Bloodlines: M/M Wolf Shifter Mpreg Paranormal Romance (Legacy of the Wolf Book 2) Read online

  “Do not insult my child like that,” Will said, baring his teeth.

  “You have never made things easy. Even when you were a child you liked to take the most difficult route to any destination.”

  “I know father, I am a disappointment. You don’t have to keep making me aware of that fact. I came here to show you that I am not the wastrel you accused me of being. I came here to show you that I am capable of leading this clan.”

  “Then you will have to prove it. Stay here, where you belong. Your exile is over.”

  “Am I supposed to believe that you would lift my exile so easily?”

  “You knew the terms when you left. You have done well at finally fulfilling your destiny. Now it is time for you to come home and prepare to rule, and prepare your child for it as well. I hope they are not as disobedient as you turned out to be.”

  Will felt a tight ball of anger coiling inside him. His hands clenched and his blood pulsated violently through his veins.

  “I came here to prove you wrong, father. You are supposed to apologize!”

  “You will find that people in life rarely do what you wish them to. I see that is another thing you have failed to learn.”

  “I have learned more than you think,” Will said. “And it is not decided that I shall stay here. I have come to enjoy the city, and it is Charlie’s home as well. I cannot simply ask him to move.”

  “He will do whatever you suggest, and your place is here.”

  “I tried to tell you that, but you were the one who wanted me to leave.”

  Thomas waved a hand brusquely through the air.

  “That is of no importance now. All that matters is that you are home and Charlie is with child. You have fulfilled your duty. I do not care if you forgive me,” Thomas said bluntly.

  Will didn’t know whether to be sad or angry. He stared at his father in disbelief, shaking his head slightly. The man was as stubborn as an ox, and so devoted to his blinkered view of the world it was impossible to get him to see anything from another perspective. In that moment, Will knew that he would never get Thomas to admit he was wrong, nor would he be able to wring an apology out of him.

  Will rose, ready to leave the company of his father. He didn’t want anything to do with him on a personal level, only in an official capacity as leader of the clan. Before he stormed out though, there was one more thing he wanted to say.

  “My duty…sometimes I wonder if you only ever wanted me because it was expected of you. The main difference between you and me is that I actually want my child. I’m going to love him or her unconditionally, not because it’s my duty or because of who they’re going to grow up to be, but because they’re a part of me. I don’t think that’s something you can understand,” he said. His words were sharp and cruel. For a moment he saw something flicker in his father’s eyes, something akin to emotion. For all of Will’s life he had rarely known his father to display emotion, but it looked as though Thomas had actually been wounded by Will’s words.

  At first Will felt a flush of satisfaction that his blow had landed, but that quickly faded, replaced by remorse. No matter what, Thomas was still his father, and he didn’t like being the kind of man who would take joy from hurting his family. Charlie had brought will back here in the hopes of reconciliation, and Will knew that after what he had just said there could be no hope for that.

  Before Thomas could say anything else both of them sensed a commotion outside. They rushed out, striding across the settlement to where the outsider was just shifting from a wolf into a man. It took one look for Thomas and Will to know exactly who it was.

  “Not him again,” Thomas groaned. Will glanced at his father, then at the man who had just appeared, a man who hadn’t been seen for a long time.

  “Will, it’s been a long time,” the outsider said as Will stood by Charlie. Charlie looked at him, confused. There would be time enough to explain later.

  “What are you doing here, Brandon?” Thomas asked.

  Brandon smiled smugly. He looked much the same as when he had left, although there was a new confidence to him. Will remembered the last time he had seen him, broken and defeated. His body still bore the scars of that battle when he had been forced to leave the clan and live in exile. Will had never expected to see him again. His blue eyes still sparkled in the sun, but he had lost the long golden hair that had once been his pride and joy. Now, he had shaved his head, a tattoo dripped down his scalp. Oddly, he hadn’t covered up his scars, perhaps so nobody would ever forget what had been done to him. He was still as muscular as ever, a brute who stood a head above everyone else.

  That had always been his problem though, Brandon had always thought himself above everyone, and that just because he was stronger he deserved to be in a position of power.

  “How nice to see all the family together,” Brandon said, clasping his hands together. “Well Thomas, I’m here to get what I have always deserved. I’m here to take leadership of this clan away from you.”

  “You are a fool,” Thomas said. A laugh that was more of a bark shot out from his throat. “You have no claim to leadership, nor do you have the right to challenge. You betrayed any hope you had a long time ago.”

  “On the contrary, words are wind and many interesting ones reached my ears. I know all about Will’s exile, and that you no longer have an heir. You have failed in your duty to secure your legacy, so now it is time for my bloodline to regain control.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Charlie said. Will groaned inwardly. “I’m carrying Will’s child.”

  Brandon’s attention turned from Thomas and Will to Charlie. He sniffed the air, intrigued. Will instinctively moved closer to Charlie. Brandon ended up inches away from him.

  “Human, how intriguing. I never thought you’d be capable of that. Well, Mr. Human, you certainly have some balls on you, but it’s not like the promise of a half-breed is going to fill people with confidence. No, they need a strong leader, a pure-blood.”

  “Don’t you dare talk about my child like that,” Will said, stepping forward, ready to unleash the anger that had been building inside him.

  Thomas pulled him back, looking him directly in the eyes, as if to say that this was his fight, not Will’s.

  “You tried this once before, Brandon. Do you need more scars?”

  “I was but a pup back then. I’ve learned a few more tricks. Are you going to accept my challenge, or are you going to show everyone what a coward you have become in your old age?” Brandon taunted.

  “Thomas, don’t,” Delilah said, but her words fell on deaf ears. Will knew that his father only had one choice. He couldn’t allow Brandon to insult him like that so openly without recompense.

  Will stood by Charlie, wishing that he could go and aid his father in battle, but it wasn’t his place.

  “It’s time for you to go back where you belong,” Thomas said, striding forward. Brandon’s eyes gleamed in anticipation of the fight. Charlie looked entirely confused, but he didn’t say anything. Will kept his eyes on Brandon, afraid of what the tricky wolf had up his sleeve. It was rare for Brandon to not learn from his mistakes, so Will was worried that his father was being led into a trap.

  Still, Thomas was a mighty wolf, one of the strongest that had ever lived, so Will was confident in his victory.

  “Show me what you’ve learned, Brandon. I’m sure there are still a few things I can teach you,” Thomas said. In response, Brandon shifted.

  Will was in awe when he saw how powerful Brandon had become. He was even bigger than Will remembered, a true titan. Brandon had always boasted of his ancestry and it was clear that the bragging had its foundation in truth. Thomas shifted at the same time, but the leader of the clan looked small compared to Brandon. Brandon was almost ten feet tall, looking like an ancient behemoth. The old wounds had been scarred into his skin from a long time ago, never to be forgotten. Brandon must have been waiting for years to come back for his vengeance, and upon seeing him Will act
ually doubted that his father could emerge unscathed.

  “I have to go and help him,” Will said.

  “No,” Delilah said, “you know you cannot. We do not want to gift him a victory. Your father will win.”

  Will wasn’t sure if that was certainty in his mother’s voice or hope.

  “Will, what’s going on?” Charlie whispered.

  “I’ll tell you later,” Will said. “It’s a long story.”

  The two wolves circled each other. Brandon with his dark fur, Thomas with his golden-brown hide that seemed to glow under the glare of the sun; even though Will had his problems with his father he could not deny that Thomas was a majestic wolf.

  The wolves prowled, trying to gauge each other’s strength. Thomas had been in many battles, had overcome many foes, and he used all his experience now, keeping distance between him and Brandon, positioning himself ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Brandon trembled with rage. He let out a horrific roar, and it was clear from that moment that he wouldn’t be happy until all his enemies were dead.

  He lunged forward, his powerful arms had a huge reach. His sharp claws slashed the air for Thomas barely managed to dodge out of the way. Brandon was quick as well as powerful, and Thomas had his work cut out.

  Will watched with interest, remembering all the lessons that his father had taught him when he had been younger. How best to defend, how to conserve your energy until you needed it the most. Will watched these lessons being put into practice. Thomas was being patient, waiting for Brandon to make a mistake. In contrast, Brandon was pure rage, lashing out with everything he had at every opportunity. One strike was all it was going to take for Thomas to be defeated, but Thomas ensured that the blow would never land.

  Spry on his feet, the golden wolf danced and made a mockery of Brandon’s brute force. Brandon was left clawing at empty air, and this only served to enrage him more. Will enjoyed a sly smile as he realized that his father was goading Brandon, trying to get him mad enough to give Thomas the opening. All Thomas had to do was be patient and wait, then strike perfectly.

  Will knew how difficult it was. He had been in fights too, had felt the bloodlust surge through his mind, twisting his thoughts, the primal beast inside taking over, needing to lash out on instinct. From one look at Brandon he could tell that his old friend was very close to giving into the bestial side of himself, running the risk of losing balance.

  Thomas, on the other hand, was using his mind as well as his strength. He had attained balance and one side of his soul would not be consumed by the other. Will was amazed that Brandon hadn’t lost his human side yet.

  The moment came. Brandon had put all his energy into one devastating blow. He brought his fists up and slammed them down, crashing into the ground. Grass and mud spat up around him, but he didn’t hear the cracking of bone he had expected. At the last moment, Thomas had leaped out of the way and quickly crawled onto Brandon’s back. He dug his claws and teeth in. Brandon arched backward, yelping in pain, his arms flailing, trying to reach Thomas and fling him off.

  Thomas hadn’t chosen his point of attack at random though. Despite Brandon’s impressive reach, none of his legs were long enough to grab a hold of Thomas. Blood sprayed out as Thomas stabbed with his claws into the tough hide. Charlie winced. Will smiled, proud of how his father was making short work of the enemy. It seemed only a matter of time until Brandon was subdued.

  But then, something terrible happened. Will saw Brandon steady himself on two feet, and then pushed himself back, falling down onto his spine. Thomas hadn’t expected it either, and only just managed to scramble away so as to not be crushed, but his leg was caught under the bulk of Brandon’s weight. A sickening crack broke through the air like a gunshot and Thomas howled in pain.

  All Will wanted to do was run into battle and save his father, but he couldn’t because of the rituals. His father was in it alone. It was a terrible fate, but all Will could do was watch as Brandon loomed over his father, looking like death itself.

  Thomas limped to stand on three feet, its hind leg dragging behind him, bent unnaturally. Will couldn’t imagine the pain he was going through. Now it was Thomas’ turn to lash out haphazardly. Deprived of one of his legs, Thomas didn’t show nearly the same amount of mobility as before. It was cruel the way Brandon toyed with him. He could have ended it in one swift blow, but now he was skipping back, dodging Thomas’ clumsy lunges. Thomas’ experience counted for nothing now that he had been crippled, but still he fought, still he strove to get into a position where he could find a killing blow.

  He almost did, and a gasp rippled through the crowd. Thomas summoned all his strength and leaped up, digging his claws into Brandon’s chest, hanging on for dear life. It took Brandon by surprise too, but he managed to regain his senses and pull Thomas away, throwing him to the ground like a rag doll. Thomas’ body landed with a thud and rolled across the ground limply. Delilah gasped, holding her hand to his mouth.

  “You’ve won!” she cried. “You’ve done enough.”

  Brandon shifted from a wolf into a man. He turned to the wolves and shot daggers at Will, then walked to Thomas.

  “I have suffered every day since I was told to leave. I have lived with the mistakes of my youth and now it is time to make amends. Long have I waited for this day. Long have I anticipated this sweet moment of triumph. And you…I bet you have given me no thought. I bet you thought you would never see me again. And now I am not even going to give you the dignity of dying at a wolf’s hand. I’m going to kill you as a man, to show you how far you have fallen.”

  Brandon walked up to Thomas and took the limp wolf’s neck in his arms. Thomas’ eyes were glazed over. Will had to watch in horror as Brandon tensed his muscles and jerked violently, snapping Thomas’ neck.

  Filled with rage, Will roared and marched forward.

  “You will pay for this, Brandon!” he said, but before he could shift into a wolf he heard another sound behind him, then his mother shrieked. Will looked back to see Charlie on the ground as well.

  Brandon would have to wait.

  Chapter Three

  Charlie didn’t know what had come over him. The fight he witnessed had made his stomach churn, but then everything started to go dark. His mind was groggy and the strength seemed to go from his legs. He tried to focus, but the more he struggled the more reality seemed elusive. He was aware of Will shouting something, but then everything went black and he collapsed.

  When he awoke, he was laying down flanked by Will and Delilah. The mood was somber. Will was pacing around, while Delilah was sitting on a chair, looking pensive.

  “What happened?” Charlie groaned. He tried to sit up, but his head swirled and he had to fall back to the bed immediately.

  “Are you okay?” Will said, rushing to his side, holding Charlie’s hand in his own. Delilah was a little more sluggish to move, but she came too and pressed the back of her fingers against Charlie’s forehead. Then, she got a bowl of water and a cloth, and then placed it upon Charlie’s head. The cool sensation was soothing.

  “What was the last thing you remember?” Will asked.

  “Your father and that other wolf were fighting. Something happened and then…everything went black.”

  Will and Delilah glanced at each other.

  “My father is dead, Charlie. Brandon killed him. Then you collapsed. We rushed you here.”

  “You mean that he’s still out there?” Charlie asked, shocked. Will and Delilah looked at each other again.

  “The most important thing is that you are here with us, that you are well. I cannot see you harmed. “

  “But your father…why did this happen?”

  “You should tell him, Will,” Delilah said.

  Will sighed. “It all began many years ago. Brandon was my childhood friend, more like a brother than a friend in truth. But he always had a dark soul. His bloodline have always wanted to vie for control, but they have never succeeded. When Brandon was very young his
father tried to challenge mine, and he failed.”

  “Your father killed his father?”

  “No, something much worse. My father showed him mercy, hoping that he would learn from his mistakes, but after the fight Brandon’s father was unable to turn back into a man. The wolf had taken over, for he had to summon all his primal rage to gather the strength to challenge my father. Brandon never forgave him though. He blamed my father for what happened. The wolf did not remember his son. Ever since then Brandon was obsessed with his family history, and believed that his birthright had been stolen from him. He wanted power, and as we grew older I watched him change before my eyes. He lusted for legends, trying to understand the nature of what made us strong, and before too long he became a bully. Then, as soon as he was of age, he challenged my father. I couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing.

  Initially, my father refused, saying that it wasn’t fair, that he was still just a boy. Brandon insisted, and eventually called my father out, branding him a coward for not meeting a challenge. I had to watch as my father fought my best friend. Brandon gave him everything he had, but my father was stronger. It was all coming to an end and I could tell that my father was giving into his rage. This bloodline had given him nothing but trouble, and perhaps it was better to end it. I begged him to show Brandon mercy though. I shouldn’t have.

  Father told Brandon to leave and never come back, that his bloodline had no place in the clan any longer. The battle had left Brandon wounded, scarred, and most of us thought that he was going to die in the wild. For a long time after that I would look to the horizon and wonder if he was still out there, but after a few years had passed I came to terms with his death. We never expected to see him again.

  I should have let father kill him. I should have seen what a monster he was…” Will said.

  “It’s not your fault,” Delilah said, putting a hand on her son’s shoulder. “I remember that day. Your father was glad you stopped him from killing Brandon. He had been struggling for balance. After that fight he told me that he felt the pull of the wolf. If you hadn’t stopped him he may well have lost balance and been lost to us forever. You saved him Will.”