“He's going to have to fight smarter if he has any chance,” murmured Jeff. “Micah is too big, too accustomed to fighting to be beaten with brute strength. Chase has to think, use his brain.”
Carson nodded numbly, her eyes not leaving the two as they again circled each other. “He knows, Poppa,” she whispered.
Once again, Micah feinted to the left but this time Chase didn't fall for it and instead, held his ground. Micah snarled and bunched his muscles throwing his body at Chase and bowling him over. He landed on his back, the larger wolf straddling over him, jaws snapping towards the vulnerable softness of his neck. Pulling his back paws up, Chase dug claws into the tender underside and raked down. Micah howled and lunged away from him, a trail of blood dripping into the hard packed dirt. Chase flipped over, hobbling on three legs, his eyes never leaving Micah as they again circled each other. The pool of blood dripping under Micah expanded and his legs became shaky. His tongue lulled out of his mouth and he began to pant. He whimpered softly.
Chase quit growling and let his fur settle back against his form. Taking a step forward, the healer in him turned his attention to the bloody mess of Micah's stomach, analyzing it from sight already thinking of what needed to be done.
It was a trap.
Time stood still for Carson as she watched Micah spring again at Chase, slamming into him with the force of a bulldozer. The two rolled over and over, kicking up dirt and leaves until the dust settled and she screamed. Chase was lying on his side, his injured leg bent under his body, Micah's huge black form standing over his body with jaws clamped firmly around his throat. He squeezed and blood welled up from the puncture wounds, thick and richly red, pooling on the ground under him. He raised one paw feebly in an attempt to ward off the attack but let it fall to the ground. Slowly the golden hue of his eyes dimmed as they closed and he lay still.
There was a scream, long and high pitched made of agony and loss, coming from the porch. All the color had drained from Carson's face and she sagged heavily. In a flash, Cayson jumped the steps and grabbed his sister, gently lowering her to the hard wood deck. His voice echoed dimly, “Carson... Carson are you alright. CARSON!”
Micah let out a triumphant howl and Carson moaned. It was over. She retreated into her center and collapsed against her wolf, both of them howling their distress as the world receded from their conscious and they were alone in their misery. He was gone. Dead. Her heart shattered in a billion pieces and dissolved into white hot torment. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. What would she do without Chase? How could she survive knowing a part of her was forever lost and never to be returned? In that instant she knew - there was no doubt that she could never live through this. The pain was too great, too strong and powerful. Inside, she was already dead; her body just hadn't realized it yet. But soon it would. Soon she would join her love in death.
CHAPTER 19
The scream that echoed through the compound tore at Chase's heart, but he forced himself to remain unmoving. By a stroke of luck, when Micah clamped on his throat, he missed the arteries by less than a half inch and instead caught the thick muscles. Micah squeezed a little harder, almost cutting off his air and he forced himself to remain limp beneath him. It was taking every ounce of strength he possessed to keep his wolf quiet, to wait out the opportunity that he knew was coming.
Fight smarter not harder.
Finally, he felt the jaws relax, confident that Chase was dead, Micah threw his head back and howled his victory. Suddenly, the supposedly lifeless body under him moved, flipping Micah over on his back and locking his own jaws on the soft tissues of his neck. Unlike Micah, he didn't make a mistake in anatomy. He tasted the thick arterial flow as it flooded his mouth, felt the thump of fear as is pulsed against his canines. With a growl, he snapped his neck to the right and tore the flesh from Micah's neck, spitting it out on the ground beside him. With wary eyes, he watched as the flow first spurt forth heavily then slowed to a trickle until finally stopping completely. The glow faded from Micah's eyes until they became dull honey, his muzzle hanging open and tongue lolling out. At once, Micah's body changed again to that of a human. Chase approached him warily and examined the corpse, confident that he was dead, took a step back and gave in to the pleasure of his wolf, throwing his head back, he howled triumphantly. Quickly he shifted into human and hobbled to the porch, the throng parting ahead of him, until he reached her side. Cayson scooted back. “She just fainted,” he whispered and Chase acknowledged. Scooping her up in his arms, Chase cradled her against his bloody body murmuring endearments.
“The challenge is completed and the law has been upheld. Remove the corpse and disburse from the area. It's finished. “ Carl turned and retreated to Jeff's house, the rest of the council following behind.
Chase heard the Elder's declaration and sagged with relief. Someone put a blanket around his shoulders. He heard, rather than saw the crowd hurry away from the commons until only he, Carson, Cayson, and Jeff remained.
“Doc,” Cayson spoke softly. “You need to get inside. It's getting colder”
Chase ignored them. His fingers gently pushed a lock of her inky black hair behind her ear. “Wake up beloved. Let me see those beautiful green eyes.” Pressing his lips to her cheek, he flinched at the bloody mark left behind.
“Chase,” Jeff began.
“I know,” he acknowledged. Pressing another kiss to her beautiful face, he allowed Cayson to pick her up out of his arms. His eyes stayed glued to her as he slowly got to his feet. Now that the adrenaline was no longer coursing through his body, he felt every bruise, scrape and wound in his body. Looking down, he saw the odd swelling in his leg along with dark purple bruising. “Fractured fibula,” he murmured.
Jeff slid his arm around his waist, Chase's arm on his shoulders. “Come on healer, let’s get you to Molly.”
Looking over his shoulder to ensure that she was close by he nodded. “Okay.” Slowly they made their way to the healer's hall just as the first icy drops fell from the sky to wash the blood from the commons.
.-~*~-.
Carson opened her eyes and blinked in bewilderment. She was obviously in the healer's hall but why? She heard the gentle murmur of Molly coming from the back and turned her head, blinking as objects came into focus. Her eyes fell upon the next bed and the form of her mate laying still, a sheet pulled up to his neck, spots of blood staining the pristine white where four punctures sat in his skin. Suddenly it all came back to her; the challenge, the vision of Micah standing over him, his maw clamped tightly on her beloved's neck, the light in his eyes beautiful eyes dimming. Horror and pain like she had never felt in her life washed through her. Instinctively, her wolf knew she would not be able to handle the pain. The beast clawed at her insides insisting on taking control, to spare Carson the worse of the agony. As much as she would like to sink into oblivion, she couldn't right now, so she pushed her back down. Instead, she slipped out of the bed and took the few steps to where he was laid out, so peaceful and serene. They must have known she would want to say goodbye to him, must have surmised that she needed closure. Tears, fat and hot, streaked down her cheeks, landing ignored on her chest. White hot torment tore at the shreds of her heart and a huge black hole opened in her soul. She had lost him. Throwing herself across his chest, she let the sobs come, spilling tears on his body, weeping and pouring the tattered remnants of her soul out.
“Shh Baby, shhh. I'm alright. It's all okay,” she heard him say and then felt a hand in her hair. She screamed, took a step back, clutching her hand to her heart, eyes wide in fear. His gorgeous eyes were open and looking at her, a smile on those sexy lips. She blinked a couple of times thinking she had truly gone over the deep end after all. Stumbling backward, she stopped as her butt hit her bed. He chuckled softly. “No, Love, I'm not a ghost.”
Molly laughed and shook her head, reaching up and pulling the curtain closed to give them some privacy. “Ten minutes Chase. You need rest.”
“Quit doctoring
the doctor,” he called out good-naturedly then turned his eyes back to her, the corners crinkling with concern. Tossing the sheet off he started to rise off the bed. Her eyes flickered over his form, noticing an air cast covering his right leg and bandages wrapped around his neck. “Come here baby.” He held out his hands towards her.
She flew into his arms, covering his face with kisses, her arms gently twining around his injured neck. “How? I saw you die. I saw him...”
He shook his head gently. “He didn’t have a good hold. I think he was so overconfident that I wasn't a real threat he got sloppy. I just waited my time until he made a mistake.”
“Then he's...”
His eyes clouded. “Dead.” He took a deep breath. “He will never bother you again, Love. Just like I promised you, I will always take care of you.” He scooted over just a little on the narrow bed and gently pulled her up beside him, grimacing when he jostled his injured leg.
“Let me down, your leg...”
“Is healing quickly. Wolves heal very fast you know. In a day or two, I’ll be good as new. But just the same, I think a little Carson TLC would be perfect.”
She melted against his side, laying her head on his shoulder, her body pressed tightly to his. She sighed in contentment, nuzzling, as his arms wrapped around her.
That's how Molly found them a few minutes later, wrapped tightly around each other, sound asleep. Smiling she re-closed the curtain and walked away.
CHAPTER 20
The storm blew itself out around midnight and the next day dawned bright and clear, with a pure crystal blue that almost hurt the eyes to gaze at. The temperature had dipped considerably causing little puffs of white with every breath. The pack was in an uproar, working frantically to get everything ready, again, for Chase and Carson's bonding. The two had discussed it and decided that they would rather go ahead and complete the ceremony now with the moon waning than to wait another month for the next full moon as was traditional. Given the events of the past few days, the council had acquiesced and gave their blessing.
The clearing shone brightly lit by a hundred torches and a scattering of borrowed patio firepots to lend warmth. Overhead, the stars twinkled brightly and the moon smiled down at the couple standing before their alpha, declaring their love and devotion to each other.
Chase reached over and touched the gemstone broach shining softly from the pale blue dress she had borrowed from Rachel. Shooting a smile at his soon to be brother in law, he nodded his thanks. Cayson had found it sitting in the grass of the little clearing in the neighboring woods. When he returned it to his sister, she had cried.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispered to her. Then taking her hand, they turned to face Jeff.
Clearing his throat, Jeff began the ceremony. “The life of a wolf is long and filled with danger, and for this reason Luna has given to us the gift of life mates. A life mate is that perfect entity that was created to love and be loved by one specific wolf. Many times, finding a mate takes a long time, perhaps years or even decades, not to weaken us but so that we are truly thankful for them when we find them. Luna knows what she's doing.“
He smiled at them. “Chase and Carson have found each other at a very young age and as such, will have a lifetime to spend together – a lifetime of love, joy, and happiness but also sadness, pain and heartache. However, this is the intrinsic meaning behind our mates – when one is weak the other is strong. When one is hurt the other nurtures. When one cries, the other comforts. It is nature's greatest wisdom that she has blessed our people with so great a gift. Our pack is doubly blessed for not only do we have a strong couple, but one that individually retains strong gifts - a dreamer and a healer. Together they will care and nurture our pack. Together they will strengthen our people through their own gifts and later through their children.”
He turned to Will who had pulled out a cord made of vines. Taking the cord he held it up. “This is the cord of bonding. Carson's mother and Chase's sister harvested vines in the woods that were carefully woven into one strand. Vines are used to represent the wild feral side of our nature. That they are created by those women who are closest to our hearts represent the fact that wolves are pack animals nurtured by our females. Our females are precious and give to us the beginning of our lives. It is only fitting that they be the ones to give us over to our new lives. This is a representative of our lives, two mingling into one, becoming stronger than the two individuals.” He looked at Chase and nodded.
Chase leaned over and kissed Carson's cheek; then taking a small knife, he cut a few locks of her hair and then handed the knife to her where she did the same to him. They held the hair out in their palms between them. Jeff took the strands and quickly knotted them into the weave of the cord then wrapped the cord around their hands, tying them together.
“This is your life, bound closely in the strands of your past and the lives of your families. It is not complete until you find your mate and they combine with you to make your life stronger. This is a bond that cannot be untied but must be severed to be removed. To sever a life is to remove it from this world. So also will your bond be. Now that your lives are bound, so shall your blood be bound.”
They turned to face each other and she swept her hair away from her neck, craning it slightly. He stepped forward. “Our blood will be intermingled, our hearts bound and our lives forever more tied together.” Then he allowed his wolf to surface enough to cause his canines to elongate. Moving in closer, he inhaled her fragrance; lilacs, vanilla and sweet honey. Carefully he closed his jaws over her neck where it met the shoulder, puncturing her skin enough that he could taste her blood; it was ambrosia, sweet and delicious. She gasped as the sensation of their lives becoming entwined curled through her core. Gently he removed his mouth and licked the drops of blood that welled to the surface.
“Our blood will be intermingled, our hearts bound and our lives forever more tied together,” she whispered then standing on her tiptoes, sunk her own canines into the sweet flesh of his shoulder. As she tasted his blood, the binding was complete, fusing their lives together inseparability until they could each feel each other nestled into their souls. She licked the wound gently and pulled back, smiling at him tenderly, her eyes glossy with unshod tears.
He raised his hand and cupped her cheek, running his thumb over her lips, removing a drop of blood that still remained. “Forever,” he murmured.
“Forever,” she responded.
Then they kissed, unhurried, full of the love they carried for each other until they broke apart breathlessly to applause. Raising their still bound hands high in the air Chase shouted “FOREVER!!”
.-~*~-.
The newly bonded couple had made their excuses shortly after midnight and slipped off from the revelry. Stepping into the forest, they undressed and shifted, slipping into the night quietly. Chase's leg was almost healed, and it felt good to be able to stretch it. After a good run, they found themselves at the lake and shifting back, Carson dove into the chilly waters, surfacing with a gasp. “Dear Luna, that is cold,” she said through chattering teeth.
He laughed then dove in after her, swimming under the placid surface then wrapping a hand around her ankle, pulled her under. Clamping his mouth on hers, he slid his tongue into her lips and tasted her. Together they broke the surface, arms and legs tangled as their lips sought each other, kissing with a fevered passion. He slid his hand into the wet length of her hair, knotting his fingers in the tresses. The kiss broke and she moaned softly, her head falling back exposing her neck to him. He groaned and kissed along the pale length to her shoulder and the still fresh mark still there. “Exquisite,” he mumbled. She shuddered as his breath slid over her wet skin, trailing kisses down. With the new bond between them, she could feel what he felt, could sense his amazement and wonder at the knowledge that she was finally and truly his. Her heart beat faster.
Sliding her legs around his hips, she pushed her body closer to him, molding her frame to his perfect
ly. The growls that escaped his lips were full of promise and lust. Locking his fingers into the supple flesh of her butt, he squeezed the cheeks, pulling her against him hard. She arched her back, almost laying back in the cold water, her nipples becoming hard little pebbles begging for his touch. Leaning in he took one in his lips and tweaked the nub with his tongue. She hissed as white hot pleasure shot through her chest and settled into her core. Locking her fingers into the hair at the back of his head, she felt his erection pressing against her core, the thump of his heartbeat answering hers. Drawing her bottom lip into her teeth, she squirmed more, wanting, needing. The fire in her body countering the cold of the lake water. “Please,” she whispered softly.
He groaned and turned towards the shore, until the emerged on the sandy beach. Laying her back, he hovered over her. Even with their breaths coming in soft white puffs, they ignored the chilled air, their attention on each other. He leaned down and captured her lips in his again, devouring them until she was gasping. “Ready baby?” He whispered against her lips.
“Ready,” she breathed, closing her eyes.
She felt him press against her entrance and held her breath. This was the moment she had been waiting for since they had laid eyes upon each other all those months ago. Drawing her lips into her teeth she squirmed under him, digging her nails into his back then felt him slide into her. Hissing softly he stopped when he came to her maidenhead. “Baby, this is going to hurt but only for a minute okay? Trust me.”
“I trust you always Chase,” she moaned locking herself to him.
He pulled back slightly then pushed forward tearing through her resistance. She cried out as he did, fire burning deep in her. He pulled back and went forward again and the pain began to melt into pleasure, beautiful lazy sublime pleasure that flowed through her like honey. “Oh Luna,” she gasped at the wonder of it.
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