Lowlander Silverback (Gray Back Bears #5)(28)

Kong hacked at him with his long, razor-sharp teeth, beating Rhett with his arms, pummeling him toward the trees. Rhett turned and swung from a low branch to buy time, but Kong was right on him. On the ground or in the trees, it made no difference. Rhett would breathe his last breath tonight for what he’d taken from Layla.

The beast Kong didn’t think, wasn’t careful, didn’t calculate. Rhett had raised the monster within him, and now he’d have to deal with the consequences. No chance for control, he let his gorilla have his mind. Rhett was on the run now. Kong could see fear in his eyes when he looked behind him to see how close Kong was. He swung from branch to branch, higher and higher, but the canopy wouldn’t save him. A thick branch cracked under the force as Kong launched himself toward Rhett. His body crashed into the silverback, who screamed as his fingers brushed and missed his next branch. They tumbled to the forest floor and slammed onto the unforgiving ground. Kong reared up and roared, exposing his long canines so that Rhett could see his end coming, then he slammed his hands down. Rhett went limp under the force of his fists, but movement through the trees said this wasn’t over yet.

He smelled them then, Ivan and Gordon. His own personal nightmares. The silverbacks who had taken such pleasure in carrying out Fiona’s task of breaking him and threatening his mother. They were here for round two.

Ivan was Changed already, but Gordon was still human, and he was smiling in the blue moonlight. “Very good, Kong.”

Kong lifted his lip and charged a few steps. A warning. Back off or you’re next.

“Fiona will be glad to see how far you’ve come.”

Gordon reeked of dominance. The smell raised the short hairs on the back of Kong’s thick neck.

“We’re here to bring you in.” Gordon tossed a look at Rhett’s body, then flicked his attention back to Kong. “Fiona thought Rhett wouldn’t be able to neutralize you by himself, and Kirk is next to worthless. It seems our wise leader was right. Come on, boy. Your destiny awaits.”

“Fuck you,” Kong said in a growly, inhuman voice, a voice that was marred by his animal vocal cords.

Gordon’s eyes tightened as Ivan paced beside him, his clenched fists punching the earth. “Don’t do this again. Remember the last time you fought your title? So much agony. So much blood.”

Slowly, Kong stepped over Rhett’s body and lifted his head, puffing out his chest as he stood ready. His lips twitched with rage as he glared down the shifters who had stolen his freedom.

Whether he liked it or not, this was the moment Kong chose. This wasn’t just about avenging Mac anymore. This was the moment he declared Layla was his and cut himself off from his people completely. There would be no chance at redemption in Fiona’s eyes if he killed her prized enforcers.

This was the moment he took his life back or died trying.

With a quick drum of his chest, Kong charged the silverbacks.

And then there was pain.





Chapter Eleven


Layla carefully crawled over Willa’s sleeping form in the queen-size bed. She and Georgia had stayed late into the night, soothing her heartache, and had fallen asleep beside her. Layla, however, was still wide awake with worry.

Kong should be back by now.

She walked through the small singlewide, her bare feet cold against the cheap laminate wood flooring. There were squishy parts and creaks, but she made it to the living room with its clean, white panel walls. She pulled a thick blanket off the back of the green couch and let herself out the front door as quietly as she could.

The first streaks of dawn ghosted the horizon. She sat in a rocking chair on the sprawling cedar porch off the side of the trailer and huddled into the blanket. The tears on her cheeks had dried in the middle of the night, and now, she felt drained, as if she had nothing left but worry over Kong. She didn’t know how long she sat there waiting. Perhaps it was ten minutes, perhaps an hour. The sky lightened to a soft gray that met dark storm clouds, and still, she kept her eyes trained on the road. He would come back to her. He had to. Fate surely wasn’t so cruel that it would take both of the men from her life in one night.

Movement caught her attention, and she unfolded her legs and padded toward the porch railing. Her shoulders sagged with disappointment. Not Kong. It was Matt, Willa’s mate. His sandy hair was disheveled as if he hadn’t slept a wink either, and his bright blue eyes swam with worry as he paced near a jacked-up Chevy truck. He muttered, “Come on, Kong,” then hit a button on his phone and lifted it to his ear. “Where are you?” Matt settled with his back to her, staring at the road she’d been watching. He muttered a curse and yanked the phone away from his ear. “You coming or what?” he asked without turning around.

“Y-yes.”

“Get in,” he clipped out, casting her a bright-eyed glance over his shoulder.

Layla draped the blanket over the railing and made her way to his truck as quietly as she could. Then she climbed in through his side and settled onto the passenger’s seat.

“Whatever happens—”

“He’s fine,” she said in a hard voice.

Matt inhaled deeply and nodded his head once. Then he jammed the engine and slammed his foot on the gas, spinning out as he sped off down the road.

“Kong’s your friend,” she whispered numbly as she watched the towering pines blur by the window.