by Quinn Loftis
“Wait, hold on. Maybe, I can help. You all don’t know where he is? He got away, right?” She paused but quickly continued; her words only continued to stir his wrath. “Maybe I can find him if I pretend to be accepting of his offers. Maybe he will lead us right to him.”
Jewel had barely finished speaking when Dalton growled deep and with a deadly calm. “NO.” He said it not only through their bond but out loud in the room where his mate lie motionless. He had never been harsh with her, had never growled at her out of anger, but the idea of her putting herself in danger where he could not protect her, even her spirit, was enough to push him over the precarious edge he balanced on. “You will not! He is powerful, Jewel. I do not know what he is able to do through the bond. I can’t protect you from out here. Please, I know that in this modern time women do not obey their mates, but I am asking you to obey me in this.”
“It’s not that we don’t obey, Dalton,” she began not even acknowledging what he had said. “We’ve talked about submission and the beauty of it when it is done out of love and sacrifice.”
“Little Dove,” Dalton cut her off.
“Yes?”
“Submit to me in this.” It was a command, one that would have been obeyed immediately if given to any wolf other than an Alpha.
“I don’t know if I agree with you on that being the best course of action—statistically speaking.” Her voice began to take on that teaching quality that at any other time would have him grinning like an idiot because he truly was enamored with her love of learning. But not in that moment. “The chances of you finding Volcan are nearly non-existent. From what I’ve overheard, you all don’t even have a general direction to follow. But with me being able to talk to him, I increase the statistics by at least 30 or 40%. If we are going to be smart strategists then we must look at every available option.”
“Then consider me a dumb ass because you continuing to allow Volcan access to our bond is not an available option.”
“Can we compromise?” she asked hopefully.
“No.”
“Please?”
“Still no.”
“What if—”
“Hell will freeze over, global warming will suddenly make sense, and the oompa loompas in that book Charlie and the crappy factory will be the governing body of the United States, which they will have renamed Loompa Land, before I agree to continue letting that evil prick use our bond to entice you to him.”
“Well, those aren’t very good odds.” Her voice was as calm as his, but lacked the death threat that his was laced with.
“Glad we are on the same page.”
“Dalton.”
“Build the wall, Jewel, strong and high,” he reminded. “You are mine and I will not share any part of you, not even your thoughts.”
Dalton began to show her in her mind how to build the wall, but he got the distinct impression that she was just humoring him as she acted interested in what he was explaining.
Several hours—and many unladylike words by his mate—later, Jewel was able to build a formidable wall between them. In fact, Dalton was surprised at how well she was able to block him.
“I will still be here with you, and I’ll talk to you even though I won’t be able to hear you,” he told her as he took her hand in his.
“I still think you should give my idea some consideration.”
“I did consider it and just as quickly determined it not to be the best course of action,” he said matter-of-fact like.
“Soooo,” she drew the word out and he waited for her to say what she was already thinking. “How long will I be here, stuck like this unable to communicate with you?”
Dalton could hear the frustration in her voice and he couldn’t blame her. He was frustrated too. But until he could figure out their next move, this was all he knew to do. “I don’t know, Little Dove, but I will do everything I can to bring you back.”
~
Kale cleared his throat as he and the other males processed what Peri had just told them. He still had mixed feelings regarding Dalton, but he would never wish ill on another wolf’s mate. Dillon had spoken at length with him about his Beta’s past, and Kale was beginning to see that he had been fooled by the female he had caught with Dalton. His mixed feelings no longer stemmed from the idea that he had done something with a woman against her will, but from the darkness that cloaked the Colorado Beta. Kale had a gift that not many knew about―something passed down to him through the magic of his Irish people. He could see the auras that surrounded people, and Dalton Black had the darkest one he had ever seen.
“Do we have a plan?” he asked Lucian and Peri.
He waited as Peri paced the room. She was as restless as a wolf needing to hunt. He found it interesting that Lucian was so calm. The beast lived inside of the man and yet his mate was the restless one.
“Dalton is working up something in his mind,” Peri answered “But I have a feeling that if we don’t keep an eye on that wolf, he’s going to attempt to handle this on his own. He was a lone wolf for a very long time.”
“He won’t do anything that will hinder him helping his mate,” Lucian said in the same calm, even tone he always used.
Kale motioned to the other males in the room. “And what would ya have us to do then? Surely we aren’t just going to continue to sit here and do nothin.” He knew that his accent was coming on a little thick; it usually did when he was frustrated. It didn’t help that the bond was getting stronger, and he was worried about the discomfort his mate must be in.
“I’m working on that Beta,” Peri narrowed her eyes at him. “I realize patience isn’t a strong suit of your race, but you are just going to have to figure out how to have some. In case you mutts hadn’t noticed, I don’t particularly like moving at a snail’s pace either. That said, there is more on the line than just a healer’s life, and therefore, we will move as fast or slow as need be.”
“Can he truly turn the gypsy healer into a witch? Gustavo asked.
“After the year I’ve had Rico Suave, I wouldn’t be surprised if he could turn me into a witch.” Her head snapped around and her eyes bore into Costin’s. Kale noticed the male was biting back a smile.
“Not a word, pretty boy,” Peri growled at him. He held his hands up in surrender, though the smile was out in full force.
“Then we wait for your instructions,” Drayden, Alpha of the Canada pack, spoke up. “We came to help, in whatever form that may take. If that happens to be waiting,” he shrugged, “then we wait.”
Peri looked around the room and then her eyes landed on Kale. “Why can’t you all be more like him?” She pointed at the Canadian Alpha.
“He’s Canadian,” Banan, Kale’s third frowned.
“And what, you don’t like Canadian bacon? What did it ever do to you?” Peri rolled her eyes.
Drayden simply chuckled. Kale had noticed over their time together that for an Alpha, Drayden was extremely laid back and even tempered. It was almost like he was a walking contradiction.
“Fine,” he finally said as he leaned back, the chair creaking under his mass. “We will wait. In the meantime, Sally,” he addressed the brown eyed healer. “Why don’t ya tell us about the other lasses?” Kale did not miss the way Gustavo and Ciro both leaned forward in their chairs. They had been as edgy as he had been, and he was beginning to suspect that perhaps they too were dealing with a mate bond. He looked back at Sally and watched her eyes widen as she turned to look at Peri. Kale had to bite back his smile as the other males stared her down. They had all been chomping at the bit to ask about the other healers, but there weren’t many who would test the prickly fae.
Peri shrugged. “It’s not like they’re going to have some divine revelation on which one is their mate if you describe the girls. Just keep it to the minimum, you know what I mean.” Sally nodded and then turned back to Kale. The apprehension was gone and he could tell from the genuine smile and sparkle in her eyes that Sally cared deeply for the other
girls.
“Well, where to begin?”
“How about with the blind, seeing eye dog trainer?” Peri offered helpfully.
“The what?” “Excuse me?” “Blind?” Nick, Gustavo, and Banan all spoke at once.
“I thought you said to keep it to the minimum?” Sally said through gritted teeth.
The fae’s eyes gleamed as a smile tugged on her beautiful face. “Well, how were you planning on describing her to the males? Were you going to say and then there’s Heather, she likes long walks, reading with her fingers, and teaching her four legged eye balls to keep from walking their humans into oncoming traffic?”
“Lucian,” Sally whined. “Please do something with her.”
He stood and wrapped an arm around her waist while whispering something in her ear. Kale was surprised to see the outspoken fae blush. He chuckled inwardly, as he watched Lucian lead his mate from the room. "It’s always the quiet ones," he thought to himself.
Sally’s soft voice drew his attention back.
“Okay,” she said a little breathlessly. Her eyes widened and her lips stretched in a wide smile as she rubbed her hands together. “So, any questions so far?”
“Why do I have a feeling that these are not going to be like the healers from long ago?” Ciro, the Italy Alpha, asked not unkindly.
A nervous laugh bubbled out of Sally. “We have a saying in the South, 'raising kids is like being pecked to death by a chicken.' ”
Ciro tilted his head in a wolf like gesture. “Forgive me, but I do not understand the significance.”
“You will if one of these healers turns out to be your mate. Just remove raising kids and replace it with being mated to a gypsy healer of the twenty-first century. I suggest you get your game faces on, gentlemen.” Grinning from ear to ear Sally leaned back and winked at her mate who was laughing under his breath.
Just about that time Dalton came storming out of Jewel’s room. His hair looked as though he had been running his hands through it repeatedly as it stood in disarray. The dark circles under his eyes was testament to the fact that he rarely slept, but kept constant vigil over his mate. He had at least five days’ worth of stubble on his face, and Kale was pretty sure he was wearing the same clothes that he had been from at least three days prior. The males in the room stared at him wide eyed as he strode single-mindedly through the room to the front door. It was rare that he ever left through anything but the window. But even rarer was the fact that he was speaking.
The entire trek across the room he never once acknowledged that there was anyone around him. He simply muttered under his breath, with tense shoulders and hands fisted at his sides. “Damn obstinate, stubborn female will be the death of me.”
The door closed with a finality that slammed the room into silence.
“See,” Sally said breaking the hush, “Case in point. There is a male who found his mate, who happens to be a twenty-first century gypsy healer. Now, can you fur balls actually tell me that he didn’t look like he’d been pecked to death?” Their faces paled as they looked back at the door and then back to Sally, who was laughing. “And just think his chicken isn’t even conscious. She’s successfully pulling off unconscious death pecking. It does not get any less like the healers of long ago I’m sure. I suggest you put on your big girl panties and put any notions of meek, quiet, passive females behind you. If you don’t, you just might end up with a boot, voodoo doll, or stripper pole up your butts.” Coughs of surprise went around the room as Costin gave up trying to hold himself together and belted out a laugh.
“Is that another Southern saying?” Kale asked her as a single brow rose.
She smiled and her voice returned to the sweet one they were all used to. “Something like that. Now, are you ready to hear more about the other healers?”
Suddenly all the males stood at once, Kale included. “Actually, I think we have some training left to do, donna we Banan?” He said as all the others nodded their heads in unison.
“Aye, that we do,” Banan answered. “And I tink we also have some, uh, repairs on the, uh, stuff, for fighten in such to get done.”
“Exactly,” Drayden spoke up. “Repairs.”
Sally’s eyes narrowed. “Go on then. Run while you can.”
Kale was the last one out of the room. As he closed the door behind him, he heard Costin speaking and he paused, leaving the door cracked just a bit.
“You enjoyed that way too much, Sally mine.”
“No, I just want them to be prepared. You know as well as I do, Costin, these girls aren’t the type of American girls that other cultures picture when they think of us. They picture picket fences, perfect little families with two point five kids, soccer moms with mini vans, and dads that play catch and attend backyard tea parties. Those males need to know that the females they will take as true mates are damaged goods. I don’t say that to be cruel, but Costin some of them have true horrors in their pasts. I’m scared of how they will handle taking one of these very dominant, bossy, possessive men as their mates. They’re fragile. They all put up good fronts, even Heather. But deep down each of them has wounds as deep as the Grand Canyon, and each of those males that finds one as his true mate is going to have to be willing to scale the walls that they’ve built around their hearts.”
It was quiet for a moment and then Costin spoke.
“You have a way of putting situations into words that speak truth into a person’s heart. I’m so glad that you’re my gypsy healer.”
“What if I was damaged when you found me? What if I had Stella’s past or Anna’s? What if I had been blind since birth like Heather, unable to ever understand the things that you get to see and experience?”
“I would reach through the fires of hell to get you. If you weren’t ready to let go of those dark things that put you in that hell, then I would walk beside you until you were ready to.”
Kale walked away before he could intrude any more on their private moment. His mind was focused on the things Sally had revealed about the healers. Damaged goods, with wounds as deep as the Grand Canyon, she had named them. His wolf howled inside of him at the thought of their mate being one of these females. Not because he wouldn’t want her, but because he had not been there to protect her. Sally thought that the males would have a hard time adjusting to the needs of the healers because of their past. But that’s not what they would truly struggle with. Rather, they would blame themselves that they hadn’t been around to keep them safe, sheltered, and loved.
“We will heal her,” his wolf spoke to him.
“Aye, and what aboot us?”
“She will choose us; we belong to her.”
Kale agreed. He was the other half of her soul. And as soon as she met him, she would feel whole again―even if she didn’t now realize something was missing. It would all click. That was the beauty of the mate bond. There was no guessing game, no wondering if she will say yes, or wondering if he can make her happy. He would make her happy because it was in his DNA to do so. He couldn’t not try to make her happy. And like all the males of his race that lived for centuries without their true mates, he was growing restless. He was ready to be there for her and to start their lives together. He needed his mate, and if what Sally said was true, it sounded like she needed him just as much.
~
Gustavo considered Sally’s words and, knowing that one of the healers was his, felt a small amount of worry pierce his confidence. He had been around women and watched them evolve over the decades, but he didn’t date so it wasn’t like he knew what a modern day female would expect in a relationship. He muttered a few curses in his native tongue as he felt the bond tighten. He couldn’t yet reach through it to her, but it was definitely getting stronger. He drew on his wolf’s sureness that they would be enough for their mate, that they would keep her safe, and they would make her happy. The wolf didn’t worry about the things he had no control over. He had absolute faith in the fact that their true mate was the other half of their sou
l. She would bring light where darkness had begun to take over. She would fill the empty places in him, and he would give the same gift to her. Only us, his wolf told him. No other can be for her what we can. The wolf’s words centered him and, as he had many times before, he found himself thankful for the creature’s simple primal instincts.
~
Nick didn’t see her as he came around the corner of the stairs. Kara plowed right into his chest and he quickly grabbed her waist as she started to teeter back. Had his reflexes been any slower she would have taken a backwards dive down the stairs. Her eyes were wide as she looked up at him, and he found himself wondering what she saw. Did she assume that he was your typical biker because of the shaved head and biker boots? Granted, he did ride a motorcycle so he guessed that did sort of make him a biker.
“Are you okay?” he asked her as he gently pulled her back up the stairs. He didn’t release her hips until she looked down at his hands. That had him pulling them back as if she’d burned him.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for the catch,” she said as she smiled and straightened her shirt.
“If I hadn’t been in my own little world, I wouldn’t have plowed into you, and you wouldn’t have nearly plummeted to your untimely demise.” Stop flirting with her! he yelled at himself. She was sixteen for goodness sakes.
“I hardly think it would have been my demise, but you probably did save me from a nice knock on the head. I’m Kara, by the way. I know we’ve been like living in this house for a while together, but then Peri hasn’t exactly encouraged friendliness.” She held out her hand to him and for a second all he could do was stare at it. He was actually afraid to touch her skin. Just as she started to lower her hand, he grabbed it and shook it, probably a little rougher than necessary but he was trying to ignore how perfect her hand felt in his.