by Briers, M L
“You’re not bruised and…” Corrine clamped her mouth shut again. What the hell had Natalie been telling this girl?
“Lucas was gentle and loving, and we made love for hours. Not like dogs, like humans. Why don’t you ask Grace…?”
Corrine shook her head on a frown. Before she returned her eyes to Shannon. “He really didn’t hurt you?”
Shannon couldn’t help the grin that etched across her face. “He really didn’t hurt me, Corrine.”
Corrine’s whole body seemed to relax as she sat in the chair. Whatever Natalie had put in her mind seemed to be eased by Shannon’s words, and the younger Fae seemed to be more at peace with herself now.
“Why would Natalie…?” Corrine stopped herself again and Shannon shrugged her shoulders. That’s what she’d like some answers too.
“I don’t know. Maybe she just doesn’t know Lycans.” Shannon offered. The girl obviously had a loyalty to the woman in question otherwise she wouldn’t have kept clamming up every time she spoke her name, which was odd in itself.
“So I should speak to Zane?” Shannon nodded enthusiastically and Corrine grinned sheepishly. “Because I do kind of like him.” Corrine admitted and Shannon nodded again on the raise of her brows.
“And he definitely likes you.” Shannon added and Corrine couldn’t help but chuckle like a schoolgirl with her first crush.
Lucas watched Corrine as she came out of the shop. The girl eyed him for a long moment and then flustered.
“I wanted to apologise…” She started as she shuffled awkwardly on her feet, and Lucas kept his butt planted firmly against the ridge of wood that ran below the shops window. He didn’t want to tower above the girl and seem anymore imposing than he already did to her. He also knew that Zane was close and he didn’t want the younger Lycans protectiveness for his mate ending up in a confrontation between them.
He had heard the conversation inside the shop between Shannon and Corrine, and it had troubled him. He knew Natalie, and he didn’t understand why she would counsel the girl in that manner.
“There’s no need, Corrine. Zane’s a good man, and he won’t ever let anyone hurt you, or hurt you himself.” Lucas brought his head down so he could make eye contact with her as she stared at the ground in front of her.
“That’s what Shannon said.” She raised her eyes for just a moment to Lucas, before she shrugged her shoulders.
“Well I know he’s around here somewhere, looking out for you, making sure you’re ok.” Lucas offered and Corrine frowned.
“Is that what he’s been doing?” She lifted her head and stared at Lucas then, and he grinned at her.
“Yeah. He’s been watching out for you, it’s his job to protect you now.” Corrine’s mouth formed an ooh, and her eyes flicked to where Zane stood at the end of the road. “You should go talk to him. He won’t bite, I promise.” Lucas chuckled and Corrine’s cheeks flushed a bright scarlet.
“I feel stupid.”
“He’ll understand. You were scared. He’ll make sure you’re not scared of him anymore.” Lucas knew Zane could hear every word, and it was as much for his benefit as it was for Corrine’s.
“Thanks, Lucas.” Corrine offered. The guilt was back in her voice again and he grinned at her.
“Welcome to the pack little Fae. If you ever have a problem, you can come to me.”
Shannon put her mobile down on the workbench and raised her eyes to Lucas as he came through to the back of the shop. There was a smile on his face as he sauntered over to her and wrapped her in his arms.
“Job done, I’m guessing. Corrine just trotted off to talk to Zane.” Lucas whispered against her neck, before nipping at her lobe with blunt teeth. Shannon lent into him and rested her forehead against his chest.
“Don’t get any ideas. Grace is on her way over.” She cautioned him on a chuckle, but it didn’t stop him nuzzling against her shoulder and running his tongue over his mark. A long shiver ran through her body as her hands found the heated skin of his back under his top and she ran her nails down his spine.
The soft growl of desire that rolled through his chest had her feminine muscles clenching in expectancy of his body entering hers.
The sound of the bell above the door made her groan into his chest. She wanted him, more than that, she needed him, and Grace’s arrival was an unwelcome intrusion, even if Shannon had invited the woman herself.
“Everyone decent?” Grace called from the front of the shop. The amusement in her voice was more than evident, and Shannon rolled her eyes as she rather reluctantly stepped away from her mate.
“Come on in, Grace. Lucas promises to behave himself.” Shannon chuckled as he held onto her wrist so as not to break the contact between them altogether.
“No I don’t.” He growled down at her, a mischievous look in his dark eyes.
“Well, I’ll make the coffee then.” Grace chuckled as she noted the hold Lucas had on his mate.
“I’ve got it, if someone would let me go.” Shannon grinned with a flash of warning in her eyes and Lucas frowned playfully.
“Grace said she’d do it.” He teased and Grace rolled her eyes, dropping her bag into the armchair and heading for the coffee pot.
“You’re rude…” Shannon berated him and he rolled his eyes again.
“But so very masterful.” He reminded her on a low dominant growl.
“Who wants coffee?” Grace asked reaching for the mugs and grabbing three, in her mind it might just end the slight tug of war going on with Shannon’s wrist.
“Please, Grace. Lucas let go or you’ll be sorry.” Shannon warned with a flash of amusement in her eyes and a devilish grin on her lips, and Lucas tugged on her wrist, bringing her back into his arms. He leaned in and whispered against her ear.
“You’ll be sorry about two seconds later if you zap me, my Fae.” And then he let her go and she grinned at him as she took the opportunity to take a few steps back from him.
“So why was I dragged away from spending my ill gotten gains?” Grace asked as she walked towards them, a mug in each hand in offering.
“I’m a little unsettled by some of the advice one of the circle has been offering Corrine.” Shannon took her mug with a nod of thanks, and Grace paused only long enough to give Lucas his mug, before she gave Shannon her full attention.
“Go on.” Grace encouraged her, before turning and retrieving her coffee and rejoining them at the bench.
“Corrine said that Natalie had told her that Lycans mate like dog’s…” Shannon saw Grace’s brows reach for her hairline, the flicker of shock that registered on the older woman’s face was quickly dismissed. “She said that she should run, leave town…”
“Natalie? That makes no sense. She’s well versed in Lycan ways. She would have known what would happen if Corrine had tried to run from Zane…” Grace bit down on her lower lip. Her brows were now drawn downwards as she dropped her gaze to the bench and tried to assess what Shannon was telling her.
“I didn’t get the feeling that Corrine was lying, in fact she seemed very relieved to get the facts, and Lucas said she’s gone to talk with Zane now.”
Grace placed her palms down on the cool steel of the workbench and shook her head. She was at a total loss as to why Natalie would lie to Corrine in that way.
“Natalie was the one who recommended Wolf’s Bane to Corrine to keep Zane at bay.” Grace flicked her eyes towards Lucas as saw the annoyance flash across his face. He folded his arms over his chest and urged her on with a lift on just one dark brow in her direction. “I don’t know why, Lucas. So don’t look at me all expectantly.” Grace shot back hotly and Lucas sighed.
“Maybe I should have a word with Natalie, as she seems to be trying to make trouble for the pack…” He offered to no-one in particular, and he wasn’t looking for anyone’s approval. He just wanted to see Grace’s reaction.
“I’m not so sure it’s the pack she looking to make trouble for…” Grace admitted quietly with a flick of her eyes towar
ds Shannon.
“What? Me?” Shannon balked at the idea. “I’ve never even met the woman.”
“No, but it’s no secret among the circle that Natalie was a little resistant to your coming here…” Grace offered, slightly reluctantly and with an air of apology about her words.
“Why?” Lucas asked when Shannon fell silent, and Grace took a moment to turn her attention back towards him.
“Well Natalie isn’t like me, or Shannon. She has the Fae power, but she craves more…” Grace stopped and mulled it over in her own mind.
“That still doesn’t explain…” Lucas started and heard Grace sigh.
“Natalie is sort of my number two. She knows that I give nothing for the title, and I know she craves it.” Her eyes flicked towards Shannon. “Shannon’s a more powerful Fae than Natalie and I put together. I know she worried that would drop her down in the pecking order of the circle.” Grace sighed as Shannon rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the woman.
“Titles and power. A Faes true worth is in the magic that they do, not the rank they hold. We’re not Lycans or Vampires.” Shannon spat out and saw Lucas drop his arms to his sides and turn towards her with an amused look on his face. “Present company excluded of course.” She added quickly, with a roll of her eyes and a guilty smirk on her lips.
“Of course.” Lucas agreed on a small chuckle.
“Besides, I’m a solitary. I’m not one with the circle, so I don’t see why she should feel threatened by me.”
Grace was lost in thought. She couldn’t really see the plus side for Natalie in this scenario. “Why would she tell Corrine to run? The girl said she wouldn’t run yesterday…”
“Maybe she told her last night, after we had a chat with Corrine yesterday…” Shannon offered and Grace frowned back at her, long and hard.
“Once she found out you were my mate.” Lucas offered, trying to fit the pieces together. “If Corrine ran and Zane hunted her down…” He left his words there.
“That would mean she knows what happened with Billy.” Grace gave Shannon a poignant look, and Shannon turned away. There were so many questions leading from that statement. The first one would be how the hell would Natalie know about Billy? And if she did, why would she put Corrine in that kind of danger?
“What happened with Billy? And who’s Billy?” Lucas’ mind was out of the traps before Grace could clamp her mouth shut, realising that she has said too much. That Lucas didn’t yet know everything in Shannon’s past.
“I need to meet this Natalie.” Shannon spat out and Grace bit down on her lower lip. She was caught between a rock and a hard place now. As High Priestess to the circle it was her place to keep the Fae in line. If she allowed Shannon free reign here, things might get out of hand. And then there was Lucas…
“Who’s Billy?” Lucas wrapped his fingers around Shannon’s wrist and brought her around to face him. He could see that she didn’t want to talk about it, but he didn’t care. He was her mate and if there was something in her past that she was keeping from him, he wanted to know about it.
“Who’s Billy, Shannon?” He raised those dark brows expectantly and she half closed her eyes and sighed at his persistence. She knew he had a right to know, especially considering who he was. Not just her mate, but the Alpha of the local pack.
“You probably should have been told before I came here, Lucas.” Shannon admitted trying to take a step back from him, but he held her wrist and he wasn’t about to let go. He could see she was struggling with whatever it was she had to tell him, but he wouldn’t let it drop.
“So tell me now.” His words were quiet and encouraging, but still she didn’t want to retell this part of her past. It was something that she had finally learned to live with when fate, or maybe Karma, had sent Terrence Mackay into her life, and she had taken that to be her punishment for what she had done on that day.
“I had a friend, Stacy, she was human. Billy was Lycan. He didn’t have a pack as such, but he wasn’t a rogue, he was just unsettled. He recognised Stacy as his mate and set about wooing her, and it was working, she felt the calling.” Shannon tried to pull her wrist from Lucas grasp, but he shook his head and encouraged her to continue with just a look.
“Billy marked her, he hadn’t told her what he was, but she saw his fangs.” Shannon’s jaw was working, even when she wasn’t talking. The raw emotion that retelling her story was bringing to the surface came from her in waves and battered against Lucas, and he felt every aspect of her heart along with her words.
“He said he tried to explain, but she wouldn’t hear him. She ran from him, and Stacy could run.” Shannon felt the tears prick her eyes as she smiled at the memory of her friend.
Lucas felt the heavy weight of his own heart inside him. The thought of what his wolf would be capable of, given the right set of circumstances, turned his stomach even now as he looked at his mate.
“They found her body in the woods, beaten, battered and torn. She’d fought him every step of the way…” A single tear escaped her lashes and he reached out for her, but she held up her palm and shook her head to keep him where he was.
“I didn’t get it then. I’d only ever seen the side of mating that was good and right. No-one in my pack had ever run from their mate, they were Lycan.” He felt her shield slam up between them, and saw her as draw herself up to her full height. The hardness that took over her features, the way she set her stance, owning her actions. He hated that she was closing him out to her emotions, but if that was what she had to do to keep going, then he wouldn’t call her on her shields, on denying him access to how she was feeling.
“I went for Billy and found him. He was broken, but I didn’t see his pain only my own. Only Stacy battered and bruised and raped.” She took a long moment to steel herself. Her dark eyes met Lucas’s head on and there was acid in her tone when she spoke. “I ended him.”
Shannon saw the pained look on Lucas’s face. The tension in his jaw as he stared back at her, the way his jaw muscles flexed as he clenched and relaxed them. His eyes were dark as he stared back at her, and then he let go of her wrist and gave one slow nod of his head in acceptance of what she had told him.
“She was part of your pack…”He offered her that.
“No Lucas, she was my friend.” Shannon corrected him, the raw emotion tearing into her all over again, and he nodded again.
“That’s why you told me, no means no, when I first came to you about the Wolf’s Bane.” Lucas saw the flicker of remembrance in her eyes, just before she turned away.
“I wanted to buy Corrine some time to get used to the idea. I wanted her not to panic and run.” Shannon slammed her fist down on top of the bench. Her eyes were darker as she looked to Grace, who had backed away as the two of them had shared Shannon’s history. She hadn’t meant to speak of Shannon’s past in front of Lucas, and she felt guilty about that, so the least she could do was to pull back and give them a moment.
“I will speak to Natalie, Grace.” Shannon informed her forcefully and Grace nodded quickly. She could see that there was no point in arguing with Shannon in the mood she was in. She could feel beneath her shields that the younger Fae was out for answer’s or blood, and she didn’t think that she much cared which at that moment in time.
“I will speak with Natalie…” Lucas announced and Shannon’s head snapped towards him.
“You will not be able to get beneath her shields to see if she is lying.” Shannon informed him with a little more force than necessary and he felt his wolf rally within him, she was offering him a challenge. He took a step towards her and his eyes flashed annoyance.
“You are part of my pack now…” He reminded her and she snorted as she shook her head.
“Not until we are bonded, Lucas.” She retorted and heard the low warning growl rumble deep within his chest. His wolf was unhappy with the challenge that his mate was presenting to them, just as Lucas was.
“Do not test me, Shannon.” Lucas warned and Grac
e tried to intervene by clearing her throat.
“Do not try to stop me, Lucas.” Shannon said forcefully as she turned her whole body towards him and planted her feet firmly on the floor. Lucas’s whole stance changed as he faced down his mate. He could see her eyes darkening and wondered at it. Was she drawing on her magic to use against him?
“Grace leave, and lock the door after you.” Grace didn’t need telling twice. She heard the warning growl of his wolf within his tone and turned on her heels, snatching her bag from the armchair, she high tailed it out of the shop, clicking the lock free and slamming the front door closed along the way.
“Do not do this, Lucas. I am not yet part of your pack.” Shannon warned and saw the flare of his nostrils as his anger flared within him. The slight twitch of his upper lip should have been warning enough to her that his wolf was more than just a bystander in this. But she chose to ignore it. Her anger was deep seated within her over what Natalie had done, and if Corrine had run, she may have ended up like Stacy. To risk a sister in that way for her own ends was unthinkable to Shannon and she wanted answers, especially if she had been the target in all of this.
But that wasn’t entirely the problem here now. She had somehow managed to make this a challenge of sorts to her Alpha mate, and she knew she should pull her anger back, try to reach a compromise with him, and yet something within her urged her on.
“You are my mate, Shannon. You will not challenge me.” There was the deep rumble within his chest. A growl that rolled on his every word and for a long moment she felt the call of her Alpha to her mind. Her shields slipped around her and Lucas felt the raw emotion that she had tried to bury under her magic. Love, rage, shame, guilt and defiance rolled towards him in waves. She was anxious, but for what he couldn’t be sure.
“Do not make me call on my magic against you…” There was the source of her angst. It was her magic, but he couldn’t tell why.
Lucas stood deathly still. Both of his hands were out to his sides. His eyes were dark and there was no plea in them, he just stared back at her. The predator within him was so close to the surface that he could shift in an instant.