“Those are my two favorites. What is your favorite food?”
Dylan fixed the pillows on the couch and adjusted it so they could lay together and for the next couple of hours they passed the time comparing their likes and dislikes while his wolf demanded someone read him a story and injecting his thoughts into the conversation. Occasionally Dylan even repeated the thoughts to Amber.
Chapter Twelve
Edward stared at Fletcher, fury radiated from him. “You are not her mate. I told you that. Why in the hell would you think you could run off with her?”
Fletcher stared at his Alpha in defiance, “I love her. She said she loved me. Of course she is my mate. Just because we didn’t true-mate doesn’t mean we won’t be happy together. You don’t know the future. She could turn into my true-mate one day. Even if she doesn’t, I don’t care. I love her. She is out there somewhere hurt and alone and you need to help me find her, not question my love for her.”
Daniel, guarding the doorway of Edward’s house couldn’t keep the growl from escaping. Fletcher turned toward him, “Tell him. You saw the weather. She needs me. I need help finding her. She could be…”
“SHUT UP!” Edward roared. “Enough. I have heard enough. Have you for one second ever looked at a couple? Any couple in this pack? Is there any male in this pack who would tie up a female and throw her in the boot of their car? I mean, besides you? That isn’t love. You are a weak, jealous, possessive, worthless pup who should have been killed at birth. You have no information that can help us find her and even if you did I wouldn’t trust you to walk her across the street. You are rogue and rogues don’t live in this pack.”
“You are turning me out of the pack? Because I love Amber? You want her for yourself, don’t you? You can’t stand for someone else to be happy when you can’t claim your mate yet. That’s the real reason you won’t let me have my mate isn’t it?”
“No you young fool. I am not turning you out of the pack. I will allow you the time to tell your mother goodbye. She deserves to say goodbye to her youngest son.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When you took Amber out of the territory that was a punishable offense. We don’t endanger our females. If she had asked to go to the festival I would have provided guards. She could have gone and been safe. Your crime, punishable by death, was forcing her to stay with you by tying her up. The men found the tent. They smelled her terror in the tent and in the boot of the car. That isn’t love. Love is wanting someone’s happiness more than you want you own. Love is being willing to destroy anyone who would hurt your mate. You were willing to destroy Amber to make her stay with you. She loved you as a friend and you were willing to turn that love to hate and have that girl hate you the rest of her life so you could possess her. That isn’t love.”
“But it is. I did it because I love her. She is young and confused. The American women have confused her. She is happy with me. She loves me.”
“By now she probably hates you.”
“No! That’s a lie. She loves me. She wants to be my mate. I was protecting her by taking her away.”
Fletcher gave a start of surprise when his mother came into the room from the hall. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. “Oh son. What happened to make you lose your way?”
“Mum you have to help me. Tell him, mum. Tell him she loves me. You know she does. I love her. He can’t keep us apart. It isn’t fair! MUM!”
She looked at Edward, her sorrow and pain so strong in the room Edward’s heart ached for her. She walked the last few feet to her son and stretching up on tiptoes she kissed his cheek. “You were the most beautiful young son a mother could ask for and I was proud to raise you into a man. I did my best to raise you right. I failed you somehow and for that I am sorry. Until today I was proud to call you my son. After today you will only exist in my heart. You gave me great joy and now you give me great pain. I am ashamed to call you my own. My hope for you is to find your way on the other side. Goodbye my son. I will love you always.” She turned away, sobs racked her body as she made her way to the door. Daniel reached for her elbow and led her from the house. Heads bent against the wind and rain he took her to her oldest son’s home. Her daughter-by-mating had asked them to bring her over so they could care for her during her sorrow. The pack had lost a bright promising young man this day and they would all mourn his loss.
Fletcher stared at the door in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why…”
But what it was he didn’t understand no one would ever know. Edward reached out and snapped his neck and watched the body drop to the floor. Gritting his teeth against the pain of losing a pack member Edward reached down and lifted the young man into his arms and walked toward the back bedroom where he laid him down on the bed. After covering him with a sheet he lifted his head and howled his sorrow. He found no pleasure in killing one of his own, but the deed had been required. The boy had turned rogue and there was no saving him. Squaring his shoulders he gave the bed one last look before he strode from the room. Daniel would be back soon and would be left in charge of guarding the body until they returned and could lay the young man to rest. For now he had a female to find.
Chapter Thirteen
Amber squealed with laughter. “No. He didn’t”
“I swear he did.”
“But what did you do then?”
“I shifted. What could I do. He had himself so tangled in the cape he couldn’t get out. I dared not call anyone for help. How the hell do you explain to someone your wolf wants to be a superhero so he tried to fix a cape on himself. I mean, if he had told me before hand at least I could have done something, said something to stop him.”
“So now he just calls him self a hero without the cape?”
“Oh yes, he always makes certain to say, without the cape. I tell you, you have never felt embarrassment until you shift and settle down inside your wolf and drift off to sleep only to be awakened by his howls of anguish and anger because he has tangled himself in a bed sheet trying to make a cape.”
“But…didn’t he think about how big the sheet is in comparison to him.”
Not small wolf. Big. Fierce protector of females. Tell her Super-wolf. Why you leave out name?
I am not telling her you call yourself Super-wolf. Come on.
Her laugh. Her happy. She happy have hero for mate. Tell her.
No. Trust me. We do not need to tell her that. She didn’t like it when you called yourself Joseph did she? Trust me, she won’t like another name.
Not name. Title.
You have the title of Alpha already.
“What are the two of you talking about now?”
“Nothing. He said to tell you he is a big wolf. He thought he needed a big cape.”
“I can’t wait to meet him.” Amber stared down in amusement at the wolf laying on her lap. “I mean later, after my first shift you silly wolf. Give Dylan back the body.” A moment later she was shaking her head as she stared down at her mate. “You know your wolf is silly right?”
“Well, that is probably my fault. I read to him way too much.”
Amber squeaked as he jumped to his feet snarling and headed for the window.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“An Alpha just crossed the line.”
“Trevor?”
“I don’t know. Believe it or not after leaving his pack he just feels like an Alpha to me. I can’t tell it is him until he gets close enough to see or smell. Weird, I know, but that is how it works. At least for me, I don’t know about others.”
“Well what do you see?”
“Rain. Rain, and more rain. Whoever it is they aren’t close enough to see the car yet. Ah, no, there they are. Not Trevor. Black Ute.”
“Edward drives a black Ute.”
“Then I believe your Alpha has found you.”
“Tell him to go home. I want to stay.”
Dylan’s eyebrows shot up. “You want to stay? Here? With me? Now?”
&
nbsp; “Yes. You promised to tell me about the tree house story next.”
“I promised that? I don’t think I promised any such thing.”
“But you could, if you wanted to. I mean, I could go home with Edward if you are done telling stories.”
“NO! I promised to tell you about the tree house. You can’t leave yet.”
He turned from Amber, snarling and opened the door and stepped into the weather. He watched as a giant of a man got out of the Ute. This then was the monster of his youth. Trevor didn’t lie. The man was huge. Maybe not ten feet tall and a thousand pounds of fury, but massive none-the-less. The man looked him up and down as he made his approached. He stopped a few feet away.
Chapter Fourteen
Edward stared at the small house. The rest of his men were still combing the surrounding area looking for Amber. No one had found any sign of the young female yet but they wouldn’t give up. Edward had ordered Dennis to stay near Fletcher’s car in case Amber found her way back to it. She would recognize the pack car and know help had arrived.
He had felt the power when he crossed the territory line and he could feel the blazing strength of the Alpha inside. He didn’t know how he felt to others, but he did know Trevor’s power paled in comparison to the Alpha guarding this area. No wonder Trevor had been relieved to have to boy move so far from his territory. Edward knew his power was greater than whoever was in front of him but he would admit he would rather have this one as an ally than an enemy.
He stepped out of the Ute and was drenched in seconds. He saw the other Alpha standing outside but details were hard to pick up through the driving rain. He approached the other cautiously, stopping a few feet away. He gave one nod of his head before he opened his mouth. Before he could get the first word out the boy, and that’s what he looked like to Edward, a boy. He couldn’t be much older than Amber, spoke.
“She is my mate. She is safe. I want the head of the one who caused her pain.”
“You have Amber?”
“She has me would be more correct.”
Edward’s lips twitched. “That is a pretty accurate statement when it comes to true-mates. Trevor said you do not extend your hospitality to others. Is this true. May I come into your home? You understand, I have to see Amber. I can’t leave without her.”
The door inched open behind Dylan and Amber stuck her head out. “Why are you standing in the rain. Hi, Edward. Are you coming in?”
Dylan snarled, “He can’t come in. I didn’t invite him.”
Amber shrugged, “I didn’t ask you. I invited him in. In case you didn’t notice it is pouring out there. Now stop being stupid and get back in the house.”
Dylan started backing toward the door but Amber blocked him, “No, no, with Edward. Get in the house with Edward. You can’t leave him in the rain.”
“Yes, I can.”
“Not if you want back in the house.”
Dylan turned his back on Edward and in that moment Edward knew the two were true-mates. “But honey, it is my house. I don’t want another Alpha stinking up the place.”
“And now it is my house and I want him inside out of the rain and my feet hurt. No, don’t touch me, you are soaked, put me down. You are getting me wet. Dylan!”
Edward gave a snort of laughter and followed the two inside. Shaking his head he looked around the spacious living area. The boy had more books than a library. He stood, dripping, waiting for Dylan to quit fussing over Amber. While he waited he recalled his pack and told them to head home. He told Dennis to call Amber’s parents and let them know their daughter was safe. The pack talked over each other trying to get more information but he didn’t have any to give them.
If it wasn’t for the way the hair on the back of Dylan’s head stood straight out Edward would believe Dylan had forgotten him. It wasn’t long before Dylan picked up a towel off the pile he had beside the couch and tossed it to him. Grabbing another towel Dylan tried to dry himself off, faint snarls continued to come from the boy until finally Amber slapped his arm. When he turned a wounded look her way Edward couldn’t contain his laughter.
“After what Amber has been through she should be terrified of you. With a strange Alpha in your territory you should be in your wolf form defending the territory. That she isn’t begging me to save her and take her home tells me the two of you are probably mates. The fact that you turned your back on me to take care of her, and you are taking orders from her already and trying to figure out how to make her happy and still get your own way, tells me the two of you can’t be anything but true-mates.”
“I wouldn’t have turned my back on you if you had been anyone other than her Alpha and honorable. I know of you. I just didn’t know you knew of me.”
“Before today, I didn’t. Trevor thought you would be better placed to help us find Amber than anyone. He gave me your location. I regret it took so long to arrive but Trevor thought it would be better I not send Dennis in my place to meet with you.”
“I don’t know a Dennis so you are probably right.”
“My Beta. Good man. How did you find Amber? When did you find her? Where did you find her? You know she is underage. I am going to have to take her back with me to her parents. You know this right?”
“She said she is staying. This is my territory and my word is law. She is my mate which makes her word law. I can’t let you take her. She said no and here, her word is law.”
“Whipped already? It happens to the best of us. But, yeah, no, that isn’t how it works.”
“I am not leaving.” Amber stared at Edward.
“You don’t actually have a choice.”
“Yes, I do. Dylan said here, my word is law and I am not leaving.”
“That isn’t how it works!”
“Dylan said it is. In his territory he makes the law. He is the Alpha of this territory. He said I can choose and I choose to stay. Did you find Fletcher?”
Edward snarled, “Yeah. We found him. He isn’t part of the pack anymore.”
This time it was Dylan who snarled, “You turned him out? Free?”
Edward snorted. “Yeah, not bloody likely. He kidnapped and terrorized one of the females entrusted to my care. His body is being prepared for burial in the pack cemetery.”
“How did you know what happened? How did you find us so quickly?”
“Quickly? Amber, we have been searching for you for the last several hours. That is not quick. Your parents are going insane.” He pulled his mobile out and tossed it to Dylan who handed it to Amber. “Call your parents and let them know you are safe and I am standing here with you. I almost wish, after the heartache the boy caused, he had lived long enough to see you true-mate to another. But it is better this way, hurting him wouldn’t undo the hurt he caused you. What were you thinking leaving without guards?”
“Fletcher said he asked once about going on an outing and you said no so he didn’t ask this time.”
“He never asked. I would have arranged for you to go if I had known. I may not be as free about taking the females all over Australia but not once have I ever denied one the chance to do something they wanted if I could ensure their safety.”
“Mum, no mum, I’m fine. No, really. He didn’t hurt me. Oh mum, guess what? I met my true-mate. I can’t wait for you to meet him. You have to come over and stay. Bring dad. You will love him. No, don’t be silly you can come over right now. Of course he would love to have you. He can’t wait to meet everyone. Oh, oh, he is going to move closer to Edward so I can still see all my friends all the time.”
Edward, watching Dylan was trying hard not to laugh. Apparently Amber had not asked Dylan about inviting anyone over. The boy was was gripping the back of a chair looking for all the world like it was the only thing holding him up. The boy looked positively ill. The more Amber talked the more color the boy lost until Edward finally cracked up laughing.
“Amber!”
She told her mum to hold on and turned toward Edward with a questioning loo
k. “You parents may not come over. Your word may be law here, one day, but as far as your parents are concerned my word is law. They may choose to leave my pack for Dylan’s pack but until things are arranged you will have to slow down on your plans. You are gonna scare the poor bloke off if you don’t.”
She turned a startled look toward Dylan to see him looking faint. “Oh mum, I have to go. Dylan doesn’t look good. I think he stayed out in the rain too long.” She tossed the phone back to Edward and tried to stand.
Dylan gave a mummer of protest and pushed her back, falling down beside her on the couch. “Not sick. Just a bit surprised. You move fast when you make up your mind.”
“Yes, well, my birthday is in two days so we don’t have much time to get everything arranged.”
“You have plenty of time. You don’t have to have everything arranged in two days. The young are always in a hurry. Amber, unless something happens to you or Dylan you have hundreds of years ahead. Dylan has a territory here. He is welcome to invite your parents to join his pack and it is possible some of the younger ones from my pack and from Trevor’s pack will be willing to join.”
“No, no, no one wanted to join from Trevor’s pack. He asked when I left.”
“Dylan, when you left you were a single male, strong, but alone. You had nothing when you left. You have proved your territory and gained a mate. Unless I am mistaken about my people her parents will join her. In times past it was not unheard of for a pack to grow and splinter off when another Alpha was born. In times past, before the world grew it made the shifter world stronger when an Alpha would strike out to begin a new pack taking some of the others with him. The packs started much like yours but usually the male had a mate by the time he left and others left with him to help settle new land. Now, well most land has been claimed and the young no longer strike out on their own as they once did. You have a mate, her parents will come to your pack of that I am almost certain. She is an only child you know. With the addition of a family others will be willing to follow. Not everyone wants to stay with an Alpha hundreds of years old. We don’t always keep up with the times like the young ones do and sometimes we are too set in our ways to modernize how we run a pack. If you do not have enough land now you will have to expand but I don’t think you will have a problem building a pack.”
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