“Feeling better, my mate?” He asked. He had shifted and was standing over her with a sardonic grin on his face. It was all she could do to keep from shuddering in revulsion. How had she ever thought he was handsome and sexy? Now she could see he was manipulative, bitter and there was a hardness about those eyes that was anything but friendly. This wouldn't have to just be a good performance, it would have to be Oscar worthy.
“My Beloved,” she whispered then forced herself to wrap her arms around his legs in a tight hug. His scent filled her nostrils; it was rancid like old oil mixed with decaying trees. Choking off the need to gag, she gulped air through her mouth and looked up at him, holding a tight rein on her revulsion. Closing her eyes she tried to convince herself that it was Chase then nuzzled against his knee with her face. She was never so thankful that he could manifest clothing with his shift than she was at that moment.
He dropped to the ground and pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his body, running his hands through her hair. “See I told you it would all be okay. Now you know you can trust me. I'll take care of everything,” he murmured against her ear. “Cold? You're shaking.”
Her skin crawled wherever it touched his. She swallowed back the bile that burned the back of her throat. “A little chilled,” she lied. “I wish I could have a nice shower and some clean clothes. I'm so embarrassed that you see your mate looking such a mess.”
He chuckled and hugged her against him. “You look lovely” .
She stiffened slightly then made herself relax. “Still I want to look presentable... for you.” she added hastily. “Can we go home now? I want everyone to know about our bonding.”
He pulled her back and searched her face, frowning slightly. “Eager to be around others this soon? This is our bonding night; I thought for sure you would want me all to yourself for a while. We'll go back in a couple of days, after...”
“After?” she asked even as her stomach fell into her feet.
He laid her back on the grass bathed in the baleful gaze of the moon. Slowly he ran his hands up her thigh and slipped it just passed the ragged hem of her torn dress. She couldn't help it, she froze with a look of utter horror on her face. His hand stopped and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“I...” she swallowed, her mind racing to come up with a plausible excuse. “It's just that I'm... ah”
“Of course, you're a virgin.” He chuckled and removed his hand. “You're shy, unsure. Forgive me, Love. It's been a long time since this old wolf has been around innocence.” He stood up and reached for her hand. “Come, we'll go back to the cabin and I'll show you the joys of love, though I do prefer the outdoors. No matter, it’ll wait for another time. One of many, I’m sure.” She put her hand in his, panic racing through her as she tried to find some way out of this.
There was a rustle behind Micah followed by a howl. She almost fell back to the ground from relief when she heard the low growl of a voice. “She's not going anywhere with you.”
Chase had found her.
Micah jumped, whirled around growling as three wolves appeared behind Chase and shifted into humans. He moved in front of her, cutting her sight off from him. “You're too late, she's imprinted on me. Carson's mine!” He gloated.
She leaned to the side behind Micah's back and her breath caught in her throat at the stricken look on her mate's face. He was staring at her, all but pleading with her to deny it. Slowly she shook her head, her hand clamped over her mating mark throbbing on her skin. Chase's hand shot to the reciprocating mark over his heart and he almost sagged in relief, closing his eyes, he whispered, “thank Luna.”
The joy she felt was suddenly quenched as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her gaze tore from Chase, and landed on the furious face of Micah staring at her. Reaching over he grabbed her hand and pulled it aside, tearing the strap of her dress and causing the dirty fabric to fall exposing her mark to his eyes. “You lying Bitch!” With a snarl he pulled his hand back and backhanded her face, sending her careening into the boulders, striking her head and slumping into a heap. Stars flashed before her eyes and blackness threatened at the edges of her sight. She reached one hand up and pressed against the back of her skull, pulling it away bright with sticky blood. “Oh” she whispered then dropped her hand to the ground, too weary to hold it up. Closing her eyes, she fought against the darkness.
“Carson!”
Micah turned and roared. Chase was struggling, pulling, trying to get to her, held back by his pack mates. The deep brown of his eyes had turned golden, glowing with light, his wolf just below the surface and snarling to get free. “Back down, Doc.” Will had both arms around the man's shoulder, muscles straining to restrain him. “You move and he'll kill her,” he growled at him.” The howl that escaped Chase's mouth tore through the clearing.
“Chase! Pull it back now.”
The authoritative tone came from the right where Jeff and three more stepped out from the trees. “I said pull back now,” he roared. To the left four others shifted and stood quietly watching.
Chase snapped one last time towards Micah then leashed his wolf, forcing the brute back into his belly and slamming the door closed. Our mate! He hurt her. We need to get to her! The beast snarled. Soon. Wait for Jeff. Wait for our alpha. He thought towards him and finally felt the fury dissipate if only slightly.
“I’m fine,” he spoke bitterly. “You can let me go.” With a nod from Jeff, Will released him and took a step back.
Jeff turned his gaze to Micah. “I'm so disappointed. You turned rogue? Turned against your own people?”
Micah grinned wolfishly at him. “You're disappointed? I'm so surprised... not”! Crossing his arms over his chest he glared defiantly at his former alpha. “This is all your fault, Jeff.” He gestured behind him. “She was to be mine. The pack was to be MINE!” He snarled, “had you just finished the run, this would all be over. She would be my mate and I'd be the beta not him,” he nodded towards Will standing quietly beside Chase.
Jeff saw the madness in Micah's eyes and marveled that he had been able to hide it for so long. Perhaps the signs had always been there but they had all refused to see it. Manna's words from the night of the mate run echoed in his head. “There are some issues in your people, Jeff, and you need to rectify them.” He felt a great sadness in his heart when he realized just how bad it truly was. “Micah,” he began.
“Not this time, Hennison.” He turned towards Chase and narrowed his eyes. “You think you have everything. You come in here and steal her from me.”
“She's my life mate not yours,” Chase began.
Micah roared, “She was to be MINE!” He whirled and glared at Jeff again. “I issue a challenge,” he snarled. “I challenge for Carson. Chase Blackston has attempted to take my mate and I demand justice!”
“You're a rogue and cannot chall...,” Jeff started.
“I accept,” came the calm reply from Chase. He took three steps closer and stood staring at Micah, his hands hanging loosely at his sides making fists.
“Chase, no!”
The words were soft but carried such heartfelt sorrow, it commanded their attention. Everyone looked behind Micah to where Carson was struggling to pull herself up against the rocks. Her hands shook and there was a thick smear of red across the tan boulders. She swallowed, “please don't do this.”
His eyes softened. “I would rather face death than live another moment without you.” Tearing his eyes away, he looked back at Jeff. “I accept,” he stated again.
Jeff's shoulders drooped marginally. Taking a deep breath and nodded. “A challenge has been issued and accepted. By the laws of our people, the one issuing the challenge specifies the time.”
Micah's eyes never moved from his enemy. “At dawn.”
Turning to Chase, Jeff continued. “The one being challenged specifies the location.” He lowered his voice. “Think carefully on this, Healer. Carson is injured.”
Chase was just about to say 'here'
but stopped, nodding in understanding. He knew he needed to get her back to the healer's hall. Even with a wolf's ability of heal, head injuries were tricky at best and he was unsure if she was still suppressed and what damage the serum had done to her system. “In the commons,” he ground out.
Micah nodded. “Perfect. The more who witness this, the less to question it later. I'll be there at dawn.” He looked back at Carson. “Afterward, we’ll take up where we left off. With him gone, that mark will fade and you’ll truly be mine.” Then he shifted to his wolf and in an instant was swallowed up by the forest.
Flying to his mate's side, Chase scooped her up, pulling her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her face against his shoulder, closing her eyes again. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned around. Jeff stopped him. “Let me take her. You'll need to conserve your strength.”
Chase shook his head. “No. If this is the last few hours I have to be with her, I'm going to take every second of them,” he growled then took off at a run back towards the compound.
CHAPTER 18
It had taken more than an hour to get back to the compound and another one to tend to Carson's head. The professional that Chase was, analyzed the wounds, carefully cleaning them, but the mate in him was seething. Luckily there didn't seem to be a concussion, but he had almost lost dominance of his wolf again when he slid his hand behind her neck, finding the bite mark and causing her to flinch in pain. Furrowing his brows, he gently pulled her hair aside and stared at the puncture wounds on her neck, fury turning his vision to red. “He's lucky your animal was still suppressed,” he growled. “If he had forced you to imprint, I would have already torn him to pieces.”
“I thought that was what happened,” she mumbled.
He finished cleaning the punctures and dressed them then pressed his lips to her shoulder in a tender kiss. “How about now? Has the serum worn off?”
Carson concentrated, calling inside for her wolf. She was there, awake and basking in the love of their mate. She relaxed. “Yes she's there and pretty happy at the moment.”
He chuckled. “So is mine.” He nuzzled her gently then pressed his lips to her cheek. “Rest.” He started to get up and her hand shot out grabbing his wrist.
“Please not yet.”
He sat back down, taking her hand in his. “You want me to stay with you?”
She chewed her bottom lip and his wolf growled. It was just so damned sexy when she did that. Reaching over, he tugged her lip free with his thumb. “You keep that up and we won't make it to our bond night.” He chuckled softly.
“Chase, I'm serious,” she began.
“So am I,” he retorted. “Baby, you don't know what you do to me.”
She sighed. “Please, be serious for just a minute. About the challenge...”
He tucked her hand back under the cover and gently pressed her back into the pillow. “We're not talking about this. He challenged and I accepted. Now get some rest. I'm going to be right here in the next bed, okay?”
She growled. “Chase, if you die,” she started.
He arched one perfect auburn eyebrow. “So much for faith in your mate,” he teased her.
She shook her head, causing the stars to make another appearance. Blinking her eyes a few times she tried again. “Chase, please, just listen to me.” When she was sure she had his attention she continued. “Micah is very strong. He's been captain of the Enforcers a long time, has been fighting and hunting a very long time. He's over a hundred years old – that's a lifetime to build up experience, skills and hatred.” Her voice trailed off.
He cupped her face in his palm again and smiled gentle. “I'm going to be fine. He may be older, but I have you to come home to. That’s a mighty big incentive. I wasn't about to let the challenge go unanswered. This has to end now. If I don't do this, he's going to keep thinking he can have you. That's not going to happen, Carson. Not now, not ever. He's already tried once, I won’t allow a second.”
“But, you're a healer and a challenge is...”
“Sometimes to the death. Yes I know, Love. I know I have to fight smarter than him. I'm no match for him in strength or ability, but I think perhaps he's no match for me mentally. If I can wear him down, stay focused, I can find a weakness and utilize it. I don't want to take a life – I’ve sworn to uphold life. But Carson, make no mistake about it. I may be a healer, but I'm a wolf and you are my mate. Between the two, there's no question. I will do what I must.” His eyes had grown hard and she shivered.
“If you die,” she whispered, “I'll die too. I can't live without you.”
“If I die you'll go on, Carson. You'll survive and I want you to. You have responsibilities to this pack that you can't ignore. Especially, if I die, you'll have to watch out for our people. If he becomes beta or Luna forbid, alpha, Jeff is going to need all the support he can get. Promise me. You will continue on. PROMISE ME!” His hands had curled into fists.
The tears poured freely. “I promise,” the words were so soft, if it hadn't been for his augmented senses, he wouldn’t' have heard her. “For you, Chase. Not for responsibilities or for pack, but for you and you alone.”
“He leaned in and kissed her again. “I plan on winning. I plan on living a very long life with you at my side and half a dozen pups running us ragged. I plan on watching our children grow old and find their mates and our grandchildren as well. So don't count me out just yet.” He smiled at her. “Now sleep. Dawn is still a couple of hours away.”
She heard him crawl into the bed next to hers and turn over. Within moments, he was asleep and snoring softly. She closed her eyes and willed herself to relax but she was too keyed up. What if he didn't survive the challenge? How could she keep her promise to him and continue on? Shaking her head, she chastised herself for even contemplating him not winning. Some mate she was – already showing no faith in him. He would win, he had to. Rolling over she pulled the thin blanket up under chin and listened to the sounds of her mate sleeping nearby and waited for the morning to come.
.-~*~-.
The dawn was imminent, bringing with it a sky fat and sullen with thick gray clouds hanging low, threatening to spill a torrent of rain at any moment. A brisk wind blew through the alleyways created from the intersection of buildings and the commons. Whirls of mini tornadoes danced across the grounds bringing with them a flurry of gold, brown and red leaves. On the perimeter of the commons, stood a ring of wolves, men women and children, all huddled in groups waiting for the challenge to begin. Soft whispers intermingled with the gusts of wind, nervous laughter and the shuffle of fidgeting feet. A challenge was a huge event for werewolves, one of the few that would pull them from their warm beds just before dawn. A hush settled over the assembled and the circle parted, allowing the tall form of the former captain of the Enforcers to enter, before closing behind him. On the other side a similar breech had formed, spitting forth the pack's healer. The two wolves approached one another, stopping ten feet apart, glaring at each other, hate radiating off them like mid-day heat from desert rocks. To the east, the gloomy sky brightened marginally, signaling the start of another day.
“A challenge has been issued and accepted.”
The voice of Elder Councilor Carl rang out over the assembled. Every eye turned to Jeff's porch where the entire council along with Jeff, Will and the object of the challenge, Carson stood. “Micah Simpson has challenged Chase Blackston for mating rights to Carson Hennison. The tradition of challenges date back to the beginnings of our race. Only the strongest, most agile and cunning survived to become leaders and to mate producing another generation of wolves. In those days, every challenge ended only with the death of one of the combatants. Today, we are more civilized and our laws, even on this serious matter reflect it. Therefore, as it is decreed, the challenge ends only when one of the participants either dies or submits.”
“There will be no submission,” snarled Micah. “I believe in the old ways. One of the two of us will not l
eave this ring alive.”
Carl looked at Chase who quickly nodded. “It’s to the death then.” There was a hushed murmur circling the gathered and he waited until it quieted before continuing. “As the Elder of this council, I declare the challenge to be legal and binding. May the best wolf win. BEGIN!”
The air shimmered as bits of clothing exploded and littered the commons. In an instant, two wolves, one black, the other red, appeared and crouched, facing each other. Lips peeled back from fangs as growls sounded in warning. They warily circled each other, golden eyes locked, snarls and snaps the only sound to break the silence. Suddenly Micah snarled and sprang into action. Chase saw the attack coming and stepped out of the way at the last moment, twisting his head and snapping at the larger wolf as he moved past. Micah was too fast though and Chase only pulled a few tufts of fur away, spitting them to the ground. Once again they circled each other then Chase lunged forward and landed where the other wolf had just been standing. Suddenly a howl broke his muzzle as pain lanced through his hind quarter. Micah had struck and latched onto Chase's leg, sinking fangs deep into the muscle and barely missing the bone. There was a scream from the porch followed by Jeff's bark for Carson to not move. Chase pulled his leg but could not dislodge his attacker. Thinking quickly, he instead bunched his muscles and pushed his leg deeper into his attacker's muzzle, relying on the gag reflex to force him to release. The ploy worked and Micah's jaws opened marginally. Chase yanked his leg free.
Carson watched from the porch as the two faced each other again, circling and growling. Her heart all but stopped beating when Micah feinted to the left then leaped to the right pinning Chase under his heavy paws. Chase twisted his body, barely avoiding the snapping jaws as they descended towards his neck. She let out a held breath as he managed to roll out from under the bigger wolf and regain his feet.
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