Her Fierce Wolf (Marked By The Moon Book 2) Page 8

  Gwen and Julie both hugged her, doing their best to comfort her.

  “It’s like you said,” Julie spoke softly. “The Moon must want you and Derek together for a reason. It knew about Derek’s resistance, but it wants the two of you together regardless. It couldn’t wait for you and Derek to come to terms on your own. It might not have happened from the sound of it. So, the Moon used Derek’s instincts to claim you and create a bond, a Lunas Sigil, to tie you both together.”

  Julie brushed her fingers across the back of Willow’s neck, reminding Willow of the mark she needed no reminding of.

  “I don’t want to be mated to someone who doesn’t want me,” Willow blubbered.

  “There’s a reason for this,” Julie said firmly.

  “I think Julie is right, Willow,” Gwen agreed. “But I’m sorry it happened like this. I’m here to support you, sister. Any choice you make, I’ll back up. Moon or no Moon, this is your choice.”

  Julie was silent for a moment. Then she said, “I don’t believe Fated Mates are a choice. The Moon wants you and Derek together.”

  “Even if he treats her badly?” Gwen growled.

  Julie whispered, “It will work out.”

  “How?” Willow lamented.

  “I wish I could tell you, but you can’t lose heart now. This is what you’ve been waiting for, Willow. You’re lucky enough to have a Fated Mate.”

  “Fated Mate? Lose heart? I lost my heart the day Casey left me, Julie. No one will ever love me. I will never have a real mate, let alone a Fated Mate. I’m fucking broken.”

  Julie flinched away from Willow and brought her hands to her lap. “It’s going to work out.”

  Willow wondered if she was saying that to convince her or if she was trying to convince herself.

  “Get dressed,” Nick, apparently Willow’s brother, ordered as he tossed a white t-shirt and a pair of gray sweats at Derek.

  Derek started dressing right there in the fucking huge grand foyer of the mansion he was escorted to. He didn’t know what kind of money this weird tiny town had, but it was obviously good money if they could afford to live like this. He glanced at the other wolf that came with them, a smaller one, not so aggressive. He hardly noticed him because of that. Nick was the problem.

  Derek didn’t like being told what to do, but he was in a town full of wolf shifters and couldn’t afford another round of trouble. He was exhausted since he hadn’t gotten any sleep. What he needed was a safe place to lie down and catch a few z’s before hitting the road again.

  He was hella pissed about this though. Forget the others, he didn’t like this Nick guy one bit. He was constantly on edge, waiting for the equally huge wolf shifter to lay into him. He knew he wanted to. He wasn’t hiding his aggression. Derek hoped he’d give in and do it so he could knock him down to size.

  “You claimed my sister,” Nick accused, practically spitting out the words.

  Derek blinked away the spitting rage. He was cool as ice right now. Kudos to him.

  That’s right, Derek. Keep your head, and you’ll be out of here fast. This is no time to go flying off the handle. You got this.

  “I didn’t mean to claim her,” Derek replied honestly.

  “You didn’t mean to?!” Nick roared.

  “Look, I didn’t even know what claiming was until tonight.”

  Nick did a poor job of hiding his canines as he tried to calm himself; Derek wouldn’t have been surprised if he had grabbed one of those expensive looking vases and thrown it across the floor with the fit he was throwing. The other wolf, Casey, was standing safely away from them with his arms folded, observing.

  “How long have you been a wolf?” Nick asked.

  “Your sister asked me that same question. What does it matter anyway?”

  “It matters.”

  Derek shrugged. What did it matter if he told this wolf what age he first found his wolf? It didn’t. “Fourteen. I figured out I was a wolf shifter when I was fourteen.”

  “How old are you?”

  Derek glared. “Twenty-five.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Nowhere, man. Okay? I’m not from anywhere. I’m a fucking nomad.” Derek was getting fed up with all of the questions. His patience was running thin. His cool head was fading.

  Nick frowned. “What about this woman Willow was talking about? You fuck her and run too? Is that how you stole from her?”

  “Pretty sure that’s none of your damn business.”

  “Are you that fucking selfish? You hurt my sister. She brought you here to protect you and put every wolf here in danger from the sound of it. What did you say, Casey? That this woman sounds like a ‘shifter collector?’”

  “That’s what I said,” Casey replied apprehensively.

  “I don’t know much about her other than her name which is Erin Smith. She’s loaded. She’s got shifter bodyguards that act like zombies and can’t seem to feel pain. That’s all I know,” Derek retorted. “She said she wanted me to work for her. She apparently has a thing for ripped shifter guys. She was the one who took me to bed. She picked me first, and she’s kind of wild. She’s into the whole big dominant male role play shit. Who’s better suited to fill that role than a big shifter guy? I mean, that sounds like shifter collecting to me. I’d listen to your adviser. It sounds like he knows more about what’s going on than anyone else.” Derek gestured to Casey.

  Casey grimaced. “Definitely a shifter collector. It’s bad news. Shifter collectors all have their different reasons. It sounds like this one, this Erin Smith, is into sex slaves because I promise these shifters aren’t doing this willingly.”

  “How is that possible?” Nick asked. “Shifters can’t be overpowered by a human woman. She is human, right?”

  Derek nodded, bored. “I think your sister would have mentioned she wasn’t if that were the case.”

  Nick snarled, unamused with Derek’s snarky attitude.

  “It’s possible,” Casey mused. “You said these shifters acted like zombies. You said they couldn’t feel pain. Were their eyes glassed over?”

  “Yep. They were all kinds of blitzed out,” Derek replied.

  “Witches,” Casey concluded. “They have the power to strip shifters of their free will. They’re the biggest patrons to this shifter collecting business, otherwise collectors have to torture and condition their shifters which doesn’t always work out. Witches make collecting a lot easier.”

  “What?” Nick asked flatly. “I’ve never heard of this.”

  “You wouldn’t have. It’s only because I’ve been away from Moonwatch for so long that I’ve learned way more about the world and what’s out there. Specifically, I have a friend who’s a part of Trinity, the biggest shifter alliance there is. Her name is Isabelle. She’s the one who taught me all this stuff. Speaking of Isabelle and Trinity, it might be a good idea to ask for their help. I don’t know how to deal with shifter collectors or witches and neither do you.”

  “You’re that concerned?” Nick asked.

  “Honestly, yes.”

  Nick sighed. He cracked his neck and closed his eyes for a moment as if to mull this new information over in his head. “What is Trinity exactly?”

  “A bunch of shifters of all types and from all backgrounds. Moon. Earth. Sun. They’re open minded, intent on helping any shifter who needs it. They're about balance and unity. They want to safely out shifters to the world and stop all this trouble with witches.”

  Nick scowled. “Earth? Sun? You’re a part of this group?”

  Casey shook his head. “Not exactly.”

  “But you associate with them.”

  “Yes. I can vouch for them too. If you’ll allow it, I’ll call Isabelle and tell her the situation. I’m sure she’ll send us backup.”

  “What will Blue Pack owe her? Or this Trinity thing.”

  Casey shrugged. “Nothing. Trinity doesn’t work on demanding favors. It’s more about helping up front and hoping for a return someday. I
think it’s smart. I think it’s how they have so much shifter support.”

  “Strange,” Nick muttered. “Who runs it?”

  “Three Alphas. They’re called the Celestial Alphas.” Casey grinned. “You have a lot to learn, Nick.”

  “Wow, this is fucking great,” Derek mocked, tired of the current conversation. “How about I just get out of your ass now? I’m glad I could help or whatever. You’re welcome.”

  Nick glowered at him and growled, “You did anything but help.”

  Derek’s eyes burned. The wolf in him was itching to go. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to hold himself back. He had enough of this self-righteous prick judging him and looking down on him. He didn’t know the first thing about him.

  “You have no fucking right to judge me,” Derek stated.

  “I don’t?” Nick feigned surprise. “Not even after you violently assaulted my sister?”

  “She wanted me! She practically begged me to fuck her!”

  Casey darted back just as Nick punched Derek square in the jaw. Derek stumbled back with the force of the blow. That one hit told him Nick was one of the strongest shifters he had ever met.

  Derek roared as he lunged at Nick, swinging his own fist. Nick dodged the first blow, but Derek expected him to. He twisted around Nick and launched his other fist, hitting Nick square in the jaw. It was an eye for an eye kind of deal. Nick didn’t stumble back like Derek had since he wasn’t taken by surprise. He was already lost in the heat of the fight and reacted quickly. He rammed his shoulder into Derek’s chest, knocking the air out of him as he shoved him into a polished burgundy wood stand that held a fancy vase. The vase didn’t stand a chance and shattered on the equally polished wood floor.

  It took an immense amount of effort for Derek to push the beast of a shifter off of him, putting the two of them on equal footing once again. They mirrored each other as they wiped blood from their lips. Both of them were already forming bruises near their chins.

  The alpha wolves charged for each other again at the same time. Derek hit Nick under his ribcage and dug in his knuckles. Nick grunted in pain, but he managed to lock his arms around Derek’s neck. He was holding on so tight, Derek couldn’t reach down to bite him. He was rapidly losing his strength since he couldn’t get any air. He couldn’t trip Nick because his stance was too solid. This wolf knew how to fight. Derek’s vision was blotchy. He was going to pass out.

  Right before he could slip into unconsciousness, Nick released him. Derek fell onto the floor, coughing violently. When he could speak again, he spoke between gasping breaths, “I didn’t mean to bite her. Especially, not like that. This mark thing. This thing on the back of my neck. Does it really mean me and Willow are mates? Isn’t there any way to get rid of it?”

  “It’s called a Lunas Sigil,” Nick said. Then he fell silent.

  Derek craned his neck to look up at him. He wore a frown on his face, and he was staring off, lost in his head. Apparently, he didn’t want to talk about this anymore.

  Nick spoke to Derek, but he stared at the vase shattered on the floor, “You’re staying here. You can sleep in one of the guest rooms for a few hours. But you can’t leave, so don’t even think about it.”

  Nick tore his eyes from the vase, giving Derek his full attention. “Get up. I’ll show you your room. Casey, we’ll talk more about Trinity when I get back.”

  Derek forced himself off the ground. Fuck Nick and his dumb wolves. He’d get out of this place as soon as he was rested.

  Silence ensued as Nick led the way up the stairs and past several rooms before opening a door and presenting a crisp, unused bedroom. If not for the homey feeling of the burgundy wood used throughout the entire mansion, the room would have been completely unwelcoming and without personality. It was those little wolf carvings in the wood that gave the place its personality. Were these shifters proud wolves or what?

  Derek scoffed. Nick left him standing in the doorway.

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Derek felt a static shock of electricity bite his fingertips. The sensation grew stronger as he itched harder. Then it faded completely.

  “This fucking bites,” he muttered as he walked into the room and shut the door behind him.

  He walked up to the bed and ran his fingers across one of the wooden wolves making up the bed posters. He tore off the plain white t-shirt Nick threw at him earlier; based on the temperature inside the mansion, he was going to be way too hot if he slept with it on. Then he plopped down on the mattress. It was ridiculously comfortable. He closed his eyes and let it form to his body.

  When he woke up, he’d find a way out of this place and leave the nightmare behind. He’d leave Willow behind and eventually that mark on the back of his neck would stop bothering him so much. He’d go back to Boise to reclaim his bike if he could manage it. That was one possession he didn’t want to let go of. But if he had to, he had to. He’d survive. He always did.

  Chapter 8

  IT WAS RELEASE DAY. This was the end of Derek’s first time in juvie. He had received many warnings over and over again from his school about how he needed to clean up his act or he’d end up getting in trouble. He didn’t, and he did. But things didn’t work out the way he had hoped. The fact that James, his “stepdad,” was there to pick him up was proof enough that his desperate cry for help hadn’t worked.

  She never spoke up. She never told the truth.

  “There you are, kid,” his stepdad said. “Been waiting for you to get out so we can put all of this behind us like a family.” He was acting cordial because he was in public, and there was a cop standing right next to Derek. That was how the asshole operated. He knew how to deceive people, and he did it well. Especially when it came to Derek’s own mother.

  But Derek knew the truth. James was a piece of shit human being.

  “Keep a good eye on him,” the cop said as he handed Derek over to the man who was really the problem here. James was the one who needed someone keeping a good eye on him. Unfortunately, fourteen-year-old Derek was the only viable candidate.

  He knew it was scary, but if his mother would have spoken up with him against the abusive man in their house, he was certain they’d be better off. He believed in the justice system to some degree. He had to. It was his only hope of ever getting rid of James.

  James put his bony hand around Derek’s arm in a fake embrace as he led him out of the building. They were silent as James took them to his old rust bucket truck. Derek would have caused a scene, but he knew better than to do that. He had tried it before, and his mother always ended up being the one that got hurt for it. James had this way of getting people to believe it was all Derek acting out. And his mother never backed him up. If she had the courage to, just once, he knew they would be free.

  The trouble now was getting her to realize that.

  Derek hopped into the truck and slammed the door hard to make sure it shut. Once James was in the driver’s seat and his door was safely closed, he gave Derek his wild death glare.

  “The fuck you trying to do, bastard?” he demanded. “You’re way more trouble than you’re worth, ya know? I keep telling your damn mother she should ship you off somewhere and be done with your spoiled ass, but she never does it. She says we don’t have the money. But come fucking on. How hard can it be to put a kid like you up for adoption or something?”

  Derek stared out the window. He knew better than to talk back to the deranged maniac. It wasn’t that he was afraid of getting hurt. It was for his mother’s sake. He hoped this last stunt of his hadn’t resulted in her being hurt too badly. He clenched his teeth. If she had spoken up, said Derek wasn’t in the wrong, then everything would have been fine right now.

  Derek jumped out of the truck before they were fully pulled into the broken concrete driveway of their sad, run-down house. James cursed him out, but Derek didn’t care. He wanted to see his mother. He looked up when he heard the front door screeching open. His mother poked her head out. He saw t
he relief in her eyes, love. She was the one person in this world who loved him. And she was the only person he loved. He was estranged from everyone at school because he was supposedly this dangerous delinquent—thanks to James.

  Breaking into a sprint, Derek ran to his mother. She welcomed him with open arms and hugged him. He hugged her back fiercely but softened his touch considerably when she let out a little whimper. She was bruised again in places covered by her clothes. She was always bruised. James always said it was Derek’s fault, but even if Derek was as quiet and good as he could be, James still took his mother into their room and made her scream. And hurt her.

  When Derek was little, all he could do was cry in a corner and wait for it to stop. As he got older, he tried to do something about it. A few weeks ago he succeeded in breaking into the bedroom. He broke through the damn lock because he kept slamming into the door and wouldn’t stop as he heard his mother’s screams. There was a rage growing inside of him with each passing day. He was on the verge of exploding. When he made it inside, he stopped cold. What he saw in there changed him forever. His mother was naked. He could see the bruises all over her body. James was humping her, digging his dirty nails into her thighs, ignoring her pleas for him to stop.

  Derek lost it. He ran at James with a lamp, but the bastard was too quick and strong for Derek—even though he wasn’t a small fourteen-year-old boy. He caught Derek and threw him into his own small bedroom, locking him inside. Eventually, Derek got out, breaking through that door too. Then he got a hold of the phone. He called the police. When they arrived, James turned everything around. He had Derek’s mother dressed, and a whole story planned about how Derek was out of control. He showed a broken lamp, saying Derek tried to assault him unprovoked. Derek’s mother didn’t say anything, but her silence was an admission. The cops assumed she was on James’s side, but Derek refused to believe that.