Chapter 9-Blood Claw Clan

Thorne’s POV I carried her through the trees like she weighed nothing. Her body was limp in my arms, head lolling against my chest, breath shallow. The fight had drained every drop of fire out of her, but even unconscious, Elara felt like trouble. My boots crushed damp leaves underfoot. Behind me, the rest of my men followed in silence. Tyler waited by the black SUV, leaning against the door with that stupid grin plastered across his face. The second he saw me, his smile widened like this was the funniest s**t he’d seen all year. “Open the door,” I said flatly. He did, still smirking. “Yes, Alpha.” I slid Elara onto the back seat, careful not to bang her head. Why the hell was I being careful? She was just a prize. A stubborn, reckless prize who thought she could beat me. I straightened up and glared at Tyler. “What?” “Nothing,” he said, lips twitching. “Just…you went easy on her, didn’t you? Didn’t want to hurt your precious bride.” “Shut the f**k up.” His smile only grew. Tyler was the only bastard in the pack who could talk to me like that without pissing himself. Lucky for him, I’d known him since we were pups. Still, one day I might snap his neck just to shut that mouth. I didn’t want any of this. Marriage. A wife. The whole damn thing. When Alpha William first came crawling with his alliance offer, I laughed in his face. I didn’t need a mate. I hadn’t found my true one in thirty-two years, and I sure as hell didn’t need some arranged pup from a weaker pack. But the council wouldn’t stop breathing down my neck. My mother wouldn’t stop. “An Alpha needs an heir. The pack needs stability.” Blah, blah, f*****g blah. So I accepted. Then the little fool tried to run. I dragged her back myself—not because I gave a damn about her, but because I hated drama. Drama meant mess. Mess meant weakness. And I didn’t tolerate weakness. Then she accepted my challenge. Stupid. But interesting. I was about to enter the car when I heard my name. “Alpha Thorne!” I turned. Alpha William was rushing toward us, face pale, eyes fixed on his unconscious daughter. He stopped a few feet away, breathing hard. “Please,” he said, voice low and shaky. “Please take care of my daughter.” I narrowed my eyes on him. The man looked like he was seconds from breaking. Tyler chuckled. “You make it sound like our Alpha is going to kill your daughter.” “No, no, that’s not what I mean,” William said quickly, raising his hands. “It’s just…my daughter can be very stubborn. You saw how she was today. If she tries to do anything stupid, please go easy on her.” I stared at him for a long moment, face blank. “You make me sound like a monster.” William’s mouth opened and closed. No words came out. Because we both knew the truth. I was a monster. A ruthless killer who had destroyed packs and left bodies in his wake. Mercy wasn’t something I gave freely. He had every right to fear for his daughter. “If there’s nothing else,” I said calmly, “we’ll get going.” I stepped into the car. Before closing the door, I looked back at him. “The wedding is tomorrow. Make sure you’re there.” “Definitely, Alpha Thorne,” he said, voice weak. He helped push the door shut with trembling hands. Tyler got into the driver's seat and started driving. The ride to Black Moon territory was quiet. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the cars following behind us. Thank the Goddess she was unconscious. No screaming, no fighting, no more spitting in my face. Her head rested against the window, dark hair messy from the fight. I stared out at the passing trees, jaw tight. This woman was going to be a headache. But that fire in her eyes… Most people crumbled the second I looked at them. She kept coming. Kept swinging. Even when her body was done. The road got rougher. A hard bump jolted the car. Her head slipped, rolling sideways until it landed right on my lap. “What the f**k,” I muttered. Tyler’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. I could see it in the rearview mirror. I thought about punching the back of his seat but stayed still. Her cheek pressed warm against my thigh. Her scent…blood, sweat, and that faint wild sweetness…filled the small space. My wolf shifted inside me, restless. Annoying. I didn’t move her. We crossed into Black Moon territory as the sun dipped lower. The gates opened smoothly for us. The long driveway curved through the forest until the massive pack house came into view. Pack members had already gathered outside. They heard I was bringing a wife home. They just didn’t expect her to be unconscious and carried like a broken doll. I stepped out first, then reached back and lifted Elara again. She didn’t stir. Her head fell against my shoulder this time. I carried her through the crowd without a word. No one dared speak. A few eyes widened at the sight of her…bruised, dirty, limp…but they dropped their gazes fast when I looked their way. Smart. Inside, the pack house was quiet. I took the stairs two at a time and pushed open the door to my bedroom. It smelled like me—dark wood, leather, faint pine from the forest. I dropped her on the massive bed, watching as she sank into the black sheets. For a second I just stood there, staring. Her wrist was still wrapped in that cloth. Knuckles bloody. She looked small like this. Breakable. I surprised myself by how gently I’d set her down. I turned and walked out, closing the door behind me. Tyler leaned against the wall in the hallway, arms crossed. “Aren’t you going to send for a doctor?” he asked. “She’s not dying.” He opened his mouth, then closed it. Good choice. Without another word, I turned to walk away. But his voice stopped me. “Uhm, Alpha…” He hesitated just long enough to irritate me. I stopped. Impatience crawled up my spine. “Speak.” Tyler winced like he knew what was coming. “There’s…kinda a problem.” I turned fully, eyes narrowing. “What problem?” “The Blood Claw clan. They heard about your marriage.” “And?” I asked coldly. Tyler's grin was gone now. Completely gone. Silence crashed down between us. Dangerous, heavy silence. Then finally he spoke. “They're coming for the wedding. All of them. They've already sent word…they won't let you seal this alliance. There's going to be a blood bath tomorrow.” My cold eyes met his. “Good. I wouldn't expect anything less.”