by Becky Wilde
Chapter Four
Megan awoke the next morning feeling tired and drained. She had eventually woken to an empty bed after Nik had made love to her. She had felt used and unworthy to find herself alone once more and had cried herself to sleep, as she rode an emotional roller coaster within her mind. She knew there would be no way she could leave without Nik knowing. He was a werewolf for goodness sakes and he had claimed her.
She was now his wife according to their pack laws.
She figured the only way she would be able to escape now, was by recruiting someone to help her, but who.
There was no way she would be able to trust Stefan, he was trying to help Nik keep her here.
Where did that leave her?
Meg slid from the bed, grabbed some clothes and headed for the bathroom. Maybe after she had showered, she could think things through more clearly.
****
Nik joined his Beta pack members in the kitchen dining area, rather than the formal dining room. He didn't want Megan to have the chance of over hearing his concerns about her welfare.
“Morning guys. Thanks for meeting me. Malcolm, has Stacey been able to hack into the Malibu's computer system yet?” Nik asked.
“Yes Alpha. Stacey discovered the Malibu Pack has somehow infiltrated our pack, or, they are bribing one of our pack members to find out what is happening within our own pack. She hasn't yet found out who the mole is, but she is working on it diligently,” Malcolm replied.
“Damn it, that's not what I wanted to hear.
Malcolm, I want you to beef up the security around here. No one is to be able to access my mate or her room, unless otherwise approved by me. Is that understood?”
“Yes Alpha,” Malcolm replied.
“Apparently the Alpha of the Malibu Pack is out for revenge; and has decided he is going to use my mate, if he can. I believe we may have a wolf on the take. In other words someone in this pack is feeding information to the Malibu Pack for money. I want you all to watch everyone. You are to trust no one,” Nik stated, steel glinting in his eyes.
Nik's gaze changed as he breathed in the scent of his mate. She was coming downstairs, making her way to the kitchen. He halted the meeting with his pack members.
“We will discuss this more later,” Nik stood, heading to the door to greet Megan. Megan, how did you sleep?”
“Fine,” Meg snapped. She was still angry with him for stopping her escape attempt and for claiming her without her permission, then leaving her bed after having sex with her. Even though the sexual chemistry between them explosive, Meg would have liked to get to know Nik. Instead he had taken her choices away and made important decisions regarding her, without her consent.
She shoved passed him and stomped into the kitchen, dining room. She came to a halt when she saw the men sitting around the timber table. Harry rushed over to Meg with a mug of coffee in his hand, gave a bow, then handed the mug to Meg.
“Thanks Harry.”
“You're most welcome, Mistress,” Harry replied, then moved back into the kitchen.
“Megan, I would like you to meet some of my pack members. Stefan you already know. This is Logan, beside him is Malcolm and Seamus is on Logan's other side,” Nik stated.
“Pleased to meet you,” Meg replied.
“It is an honor to meet you, my Queen,” Seamus stated as he rose to his feet.
What he did next had Meg's mouth gaping open.
He took her hand in his and bowed until his forehead touched her hand in supplication. She was even more astounded as the two others followed suit. She looked at Stefan to see him laughing at her. He didn't bother to follow suit. He knew Meg was still angry with him, as well as his brother. He wasn't a masochist. There was no way, he was risking her wrath by getting too close to her before she had calmed down.
Nik slid his hand down her arm and led her to the table. He seated her on the right of his chair, which was located at the head of the table. Once Meg was seated, he took his own seat. Harry began bringing the breakfast food over to the table. He watched as his mate jumped from her seat and went into the kitchen to help Harry, by picking up a platter of bacon and eggs. She placed it on the table before anyone could prevent her.
“Thank you, Mistress Meg, but it is my honor to serve you. You have no need to help with anything,” Harry stated.
“I don't care. I will help you if I want to and nothing you, or anyone else in this room is going to stop me from doing what I want,” Meg stated, as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“These people are here to serve and protect you, Megan. It is an honor for them to do so,” Nik stated.
“Well, I don't really care. I am human and no one is going to be serving me. I am no better than anyone else in this room,” Meg stated belligerently.
Meg didn't know it, but her statement ingratiated her to all the pack members in the room. They each vowed silently to protect her with their own lives.
Meg listened to the men talk throughout the meal.
Their conversation was inconsequential subjects such as the weather and other pack members. She had a feeling her presence was preventing them from discussing what they really wanted to talk about.
Once the meal was over, Meg helped Harry clean up the dishes and wipe down the table and benches. The expression on Harry's face of shock, then resignation nearly had Meg laughing out loud.
“Harry do you cook, clean and open the door for everyone?” Meg asked curiously.
“I do the cooking because I enjoy it, Mistress Meg. I don't do the cleaning myself other than the kitchen. I have other female pack members who clean the house weekly,” Harry replied.
“Hm, could you please stop calling me Mistress Meg? Meg is sufficient. You are making me feel uncomfortable,” Meg stated.
“If that is your wish, Meg.”
“It is,” Meg replied.
“Thank you for your help,” Harry stated gratuitously, his eyes twinkling as he gave her a wink.
“You're welcome,” Meg stated over her shoulder as she left the room.
She wandered the house, trying to get her bearings. She felt as if she was a princess in a palace.
She was waiting to wake up and find herself back in her little one bedroom apartment.
Meg found a large room filled with plants and fountains. She was stunned to find such a room inside. She wandered through the room, breathing in the scent of roses and lavender. She found glass sliding doors on the opposite side of the room and slid them open. She stepped outside under the covered patio and heard a feminine snicker to her right. She turned to see three women sitting in chairs staring at her.
“Hello, I'm Meg,” Meg stated courteously.
“We know who you are, human,” a red headed woman stated disparagingly.
Meg watched as the woman turned back to her friends, completely ignoring her.
“I can't believe our Alpha has claimed a human.
He could have had the pick of our pack. I don't think he was thinking. I mean look at us compared to that.
It can't change and run with Nikolai; and has the strength of a Gnat,” stated the red head.
Meg turned her back to the women's laughter and walked down the steps into the garden. She didn't let them see her cheeks flaming with humiliation or the tears in her eyes.
She wandered through the landscaped gardens until she came upon a hedge maze. She entered the maze and made her way to the center. The fountain in the middle was beautiful. A wolf sat on it’s haunches looking up at a human female, her hand resting on the wolf's head. Water was sprouting from cub wolves mouths, surrounding the pair. Meg stepped closer to inspect the statues and gave a gasp. Goose bumps raised up all over her skin and she felt a shiver work it's way down her spine. She was looking at herself.
How could this be? Was their magic in the works, or was it just a coincidence? Meg backed away from the fountain and groped for the bench seat behind her.
She sat down with a thud, her legs too weak
to hold her. How long she sat staring at the feature, she had no idea. When she finally drew her eyes away, the sun was high in the sky.
Meg got to her feet and began to back track through the maze. As she got closer to entrance she heard voices. She stopped short and kept her breathing shallow. She didn't want whoever was there to know she was listening. She heard the voice of the red head who had insulted her, and the deep voice of a male.
“You are going to have to be very careful. I heard the Alpha talking to his Beta's this morning through the kitchen window. He's going to have a guard on her twenty four hours a day. He knows the Alpha from the Malibu Pack is out for revenge. You can't let anyone see you kidnap her.”
“I think now would be the perfect opportunity. She is totally alone and just behind the hedge listening in,” replied the male.
When the words the male spoke finally sunk in, Meg spun on her heel and ran as fast as she could.
She was totally trapped. She had nowhere to go. She could head toward the center of the maze, or she could hide in one of the dead ends. Either way she was going to be caught. There was no way she could run, overpower or escape a werewolf using his nose to scent his prey. Meg didn't make it very far before she felt the warning prickle at the back of her neck.
Pain exploded through her skull and then she slumped to the ground as darkness sucked her into it's depths.
****
Nik finished speaking with his Beta's after Meg had left the kitchen. He didn't realize how long he had kept them with him, until he glanced at the clock. A frisson of alarm pulsed through his system. He had kept her bodyguards occupied for hours. The last thing he had wanted was for his mate to wander alone when there was a traitor in their midst.
“I didn't realize we had been talking for so long.
My mate has left the house and is probably in the gardens. I want all of you to help me look for her,” Nik walking to the front door. Uneasiness assailed him. He tried calling Meg using his mental link,
“Megan, where are you?” His trepidation increased when he got no reply.
Nik used his sense of smell and followed his mates scent. It was strongest near the conservatory and on the outdoor patio. He followed it into the maze until he was in the center. She had definitely been here. He made his way back out and stopped near the entrance.
He picked up his mate's lingering scent, but hers was not the only one. He smelled Nadia's scent, one of his female pack members, as well as a male wolf. He could not place the male's scent, but knew he had smelled it before.
“Betas, I have found the scent of my mate as well as Nadia's, but there is also a male wolf scent, I cannot place. I am just inside the maze. I need you all to come to me and see if you can determine who the male wolf is,” Nik stated through his mental link.
Seconds later his Betas were with him. It was Seamus who was able to identify the wolf's scent.
“I believe Nadia was accompanied by Nathan Roarke. He is new to our pack, if you remember Alpha. He said he had no pack of his own. We checked him out and found this to be the case,” Seamus stated.
“I have a feeling he has given us a bogus name and he is from the Malibu Pack, sent to infiltrate ours.
I believe he may have my mate. Find Nadia and bring her to me. Once I question her, we have plans to make. We need to save my mate.”
Nik walked toward the patio. His blood was pumping through his body at a furious rate. He feared for his mate's life. There was no way to know what the Alpha of the Malibu Pack would do to his mate.
He had to try and curb the instinct of changing to his wolf, and charge into the Malibu Pack to rescue Meg.
The last thing he wanted was to be killed and not be able to save his mate. He had plans to make.
Chapter Five
Meg woke feeling as if she had a jack hammer pounding within her skull. She gave a groan as she lifted her hands to her head. She tentatively examined the back of her head with gentle fingertips and discovered the source of her pain. She had a lump on the back of her head and felt stickiness, and she realized she was bleeding slightly.
She heard a noise to her right and slowly turned her head to the source. She discovered a strange male sitting in a chair beside the bed she was on, staring at her. His eyes were a piercing, translucent green. He had brown hair and a goatee beard below his thin lower lip. He sat without blinking and she began to get very scared.
Meg moved slowly as she scooted across the bed to the furtherest side, away from him. He didn't move. If she hadn't seen the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, she would have thought he was dead.
“Who are you and want do you want with me?” Meg asked in a tremulous voice.
The male didn't answer her. She became very frightened as he sat staring. She crawled her way to the foot of the bed and rose to her feet. She wobbled as dizziness assailed her and the pounding in her head intensified. Once the dizziness passed and the pounding settled to a dull ache. She walked to the bedroom door.
He was on her in an instant. Once minute he was sitting in the chair watching her, the next he had lifted her in his arms and placed her back on the bed.
“I cannot allow you to leave,” he stated quietly.
“Who are you?”
“I am Travis, the Alpha of the Malibu Pack.”
“What do you want with me?”
“You will find out all in good time, my sweet,” Travis stated cryptically.
“That red headed bitch put you up to this didn't she! I knew she was going cause me trouble. A human, as she put it. I'll bet it's because she wants Nik for herself. If she only knew how much I wanted to leave. She could have helped me, instead of handing me over to you. I could have told her she was free to pursue him. The last thing I want, is to be claimed by a bloody werewolf.”
“Yes, I can see why he wanted you. Such fire. Are you hungry or thirsty Megan?” Travis asked.
“Perhaps I can get you some pain killers for your headache?”
“I don't want anything from you, except to for you to release me. I don't know what you're aiming for, but I can tell you now, Nik won't rest until he has me back.”
“That is what I intended. I know he will come for you and I will be ready,” Travis stated as he rose to his feet and left the room.
Meg gave a sigh as she began to relax slightly. She heard the door to the room being locked. She was a prisoner. She only hoped Nik didn't take too long to come for her. She wasn't going to sit back and wait though. She was going to do her damnedest to escape.
Meg got off the bed and began to explore the room. She opened all the doors and searched through all the cupboards and drawers, looking for anything she could use as a weapon.
She scrutinized the window, and to her dismay, she discovered she was not on ground level. She was in a two story house. There was no balcony outside for her to climb over. If she tried to escape she would probably end up hurting herself. She had just settled back on the bed, as she heard the key in the lock turn.
An elderly female entered the room carrying a tray with food on it. She placed the tray on the bedside table and leaned down to whisper in Meg's ear. “My name is Helen, I am the house keeper for the Malibu Pack. I will not harm you, Megan. I know my Alpha is not in his right mind. I have sent word to your mate to let him know you are safe for now. The Beta, next in line to Travis, also knows his Alpha is insane. We are working on getting you out of here safely.” Helen straightened up and spoke in a normal voice, “Hello dear, I'm Helen. I've brought something for you to eat.”
“Thanks Helen, I'm Meg.”
Helen made her way back to the door, gave Meg one more glance and left, closing and locking the door behind her.
Meg took the cover off the food and sniffed appreciatively. The aroma of steak and vegetables had saliva pooling in her mouth. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and knew it was well past the hour of dinner. She noticed a small plastic cup with two tablets in it. She tipped the tablets into the palm of
her hand; and was relieved to see the familiar name of pain killers stamped into them. She swallowed them down with a sip of water and then picked the plate up, to rest on her lap. She ate everything on her plate and gave a sigh of repletion. She placed the plate and utensils back on the tray and recovered them.
Meg rummaged through the drawers and closet until she found some clean clothes and underwear, then made her way to the adjoining bathroom. After she was showered and dressed, she found a toothbrush still in it's packaging and brushed her teeth.
She entered the bedroom and walked over to the window. She was about to unlatch and open the window, when she heard the key turn in the lock. She quickly pulled her hand from the latch and crossed her arms over her chest, trying for a pose of nonchalance.