Wolf Lae

Here is the long awaited fifth chapter of the Wolf Lake series. I hope you enjoy this as much as the others. It was probably the hardest one yet to write and has a slightly different feel. As always, comments and constructive criticism are always welcome.

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Peace had just settled in when all hell broke loose.

Nicholas, true to form, didn't bother with a direct attack but instead settled for subterfuge. Roland was working with Nafarius and several new pack members helping them to learn the drills as well as the territory that had to be patrolled and guarded when Joseph, a child of four, came running.

"Nafarius! Nafarius, come quick!"

"What is it?" Nafarius turned and caught the child as he launched himself into his arms. His face was streaked with tear-stained dirt. "Slow down and tell me what has you so upset."

Joseph, despite being in Nafarius' arms, was pulling on the leader's shirt trying to get him to move towards the forest. "You have to save her! They took her! I would have stopped them but she told me to hide, said she'd have you spank me if I didn't."

Nafarius felt his heart drop into his stomach. Instinctively, he looked around the clearing tying to get a glimpse of Sam's dark hair. When he didn't see her he lifted his head and tried to catch her scent, at the same time he continued asking the boy questions. "Who told you to hide?"

"Tasha, we were picking berries 'cause she said I could help her bake a blackberry pie." Peaking around his leader's shoulder, Joseph caught Roland staring at him. "She said it was your favorite and she wanted to make it specially for you." Joseph missed the stricken look that passed over Roland's face as he turned back to Nafarius. "She had me hide in the bushes, see." Holding out his arm Joseph proudly showed off the scratches that covered his arms and had torn his clothes. "I hid good 'cause the men, they didn't see me. But they took her and you got to get her back."

Nafarius, relieved that it hadn't been Sam that was taken passed the boy off to one of his men. "Find his mother, tell her what happened and then I want everyone moved inside." Turning to Roland he saw that his second-in-command was already on the same page. "Nicholas."

"That son of a bitch!" Roland slammed his staff into the ground. They had been practicing with them earlier, their ends blunted so as to avoid injuring the untrained men, Roland still managed to drive the dull point into the ground. "If we leave now we'll be able to pick up their trail easily."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"What do you mean?" Roland was angry, practically vibrating with rage and ready to move. Natasha and the others had been with them now for over three months and she'd been sharing his quarters the entire time. No one mentioned the fact that she already had a mate or that their offspring (should there be any) would lack his name. The two packs had blended together rather well and other than a lack of space and privacy everything was going well.

"It's exactly what Nicholas would expect us to do. Think about it. He left her here for over three months, just enough time for us to get comfortable, form attachments and let our guard down. He's expecting us to come running all the while thinking he only has three or four men with him. But what if he's put together a new pack in the mean time. There have been rumors that some of the renegades are banding together to form their own pack. It would be just like Nicholas to label himself leader of such a group." Nafarius started pacing. He needed to think things through. He wanted to see Nicholas destroyed once and for all this time but he wasn't willing to risk his entire pack to accomplish it.

In the past three months he had been busy meeting with delegates from other packs trying to get a consensus on where everyone stood. So far it was unanimous that something had to be done and each leader he spoke with was willing to offer up men and resources to get it accomplished. It was time to call in on those promises.

"We wait. I'll send for…"

"We can't wait! He has her and he'll kill her for betraying him. You know that better than anyone." Roland pleaded with his leader.

Nafarius put a comforting arm around Roland's shoulders. "I know that you and Natasha have grown very close these past few months and I

promise

you we will get her back. But it won't do us any good if we act in haste and loose the opportunity. Nicholas will expect us to come running and I won't walk us right into a trap."

"You still can't stand her, can you? You hate the fact that she was your brother's mate and you'd rather see her destroyed along with him rather than accept her into our pack." Roland shrugged off Nafarius' arm and started across the clearing.

Nafarius, stunned by the accusation, trotted to catch up with him. Grabbing Roland's arm he spun the other man around to face him.

Roland turned, growling low in his throat. "Release me."

"Roland, you have been more of a brother to me then Nicholas ever was. You know I would never sacrifice a woman no matter my personal feelings. But even if I were so inclined I have come to care a great deal for Natasha, she's a member of my pack and a close friend to my mate. Do you think I want to leave her there any longer than I have to? It makes me sick to think about what he might be doing to her but he expects me to react based on emotion and for once I won't do it. I have planned, plotted and calculated for the past three months and I won't rush it because you would have me save Natasha." Nafarius took a deep breath and tried to get through to his friend. He understood all to well what Roland must be going through. If it was Sam out there no force on this earth would prevent him from going to her but he hoped that someone like Roland would have the will to stand up and stop him from making such a big mistake. Of course, he would likely take their head for trying and Roland was a better man than he for not having done so. "Please, let me do this so that we are free from him forever. I don't just want to save Natasha, I want to set her free, along with the rest of us."

Roland considered his leader. With his dark auburn hair and permanently gold eyes Nafarius was a supreme leader. He was tall with broad shoulders, a narrow waist and long legs. He stood several inches shorter than Roland but Nafarius was not one to be intimidated. After a moment Roland gave a barely perceptible nod then turned and made his way into the mountain.

Nafarius watched after his friend and once he was sure that the Roland was secure within the mountain he moved to round up the rest of the pack. Messengers needed to be sent to neighboring packs, the guards changed and updated and the women made aware of what was going on. With plenty to do, Nafarius set off to find Sam. Talking to her always seemed to help him organize his thoughts and often times she saw things he did not. She was also likely to know the right things to say to Roland.

Roland waited just inside the mountain, his tall form hidden in the shadows until Nafarius left the clearing. Slipping out of the mountain and into the forest was easy and it didn't take long for him to pick up on Natasha's scent. He knew where they had been picking berries and once there it was a simple matter to follow. There were only four of them, Natasha, Nicholas and two others and they were moving fast. Dropping on to all fours Roland changed into animal form and burst through the trees. If he kept to a brisk pace he was sure to catch up to them before dark.

"Let me go!" Natasha struggled and pulled at the rope binding her hands in front of her. Digging in her heels she tried to slow them down. She knew it was no use trying to stop them. Nicholas had set a brisk pace but instead of heading north they were going south. She wasn't sure what he had in mind but it couldn't be good. Her hope was to slow them down enough to allow Roland and the others to catch up. If Nicholas was able to reach his destination there was no telling what he would do.

Norman, the werewolf holding her leash gave a sharp tug that nearly pulled her off her feet. Catching herself she glared at his back wishing she were stronger. Norman was by far and away the largest man she had ever seen. He stood well over seven feet tall and was built like a brick wall. Most people cleared a space when he came through. It wasn't just his size that intimidated but the way he looked at you with those cold dead eyes. He was vicious and a brut but that didn't stop her from trying.

Nicolas walked on ahead paying her no mind. He was deep in thought about the events to come and couldn't be bothered with her complaints. He had been watching Natasha and his brother for the past two weeks. Not only had his mate deserted him but his brother had managed to lure away his entire pack. It was an insult he couldn't stand for and he had quickly made plans for their destruction.

It was time to end this. Nicholas had known all of his life that he would never succeed as long as his brother was alive. It was as if the gods had deemed only one brother good enough and it was time to show them just who that really was. Nicholas had spent much of his time trying to please those they worshipped but he soon realized that as long as his brother lived he was doomed to failure.

Once he had taken care of Nafarius he would take over the surrounding packs and rule supreme! It was only a matter of time, and a little planning. He had already figured out how to lure his brother out into the open. He knew Nafarius well and he knew that if any member of his pack was attacked he saw it as a personal assault. Nafarius also saw it as his sacred duty to protect all under his rule. Nicholas knew that Nafarius would be headed this way just as soon as he learned of Tasha's abduction. Never mind that she was

his

mate. Nafarius obviously saw her as under his protection. His younger brother had a soft heart and in the end

that

would be his downfall.

Natasha was scared. She'd never seen Nicholas like this before. He was usually explosive, lashing out at anyone and everyone that crossed his path but he had yet to really look at her. She had picked up his scent immediately and after stashing Joseph in the bushes set out to lead him away from the child and her pack. With his larger size and superior speed it hadn't taken him long to catch her. He caught her in a flying tackle but unlike before he refrained from striking out at her. He just sat there and waited until Norman and Rufus had caught up bearing the rope. Even the way he looked at her had sent chills down her spine. It was as if he didn't really see her.

It was getting dark when they finally made camp. Nicholas ordered a halt and they quickly went about building a fire. He seemed unconcerned about the fact that they were trespassing upon another pack's lands and insisted that they build a fire and eat some freshly cooked meat.

Natasha eyed him cautiously as he approached. "You must be hungry. Here, eat this." He handed her half of the roasted rabbit Norman had caught earlier. Reaching out he brushed her hair back from her face. "I know it wasn't your fault. These things are beyond your control. But once I kill Nafarius you will no longer be under his influence and you can again come to me."

"What are you talking about?" He was crazy. The realization hit her with such clarity that she was surprised she hadn't seen it before. He'd always been violent and abusive but nothing like this. He was delusional and she wasn't sure which was worse. At least before she knew what to expect but now Nicholas was unpredictable and that made him even more dangerous.

"It doesn't matter, I know you don't understand but I do and I forgive you." Nicholas smiled and pulled her into his arms. "And now that you're back I can once again make you my mate."

Natasha paled and struggled to get off his lap. "I will NOT mate with you again. You're crazy! You think that all you have to do is kill Nafarius and everything will be fine?" She stood shaking with fear and rage but there was no way she would willingly lie with him again. "First of all, you don't stand a change against your brother. He's ten times the man you are!" Natasha didn't stop at the warning anger she saw gathering in his eyes. She was done backing down. "And another thing, I don't love you! I never have and I sure as hell don't want to be your mate! I've found someone else, someone that knows how to treat a woman, how to care for her without hurting her."

Nicholas saw red. The mention of his brother, the idea that he would never measure up against Nafarius brought him to a fury fast. He stopped listening after that.

Nicholas was on her in a second. His hands gripped her throat as he took her down to the ground. Rolling he pounded her head into the ground his only thought to shut her up. She was struggling, her hands clawing at his face and her knees pressing into his chest trying to push him off of her. It all just added to his excitement. He could smell her fear, her fear of him and not his brother. Fear was power; he'd used it to rule once and he would use it again.

Natasha's lungs were starting to burn and her vision was growing dark around the edges. Her entire field of vision was filled with her mate's face, red with rage as he hovered over her. She clutched and clawed at his arms trying to pry them from her throat but her strength was beginning to fade. Just when she thought she would never see Roland or the others again Nicholas released her.

With great gasps of air she tried to roll out from under Nicholas only to find him shifting above her. "NO!" she shouted and put more effort into trying to get away.

Nicholas growled and snapped at her neck. He wanted her to change and the fastest way was to attack.

Natasha knew what he was after but she couldn't stop herself. In the face of such a threat her animal rose to the surface and struggled to break free. Not even trying to hold back she shifted and after a full-body shudder got to her feet. Standing on all fours she looked like a pup next to Nicholas. Natasha knew that she was no match for her mate but still she circled, her hackles raised ready to defend against his attack.

It wasn't long in coming. Nicholas came at her, his chest low to the ground and his teeth barred. Natasha held her position, waited until he was in mid-air and then moved to the left. Nicholas tried to follow her, his body twisting in the air but by the time he landed she had already moved around to the other side of the fire. Norman and Rufus had moved back and changed into animal form in order to watch the show but neither one would interfere, unless their leader was in serious danger.

Nicholas stopped directly across the fire from his mate. Her black coat shown blue in the firelight and her yellow eyes positively glowed. He knew she was waiting, watching to see if he would come from the right or from the left.

He surprised her. Crouching low and leaning to his right, Nicholas made as if to rush her. But instead of switching direction and moving to the left he leapt over the fire catching her in the chest with his front paws. Together, the two of them rolled as claws and teeth sought purchase in flesh protected only with fur.

Nicholas cried out as he felt her claws digging into his side but Natasha didn't close her grip, instead she ripped through flesh exposing the muscle. Her teeth sunk into his shoulder, her mouth filling with blood and the sound of bones cracking echoed in the air.

Enraged with pain, Nicholas moved in closer forcing her to retreat. The close proximity of his body made it difficult for her to swipe with her claws and he pressed his wounded shoulder into her throat. He was crouched over her and with one quick move flipped her over onto her stomach.

Once again on all fours, Natasha tried to crawl away from him. Nicholas leaned forward and grabbed her by the back of the neck, his jaws locking onto flesh and muscles.

Despite the pain, Natasha continued to struggle. She could feel the blood seeping out of her neck and down her back. Heat and pain radiated through her as her movements caused her own flesh to tear. Nicholas weighed heavy against her back, his front claws digging into her hips holding her immobile. His legs were braced on the inside of her thighs, spreading her open. She could feel him hard and throbbing against her opening as her entire body strained forward out of his reach. She made the decision then and there that she would rather tear out her own throat then let him mate with her again.

Her struggles only increased Nicholas' excitement. He could smell her fear, a scent that had always intoxicated him. Digging in deeper with his teeth he drank greedily as her blood poured into his mouth. At the same time he tightened his grip on her hips and slid his cock between her spread thighs.

Natasha, her body unprepared for his attack, cried out as Nicholas forced his way inside of her. She felt herself tearing and she tried to tighten her body to keep him from entering her once again.

Nicholas shuddered with pleasure. Natasha lay shivering and struggling beneath him, low whimpers of pain emanating from her throat. The passage into her body was tight and gripped his cock as he continued to pound away at her. It didn't take long before he reached his peak and he was just about to empty himself inside of her when a movement from the forest caught him off guard.

A blur of brown fur was all Natasha saw before the weight was lift off of her back and Nicholas was sent sprawling. He landed on the other side of the fire completely still for several stunned seconds.

With the weight gone, Natasha had collapsed onto her stomach but now she scrambled to get her legs beneath her. Looking up she saw Roland in animal form. He pivoted slowly as Norman and Rufus circled him their lips curled back to expose their canine teeth.

Roland wasn't impressed. He'd met their kind before, big and stupid. They used their size to intimidate but had no real ability to back it up. Both were circling slowly and as if by some unheard command rushed him. The fact that they attacked together gave him an edge. He was able to use their combined momentum to hurl one into the other. They landed in a tangle of arms and legs and once again tried for him. This time he let both get close. Rufus reached him first. Roland grabbed onto his throat with his teeth but did nothing to stop the movement of his opponent's body. In the end it was Rufus' size that killed him as he continued to sail over Roland, leaving his throat in the other man's mouth.

Roland didn't have time to rid himself of the taste. Norman was on him in the next instant and Roland found himself flat on his back. Norman when for his neck, Roland wasn't quite fast enough and felt the distinct sensation of teeth tearing into flesh. A snarl of rage was Norman's only warning before a large set of extended claws slashed down and opened him up.

Natasha followed Norman as he collapsed and using her body pinned him to the ground while he bleed to death. Werewolves could heal themselves but not from a wound of that magnitude and not after loosing that much blood. Preoccupied with Norman she was unaware of Nicholas until it was too late.

Roland saw him coming and tried to get to his feet. Unfortunately, his legs didn't seem to be working. He had lost a lot of blood and the battle with Norman and Rufus had been a severe drain on his strength. He was on his side, trying to get his legs beneath him when Nicholas barreled into him.

Nicholas went for the most vital parts of the body. Using his teeth he bit into the already broken flesh while at the same time he tried to tear into Roland's chest with his claws. Roland shifted and struggled beneath him driving Nicholas into a frenzy.