Chapter Twenty-Three Cory
T he hiking loop David had chosen for our outing was five miles. Two hours after we began, we were about a quarter mile from reaching the parking lot once more. We'd traveled through forests, over partially frozen rivers, waded through snow, and climbed several sand dunes in the process. All the while keeping Lake Huron to one shoulder or the other. It was a beautiful hike, something I wasn't quite ready to admit. As far as I was concerned, it was still a hell of a lot of work just for some pretty views.
We were tired, sweaty, and hoarse from laughing and carrying on so much with one another as we neared the parking lot. To say the outing had been a great success was an understatement. In fact, I was starting to worry that Liam had already replaced me as David's new best friend. The two were thick as thieves already. I wasn't sure if I was worried, delighted, or maybe just a bit scared they seemed to have so much in common. One thing was for sure though, they liked to tease me and as much as I pretended I hated it, I had a secret fondness for the attention. It made me feel like I was part of a real family or something.
And I was starting to feel like everything in Shifter Grove was perfect.
At least until we came around the last curve in the hiking trail.
Once again, I saw a dark figure standing in the middle of the path, staring me down. David and Liam were behind me, the pair of them carrying on so much that they didn't notice I was stopped until they nearly ran me over.
"Sorry, Cory," David said, patting me on the shoulder. "I didn't see you–"
His words dropped off as he looked up, spotting the figure at last. On my other side I felt a sudden rush of heat as Liam stepped forward, placing himself between me and the figure. I could smell the anger rolling off him in waves and his hackles were up. I just didn't know why.
The man, I assumed, had wide shoulders, thick arms, and a long dark coat that looked like it was made of black merino. His hands were clad in black leather gloves, and I heard the leather stretch as he clenched his fists. The strangest part about his entire getup was the fact that he wore no shoes. Just bare feet in the cold snow.
It wasn't until he looked up and I caught sight of those intense golden eyes that I finally realized who he was.
"What are you doing here?" Liam snarled, holding an arm out in front of me. "Won't the pack miss you or something? They might not survive a day without you trying to control every tiny aspect of their lives like the dickhead you are!"
"Is that any way to speak to your father?" the man asked, a wide confident grin pulling across his face. "I raised you better than that, Liam."
"You didn't raise me at all," he shot back. "You tortured me."
Liam had placed his body fully in front of me now. As much as I wanted to step beside him and stare down his asshole of a father as one, I knew I might not get another chance to do something useful. Instead of confronting the man that tried to destroy us both, I slowly reached into my pocket and took my phone out. With a small gasp of relief, I saw I had a signal, and I began to type a message out to the group chat I had with the guys.
Me: Help. Liam's Dad. Hawthorne Trailhead. Southern branch.
I thought for a moment to warn them about David, but I'd barely gotten the message out before Liam's father roared with laughter, startling me so much I accidentally dropped my phone into the snow. It disappeared into the drift, and I knew I couldn't reach for it without incurring the wrath of the crazed Alpha in front of us.
"Tortured you?!" he scoffed. "I was just getting you ready to take over as Alpha one day." He gave Liam a discerning look. "And hoping to beat the queer out of you. But I see I didn't beat you hard enough for that." He glanced over Liam's shoulder at me, his lips curling into a cruel grin. "I shoulda killed that little fag the moment I caught you two together."
"SHUT UP!" Liam screamed, taking a few steps forward, his claws and fangs visible already. "Don't you DARE talk about my mate like that!"
Liam's father just laughed. But I felt a hand on my shoulder tighten painfully.
"C-Cory," David trembled, reminding me he was still there. "W-What is th-that?!"
The Alpha lifted his nose to the air and breathed deep, letting out a scoff as he exhaled. "A queer and a human? What kind of company are you keeping these days, son?"
"I'm not your fucking son," Liam spat.
"Yes, you are. And you're going to take over the pack just like I did from my father and his father before him going back generations. You are not about to ruin our family name over this stupid… phase of yours."
"I don't give a flying fuck about your traditions. I won't go back with you. Not after what you did to me and Cory!"
His father's expression suddenly grew dark and serious. "Do you think I did all this to you just to hurt you?!" He laughed contemptuously, pulling aside his coat to reveal a large scar across his chest. "My father marked me just as I marked you because I wouldn't listen to him either. But I saw reason and you will too. The Alpha in you was born to lead our pack and I'll do whatever it takes to make you realize that." His own claws and fangs began to appear as he stepped forward. "I'll fight you to within an inch of your life and drag your half-dead carcass back home if I have to."
"C-Cory…" David said, his voice low and shaking. "They… They're monsters…"
Before I could respond, Liam had glanced over his shoulder at me. "Run," he said in a commanding tone. "Run and don't look back. I'll meet you back at the hotel once I've killed him."
My blood went cold. It didn't take a genius to see that Liam was no match for his father. Even after nearly a month of eating well in Shifter Grove, Liam had yet to recover from the years of beatings and starvation. He was strong… but not that strong. If I left him alone, I wasn't sure I'd ever see him again. But if I stayed, his father would target David and I instead. And chances were David wouldn't survive even a single attack from an Alpha werewolf.
"Cory," Liam said again, his voice a low growl as the wolf began to take over.
I could see that feral look in his eyes again and I felt a cold rush of fear through my chest. If he gave into that side of himself, I may never get him back. He was already at the end of his rope and the edge of his sanity. And I wasn't sure if my love for him would be enough to bring him home once he let go.
But I also knew I had no choice. If I stayed my best friend would most likely die. But if I left, I might never see my mate again.
So, bargaining with myself to get my feet to move, I made my choice. Once David was safe in his car, I'd come back. I just hoped I made it there in time.
"Okay," I nodded, staring into that one bright golden eye of Liam's.
He stared at me intensely, his lips unmoving but his face saying everything he'd ever wanted to tell me.
"I love you too," I whispered.
Then, grabbing David by the arm, I ducked around Liam and sprinted up the trail. The Alpha saw us go and made a lunge. However, his arm stopped only halfway, Liam's fanged jaws digging into his flesh as he shifted. With a bright flash of gold, the Alpha forgot all about us and ripped Liam free. I glanced back just in time to see Liam hit the ground and roll through the snow, his silver fur streaked with his father's blood. Then, with the coat thrown aside, the Alpha shifted into the burliest, meanest looking wolf I'd ever seen.
And he advanced on Liam's still body.
Forcing myself to look away, I sprinted down the trail, practically dragging David behind me. He could hardly keep his feet underneath him we were going so fast. In less than a minute we arrived at the parking lot, skidding to a halt on the snow and ice.
"What… What is going on?!" he barked as I dragged him toward his car. "What was that? Why is your boyfriend a monster?!"
"David," I snapped. "Shut up and get in your car! Get as far away from here as you can!"
"What's going on–"
"DAVID!" I screamed, my own fangs appearing in my mouth.
He stopped dead in his tracks, his face as white as the surrounding snow. But I didn't care if he was scared. At least he was alive. I was already stripping off my coat and shirt, knowing I needed to shift if I wanted to stand a chance against the Alpha.
"Go!" I yelled. "Get out of here!"
He didn't argue. Instead, with a look of pure horror, he fumbled for his keys, clambered into his car, and peeled out of the parking lot. He wasn't yet out of sight when my last piece of clothing came off and I let the wolf take over me. Four paws hit the snow, and I sprinted back the way I'd come, a howling war cry leaving my lips as I pounded through the snow.