Chapter Fifty-Four

Drake.

Drake had never seen a hellhound in person. It was something his family told him bedtime stories about growing up. Well, after they were changed, and it wouldn't scare him into his closet every night.

These dogs were plucked from the devil’s side. And he believed it. This one looked like Hell.

It was oddly surreal to see one in person. They were bigger than Drake remembered from the picture books. His black fur looked matted with blood, and it sent him into high alert. Had they killed someone recently? The blood looked fresh.

Waverly’s rapid heartbeat brought him out of his shock.

He watched as the female vampire running from him shot from the ground and landed on top of the nearest cabin to get away from him.

The hound nipped the back of her heels before landing with a thud.

Drake felt Waverly grip his elbow in her palm and whine under her breath. He realized when he glanced around that everyone stood frozen at the sight of him. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who hadn't seen one before.

The hellhound turned his attention from the roof and toward the crowd of vampires.

The length of his teeth trumped any vampire he’d ever met. He imagined how badly that would hurt. Especially for Waverly.

“Drake,” Waverly whispered, "I'm scared."

“Shhh,” he said, keeping her behind him while watching this dog walk toward them.

It wasn’t until several of the vampires disappeared that he realized the hellhound was zeroed in on them. Waverly specifically. His gaze settled on Waverly from behind his shoulder.

Waverly hit a tree, stopping their retreat into the forest for coverage.

Drake saw Roderick out of the corner of his eye with Sarah hiding behind him. His mother stood several yards away, calling the hellhound, but he didn’t budge. The way she called him made Drake feel like she knew this hound.

They were being targeted.

The hellhound had Waverly’s scent. Drake noticed him sniffing into the air, drool sliding down his chin as he moved in on his prey.

“I’m going to toss you to Roderick,” he whispered to Waverly.

He motioned for Roderick to jump into the tree above their heads. There was a chance he could catch them if they ran, but he couldn’t get up the tree.

“What? No!” Waverly said, clinging to his T-shirt.

Roderick leaped into the tree above their hands, while Drake grabbed the back of Waverly's thighs and tossed her into the tree. She screamed on the way up, Roderick easily catching her and pulling her onto the branch with him.

"Oh my God," she whispered, gasping for breath.

The hellhound growled and launched at the same moment.

Drake easily kicked him off, but not before, he nipped at his skin. It didn’t hurt or matter, but in that moment he noticed the hound had a collar on.

Was this someone’s pet?

The more he had this dance-off with this hound the angrier he grew. Had his father sent a hellhound to kill his mate?

Or were the royals behind this? None of it made sense. The royals would have slaughtered them by now, but his father wouldn’t get his hands dirty if he didn’t have to.

The hound jumped at him again, this time gripping his forearm in his mouth. Drake’s anger boiled over into a big pot of red. He couldn't tell left from right. Thunder rolled in his ears, blinding him from anything rational.

Gripping the dog’s tail, he spun him around in circles and let him go.

He hit the side of the nearest cabin and didn’t get up.

Drake didn’t care if he was asleep or dead. He wanted to rip the vampire responsible for this to pieces. Bending down he attempted to catch his breath, which was new for him. It’d been a long while since he felt so much that he couldn’t breathe. It was the emotion behind the attack, the fact someone wanted to kill his mate.

His mother raced to his side and braced her palm on his back. “Are you okay?”

Drake tore away from her and looked her in the eyes. “Do you know who sent that?”

She sighed deeply. “That’s your father’s dog, son.”

Even though he suspected something similar, it hurt him.

Roderick jumped out of the tree with Waverly in his arms. “That’s dad’s hound? Where did he get that and why does he need it?”

Mother went on a spill, but none of it mattered. Drake’s ears grew warm with anger. Even when Waverly touched him, he hardly felt it.

For him to risk his own wife’s life to teach Drake a lesson pissed him off. His other son. Everyone here.

Adrenaline tingled up and down his flesh.

He needed to find him and end all of this. The urge to kill his father had never been more prominent in his life.

There’d been times he wanted to hurt him, but never drive a stake through his heart.

“Drake!” Waverly’s voice broke through.

He glanced down at her worried face, seeing leaves in her hair and scratches along her skin. “Are you okay?” he asked, cupping her face. "You're bleeding on your arm."

She frowned. “I’m fine. I’ve had much worse. Are you okay?”

Drake didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure what would come out of his mouth at that moment. No, he wasn't okay with any of this. His father was trying to kill his one true mate.

“Drake,” his mother said. “Are you listening? This means he’s been here to drop that damn dog off. He loves that dog.”

“I don’t want to hear it,” he said in a whisper.

His mother’s face fell, but he didn’t feel sorry about it.

Why would he? His mother came here out of love, but her staying brought more hell their way than he ever anticipated.

“Drake,” she pleaded, but he pulled away. “Where is Beau?”

He turned away from his mother before he said something he regretted, and walked toward the woods where most of the vampires had scattered. “Hey!” he shouted.

Several minutes went by when they appeared from the treetops.

Part of him was pissed they left Waverly and Sarah, but the other part of him understood. Knowing it was his father’s dog had given him adrenaline and his fear evaporated.

“Where is Beau?”

“I’m here!” he said before anyone could answer.

Beau jogged up with worry on his face. “I didn’t even think those things were real,” he said, looking around Drake. “Is everyone okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I killed it.”

Beau lifted both brows. “You killed it? It wasn’t as big and bad as we—”

“It’s my dad’s dog,” Drake blurted out. “I think he’s here."

Beau’s shoulders tensed. “You’re sure?”

“My mom said it was his dog.”

Beau ran his fingers through his hair. “The vampires I sent haven’t checked back with me yet. I’m assuming they won’t find your father there. That means someone is in the woods watching us.”

Roderick jogged over. “Or Dad just let the hound out with Waverly’s sent. He seemed hell-bent on killing Waverly.”

Beau shook his head. “I can’t believe your dad would try to hurt her like that.”

Roderick snorted. “You definitely do not know our father. He’s ruthless and power-hungry. A human life doesn't matter to him."

“Obviously,” Beau said, glancing around. “The hound is dead,” he yelled behind him. “Everyone back to the camp.”

Beau grabbed Drake’s forearm to stop him. “I need to know what you want your father’s future to be.”

Drake furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

Beau frowned. “If we find him, and he fights, do you want me to bring him to you, or kill him?”

Something hit Drake in the stomach. That was his father. How could he agree to let some stranger kill him?

“Bring him to me,” Drake said. “If I don’t find him first.”