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DERRICK WANTED TO COMFORT her, but had no idea how yet so he continued to drive. A sick feeling settled in his stomach after he turned out of her neighborhood. His eyes moved to the rear-view mirror every other second. Nothing odd stuck out, yet his stomach tensed all the same. His grip tightened on the wheel when he turned down an alley. After a block, he pulled the truck down another street but no one followed him down the alleyway.
“Is there something wrong?” Maria asked as she glanced around.
“Just thought someone was following us.” A way to help Maria suddenly occurred to him. Derrick drove over to a playground and parked next to the curb. Quickly he turned toward his mate. The open area made it easy to spot anyone watching them.
“You look like you need to talk before you explode.” Derrick studied her.
“How can this be happening all at once? I mean I’m a witch but then again, I can change into a werewolf.” Maria pushed back her tears. Derrick didn’t want her to cry.
“The choice is completely up to you. Just like if you want to practice magic, it’s your choice. We can worry about pups later.” Derrick wondered how strong of a witch she might become.
“I’m not worried about kids right now. I’m more or less thinking about how much different my life would have been if I actually practiced magic.” Maria looked at her hands then met his gaze.
“What do you mean?” He brushed her soft hair back behind her ear.
“Like right now, I’d be able to trust my own mother. I wouldn’t be questioning everything she ever said to me.”
“I understand this probably isn’t what you want to hear, but she did what she thought was right. You can’t fault her for doing her best. She just loved you so much she didn’t want to burden you.” Derrick scanned the park around them but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The stupid sensation of being watched still nagged at him making his wolf uneasy.
“But what did she think would happen? Plus, what about Walter? I mean, he should have known and if he did before today why didn’t he tell me or Devin?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe he brought the tea with him on his tours?” He suggested even though he felt the words were hollow. There seemed to be a missing link in the Walter situation.
“Subject change, here. Can you explain to me how I become a werewolf?” Maria’s hands slid to the bottom of her shirt
“It’s pretty simple. I shift and bite you. I have heard it can burn but it’s the change taking effect on the body. You need to ask Alia what it really feels like.”
“That’s all it takes? You just bite me?”
“I have to be in my other form but yes, it is pretty simple. Learning magic will probably take longer than figuring out your wolf form.” He explained to her what Olsen said Alia went through with being a witch and a wolf at the same time. “Alia’s hearing isn’t heightened unless she is in her wolf form. Like most of the benefits of being a wolf, it doesn’t come out until she shifts.” She continued to nod her head as she took in more information. He didn’t want to burden her but she kept asking more questions about the change and how Alia worked with it.
“How about we go to the house and you can ask her all the questions you want?” Derrick suggested.
“Sounds like a plan.” Her body relaxed in her seat.
Derrick turned on the truck and started to drive, but now the sensation of being watched grew stronger. He kept scanning to see if he caught anything. They stopped at a red light and the sensation intensified. The light turned green but the truck coming towards them didn’t stop.
“Something’s–” Before Derrick could explain, a truck slammed into the back of their vehicle pushing them into the intersection and towards the oncoming pick-up. Maria screamed as the second truck slammed into her side. Derrick grabbed the steering wheel. The material crumbled under his grip and it broke in half. Once they came to a halt, voices were yelling just outside his truck. Derrick’s heart raced, making the blood pound in his ears.
Derrick turned to Maria who was knocked out from the second impact. He yanked at her seatbelt to free his mate. Guys in black masks swarmed the wreck, silver chains dangled in their hands. He hit a button on the dash of his truck. The computer asked what he needed.
“Call Olsen,” Derrick growled. After one ring his second answered.
“Get here and get others, now!” Derrick yelled over the intercom. One male grabbed Derrick’s door and pulled it open. Before he had a chance to react, Derrick punched the guy in the face, knocking him down. He slammed the door closed then turned toward Maria again. Her eyes fluttered open and another scream filled her lungs.
When Derrick had hit the first male, another had jumped up on the hood. He held a bat and swung at the window. The glass buckled but didn’t break. With the second swing, however, it shattered and glass sprayed into the front seat. Derrick managed to push Maria to the back seat before the guy grasped her. The male reached in and Derrick reacted with his wolf instincts, he fucking bit the guys arms, making him howl in pain.
Maria screamed again as the back window shattered. She kicked her legs as someone pulled her out. Derrick managed to punch the male he had bitten and went after Maria. When he climbed out the back, another attacker threw a silver chain in his direction but missed by an inch. Fucking silver, why do they have fucking silver!
Pushing his anger out he shifted into his wolf, leaving a pile of shredded clothes under his body. He lunged for the male who had thrown the chain. Derrick broke his leg, keeping him from moving any more. A howl met the alpha’s ears. Olsen is finally here. Derrick focused on the guy pulling at Maria. He needed to protect his mate, the burning realization of her possibly carrying his pups made his wolf growl. When he reached them, the guy yelled out in pain but not from anything Derrick did. The smell of charred flesh met the alpha’s nose. The guy let go of Maria and she turned and punched him square in the nose.
“Bitch,” he called out. The voice sounded familiar but he couldn’t immediately put a name to it.
“Don’t you dare fucking touch me again. Who the hell sent you to take me?” Maria yelled.
“Fuck you.” The male looked from Derrick to Maria. “They will get you freaks and kill all of you.” Before Derrick moved a muscle, Maria kicked the male making Derrick wince. She grabbed his mask and yanked it off then grabbed the male’s long hair. He had been hired as a cop a few weeks back.
“You see the wolf right there. He can kill you, and I can fucking pardon him since I’m the fucking interim mayor, you dumb fucker.” She paused and stared him down. Derrick knew he would love to kill the man under his mate. His wolf grinned at the idea of more blood in his mouth.
“Tell me who sent you or die right now,” Maria demanded. The fire in his mate’s voice made Derrick proud. She’d make a great alpha female with such determination. The attacker managed to grab her by the throat, but she wrapped her hands around his wrists and the odor of burning flesh reached Derick’s nose. Derrick lunged for the male and knocked him away from Maria. She stumbled back while Derrick ripped the guy’s head off. He turned around ready to fight more but his mate was on the ground. Olsen took care of the ones who hadn’t fled the scene. The threat is over, she is safe.