Its a funny thing when you have someone to protect. The things you'd be willing to risk that no other sane person would. You'd give your life, your freedom, and your soul. You'd give it all if it meant that you could keep that one person safe.
At this moment; facing these bears, she is willing to give her life. Spots are flickering among her vision and her legs can barely hold up her own weight. She hear growls that don't belong to one of her own. She can't spare the chance to look and see, she can only hope its not another one to bite at her flesh. She bites and claws and dodges and flanks but she can't manage to get in any hits that are critical. She can feel the blood rush out of her wounds and it weakens her. She can feel herself losing this battle. She doesn't see the claw that swipes at her catching her in the ribs and ripping her fur and flesh and muscle to shreds. Her legs give out and she inhales dirt as she fall nose first into the ground. All she can do is whimper and try to pull herself to her feet. She will not give up this fight. She will bring and end to this and protect her pack, her mate, and her future family. She pulls herself back up and watches as another wolf as it leaps and tears it teeth into the back of the bears neck. It refuses to let go, ripping flesh and sending the heavy tang of blood to filter thick in the air.
She jumps back into fray, claws digging into his chest and setting her jaw on the front of his throat. She lock her muscles and tries to breath through the rush of blood that fills her mouth. Between the two of them, they manage to rip apart the bears throat from front to back. With a crippling cry the bear falls to his knees, then tumbles down to its side. She continues to tear away flesh with her teeth until something heavy hits her side and sends her flying. She hears snapping and feels a brief moment of pain before it disappears. She lands in a heap on the ground and breath heavily. She tries to move but she can't and her vision is slowly fading. She tries to focus on rolling over to her belly in an attempt to stand up but she can't feel anything, she can't move. She hears roars and growls and more ripping flesh but that slowly fades into an echo. She slips further away and realizes what's happening to her. She's fading and she tries to fight it. She can't leave Brittany. She can't fade away. But then the darkness sinks in and she sinks right into its shadows.
She's ripped from the darkness by burning fire that pumps through her veins. She can feel everything seizing up and twisting over itself before she can hear the snapping and popping that echos in her body.
She tries to scream, to release vocally her pain but her jaw won't move and the burning pumps through every part of her. Almost every part. Only her upper half is burning.
"Santana, I need you to focus on my voice."
Those words are faint and punched in and out of the roar of pain in her head. She felt pressure against her back but it keep building and building till a loud snap overpowered the roaring in her ears. For a brief second she could feel the cramp of her feet as her toes curled inward and then she could feel the fire in her entire body. She thought she could hear more words but they were so far away she couldn't make out what they were.
The burning under her skin and in her bones grew hotter till her body jerked and thrashed against her will to just curl up and burn away to ash.
"I'm going to have to break a few more bones so they will heal right. Kurt I need you to hold her legs down so she doesn't cause herself more damage," Mr. Pierce's voice came into focus. She didn't know where she was but she knew she was with her pack and her mate's father. That meant Brittany was here. She just needed to see or hear her mate and the swelling panic in her chest would deflate. She tried to speak out, to call out Brittany's name but her jaw was still clamped shut.
She felt something grip tightly at her ankles and push down. She tried to struggle against it, not knowing what was going on. She knew it was Kurt after hearing Mr. Pierce's instructions but she couldn't see and it was freaking her out.
"Dad," Brittany's voice punched through everything and she calmed enough to feel more of what was happening.
"I need to re-break these last few bones," Mr. Pierce explained again.
"She's in so much pain," Brittany whispered. It made her heart seize hearing the pain and worry in her mates heart. She whimpered not being able to voice her feelings or being able to reach out and touch her mate.
"She'll be crippled if we don't set her bones to heal correctly," Mr. Pierce replied.
She felt warmth on her cheeks and she struggled to blink her eyes open. She hissed at the bright light shining directly in her eyes but then her vision focused on sun-kissed blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. "Britt," Her voice cracked and she forced a swallow and winced at the dryness of her mouth.
"It's going to be okay, San," Brittany sniffed and smiled sadly, "Everything is going to be okay."
She felt a heavy pressure on her ribs and with a swiftness she wasn't prepared for, the heaviness crushed down and she felt her bones break. Her throat burned as she screamed out in pain. She felt her gums rip and her canines violently expand. Her screams turned to howls and growls as she struggled against the pressure on her body that was causing her bones to pop and shift and realign. The darkness crept to the edge of her vision and as the pressure increased she felt her mind slip into unconsciousness.
A calm, steady thumping brought her out of the darkness. She tried taking a few deep breaths and winced at the dull pain in her chest. She felt warmth against her hips all and along her right side. She turned her head and blinked her eyes open, pleased to find the lights were off. Even puffs of warm air hit her neck and she sighed finding her mate curled up against her side and holding her protectively.
She took long seconds to look over Brittany. She was peaceful and safe. Kurt had kept her safe. She wondered about Quinn, reaching out with her senses and trying to detect Quinn in the building. She felt her wolves in the rooms on the other side of the building. She also sensed many more animals in the area. Taking a look around the room she discovered that she was at Brittany's father's veterinarian office. She also felt that they were underground. It made her uneasy and she slightly shifted hoping to bring herself some comfort. Her small movements stirred Brittany from her sleep.
She watched as blue eyes blinked and awareness seep into her mates mind. She smiled softly and reached with her left hand to brush gently over Brittany's arm that was slung over her waist. "Morning love," She croaked. She winced at her voice but Brittany's beaming smile brought her smile back at full force.
"You're awake," Brittany whispered.
"I love you," She didn't hesitate to say it. It was always on her mind and having the thought that she might not ever get to say it again as she slipped away in the woods, she wasn't going to wait.
Brittany broke out into heavy sobs, leaning forward and resting their foreheads together, "I love you too."
She reached up, cupping Brittany's cheek and tilting her head the slight difference to kiss her. It was soft and filled with all the heartbreak, worry, and relief they've both felt since the first Molotov burst through her apartment window.
"How's Quinn?" She asked after they'd pulled away from kissing and looked at each other for long seconds.
"She's healing. The arrow just barely missed her heart but she's perfectly fine," Brittany answered.
"That's great," Her voice came out in a whisper, showing just how worried she was over her pack.
"What happened?" Brittany asked, brows furrowed together.
"It was the bears. They came for us. To kill us," She answered. Brittany reached up, holding her tightly at the back of her neck and keeping them close together.
"They won't be bothering you ever again," A voice broke them from their intimate embrace. She took a deep breath and found this girls scent familiar. She also wasn't alone.
"We managed to kill them all," Jake stepped out from behind the girl. She starred him down and watched as he shifted uncomfortably. The girl reached over, brushing her hand against his and it immediately calmed him down. It wasn't hard to figure they had a special bond. But wolf and bear? And in different packs? Was that even possible?
"I'm Marley. I'm from a brother pack to yours and I seek asylum," Marley introduced herself and met her eyes.
Santana pulled away from Brittany and attempted to sit up. She hissed and growled as she managed to bring herself to sit up. Brittany jumped to her feet and reached out to help Santana find her balance. "You need to lie down. You're still healing and this isn't good for your spine or ribs," Brittany protested.
"I'll lay back down in a minute. I need to deal with this," She reached up and stroked her thumb over the back of Brittany's hand to calm her mate. She could handle sitting up for a few minutes while dealing with this wolf and bear.
Brittany bit her bottom lip and moved to sit down next to her. She rested her elbows on her knees and just looked at the two in silence trying to determine how she felt about them to begin with. On one hand they helped her defeat the bears, even if that was traitorous of Jake against his own pack.
"Whose pack do you belong to?" She asked. If she took Marley in, she would need to know who she was protecting her from. Especially since she,and her pack were no where near fighting shape.
"Your fathers," Marley answered.
She felt her body seize up. Her father?
"Why do you need me to protect him from you?" She asked. She knew what Burt had told her, what the town knew, and her own feelings of his absences from her life. So what did Marley know?
"I mated with Jake and your father wanted to use that to his advantage. He's not strong enough to challenge you for Alpha of this land and he couldn't use his pack to attack without declaring war. He knew you and your pack would defeat us. After all the strength of your pack reflects the strength of the alpha. When he found out about Jake and I, he struck a deal with Sebastian. A partnership between packs and our relationship would be overlooked," Marley explained.
So ultimately it was her father who threatened her mates life, and the lives of her pack and their mates. It was her fathers fault that she had to kill. It was her fathers fault she almost died and left Brittany without her. She growled and bared her teeth at the thought. Marley jumped and stepped back, Jake stepping in front of her to protect her.
"I will kill him," She growled.
"San, you're too weak," Brittany whispered in her ear. Her mates voice was quivering and she knew Brittany was terrified.
"He threatened the life of mate, and my pack. I will rip him to pieces," She took Brittany's hand in her own and squeezed it in comfort and reassurance. "You have your asylum, Marley. You and Jake are welcome among my pack but be warned. Any signs of disloyalty and I will rip your throats out," She warned.
Kurt burst through the door behind Marley and Jake, "What's going on? I could feel your distress."
"My father's in town. He's the reason behind the bears attack," She explained. Kurt tensed and stood up straighter. She could almost see the hairs on his neck ruffle defensively.
"He's also the reason Burt was poisoned," Marley revealed.
She starred at Marley in silence. Brittany gasped out of shock. Jake dropped his head out of shame.
Kurt growled, his skin vibrating. Kurt kicked out, knocking a table over and the contents on top of it spilling across the floor. "He murdered my father?!" Kurt howled, fighting himself in shifting out of rage.
"I'm so sorry Kurt. None of us could stop Sebastian. We can't ignore an alpha's orders," Jake spoke softly, still holding Marley close in defense.
Kurt tilted his hand back and howled, arms stretched out with fist closed tightly. She could see his veins popping in restraint against the change. Kurt looked down and huffed in rage, "I want his head ripped from his body."
"We will, Kurt. I promise."
It had been a few weeks since the attack and her waking up. Kurt had opened his home up to the pack since Santana's place was ashes and Quinn wasn't going to stay away at her parents house when her pack was elsewhere.
Marley and Jake were living in the basement while Santana and Brittany took one of the bedrooms upstairs and Mike and Quinn took the other. Kurt had moved into his fathers old room on the first floor and Blaine was living with them as well. Mike however couldn't get away from living with them 24/7, since his parents were unaware of their true selves and what was going on.
They took shifts, always being aware of the surroundings. Marley was able to sense if her pack was nearby but those senses had been weakening. The longer Marley stayed under her protection, and with them being brother packs she could easily be absorbed into Santana's pack should the blood be united between them. It was something that Kurt had briefly explained before slipping into his rage induced silence.
She was worried and Brittany was double that. Quinn was healing, but slowly. Mike was a wreak over watching Quinn struggle, especially at night if her breathing faltered or hitched. Blaine was quiet and moody as Kurt kept himself locked up most of the time so he wouldn't shift and run off after her father. And Brittany was worried about her and how weak she was. She could barely lift herself out of bed but insisted on taking a shift so Quinn and Kurt could rest. When her shift was over Brittany would usher her in bed, wrap her in ice and rub her down. Brittany could very well be a great nurse if she so desired. Brittany's father made daily visits and had Brittany help him in his rounds between her and Quinn. Brittany would ask questions and was very invested in keeping them comfortable and making sure they were healing right. At one point she'd overheard Brittany talking to her father about going to college and becoming a Vet. Her father loved that idea and offered that she could do her internship at his office.
She was getting stronger and the holiday break was coming to an end. Soon they would have to go back to school and act like everything was fine. They would have to find an excuse for Quinn to get her out of cheerleading practice. It would have to be great because Coach Sue would call bullshit on anything lesser than death itself. These were worries she had to deal with on top of getting stronger so she can kill her own father. A man she's never met. How was one suppose to deal with this?
Like all things she was forced to deal with, this one came before she was prepared.
"Santana!" The door burst open to her room and Brittany jolted awake in her arms and nearly fell out of the bed. She growled as Marley looked down at her feet in shame from busting in. That moment passed quickly as she looked back up realizing she busted in for a reason.
"What's so urgent Marley?" She asked without showing her annoyance of having her rare quiet alone time with her mate disturbed.
"My senses have been weakening and I only just now felt them," Marley rushed into explaining.
"Okay?" She asked needing Marley to hurry up in her explanation.
"He's here," Marley blurted.
"Here?" Brittany asked standing next to the bed with brows furrowed together in worry.
"In the front yard," Marley said.
"What?" She snapped. She jumped from the bed and reached for boots.
"Kurt is out there but your father's demanded that he challenge his alpha. Kurt can't attack him," Marley explained. How the hell didn't she hear this going on?
"Get Jake and keep watch over Quinn. She's my second and needs to be protected should anything happen to me. Is that clear?" She spoke with authority.
"Yes, Alpha." Marley bowed and stepped aside as she rushed out the door. Marley and Brittany were close on her heels.
"San, wait!" Brittany reached out and grabbed her wrist. She stopped and turned to look at her mate. She saw the paralyzing fear in those crystal blue eyes.
"It'll be okay, love. I will put an end to this," She vowed.
"What if," Brittany gasped.
"No. Don't think like that," She shook her head and felt her heart break seeing this look on her mates face. She never wanted to see it again and that meant she would have to step out that door and kill her maker.
"I can't see you hurt again. You haven't even fully healed yet," Brittany protested. She reached out grasping her mates cheeks and leaned forward. Their lips crashed together roughly and filled with passion.
She pulled away when air was necessary and rested their foreheads together, "I will be fine. I will keep you safe."
"I know you will," Brittany whispered back.
They pulled apart and she watched as Brittany took a deep breath and squared her shoulders to be brave for her. She reached out and gently brushed her cheek with a small smile. She heard growls echo through the house and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. She turned on her heel and marched out onto the front porch, nodding to Kurt as she went to step in front of him and stare down the small group that stood in the front yard.
"Ah its my bastard child at last. So nice to finally meet you," The man in the middle spook with a twisted smirk. Kurt growled behind her which set off the two men that flanked her father. They were all older. Grey peppered through their hair and wrinkles set at the corners of the eyes and mouth. But the only sign of age was in their face. The rest of them were hard edges and defined muscles. He was an elder and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to defeat him. She was without knowledge of fighting and she wasn't at full strength either. She could very well lose her land, her mate, and her life within these next few minutes.
"I challenge you Alpha. I challenge you to rights of this land and your pack," Her father's voice boomed through out the front yard and she felt the challenge swell inside her chest and her wolf claw out in response. Her skin rippled and her legs flexed. She shifted mid air, landing on four feet at the base of the front porch. Her growl was the only acceptance needed. She waited, pawing at the ground as she watched her father shrug out of his jacket and smirk before shifting quickly on the spot.
Jaws snapped and claws ripped through the soil. They snapped at each other as they planned their methods of attack and counter attack. Long seconds rested between them and then muscles flexed and burst and then two wolves were launching at each other, teeth exposed and jaws snapped at flesh and fur.
Author's note:
Okay, just leaving it here. It's an update and much quicker than I've been posting. Obviously there wasn't any sex in this one. I apologize but it just didn't fit in this one. The next one will for sure. It'll also be the point where we time jump. (Technically would be the sequel but we will be keeping this in one fic.)
Any suggestions, comments, requests? Just to get you all thinking, the time jump will take us to Senior year. (But just because that spoils that Santana lives through the fight with her father, doesn't mean there isn't someone who dies...or gets hurts...or maimed...)