Cruel Alpha Daddy (Silver Meadows Wolves #4)

Chapter 7 - Rider

When I am sure that Fiona is secure, I turn away from the cabin and look up into the hills. My blood has been burning since I woke up and found her gone, my rage only briefly diluted by fear when I realized Tobias and his goons were tracking her.

Ryan and Donny, two of my close friends, came with me up the mountain and took care of the guys while I got Fiona. I needed backup because I wouldn’t take any chances with her safety. Now that I know no harm can come to her, it’s time to tear those assholes apart.

I take off my clothes and shift, my fiery anger meeting the spirit of the wolf. I am at my most powerful when my intentions are perfectly aligned with my primal nature, and at the moment, I’d tear Tobias limb from limb in any form.

As my paws hit the hard, rocky dirt of the mountain, my soul surges with an energy that isn’t just rage. The kiss I just shared with Fiona fired me up in a completely different way. It was so unexpected that my boundaries came crashing down, and I gave in to her.

I’ve been so careful not to threaten her. I don’t want her to be afraid of me… or think I’d take anything from her that wasn’t freely given.

When she recoiled from me and ran, I wasn’t surprised. I don’t know what came over her for those few brief minutes, but it was clearly a momentary lapse.

Maybe just stress, I don’t know. She certainly doesn’t love me, and why should she?

I put more speed into my run, forcing my muscles to work harder as I leap up the hill. Before long, I’m cresting the peak and charging downhill, now only a couple of miles from camp. My lips curl back from my teeth as I think about what I’m going to do to Tobias when I get there.

I’m going to rip his throat out! I can't wait to feel his skin break under my teeth, the wash of warm red blood across my face as he gives up his life to me.

As I hit the track that leads to the camp, I throw back my head and howl. I’m answered immediately by three others, and I know them by voice—Ryan, Donny, and Tucker.

They meet me at the top end of camp. My long run has had no effect at all on my fury. If anything, I’m angrier now than I was before.

I shift in one smooth movement, barely slowing down as I approach my pack brothers. “Where is he?” I growl.

Ryan steps forward, one of his hands up to stop me. “Easy, brother, he’s not here.”

I stare at him as the words sink in. “What?”

“We chased them back into camp, but before we could apprehend them, they took off. I heard their bikes from some distance away, so they must have gone to town.”

“Fuck!” I roar, clenching my fists and stepping away. I’m boiling over with murderous fury right now, and I know I’d strike out at any of my brothers at the slightest touch.

I have to rip something apart—soon!

“How is our luna?” asks Tucker. “She’s not with you?”

I take a deep breath and hold it for a second, waiting for my muscles to relax a little before I turn back to face my brothers.

“I have her secured in a cabin up at the old mining town. You know, the one we scouted a couple of weeks ago?”

“Yes, I know the one,” Ryan answers, nodding.

“Okay. I want you to strike camp and get all of the pack up there. Move into the buildings and set it up. Keep an eye on my cabin and do not let Fiona out of there, do you understand?”

“Yeah, boss, I understand,” Ryan says. “But what are you going to do?”

“I’m going after Tobias,” I growl, glaring at the mountain on the other side of camp. Not far is a foot track leading to the main road, where they keep their bikes. They have a head start on me, but that’s not going to matter, because I’ll hunt them down no matter how far they run.

And they won’t run. They’ll go to Sawpit and stay there in that filthy biker bar, waiting for me. They think they’ve seen the worst of me. They have no idea of the hell I’m about to unleash on them.

“Alone?” Donny asks. “We should come with you.”

“You’ll have enough to do, moving the camp,” I mutter, barely even acknowledging him. “I want all of you up there by sunrise. I’m going to Sawpit.”

“Rider, wait—” Ryan says, reaching out to me.

I brush him away and start walking, taking long strides towards the far hill. It’s as if I can feel Tobias ahead of me, my rage a white-hot thread joining us together, drawing me to him.

As I hit the bottom of the mountain, I shift. The wolf takes over, blasting every last scrap of humanity from my heart. All I am is rage and power. A being of pure, primal force.

Memories from this morning tumble through my mind, making me even angrier. I can see the fear in Fiona’s blue eyes, smell her terror. When I remember how they crowded around her, touching her, I can’t hold in the roar of fury that builds in my chest and bursts from my throat. All around me, small creatures scurry out of the way and clear a path.

Don’t fear, little ones. I’m not hunting you.

I come down the mountain, not even slowing down as my paws hit the hard surface of the road. Not far ahead, there’s a campground where we keep a few trucks and supplies. I cross the distance in minutes, and as I slow down by the vehicles, I have to wrestle with my wolf a little to shift back. My deepest primal urges don’t want to give up control. Fury is still running hot in my blood, as if I have lava in my veins. With an effort of extreme will, I force myself into my human shape and stop by my old pickup truck to put on some clothes.

Taking slow breaths to calm my mind, I get in the truck and gun it to Sawpit. My rage is still simmering, but now I’m in full control.

Good. I won’t kill him too quickly. Now I’m calm enough to really drag it out.

Sawpit is tiny, and the only lights on are in the little bar at the end of town. This was the hub of Sawpit Pack long before Jethro. It has remained the only connection to the outside world of humans the pack has.

I walk quietly along the front porch, slipping through the sliding door. It’s dark and smoky inside, with people sitting at most of the tables. I can smell Tobias, so I know he’s in here, even if I can’t see him yet.

I’m about to announce my presence with a roar of fury when a nearby conversation catches my attention.

“Did you hear about that missing woman from Silver Meadows?”

“No, I didn’t. Does it have something to do with Sawpit?”

“Damn right it does. The biker guys… they went looking for a bit of trouble and kidnapped some girl they found in the forest.”

“Shiiit,” the older guy drawls. “That’s all we need.”

I don’t want to draw attention to myself, so I don’t break in on the conversation, I just listen. It’s Scotty and Frank, two extremely old wolves that have been around Sawpit even longer than the psycho alpha Bailey killed.

“All I know is what I heard,” Scotty says. “I didn’t believe it at first, but tonight Tobias was bragging, so it’s true. Well, some of it, anyway.”

Frank pauses and looks across the bar into a dark corner. Tobias and his gang must be sitting over there.

“Who did you hear it from?” Frank asks.

“Eh,” Scotty answers. “I talk to a lot of people, you know that. The only information I have is that Alpha Bailey has started to suspect we were behind it, and he’s thinking of coming up here to track her.”

“And we know for sure Tobias did it,” Frank says softly. “We could be fucked.”

That’s it.

“Tobias!” I roar, shattering the quiet with my voice. The entire bar falls silent. Some people even scuttle out of their chairs to get away from me.

“Well, well, little pup,” Tobias says, coming out of the shadows. He grins at me, cracking his knuckles. “Finally, come to nip my ankles, then?”

“Square up, motherfucker,” I mutter. “And kiss your ass goodbye.”

“Oh, check him out,” Tobias mocks. “Got himself all riled up! It’s a sweet little picture, isn’t it, boys?”

Behind him, his cronies appear. Russ, Gage, Jace, and Dave. They followed Jethro’s philosophy, and Elton’s before him.

Ever since Jethro died, they have been plotting against me.

“Not only did you touch my mate and assault your luna,” I hiss at him, “you have insulted Silver Meadows Pack, an alliance that I worked hard to achieve. You are a criminal, Tobias, and an enemy to your own pack.”

“Oh, fuck Bailey and his pretty boy face!” Tobias snaps. “That preppy pup couldn’t take me on even on his best day.”

I grin, shaking my head. “So, you must have been blind, dumb, and deaf when you saw him slaughter Elton?”

Tobias glares at me. “I don’t care who he’s killed. He’ll know his worth when he goes up against me, that’s for sure.”

“You’re fucking delusional,” I mutter.

“No, I think you are!” Tobias yells. “I’m sick of your cowardly, pissant ways. Where’s this luna of yours? Why didn’t you bring her down with you? My boys are still hungry for her, you know.”

“Be careful, Tobias,” I growl.

“Why?” Tobias laughs. “So far, you don’t even have the guts to take her yourself. These mountain weddings should be consummated immediately, and I can tell by the scent of you that you haven’t fucked her yet. Maybe she’s too feisty for you? All the more reason to let us tenderize her.”

My fury is so hot I can barely see. My hands are clenched into tight fists as I stare at Tobias.

He takes a step towards me and leans forward, talking so quietly that I have to strain to hear him.

“Almost sank it right into her this morning,” he whispers. “Her soft crack was right there at the end of me. I could feel her squirming on my cock, ready for me to stab her with it. I think she kinda wanted me to.”

The world around me blurs, and only Tobias is in focus. I leap towards him so fast that I don’t even feel myself move. My hands wrap around his throat as I crash into him, and both of us hit the floor.

He’s bigger and heavier than me, so when he throws his weight to the side, we roll across the floor of the bar. He comes out on top and punches me in the face, but I manage to flick my leg up and throw him off me.

We both jump to our feet and begin to circle. I can feel blood dripping from my nose, but I ignore it, keeping my eyes on Tobias.

When he finally leaps, I step forward, ready to use the momentum to throw him on the ground, but at the last second, I see a knife in his hand. Twisting out of the way, I barely stay free of the blade.

Tobias lunges for me again, and I grab his arm, squeezing it until he lets go of the knife. We struggle against each other for a few seconds, growling and glaring as we twist and wrestle. I gather my strength and shove into him as hard as I can, making him stumble and fall to the floor.

I grab a chair and bring it down on his head. It breaks, so I take one of the sturdy legs and belt Tobias with it, over and over again. The first hit must have stunned him, and by now, he’s definitely unconscious.

Stop, or you’ll kill him!

I don’t fucking care if I do.

Something hits me from behind, and I smash into the floor, a heavy weight on top of me. An arm goes around my throat, and I see darkness creeping into the edges of my vision. I manage to struggle free and start wrestling with the person on my back, finally managing to roll away and stand up.

In front of me, Russ, Gage, Jace, and Dave have formed a line next to Tobias’s unconscious body. Russ has a broken bottle in his hand, and they begin to advance on me.

“Bring it on, fuckers,” I mutter, crouching down a little, ready to spring.

“Yeah, bring it on!” a loud voice calls from behind me.

I look around, surprised to see quite a few pack members have taken my side. Scotty and Frank are there, both of them wielding pool cues. On either side of them are a couple of other wolves I hadn’t noticed before, all of them backing me up.

When I turn around, the guys are backing away. Russ grabs Tobias’s shoulders and starts dragging him along with them.

“Go, now,” I growl at them. “I won’t kick you out of the pack yet, because I believe everyone deserves redemption, but you are extremely close to being torn apart by your own brothers. Do you understand?”

“We hear you,” Russ growls.

But even though they appear to agree with me, I can tell by the looks on their faces that this is far from over.