The Delta's Daughter Chapter 179

KELLEN

The creatures stalked towards me and I cast my eyes to the sky, sending out a prayer that I hoped would reach the ears of the gods and they would favor me.

In the distance, I saw a mass of darkness, a shelf cloud that was rolling in from the north and heading our way. My shallow breaths halted as I registered the ominous doomsday storm approaching. The screech of the creatures brought me tumbling back to the now and, again, for the umpteenth time I raised my sword and planted my feet, readying for the attack.

My mind went a mile a minute as I tried to gauge the movements of the monstrosities I faced.

The first one leaped in the air, snapping its jaws as his body flung itself in my direction. As the creature came down to pounce, I swung my sword wounding the thing and twisting as it landed beside me on all fours. Its paw reached out swiping my stomach and it felt like a billion hot needles poking into my skin at once. I didn’t look down instead I attacked the creature at full force. I had no time to stumble, no time to second guess, and no time to assess my injuries. I needed to survive.

A rage built inside me as Conri came forward. The mark on my chest began to burn but the slight heat was nothing like what was coming from my abdomen. “Arrghhh” I screamed while plunging the sword into the creature as deep as I could, then drawing my sword from his body and stepping back, bracing for the next attack.

I was caught off guard when the creature began to turn to ash and evaporate. Just like the Crawlers. The sharp sting of pointed nails dug into my back. My legs gave out as the burn intensified. Large and knife-like teeth dug into my shoulder and my sword fell from my hand as I wailed in agony on my knees.

‘Draw on the power of the Knights’ Conri yelled at me from within, feeling him wanting to shift. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know how to do what he was telling me.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment as the creature's teeth dug in further. I envisioned the rest of the Knights, I envisioned Lamia, my mind pleading for strength. All at once, I felt the surge of something ancient, something magical deep within me come to life.

My eyes opened and I could tell I was looking through the eyes of my wolf. I reached behind me and grabbed the animal that was gnawing on my bone, gripping his head and pulling his teeth that were dug deep into my flesh. I flung it over my shoulder with a loud growl watching him land on his back.

My chest was heaving, not from exhaustion but from a newfound magnetism of strength that was coursing through my veins. I picked up the sword that sent a zinging sensation through me. The electrical force powering through me and the inscriptions on the blade seemed to come to life. The feeling was surreal; I had never felt this strong before, it was as if my wolf and I were connected on a much deeper and cosmic scale. His power radiated through and out of me and the feeling was addictive, I liked how I felt. Powerful, destructive, almost as if my body was as free and unhinged as I was in my wolf form.

With a new determination, I attacked the creatures one by one, avoiding each swipe and snap. My movements were frenzied, full of determination, anger, and power that it didn’t take long before the remaining three monsters had been eliminated.

There were no corpses, no blood soaking into the sandy dirt, only those of the three were-bears I had defeated and my own blood stained my naked chest. I stood there seething waiting for the next challenge, my eyes darting left and right as my body circled, poised for whatever Vargr threw at me next. It would take more than that to put me down.

I met my mate’s eyes, who look relieved but still trembled with worry. I gave her a smile, Goddess she was beautiful. I couldn't wait to mark and mate her. Make her mine.

Soon, I thought. Soon this would all be over and I would be free to take her in my arms and make her mine in every sense of the word. She had been given to me, a beautiful gift. One that I would receive graciously and take my time with, cherish for all of time. I would take her far away to the New Moon kingdom and this hell hole would never darken her beautiful mind again. I had been in love with Lamia for so long that, I had no idea how strong the pull of a mate bond could be. I hated that she had been mated to Mathias, and another before him. I could never understand why she was so willing to give in to fate, especially when both of her mates were arrogant assholes.

Now, after meeting Tala, I understood. Each day away from my little flame was a challenge. The aching, the wanting, the craving to inhale her sweet scent of oranges and sea salt, it was almost a blessing to have this inhibitor chip implanted into me. If Conri was able to shift, there would be no stopping me or him from claiming Tala.

I would sink my teeth into her marking spot as I was buried deep inside her. I was in love and I hardly knew her. I would do anything for her and that included getting the fuck out of here. I wish there was a way I could mind –link her, I would tell her how much I adored her, how much she meant to me, that I loved her. That I wanted her.

Instead, all I could do was hold her gaze, even from this distance her striking eyes were a prominent blue.

Just as I finally understood that there were no more left, my body and wolf began to calm and my eyes returned to their normal blue instead of the black of the Knights. The gates opened and in no time I was surrounded by a wall of warriors.

I felt the sting from my wounds, like acid burning through my skin, or the vile venom of wolfsbane. “Arggh” I growled out when I felt the bite of a shock on my back. Only to turn and feel it again, and again, and again until the cattle prods had me wavering on my feet.

“One hundred lashes then leave him to die!” I heard Vargr’s foul mouth command the warriors.

“No!... please!” My mate's panicked voice rang out and I lifted my head to look at her. “Please no!” she begged, throwing herself at Vargr’s feet.

He kicked her away, my wolf growling, and the sting of the prod was felt in my ribs.

“I denounce you as my daughter and rescind your pairing with Jasper. Henceforth you will be nothing but a Slave girl and treated like the whore you are!” Vargr snapped at Tala and motioned to Jack. “Have her put in the box!” He spat out with disgust.

“100 LASHES!” He roared and the warriors began to drag me away, the shock of a prod stinging my flesher further with each restrained jerk I gave them.

I wanted to fight back, I wanted to defend my mate, I wanted to rip Vargr and Jack's heads off, but I had no energy. The fights had weakened me and the voltage from the prods had my body unresponsive. All I could do while they dragged me backward was watch Jack grab Tala’s hair and rip her away from the tent. My mate was screaming and kicking. Jasper tried to reach for her but was stopped by the Beta who shook his head. Oliver watched and I saw a shadowed look come across his face, one of harrowing and perplexity. He watched my mate being dragged away from the tent by his accomplice and, he didn't like it.

Jasper was just as helpless as his hands furled and face reddened in anger. I felt the silver of the cuffs sting my wrist, my arms were hoisted upwards and I was turned to face the wall. The cuffs connected to a hook as they suspended my limp frame, my toes barely touching the ground.

In the distance, the rumbling of the storm could be heard. The sky became darker and the air chilled for the first time in almost 3 months. The light breeze that rolled in was heaven. I liked to think the gods were angry, and if it rained, it would be their tears for me.

“KEL-LEN!” I heard the last call of my mate; her painful and wallowing cry pinched my heart. “I love you,” I thought I heard her whisper, the wisping breeze carrying the faint words to my ears. Maybe it was just what I wanted and needed to hear as I felt the first bite of the silver tipped and dipped whip as it lashed against my back.