Chapter 45
“Park here,” Dante instructed from the back seat. “If we drive too close, they might hear us.”
Murphy pulled over onto the side of the old dirt road, switching off the engine and jumping from the vehicle. The others followed suit, quietly closing their doors to avoid any unnecessary noises.
Tension thrummed in his veins, his bear stalking back and forth in his mind, eager to be released.
Murphy was just as ready for the shift, ready to find Nessa and ensure Tony never breathed her air again.
Each minute away from her was excruciating, stark terror of the unknown threatening to drive him insane.
He knew what Tony was capable of. How easily he’d hurt Nessa before. She’d been in his company for a little over two hours now. Two hours too long.
What if he’d hurt her again? What the fuck could he do in that time? Nausea burned in his gut.
She’s okay. She’s okay, Murphy encouraged himself, ignoring the bitter sting in his chest and the tightness in his lungs as he forced himself to take one breath after the next.
She’s okay, he repeated like a prayer. Because he didn’t know what he’d do if she wasn’t.
His throat constricted with emotion, a raw, guttural roar of pain nearly spilling into the afternoon air. He beat it back, pushing himself to remain calm.
He couldn’t lose his focus now, not when Nessa needed him the most.
I’m coming, sweetheart.
“The barn is less than a quarter mile through the trees,” Dante pointed toward the woods on Murphy’s left. The males turned to face that direction. “It’s a typical barn. Big and red; you can’t miss it.”
“How are we doing this?” Jasper asked. He rolled his shoulders back, his eyes narrowed in anger.
“One will stay in their human form. The rest will shift with me,” Murphy ordered, grabbing his sweater and ripping it over his head. Usually, he undressed and shifted privately, wanting to avoid any glances toward the scars on his body.
The last time anyone had seen them had been a few months ago, when he’d shifted into his human form to save Nessa’s life when Hunny had been attacked. It had been years before that.
His insecurities weren’t important now, though; nothing mattered but saving his mate.
Murphy tossed his sweater into his still-open door as he toed off his shoes. He reached for the button of his jeans next, quickly pushing the rest of his clothing down his legs.
“I’ll stay human,” Colter offered. “The rest of you shift.”
Marcus nodded, and the rest of the males quickly disrobed, also tossing their clothes into the SUV.
“Protecting Nessa is our priority,” Murphy instructed, anxiety clawing at his gut as the seconds ticked by. “We keep her safe, no matter what. Do you understand?”
“With my life, if I have to,” Jasper replied readily, guilt shining in his eyes as he looked away from Murphy.
“This isn’t your fault,” Murphy assured him. He clapped his brother on the shoulder, squeezing gently. He looked up, staring at each male who’d come with him. “Whatever grievances we have with one another, they’re irrelevant right now. Nessa is all that matters.”
“I’m ready,” Marcus announced, turning toward Dante.
The other male locked eyes with Murphy, his face drawn with determination. “I won’t let you down,” Dante promised before lowering his head in submission.
The words hung between them for a moment, their weight heavy in the air.
Without a word, Murphy turned to the woods and shifted.
His bear charged to the surface, adrenaline rushing through his system. The familiar snap of bones filled the air. His body contorted and re-formed, thick fur sliding over his skin. Within seconds, the shift from human to bear was complete.
Murphy’s paws slammed into the ground. He took off at a flat-out run, cutting through bushes and trees in his haste to get to Nessa.
He heard his companions close behind him, their own shifts finished as they gave chase.
Frenzied energy passed between them, their bears excited for a chance to take down those threatening their clan; their family.
There wasn’t a sting of betrayal that lingered among them, only a primitive desperation to work together.
Murphy picked up speed, inhaling deeply as he cut across the forest. Each drag of air into his lungs, he searched for Nessa’s scent, hoping to find her.
An explosion of gunshots cracked through the air dozens of feet in front of him, and Murphy’s heart dropped into his stomach, fear drying his throat.
Need to get to her, his bear whined, claws digging into the dirt as the beast pushed them onward. Harder. Faster.
It felt like several minutes had passed when he picked up muffled voices coming through the thick mass of trees dead ahead.
With a burst of speed, Murphy broke through the tree line.
Hope surged within him as he caught sight of the red barn and six black rental cars with out-of-state tags on the license plates.
His nose twitched, catching the acrid scent of gunpowder and coppery blood as he drew near. Three males in black suits lay face down in the dirt near the barn’s ajar front entrance, pools of blood stretching out from under them to coat the ground.
Someone’s already taken out a few of them, Murphy projected to each male. Angelo is my guess. Who else could it be?
Hopefully, these were the gunshots he’d heard.
Pushing past the fear and panic threatening to undo him, he neared the front of the barn, slowing his steps to remain undetected for a few moments longer.
Just enough time to assess the situation before he attacked.
The last thing he wanted was to put Nessa at further risk.
“What did you think you’d accomplish with this little stunt? Fucking morons, the both of you,” someone spat angrily from within the barn.
That’s their leader, Jasper informed him, silently moving to stand beside him.
Tony. Murphy bit back a low growl, claws curling into the dirt. Soon they’d be ripping into that male’s flesh, pulling him apart piece by piece. There’d be nothing left of him by the time they were through.
Colter stealthily made his way to the other side of the barn door, careful to not trip on the dead men beside it. He grasped the door’s handle, waiting for Murphy’s signal.
“I think, just for killing my men, I’ll have you watch me torture and fuck your sister for a few hours,” Tony said. The hairs on Murphy’s skin rose, rage unlike anything he’d ever known before spiraling through him. “Then you’ll take me to my money, Angie.”
Fuck assessing the situation! He’d never let that monster touch her again.
Nessa whimpered, the small, terrified sound piercing Murphy’s heart like a goddamn arrow.
Now! Murphy commanded.
Colter had barely pulled the door fully open when Murphy launched through it, throwing back his head and roaring as his bears piled into the room behind him.
In his peripheral vision, he noted several males with weapons drawn standing along the perimeter of the building, but that wasn’t what held his attention.
It was his mate; his beautiful, sweet mate, dangling off the ground in the center of the barn by a chain that hung from a ceiling beam. Her arms were pulled up over her head, rope binding her wrists and ankles.
A red mark stood out prominently on her cheek. Blood smeared her lips, and her eyes were full of terror. Her head snapped up as the first human male let out a shriek of surprise.
Even though Nessa had only seen his bear once before, when she’d been close to death, she found him instantly among his clan. A shudder went through her, her body sagging against her restraints as immense emotion swept through her.
“Murphy!” she screamed, the relief in her voice unmistakable.
I’m coming, Nes, he vowed silently.
Protect her, Jasper, Murphy demanded.
Kill them all, he growled to the others, his gaze shifting reluctantly from his mate to the gang leader staring at him in bewilderment.
“What the fuck!” Tony exclaimed, shoving a kneeling Angelo in front of him like a shield. “Bears!”
Murphy leaped toward Tony, cutting across the room in less than a second. Muscles bunching, he launched himself over Angelo and at the other male, dipping his head as Tony fired his gun in his direction.
The bullet grazed the side of his face; he barely acknowledged the mild sting of pain.
More gunfire erupted in the room, followed by animalistic snarls and screams of panic as his bears attacked.
Jasper reached Nessa’s side, standing on his hind legs and shielding her from any stray bullets.
Grateful, Murphy swiped at the gun in Tony’s hand, his claws cutting through flesh and bone. The gun went off again as Tony bellowed in pain.
Angelo crawled away from them both, diving out of sight.
Murphy clawed at Tony’s hand again, and the male dropped his weapon, jerking backward. He tripped over his own feet, hitting the ground with an ‘oomph.’ Horror was painted over his face.
Murphy rushed after the downed male, feeling more than a little satisfaction as he watched Nessa’s abuser crawl away on his hands and knees, his movements panicked. He let him think, just for a second, that he stood a chance of escaping.
Then, just before he could push to his feet, Murphy slammed into him, ramming his head into the male’s back. Tony pitched forward, hitting the ground again. His scream cut off as Murphy pressed a paw into the middle of his spine, his claws digging through his clothing and into the flesh beneath.
He wanted Tony to suffer, to experience, even for just a few minutes, the terror and pain he’d put Nessa through for years. It was the least he deserved.
Before he began, he glanced back at Jasper and Nessa, assuring himself they were both alright. Colter had joined them, working on the bindings at Nessa’s feet as the gunfire quieted in the room.
Nessa kept her wide, frightened eyes on Murphy, murmuring something to Colter while he spoke to her.