The Beast with Blood-Red Eyes

Pov Maverick

Finding my soulmate under these circumstances was not part of my plans. I always imagined she would be a spoiled little thing I could easily push away with a shove and a shrug. But here I am, my arms full of a young woman more beautiful than angels. Beyond the dirt and blood I could see her potential. My wolf was possessed and murderous, and I must admit I was too. It had been a long time since we’d been so in harmony.

No one would touch a single hair on her head , they would all pay for this affront. Whoever committed this dastardly act, everyone in this house must have known what happened in the cellar; I had smelled blood the moment I stepped out of the car.

My instincts were torn between revenge and cradling life in my arms. She needed a doctor immediately, otherwise she wouldn’t survive. A life could be taken in an instant, and my wolf would answer for nothing. She was already under my skin, permeating my thoughts and my deepest instincts. There was no way she was going to die here in my arms.

I climbed the stairs in two strides and found myself in the living room, four pairs of eyes staring at me in horror. Yes , my revenge would be terrible. They were all going to die, one by one. My wolf roared with pleasure at the thought of flesh beneath his fangs. Finally he could unleash himself; the human would not stop him for once.

I turned to my two betas and gently handed my precious burden to Ethan. My fingers brushed her hair once more, hoping she would survive this horror.

Ethan looked briefly lost, then our eyes met and he understood what would happen. None of my betas had met their soulmate, but this bond was the most precious of all , coveted and feared by every wolf. By entrusting him with this woman, I was entrusting him with a piece of my soul. Thanks to our pack bond, and without taking my eyes off the enemies before me, I sent a message:

“Take her to the neighboring pack to see their doctor. Once she’s treated, return quickly to our house to see Doc. I don’t want her lingering any longer than necessary. As for me, I will finish what needs finishing here.”

Asher bowed his head in agreement, as did his twin. “We will protect her, if necessary with our lives, Alpha. We promise it. Nothing will happen to her until you return.”

Without more words, the two betas strode toward the door and our car. The engine of the black 4x4 roared and vanished in a cloud of dust with part of my being on board. I never thought I would feel like this , as if I were abandoning her, leaving her, even though my goal was to save her life. My whole being was already possessive; I suspected it would become an addiction, if she survived , which was non-negotiable.

Speaking of negotiation, the other Alpha walked toward me. His expression, previously confident, now betrayed doubt and fear. My wolf licked his lips with pleasure; he liked that others feared him. He wanted to shred these enemies.

“Alpha Maverick, I think,” the man began.

“Can someone tell me why my SOULMATE IS COVERED IN BLOOD?” I thundered.

My powerful, hoarse voice made the walls tremble. The four men in front of me jumped back. My wolf had taken charge, his aura rippling outward. He hadn’t felt such anger in more than two years. My nails lengthened into sharp claws. My long fangs peeked through my clenched mouth as my back arched forward. In my eyes , that peculiar color , the Alpha could read my determination and pure rage; he trembled like a leaf. If this man was supposed to be the strongest of his pack, I pitied him. He couldn’t even meet my gaze. Few could when the human was in control; the urge to look away was strong. So when my wild side took over...

“What do you mean, ‘your soulmate’? This girl is nothing , not strong enough to hold a wolf. You’d do better to choose one of the warrior females from my pack!” The other Alpha’s voice shook as he tried to save himself. “Take the servant and leave in peace. We will not retaliate for the loss of one of our own.”

“Retaliation? Yes , you’ll have some.” Unleashing my alpha power, I launched hostilities. “You have harmed what is mine. For that, you will all perish. There will be nothing left of this pack in minutes.”

No longer containing the beast, I let it overtake the human. My bones cracked and ligaments snapped into place as a dense veil of black fur covered my skin. My vision sharpened. I heard the frantic beating of hearts around me and understood fully that they faced the most terrible creature.

My transformation completed, giving way to the monster that makes packs worldwide tremble. My true name: the beast with blood-red eyes.

My wolf howled as his opponents began their own transformations. I waited, amused by the fear pouring from them. What fun is there in attacking defenseless prey? I licked my lips and waited patiently. The four wolves before me didn’t even reach my shoulder. I knew my wolf was large and powerful, but even their Alpha couldn’t stand against me. The pleasure of their death would be swift, too bad. Calming my wolf’s sadistic urges, I gave them one last look full of reproach.

Then the fight began. The beast tore into them, reveling in the blood of his enemies. The Alpha and Beta teamed up against him, but nothing helped; each wound only made him stronger, pushing him further into a killing frenzy. From the corner of his eye, he saw the two youngest fleeing , which made the wolf laugh, because sooner or later they would die in excruciating pain; they were merely delaying the inevitable.

Seconds passed as the beast was unleashed. Everyone fell around him , blood spattering the walls, decapitated bodies at his feet , and yet nothing satisfied the black wolf. They had hurt his partner; that would never be forgiven.

Now they would see why the world feared him. The vengeful flames of his heart would burn everything in his path, leaving only a pile of ashes.

Pov Layla

A sweet scent pulled me from a blissful dream into rigid reality. Pain hit me hard, and I had no strength to moan or cry. My entire focus was on breathing , and on that tantalizing smell. Never had I wanted so much to stay alive. For that scent alone I would give everything; I might even wrestle Death itself.

Powerful arms lifted me. I tried to open my eyes , a wasted effort. A deep voice reached me in my semi-coma; it gave me chills, but not fear. My whole body reacted positively to the command. I only heard the word: “soulmate.” Was it a dream? Had the Beta’s son any regrets? No, I doubted it. What was happening?

At last I felt myself passed into other arms and a cold sensation swept over me. The comforting smell moved away; I no longer heard his deep voice. My heart skipped more beats. Was I losing my life, or was my whole being unwilling to leave that warmth?

The arms laid me gently on a warm, soft surface. Ears pressed to my lips, someone cried:

“Damn, hurry up and drive faster, Asher , I can barely feel his breath.”

“I’m doing what I can. Compress the wound with your hands. She mustn’t lose any more blood. God, if she dies, I won’t forgive myself!”

Voices blurred in my mind. I felt myself slipping. I fought with every ounce of strength I had, but it abandoned me. I barely heard an explosion and a last horrified exclamation as the black , the black, swallowed me:

“Oh no... he blew everything up; there won’t be anything left...”