The Delta's Daughter Chapter 53

 MIKE

“I’m going after her…” I heard Tawny as she slid under and between the advancing attackers.

I was more focused on how the fuck I was going to take on a were-bear and wolf at the same time. Fuck it, I thought as I shifted again, snarling at the shifters in front of me and leaping towards them. I attacked the wolf first. A big mistake. My jaws latched on to his shoulder ready to tear when I felt claws sink deep into my back, making me let out a painful howl feeling my skin tear. I let go of the wolf and rolled to the side, removing the bear's claws from my back.

I backed up assessing my situation and how I was going to take these two fuckers down. Duke was reeling and ready to take over, but I held him back, convincing him we would work better together. The fuckers darted towards me and I jumped back, looking for the right moment and angle to attack. Right now, I have to use defensive tactics if I am to survive this.

Just as I was ready to go all in, I watched as the bear fell to all fours, a whimpering roar leaving his snout. It wasn’t until his body shifted back to human did I see the tip of a blade protruding from his neck and Tawny standing behind him. The rogue wolf stood stunned, giving me an opportunity and I took it, darting at him and snapping my jaws around his neck, tearing the flesh and filling my mouth with his blood.

I shifted back and grabbed Tawny, swinging her around. “I could kiss you all over”. I panted “Kira?” I asked.

“Dead.” She replied and squirmed from my arms, grabbing the pack and handing it to me so I could clothe myself, again. She walked over the dead bear shifter and grunted as she pulled the sword from his neck. He was dead; she had severed his spinal cord. Her training with Hunji had really paid off. Tawny kicked him harshly before turning back to me. She must have shifted as she was now only wearing a long men's shirt that covered her just past her knees.

“Let's go find Lamia.” She mumbled, holding her hand out for me to lead the way. I wasn’t sure if my wolf could just sense Lamia better or if Tawny couldn’t smell her. I wasn’t sure how were-cat senses worked.

We weaved through the tunneled corridors until Duke had me stopping. I lifted my nose up and scented the air, pushing past the putrid smell of the dungeons we found ourselves in. Duke howled, we could smell Lamia’s faint scent.

“Down here,” I motioned to Tawny.

I didn’t rush, rather; I slowly made my way down the long row of cells. To be quite honest, I wasn’t sure what I would find or what kind of state I would find Lamia in. I was anxious to get to her, to get her out of here, yet I was apprehensive. I could feel my heart thudding against my ribcage the closer we got to the last cell. If it beat any harder I was sure it would explode. I glanced back at Tawny who was close behind me. I drew a harsh breath and gasped at the sight before me.

“M-Mike” Her voice gravelly and hoarse sounded my name as she lifted her head up towards me, her once brilliant emerald green eyes were lifeless and dull, void of emotion and doubtful.

“Are you really here?” she asked just above a whisper, before her head flopped forward and her dirty hair covered her dirt and bloodied face.

I ripped one of the swords from the pack, and brought it down on the lock to her cell, easily breaking it as the sword was forged by priests and made of the strongest and rarest metal known to man.

“Yes beautiful, I’m really here” I choked out as I entered the disgusting cell and knelt before her naked body. I glanced at her, assessing the damage done to her.

I stifled a sob and clenched my hands tight trying to get a hold of myself. It was hard not to throw up as the bile rose in my throat. I cupped my mouth with my hand as I took in the state of her. Dried blood was caked across her back, with infected wounds that hadn’t healed yet, her face was swollen and her jaw angled out of place. As my eyes travelled lower I couldn’t help but let the tears roll down my cheeks at the evidence that still stained her inner thighs. My heart squeezed and my wolf howled in pain at the realization of exactly what she had been through.

“If you’re really here then get these the fuck off me” She mumbled, lifting her wrists up. “Travis is here, in-in another cell. We have to help him.” She groaned.

Moon Goddess, they had chained her with silver cuffs, ones with spikes on the inside that pierced and dug into her skin, so as to never heal and slowly poison her. Silver was one of the worst and constricting poisons to shifters. Once you were bound by silver, your wolf would be trapped and forced into retreat.

I looked up at Tawny and could not mistake the look of remorse and heartache that reflected in her eyes, the same anguish I was feeling, finding Lamia this way. This was what I had feared.

I nodded my head, to no one but myself, trying to find that resolve. It burnt like a son of a bitch and I knew it would, but I managed to break the cuffs from her wrist, not without tearing some of her skin in the process though. The fuckers, that’s how these shackles were designed, to ensure maximum torture and pain. Once, I got the cuffs from her wrists and ankles and reached up to undo the silver-plated collar from her neck. My fingers grazing the raw and raised skin on her neck, when she winced, I pulled my hand back fast. Moving her hair I couldn’t keep my gasp of shock quite as I laid eyes on the wounds. The multiple bite marks over Zane’s mark that were red, purple and infected, with black bruising surrounding them.

No wonder Zane almost clawed his own heart out. This was a horror show, to try and mark an already mated wolf, defiling the moon goddess’ gift.

I wasn’t used to seeing her like this. The tough, fearless, unbreakable girl was nowhere to be seen. In her place sat a weakened, beaten and shadow of that girl.

I mind linked Kellen *we have her*

*Zane and I are on our way* he linked back; I could hear the relief in his voice float through my mind.

*NO!* I yelled back through our link.

I couldn’t let Zane or him see Lamia like that. I wasn’t sure what it would do to their wolves if they saw what had been done to her. Never mind that they whipped her mercilessly and she had open wounds that wouldn’t heal due to the amount of wolfsbane in her system and silver poisoning, but I could smell the seed of several men smeared all over her, their scents heavy on her body. Her inner thighs caked with blood and their release. It was sickening and I had to hold back yet another gag.

*let me get her out of here first, don’t let Uncle Marcus near here either* I told him through the link, trying to hide my discomfort and disgust. I could feel his frustration and concern through the link, but I couldn’t let them see her like that, it would break them. It was breaking me, breaking my heart.

Tawny came beside me, crouching down to her friend, I could smell the tears in her eyes as she pulled a shirt over Lamia’s head.

“Shit, they really did a number on you girl. I’m so sorry” She stammered out, barely holding back the sob caught in her throat. “Mike’s going to get you out of here; you just hang on Lam’s, just hang on.”

“Mike…” she whispered, like she had just realized I was real. “Please don’t tell my dad what they did to me.”

I scooped her up into my arms, careful to not cause her any more discomfort, holding her bridal style and cradling her body close to mine. “We will get him babe, I promise, right now we’re going to take you out of here.”

I quickly linked with my Dad, who was here fighting up top along with the King, only to find out he was already making his way down below. The fighting up top was still in a full-force battle. Silas had just turned up with more rogue wolves and bears and a few were-cats, shifting the numbers to their side.

Lamia looped her arms around my neck and I kissed her forehead as Tawny led the way out.

“I got you girl, I got you” I repeated to her, hoping to give her some comfort.

She suddenly began to cry, sobbing and shaking “I-I can’t feel him, I can’t hear him, th-they kill-killed him.” She cried out, clutching at me harder.

“Shh shh, he’s fine, he is fighting topside and we are winning. Zane is waiting for you, so is Kellen.” I tried to reassure her.

“No, no…” she sobbed “I can’t f-feel the b-baby” she said, her voice quivering.

I halted, as did Tawny in front of me. I could see the anger in Tawny’s eyes, her body was shaking but, like me, she knew now was not the time to display her outrage at our friend's condition. Voicing or showing our concern and obvious displeasure with her state was something that could wait and not something she needed right now.

Right now we just need to get her the fuck out of here.

Goddess, she is with pup, did Zane know? Was it Zane’s? She has been here over a month. My mind was reeling now, tension building as I picked up the pace, anxious to get her out of here. What the fuck had they done to her?

The sounds of feet came hurdling towards us. I saw my father and a few warriors come towards us. Relief that it wasn’t the enemy.

*Alpha Travis is here somewhere, find him* I linked to my father, not wanting to speak loudly, the royal Beta’s eyes cast over Lamia’s trembling form in my arms. The fire that burned from his orbs told me he could see and smell what she had been through.

He nodded and ran down the hall, his group of warriors following him. Tawny and I climbed the stairs back out of the dungeon and into the winding corridors of the crumbling castle, heading for the nearest exit.

*Mike, let me clean her up a little before we take her out of here.* Tawny linked me. She must be thinking along the same lines as me. She didn’t think it was a good idea for Zane or Kellen to see her with the essence of other men and blood between her legs.

Although it wasn’t the most appropriate time to stop and clean up. It had to be done. I would not have our girl shamed any further. We knew all eyes would be on us once we emerged from the castle.

I couldn’t be certain how they would react and the last thing I wanted was for Zane to flip out, and her feel like he was rejecting her. We couldn’t cover their scents up completely. He knew what had happened but we could at least clean the evidence off. Grunting and nodding my head, we turned direction looking for anywhere that might have running water or a washroom. We could at least sit her down and give her a quick wash.

Now she had the sliver off her, I was hoping she would start to heal. I glanced down at her ankles, seeing the bruising start to slowly fade and the wounds from the spikes were looking better. Her wolf was still with her. She would heal fast, a sense of relief washing over me. She may heal physically, but mentally I knew it would take longer.

*****

SILAS (rogue king)

Damn Idiots. I thought to myself.

I was an hour away in wolf form with 200 rogue fighters, planning an attack on the royal pack when I got the link from Oliver. They had found our base camp. The King and his men had stormed the old castle of MacTire and the territory.

I roared in rage when he told me this. I hadn’t expected them to find us and I hadn’t expected my brother to come with numbers either. My wolf was howling for me to rip Alexander’s head off and for us to take our rightful place. He was a weak king, and didn’t deserve the title. He was too lenient, too soft, too feeble. He let the subjects and council walk all over him. No king walks with the people who are meant to serve him, a true king rules and puts the weak in their place. A true king like me, knows my worth and entitlement. All wolves will bow to me.

I was half tempted to carry out my plans, to advance on the royal pack and storm the palace. If I killed the queen, it would weaken him and the royal pack.

I look around at the rogue shifters, who are ready for battle, not curbing my fury or animosity. Instead, fueling my fury, as I address the men and women who are ready to fight for their place; their true king. A bunch of blood-thirsty rogues, who resent the false king and his laws as much as the next. Each wolf is wronged in one way or another by the royal pack or an Alpha loyal to the kingdom.

Each Bear shifter who hates the wolves, each were-cat that is more than happy to sink their claws into a wolf for their own cause, each with their own reason to want to see me rule, to bring back the old ways. One Alpha to rule them all, a king who will rid the packs of Alphas and all will be ruled by one. Me. 

“Listen up!” I began loudly, my wolf coming to the forefront “The false king has brought the fight to us! Right now they are attacking our castle, right now they believe they are better than you!” I raise my hand pointing to the crowd of rogues before me, “the very same people who cast you out because you didn’t conform to their rules! The very same people who think of you as nothing but the rogues and filth you are!” I pause as the murmurs begin.

“For each of you that kill their warriors, and for each of you that fight for me and live, I will make sure you are received and well paid. I will make sure you are a master to as many slaves as you want! Kill the king and his prince and you will be rewarded tenfold!”

The murmurs turned to cheers and I smirked at my pawns. “Now prepare for battle, we go now!” I bellowed.

Truth be told, I couldn’t care less about any of these pieces of shit. I would rather see them hang, then reward them, but it’s what gets them to fight, what they want to believe in and fight for. Let them think they are fighting for a cause; I don’t care what they think as long as they fight beside me.

“Oliver” I beckoned, my voice harsh. I take in his hazel, brown eyes that hold a murderous glint. His thirst for royal blood is evident in his posture.

“Yes you Highness” he quips.

“I need you by my side; you will fight beside me with a few strong men. I can’t very well become king if I die and Alexander will expect my presence on the battle field. You are to protect me, your true king, at all costs. Do you understand?” I commanded.

Oliver held his head high. “Yes your highness, I am confident in our success. We out number them greatly with these men.” He bowed and turned to start barking orders before we set off back to the castle.

“Let’s move out!” I roared, anxious to claim the life and throne of my brother.

An hour later, we find ourselves hurling through the tree lines, into the thick of the battle and just in time. The enemies are slowly winning, splattering the blood of my rogue fighters, the dirt roads in the village are now stained red.

I shake as the hatred for Alexander wracks through my body, consumed with jealousy that he was favored by our father and I was an afterthought, not cared about, disregarded and thrown away like yesterday's trash. My mother was executed by his hand. The throne was stolen by him.

He will die.

The favored and loved son will die by my hands.

I saw the man I loathed the most, the supposed brother who never acknowledged me, the brother who was given everything while I was left to fend for myself. The perfect brother who could do no wrong, the brother who treated everyone but me equally. I hated him, loathed them all and their perfect lives. Loathed that they did not use their power to their full advantage, instead, thought they should be equal and humble. Well, I will take what is mine. What should have always been mine.

Just like I took their precious dire wolf, I was sure she should be dead by now, I had left our little skank whore, Kira, to have her beaten and brutalized until death claimed her. She was of no use to me if she could not be bred and if she could not be bred, then her death was a short coming. I could have no threat to my rise to the throne.

I entered the battle, shifting into my large brown, rust-colored wolf, tearing and clawing at anything that got in my way. Oliver and eight other fighters surrounded me, sending the bears to the front line using their brute strength and savage skills to rip through the invaders.

My wolf craving to spill more blood with each throat we rip out, yearning for the taste of that metallic liquid to fill his jaws with each bite and slash of our claws, preening at his crude hunger for death and destruction. The thought of having as many young girls as we want once we kill Alexander and take our place as the King of wolves, driving him forward with his thirst to kill.

Then, I see him and my wolf howls. He can’t be contained now, he will have his revenge. He will have his day. He will have his blood.