I checked with the shooters, and we had just enough ammunition to tick off the last twenty birds. Some of the shooters, like Benji, Blair, and Thomas, had run out of cartridges, so they’d shifted in order to give us a hand, but also so they were stronger and more protected when it came to the eagles’ talons.

  Blair had been incredible, and she’d worked alongside Kristina to help protect the omegas. Kristina was like Blair’s mentor when it came to the rifles, which definitely made me feel more at ease.

  However, the shooter of the evening had to be Aunt Eva.

  Even though it wasn’t a competition.

  Eva had tucked herself away in one of the Jeeps so she was protected from the dangerous talons and beaks, but she also had the perfect view of the sky. I wouldn’t have been surprised if some of the eagles hadn’t even spotted her before they got shot. Aunt Eva’s attacks came out of nowhere, and that was always the best tactic when it came to a fight.

  Jesse! A voice suddenly appeared in my mind.

  Yes? I asked as I scanned the island for the owner of the voice.

  Hell yeah, we’re connected! he replied.

  It was Connor, and he sounded just as confused as I was that our connection had happened so quickly. It might have had something to do with my Alpha strength increasing, but I didn’t have the time to think too much about it.

  Jesse, look! Connor bobbed his ashy coyote head toward the roof of the gray building.

  And that’s when I saw him.

  Perched on the highest point of the building was Reuben Dillard.

  I didn’t even need to smell his alpha dominance to know exactly who it was.

  Reuben was double the size of the other eagles around him, and there was a clear bald patch on his stomach from years of fighting. I couldn’t see any other obvious scars on him. All I could see was the look of pure evil that swarmed in Reuben’s beady black eyes.

  Bald eagles already came with an intimidating expression on their faces, yet this was different.

  The difference between bald eagles and Reuben was like Krusty the Clown and fucking Pennywise.

  But that didn’t mean I couldn’t kill him, and I definitely wasn’t going to step back until I had what I wanted.

  Which was to watch this spying son of a bitch get exactly what he deserved.

  Murder him, bro, Benji snarled as he plodded up beside me. We can handle the last of these bastards.

  Believe me, I won’t be taking my eyes off him for a single second, I replied. That miserable coward will need to leave his spot at some point, and I know exactly how I’m going to do it…

  Reuben knew he was in a safe spot. I couldn’t reach him while he was on the roof, and my shooters were too busy killing off the other eagles. Plus, my betas knew that this was a fight between Reuben and I, so they weren’t going to take that satisfaction from me by shooting him themselves.

  The avian alpha probably thought he could stay up there for hours, and that maybe I’d get driven mad trying my damndest to jump around and thrash myself against the house in vain to get at him. That wasn’t how things worked with me, though.

  I came with a hidden talent, and because I hadn’t used it since I was in British Columbia, I was interested to know whether Reuben knew about The Howl or not.

  Either way, as I stood there and watched Reuben stretch out his wings, I allowed my anger to build deep inside of me.

  That motherfucker on the roof had caused nothing but trouble for days. Not only had he potentially ordered someone to follow me around at home and listen in on our private conversations, but he’d also tried to have me killed the other night.

  Reuben Dillard had ordered his betas to attack me while I was at my most vulnerable. It was difficult for me to shift while outside the concert hall, and it was an incredibly risky move for me to make. If I hadn’t shifted in the middle of the deserted parking lot, I more than likely would have died that night.

  For whatever reason, Reuben Dillard hated me. I didn’t even know the man existed until a week ago, yet I had clearly been one of his enemies since before we even arrived in California.

  My pack and I had been looking over our shoulders for days, fearful that the eagles could have attacked us at any given moment. I had two pregnant omegas to think about, and it was far too dangerous for them to continue walking around in their human forms with the eagles watching our every step.

  The safety of my omegas and unborn children came before everything else.

  With those thoughts in my mind, I tried to relax my body despite the pent-up anger that flowed through me, and then I allowed a howl to echo into the night sky.

  The Howl didn’t sound any different to me, and it was often hard for me to know if it was just a regular howl or not. But as the eagles began to scream and call, I knew it had worked.

  The deafening sound pulsed through my throat as it rang out into the air, and the eagles quickly lost the ability to fly as they became incapacitated by the painful sound. The birds couldn’t power their wings anymore, so my shooters had a field day as they fired rounds into the vicious eagles’ stomachs.

  But I was more interested in Reuben Dillard.

  At first, it looked like he was strong enough to fight off the discomfort, just like Theo Finch. But as I allowed The Howl to form once more, I watched as Reuben began to lose his grip on the roof.

  He tucked his head under one wing like he was trying to block out the sound. Then as he fell from his perch, he stretched out his enormous wings, yet they hung limp in the air.

  I ran around to the back of the house and watched the massive bald eagle tumble down the steep roof as the effects of The Howl riddled his body. A smile curled across my wolfy lips as Reuben bounced against the slate tiles, and then he let out a sharp cry of his own as he fell the last of the way and smashed onto the rocky ground below.

  I knew I had a handful of seconds before the effects would wear off, and I wasn’t going to allow Reuben the chance to fly off before I could end this fight once and for all.

  So as the eagle cried out and twisted his head from side to side, I sprinted over and placed my front paws on his limp wings. A rush of adrenaline took over from the anger inside me as I lowered my head and stared the bastard straight in the eyes.

  Reuben pecked at my legs and paws with his sharp beak, but I forced back the pain as I growled and showed the eagle who was in charge now. Blood seeped through my paws and onto Reuben’s brown wings, but that was nothing compared to the injuries I’d had in the past.

  Compared to Theo Finch, this feathered fuck was like an ant under my shoe.

  I was seconds away from ripping the asshole’s head from his shoulders, and there was nothing Reuben could have done to stop me.

  But then, just as I was about to lock my teeth around his neck, I suddenly felt a searing pain in my back.

  Aaah! I cried.

  Jesse! Nikita called out.

  One of Reuben’s betas had his talons caught in the bridge of my back, and he pecked at my neck as he continued to tear through my fur and flesh.

  I jostled myself from side to side as I tried to free the bastard eagle but also keep a good grip on Reuben, but the eagle had too much of an advantage from his position. I had both the alpha and the beta attacking me now, and every time I tried to lock my teeth around Reuben’s neck, the beta would tear through a different part of my body.

  I didn’t have the ability to reach the beta, and Reuben’s wings continued to slip from under my paws as every second passed.

  Someone help him! Arielle ordered. I won’t make it there in time!

  I have one round left… Kristina said with clear determination. Connor, follow my lead, okay?

  Do it, Connor yipped.

  All of a sudden, a shot rang out, and as the bullet clipped the beta’s wing, an ash-colored werecoyote leaped over my back and took the eagle with him. I felt my muscles being wrenched as the eagle was torn from my back, but Connor already had his teeth buried deep into the eagle’s stomach.

  However, the eagle’s distraction had given Reuben an extra second to slip out from under my paws, and now the alpha stood a few feet away from me.

  He scratched his talons against the rocky ground, and he stretched out his battered wings as he took small steps toward me.

  Reuben’s wingspan must have been at least fifteen feet, and he flapped the enormous appendages as he came closer, but several of the feathers were missing now. The wings looked pretty mangled after my viscous attack. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were broken in a few places, because as Reuben flapped them back and forth, it was clear to see that they didn’t have the strength they did before.

  My fur was soaked with blood, and there was a slight sting as my body attempted to repair itself. But I knew I couldn’t focus on the pain until Reuben was dead. I didn’t have any broken bones in the way, so I used that to my advantage.

  As I bounded over with the intention of finally killing Reuben, the avian tried to lift himself into the air. He smacked his wings against my face, probably trying to throw me off course, and every time I fought past them, Reuben would peck and scratch at my face with his beak and talons.

  Reuben lifted himself slightly higher off the ground, and he might have even lifted himself to heights that stopped me from being able to reach him, but before he could get that far, Eva’s voice came to me.

  Jesse, I only have one cartridge left, so I can only do this once, she warned.

  Okay… I replied as I blocked myself from Reuben’s talons.

  Whatever you do, do not get up from the ground, Aunt Eva replied forcefully. Stay low. My aim is impressive, but that doesn’t mean I won’t hit you if you get in my way. I’ll get Reuben to stay on the ground, and then it’s down to you, okay?

  Go for it, I growled.

  Then as Reuben stretched out his wings once again, Aunt Eva took the opportunity to shoot.

  The bullet pierced straight through the middle of Reuben’s right wing, and the alpha let out a loud shriek as he curled his injured limb into his body.

  Reuben shrieked out again as I forced him to the ground, and I had to give it to the alpha, he refused to give up.

  Even with a broken wing, the bald eagle continued to attack me in any way he could. His talons sliced through my legs, he pecked my forehead and cheeks with his beak, and he hobbled back every time I slashed to rake his stomach with my claws.

  But despite the injuries I had obtained, I was still stronger, and I wasn’t the one with a broken wing. So there was only so much Reuben could do to stay away from me.

  I let out a bark-like laugh as I sized up my opponent, and then I closed the distance between us and pounded my paws against Reuben’s solid stomach. The eagle tried to defend himself, but there was no use, because it didn’t take much for me to tower over Reuben once again.

  Still, I didn’t want to just kill Reuben and get it over and done with. I wanted to show him exactly how I felt, and I wanted him to know that I didn’t appreciate people following me, or people following my pregnant omegas.

  So given that Reuben had lost the ability to fly, I decided to take a second to shift into a stronger version of myself.

  My paws became clawed hands and feet, and as I felt my back stretch out, my wolfy face morphed into a terrifying hybrid mix.

  My hybrid form was the strongest form I had in me, and I loved to include this third version of myself whenever I had the opportunity.

  It added an element of “do you realize who you’re fucking dealing with” that The Alpha in me greatly enjoyed.

  Reuben backed away as much as he could, and he flapped his good wing to try and fight me off. I knew an alpha as advanced as him probably had the ability to shift into his hybrid form, too, so I made sure to stop that before it could happen.

  An almighty growl shattered through the air as I locked my hand around Reuben’s neck, and then I lifted the injured bald eagle into the air until I was face to face with him.

  The determination and adrenaline had whipped me into a frenzy, and as I restricted his airways some more, I used my spare hand to rip his broken wing straight from his body. Reuben screeched in pain, and he attacked my fist like a damn jackhammer while his talons tried to pierce my chest, but his efforts were futile.

  I literally had him in the palm of my hand, and Reuben Dillard was about to leave this world for good.

  I almost felt like The Hulk as I stared down at my prey.

  Jesse Rafe was Bruce Banner.

  My hybrid form was The Hulk.

  And now that this crazed side of me had been let loose, there was no stopping the primal monster that hid beneath my skin.

  I only wanted to do one thing, and that was to smash and destroy everything in my path.

  So that was exactly what I did.

  I ripped off Reuben’s second wing so he no longer had the ability to block my attacks. I even slashed through his stomach for good measure, and once that was out of the way, I went for his head.

  I kept one hand around his neck and used the other to hold his feathery head, and then in unison, I twisted my hands in opposite directions as the dismembered motherfucker let out his final call. His bones cracked and shattered, and it was up there with one of the greatest sounds I’d ever heard.

  My growls never faltered throughout the attack, and the shattering noise seemed to add more energy and power to my actions.

  As Reuben’s head popped free from his neck, the blood poured from him in continuous streams, and it was almost like squeezing a Capri Sun that was still filled with juice.

  Then I dropped his bloody body onto the ground, and a chorus of howls, yips, and yowls came from my pack as they congratulated me on killing Reuben Dillard. The biggest rush of satisfaction raced through my veins, and it wasn’t until I took a second to regain my thoughts that I noticed the sight of the island I was standing on.

  Dead eagles bobbed on the surface of the water, and there were more of them littered across the ground. My army and I stood on a bed of enormous feathers and streams of blood, and just knowing that we had caused this carnage made the satisfied feeling increase even more.

  Jesse! my omegas cried as they bounded toward me.

  You did it, Alpha, you did it! Arielle squealed.

  I held their warm, furry bodies against me as a smile slipped across my face. None of them were injured, none of my army had died, and I’d just inherited yet another property.

  The rest of my army ran toward me, and the betas in the forest called out in celebration, too. One of them asked if they could leave the trees now, but I kept them there, just in case.

  It could have been that we had only dealt with half of the avian flock, and perhaps the other half was still to arrive. I didn’t want us to be caught off guard, so it was best that everyone stayed where they were until it was time for us to leave.

  And it was a good thing I did, because one of the new werecoyotes called out in alarm only a few minutes after that.

  There are bald eagles in the distance! Cayden shouted silently.

  My group and I had been so caught up in the celebrations that none of us had noticed the incomers, but as I glanced into the sky, I spotted the seven eagles flying toward us. They must have been the eagles who had vanished at the beginning of the fight, and now they’d returned to continue their business.

  “Shoot them,” I ordered in my deep, hybrid voice.

  “We’re all out of ammunition, Jesse,” Kristina sighed. “Aunt Eva had the final shot. And the eagles are too far away from the shooters in the trees to hit them.”

  Kristina and Aunt Eva were the only shooters who hadn’t shifted, but they both kicked off their shoes as they prepared themselves to suddenly transform.

  What are we going to do? Hailey asked with fear in her orange eyes.

  “It’s okay,” I said calmly. “There’s more than enough of us to handle them. We just need to work as a team. There’s only seven eagles, so we’ll be able to kill them without getting too injured.”

  Are you sure? Connor asked. These avians are stronger than I thought they were.

  “Of course, I’m sure,” I replied. “We’ve just killed over a hundred of these assholes, so an additional seven is nothing. Those of you who are already pretty injured, hang back. The rest of us have got this.”

  We all watched in anticipation as the birds came closer and closer, and I tried to think of a sudden plan before the eagles could attack.

  But then, as the seven eagles landed, they instantly shifted into their human forms. There were five men and two women, and all seven of them stood there as naked as the day they were born.

  The bald eagles were showing their weaker sides, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. They could have easily had a plan, and maybe there were more eagles waiting to attack while the others distracted us.

  So until I knew exactly what was going on, I wasn’t going to drop my protective guard.

  As Kristina and Aunt Eva shifted, I made sure they were protecting the omegas, and then I walked forward with Benji and Connor by my side. My wolf and coyote beta captains growled to give the avians a clear warning that we meant business.

  The avians were now a part of my pack because I had killed their alpha, but I knew from experience with Theo Finch’s previous betas, that some of them weren’t always as pleased to see me. Which was exactly why I wasn’t going to greet them with open arms until I knew exactly how they felt.

  They could have decided to go rogue after the death of Reuben, which would have meant that they’d have no issue attacking me or any members of my pack.

  “Stop, stop!” one of the avians called out with his hands up in defense. “We’re not here to hurt you!”

  I halted Benji and Connor with a motion of my hybrid hands, and then I silently told the rest of my army not to make a move until I told them to.

  I still couldn’t smell them, I could only smell their natural human tones and the clear sense of fear that radiated off them. They didn’t smell at all deceitful, so that helped me get a better read on them.

 

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