Like two runaway trains, the alphas smashed into each other. Bone, muscle and history collided in a violent crash that sent the overhead birds scattering from the treetops.
Nafarius had taken hits before, but this impact crushed the breath from him and left his mind reeling. He staggered backward, blinking rapidly, wondering what building had just fallen on him.
Drunk with madness, Dimitri accepted the brutal impact as just one more injustice in life. He saw Nafarius was stunned, and he saw his opening. Dimitri drew back a thickly muscled arm, and launched a roundhouse punch across the enemy's face. Stony knuckles crashed into Nafarius's jaw, and the impact snapped Nafarius's head around.
Nafarius's vision darkened and he saw splashes of dull red against the blackness. The pain blossomed vividly in his brain, a fireworks show of agony.
Gods, he's strong
.
Nafarius knew he needed to respond, and fast. He allowed himself to stumble back one step. One step only. Then he launched his counterattack. He used the increased distance to his advantage, and leaned back, then drove his leg forward in a vicious straight kick. His heel slammed into Dimitri's stomach, doubling over the huge male.
Dimitri clutched his gut, falling to one knee and suddenly staring at the ground, gulping for a breath that wouldn't come. His body begged him to let it vomit, but Dimitri yelled down such traitorous talk. He just needed a moment to get back on his feet.
That moment gave Nafarius time to collect his senses, and to respect Dimitri's strength. Another hit like that, and the pack would be in real trouble. The thought of Dimitri continuing his vendetta against his pack added steel to his spine. He straightened up, looking down at the gasping alpha.
Dimitri turned his head up then, laughing at Nafarius. "Is that all you've got?"
Nafarius saw the frantic scrawl of insanity written in the male's eyes. He was worse than feral. A wolf who turned feral was still part of the natural world. This was... something unattached to the world. With nothing to lose.
Dimitri pushed himself up, breathing the cool forest air in deeply. He fixed Nafarius with a glare that made him wonder if the temperature had just dropped.
"You betrayed me," Dimitri said. "And by doing so, you betrayed your own pack. Because I will see them all dead. Especially your human bitch. She will get my special atten-"
Nafarius launched himself at the insane alpha. Too late, he realized Dimitri's intent. The old alpha opened his arms, and embraced Nafarius, pulling him into a bear hug. Dimitri's arms clamped down on Nafarius like an iron vice, squeezing the breath and life from him.
Nafarius told his lungs to inhale, but they couldn't, Dimitri's crushing embrace was too strong. Again, the elder alpha's brute force was dangerously effective. In seconds, he'd lose consciousness, and with it, he'd lose the pack. And Sam.
Nafarius looked down into Dimitri's face. His ragged grin was wet with spittle, and his mad eyes were ablaze with anticipated victory.
I will not leave this creature alive
.
Nafarius brought his head back, then slammed it forward into Dimitri's face. He heard the nose break with a soft, hollow
crunch
.
Dimitri howled with pain, and threw Nafarius away, sending him crashing against the trunk of a thick fir tree.
Breath exploded from Nafarius' lungs, his chest tightening painfully as he sucked in a lungful of air. Dimitri's mind might be going but it did nothing to diminish the male's strength.
Landing on his side, Nafarius rolled to his feet, popping back up just in time to duck a right hook that would have had him seeing stars.
Dimitri's fist connected with the tree, bark exploding as he tore a chunk out of the trunk. Nafarius planted his shoulder in Dimitri's chest, and lunged forward, forcing Dimitri back as he pounded his fist in the male's ribs. A sharp
snap
rewarded Nafarius for his effort.
Let's do that again
.
Nafarius rocketed another fist into Dimitri's ribs, then another.
Snap
. Nafarius thrilled at the sound, his lips lifting in a vicious sneer.
Dimitri flinched as ribs cracked, his body turning aside as he tried to protect the new injuries.
Seeing Dimitri expose his back, Nafarius drove his fingers into Dimitri's right kidney. His rage celebrated in glee as he aimed to maim, to break, to kill.
The assault on his kidney spun Dimitri back around, wincing, and he used the motion to plant his fist in Nafarius' face. Like a hammer on an anvil, the force was devastating, and more than mere bone could withstand. Nafarius's cheekbone snapped, and Dimitri felt three fingers break from the force.
Nafarius shook his head, trying to clear his suddenly blurry vision. His sight returned just in time to see Dimitri kick out with his foot, the crushing blow sure to strike at Nafarius's heart. Nafarius's hand snapped out, wrapping around Dimitri's ankle and yanking him off his feet. Dimitri landed hard as Nafarius viciously twisted the male's leg, stomping down on his knee and snapping the bone.
Dimitri bellowed out his pain and rage. Rolling onto his good knee, he took a swipe at Nafarius, power and age transforming fingers into claws.
Too slow, Nafarius leapt back, the scent of blood exploding on the air as his side was sliced open. Pressing his hand to the wound, Nafarius felt blood, hot and sticky, seeping through his fingers. Not fatal, but another inch or two to the right and Dimitri would have succeeded in gutting him.
Reaching out, Nafarius hooked his arm through Dimitri's, spinning the male around and forcing him onto his broken leg while yanking his arm up behind him. Hearing bone snap, Nafarius released Dimitri's arm, and it dangled uselessly.
"You're going to have to kill me," Dimitri mumbled.
His face etched in agony, Dimitri's only good arm shot out, the fingers wrapping around Nafarius's throat. Nafarius heard the words as fingers of steel closed around his windpipe. Was that a tone of regret he heard?
"I already have," he told the mad alpha.
Nafarius brought both arms up and broke Dimitri's hold. Continuing the motion, he took the male's head in his hands. Nafarius hesitated for a split second.
Forgive me, Natasha
. Dimitri's sigh sounded almost like a 'thank you,' the fight leaving his body.
Nafarius twisted, snapping the male's neck.
Dimitri sagged in Nafarius' hands, his lifeless body collapsing sideways. Gently, Nafarius lowered the old alpha to the ground before stumbling away, catching himself against a nearby tree.
Pressing his hand to his side, Nafarius winced as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. Staring out over at Dimitri's body, he waited for a sense of satisfaction that never came. All he felt was weary. Two good males lay dead, their packs forever changed.
Shit. Natasha. The female was no doubt waiting for him, for them. Dimitri still lay where he'd fallen, his back to Nafarius. Gods, but he didn't want to get up. Resting his head back against the tree, he stared up at the sky. Fir trees swayed back and forth, their gentle undulations in stark contrast to the violence that had happened just below them.
It was peaceful here, in this moment there was nothing that had come before and no future to move forward to. Closing his eyes, Nafarius gave himself the moment to rest, a brief pause in time when there was no other care in his world.
It wasn't long before thoughts of Sam surfaced, his mate's face floating behind his closed eyes. He'd left her to care for Marcus, her own burden as alpha just as heavy as his. He wouldn't leave her to carry it alone.
Gritting his teeth, Nafarius started to push himself up, pausing when a hand appeared in front of his face. Lifting his eyes, Nafarius found his beta beside him, the male offering him a hand up. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough," Roland said. He'd arrived just in time to watch Nafarius break Dimitri's neck. Fear for his alpha turning to grim satisfaction as Marcus' killer lay dead. He'd watched Nafarius stumble, his first instinct to go to the aid of the injured alpha. But it was obviously not a fatal wound, Roland stepping back into the shadows of the forest and giving his alpha a much needed moment.
"Let's take him home," Roland said, intent on honoring his mate's request.
Nafarius nodded, letting Roland pull him to his feet. Together, they walked over to Dimitri, staring down at the old alpha. In death, he was void of both life and insanity.
"Promise me," Nafarius said, bending down and lifting the old one into his arms and pinning Roland with eyes that still glowed gold. "You won't hesitate - when my time comes, you won't make the same mistake I did."
Roland hesitated. Staring at his alpha, his best friend, he remembered the wild thing he had been when first they met. Nafarius should have put him down, there had been no reason to show mercy. Yet, he had, taking in an injured werewolf and bringing back the male. There was only one way he could repay such kindness. "I promise."
Nafarius nodded, some of the tension in his shoulders easing as he turned and headed towards the pack house.
****
Natasha was waiting for them, the female pacing outside the pack house alone. Light from a nearby fire highlighted her red hair and cast shadows against the house.
Nafarius paused. "Wait here."
"But - " Roland immediately started to object. Nafarius cradled Dimitri in his arms. Despite his injuries, he had refused to let Roland carry the fallen male.
"Don't make her remember you as a part of this any more than she has to," Nafarius said quietly. Taking a step forward, Natasha's head snapped up, her eyes locking on Nafarius. He was several steps closer before she dropped her eyes to her father.
Nafarius steeled himself, prepared for her grief, her anger, perhaps even hoping for it.
Natasha watched Nafarius approach, her chest aching as he delivered her father, holding the male in his arms. Behind her, the front door opened, the pack filed out, silently filling the space behind her.
Nafarius laid her father at Natasha's feet, wincing slightly as he rose.
"You're hurt!" Natasha exclaimed, reaching out a hand to her alpha. "William, get him something to stop the bleeding."
William nodded and turned to go back inside.
"And something for them both to wear," Natasha said, her eyes flicking over Nafarius' shoulder to her mate.
"That's not necessary," Nafarius said, his voice quiet. He didn't want her care or her concern. He had no regrets, no doubts over what he'd done, but so many things about this situation were just
wrong
.
"Sam would never forgive me if you bled to death walking home," Natasha said, taking a towel from William as he returned and handing it to Nafarius.
Nafarius hesitated, staring at her outstretched hand before slowly taking the towel and pressing it to his side. He was quicker to accept the two pairs of jeans.
Having cared for the living, Natasha knelt to see to the dead. She hadn't seen him since that night. The horror of that day and everything that had happened since still lingered. But beneath it was the promise of the future, the possibilities that came with knowing her father could no longer do them any harm.
The male he had been before would be glad Natasha was back. He would have smiled with pride to see her leading his pack. That is how she would remember her father, not the monster he had been at the end.
"He's finally at peace," Natasha said, brushing the hair back from her father's face. Oh how she wished she had been strong enough to give that to him. It was a regret she shared with William. To be too weak to take care of someone you loved was a miserable kind of powerlessness. She owed Nafarius more than a simple thank you for what he had done. She also owed him more than a simple apology for what it had cost him. But they were all she had to give.
"Nafarius, I - " she started, looking up only to find both males were gone.
****
Natasha took her time, forcing herself to take carefully measured steps despite the fact that she wanted to run. Her stomach was a cluster of knots and anxiety, while worry ate at her insides.
She had talked her way in, out and around this decision, her mind worrying over every angle until she was dizzy. William had finally provided the shove she needed, literally pushing her out the door and closing it gently but firmly behind her.
The trek from her pack house to Nafarius' den wasn't particularly long when you didn't worry about crossing from one territory into the next. In fact, it was surprisingly short. A sign, perhaps?
Natasha's sigh blew the hair back from her forehead. When did she start needing a sign to know what was right? It wasn't like her to doubt herself, but the past few days had shown her just how little she knew about leading a pack.
Coming up on the den, Natasha had no doubt that her presence had been noted, her progress into Nafarius' territory marked. You didn't walk into another alpha's territory and expect it to go unnoticed, no matter who you were.
Nafarius was waiting for her. He stood alone outside of the pack's den, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Once again, he reminded Natasha of the warriors of old, everything about him ready to do battle.
"I was expecting you sooner," Nafarius said, his eyes unreadable.
I, not we
. Natasha didn't need to look to know that her mate was nearby. She could feel Roland through the mate bond, his emotions tightly tied down.
"I had some things to do before I came." Natasha stopped at the tree line, wary of trespassing where she might no longer be welcome.
Nafarius nodded but didn't comment. He was waiting to see what she had to say for herself. Roland had told him about Natasha's new bond with her old pack, the male obviously torn over what to do.
Neither of them had ever heard of a werewolf becoming a member to more than one pack.
"I wanted to thank you," Natasha said, squaring her shoulders. "For what you did for my father. I also wanted to apologize and tell you how very sorry I am about Marcus."