Storm Born Book One

Chapter 17

'Dawn' Ethan's pov... ...

Shivering against the chill Dawn air Ethan crouched in the shadows, the sun still had not fully risen above the horizon and the darkness of the night was still reluctantly giving way to a gloomy greyish light, Ethan had crouched spying on the tents occupants throughout the night. They were all inside he had watched them all one by one entering the night before, he was not even supposed to be there and if it had not been for the gossip He overheard among the warriors the previous afternoon alerting him to the bruises on his little mate he would not have been. He respected the Beta very much and normally he would never have countenanced disobeying a direct order, but orders be damned there was no way Beta Thomas was going to stop him from watching over the boy. His wolf certainly would not allow that his need to protect his mate was all-consuming and transcended even the direct orders of the Beta to stay away. He was careful, keeping to the shadows, though seeing the evidence of the bruising on the boy when he entered the tent the night before with his companions almost sent him running to drag the boy away from them, almost. It took all of his willpower to control his wolf's natural urges to remain hidden in the shadows.

Anger had welled in the pit of his stomach at the site of the small omega, his face bruised some yellowed and faded but some fresh there was a huge bruise on his jawline, why were they beating on him? it had been several hours when suddenly most of the group left the tent leaving only three inside, the remaining wolves were Jean, Cole, and Marcus, he had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched the three young wolves disappear from view and without much thought he began to move closer to the tent creeping around to the rear he crouched down again trying to hear what was happening inside.

The first sounds coming to him were deep growls and moans confused for a moment he wondered if someone was in pain before quickly realising what the sounds were. he was surprised seeing as there had been no indication that Cole and Jean were mates and most wolves preferred to wait for their true mates. Then as quickly as the realisation of what Cole and Jean were doing came another thought Marcus was still in there, why would they do that with him in the room? surely they are not involving him in that? his wolf growled at the thought of them touching Marcus that way. worse yet what if he is hurt he thought. Frustration mounting by the second he grew his claws ripping a small tear into the tent wall.

Peering through the narrow opening he had made, he caught sight of the wolves making out heavily on one of the beds he breathed a sigh of relief at not seeing Marcus with them but that relief was short-lived as a scan of the interior of the tent quickly found the prostrate form of his little mate laying on the ground tied and gagged his throat covered in a large bruise and fresh bruises on his face, rage swelled in his wolf and he fought him for control wanting to enter the tent and tear the occupants inside limb from limb, his human self was not far from letting him but he reined in his natural urges, but how to proceed that was the question. Undoubtedly it was too dangerous to leave Marcus with them but taking him would ruin weeks of surveillance and could force them to become desperate. What he heard next made his decision for him, sending a silent prayer to the Goddess to protect his mate he took one last look at his mate before reluctantly slipping away.

Groaning he threw himself onto his back the knocking on his door at first an irritation invading his sleeping mind had become insistent enough to rouse him Glancing at the dim light coming through the window of his bedroom confirmed to him that it was not yet dawn, whoever it was it had better be life or death to drag him from his sleep at this time of day he thought. Nelda still slumbered peacefully next to him her hair falling soft across the pillow and the babe was safe in her cot next to her. he smiled as the baby's mouth moved as though suckling, she would be awake soon and hungry he thought. Whoever was outside in the corridor rapped on the door again its sound loud and harsh in the stillness of the room. He pulled himself reluctantly from the bed striding naked across the room, he snatched open the door.