Lone Wolf (First in Lone Wolf Series)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nickolai followed Brie’s scent up the stairwell and growled when it stopped at the top. He put his hand on the door handle and tried to calm his temper before slowly opening the door. He stepped out onto the top of the building and wondered where exactly Colin had thought he’d been going to hide up here, since he was sure the coward had been attempting to hide.

How strange that Nickolai had once come close to worshiping the other wolf. He had been Nickolai’s first alpha. He had taken Nickolai off the streets and given him a home. Made him a part of a pack. A family.

Then Colin had lied to Nickolai and taken from him the one thing in the world he had loved with all his heart. His mate. His Brie. Not only that but he had turned Nickolai into a murderer because Nickolai had ripped the young wolf that had been guarding Brie apart without even giving the man a chance to defend himself and tell him that he had never left his post and that Brie was not really dead.

Nickolai stepped out onto the rooftop. The building was large and there were three foot stone ledges around the edge. There were also several taller towers, Nickolai assumed they were meant for guards and defenses, though Faugrimm had been so secure in his magical protection that they were unmanned and unarmed.

Nickolai heard Brie cry out and he turned instantly and saw she and Colin on the other side of the roof, across a thin stone crosswalk. Colin hadn’t yet noticed him. He was busy struggling against a fighting Brie as he led her toward the ledge.

Nickolai saw a ladder on the edge of the fortress and knew that’s why Colin had come this way. He figured he could avoid everyone inside the fortress by coming to the roof and climbing down the ladder. Nickolai had no idea how Colin had known this was here but that didn’t matter. There was no way he was letting Colin take his Brie from him again.

He took off at a run without saying a word and shifted as he ran. Shedding his clothes and his human doubts. He was a wolf now. A wolf who wanted to protect his mate and kill the threat, even if the threat had once been the alpha.

As Brie fought against Colin, the man raised his hand and smacked her hard across the face, which brought a roar of rage from Nickolai. Colin’s head whipped around and he barely had time to register that Nickolai was coming before Nickolai leapt forward.

Colin threw Brie in front of him and Nickolai was forced to twist in the air and landed beside them, stumbling several steps before turning to face Colin, growling low in his throat.

“It’s been a long time, Nickolai. I see a few new scars. Has life been treating you well?” Nickolai growled and shifted back. He had things to say to Colin and answers he wanted to get and he wasn’t going to get any of those things accomplished as a bloodthirsty wolf.

“Let go of my mate now.” he stated, his face a cold mask of control as he took in the sight of his Brie’s bruising cheek. It was clear that she had shifted at some point and her bare skin and soft body had Nickolai’s desire building despite the situation they were in.

His Brie could always make him lose control of every emotion and desire that he had.

“I think I’ll just keep my daughter right here.” Colin said, holding Brie tight in front of him. “For insurance purposes.”

“Coward.” Nickolai growled and Colin shrugged, though his brow shown with sweat in the sunset light and licked his trembling bottom lip nervously.

“Some would say it was a wise move.” Brie looked like she was about to fight against her father and Nickolai quickly narrowed his eyes and shook his head. His mate would not have to fight. Not with him here. That was his job.

Fighting when she had to was one thing but right now she did not have to. Nickolai also did not want her to have harming her father on her conscience. No matter how big of a monster her father was.