Forced To Love You

Poor, Pathetic Excuse

Everett shifted back into his human form and slowly walked over to where I was. His hair was a mess and there was blood on his shirt. I could see blood on his knuckles that I assumed was Christian's.

Even in my human form, I could smell the blood in the air. It was thick and heavy and it stung the inside of my nostrils. It brought me back to the moment I was in my car accident back home and I felt the same vulnerability run through me. I wasn't sure how I was going to get out of this trap Everett had us in. He was strong. He was supposed to be the Alpha before he lost his chance and gave it to Christian. That strength was still there and he knew how to use it to his advantage.

"What do you want from us?" I asked. Fear coated my words. It was hard to hide it when I had been beaten and bruised and didn't know what condition Christian was in.

Everett knelt down on my left side. He pushed my hair out of my face with coarse fingers. "My original plan was to kill you so Christian would be as lonely as I am. But I think I have a different plan in mind. You see, if I kill Christian, I will become the new Alpha."

"The pack will stop that from happening. They won't let you take over." Who did he think he was? The pack members might not have known who killed their mother but Christian and his father did. I did. No way was I going to allow innocent people to be brainwashed by someone who was vile and insane.

"The pack can't stop me. The Goddess made it possible."

I shook my head. "You can't expect this to work."

"Oh, I know it will. The pack is weak. Christian did nothing to build a strong foundation for him to rule on. He certainly didn't do that with you."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How do you know?"

"You're inexperienced. You don't know how to use your wolf to your advantage. You're a Luna, Blair, and you can't even yield all the power inside of you. The pack will turn on you."

He was right. I hadn't even shifted until I was forced to. I couldn't fight him. I wasn't going to win. I was letting the entire pack down. I was letting Christian down.

I was letting myself down.

I was stronger than Everett. I was stronger than he was making me believe. I just wasn't accessing it. But how exactly did I do that?

"He should have let you die when he had the chance." Everett stood up and looked over his shoulder at Christian. "Now, it's time to finish him off."

My eyes widened.

Everett started making his way over to Christian. His broad shoulders made him look huge from where I lay on the ground. I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with him but I knew I had to. I had to save Christian.

Pushing through the pain in my shoulder, I pushed myself onto my feet. I ran at him as quickly as I could and leaped onto his back just as he got close to Christian.

I wasn't sure what to do with my arms so I just wrapped them around his neck, hoping to slow him down and distract him.

But he just laughed at my attempt. "You really think that's going to stop me? Nice try, Blair, but not good enough."

He easily shook me loose. Just as my arms released their hold on his neck, he pulled me around so we were face to face. He gave me a hard shove that not only sent painful shocks through my injured shoulder but also sent me flying backward. I hit the wall not far from where Christian was and dropped to the floor.

My back ached worse than I'd ever felt it. I tried pushing myself up but my arm was basically limp at that point. I couldn't use it yet I could feel the pain that was radiating through it. My chest ached and I suspected there were broken ribs. Surely there were if my ragged breathing was any indication.

I tried to catch my breath but it didn't seem to come. All I could force were short, shallow breaths.

That was it. I was done for. Everett was going to kill Christian and become the Alpha and I wasn't doing anything to stop him. I couldn't do anything more.

I was a poor, pathetic excuse for a Luna.

Everett was right.

He walked over to Christian once more and I knew I was powerless to stop him. He was going to get what he wanted. He grabbed the tattered shirt Christian wore and lifted his top half up off the floor. "I'm sorry it had to be this way, brother. You could have been a fierce ally but you chose the wrong side. Go be with her now like you always wanted."

Everett's fangs came out and I felt tears fill my eyes. Was I really about to watch Christian die? Was I about to witness my mate dying right in front of me while I sat back and did nothing?

Everett leaned closer to Christian and I quickly realized he was going to rip out Christian's throat.

Not if I could help it.

Shifting faster than I could blink, I turned into my wolf and ran at Everett. He didn't even have time to register what was happening before I was attacking him.

Everett let go of Christian and stumbled away from him as he tried to catch his footing. He turned and looked for me but I wasn't where he expected. He growled and looked around the room for me.

Before his eyes could land on me, I charged. I kicked him in the chest and sent him to the ground on his back. I started digging at his chest with my nails extended, hoping to hurt him like he had done to Christian and me.

His eyes widened and blood filled his mouth. He caught some of it up as he lay helpless on the floor below me. It looked like he was trying to say something to me. I could see his lips trying to move but I couldn't tell what he was saying. I had too much rage blinding me to be able to see what he was saying.

I stopped for a minute when I realized I was really digging into his chest. I contemplated going for his throat like he wanted to do to Christian. My wolf wanted me to go for it and just end him but I knew Christian wouldn't have wanted that. Everett was still his brother. He still cared for him whether he killed their mother or not.

I took steps away from him as he struggled to breathe. I knew I had done a lot of damage to him and that there was a possibility he wouldn't survive my attack. But I did what I had to to protect my mate. Christian would understand that, right?

Everett made a weak attempt to speak. I could hear him trying to get words out but all that came out was a moan that lasted several seconds. He coughed a few more times before his eyes drooped and his lids shut.

And then he died.