Guthrie gave a low growl, letting Cearnach know he had arrived. So now they were more evenly matched in the event that the other wolves wanted to fight this out.
Vardon growled at Cearnach and lunged again, but Cearnach tore viciously into him, ripping at the skin of his throat. The wolf fell back and ran even farther away, turning quickly in case Cearnach was following him. He wasn’t. He was standing his ground, not about to put more distance between him and Elaine.
Vardon’s gaze shifted to another wolf. Out of the corner of his eye, Cearnach saw which wolf it was.
Baird.
He’d inched closer to Cearnach, wanting to attack next. Cearnach was certain Baird was still angry that his presence at the wedding had changed Calla’s desire to mate with Baird.
As soon as he took Baird on, Vardon attempted to move in closer to Elaine. Guthrie ripped into Vardon. The other wolves watched and waited, Duncan keeping an eye on them as Cearnach fought with Baird.
Baird was too angry, too wild in his actions, too unfocused, making mistakes that he probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Cearnach was about to make some headway with the wolf when a snarling wolf came out of the woods and hit him broadside.
Elaine barked and tore into the male wolf. The newcomer. The one that had to be Rafferty. His eyes nearly black with rage, his fur a little grayer than any of the wolves here, he was still strong.
He swung his head around to bite Elaine as Duncan charged Vardon, and Guthrie went after Baird.
Cearnach attacked Rafferty with a snarling, growling bite to the face.
The Kilpatrick brothers and the remaining McKinley brother could have made a difference, but none of them advanced. Suddenly, those wolves turned their heads and listened to sounds from the direction of Senton Castle. Tires crunched on gravel. Car doors slammed. One, two, three, four, five, six. The three wolves looked back at the ones still fighting, then ran off toward Senton Castle.
Cearnach knew they’d never reach their vehicles in time to stop his kin from using their lockpicks to break into the vehicles and move them to a new location.
With his concentration back on Rafferty, Cearnach knew he had to kill him. The pirate wolf would never lay another hand on Elaine’s sweet body, never mar her creamy skin, never break another one of her bones, never say another cruel word to her or kill anyone that she loved.
For being an older wolf, Rafferty was well matched in size and strength. Cearnach was glad for that. Taking down an old wolf who was too weak to defend himself wouldn’t be his way. Though he had to remind himself he couldn’t let the wolf have a chance at Elaine again, ever.
Their teeth clicked as enamel struck enamel. Both Cearnach and Rafferty fought to get the upper bite, then leaped back away from each other to attack again. Cearnach noted that the other wolf was pushing him toward the river. Did he think he could drown Cearnach the way he’d so easily dispensed with Elaine’s parents? Did he think that since he had survived his crew’s mutiny and been left to fend for himself for who knew how long in the ocean, he had the advantage in the water?
The idea that Cearnach had nearly drowned as a young lad flitted across his mind as the wolf shoved him onto the mossy stones, the water shallow and running slower at the edge.
Elaine ran anxiously behind Rafferty. Cearnach cast her a look that told her to stay out of it. He’d be fine.
Baird suddenly yipped in pain, and Cearnach glanced briefly in his direction to see the wolf sitting on his ass, his injured leg lifted off the ground. Guthrie had torn the wolf’s ligament. That had to hurt like a son of a bitch. It would heal, but he’d be limping three-legged on the long walk back home and for a prolonged time after that.
Vardon—his ears both torn, his throat a mess—yelped when Duncan took a bite out of his flank.
After that, Rafferty’s companions in crime lost their urge to fight. Vardon sat on his butt near Baird, both of them heaving, as Cearnach fielded another lunge from Rafferty.
Cearnach and Rafferty’s teeth connected again, their forelegs shoving at each other, trying to get the advantage. This time Cearnach lost his footing and fell backward into the river. Cursing himself, he attempted to stand, but he was already shoulder-deep in the water, and it was carrying him away from Elaine. Panic drove him toward the shore, even though he knew his brothers would protect her from Rafferty.
Rafferty wasn’t about to give up his lead in the fight. He attacked Cearnach, getting the upper hand, though he also was soon caught up in the swift-moving water. That’s when Cearnach gained the advantage. He pushed the wolf farther into the river. Using his upper-body strength to knock Rafferty off his feet, he lunged on top of him. Cearnach quickly pinned him under the water, his teeth at Rafferty’s throat.
Drown, bastard, Cearnach silently prayed. Rafferty deserved nothing less. Just as Rafferty had drowned Elaine’s parents.
The wolf fought him but couldn’t get to his feet, couldn’t shake loose of Cearnach’s fearsome grip, couldn’t save himself this time.
When the wolf stopped fighting him, Cearnach dragged him to the shore. They couldn’t let a dead body be found in the river with wolf teeth marks in the throat.
The damn wolf was fighting for air. He wasn’t dead. Cearnach thought to pull him into the water again, but Elaine came running up, then slowly approached him, poking her nose at Rafferty’s arm, as if seeing if he was really dying and could never be a threat to her again.
Elaine’s heart was ready to burst out of her chest because she’d been so worried about Cearnach.
Rafferty looked like he didn’t have long for this world. His face was gray, and he coughed water up as he shifted into his human form.
Him, the mighty pirate of the seas, whom she thought had drowned eons ago, was finally dying—this time at the hands, well, teeth of one of the good guys.
Cearnach growled at her, and she knew he didn’t want her to get close to the man, as if he could suddenly hurt her. Or maybe he was afraid she’d feel something for Rafferty now that Cearnach had injured him fatally.
But Cearnach was her hero. He would always be her hero.
She poked again at the man, then growled at him, wanting him to tell her the truth before he was unable to. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked like he was trying to focus on her.
“You know,” he said, his voice raspy, “I wanted you back.”
She growled low, not liking what he might say in front of Cearnach or his brothers, gathered close to protect her if she needed them, listening to what the bastard had to say. Vardon and Baird had long ago limped off, knowing the fight would be in the MacNeills’ favor. Whatever Rafferty had promised them, they wouldn’t get the payment now.
Rafferty coughed, closed his eyes, and then slowly opened them and looked up at her with longing. He took a shallow, shuddering breath.
“You couldn’t have suitors.” He reached out to touch her. “You were always mine.”
Never again.
His hand suddenly clutched his chest, his eyes wide, then he dropped his hand to the ground, his eyes staring at her, mouth parted on one last breath.
She listened for his heartbeat, for his breath, and hearing none, she knew he was finally truly dead. She wanted to collapse with relief but looked up at Cearnach, feeling horrible about all of this.
Cearnach came forward, nudged her face, and licked it, giving her comfort. She nosed his face, then rubbed her face along his cheek. They were mates. No one would undo what had been done.
Kelly Rafferty was dead. He would never hurt her again.
Her cousins were long gone.
Cearnach licked her cheek again, then shifted. He crouched down and wrapped his arms around her neck, and she couldn’t tell him how much his embracing her made her feel loved, though she couldn’t stop her tail from wagging. He smiled as her tail swishing so wildly caught his eye.