Page 21 of Into the Dawn (The Devil’s Claw #3)
21
BEN
W hile I stand there, my beast's fur brushing the inside of my skin, I know he's about to burst free any second. The primal energy coursing through my veins demands release, begging to protect what's mine. I go to take a step forward, at this point, beyond caring about strategising or coming up with a cunning plan. I’m more focused on getting my mate away from these men than the consequences of my actions.
Attention focused entirely on Vanessa, I don’t notice Jed slipping his hand behind me. When I feel a tiny prick in my back, nothing more than a small pinch, I snarl at him, immediately knowing what he’s done.
The effect is instantaneous, like a door slamming shut inside my mind, locking my enhanced abilities down. My beast withdraws, forced into dormancy by whatever chemical cocktail just entered my system.
I turn and stare in disgust as Jed waves a syringe in the air with a smug look on his stupid face. The empty vial gleams in the firelight.
"These idiots might not use any means necessary to ensure victory, but I will. A real leader needs brains as well as muscle." His voice drips with self-satisfaction, knowing he's found a way to neutralise the biggest threat to his position in the clan, but in a way that nobody here would respect.
Rusty's gaze flicks to us, ever so briefly, and I see the look of disdain that flashes across his face before he returns to staring at the lineup in front of him. He's not pleased. It's a dishonourable act, and even though Rusty is hardly a paragon of ethics, he prides himself on being strong and able to defend his role as leader if he needs to.
The old guard might embrace violence, but they still believe in letting beasts settle things the natural way: by tooth and claw. To shifters, a fair fight is a point of pride. And right now, Rusty is not proud of his son.
"It's not permanent, but you should start to feel the side effects immediately. It's just a little something to calm you down, to keep the animal inside you contained, to make this all go a little bit smoother. For me, that is. It's going to make this all very frustrating for you, though," he says with a dark laugh.
The chemical smell of the drug mingles with the wood smoke, making my head spin. My vision blurs, and the world before me tilts as my balance begins to falter.
Jed's beady eyes return to Vanessa, who’s standing bravely in front of her row of suitors, trying to pretend as best she can, that she's willingly going along with her father's plans for her.
My knees shake while I struggle to stay on my feet as the drugs Jed’s pushed into my system start to flow through my bloodstream, weakening me. Whatever he used, it's potent stuff.
It's pure stubbornness keeping me standing. I won't fail her. The mate bond between us pulses weakly, like a fading radio signal, but it's enough to keep me conscious.
"You coward." I growl at him right before my beast disappears into the very back of my mind, trapped in the darkness, despite his eagerness to stay here with our mate and protect her.
The separation is like having part of my soul ripped away, leaving me hollow and vulnerable. I can’t remember the last time he wasn’t with me, like a best friend there to support you at every turn. It’s like missing a limb.
Looks like I’m really on my own now.
The first man steps forward, looking Vanessa over from head to toe with appreciation.
Immediately, I hate him. I might be drugged, but the instinct to protect my mate runs deeper than chemistry. It’s not just the beast who wants to destroy anyone who dares touch her.
Vanessa gives me a warning glance, our tenuous connection still strong enough for her to sense my rage. Begrudgingly, I have to admit, she's right. This might not be how we pictured it, but the three of us here together are no longer locked up. We'll take our chance when it arises.
I will my body to metabolise the drugs faster and clear them from my system. I won’t be able to do this as just a man.
"Vanessa has decided she wants a baby," Rusty says. "Is that something you're willing to go along with, Troy? Because I want grandkids. Soon. Someone has to carry on my legacy."
Jed bristles beside me at the subtle dig that it won't be him. Clan politics are as clear as ever. Rusty's looking for a plan B, or maybe, even a new plan A, someone stronger than his own blood to lead the next generation.
Troy raises one eyebrow and reaches out a callused hand to brush Vanessa's hair back from her face, which makes me want to vomit. The sight of another male touching my mate causes a red mist to descend over my vision, but with a wave of her fingers, she tells me to stay put. Even without my beast, possessive rage burns hot.
I do as she asks, though. I trust her. I trust that she's able to handle this, but still, in the back of my mind, there’s a nagging fear that we're in too weak a position to stop whatever is about to happen, especially now. But Vanessa doesn't know my beast is gone, so she's counting on backup that no longer exists.
"Last time I asked you out, Vanessa, you told me you wouldn't go near me if I was the last man on earth," Troy says. "You still feel that way?"
Delighted by her previous rejection of the big shifter, I snort, but he doesn't pay me any attention, his eyes glued to her pretty face.
I can't blame him.
With the firelight dancing behind her, and that thin summer dress showing off the incredible figure she's kept hidden from these men for years, she's stunning.
The moon overhead only enhances her natural beauty, making her skin glow.
Vanessa's lips press into a thin line. I can tell it takes every ounce of her willpower not to tell him she still wouldn't go near him with a ten-foot barge pole, and to please fuck off. Instead, she plays the dutiful, submissive daughter, glancing at her father almost for permission to answer, before turning her megawatt smile on the potential suitor in front of her, a smile that should only be reserved for me.
"That was before, Troy," she says, working her considerable charm on him, reaching her fingers out to brush his chest in a way that makes me want to murder someone. “I know what I want now. I was young and foolish before. I let my head be turned by a man I should have seen through. But Dad's right, I belong here, and if I want to start a family, I need to find someone who knows what my life is like, who understands where I've come from and can get along with my family. Someone who belongs in this clan, maybe even at the head of it someday."
Oh, she's clever, I think to myself. Playing right into the clan mentality, appealing to their need for tradition and hierarchy.
“Fuck this,” Jed mutters, shifting his weight from foot to foot in agitation, struggling to heed his father’s glare of warning to keep his mouth shut.
Troy glances at Rusty then gives him a nod of respect and extends a hand to shake his, basically saying he'll do whatever her father says to become part of her family and clan leadership.
Vanessa is playing up to every beast's deepest desire—to be the boss—and he's lapping it up. They both are. The scent of their ambition is thick in the air, almost masking the underlying current of fear and violence.
In all fairness to Troy, when he releases Rusty's hand, he takes a step back and gives Vanessa her space.
"I always liked you, Vanessa. Some of the guys here are gonna try to disrespect you, but I'm not like that. Your mother has always been good to me. So I'm hoping your father can see that I'm the right man for the job in all ways, and that I'll do what he says, but also, I’ll treat his baby girl like a man should treat his wife. Once you toe the line, that is. I expect you to obey me and give me pups, but I'm not gonna beat you or humiliate you unless you step out of line."
It's not exactly flowers and romance, but in this situation, it's probably as good as she’s gonna get. He won't kick the shit out of her or assault her, provided she gives him what he wants. As ridiculous as it sounds, it makes me a little less inclined to kill him. At least, he's showing a basic level of decency, which is more than I expected.
Because I doubt any of the others are going to be as reasonable.
Vanessa tips her head in acknowledgment and lets out a sigh of relief, giving him a small smile. She glances at her father, hoping to see a look of approval, but instead, Rusty merely looks suspicious. His nostrils flare slightly. He can probably smell the fear she's trying so hard to hide. It looks like the search will continue.
My gut clenches when I see the next man step up, far cockier and more aggressive, with a cruel gleam in his eye. I know evil when I see it, and this man radiates a fucked-up vibe. Even without my beast's enhanced senses, I can tell this one's dangerous. Considering the way he moves and the predatory focus in his eyes, he's not here to play nice.
There's no preamble. He stretches out one meaty hand and yanks Vanessa closer, his body pressing against hers, as he runs his dirty fingers down her back. The overly familiar display makes my blood boil, but the drugs keep me rooted in place, unable to respond to the challenge.
"I'm not a pussy like Troy here. I know what I want, and I'm not gonna put up with any of your shit. I remember you, Vanessa. You're not fooling me with this, ‘good girl bowing down to her daddy’ bullshit, but I can deal with your feistiness, lurking underneath. When it resurfaces, I think I'll enjoy putting you in your place."
Chuck pauses, a disgusting smirk on his face. "But before any of that, I want to see what you've got."
My heart sinks into my stomach and bile burns up the inside of my throat. The drugs might be suppressing my beast, but they can't suppress the horror of what's about to happen.
Vanessa blinks hard at the man standing in front of her expectantly, her composure finally starting to crack.
"Chuck, what are you suggesting?" Her voice is tentative as she clings to the hope that he's not saying what she thinks he is. Or hoping he's not. But we all know what he means.
Jed takes a step forward beside me, his delight evident in his expression as he realizes exactly what Chuck has in mind for Vanessa.
Rusty takes a step back, leaving his daughter to her fate. He’s not going to intervene.
What kind of father hands his daughter over to a man like that? It's beyond me. If I had a child, I'd die rather than let what Chuck has planned for her unfold.
He runs his fingers roughly into Vanessa's hair and tugs her head back hard, so she's forced to angle her neck awkwardly to look up at him. The display of dominance is deliberate, designed to show everyone who's in charge.
Without my beast, I can't even growl a warning. “Hey! Get your hands off her,” I shout, my words coming out slurred and unclear.
Chuck barely glances in my direction, Vanessa’s tantalising scent seemingly keeping him entranced.
“You smell so fucking good. I never noticed that before… but damn, that’s delicious.”
His other hand goes to his belt, the jingle as he opens it is like fireworks going off in my brain. The sound seems to echo across the clearing, drawing everyone's attention. Some look away in shame, while others lean forward in anticipation.
Their clan's true nature is on full display tonight.
"I'm saying I want you to get on your knees and show me what you can do. And you better fucking impress me, Vanessa, or you're gonna have to do it over and over again until I'm satisfied, if you know what I mean."