The next day I was back to being my old gloomy self. Grant took me to the packhouse, and try to get me involved in their daily routine again. But then every corner of the packhouse still reminded me of Don.
“You still can’t make yourself at home here at the packhouse again, can’t you?” Grey asked me after Grant leave us, to meet their newest pack member.
“I’m trying Grey, but it’s hard. So, who’s the new girl? She looked like she had been living on the street. She’s so skinny.”
“That’s June. She a disaster waiting to happen, she ran away from her pack after her mate was brutally killed by one of their own. She’s seeking shelter here.”
“She’s very odd, she has beautiful odd skin and hair, she looked like one of those fairy creatures that my coven would work with.”
“Yeah? Well, I don’t know anything about that, maybe you could talk to her when she’s finished with Grant. I think he has a crush on her though.” Grey smirked knowingly.
I slapped his shoulder playfully, he has always been into everyone else’s business and not caring for his own.
“One of these days Grey, that snooping around will get you into trouble.” I joked and smile with him. He could always make me feel better whenever I was down. I suspect this was also the reason why Grant hadn’t send him out on a task.
“You’re here to babysit me aren’t you?”
“Maybe, but I’m not complaining. Are you? Or would you rather accompany by Laurie and Robbie? Honestly, Laurie is too sad for my taste, and Robbie… I think that guy likes you. I mean if you rather have that buffed and serious guy around than me…”
Grey was teasing me, making me laugh again. It has been a while and I was truly glad that he was there for me. He spent the day with me, talking about how Grant has been handling the pack since Don. I would drift off thinking about Ranulf in between our conversation, and Grey would notice.
“You really do love him don’t you?”
“Is it that noticeable?”
“Not really, but I’ve known you too well already.”
“I told you guys last night that I do love him, but I don’t know. Is this the right thing for me to do right now? He said he loves me, that he’d try… but still…”
Grey was being the sweet man that he is. I still couldn’t understand, how he hasn’t met his mate up to today. Surely his good deeds exceeded, and the Gods would favor his happiness.
“Look, you’re here. You will wait for him here, I have a feeling that he would turn this place upside down looking for you.”
And clearly Grey was right. That night we were having a bonfire after enjoying our pack family meal when the loud sound of a thunderous crack was heard. The majestic black wings were visible, as the silhouette came towards us.
“He does know how to make an entrance,” Grey said as he gave my beer. We were unwinding in front of the bonfire like we would do every weekend.
“He does, I guess I should go to him…” I was about to get up and greeted him when Grey pulled my hand and told me to sit back down.
I hesitated but I was back to Grey’s side. I was picking up a bad vibe from Ranulf like he was really upset with me. And that made me even more hesitant to go to him.
“He’s not going to blame you for this. He’s the one who’s putting you in such position.” Grey said as he sipped his beer casually, while Ranulf entered the circle gracefully as the tip of his wings dragged on the dirt. He stared directly at me, never mind the rest of the pack who suddenly stop their chatter as they looked at the fallen angel parting his way to me.
“You left me, why?”
His words were calm and sharp when he stopped in front of me. He stood majestically, showing off his hellish king aura. But Grey was not moving from my side and was making Ranulf clenched his fists when he put his hand on my thigh silently saying for me to sit back down.
“You must be Ranulf, we’ve heard about you…”
“Get your hand off of him.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do as long as Rain does not object…” Grey got up from his seat, and the rest of the pack was tense. Grant was raising up his hand, signaling the pack to calm down.
“… he had been through a lot, and your superior attitude won’t…” Grey was about to say more when something pulled me away. I felt my arm was sprained instantly, I could hear it popped out from its socket.
I groaned in pain, and Ranulf cursed loudly and tried to come after me. The demon was way taller and bulkier than me, his grip was tight, and he was fast. I could hear their growls, as my pack member let their wolves surfaced. The red looking demon was not alone, he had at least a dozen with him.
“We have settled this back in hell Bayard, let go of him,” Ranulf said as he cracks one of the red demon’s neck and throws him easily into the forest. Several members of the pack were struggling in defeating the demons. They were apparently stronger and taller than them. Grant and Grey were defending their pack, while Ranulf was single-handedly killing several demons.
His rage was apparent, while I was being held by the so-called Bayard. My arm was throbbing with pain, my wolf was struggling to surface but I couldn’t seem to let him. There was something in the demon, which suppressed my strength.
“Right, that was before I learned about your little wolf. He’s different. He wears your color, he’s special… hmmm… I could smell him…” Bayard said as he sniffed the side of my neck, while I was painfully struggling in his arms.
“… he even taste delicious, I can see why he’s your favorite…” he licked the side of my neck with his long coarse tongue.
And I could see that was when Ranulf lost it, as he paced his steps faster and flapped his wings in anger, making several of the demons thrown into the forest. My eyes went wild when I saw one of the demons came from behind him with a very large tree trunk that must’ve crack from their impact.
“Ran… behind you!”
But I was seconds too late as the demon got to him, and the trunk embedded into his back. Ranulf groaned as he pulled it out and let out his feral growl. He quickly cracked the demon’s arm, tearing it apart. Flesh and blood splattered to his naked chest and surroundings.
I was trying to get to him but then I was pulled back roughly, and Bayard was taking me with him as they retreated. I could hear his loud scream calling out the demon’s name, it was chillingly terrifying and demanding at the same time. I felt goosebumps forming on the back of my neck.
Then my body was thrown to the ground as Ranulf got to him, he held the demon’s neck and strangled his neck forcefully. I could see the demon was struggling as his hands were clawing Ranulf’s arms, and drawing blood. But he was persistent in his hold. Ranulf didn’t move an inch and keep holding the demon down.
“Nobody touches him!” he said while tearing off his arm, making Bayard screamed in agony. And then he smirked coldly and did the same to the other arm.
Grant, Grey, and the rest of the pack were surrounding him. They have defeated the other demons and had come to his rescue. But obviously waited until he needed them. Grey was about to come forward when Grant pulled him back, giving Ranulf his space.
“You will die.” He said coldly, tugging the side of his lip manically like the true beast that he was. Then his fist punched hard into Bayard’s chest and dug deep and reached for his beating heart.
“He is mine!”
Bayard screams died as Ranulf squeezed his still-beating heart until it burst, and splattered everywhere. He finally got up and walked towards me, his wing was a bit tilted to one side as the other side showed his gaping wound with his blood still dripping, trailing its path to the side of his body.
He dropped his body in front of me, kneeled before me, and pulled me into his embrace. His hand cupped my face, his handsome face looked solemnly at mine.
“Mine my little wolf, always. I’m so sorry.”
His wings engulfed me, cocooning us, shielding both of us from the rest of the world. Then he lay his slow sensual kiss, making me moaned his name and sighed in content.
“Yours…” I breathed my reply to our loving kiss.