Chapter 103

Rachel POV

Moonglow Pack Territory

Every part of me felt electric as Tyler blocked me from view with his body, shielding me from my real father in an unmistakable display of possessiveness and protection.

I had never felt loved in all our years as a mated pair.

I had never known how good it could feel to know my mate would protect me above himself without hesitation.

Alpha Inspector Art Windsor was a monster of a man and his wolf was a nightmare from Hell, but he couldn't come close to making me feel as safe as Tyler Wright did.

My mate wanted me! My mate would fight for me! My mate was prepared to go to war for me!

My heartbeat was thunder in my ears as Tyler tugged me along. I felt light for the first time in ages -my body's changed shape a non-issue in the wake of my mate's show of possession- as I practically flew down the gravel path to the visitor cabins. My feet moved as if I had wings; I would have run all the way back to Wright House if Tyler would have just led the way without letting go of my hand.

"Nathan!" I cried out as we got to the visitor cabins we'd used during our stay on Moonglow territory.

I could smell him stronger, sharper than ever and I heard him snarl right before he flung himself out the door of the Modesty Cabin. His body was breaking before my eyes, bones snapping, muscles tearing and reforming: he was shifting again, becoming a Lycan.

"Nathan, no!" I screamed, tears choking me but not enough to silence me.

I had to help him somehow! All the good times I'd shared with Nathan flashed through my mind in rapid succession. No matter what was going on between him and the girl claiming to be my sister -or was she claiming to be me?- Nathan was still the boy I had loved first, the one who had loved me without fail.

Tyler shoved me toward the car, snapping, "Get in the car! Now, Rachel! He's out of control!"

Was Nathan out of control? He was clutching his head with hands tipped with claws, but he wasn't twisting around as if he were being tortured. He'd stopped the shift---he had stopped shifting!

I couldn't believe my eyes as Nathan shuddered, his muscular body reforming over a long, torturous minute.

I'd never even heard of someone being able to force back a shift with their mind when their emotions had raged fierce enough to drive them mad. What kind of Alpha wolf was Nathan? How could he fight his beast back down when he'd lost control to Lyon only hours before?

"Nathan..."

My voice was a broken whisper as I let myself be pushed into the backseat of the car. Tyler kept himself between me and Nathan as if he weren't sure the car would be enough to protect me.

Lycans were said to be stronger than any other wolf. I didn't know how strong Nathan was as a Lycan. I didn't even know how strong I was as a Lycan. Could Nathan tear right through the steel frame of the car to get at me? Would he attack me or would he know how he said he felt for me?

My tears began to fall as I realized I really wanted to know if Nathan could love me enough to stop the Lycan version of his wolf from tearing the world apart to get to me---to hurt me? To claim me? To kill me?

What did Nathan's beast feel for me? What could Lyon possibly feel for me after meeting his fated mate in Lindy?

"Lindy!"

The girl -Woman, I tried to think, somehow unable to view Lindy Campbell as the same age as me.- flung herself out the door of the Modesty Cabin after Nathan. She was crying too. Her face was red and her eyes looked swollen from her tears. She didn't seem to be afraid of Nathan at all.

"Tyler, please! Lindy!"

I beat my palms against the glass window of the car. I had to get Tyler to help her! No matter what I felt about Alpha Richard Campbell, Linda Campbell was an innocent in the middle of our mess. She didn't seem to have a selfish bone in her body.

"I'll get her," Tyler said, his words sounding more like a promise than any he'd ever given me.

My heart was in my throat as I watched Tyler charge up the steps of the cabin to take Lindy by the arm. He was trying to pull her away from Nathan who seemed to be making progress regaining his humanity---and then Nathan growled, snapping at Tyler with teeth long enough, sharp enough for me to see from the backseat of the car.

I screamed. I couldn't stop myself.

Tyler and Nathan both turned to look at me. Tyler released Lindy after flinging her away from Nathan; Lindy tripped on the cabin's steps, crumpling to the ground in a heap. I went to let myself out of the car to go help her only to hear Wynd in my mind.

"No! Not safe. Stay safe for our young," Wynd growled from Tyler's mind to mine and my wolf, Rayne, melted into a pool of obedience.

The car didn't feel so safe with Nathan and Tyler both baring teeth sharpened into fangs at one another. Lindy crawled on the ground, pulling herself back to her feet at the edge of the cabin porch. Their growls seemed to intensify. I was genuinely surprised when Tyler backed away from Nathan as if trying to give him the high ground.

Lyon was a fierce wolf, but I knew as well as anyone Wynd was the strongest wolf of the pair.

I'd never seen Tyler give ground to anyone. As an Alpha, giving ground to another wolf was against the very fabric of his nature. A part of me wanted to think he was being kind to Nathan for me---yet the more rational part of my mind knew Tyler was most likely just doing whatever he could to protect us all from another Lycan attack.

"Please don't! I know you're confused and hurt and you want to fight. I know. I can feel it. My wolf, Queen, she can feel yours. What's your wolf's name?"

Lindy was still crying, her tears silently streaming down her face with no sign of stopping soon. She was braver than I had expected. I could see her hands trembling as she held them up in front of her in a gesture of peace.

It seemed none of us really wanted to fight. Had we all gone soft or was it just there had been enough war among wolves for all of us?

"Lyon."

"Lyon," Lindy repeated, her voice a breathless whisper of shock and awe, "Lyon and Queen. Queen and Lyon. They're made for each other. Meant to be. Like us. Can't you feel it? Please feel it."

Her crying increased in intensity as she kneeled before him, shaking all over from the force of her emotions. I wanted to get out of the car to go to her so bad, but I saw Tyler hold his hand up to me even as I heard Wynd growl in my mind.

I knew all it would take to set Nathan off again would be a simple breeze. My scent alone could drive him over the edge again.

"I can't feel anything where you're concerned."

Nathan cleared his throat -even a blind man could see him choking on the lie- before telling Tyler, "We're leaving. I'm coming with you. I'm under control. I swear it."

"You're taking my sedan. Adam will drive. Argue with me and you're walking back."

Tyler turned his back on Nathan then and strode to the car. He threw the door open and I slid across the seat just enough for him to join me.

I couldn't help clinging to him. I hadn't realized how stressed my body had become until my muscles relaxed in fits and starts, letting me mold myself against his side.

"Are you okay?"

I asked before I could think and the door on my other side flew open before Tyler could answer. I was startled badly enough I almost climbed over Tyler completely. He wrapped his arm around me to pull me closer to him as if he couldn't stand for even a breath of air to separate us.

Lindy got into the car and slammed the door shut. Her face was a mask of pain. I couldn't seem to close my mouth as we stared at each other.

She finally whispered, "I'm going with you. My mate is going. I'm going. You can't stop me. You have to take me. You have to, you know?"

My heart hurt for her pain. Tyler dropped his hand down to rest on the small rise of my belly. I knew we both felt for this shy, sheltered girl whose world was shattering around her.

"Fine. Buckle up, Lindy. It's a long ride."