Sweet Submission

by Desiree Gelsi

  He continued to watch silently. He never told them, but the practice wasn't just for him. No, he had another reason for wanting them to practice, and it was more than just to keep them from becoming rusty. He knew deep down that the odds were not in his favor in a fight against Ramsey. In fact, the odds were stacked against him. There was a good chance that when he went to fight the were-cat, he wouldn't be returning.

  If other packs heard that they had lost their feared leader they were just as Kiser had said, vulnerable. Sasha grimaced inwardly. He alone had made many enemies through his past as a fighter, and those enemies wouldn't waste any time in coming after his pack if they knew that he was dead. They all wanted revenge.

  His Beta's were strong, and Kiser would be a good Alpha, but none of them had the dreaded reputation that he did. Right now his pack was safe. His enemies had too much respect for his ability to be deadly to risk crossing him, but with him gone there would be nothing left to stop them.

  He watched as Micah dodged an assault from another fighter. He wanted them prepare themselves in case another pack decided to attack them.

  He stood and the others immediately ceased their practice, turning all eyes respectively towards him. He bowed his head lightly in gesture, excusing himself as he turned and trotted into the trees. He made his way over the hard ground in the forest until he was at the meadow.

  He sat down, looking across the river that was once swollen with run off from the snow capped mountains. It had taken several months, but the water was now receding away from the meadow back to its trench in the earth. He looked up. The evening sky was beginning to set as the yellow sun slid behind the mountains. It was warm, early June, and spring was nearly at its end as summer approached.

  Every day it was the same routine. He would come to the meadow and wait, listening for sounds and testing the air for signs that Kita was returning. He missed her, and he was certain that it showed to his pack mates. He was irritable and tetchy, more so than he had ever been before. He just wanted to be left alone. It didn't help that spring was a season of heightened sexual need among his kind. The more he thought of her the more he wanted her, the more he craved the feel of her skin against his, the taste of her lips on his tongue. It made him shudder with need until every part of him was on fire, stretched tight with his desire. His whole body would itch, and the only way to cure his hunger was to shift into his pelt and run.

  He would race through his territory, sometimes hunting, sometimes just running to run, anything to exhaust him and keep his mind from dwelling on her. It never worked. He would find himself panting hard, nearly out of breath as his lungs burned for air, his legs would tremble with exhaustion, and he would still see her there, smiling, taunting him as she backed away into darkness. He would try to follow her, seeing the vision as clear as day itself, but then her image would fade into the shadows and he'd be left alone again. And then he'd run, start the madness all over again. He felt like he was going crazy, spiraling into insanity.

  She consumed his thoughts, day and night. She was the last thing he thought of at night, and the first thing he thought of when he woke. Even in dreams she haunted him. He was becoming obsessive, and it scared him. He'd never felt like this before.

  He paced the tree line. He was starting to wonder if she'd ever come back. His mind played tricks on him. He started wondering if her father had lied to him. What if Sergey had made the agreement with him and never intended to honor it? What if he never saw Kita again? He felt sick. He could picture Kita with Ramsey, miserable in his arms as he threatened her time and time again, making her pay for her treachery towards him.

  Anger burrowed into his gut. If Ramsey so much as touched her he'd tear his throat out. He continued pacing, his steps came more pronounced, and he felt that restless urge again. God, how he just wanted to hold her again ... he saw her standing in front of him. She looked at him, and her deep blue eyes were full of mischief. Her light blonde hair was caught by an unfelt breeze, and it swirled around her face, framing her eyes. She smiled at him.

  He whirled around, stretching his legs as he rushed through the trees, effortlessly leaping over fallen trees and dodging obstacles. He had to get away from her memory. Desperately he raced through the forest, trying to outrun his thoughts of her. It didn't work. Her image stayed with him, as if she were running right beside him.

  CHAPTER 17

  Kita looked out the car window as her father's Cadillac slowed to a stop against the side of the road. She wiggled impatiently, feeling like a packed sardine sandwiched between her fathers two hulking bodyguards. The larger of the two stepped from the vehicle and she practically dove out of the seat to escape the car.

  In her frantic dive to get out of the confined car she stumbled on the hard earth, barely keeping her balance as her stiletto heels became tangled in the thick grass that was growing on the side of the road. She righted herself indignantly, tugging on the little black dress she was wearing to keep it from sliding up any further on her thighs. She growled to herself. It was deplorable what a woman was expected to wear in these conditions. She gathered herself with a deep breath, smoothing out the sleek black material that was stretched across her slender stomach.

  If it were up to her she'd be barefoot, wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top. She looked down, still toying with the dress. It was form hugging, reaching just past mid thigh with slits on either side that almost reached her hips. She was amazed that the dress was even staying on. It was like a tube top on her chest. There were no straps whatsoever to keep it from falling down over her breasts. God forbid she should fall or raise her arms, because she'd be falling right out of the damn dress.

  It was appropriate for the occasion, though. She was expected to be dressed to kill when she was about to be mated, and she was. She could still hear her mother's voice when she had reminded her, “It doesn't matter whether they're fighting for pride or fighting for you. What matters is that you're the survivors reward. Show them the beautiful woman that they're risking their lives for."

  She sighed to herself in thought. She wasn't worth Sasha's life. If Ramsey was killed she doubted she'd waste any tears on him, but if Sasha were to die ... her stomach clenched painfully and she felt a tear nip at the corner of her eye just thinking about it. She couldn't bare the thought of it. She turned, casually swiping moisture from her eyes as she pretended to be adjusting the diamond encrusted choker that her mother had given her to wear around her neck. The purr of an engine made her look over her shoulder.

  Just behind her fathers car another had pulled up. She glared at the black sedan as Ramsey and the Puman King stepped from the vehicle. The were-cat prince saw her, and immediately his face broke out into a pleased grin as he proceeded to walk towards her.

  She whirled around. She was in no mood to talk to him. An arm grabbed her roughly above her elbow to detain her and she rounded on her captor. It was the larger of her father's Beta bodyguards. She tugged away from him.

  "Get your fucking hands off of me, Tyson, unless you want to lose them,” she snarled.

  "Your father wants you nearby. I have direct orders to keep you close."

  "If you want to keep me nearby then I suggest that you keep him the hell away from me,” she snapped as Ramsey came up beside them.

  "I don't take orders from you, Nikita. Just your father."

  She glared at him, glancing down at the tight hold that he maintained on her arm, “It's not an order it's a warning."

  "I don't take threats from you, either,” he informed her gruffly.

  She opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted before she could utter a sound.

  "She likes to make threats, the problem is, she can't back them up, can you Nicky?"

  She narrowed her eyes and threw them at Ramsey. It took everything she had to refuse the urge to spit at him and crack him in the jaw with her fist. Instead she raised her jaw defiantly and ignored him, turning her head away to look at the mountains in the distance. She hat
ed him. He brought out anger in her that she didn't even think she was capable of. She had never met anyone who made her feel so violent in all her life.

  Her eyes grazed those of the Beta bodyguard holding her. His expression was hard and indifferent. If he was concerned about Ramsey's nearness he wasn't showing it. She leaned over, removing her shoes. If nothing else she could use the heels to beat Ramsey away from her.

  A shadow hovered over her shoulder, and a voice brushed into her ear causing her to bolt upright, “you look very nice by the way.” Ramsey's hand reached up to slip his fingers into her thick blonde hair. His hand slid slowly down her back, and she tensed visibly when his palm continued its retreat towards her backside, “the only thing better than seeing you in that dress will be later tonight ... when you're without it."

  Kita's free elbow flew backwards into Ramsey's ribs just as she sent the heel end of one of her shoes deep into his groin. He doubled over with a groan, clutching his stomach with one hand while cupping the other between his legs. She heard him mutter a curse under his breath as he staggered backwards to lean against the car for support, still holding himself painfully.

  She looked up at the man holding her and waved her shoe in his face, “let me go now, Tyson, unless you want the same thing to happen to you."

  "There is a storm in my midst,” Sergey said as he stepped towards Kita and his Beta, motioning for the man to release her. “It comes disguised as my beloved daughter."

  Kita drew away from her father's Beta as he freed her of his grasp. She turned away when her father came to stand beside her. She didn't feel like speaking to him any more than she did Ramsey.

  Sergey reached down and took the shoes from her hand, relieving her of the unorthodox weapons as he tossed them carelessly into the grass several feet away.

  "Don't be so quick-tempered, Daughter.” He spoke steadily, knowing that even though she had her back turned to him she was listening. “It honors me that two highly respected men wish to have you as their mate. It should honor you, as well."

  She bristled, “there was a time when you called Sasha barbaric, and you said he was uncivilized. Now you say he's respected. Which is it?” She glanced coldly over her shoulder at him. “Or is it whichever suits you best at the time?"

  He reached up, placing his hand upon her shoulder. It was an uncommon act of affection on his part, and she gritted her teeth in immediate distrust.

  "Sasha is known for his brutality, his past is undeniable.” He squeezed her shoulder sympathetically, “and I respect what he's capable of."

  She blinked, and her voice came out as a low whisper, “Ramsey could kill him."

  He sighed, and his tone became softer, “I'm only doing what's best for you, Kita."

  She shook her head, shrugging his hand from her shoulders. She wished she could believe that.

  Her father looked down. He couldn't help her misgivings with him. All he could do was hope that he had made the right decision.

  "It's going to rain,” Sergey announced as he looked over his shoulder at the others, “we need to get moving."

  * * * *

  Sasha stood on the doorstep, looking up into the heavens. It was warm out, and heat lightening flashed in the setting sky. He cocked his head slightly. He could hear the distinct sound of padded feet loping quickly through the forest.

  Micah darted out of the trees in front of him. He was still in his pelt. He jogged to the steps and in an instant he was on two feet, already shifting back to his human form. He grabbed his clothes from beneath the porch steps and threw them on, swinging towards Sasha as he dressed.

  "Is that all you do anymore,” Sasha asked listlessly, “is patrol the forest?"

  Micah frowned for a moment but shrugged it off, dismissing it as his leader's curt temper as of late, “You should be glad I do. I was near the river when I heard voices. I think we're about to have company.” He didn't have to elaborate. The whole pack knew that the only company they were expecting was Sergey, his daughter, and the man who Sasha was destined to fight to the death.

  Sasha threw his eyes at him in surprise. For a moment he didn't say anything. His heart skipped. Kita, it had to be Kita. He smiled—something he hadn't done since she had left.

  "I'll be back, Micah.” He told his Beta.

  "Don't you want us to come with you?” the other man asked before Sasha could leave.

  Sasha shook his head. “It's not necessary."

  Puzzlement flashed in Micah's eyes, “what if something goes wrong?"

  "Like what, if I'm killed you mean?” He watched soberly as Micah nodded, and then he assured him, “I'm not going to be killed, Micah, and if I am, then Kiser becomes the new Alpha.” His words failed to ease the worried lines in his Beta's brows, and he took a deep acquiescing breath, “if it will make you feel better you're welcome to join me. Just remember, Micah, no one is allowed to interfere with the fight. If I am killed, you must sit and watch me die ... no matter what."

  The Beta nodded slowly. As a Beta his every instinct was to protect the leader at any cost, even if that meant sacrificing his own life. He didn't know if he could just sit and watch as Sasha was slain. He had to though, because if something unexpected were to happen, if it turned out to be a trap or deception, he had to be there to help Sasha.

  "I'll get the others,” Micah said softly, “and we won't interfere."

  Sasha smiled and turned into the woods, “good."

  He jogged through the trees, letting his heart pound excitedly as he made his way through the forest. His strides were long and eager, and it didn't take long at all to reach the edge of the meadow. He stopped and waited, leaning cautiously against a tree as he listened to the sounds around him. A bird called into the evening air, and the warm wind rustled the meadow grass. Thunder rumbled in the distance like a faraway growl in the fading sky. He looked up as more heat lightening lit the heavens. Thunderclouds were slowly rolling in.

  He couldn't hear voices, but footfalls announced that someone was nearing. His heart did a nervous little flip as a faint smell caressed his nose. It was Kita. Her warm feminine scent was teasing him, telling him that she was close to him. But this time it was real, it wasn't just a figment of his imagination as it had been in all the days before. He watched impatiently as a figure left the trees across the river. It was Sergey. The head man looked behind him, clearly waiting for someone. Sasha's stomach tightened nervously. Kita stepped from the forest, flanked by two large men, most likely her father's bodyguards. He swallowed, resisting the urge to run to her and reclaim her for his own. He had to be patient. Somewhere in the darkness Ramsey wasn't far behind. He could smell the were-cat, and it made fury roll in his gut.

  He didn't have to wait long. Ramsey stepped out of the trees behind the werewolves, and his father, the Puman King, was right there with him. Two more bodyguards, the were-cat's sentry, were the last to step from the shadows.

  Sasha watched as Sergey eyed the were-cats inconspicuously. He wondered if the Puman King and his son were aware that they were even being watched.

  Sergey shifted his gaze, slowly studying the meadow across the river. He wouldn't cross into Sasha's territory without permission from the Alpha, even if that meant waiting for hours on the river bank. To trespass onto another mans territory to retrieve his daughter was one thing, but to do it under normal circumstance was another.

  "You're not going to dart me again, are you, Sergey?” Sasha asked calmly as he stepped away from the tree into the clearing.

  The headman smiled modestly, “not this time, Mr. Lucien."

  Kita looked up at the sound of Sasha's thick, warm voice, freezing in place when she saw him in the meadow. Her breath caught in her lungs and her heart skipped anxiously. It was funny how she had waited so long to see him again, but now that she saw him she could barely move, as if she had become paralyzed. She felt heat shoot through her body. He seemed stronger than she remembered him. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only a pair of denim jeans, and hi
s every muscle was outlined with a chiseled firmness that made her tremble just thinking about his body pressed against hers. She quivered involuntarily as he neared.

  Suddenly she felt as if she were seeing him for the first time, and a surge of unadulterated lust darted through her blood. His gold eyes were glowing with a newfound feral intensity. Even as he walked towards the river, slowly, calmly, he had a look of formidability. He was the master and commander here, and not her father, or Ramsey was going to let him feel weak on his territory.

  A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she blinked back to awareness. She looked down, seeing her father's hand extended expectantly towards her. She blushed, embarrassed to be caught staring like a horny school girl. With trembling hands she placed her fingers in her father's palm, allowing him to guide her to the set of protruding flat stones that crossed the river.

  She stepped up on the first rock, tensing immediately as the cold and wet assaulted her bare feet. Her heart was pounding as she climbed across the stones. She was grateful for the sound of the rushing water in the river. Otherwise, she was certain that everyone around her would have heard it hammering as hard as she felt it. She watched as the water rushed below her, swirling around the rocks as it pushed its way past, determined in its path. On the final stone she looked up, and her breath left her lips.

  Gold eyes were looking back at her. She flushed as Sasha reached out and took her hand. Like an ignited spark it felt like a flame had arched from his palm straight to hers, firing up her arm and through her body until all she felt was a fever in her blood. He pulled her to the riverbank beside him, and she fell into his arms, sweeping her hands around his neck.

  He was warm and welcoming, and as she nestled her cheek into his shoulder she could smell his masculine scent, a pleasant combination of the clean forest air and faint cologne.