by Delta James
Oliver walked over and wrapped his arms around his mate’s body before pulling her back into his own. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered, “I liked that behavior far better when you were dressed in black leather and warning off those mutts who are still in our dungeons.”
Roz’s entire body posture softened and yielded to her mate. “Yes, but I need to get the leather repaired from when you ripped it off me. You may well have ruined that corset.”
Oliver’s low rumble was seductive as he whispered, “I’ll buy you another.”
He turned back to Ava. “I would caution you about challenging my mate. I’ve seen her drop men twice her size with one blow. You will explain yourself to Ioan and me. Even if you weren’t going to have your hands full with that, sending you up there would be counterproductive. Declan needs food, fluids, and rest. The only thing he wants is you. If he can get his hands on you, he’ll have you stripped and on your back so fast it’ll make you head spin. Now, you get to Declan’s study and I will join you momentarily before we Skype with Ioan.”
Ava thought about defying him. Before she could do so, Bethan stood and gently grasped her elbow.
“Why don’t you and I go to Declan’s study and call Ioan so I can speak with my beloved.” She turned to Oliver. “I would ask that you not speak to a member of my pack in that way. She may well have entered the farthest reaches of your territory without doing you the courtesy of requesting your leave to do so, but it is my mate who has dominion over her. And while your pack has existed for over two centuries here in America, Calon Onest has ruled our lands far longer. We greatly appreciate you coming to her aid and I would welcome you to join us in the study, but do not think to overstep with me, Oliver Halsey.”
There was dead silence until Oliver cleared his throat. “I ask your pardon, my lady. You are correct. I fear my earlier challenge from Declan, although he didn’t know he was issuing one, has put me on edge. I would very much like to continue to provide you with assistance and would appreciate being included in your meeting with your mate.”
Bethan nodded.
As they left the room, Roz exclaimed, “Screw Catherine DeMedici... I want to be Bethan when I grow up.”
Ava looked over at Bethan, who merely smiled as she continued on to the study. Ava squeezed her arm. “Me too,” she whispered.
They entered Declan’s study and Bethan opened the laptop and established the link to Calon Onest.
“This will be even easier when we get you on the network Anna is setting up,” said Bethan reassuringly.
Ioan’s face came on the screen; Colum was standing behind him.
“You assume, my mate, that this newly made wolf will be invited to join us and that our Ava will be with him.”
Ava could barely stifle a gasp.
“You, little wolf, have a lot to answer for. Do you have any idea the amount of worry you have caused your pack?”
“I didn’t think...” started Ava before she faltered.
“That is obvious,” stated Colum, who looked every bit as pissed as Ioan.
Ava watched as Ioan looked over his shoulder and scowled at his beta before continuing. “You run away from home without a word or a note to anyone...”
“I thought you were going to send me away...”
“Ava, you will be silent,” bellowed Ioan.
Ava had never seen him this angry. Bethan put a comforting hand on her leg.
“Ioan, my love.”
“Don’t you ‘Ioan, my love’ me, Elizabeth Smith-Davies. You’re in almost as much trouble as our little wolf beside you.”
“Whatever do you mean? I sent you a note...”
“From the airport to be delivered after you were already in the air. Do not think, my mate, that you are too old to feel my strap across your backside.”
Ava looked at her in shock. “You came without telling Ioan?”
“Are you not bloody paying attention?” shouted Ioan just as Oliver entered the room. “This is not a time for female shifters to be gallivanting all over the world. Colum, correct me if I’m wrong, but did I not give explicit instructions to the ladies of our pack that they were not to leave the estate without permission and without a proper escort?”
“Yes, Alpha,” said Colum with great respect.
“Did you give said permission to either of these naughty females to leave Calon Onest?”
“No, Alpha.”
Ava glanced at Oliver, who was clearly enjoying seeing her and Bethan being scolded.
“My love, I am not of breed-able age...”
“You bloody well are, my mate!” Ioan’s fist came thundering down on the desk in front of him. “You are a grand prize for those that wish our collective to back down. They know I would do anything, betray anyone to see you safe and unharmed. I will deal with you, Bethan when I have you back safely here with me. But you too will remain silent until I am finished. As for you, little wolf, you can expect to have your backside welted and be confined to the keep until I decide you have learned your lesson. You didn’t think we’d be worried or notice you were missing? Did you think we wouldn’t move heaven and earth to find you and bring you home unharmed?”
Ava remained silent with her eyes downcast, unable to meet Ioan’s angry gaze.
“Answer me, Ava!”
“My love, you did tell her to be silent...”
Ava grasped Bethan’s hand and shook her head.
“Please, Alpha, don’t blame Bethan. She only came to help and comfort me,” said Ava, whose voice cracked as she realized just what Bethan had done to be at her side. “I bit Declan.”
Oliver put his hand on Ava’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Ava looked up and put her hand over his, grateful for the comfort he wanted to provide.
From behind them, Declan roared, “Get your hand off my mate, Halsey. Ava, come here to me...”
Ava immediately fled to Declan’s side.
“And whoever the fuck you are on the computer...” continued Declan before asking Ava in a far less threatening voice, “Is that Ioan?”
He wrapped his arm around her protectively as she nodded.
“I am Ioan Smith-Davies of the Calon Onest pack. The she-wolf at your side is one of mine.”
“No longer,” said Declan, getting a rein on his temper. “She is my fated mate and I will not give her up. I would prefer to have your blessing, but I will mark and claim her as mine with or without it.”
Declan looked at Oliver. “My apologies again for my anger. I’m finding it difficult to suppress strong emotions where my mate is concerned.”
Ava noticed Oliver had put space between them, but his body posture was relaxed and he had a smile playing around his face.
“No need for apologies, Declan. I would have done the same in your shoes. Just tell me your Bess, my mate, and Greg have suffered no long-term injuries as they tried to stop you from joining us.”
It was Declan’s turn to grin. Ava watched them in utter fascination. Clearly the two men had become friends.
“None whatsoever.” Declan turned back to Ava. “I understand Oliver cautioned you about trying to take on his mate. I would heed his advice... she throws one helluva punch.”
Oliver rolled his eyes. “She has a temper, my mate.”
Declan chuckled. “Not to mention a mean right hook.”
Colum cleared his throat; all three alphas turned to see him grinning from ear to ear. “I might point out, my alpha, that our naughty little wolf there has never jumped to obey anyone before... until now.”
Ioan looked back at Ava, who remained wrapped in Declan’s embrace.
Ava saw Bess, Greg, and Roz enter the room quietly. Roz joined her mate, who swatted her backside before quietly whispering, “I will deal with you later.”
Ioan spoke in the calm, but authoritative voice Ava had grown up with. “That is true, Colum. So, Declan Collins, newly turned alpha wolf, you seek to claim a shifter-born female alpha as your fated mate? You do know there is no fem
ale more highly coveted than one such as Ava. I have been fending off claims and offers for her for years and from alphas of long and distinguished lineages with powerful packs at their beck and call.”
“I don’t doubt it. She is a rare jewel and no doubt there are those far more worthy of claiming her than I. But she is my fated mate. She has heard my call even though she seeks to deny it. Both Oliver and your own Bethan will attest to that. I will not give her up. If you choose to try to take her from me, I will fight whomever I need to in order to force my claim.”
“Don’t I get a say in this?” Ava asked, starting to try to break out of Declan’s hold on her.
All three alphas responded with a unified, “No!”
Ava stomped her foot. “I will not be bartered off and told who I will or won’t mate.”
Declan fisted her hair, tilting her head back for his kiss. His mouth attacked hers and made short work of her protests before she succumbed to that and the growl low in his throat that called to her. Ava melted against him, lost in the aroused haze she so often found herself in when in his presence.
“You, my mate,” Declan said, trying out the term for the first time as an endearment, “will do as you are told. If you refuse my claim, Oliver tells me with Ioan’s permission, I can press my suit and force you to accept.”
Declan looked up and locked stares with the venerated alpha from Wales, who merely nodded and smiled.
Ava shook her head. “No, Ioan. I want to come home,” she stammered.
“You are home,” whispered Declan.
“She has the right to refuse you,” said Ioan.
“Thank you, Ioan,” said Ava in as respectful a tone as she’d ever used.
“Don’t thank me, little wolf. It is clear to me even from this great distance that you stand within the arms of your fated mate and are just being difficult.” He chuckled. “The best mates usually are.” Ioan looked directly at Bethan, who blushed. “Declan, should you choose to press your claim, you have my leave to force your mate to run or to claim her in front of her alpha and another ranking pack member.”
“It has to be in person...” said Ava in a desperate attempt to buy time.
“She’s right, my love,” said Bethan.
“Bethan, if you interfere just once more it will be my strap I take to your bottom when you return home instead of my hand. Now behave yourself. Halsey, will you and a ranking member of your pack act as proxy and see to the welfare of one of my she-wolves?” said Ioan, smiling.
“As long as it isn’t your naughty mate, I’d be delighted,” he replied with a smile.
“Been that badly behaved, has she?” asked Ioan solicitously.
“Let’s just say I haven’t been dressed down that way since I was in short pants. I don’t need your mate without your steadying influence spending a great deal of time in the Hamptons giving my already wayward mate lessons in how to misbehave.”
“My apologies. Normally, we are not apart and I can curb my Bethan’s headstrong ways before they get the better of her. I assure you that any misbehavior that has occurred will be dealt with when she is returned to me. I will have men in route to collect my mate as soon as we are through with this call.”
“Do not trouble yourself, Ioan. I have men standing by and will provide her safe passage back to your arms.”
“My thanks.”
“None needed. At least she didn’t deck me. The same cannot be said about my naughty mate. Poor Declan I fear had a taste of my mate’s notoriously bad temper.”
“Then it’s settled, Collins. You have leave through my proxy Oliver and one of his ranking pack members to force acquiescence from your mate or force her to run. Either way, she is yours to claim,” said Ioan.
Declan smiled. “What say you, Ava, will you yield to my dominance and accept your destiny as my fated mate?”
Ava sighed. She tried to tell herself that she had no choice... that this was being forced upon her... but in her heart of hearts she knew it wasn’t true. The truth was she’d never wanted anything more in her entire life. Before she responded to him, she had a fleeting thought that she owed Griffin’s mate, Maddie, a long overdue apology.
“I will if you promise not to spank me for not being completely honest with you from the start,” she said, figuring she ought to get something out of it... well, something other than Declan himself.
“No. I will not barter with you, mate. Do you yield or do you run?”
Ava snorted. “You don’t know how to shift.”
“I don’t need to. As you pointed out to Roz, I have Ketamine and a dart gun in the truck... and I know how to use them.”
Oliver and Ioan both laughed out loud.
“Well done, Declan! Oliver is right, you’re going to be a welcome addition to our inner circle,” said Ioan, still chortling.
“I was thinking,” offered Colum, “to ask if he’d like my strap. I thought with Ava no longer under our protection, he might need it more than I. But I do believe he’s got our naughty girl well in hand.”
“It’s not funny, Colum,” snapped Ava.
“Ava, you have yet to answer my question. Do you accept my claim or not?” asked Declan with a wicked grin.
“I hate all of you,” she hissed.
“My mate will apologize and she will do so immediately or you will have her apology within the hour after I’ve taken her upstairs and reminded her why she wants to obey,” growled Declan.
“I apologize,” Ava mumbled.
“You say it where they can hear you and like you mean it,” ordered Declan.
Ava looked from Roz to Bess to Bethan, who all nodded their heads. Clearly they saw no way out of this other than to gracefully acknowledge his claim.
She sighed. “I apologize. And I, Ava Rhys, accept your claim and declare you to be my fated mate and alpha.”
Declan pulled her close, dropping his face until his lips whispered against hers. “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Not for you,” she said with a trace of bitterness in her voice.
With that Declan swung her up in his arms and carried her back to their room.
Chapter Seventeen
Greg sighed as Declan bounded up the stairs with Ava held close.
“God, I’m such a sucker for a happy ending,” he said wistfully. “But why is it people ask me my advice and then just willy-nilly do whatever they please?”
Roz linked her arm through his. “That’s not fair, Greg, it’s just those pesky alphas who don’t listen. They don’t listen to anybody... especially when that person is trying to tell them they cannot mark and claim their mate.”
They had bid Ioan farewell with Oliver promising to have Bethan on her way back to him that evening with a proper escort.
“There’s no need to rush,” said Bethan.
Oliver’s benign smile belayed his steely tone. “But of course there is. I rather imagine your mate’s palm is just itching to connect with your backside.”
“Oliver, be nice,” chided Roz.
“I would caution you, mate. I have yet to decide whether it will be my hand or my belt that gets taken to your backside for once again challenging an alpha male.”
Oliver turned to Bess. “He may not understand the need, but he will want to keep his mate in seclusion for a few days to mark and claim her. If you wouldn’t mind, I’m sure he would appreciate meals being left outside their door.”
Turning back to Roz, he smiled and continued, “Not that he will eat. As you may recall, I had little to no interest whatsoever in food of any kind when we were in seclusion.”
“Not true,” quipped Roz with a grin. “You just chose to limit your food consumption to the copious amounts of honey to be found between my legs.”
Greg rolled his eyes and smiled at Bethan and Bess, who were fighting a losing battle with a need to burst out laughing again. Roz broke up first, followed quickly by Bethan and Bess. Oliver merely growled.
* * *
Decla
n carried her to their room. Ava opened the door and he entered, using his foot to shut the door. He went to their bed and seated himself on the edge, sitting Ava in his lap. Ava tried to get up but found herself forced to sit back down.
“You lied to me,” stated Declan. “Do you have anything to say to me, mate?”
Ava rolled her eyes. “You like that, don’t you? That you have claimed me even though I clearly stated I didn’t wish to be claimed or mated to you. What makes you think I’ll stay... that you can hold me if I choose to leave?”
Declan surprised her. Instead of getting angry, he laughed softly. “I already warned you that if you run away from home, I’ll find you, welt your ass, and bring you home. And that was before I knew that your little love nip was going to rewrite my DNA and change me from human to shifter...”
“Declan, I...”
“Ava, you will be quiet and let me have my say sitting here in my lap or I’ll put you over my knee and paddle your backside while I’m having it.”
“And this is why...”
Ava’s protest was cut off as Declan quickly stood her up, removing her clothing with a deft efficiency that left her wondering how he had done so. He then flipped her face down over his knee.
“Declan...”
Declan’s hand descended onto her rump with a considerable amount of sting.
“No...” she wailed.
“Yes, Ava. You were owed a spanking before the whole ‘oh, by the way, you’re going to be a wolf shifter now’ started. I may not know all the protocols for this new life I’m going to be living, but I’ve already figured out that you challenging an alpha male is way out of bounds as is lying to your mate, refusing to heed his call, and the aforementioned running away from home.”
Ava felt every strike of his hand as it landed on her posterior. Not only did she feel each one physically, but emotionally. All of the wrong she had done to those who obviously cared deeply for her landed on her soul the way Declan’s hand landed on her backside. How could she have ever doubted that her pack at Calon Onest didn’t care for her? How could she have missed all the things Bethan had done for her throughout her life, including defying Ioan to rush to be with her?