Son, are you OK?” His hand felt heavy on my shoulder.

“Yes. I will heal.” I nodded, not once taking my eyes off of Lamia, the slight rise and fall of her chest.

Her head rested on Kellen’s lap as he cradled her body close to his, stroking her hair. I noticed another streak of jet black in her hair. When did that happen?

Shame built up from my weakness and failure to protect her and our Prince and again bile rose up in my throat. I have seen a lot of gore. This was not our first fight or anyone’s first kill, but the image of Lamia violently pulling the head off the bear shifter caused me to gag. It was like watching in slow motion. No, it wasn’t quick like we do to rogues, this took strength and time and she held on with all her might and pulled.

The roar that cried out from her stilled the air but I felt the rumble from where I laid on the ground only a few feet away and the vibration still echoed through my bones.

A bear shifter of that size was easily 700 pounds or more, and around 7 feet tall standing up. They outweigh us in size and outmatch us in strength. It would usually take at least 5-7 wolves working together to take one of them down, or at least two Alphas. So what in the actual hell was a bear shifter doing with a pack of rogues?

I owed her my life. I would forever be in her debt. She could have died.