MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

42. DEVON: A SHOCKING DISCOVERY

Devon

My body was tensed and alert. Twelve men surrounded me.

It was easy to tell from the stench that they were rogues. All of them wore cut-off jeans. I had killed two of them to keep them from finding Val, but I wasn't expecting them to be so many. From the howls we heard last night I counted at least five. Now there were more. I tried to keep them all in my line of vision, but it was hard with them surrounding me.

A man stepped out from behind a tree and slowly made his way towards us. The men stepped aside for him to enter the circle. I snarled at him when he paused a few feet in front of me. He only flashed me a smile.

"The famous Alpha Devon," he growled. "Tell me Alpha, do you remember me?"

I frowned. "Should I?"

My words seemed to have angered him. He flashed fangs at me and took a step closer. The man clenched his fists at his side. He looked ready to launch at me. I was ready for him—for all of them. They were looking for Val. I'd die first before I allowed them to find her.

"You banished me," the man growled. "You never allowed me to prove my innocence."

It took me a full minute to realize who exactly he was. He had changed—his body was leaner and his hair longer—but I remembered his face now. "What was there to prove?" I asked him softly. "All evidence handed in proved that you were guilty."

He growled. "I was innocent."

My anger started to rise. "You beat and raped a sixteen-year-old. She had the scars to prove it. There was no doubt about it. There were witnesses."

I wasn't expecting his sudden attack. He tackled me around my waist, sending both of us flying backward. A punch to the face had my head snapping back. I managed to block the second hit and get one in of my own. I grunted when a fist slammed into my ribs. We rolled on the ground, throwing punches at each other. I managed to kick him away from me. He stumbled back and fell on his ass a few feet away.

Pain shot through me as I stood. I heard the tell-tale sign of someone shifting. My eyes shot towards him. He was already halfway through his shift. I knew that once he has managed to shift completely my chance of winning the fight would be over. I couldn't shift with the still-healing injuries I had.

I sucked in breath and moved.

He was too concentrated on his shift to pay any attention to me. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Moving behind him, I grabbed his neck and snapped it. His half-shifted body dropped to the ground at my feet.

I slowly glanced up at the other men.

They started at me in shock, but it didn't last long. I allowed my claws to slide from my fingertips. We were going to fight to the death. I couldn't shift but I had some things to my advantage and I was going to fully use them.

***

David

I held my breath when I heard the mummer of voices.

My grip on the gun tightened. I pursed my lips when I raised it and pointed it towards the entrance. I could barely move. My body was stiff and the pain wasn't helping. The headache had faded a little but everything else still hurt. My right arm was broken, that I was sure off. The wound in my leg had stopped bleeding but it hasn't started healing yet. The glass had stabbed deep but thankfully missed an artery. After they left I had a chance to inspect my body and take note of all my injuries.