Fated to the Werewolf King novel Chapter 25

He didn't react fast enough. The bastard gave off his scent at the last second before he pulled the trigger. He felt the warm blood pool beneath him, and Lily's scream in the distance. He felt cold, and for a long time he didn't think he was going to recover. Jasper was doing God knows what to his Mate, and silver bullets incapacitated him.

Our Mate needs us.

His Wolf growled in his subconscious. Jayce looked at the eerie crimson eyes that matched his own. A sharp pain erupted in his ribs that forced a gasp from his lips. He knew this pain.

Let's not make her wait then.

His bones shifted as an earth shattering crack nearly split his head in two. He pushed off the ground while hunched over. His clothes tore away as fur sprouted from his body. He was as black as the darkest of nights as he stood on his hind legs. He inhaled deeply, his senses heightened.

Jayce...

Her voice drew his attention over to Jasper, who leaned over Lily, pinning her down with his legs. She sobbed uncontrollably, but muffled by something. Jasper pushed her legs apart further. Jayce let out a horrifying growl that made the Vampire jump. He grabbed the back of his head and tossed him away from Lily, hearing a crack as he collided against the door. He hovered over Lily protectively, snarling aggressively.

"J-Jayce?" He felt her fingers in his fur. Jayce growled down at her before lunging at Jasper. He didn't hold back. He listened to the Vampire scream in agony as Jayce tore him apart with his claws, sending blood to splatter on the floor, the walls, the door, and himself. Jayce continued even when Jasper stopped fighting him and gurgled up the leftover blood in his body. He watched the life leave his eyes.

He stood over the heap of blood and flesh before turning his eyes on Lily. She still sat where she was, her eyes on him. Jayce wished she hadn't watched what he had just done. He could imagine the nightmares she would have for a while. He walked toward her, glad she didn't flinch or attempt to run, and knelt down in front of her.

"Is it really you?" She asked him, and he nodded. Her hand reached up and brushed along his snout. He whimpered as he leaned into her touch. He looked over at her, seeing the cuts on her face. Jayce leaned down, licking her chin and cheek, and watched as they healed up instantly. He closed his eyes as he sent out a message to Damion and a few of his soldiers through their mind-link.

In ten minutes, Damion had forced his way through the door, startled by the bloody mess he nearly stepped into. Erica popped up behind him, her eyes wide as she took the scene in. Figures she would come along as well.

"Is that?" Erica asked, her eyes moving over to Jayce and Lily, "Oh my God, Lily!" She ran through the mess, trailing her bloody footprints with her as she knelt on the other side of Lily. "Are you okay?" She asked her.

"I'm fine. Jayce saved me." He felt Lily's fingers on his chest and he growled softly in response. Damion stepped over the best he could, his eyes landing on a large pool of blood with two scrunched up silver bullets in it.

"Jasper got desperate apparently, but didn't do his research." He walked over to Jayce as he got to his feet, peeking past his usual height, "You good?" He asked him. Erica helped Lily to her feet. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders.

"What the fuck happened to you? You bulked out." Erica said, looking up at Jayce.

"He gets like this when his life is in danger, kind of like a Plan B for when shit goes down." Damion said unfazed. Jayce watched as Lily moved away from him, stopping short of the bloody mess. Damion quickly averted his gaze as she stepped out of the shredded dress.

"Is it real? Is it over?" Her voice trembled. Jayce stomped up behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

It's over.

With a grunt, the fur retreated into his skin, the sharp pain of his bones shifting back to place. He stood naked behind her. Lily faced him with tears in her eyes. He brought her to his chest and let her cry, feeling the weight lift off of her shoulders.

His other soldiers arrived, taken aback by the bloody massacre by the front door. Erica retrieved one of Lily's robes and sweats for him. One soldier stepped up to Lily, his blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Luna, may I check for injuries?" He asked her. Lily looked up at Jayce and he nodded, watching them go off to the living room with Erica.

"How do you want to handle this? If word gets out that you were attacked tonight, the pack may be uneasy." Damion said as he watched a few others arrive at the scene and cleaned up. Jayce snarled, grabbing all of their attention.

"Not one word of this gets out. If I hear that any of you breathed this to the public, you'll end up in the same mess as that bastard did." He said, nodding to Jasper's dismantled corpse. His soldiers inclined their necks instantly, feeling the fear for their lives as they rushed to clean up.

"You think she'll be okay?" Damion asked as he looked over to the living room. The soldier was checking her pulse and asking her questions. She looked calmer than he was expecting her to be.

"She's a warrior. Lily's much stronger than she looks. She'll rise above this. She is no longer shackled to him." Jayce said, feeling slightly dizzy. He grabbed his head, sitting down on the steps with Damion's help.

"You should go in, just in case. You know how that form takes a toll on you." Damion suggested.

"Not until I know she's okay." Jayce argued. The soldier walked back over to him and Jayce rose to his feet too quickly. His vision went dark just as he felt his legs give out beneath him.

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A soft beeping sound stirred him awake, his eyes fluttering to see bright lights above him. Damn, did he die after all? He grunted, squeezing his eyes shut a moment as he settled with his other senses. Beeping was rhythmic to his heartbeat. The mattress beneath him was firm and uncomfortably thin, unlike his bed at home. He felt an IV in his arm and a thin wool blanket pulled up to his sternum. The scent of lilies relaxed him as a small, fragile hand grabbed his.

"Jayce?" Her sweet voice made his eyes open, taking in her worried green eyes. She had thrown on a hoodie and jeans, her makeup in rivers down her face. She looked like a beautiful mess.

"Hey." He said, squeezing her hand. He sat up, her arm around his back to support him. "How long was I out for?"

"Just a few hours. Damion already explained everything to me." She said to him. He looked over at her, grabbing her hand again.

"Did I scare you?" He asked her. She frowned, lowering her gaze to their hands.

"When the gun went off and you went down, I thought everything was over. You didn't respond to my voice. I couldn't hear your Wolf anymore." She got teary-eyed, but quickly wiped her tears away, smudging her makeup even more.

"I was surprised more than anything and relieved." She looked back up at him. "Jayce, I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you." Her voice shook, and she took a deep breath. He squeezed her hand tightly.

"I'm not going anywhere. We have the rest of our lives together still." He pushed her hair behind her ear. She nodded, sniffling. He pulled her head to his shoulder, wrapping his other arm around her back to rub it.

"Am I interrupting?" A deep voice boomed from the doorway, making Jayce tense up. His eyes moved past Lily's blonde hair to a gentleman in the doorway. He wore a dark blue business suit and tie, his silver hair slicked back, his black hair shaved low on the sides. Lily pulled back slightly, looking over at the stranger.

"I'm sorry, but this is a private room. You can't be in here." She said, trying to stand strong. The man stepped into the room more, his very presence commanding. He felt Lily shrink back against him.

"I have every right to see my son." His silver eyes honed in on her and Lily stiffened under his gaze. Jayce growled, wrapping his arms around her.

"What do you want, Derek?"

Of all the people to show up, Derek was the last person he wanted to see. After a strenuous night of the festival, Jasper and now waking up in the hospital because of his shifting, he wasn't in the mood to hear what his father had to say. All he wanted was to get home, curl up under the covers with his Mate, safe in his arms now that Jasper was dead. Yet here they all were, staring at one another in an awkward silence until Lily, bless her soul, cleared her throat.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Lily Thornstun." She extended her hand out to him, but he only stared back at her. Jayce watched as her stance broke down ever so slowly before his eyes, but then Derek stepped closer to her and shook her hand.

"Miss Thornstun, it's a pleasure of mine as well." He said to her. Jayce growled tiredly.

"Lily, can you go get me discharged?" Jayce asked her. She turned back to him once their handshake was over. Her eyes sparkled with worry.

"Are you sure? The doctor should at least check you first." She said, her fingers brushing his hair from his eyes. He grabbed her hand gently, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm fine. I'd rather be in bed, anyway." He told her, stretching his back. Her brows knitted together, but she nodded.

"Okay. I'll be right back." She said to him before leaving the room. Derek looked after her as she closed the door behind herself. Silence filled the room again as Jayce pulled out the IV, watching his arm slowly heal. It'll be awhile before his Wolf was at full gear again.

"A Human woman. I didn't want to believe it when your mother told me." Derek finally said, taking off his jacket and draped it over his arm. He was built similar to him, but he had a more professional appeal where Jayce was semi professional. Jayce got off the bed, suppressing a yawn.

"I'm getting that recently." Jayce said dismissively as he left his room. His father walked just behind him. The gleaming white walls and tiles were nearly blinding under the fluorescent lighting. Jayce turned down another corridor, spotting Lily at the nurse's desk filling out paperwork. He admired his Mate from a distance.

"I received word that Councilman Helson was relieved from his duties yesterday." Derek mentioned.

"You're correct." Jayce said, continuing to stare at Lily as she conversed with the nurse.

"That's a bold play. His daughter would have made a good Luna." Derek said, walking past him. Lily glanced up at Derek as he approached her. Jayce's hands balled into fists. Chelsea would only be good because she is a She-Wolf. She knows the pack inside and out. Lily may be an outsider, but she had a heart of gold. She would treasure his people like they were family. He knew that, yet doubt tickled his mind. Could she handle it, though?

"Miss Thornstun." Derek stopped before her. "I will meet with my son later this afternoon. Be sure to have lunch ready by then." He said to her before walking away. Jayce watched Lily's surprised expression as she watched after his father. He walked up to her, her expression changing instantly to a soft, tired smile.

"You're all set. I contacted Damion to come pick us up and take us home. I also asked him to handle the wrap up of the festival in your place while you rested." She informed him as the nurse handed her the discharge papers.

"Lily, you're not my secretary." He told her, taking the papers away from her.

"I know. I just wanted you to take it easy today." She lowered her gaze. He lifted her chin so he could look into those green eyes.