by C. D. Gorri
Fu-ck. She was so damn gorgeous.
Mine, growled his Wolf. The idea of any of his Packmates seeing her naked body was enough to make his beast irrationally angry. Like Cujo fucking mad.
“We’re actually close to where we started. You can wait here, I will just be a minute,” he nodded and stood up motioning for her to remain with her feet touching the water.
“Thanks, I’ll be fine. She-Wolf and all,” she pointed to herself and he realized he was growling.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said.
Conall was a bit embarrassed at how possessive his Wolf was behaving already. The animal did not like leaving her there alone, but this was his home and she was a Werewolf. She would be fine.
He, on the other hand, was completely screwed. Or not. And that was the problem. When had he developed a fucking conscience? The answer was easy. The second he saw her.
Sure, he could lay on the charm. Heck, a few minutes ago she was putty in his arms. But he wanted more than that, he realized. Her acquiescence had more to do with the mating fever than an actual conscious choice. One he would have wholeheartedly taken advantage of, had she not already told him she was a virgin.
Her first time should be on silk sheets with roses and chilled champagne. Not on a muddy shore next to a swimming hole. He frowned. No that was not for her. He would give her silk and champagne. A perfect night.
A few minutes later, he was back with their bundle of clothes and shoes in his hands, but Elia was gone. His Wolf howled inside of him as panic began to set in.
Where the hell was she?
Conall’s Wolf reared back and howled furiously to the night sky. His mate was gone! Either she’d run away or she was taken from him. Neither option was acceptable, but he needed to know which.
He grabbed his phone and dialed the Manor. Kurt answered after the third ring and Conall explained briefly.
“Just check if she’s there,” he grumbled into the phone.
“Alright, man, easy,” Kurt answered and he heard him jog through the house calling her name, “She’s not here.”
Those three words froze him solid.
“Send a text to everyone. I want a search party out now!”
“Why all the fuss, man? Maybe she just didn’t want to be here anymore? Or maybe she found a little action for the night. You were all at the bar tonight, right? It’s only logical, pretty little thing like that-”
“She is my mate!” he snarled into the phone and realized he’d crushed the thing before Kurt could answer.
Fuck. Conall threw back his head and took in a big deep breath. He smelled the summer rain scent that seemed to cling to her and savored it before another, foreign scent entered his nostrils.
The second smell was like dank mud and clay. A foul, wet kind of stench like mold and mildew that did not belong in that section of woods. Ears sharp he listened for footsteps but didn’t hear any.
Fuck this, he needed his fur. A moment later he was standing on all fours when he heard the sound of the others in the Wolf Guard join him. He snapped his jaws and communicated to them in that telepathic way they had through their Pack bonds what had happened.
Let’s go find your mate, Rafe, his Alpha, pressed the thought into Conall’s mind and then they were off.
Whether she left him by choice or not, Conall would find her. If his sweet Elia decided she didn’t want him, then she would just have to tell him to his face.
And if it came down to it, he would use every ounce of his charm and wiles to seduce his sexy little she-Wolf in hopes of changing her mind. Yes, he was that desperate. Love meant he was willing to risk it all for her. And that was nothing more or less than pure fact. His heart squeezed inside of his chest as he raced through the dense forest.
Elia. ELIA!
Chapter 10
“Cover yourself, cousin,” Seamus sneered as he tossed Elia a sheet in the dingy little room in the roadside motel where Theon had carried her.
It seemed she’d underestimated her cousin’s madness. The silver chain and rope gag wrapped tight around her face prohibited her from talking, just as the shackles around her wrists and feet stopped her from being able to stand up straight much less get away.
The bastards! She growled as Theon took the sheet and draped it around her body, taking extra pleasure she saw in pulling it tight over her breasts. Elia struggled against his hold, but the mongrel pulled on her hair and pushed her down to the gross carpeted floor.
She was breathing heavily from her struggles with Theon and the tightness of the chain. Her Wolf snarled and snapped angrily, absorbing the pain and working hard to heal her bruises. She’d never expected a move like this. It was bold, which was unlike Seamus, and yet held a special measure of stupidity that she attributed to him alone.
Just what did he hope to gain in this mad chase all the way across the Atlantic? Something must have happened. Something big.
“Seeing you naked with that American brute sitting there inches away from you when I am your rightful betrothed is a sin I am almost unwilling to forgive, cousin,” Seamus paced the room stopping close enough in front of her to smell the sour madness that she had almost forgotten was part and parcel of his scent.
“Theon, remove the gag so she might apologize to me.”
Elia turned her head as the man’s grubby fingers manhandled her. She bit down on Theon’s hand when his fingers strayed from their mission to stroke her cheek in an all too familiar way. The bastard always was ready to touch what was not his!
“You bitch!” he snarled and this time she was ready for the slap and ducked.
“Hey, that is my future mate! Ooof,” Seamus grunted and fell when Theon turned and punched him in the gut.
Holy feck! Seamus was always a bully, but until that moment she’d always thought Theon was just his minion.
“What is going on?” she said and winced at the hoarse sound of her own voice.
“Shut up,” Theon growled, “When I first came to your village as a lad I thought Seamus would grow into something special. The nephew of the Alpha, he was bound to inherit. I planted the idea that he should mate you, but your eejit cousin waited so damn long! He’s gone and lost half the Spark Claw Pack! But we still have numbers. There is still a chance for him to put in his claim for High Alpha with you at his side.”
“That’s madness, I won’t mate him.”
“You will do as your told, and when the time comes I have friends, friends who will vote for a true Spark to lead. Then, I will have control over all the Werewolves in the world,” Theon snarled and she saw madness glinting in his eyes.
How had she not seen this? Seamus was just a pawn. Yes, he had gotten worse over the years, but clearly that was under Theon’s influence.
Still, Elia had always felt somewhat safe in the village with everyone looking on. Now she found herself alone with them and, for the first time, Elia felt true fear.
“Seamus, take off your clothes,” Theon ordered and her cousin fumbled with his shirt and pants, saliva dripped from his mouth as he looked at her sheet-covered body.
“No,” she whimpered and backed up.
Horror filled her as she realized what he intended for her. No. She couldn’t allow this. Elia did not want to be touched by these men. Not by her mad cousin and the mad Wolf pulling his strings. Disgust filled her and her Wolf to even think of such a thing. It was like blasphemy now that she’d met her one true and fated mate.
Elia swallowed down her panic and tried to think of a way out. The gag was gone but her hands and feet remained bound. If only she’d gone with Conall to get their clothes.
Conall, her mind called out for him, but they had not performed the mating ritual. No bites exchanged equaled no matebond.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Her she-Wolf whined and snapped her teeth and Elia allowed her to come forward as she retreated inside herself. She closed her eyes and focused on that metaphysical plane where her Wolf rested.
There! Among the
roots and vines in the dense forest filled with misty fog inside her mind’s eye, Elia found the sparkling thread. It was thin, far too thin for her liking, but it was there. She pushed against her Wolf and the beast retreated from her human body, nuzzling the thin bond.
“Look at me when I am talking to you,” sneered Theon, but Elia kept her eyes tightly shut.
“I really think you better hold her down, Theon,” she heard Seamus approach, but ignored him for the moment.
She refused to give him even an ounce of attention. Elia focused on calling out to her unclaimed mate.
Conall. Conall! I am here. I need you!
A sharp slap to her cheek had her head whipping to the side. Theon’s gray eyes glittered in triumph as he pulled the sheet off her body and tossed her onto the bed.
“You always were shite when it came to paying attention, weren’t you? Now, Seamus, come tie your bride’s legs to the bedpost. Once you claim her as your mate you can go before the Council as a true and uncontested candidate for the position of High Alpha,” he commanded.
“I will never allow you to use me as your pawn,” she spat on Theon even as he grabbed her ankle in his steely grip.
Elia kicked and lashed out, refusing to make it easy for them. She wouldn’t give in to the pain or fear that threatened to overwhelm her. The metal cuffs and chains were too strong for her to break in that awkward position.
“Be still, girl,” Seamus said, his eyes darted from her to Theon’s and she noticed he was scared of the man who was supposed to be his Beta. The sniveling coward.
“Did you do it Seamus? Did you kill those Wolves yourself when my father was on his deathbed?”
“Ha! You think your cousin had the stones to do that? That was me! It was always me! He follows my orders. And he will do so now once more.”
“No!”
“Oh yes, little girl. Seamus here is gonna fill you with his seed, and mark you as his mate, afterwards it will be my turn in your tight cunt. I’ll show you what a real Wolf feels like,” he growled and the stench of his arousal made her gag.
“Seamus,” she tried addressing him instead, “you are my cousin. I can’t deny our shared blood, but I will never, ever let you claim me. I would rather die.”
“And you might,” Seamus frowned and knelt on the bed to tie her other leg, “it doesn’t matter. I will claim you and take my claim all the way until I am High Alpha. It was a Spark who was the last High Alpha. Centuries ago, isn’t that so?” he asked Theon.
Elia kicked against his hold, but he was strong. Still, she had to wonder at his strange behavior. Theon nodded at him encouragingly and Seamus returned the gesture like a puppet. It was like he was on drugs, but that couldn’t be? Could it?
“I’ll never agree to this,” she shook her head and ducked her chin, ready for Theon’s slap.
This time, he only caught the top of her head. Annoying, but not painful. He was so going to pay for that all the same.
“You don’t have to agree. I’m your Alpha, you will do as I say!” Seamus replied angrily.
Conall, her mind shouted out to her mate once more. Seamus slammed his hands on the bed and huffed and puffed. Breathing heavily like a spoiled child who was not getting his way.
“How do you expect to get away with this?” she asked both men, “That American you saw me with, he is my fated mate, and when he finds out what you’ve done, he’s going to rip your fool heads off,” she growled, enjoying the twin looks of stunned surprise.
“It doesn’t matter. He won’t find you before you’ve been used up and bitten,” Theon pointed at Seamus and her own cousin grabbed her thighs and pushed them apart.
No. No. NO! She howled and pressed them together. Fighting him for all she could, tied up as she was. He struggled and hit her with a closed fist again and again.
“Just fucking claim the bitch!” Theon yelled and paced the room behind them.
“I am trying but she is a strong bitch!”
“Her father was Alpha, what do you expect? Here,” Theon loomed over her and added his weight to try and hold her down.
“I don’t fucking care, Seamus, now bite her!”
“But, if that man we saw is her mate, he will come for us and with him, all the Macconwood Pack,” Seamus’ brutish face was a study in uncertainty.
“That’s right, they will. Theon, do you really think Seamus can be High Alpha? Do you think he will be able to stand up to Rafe Maccon and his mighty Pack?”
“Shut up!”
“Who will stop them when they catch up with you? You eejits are still in his territory. He’ll have both your heads on pikes before you even know what hit you,” she whispered the words, tasting blood on her lips as both men stopped and got off her.
“Untie her and drag her along, we will do this on Irish soil,” Theon grunted.
“The Americans take mates even more seriously than we do, Seamus,” she addressed the weaker male, “My mate is Wolf Guard to Rafe Maccon himself. What do you think he will do when he finds you? When my mate sees me with bruises on my face and your stink clinging to me?”
“Feck, Theon, she’s right. If we take her, it will be their excuse to hunt us. Come on, let’s just leave now.”
“No, we are too close,” Theon growled.
“Better hurry, I can hear them coming,” elation filled her at the distant sound of Wolves howling reached her ears.
Maybe she imagined them, maybe they were real. Either way she couldn’t stem the happiness that filled her at seeing Conall again. She’d only known him a short time but love filled her chest at the mere idea of him. Oh shite. She loved the man. Wasn’t that a surprise?
Theon and Seamus struggled with each other. Punches were exchanged as they argued over what to do and during the brief respite Elia focused on her fragile bond to Conall. If he didn’t get there in time, she needed him to know that she finally knew what it was she wanted. To be his mate, now and forever.
Elia!
Her eyes opened as the sound of his voice filled her mind moments before the motel door busted open. Conall stood naked and half-Changed in the doorway. Fur covered his humanoid limbs and hulking muscles made him bigger than before.
She had to admit she was impressed. Never before had she seen a Werewolf hold a half-Shift. He resembled something of the Werewolf depictions in horror movies and books. Long claws extended from fingertips, even they were larger, supernaturally elongated to better attack or defend.
“Mine,” growled Conall in his half-Wolf form and the sound was menacing and promised all sorts of retribution.
Seamus whimpered and tried to run, but all it took was one swipe of his claws to end the bastard whom she was ashamed to call kin. Elia screamed, watching in horror as Theon lifted a gun at her mate, firing two shots into his back. But her powerful soon-to-be lover turned around and grabbed the pistol, crushing it in his grip.
He wrapped a clawed hand around the man’s throat and lifted him off the ground snarling as Theon tried to get away, slapping uselessly at Conall’s fierce claws.
“Drop him, Conall. He will be arrested and sent to the Cells,” the commanding voice of Rafe Maccon filled the room.
Conall growled at his Alpha, but even half-gone, he recognized his leader. He snapped his teeth in Theon’s face, seeming to enjoy his whimper before throwing him to the ground where two Wolves stood guard as a couple of men came and cuffed him.
“See to your mate,” Rafe turned his head, granting her privacy and only then did she realize everyone there was either a Wolf or very naked.
“Elia,” Conall’s voice caught her attention and she met his blue-eyes with a watery smile.
“Conall, you came for me,” she said and exhaled as he tore through the cuffs that held her together.
“Always,” he said and hauled her onto his lap, grabbing the sheet off the bed and covering her bruised body.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” he said and rocked her in his arms.
She had never felt
anything like it. Elation and happiness superseded any of her physical ails and she laughed against his shoulder.
“I’m not,” she said and felt his confusion, “you came for me. You saved me. I know it is silly, but had they not taken me I might have wasted even more time wondering if I could love a Wolf like you.”
“What are you saying?” he asked.
“I am saying I love you already,” she watched his eyes glitter with his Wolf and felt her own rise to meet him, “take me home, mate.”
Chapter 11
After a few minutes of delegating who was responsible for what, Conall snagged the keys to Seff’s SUV and drove Elia back to the grounds of the Manor House.
Instead of heading to his usual room, he turned after punching in a code at the gated entrance and drove up to one of the empty guesthouses. He’d already made up his mind to give her some privacy and had had her things moved in earlier that night.
Of course, he didn’t know then that these would be the circumstances. Anger and fury filled him as he recalled the moments when he realized she was gone. At first, he’d thought she’d left him, but when he realized she’d been kidnapped, well, the Wolf inside him went full on mad with bloodlust.
Shit. He’d killed her cousin. The gory scene he’d left at the motel gave him some satisfaction, though he’d have preferred to deliver the same fate to that sonovabitch who’d apparently orchestrated the entire thing.
“Where are we?” her soft voice reached his ears as he lifted her up out of the car, “I can walk.”
“Please, I need to hold you,” he replied, but it was more question than statement.
“Good,” she smiled against his shoulder and he closed his eyes in thanks.
“Are you hurt anywhere? Should I call a doctor?”
“No, just some bruises, but they didn’t, that is, they were going to, but it didn’t get that far,” she whispered.
Violent indignation filled him but calmed when she ran her hands over his shoulders. Yes, his beast liked that, much to his shame. Here she was hurt and bruised, and he had the nerve to take comfort in her touch.