by DJ Phoenix
Trying to hide his chuckle, he said, “I’m pretty sure we missed lunch, and if we stay any longer we’ll miss dinner.”
His mate’s giggle filled the room, and he couldn’t help himself, he wanted to hear more, so he tickled her sides.
Cynthia squealed, and her giggles turned into full laughter as she thrashed beneath him. “Stop! You overgrown wolf. I’ll get you back … I swear I will … You just wait and see.” Finally, she managed to get out of his hold and straddled his hips. “You know, Mr. Big Bad Wolf …” Her words cut off when her stomach rumbled again, and her giggling started up again.
Luke sat up, holding her lower back so as to not knock her off his lap. “Mate, my duty is to take care of your every need, and right now you need food. Let me get you cleaned up and we’ll head to the diner for dinner.”
Cynthia’s face lit up at his words—he loved that look. “You know I don’t know how I ever managed living my life without you.” Her lips touched his oh so softly, then they were gone and she was jumping off the bed and heading to the bathroom, laughing.
That evening, as they lay in their bed, he relished the feel of his mate’s body wrapped around his and silently thanked the gods that he had never had another in this bed. Layla had tried. Gods had she insisted every chance she got to make him bring her here. He had always refused, thinking it was a disgrace to his parent’s legacy. But now he understood that it had been his wolf; he had known this was his mate’s home, and his wolf would not allow another to lay where their mate belonged.
Now he stared into the darkness, contemplating that in four weeks they would complete the bonding ceremony. Sure, they had already blood bonded, which allowed any that came near his mate to know she was his because she carried his scent and bore his mark on her neck; and it was irreversible, so that made him smile because, no matter what happened, she would always be his. The bonding ceremony, however, would bestow the blessing of their creator over their bonding, ensuring they could have pups. It would also serve witness to the pack that their union had been accepted by their gods.
When the blessing was fully bestowed upon them, the power and magic of their creator would bring Cynthia’s wolf to the forefront, allowing her to shift into her wolf form. This worried him a little since her experience with wolves was still so new. Would she embrace her wolf and welcome her into her life, or would she be afraid and attempt to suppress her? There was also the fact that Cynthia’s father seemed to have been a full-blooded shifter, but her mother’s bloodline was still a mystery; they still didn’t know what other supernatural blood ran through Cynthia’s veins. If her mom had died of sickness, she couldn’t have been a vampire or shifter, which left the Fae and the elves, even other shifters were a possibility. That meant it was possible that Cynthia had unharnessed magic within her, and it could also manifest during the ceremony.
Cynthia stirred in his arms, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was close to sunrise and still dark, but his wolf senses allowed him to see clearly. Her eyes were moving rapidly behind her closed lids; from the scent of fear surrounding her, he guessed she was having a nightmare. She mumbled a name he couldn’t make out, and her arms covered her face protectively.
He gently unfolded and rubbed her arms. Softly, he called her name, urging her to wake up, but her closed eyelids continued to move rapidly. This was the first time since they had bonded that he had woke to her dreaming like this, and he didn’t like it. His mate had been wrapped secure in his arms and she had become distressed—that was unacceptable. At the scent of her fear, his wolf had risen in alert, too, and wanted to be let loose so he could annihilate the threat. He knew his eyes were glowing, and he didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was, so he pushed his wolf back, reassuring the beast there was no threat near.
After a couple of seconds, Cynthia’s eyes opened wide and she shot up to a sitting position. She scrambled back until her back hit the headboard and wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them close to her chest. She shivered, and that was all Luke could take. He reached and turned the lamp on, the dim light illuminating the room.
Cynthia blinked as the light hit her eyes. That’s when he saw a tear run down her cheek. It broke his heart to see his mate like that; she seemed so vulnerable, and almost broken. He would fix this, and he would be damned if he allowed whatever was scaring her so much to ever have a hold on her again.
He gently touched her arm and eased closer. “Cynthia, look at me, sweet.” He patiently waited for her to respond. She had buried her face behind her knees. When she wouldn’t look up, he urged her again. “Cynthia, please look at me. Love, I need you to look at me.” He knew the call of his need would stir her dormant wolf some, hopefully enough for the wolf to want to respond to her mate’s needs, forcing her to look at him.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she slowly lifted her face. Tears streaked her beautiful cheeks and her eyes were haunted as they looked at him. He decided right there and then that he never wanted to see that look in his mate’s eyes, so he pulled her into his arms as she sobbed. He waited and gave her as much time as she needed to compose herself.
When she had stopped sobbing, he eased his hold on her. He gave her just enough room within his arms to move far enough to look at him without him needing to let her go. He smiled at her. “Please tell me what I can do. What is it? What has you so frightened and upset?”
Cynthia’s eyes closed briefly and, when she opened them again, all he saw was resolve in the depth of her beautiful green eyes. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I … I was just having a nightmare. It was … just so vivid. I hadn’t had one like that before. I could almost feel what was happening. I am so sorry I scared you. It really isn’t anything to concern yourself about. Just a plain old nightmare. I promise.”
Luke knew she was lying, and he hated that she felt the need to lie. Was she scared of him, or scared of his reaction to her nightmare? He didn’t want her to have any doubts about him or them as a couple. They were blood bonded for gods’ sake, didn’t she feel that connection? Sure, it wasn’t as strong as it would be if they had already performed the bonding ceremony, but still.
She shivered again, and he decided not to press her for the truth. He would tend to her needs now, make sure she knew she was safe and protected, and he would get his answers later. Something haunted her dreams, and he needed to know what it was, especially if he was going to keep her safe.
Cynthia
The light was all wrong, but she recognized the room she was in; it was the bedroom she’d shared with her ex-husband in New York. Spinning, she took in the room—exactly as she had left it when she had run from that wretched place over a year ago. The door was closed, but she could hear footsteps beyond. A shiver of terror ran through her, and she was paralyzed with fear. He was coming! She knew it! Those heavy footsteps were aggravated and heavy, just like his had been when he’d come home drunk; otherwise, the man barely made a sound when he walked.
The door burst open and his silhouette blocked the door, but she couldn’t see his face. His heavy breathing filled the silence in the room, and she backed herself against the nearest wall. Why was she here? She had left him, she had a new life now. This was all wrong. She tried to find an escape, but knew it was useless. There was none. There never had been before, why would it be any different now? He stepped into the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
His face came into focus, and she could see dark circles under his eyes and deep lines where there hadn’t been any before. His hair stuck up at odd ends and his appearance was disheveled. Even drunk she hadn’t ever seen him look like this. It was like he hadn’t slept in weeks and hadn’t had a decent meal in just as long.
He smiled a wicked, arrogant smile at her, then he charged. His heavy hand caught hold of her hair before she could move away. Then his heavy fist connected with her stomach. She doubled over but he yanked her hair hard, lifting her face up so he could deliver a fu
ll-handed slap to her right cheek. Before she could recover, he took hold of her shoulders, squeezing them painfully, and shook her. Her head bounced back and forth, and her vision blurred with tears.
Why was this happening again? She was done with this animal; how did she end up in his clutches again?
He threw her across the room, and she hit the hardwood floor, landing on her side, her head bouncing off the floor; she saw stars. Then his boot connected with her side. All she could do was pray he’d tire soon and that he wouldn’t break anything. That, and roll her body in as tight as she could while covering her face with her arms.
She opened her eyes with a start and sat up. Luke was in bed with her. That meant she wasn’t in New York. Good God! It had all been a nightmare, a vivid nightmare. She scooted herself back against the headboard, seeking distance; she needed to calm herself before she could face her mate. She closed her eyes and wished away the images lingering behind her closed lids. Dylan would never hurt her again, she knew that, but that didn’t keep the tears from escaping no matter how hard she tried. Especially when Luke’s strong arms wrapped protectively around her.
The nightmares had stopped shortly after her divorce had been finalized. She didn’t understand why she would have a nightmare now, when she had finally found her place and was settling down with her mate. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see Luke’s beautiful but worried face. Every time she looked into Luke’s clear blue eyes, she saw love, desire, and protectiveness.
He had a right to know what troubled her, she knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier.
“Trust him,” her wolf pleaded in her mind.
Cynthia bit her bottom lip, deliberating for a minute, and just like that, she knew she would explain the sordid details of her failed marriage to her mate. He had been patiently waiting, holding her protectively, and right there in her mate’s arms, Cynthia let the rest of her walls crumble.
She sat up and looked her mate straight in the eyes. If she was going to tell him everything, he needed to understand that only their future mattered now. “I have a story to tell you that will explain this. I only ask that you listen, and that you bear with me until I’m done. You have changed my life, Luke Andrews, and no matter what I had to live through to get me here, our future is all that matters now.”
Luke
A week had gone by since the night Luke had awoken to find his mate in the midst of a nightmare that had left her sobbing in his arms. Seeing her like that had broken his heart and stirred his protectiveness. He had sat there holding her as she poured her past three years out to him. Furious didn’t even describe how he had felt when she had told him about the nightmare that had, many nights, been her reality.
The bastard that had dared touch and hurt what was his had to pay, that was all he could think of as he lay there staring at her beautiful face nestled on his arm as she slept. He had been able to keep his cool in front of her, but just barely. His wolf had been pacing back and forth, pushing to take over so he could hunt down the one that had hurt his mate. Luke agreed with his beast, but knew he couldn’t let his wolf free at that moment. It would have scared his mate, and she had needed his comfort. So, he had decided to love her and let her rest.
Cynthia had refused to tell him the bastard’s name that night. She had told him it didn’t matter because it was all in the past, but he had this nagging feeling that told him that man was a threat. He hated that feeling, he had gotten it for the first time the day his mother had been killed. He knew something was wrong, and that he needed to stay close to his mother, but he had ignored it. He had gone to the lake to swim with Matt, instead. Ever since that day he had made a promise to never ignore it again, for it had cost him and his dad dearly. He needed to find out who that bastard was and where he was. Now. In fact, he needed to know everything there was to know about him. He would even send someone to watch him if he felt it necessary.
Luke picked up his phone and sent Matt a text, asking him to come to his office.
Five minutes later, Matt sat on the chair across from him. “Hey man, why the stressed face?” Matt crossed his right leg, resting his ankle over his left knee.
Luke leaned forward, elbows resting on his desk. “Something isn’t right. My gut is telling me Cynthia is in danger. She shared some of her past with me, and I know it’s related to it, but that’s all I’ve been able to deduce. I need you to find a person from Cynthia’s past. I know Joe is looking into her family and where they come from, but I need you to go back three years. I need to know who she was married to, and when her divorce finalized. Did the man give her a hard time during the divorce? Did he harass her? Any pertinent information you find, you bring directly to me. Don’t tell anyone about this. I don’t want to make Cynthia feel self-conscious or upset.”
Matt just needed to get to his computer and request the marriage and divorce records which he would show his Alpha as soon as he had them; they were public files after all. Before he left Luke’s office, though, he took the opportunity to tug at his friend’s conscious. “Luke, you have to tell her about Mindy and Layla. She wouldn’t tell you who this man was, and it’s eating at you. Think how she will feel if that information makes it to her through someone else. You know Layla won’t be locked up forever, and she will jump at the opportunity to cause a rift between you two. Especially if she is still delusional about being your mate.” With that said, Matt left Luke to his work.
Rearranging the files in front of him, Luke thought about Matt’s words. He knew he had to tell Cynthia about his prior arrangements with Mindy and Layla. Looking back at that time filled him with guilt and shame. Layla had proven to be bat-shit crazy, but Mindy was a whole other story. Mindy was a sweet person, caring and hardworking.
He had never stopped to think they had a mate of their own out there. Sure, they were all adults, and both women had agreed to their arrangement, but what would their mate think of it all? The slip in character he had during the time he shared both women’s beds was not worthy of an Alpha. How Jack and Lucy still even talked to him was beyond him. It was no wonder they were constantly telling him he needed to find his true mate.
He came upon Layla’s file. She had been adamantly demanding to speak with him every day since her sentence. So far, he had kept his distance, assigning guards to keep watch over her and to make sure she was fed and had clean clothes and a daily shower. She had committed a serious crime, breaking one of the most sacred laws of the supernatural world. She had been given a fair trial and sentence, so why she kept demanding to see him was a mystery. He had made himself clear when he had broken their arrangement, and after her attack on Cynthia, he didn’t think he could stand in front of her and keep himself restrained. His wolf wanted blood for the harm done to their mate, and if he was honest, so did he. But he knew all the progress they had made as a pack toward becoming more civil would be lost if he let his anger dictate his actions.
Layla had continued being difficult, insulting and threatening all who got assigned to guard her. She had become such a nuance that he was running out of men to post guard. She was currently in a cell in the basement of the pack offices, but she would be let free in three weeks’ time and then they’d all have to deal with her. He continued to read the reports the guards had added after every shift. According to the file, only one person had come to visit Layla. It didn’t shock him that Natalia had visited Layla, since she had come to her defense when he had introduced Cynthia to the council. Perhaps she could keep her under her wing and help her find her way in the pack.
He used his desk phone to dial Natalia’s extension. “Natalia, please come to my office.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Natalia knocked on his office door a couple minutes later. “Natalia, take a seat.” Luke waited for Natalia to take a seat before he continued. “I’ve been reading the reports filed by the guards assigned to watch our prisoner.”
“Layla,” Natalia’s cold voice interrupted him. Luke decided t
o overlook her disrespect and let her speak; he had a feeling there was something more behind Natalia’s actions. “Her name is Layla, and she is a member of our pack, not just some rogue wolf caught breaking pack law.”
Luke showed the she-wolf no emotion; instead, he kept his face blank and his tone as monotone as was possible. “She is a member of this pack, and it is concerning that she is not coping well with her circumstances. So, I have decided to assign her a mature she-wolf that can council her and help her get reinstated into the pack when she is released. I know that you have visited her multiple times since she was placed in her cell. I also know that as a council member, you are a respected member of this pack, therefore, I am assigning you, Natalia.”
“Alpha, I …”
Luke cut her off before she could continue. “If Layla had family within the pack, I would have chosen them. As you know, Layla came to join this pack by herself when she was no more than a pup. At that time, she told my father that her family had been killed and she had no one. My parents took her in and gave her a home until she became an adult. She hasn’t formed any healthy bonds with any females in the pack since my mother, except you. You are the only female that has shown concern for her well-being, so she’s all yours. I want to know immediately if you notice any odd behaviors or concerning thoughts; as a matter of fact, I want a report on her mental and emotional wellbeing every Friday starting this week.”
The last sentence came out more as a command, and the she-wolf had no choice but to obey her Alpha.
Natalia bared her throat. “Of course, Alpha. I will do everything in my power to help Layla.” Natalia stood and walked out of Luke’s office.
Luke closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He thought back to the times he had bedded Layla; he couldn’t believe he never saw how delusional she was. He hoped his decision to bind her wolf and detain her would be enough to thwart her delusions. If she didn’t accept Cynthia as her Alpha female, he would have to exile her, and he really didn’t want to be put in that position. They had shared many good rumps, and it was because of all those times that, despite his anger, he felt he owed her a chance to right her wrong. He just couldn’t believe he could have been so arrogant as to believe he had it all perfectly laid out: two women to fuck as he pleased, no strings attached, come and go between the two. He was a bastard. He used two pack mates, two women he was supposed to protect. He never thought he would find his mate, so he never once thought about Layla and Mindy finding theirs one day, or the repercussions of his actions. How did he ever believe that would turn out well for him? What kind of Alpha did that make him?