by Becky Wilde
“Holly, look at me,” Zane demanded in a sleep gruff voice.
Holly looked up at Zane and Brock, then back to Zane again from beneath her eyelashes.
Zane held her gaze as he leaned down and kissed her.
When he had her panting for breath he released her lips and grinned at her. “Good morning, baby.”
“Morning,” Holly whispered.
Brock leaned down over Holly and kissed her as well.
He sat up and gave her a wink as he spoke, “Morning little darlin'.”
“Morning.”
“Come on, sexy lady; let me run you a bath. A good soak will help ease all those sore muscles,” Zane said, as he scooped Holly up into his arms and headed to the adjoining bathroom.
Holly sighed with bliss as she sat in the tub full of hot water. She felt so decadent laying there as her two mates washed her tired aching limbs.
“Do you know how sexy you are, baby? God, you make me hard every time I look at you. Your breasts are such perfect mounds of flesh, and fill my hands to perfection and your pussy. I could spend all day lapping up your pussy juice. You taste so sweet and I can't wait to have you cum in mouth,” Zane growled.
“Oh God, Zane. I can't. You need to give me a bit of time to recover. I'm too sore,” Holly said as she squirmed in her seat.
“I know Holly, but I just wanted you to know what you do to us. You are so perfect,” Zane replied.
“Hardly. I have so many faults, it was a wonder we ended up having the bonding ceremony.”
“Stop putting yourself down, little darlin'. You are absolutely perfect for us. No one is perfect, we all have our faults, but we love you just the way you are,” Brock reiterated.
“You guys make me want to cry. I love you too, both of you.”
“You are just what we want and need, baby. Now, come on, we’ll help you dry off. I'm starving and need some breakfast,” Zane opined.
True to their word, Zane and Brock helped her dry off and then dried themselves as she got dressed. She was so hungry, she didn't think anything could put her off her food this morning.
She walked down to the dining room between her two mates, and sniffed appreciatively as the aroma of bacon, eggs, pancakes, toast and syrup tantalized her senses. Her stomach growled loudly and her mates gave her a grin, as they took her hands and led her into the dining room. Zane pulled out a chair and made sure Holly was comfortable, then sat on one side of her, as Brock sat on the other. Since they were the last to arrive for breakfast and were a little late, the food was already on the table. Holly had no qualms about digging in.
Once breakfast was over, Holly helped Emma in the kitchen to clean up, as her mates sat around the dining room table talking to Sloan, Hunter, Grady, Riley and Myles. Holly and Emma were just about finished with the dishes as Ethan walked in, bringing more dishes, which he informed them he had found in the living room. Holly didn't like being near Ethan, ever since the day he had cornered her on the stairs. She thought he looked at her lewdly, but really had no reason why she felt that way. No one else seemed suspicious of him, and he had been nothing but courteous to her ever since he had found out she was Zane and Brock's mate.
Holly didn't like to think mean things about other people, but she had no reason to trust Ethan. He always seemed to be staring at her and skulking around corners when she was near. He gave her the creeps. She hadn't said anything to Brock or Zane, as she didn't want to be the one to cause dissension within the pack.
Holly took the dishes from Ethan's hand and gave a shudder as his arm brushed against the side of her breast.
She looked up into his eyes but didn't see any knowledge of what he had done. She gave a mental shrug and pushed the incident to the back of her mind, figuring she was probably over reacting. She turned to the sink and began to wash the dishes as Ethan was getting himself another cup of coffee.
“Thanks for your help Holly; I'm just going to wipe down the dining table. Once you've finished there we're done,” Emma said over her shoulder, then left the room.
Holly finished washing up and dried the few dishes on the sink and put them back into the cupboards. She was about to turn around and hang up the towel, as a large hand clamped down over her mouth and a sickly sweet smell invaded her nostrils. Her body gave out as she slumped down into a drugged sleep.
Chapter Eight
Holly woke with a pounding headache and feeling sick to her stomach. She didn't know why she felt sick, but knew she had to get to the bathroom before she lost her breakfast. She turned her head as she tried to sit up, only to be stopped short as a metallic noise sounded above her head, and her arms wouldn't move. She opened her eyes and looked above, to see her wrists enclosed within metal handcuffs, which were threaded through metal rails on a headboard. She lifted her head and looked down the length of her body to see her feet were still free. Where the hell was she? Who had tied her up?
Holly took in her surroundings and knew by the wallpaper peeling off the walls and the splotchy paint on the ceiling, that she was no longer at the mansion. She was about to open her mouth and scream for help, as the sound of the bedroom door being opened, stopped her.
“Oh good, you're awake,” Ethan stated the obvious as he entered the room.
“Where am I? What do you want with me? Why have you kidnapped me?” Holly asked, her voice cracking with fear.
“Because you should have been mine,” Ethan roared.
He went from absolute fury to calm and smiling within seconds, as he sat down on the side of the bed he had her tied to.
Holly looked into his eyes and saw madness, but was thankful he seemed to be back under control, for the moment. She flinched as he lifted a hand and moved it toward her face.
“You are so beautiful,” Ethan said in a quiet voice, as he smoothed her hair back from her forehead.
“The moment I saw you, I knew we were meant to be together. You are such a submissive little thing, but you do have some fire hidden way down in your depths. I love the way your eyes change from hazel to more green when you're angry, and your hair. It's so soft and silky smooth. I love the way your hair smells,” he said as he leaned down and inhaled her scent. “Hm, you smell like honey and milk, so sweet and innocent. But you're not innocent anymore are you? Why didn't you fight them, you little bitch?” Ethan slapped Holly's cheek so hard she saw stars. She felt bile rising in her throat and knew she was going to be sick.
“Sick,” Holly said just before the contents of her stomach made its presence.
Ethan roared in fury as Holly vomited over his arm. He jumped up from the bed and slammed out of the room.
Holly whimpered at the pain in her head and cheek. The stench of her own vomit making her feel even more ill. Oh God, please let me go home. I want to go home to Zane and Brock. Please, let them find me? Holly prayed, just before darkness drew her down into it's depths.
Holly woke up to find herself naked in a bath full of water. Ethan had washed her hair and was now washing her body. She tried to sit up and cover herself, but her limbs were still feeling too heavy. She didn't have an ounce of energy, but knew if she was going to escape she was going to have to force herself to be strong once more.
“Sit still,” Ethan barked at her, as he began to wash her again. “I can't have my woman smelling so awful, now can I sweetheart? I bet you feel much better, now that you're clean don't you Holly?”
“Y...yes, thanks,” Holly managed to get out. Maybe if she led him to believe she belonged to him, and played along with him, he would become a bit more relaxed and less vigilant.
Holly let her eyes wander around the bathroom hoping to see something, anything she could use as a weapon. She had just about given up hope when her eyes landed on a pair of scissors sitting on the vanity unit. She was too far away, but eventually she would have to get out of the tub and dry off. She gathered her courage and anger. She let it build within her and compounded it, until she felt rage permeating her body.
Ethan fin
ally finished washing her. Holly thanked God.
The touch of his hands on her body was making her feel ill, making her skin crawl and rise with goose bumps in rejection. He helped her to stand in the tub, and then carefully held her upper arms as she stepped over the bathtubs edge. Holly made herself stumble to the left and grabbed the pair of scissors from the vanity.
Ethan helped her to straighten as he smiled down at her and spoke to her, “Are you alright...?”
Holly opened the scissors and stabbed them into his chest with all of the strength she could muster. She watched in horror as Ethan fell to the floor, his hands clutching at the scissors in his chest. He let out a roar of pure fury as he grabbed her ankle, and then laughed as she fell on top of him. He used the last of his remaining strength to punch her in the side of the face and listened to his evil laugh for the last time, as she once more slipped down, down, down into the dark chasm below her.
* * * *
“Holly,” Zane roared when he couldn't find her. He and Brock could only smell a faint trace of Holly in the rooms she had entered. They met in the kitchen and they smelled a slight underlying sickly odor which was out of place in the room, as well as Ethan and Holly's combined scent. “He's taken her,” Brock yelled, then howled out his grief; which had all available pack members running into the kitchen.
Myles and Riley skidded to a halt beside Sloan, Hunter and Grady. Shannon, Shane and Tyrone were not far behind, as they moved into the kitchen and sniffed deeply.
“Ethan,” Sloan stated through clenched teeth, as the other Beta's nodded their heads in agreement.
“I'll rip his fucking throat out,” Brock growled as he began to strip his clothes from his body. He changed into his were form and moved around the room, breathing the scent of his fellow pack member and mate. He followed the trail out of the kitchen, through the sliding glass doors.
Keeping his nose to the ground he ran as fast as he could without losing the scent he followed. He was running for his mate’s life.
Brock felt his brother come up beside him, but didn't let his presence detract his concentration. He knew his Alpha and pack members weren't far behind, and was thankful they had joined him on his and his brother's hunt. They needed to get to Holly, to have her back in their arms, to know she was alright, unharmed by a rogue pack member.
They ran for miles until the scent of his mate became stronger. Brock slowed his pace, as he smelled smoke from a nearby house, and changed direction so his scent would not be blown toward the house, giving their approach away.
The closer he and Zane got, the more dread filled their bodies. They could smell the coppery scent of blood in the air, and by the strength of the aroma there was a lot of it.
Brock picked up his speed once more and took a flying leap, crashing through a pane of glass. He didn't feel the glass cut along his muzzle, as adrenaline and fear for his mate’s well being, cut through his heart. The pain was so intense he had to concentrate on keeping his legs from buckling beneath him.
Brock ran through the small house, Zane close to his heels as they followed the scent of blood. They both groaned as they entered the bathroom to see their mate, Holly, lying naked on top of Ethan. Her body was covered with blood and the copious amount of the dark, life giving fluid, seeping onto the floor had Brock and Zane howling with grief.
They both changed back to their human forms, moving to their mate’s side. Brock reached Holly, first and gently lifted his mate up into his arms. His legs nearly buckled beneath him once more, as he heard Holly whimper with pain. He strode from the room and gently placed her on a bed, on her back. He brushed her hair from her face and began to wipe the blood gently from her body, to see where she was injured.
“He's dead,” Zane growled. “I think Holly killed him.
There are a pair of scissors sticking out of his chest. She plunged them into his heart.”
“Good,” Brock growled his reply. “I can't find any open wounds on her. I don't think any of the blood was hers.
She's got a nasty lump on the side of her head near her temple, which looks like he punched her, and her other cheek is red and swollen. If he wasn't dead I would rip his fucking head off.”
“I know,” Zane replied. “The others are here. We need to get Holly home so we can let a doctor look her over. I don't like the look of her head injury.”
“Me either. God, we can't lose her now, we've only just found her,” Brock stated, his grief evident in his tone.
“Come on, let's wrap her up in a clean blanket and get the fuck out of here,” Zane opined. Zane searched the cupboards for a clean blanket and pulled it off the shelf. He and Brock gently wrapped Holly to keep her covered and warm, then Brock picked her up in his arms.
Holly moaned and moved a hand up to her head. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave a small smile, as she looked up at Brock. She moved her hand to his cheek and soothed her palm over his warm skin.
“I knew you would come,” Holly said on a sigh, then closed her eyes once more. Letting herself relax, she slipped back into sleep. She was safe back in the arms of her mate's.
Chapter Nine
Holly snuggled into the warm bodies on either side of her and gave a sigh of contentment. Her head and face hurt like hell, but that was insignificant to the peace, protection, love and joy, she experienced being sandwiched between her two mates as she lay on her side. She moved an arm behind her and one in front of her and pulled her men closer to her body. She loved the feel of their warm, naked skin touching her own. She would never get enough of them touching her, or her touching them.
She felt Brock move behind her and opened her eyes to see his face looming over her body. She smiled as she looked into his worried eyes, as he stared down at her.
“Hi,” Holly whispered.
“Hey, little darlin'. How are you feeling?”
“Great,” Holly replied with a bigger smile, then winced as her face protested.
“Don't lie to me, Holly. You're not fine. You're in pain,” Brock said and gently kissed her on the forehead.
“I am fine. I'm just a little sore. That's nothing.” Zane moved at her front and she turned her head back to him, as he rolled over to look at her.
“You've been to hell and back haven't you, baby? God, we are so sorry he was able to take you, right out from under our noses.”
“It's not your fault. He was insane. I could see the madness in his eyes. He would be screaming with fury one minute and smiling the next.”
“That doesn't excuse us, Holly. We should have been aware what was going on. We were too wrapped up in other things and let someone nearly kill you. It's not fucking acceptable,” Zane stated, as he threw back the covers on the bed and began pacing.
“He's right you know. We are your mates and it's our job to protect you. We couldn't even do that in our own fucking home,” Brock roared, as he too got up to pace.
Holly knew they weren't upset with her, but to see her two mates beating themselves up over something, which was totally beyond their control, made her angry. Holly got up, walked up to her mates and stood in front of them, totally naked with her hands on her hips.
“It is not your fucking fault. Why can't you two see that? He was insane, mad, loopy, what about that can you not understand? He knew I was already mated, yet he still abducted me. Ethan was living in his own little world of unreality. Why can't you get that through your thick skulls?” Holly screamed at them.
When they didn't reply and just stood staring at her, she made a growling noise in her throat, headed to the bathroom, entered and slammed the door closed behind her.
God, men. You can't live with them and you can't live without them.
Holly got into the shower, washed her hair and body, then dried herself off with short, abrupt, economical movements. By the time she got back into the bedroom her mates were no longer there. She picked out her favorite worn jeans and a large T-shirt, got dressed and went down to get some food.
Her
men weren't in the dining room and she noticed everyone stopped talking as soon as she entered. She looked from one person to another, but no one would meet her eyes. Her gaze landed on Jade, then Sloan, they were the only two who would look at her.
“What's going on?” Holly asked, her heart sinking into her stomach.
She pushed her plate away without touching any of her food and picked up her mug of coffee. Jade turned her gaze away and Holly watched her look at Sloan. She took a deep breath and then turned back to Holly.
“Out with it,” Holly said, as she looked at Jade expectantly.
“Brock and Zane have left for a while. They said they needed some time away from you, to think. They've asked Myles and Riley to protect you until they return,” Jade said quietly.
Holly looked from Jade to Sloan. She turned her head to look at the rest of the room’s occupants, but none of them would look back at her. At least she wasn't a leper to everyone. She wondered where Myles and Riley were, since they weren't in the room. She hoped she didn't see them too soon. She didn't want to know if Myles couldn't look her in the eyes anymore. She knew that Myles had been her anchor, as she had asked her mates the next morning. The last thing she wanted was for him to look at her with pity, the way she knew the others would look at her, if they met her eyes.
Holly got up from her seat and left the room without saying a word. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. The pain was so great, she had to stop herself from doubling over. Holly moved to the back of the house and exited through the sliding glass doors. She sat down on the bench seat near the wolf fountain and cried her eyes out. She knew she should never have agreed to mate with Brock and Zane. They had left her, just like everyone else she had met in her life. She was unworthy of their love, just like she had been to all the others. God, what a fool she had been. She should have left when she still had the chance.