Reclaiming Quinn - Parker Williams Page 0,75

Quinn had taken a huge bite. Through it all, Quinn didn’t slow. In fact if anything, he sped his attacks, sinking his teeth savagely into Klein. Deke didn’t want this. Quinn had suffered enough, and he knew the thought of taking a life would haunt Quinn forever.

“Gareth, please….”

But Gareth stood implacable. “Let it play out. He has to do this. He needs to know.”

Sean, meanwhile, knelt by Zach’s side, examining him. Deke couldn’t understand why. It was obvious Zach was dead.

With a roar, Quinn slammed into Klein, causing him to stumble. Quinn got on top and gripped Klein’s throat in his powerful jaws. It would be easy for him to sink his teeth in and yank out Klein’s esophagus, thus ending it. But Quinn hesitated. His body spasmed, then morphed back to his Quinn.

“I can’t,” he whispered, his chest heaving, the pain raw in his voice. “I want to kill him for hurting you, but I can’t.”

Gareth stepped forward and placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “You’re not a killer. You aren’t meant to be one. Your hands are to be used to help, not harm.”

“You knew,” Deke said, doing his best to keep the accusation from his voice.

“Of course I knew,” Gareth retorted as he made his way to Sean. “I know my mate, and Sean knows his brother.”

Deke dragged himself across the floor until he got to Quinn, who turned and threw himself into Deke’s arms, burying his face in Deke’s neck.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“For saving me? Why?”

“Because…. Because… I don’t know. I just feel like I should say how sorry I am.”

No, he shouldn’t, because if Deke had gotten Klein down, he would have probably killed him, and as much as he hated to admit it, that knowledge would have haunted him as well. Like Quinn, Deke didn’t want to take a life. He’d done it today, and that memory would haunt him forever.

“So you saved me in more ways than one.” He kissed Quinn’s forehead. “How did you find me?”

“My wolf knows you. He can find you anywhere.” He shook his head. “No, I can find you anywhere.”

A moment later, Quinn was yanked away from Deke, and when he looked up, Klein stood there, his arm around Quinn’s throat.

“You’re going to back off and let me leave. I swear, I have no problems killing him.”

“You’ll never make it out of the building,” Gareth promised. “I have two dozen people outside, waiting for you to try to run. You might have tried moving the humans, but my people have already rescued them, as well as Rupert’s family. We’ll get the people to the police, who will no doubt be looking for you. I guarantee you, they won’t find your body. You have nothing left.”

“I have him,” Klein said as he jerked his head at Quinn.

“Deke?” Quinn’s voice was pleading. “I love you.”

“Quinn, I—”

“Enough! Quinn and I are going to walk out this door, and no one is going to try and stop us or little Quinn here will pay the price.”

“You’ll go nowhere,” Gareth rumbled.

“You don’t hold the cards here!” Klein shrieked. “I am the Alpha, and this is my territory! You have no right to be here.”

“By Mother Moon, I have every right. I’ve turned the pack over to your brother. In the few weeks he’s been their leader, he has garnered more trust and cooperation than you ever did.”

“We’ll see who they follow when he’s dead at my feet.”

Something shimmered behind Klein. At first, Deke was certain it was a trick of the light, but a moment later, it coalesced into a human form. Zach lashed out, sinking talons into Klein’s neck and jerking him away from Quinn, who rushed forward and gripped Deke around the waist.

“You threatened my friend’s mate. You’ve killed people. Sold them as both slaves and food. There is not one redeemable thing about you. Though I don’t want to do it, I cannot allow this to continue.”

Zach’s fangs glistened in the light, and then he slammed them into Klein’s neck. The inhuman scream that erupted from Klein was the worst sound Deke had ever heard. He clutched Quinn’s head and pulled him tight to his body, hoping to shield him from Klein’s death throes. Blessedly, it was over quickly. Zach let Klein drop to the floor with his eyes wide and fixed.

“Is he…?”

Zach ran a hand over his mouth, smearing the crimson streak. “Dead? Yes, he is.” There wasn’t a shred of remorse in Zach’s voice. “And he deserved