A Wolf's Claim

CHAPTER 32

*Jace*

"Just tell me, Adam." I growled.

"I don't know if you're going to want to hear it, man." Adam sighed, and I looked at him with a stern expression.

"What did Sienna see?" I demanded in a gruff tone, and Adam knew not to argue.

"She saw what Stella experienced while held captive by Solomon..." Adam paused, and I nodded for him to continue, "I'm surprised Stella is still standing, honestly. Solomon whipped the s**t out of her, they beat her and forced her to work directly after. Stella attacked Solomon with a gardening tool, and that's when she ended up in Ziggy's hands. He cut her with a knife, beat her with a bat, and... he-- he marked her for death."

I stood there, staring at Adam, while the veins inside my body constricted. A werewolf can mark someone for death by biting their wrist or forearm in a criss-cross pattern. It indicates to other werewolves that the person is an enemy. Most werewolves don't question it, they kill whoever is marked for death. Especially humans.

I never noticed it, because I hadn't been intimate enough with Stella to see any of her bare skin. We're just scratching the surface, but I feel like an i***t nonetheless! I suck in a deep breath, holding it for a minute before releasing it. Adam is staring at me with wide eyes, a freckle of fear shimmering from behind his pupils.

My skin was sweltering, as sweat beaded above my brows. Adam took a step back, and within seconds I shifted into my wolf. The anger that was running through my veins was colossal, and I could only think of one thing. I took off through the forest, with Adam shouting desperately behind me. Rage fueled my legs to trample the forest, leaving debris of broken down trees in my wake.

I heard someone behind me, and when I turned to look, I saw Adam chasing behind me. He was shifted as well, and known for his incredible speed. I knew he'd catch up to me, but there was nothing he could do. I was his Alpha, it was my decision, and I wanted Ziggy's blood.

I bounced off two rocks and jumped up a cliff, miraculously climbing my way to the top. I could hear Adam whimpering behind me, he'd have to take the long way. Which gives me just enough time to do what I need to. I was halfway there, when Sienna mindlinked me.

"Don't do it, Jace. They're already seeking a war, you broke the agreement! This will propel something you're not ready for!" Sienna's mindlink echoed through my head.

It was enough to slow me down, but not stop me. I was stuck in a heated haze of fury, and the only way to cure it was to kill Ziggy. I'd never been so angry in my life, there was hardly a decision to control myself. I knew what I wanted, and no one was going to stop me.

"Damnit, Jace! Stop! Stella needs you!" Sienna mindlinked again, but I continued to ignore her.

I was coming up to The Midnight Sun's settlement, and I could smell Ziggy instantly. I followed the wretched scent, toward the familiar house that my mate was locked away in. Focused on my prey, I didn't hear Adam coming up from behind me. He tackled me to the ground and started dragging me away. Growling, I bit at him, hard enough to break his grip on me.

With that, I took off toward the house. For the second time, I busted through the front door and made my way through the house. Screams and shouting filled my ears, as people began shuffling around me. I followed the scent upstairs, and stopped in front of a door a few feet down the hallway. Ziggy was inside, I was sure of it, and the only thing separating us was this flimsy wooden door.

Smirking to myself, I busted through his bedroom door, finding him in bed with a woman. She screamed in a high-pitched tone that hurt my ears, and Ziggy shoved her naked body off the bed. He ran toward me, leaping across the bed, shifting midair. The woman watched in horror, and I knew she was human.

Ziggy stood in front of me, shifted into his dark gray wolf. It didn't take long for him to lunge first, and soon we were in full-blown battle. I grabbed him by the neck and swung him out of the bedroom, away from the human. Running toward him, I attacked again, only this time I threw him across the stairs. He landed on the bottom level, growling ferociously.

I sprinted down the stairs, and we collided, both of our jaws connecting with the other. Pulling back, I snapped down and bit the side of his shoulder, pulling my clenched teeth away, tearing at his skin. Ziggy howled, pushing away from me. I spit the remanence of flesh and blood on the ground, stalking toward him with burning eyes. Ziggy snarled, snapping at me, but I didn't back down. I leaped over the top of him, landing behind him. Spinning around before he could look, I wrapped my teeth around his neck and bit down as hard as I could.

I heard him groan, and without another thought I snapped his neck. I dragged him to the front of the house, outside in the yard. Piling sticks around his body, I could sense Adam approaching from beside me. He was in human form, holding a lighter with a grim expression. I nodded, and Adam threw the lighter onto Ziggy's body, lighting him in flames of fire. I watched for a few seconds, letting the fury pass through me, before turning to leave.

I sprinted back through the forest, with Adam closely behind me. I knew what I had just done was going to cause so much turmoil between our packs, but I couldn't control it. Just hearing about what Stella went through, made me go ballistic. I had to seek vengeance, I had to make sure she never felt that pain again.

Adam remained silent, following behind me like a lost puppy. Soon I know why, I can hear what Sienna is mindlinking with him. She's mad that he let me go through with it, but she knows it was never in his hands. I'm Alpha, no one can override my decisions, not even my Beta.

"Damnit, Jace! You just started a war--" Sienna tried to scold me too, but that wasn't going to happen.

"No! Solomon started the war when he kidn*pped my f*****g mate!" I roared back, noticing Adam flinch.

I ignored the rest of her mindlinks, and closed my mind off to her completely. I had to be alone for a little bit, I had to determine what the hell I was going to do. Maybe Sienna is right, maybe I just created a disaster between our packs? If that's the case, my pack is going to hate me as their Alpha. All I'm trying to do is help, and instead I'm screwing everything up. Maybe Ma was right? Maybe I'm going to ruin The Shadow pack, single-handedly.