Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 2

We were walked outside, the freezing night air nipping at my skin as the wind blew.

I could smell him. His scent was unfamiliar, but not unpleasant as much as I hated to admit, smelling of firewood and fresh mint, the combination had my head spinning with confusion. I didn't know whether to be afraid or to relax and accept the situation.

I couldn't see him yet, but I knew he was on the territory. My wolf could sense his power so he had to have been in close proximity.

I looked around, seeing many of the older or mated pack members gathering to witness what was happening, to see the man many of us believed to be just a myth. A simple story.

I spotted my mother's familiar features near a dimply lit oil lamp post, her petite frame stood out against the height of the men and women surrounding her. I couldn't decipher whether her red nose and puffy eyes were from how cold it was, or whether it were from the shedding of tears. Either way I hated seeing her like this. She deserved so much more.

I was pulled from my thoughts when a wave of raw power hit me, immediately silencing the area and capturing my attention and my wolf nearly wanted to front at the sensation but I pushed her down.

I kept my eyes downcast, not wanting to draw attention to myself as the man and Samuels exchanged formalities and the man began at the beginning of the line.

He either just simply looked at a female, or didn't even look at her and just continued walking past them. The only audible noise being his intake of breath as he breathed in each female's scent.

I could sense him near the blonde girl that stood next to me, when I suddenly felt him looming over me like a shadow.

I stiffened as he buried his nose in my neck, my body wanting to veer back at the sudden invasion of space.

He ran his nose along my collar bone and then he stood up as he began to circle me, my vision watching his feet until they disappeared behind me.

I looked up, seeing my mother in the front if the crowd as she watched with fear as her dark eyes met my greenish-blue hues. I could smell her fear. It made me sick knowing she was afraid.

From everyone's line of sight I knew he must be well over six feet and powerfully built, because fear was etched on everyone's faces.

I wanted to see what everyone was seeing, what they were all so afraid of. So I did it, without another thought, I looked up and a low growl came from the man.

I gasped as piercing hazel eyes bore into mine and not a moment later, he had me by the wrist, tight enough to secure me, but not enough to hurt me, backing me up and away from the line, pinning me against the stone wall near the back of the house and away from prying eyes.

He brushed his nose against my skin once more and then suddenly his sharp canines were buried in my neck, the pain ripping a scream from my throat as I clawed at him desperately, wanting him to stop as my own canines retracted with the pain.

I could smell my blood in the air as he drew back, his lips covered crimson as he grinned a wicked possessive smile. My blood was on his lips. Mine.

I was paralyzed with fear, but I knew it was his bite that caused my limbs to weaken as I slumped against him. This couldn't have been happening. There was no way.

Suddenly I was in his arms as he walked back around with me, his grip on me deathly tight as if daring someone to pry me from his arms.

Everything in me felt heavy and I could only move my eyes now and they darted toward my mother who lunged my way as I came into sight and her first instinct was to protect me, but she was abruptly intercepted by a large blonde man who lifted her over his shoulder as she screamed and wailed. I watched her kicking her legs out as she fought to get down, but she soon disappeared as she was thrown into a vehicle.

With weak shaking hands I clutched at my neck tiredly in disbelief, feeling the area wet with warm liquid, pulling away to see my hands wet with blood, a metallic smell surrounding me.

I looked up to see his eyes trained on my split lip.

"Who put their hands on you?" He asked in a low voice, his eyes darkening with anger.

I couldn't speak, but I knew better than to leave him without an answer in this moment.

I let my gaze travel to the side where Samuels stood with his men and Kieran sighed, automatically turning knowingly after setting me on the ground and my limp body sagged against the house.

Samuels backed up quickly as Kieran let his claws extend.

I thought Kieran was bluffing until he suddenly thrust his clawed hand into Samuels chest, screams echoing in the air as people began scrambling, afraid for their own lives. I watched with disbelief, watching as Kieran began moving his arm deeper until he found what he was looking for and yanked it out.

My eyes widened as he held out Samuels still beating heart. Samuels' body immediately began collapsing in on itself as he dropped to his knees, hitting the pavement with a loud thud and void eyes.

Kieran tossed the heart near the body, as if the organ was a simple piece of trash that was being thrown to the side.

I could hardly think over the horrified screams of some of the pack members, people bumping into me as they ran past. This was really happening and I couldn't get myself to move, no matter how much I willed it.

I could feel my body heavy, my limbs seeming to weigh me down as I tried to shift my weight and I nearly fell on my face, my eyelids beginning to feel fatigue as I slumped further against the stone wall of the house. Black clouds lined my vision, my limbs feeling detached as I tried and failed to move again and again.

The last thing I saw was Kieran in front of me and then my world went black.