by Bryce Evans
Finley finally broke the silence that followed her declaration. “What do you need to start the cleaning process? I’ll go and get the supplies from the store.”
“That would be great, Fin. Thanks for helping me out, and for sticking by me. I know that you were friends with everyone there.”
“Look Quinn, I’m not one of those people who are going to be mad about something that happened thirty years ago. Nothing is wrong with you, and if they can’t see that then I don’t want to be part of their pack. We came in this world bitten on the same day, and we need to stick together.”
Quinn felt the tears gathering in her eyes. “Thank you, Finley. I don’t have many friends, and I would really like to keep you as one.”
“You got it.” Finley popped some bacon in his mouth and got up from the table. “I’m off for some cleaning supplies. Text me if you need something special.”
Quinn nodded and watched her friend walk out the door.
“He’s a good guy,” August commented.
“Yeah, he is.” Quinn finished her food, then put her plate in the dishwasher. “Now I need to start the clean-up.” August opened the door and they walked down the stairs together. Both of them stopped at the bottom when they heard something inside the store. August chanted a protection spell, which surrounded them as he jerked the door open.
Both stood and gawked at the Dixon pack cleaning up the store. They already had most of it fixed, and some of the men were making another counter and painting. Arden walked over and stood beside her. “I think we got most of it cleaned up, but we need to build another counter for the jewelry and buy another coffee thingy.”
“Coffee thingy?” Quinn asked, confused.
“Yeah, that machine that makes those different flavors of coffee,” Arden said with a smirk.
“Hmm. We’ll have to order that.” Quinn didn’t want him being nice to her now. She was still mad at him for being a complete ass, and she was getting tired of it. “I’m shocked that you’re fraternizing with the enemy.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, seeing that I’m a witch and all.” Quinn glared at Arden as she said it.
“Quinn, I need to apologize to you. I’m sorry. I wish I’d handled that differently, but I didn’t. I made a complete fool of myself.”
“Wow, at least you can admit it,” August contributed.
Arden frowned at her brother, then pulled Quinn over to the side. “Look, I wish I could take back what happened. I hope we can start over and—” Quinn turned around to see what had gotten Arden’s attention. Two of the biggest men she’d ever seen were walking toward them. Arden pulled her closer to him as they stopped in front of her.
“You’re Quinn?” The bigger of the two asked.
She gave him a once-over before she answered. “Yes, and you are?”
“My name is Lennox Bartley, and this is my Beta Cosmo Fitzgerald.”
“Death Hunters,” Quinn stated flatly. Arden narrowed his eyes as he looked over at her.
“Yes. We’re here to find the rogues and take care of them. I have some questions, if you wouldn’t mind?” Lennox asked.
“Sure, why not.” Lennox and Quinn moved over to a table that had made it through the trashing.
“Absolutely beautiful,” Cosmo muttered as he watched them walk off.
Arden turned to Cosmo. “You fucking touch her and I will kill you. She’s my mate.”
Narrowing his eyes at him, the Death Hunter looked over at Quinn again. “Don’t see a mark yet.”
“She was just turned, and I was giving her time,” Arden answered.
“Hmm.” Cosmo looked thoughtful, then walked over and sat down at the table with Lennox and Quinn.
“If I were you I would get over there with her,” August said, shaking his head.
*****
Arden walked over to the table and listened.
“Do you feel any connection to the wolf that bit you?” Lennox was asking.
“What the hell? No, she doesn’t feel anything for him,” Arden answered for her.
“Dammit Arden, I think I’m old enough to answer for myself.” Quinn got up from the table. “No, I don’t feel a damn thing for the wolf,” she said, staring at Arden, and then walked off.
“Looks like your mate wants you real bad,” Cosmo said with a smirk.
“If you want to keep your head then I advise that when it comes to her you back the fuck off.” Arden said.
*****
Jade ran up to Quinn and hugged her. “I’m sorry about last night. I should’ve known that Alice would start something when she saw you there. I hope we can still be friends?”
“Of course we can, Jade. I just thought maybe somebody would have had my back last night and took up for me.”
Jade lowered her head in shame. “I know. I hope you can forgive me.” Quinn watched as she moved away.
There was still a lot for them to do, but if the store was going to be a success she needed to find another one of those ‘coffee thingys.’ She smiled as she went back to her office to make a call.
After about a half an hour, she finally found one, and they were willing to hold it for her, too. She punched the air in triumph. When she went back out into the store, it looked like new again. They were still putting together some counters and tables, but the smell was gone, and the graffiti, too.
Arden walked over to her and pulled her back into the office. “I’ve got to go back to the house with them, but I want you home with me. That’s where you belong.”
Quinn narrowed her eyes at the Alpha for thinking she was going to do exactly what he said. She snorted. “Where do you get off on thinking that I’m ever going back to that property again? I’m a witch, Arden.”
“I know you are, Quinn. I’ll say it this way then: you’ll be back at our house tonight, or I promise you I’ll hunt your pretty ass down and take you myself.” Arden bent down and nipped her lip. When she gasped he found his opportunity and kissed her deeply, leaning her backwards until she couldn’t stop kissing him back. He tasted like the mints she had sitting on one of the tables. He wasn’t going to get off this easy in thinking that he could control her, the bastard. She pushed him back until he let her go.
“Tonight, Quinn,” he muttered, then walked out the door with the Death Hunters.
“Cocky, arrogant, big-headed wolf,” Quinn grumbled out loud.
“Quinn,” Jade whispered. “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t stay mad at Jade. She was a good woman, and like everyone, just needed to work on taking up for herself.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Quinn grabbed her purse and inched her way toward the door as she watched all the guards help Finley put the counter back together.
“Where are you going?” Jade asked watching her sidle backwards.
“Be quiet. I want to go get another coffee machine. They’re holding it for me, and if I don’t go get it then they’ll sell it to someone else. I’m not taking the guards with me, either. I don’t need them.” Quinn whispered as she stepped backwards again, closer to the door.
“Then I’m going with you.” Jade grabbed her hand and they quietly made their way to the door. As soon as they stepped outside, Quinn felt the wind as a fist connected with her face. Before the lights went out, she thought of Arden.
Chapter 13
It was the smell of rotten eggs that woke her. Slowly she tried to open her eyes, but the pain in her head was throbbing. She finally managed to force them open, and blinked for a bit. When she tried to touch her face, where the pain was coming from, she couldn’t.
Cursing her very existence, Quinn looked up and saw that her hands were tied together. Bits and pieces of what happened started to wander into her memory as she looked around. The smell was ungodly, and she tried to breathe out of her mouth. Now she knew where that smell was coming from, but what she didn’t know was where she was at. When she turned her head to the other side she saw Jade tied up the same way, but she wa
s still out cold.
“Jade! Jade, wake up. Jade,” she said it with a little more purpose, trying to get her attention before someone walked in. Finally Jade’s eyes sprang open. They were yellow as her wolf peered through. Quinn hadn’t been a wolf very long, but if she was a betting woman, she’d say Jade’s wolf was making sure she was safe.
“Quinn?” Jade’s voice was groggy from being knocked out.
“Be quiet. I don’t know where we’re at or who took us,” Quinn explained, trying to keep her voice low.
Jade looked around and shook her head. “We’re in the old mines outside of town. I knew I recognized that scent from somewhere. This mine has been closed for over fifty years.”
She moved her head so her arm would push against her nose, blocking the airflow. “God, what is that smell?” Quinn asked.
“It’s sulphur coming up from the mine. This is an old coal mine. It caved in and they couldn’t use it anymore. Too unstable. Plus, the gases that came out of this place smelled like—“
“Rotten eggs,” both of them said at the same time.
“Shit, now all the rocks are going to cave in on us,” Quinn said, still looking around. Then it hit her. You’re a witch, so get yourself untied. Settling her thoughts, Quinn repeated an unbinding spell, but when she looked up at the handcuffs holding her hostage, nothing had happened.
“I can’t use my magic,” Quinn muttered, then tried the spell over again.
“Of course you can’t, you fool.” Quinn looked in front of her as a woman and a man she’d never seen before walked toward her. She could tell the man had been the wolf who bit her. He was the rogue Alpha they’d been talking about.
“Hello Quinn. I’m your maker—and mate,” the man said, with a smile on his face that was pure evil. She could feel a cold chill slide down her backbone as he got closer. He was covered in black smut, and his hair was oily and greasy-looking. She wanted to point out that there was a pond right there he could bathe himself in, but clearly they needed to look the part.
“You’re not my mate, and you’re not my maker. You may have bitten me, but you don’t control me.” She had to stay strong; she couldn’t let him sense any weakness.
“Ah, your first fight.” The woman said with a smirk, and Quinn thought this one was crazier than he was. Lord, didn’t these people have a mirror to look in, or someone to say, ‘hey, you might want to get the black coal off your face and clothes.’ Then again, she clearly wasn’t dealing with people who had a full deck.
“Who are you people?” she asked, trying to show confidence.
“Well, I’m going to be your sister-in-law, Hannah Hoffman.”
“Lady you’re about a dollar short and completely out of your mind if you think anything like that is going to happen,” Quinn answered.
“So how do you like your new home?” Silas smirked.
“I think I want my money back.”
“We didn’t all grow up with a silver spoon in our mouth. Be careful or you will be buried here,” Hannah answered.
“Quinn, this is your future sister-in-law, and she’s a witch just like you,” Silas informed her, patting his sister on the shoulder.
“Well, let’s cut to the chase then. I don’t plan on being in this family, but why have you kidnapped us?” Quinn was losing patience with this mangy mutt.
“Glad you asked. Our sister was Beatrice Hoffman,” Silas explained, like the name should mean something to her. Quinn looked around, then back at them, confused.
“The witch who cast the spell on Arden’s dad,” Jade filled in.
“Yes, our beloved sister was killed because of Arden Dixon’s father, and now he will pay for his father’s sins,” Silas vowed.
Quinn twisted to look behind her again. When she looked back at Silas and Hannah, Silas asked, “What are you doing?”
“Looking for the cameras. I think I’m in the wrong movie. You know, the mafia movies where the bad guy says, ‘Now you’ll pay for your father’s sins.’” Quinn smiled, and Hannah slapped her in the mouth.
Quinn screamed out and kicked her legs forward, trying to hit Hannah. “You bitch. I’ll pay you back for that, you mangy, rotten-egg smelling cunt.”
Hannah lunged toward her, but Silas jerked her backwards. “Don’t touch my mate again. Enough!” Silas grabbed Quinn’s head and jerked her close to his face. “You smell ripe, like I could eat you up. Soon you’ll be mine, and when you are I’ll teach you your first lesson—to watch your mouth.” Silas licked her face, then pulled her shirt off her shoulder. “Now what do we have here? I don’t see any mating marks. Oh my, what a shame.”
“Let me go.” Quinn tried to jerk away, but Silas pushed her, watching as she swayed backwards.
“What do you want?” Jade yelled.
“I want the Alpha’s head on a stick, and I’m going to get it.” Silas smiled.
“You aren’t strong enough, and he has a whole pack behind him. He probably knows exactly where you are right now,” Jade sneered.
Silas and Hannah both laughed. “We know exactly what he’s doing right now.”
It dawned on both the girls what Silas was implying. “Nobody in the pack would betray their Alpha.”
“Who says they’re original pack members?” Hannah taunted Jade.
“Finley? How could you make Finley do that?” Quinn asked.
“Told you she was a smart one, Sister.” Silas reached out to touch Quinn’s face, but before he could she snarled and tried to bite his hand.
Jerking his hand back, Silas’s eyes glazed over. “I love it when you fight.” Then he grabbed a hold of her face, shoving it to the side and moving to bite her when Hannah pulled him back.
“No, Silas. It will make it so much better when he sees you mate with her. We have to wait. Let’s go and set the spell in motion.”
“What are you going to do?” Quinn demanded.
“Since you’ll be family in a few, I’ll go ahead and tell you. Your friend Finley is a spy for us. He doesn’t even know that he’s my puppet; my lap dog to do whatever I want with. We know what’s been going on, especially with you. If Arden wanted you, then he should’ve mated with you. But lucky for us he is giving you time to adjust to being a wolf. How sweet and stupid. If he was a true Alpha then he would have taken you and mated with you whether you were adjusted or not.”
“Why would Finley do that to us?” Jade whispered.
“He doesn’t know he’s doing it, stupid girl. He’s under a spell. If you had a witch in your pack she could protect members of your pack with magic, but no, instead of being afraid of the big bad wolf, you’re all afraid of a witch. Now look at you. Soon you all will be bound to us.” Hannah grabbed Silas’s hand. “Let’s go, Silas, before we run out of time.”
They both started walking out, but Hannah turned back. “Oh yeah, in case you want to use some of that magic, you can’t. I put a protection marker on the cave. You can’t do any magic in the cave. See you later, little sister.” Hannah laughed.
Quinn waited for a soundtrack of pure doom to start playing, but nothing happened. She listened until she was sure they were gone, then said, “We have to get out of here and warn Arden. They’re going to put a spell on him.”
When Jade didn’t say anything, Quinn whispered, “Jade are you okay?”
At first Jade was silent, then she turned and looked at her. “Something is bugging me.”
Quinn laughed. “Well it’s not like we don’t have time to kill. What’s bugging you?”
“Do you love him? Jade asked. “Because if you don’t, and you don’t feel the mating pull, then maybe when this is over you should leave. Because he’ll only ever want you. He’ll never want or have anyone else. I know you don’t understand that right now, because you weren’t born like this, but when we find our mate it’s everything. Our world revolves around that person. I don’t know if he’ll survive if you leave, but being around you all the time when he can’t have you will kill him too.”
“Thanks, Jade. No pressure and all.” Quinn took a deep breath, despite the smell. “You know, all my life, my dad has told me who I could like, hang out with, and even love. He told me when I was younger that I couldn’t love my boyfriend, unless he said I could. Damn Jade, he was so controlling. I couldn’t breathe anymore. Have you ever been so controlled that even what you ate could be held against you? I wish I could have grown up with a pack who took care of each other—well, we can take Alice out of that bunch—but all the others have been pretty great.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Do you love him?” Jade asked again.
Quinn sighed, “Yeah, I do. But it's the controlling part that I’m having a hard time with. I love him, but what if he starts to try and tell me what to do?”
“My dad told me the story of what happened when the witch cast the spell, and Arden’s mom and dad were killed. My dad said that Arden was a complete mess. He was the Alpha’s son, and then he wasn’t anyone. Everything and everyone had been taken from him. He had no one, and my dad and family helped him and loved him, but you know he’s always waiting for something or someone else to leave him. It scares him, Quinn, knowing you’re his mate, and you’re this close to becoming a family, but then he watches you slip right between his fingers. He holds on tight because he fears he’ll lose you, just like his parents and the life he used to know. Just like that, it was taken from him. Hell that’s hard for an adult to grasp, much less a kid. Maybe you could cut him some slack and understand that, just like you, he had a terrible childhood, and that’s why he holds on too tight and tries to control you. He’s scared, too.”
Quinn listened to Jade and finally understood. He was holding on for fear of losing her.
“Also, when he is being too much, then tell him no, but do it in private. I think once this is over everything will work out,” Jade finished, then looked around the room.
“If we ever get out of here,” Quinn whispered.
“What?” Jade asked.