Mated To Magic (Stark Creek Shifters Book 1) by Barb Shuler (free ereaders .TXT) 📕

I lowered my head, my body elongating as I prepared to run. I’d give him a few more steps, I didn’t want to catch and kill him too fast. The son of a bitch deserved to suffer first.

When he disappeared from sight, I sprinted after him. My body glided across the parking lot and into the trees. The underbrush was patchy, but I knew where he was. My nose led me to him. I pushed through the trees and underbrush, moving closer and closer.

He had backed up against a large oak tree, frozen in fear. I stretched myself forward, teeth snapping at his face. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I’d heard that before, but I’ve never really put the two things together. Fear is a mighty weapon. He knew he was going to die, painfully.

“Money. I—I have—money.”

Oh, if it were only that easy! That line may have worked on his crew, but nothing would stop me from disemboweling him inch by inch and eating his heart. There would less of him left than there was of Josh.

I swiped at him with my paw. He rolled, crashing through the underbrush, and slammed against a large maple. The tree shook, causing a few of the birds and small creatures to leave their nests.

I lowered my head and grabbed his leg just above the ankle, preparing to take a bite, when fire locked up my left flank. I bit down on his leg, letting my pain fuel the bite. His scream satisfied me, but only for a moment. I bent my head to the side and snarled. He’d embedded a knife into my flank.

His hand came up and I bit it off, spitting it back at him. He again screamed. It was a sound my wolf and I wanted to bask in. But not yet. We had things to do. My paw raked across his abdomen, multiple times, letting it fall open to the elements. I reached in and grabbed a mouthful of his insides. With a tug, they snapped loose. I made him lay there and watch as I swallowed his liver.

I raked my paw across his sternum, breaking through the bones and sinew. He fell apart faster than a Mr. Potato Head. My head dipped and with a vicious tug, his heart popped out like a grape from a vine. Three chomps of my jaws and it was gone.

I swiped at the carcass one last time before turning and limping back out of the woods. I couldn’t reach the knife embedded in my flank and I couldn’t shift with it in there. If he wasn’t dead, I’d kill him again.

My mood soured as pain raced through me. An Alpha never showed pain; pain was weakness. Weakness could mean a fight to the death by another pack member. Each step hurt, the knife digging deeper into my muscles. It would heal, in time, once the knife was out. I stalked back toward the truck where Ty and Max waited.

“Dalton,” Ty motioned with his hand, “you’re not supposed to keep souvenirs.”

I snarled his direction. He was quick to drop his eyes. Max moved forward, but Ty stopped him.

“He’s got a damn knife in his shoulder!”

“I know that, Max, but if you go near him as he is now, you’ll pull back a nub. His wolf is too close. He’ll just have to suffer for a bit.”

“He won’t hurt me. My wolf has submitted to him.” He pulled free of Ty and moved closer, slowly. My growl stopped him.

“Boss, come on. Let me help you.”

The wolf and I saw he meant well, and I’d have let him help, but the wolf was in pain and not ready to play nice.

“Max, truck, now!” Ty growled. He looked defeated, but he got in. Ty opened the tailgate and stepped back.

“Get in, asshole.”

Twenty minutes later the truck was pulling into the back parking lot. My head was hanging over the side, tongue lolling as I panted through the pain in my left side.

Ty yelled for Kody. The bear came around the corner and whistled. Liam came out of the back door, his hand on Mia’s back, guiding her to me.

My wolf snarled and I struggled to my feet, trying to reign him back.

“Liam, stop touching her. He’s not in control.”

Mia moved to the truck, her brows pinched together. “Stop being an asshole!” she snapped at me.

My lips pulled back and I snarled.

“I will set your ass on fire. Don’t you snarl at me!” She climbed up into the truck and moved closer. I buried my head in her middle, breathing her in. I was so distracted by my mate that I didn’t know she had a grip on the knife until it was free of my body.

The snarl I released had me vibrating as the shift took me.

“Son of a bitch! That hurt, woman.”

“Serves you right.”

I chuckled and pulled her to me, burying my nose in her neck, nipping at the mark I gave her. I needed a few minutes, then we needed to go home. I needed to heal, and I needed my mate to calm my burning nerves.

22

Jayden

My fingernails tapped against the glasses. Tonight had been crazy busy, everyone wanting something the very second they asked for it. Like, bitch, give a girl a minute to breathe. I was not the one to test. Nick had to pull one guy away from the bar before I shoved the Budweiser he was drinking up his ass. Pushy people were one thing, but a drunk pushy person—uh, no. I had no patience for that.

I’d cleaned my end of the bar until it shined, then worked the rest of it to a clean shine. Melody and Nix have been gone for about a half hour, and I was putting off going home. Why? I’m not sure. Being alone sometimes made my anxiety spike with the fear of someone from my past, one of my pride, just strolling in