The host tapped Lelani on the shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.
“Lady Lioness, your table is ready, right this way.” With Clint perched on her shoulder, Lelani followed the host into the main restaurant. When they stopped at the table with the narcissus bearing man, Lelani could not have been more shocked. The host pulled Lelani’s chair out, while the handsome man stood up.
“Glenn will be your server this evening. I hope you enjoy your meal.” The host gave the table a little half bow and walked back towards her podium at the front of the restaurant.
“Ahem.” Clint cleared his throat, and settling on the edge of the table, introduced the couple. “Jack Currian, may I have the pleasure of introducing Lelani, the lioness of history. Lelani, this is Jack, first born of the claw.” Jack took her hand and kissed it.
“See, I told you he’s perfect.” Clint told her in a stage whisper. Lelani greeted the werewolf, accepting the bouquet of narcissus, which she realized had been wrapped in parchment. “That’s very thoughtful Jack, thank you. Will you please excuse me for just a moment? I have to use the ladies room.”
Picking up the fairy by his collar, Lelani marched to the ladies restroom. Plunking her erstwhile matchmaker on the counter, she began to touch up her makeup.
“That is a werewolf, Clint.”
“Well yes, of course he’s a werewolf. Didn’t I just say that when I introduced you?” the fairy answered, obviously confused.
“Yes, you did. Did you bother to run a background check on this guy?” Lelani asked. “Well of course I did.” The little fairy said, perturbed. “He is from a very old noble family of werewolves living in Eastern Europe. He hasn’t managed to find his bride yet, and he was taking some heat from his old man. So he moved out here.”
“Listen here, mister. The first guy you set me up with tried to enchant me. The second man insulted me. If this werewolf tries to eat me, or glamour me, or do anything else vaguely evil I am coming after you. I will lock you up in the largest book of fey history I can find, and not let you out for five hundred years! Don’t think for a second that I won’t do it. I’m not the proclaimer for nothing!” Lelani snapped her handbag shut and spun on her heel.
From behind her, she heard Clint’s voice. “Dang it…This had better work.” Heading back to the table, she plastered a pleasant smile on her face, and prepared for the worst.
Her memories were interrupted by Jack as he snapped his fingers.
“I want you to eat something.” Jack said.
“I’m not eating anything. All I need to know is why you have kidnapped me?” she said.
Jack liked Lelani the first time he saw her hunting. No one saw him watch her. He had been looking for a way to meet her but it was impossible. She was highly protected by her sister Luna. His plan for making his pack more powerful than Seth’s was about to come true once he could mate with Lelani. He risked his life to take her from the cabin and was ready to explain to his father why he did it. He always wanted to be strong and lead his people after his father.
“I only wanted to protect you,” he answered. He wanted her to love him not to see him as a mate. He was the perfect man for her. He looked at her with pain in his heart, he never wanted to profess his love to her in this kind of situation.
“From what?” she was curious. Gideon pulled Jack to the side. He was nervous of the war that was coming. Lelani trembled with fear, she now realized why her sister warned her not to go out by herself. Tears fell down her cheeks.
“Are you sure you want to lock her here?” Gideon asked.
“I want her to be mine, don’t tell my father anything, let me be the one to talk to him.” He said.
“You should have kidnapped her sister not her, she’s a helpless lioness who will only bring you trouble.”
“I only want her, I have my reasons why.”
“Okay.” He went back to check on Lelani. She looked vulnerable.
“Please let me go back and I swear I won’t tell anyone about this,” she pleaded. Jack wanted to let her go but he couldn’t let the Steel Fangs rule.
“I promise I will never hurt you.” He tried to hold her hand but she moved. She was not ready to be here and would do anything to escape. She realized Jack had feelings for her. He was the only way for her to escape. If she could use the seshat powers on him then he would become her slave.
“I’m doing okay,” she pretended. She wanted to act normal and gain his and everyone’s trust.
“I will protect you with my life if you let me.” He touched her hand and this time she didn’t resist. She felt at ease and he knew she trusted him.
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
“I only want you to stay here and feel at home. You will get anything you want. I will assign someone to help you and stay with you. My sister will be the one taking care of you. I’m not your enemy, I want to be your friend.” He kissed her hand. She pretended to smile at him.
“It’s okay, I will behave if you don’t do anything stupid.” She warned him. She had a plan and had to execute it soon.
Chapter Two
Luna Winter stalked through the dark night forest. Her soft, padded feet made no noise as she moved through the undergrowth. Her pitch black fur made her invisible in the darkness. Nothing with eyes to see or ears to hear would know she was moving through the mountainous woods tonight. She was well within Steel Fang territory now. She couldn’t afford to be stopped until she had made it to the pack’s alpha, Rodney McKenzie. Upwind a Steel Fang pack member stood sentry up high on a cliff. She must be getting close to McKenzie’s cabin now.
The light breeze which had been blowing from the west shifted slightly, blowing now from the north-west. Luna swore silently. Soon, her lion scent would be carried to the sentry on the cliff, as well as any of his pack mates, who might be stationed throughout the woodland. Luna picked up speed, loping through the woods. A lone howl echoed through the forest, quickly joined by others. The pack had caught her scent. This close to the alpha’s home, they would be on her in no time. A distant light peeked at her through the trees. There, that must be the cabin. The howling grew louder, and Luna could hear the pounding of canine feet close behind her.
Sparing no reserves Luna ran for the cabin, as if it were hellhounds chasing her, rather than a pack of werewolves. Her heart pounded as the pack began to catch up. Lions were meant for powerful, swift sprints which ended quickly. She was not built for a marathon run. Still she could not allow herself to be caught, Lelani was counting on her. The light from the cabin became brighter. Luna could see the clearing of the yard just ahead of her. A pair of snapping jaws lunged at her from behind. Luna could feel the wolf’s warm breath on her heels as she barely sidestepped the attack. There in front of her, a small semicircle of wolves stood in the cabin’s yard. In the middle and slightly behind them, a massive white wolf stood calmly staring at her. There he was. Luna knew without a doubt that had to be McKenzie.
The air was full of growling and snarling as Luna raced into the clearing. It was clear the Steel Fangs did not appreciate her presence. Too bad for them, she thought to herself. Luna had no time for any of them but the alpha. The semicircle of wolves began to move forward when they realized Luna was not about to slow down. If she couldn’t get to McKenzie in time, she was good as dead. Using her forward momentum, Luna leapt towards the huge white wolf, clearing his pack members with ease. She landed on the ground in front of him with a thump and released her transformation. Now she lay before him, naked and completely vulnerable. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a massive grey wolf, only slightly smaller than McKenzie himself, on a collision course with her. Luna screamed out “Sanctuary, Alpha” just as the enormous beast hit her.
The wolf pinned her with his bulk. Although she had been expecting to be attacked, Luna felt no teeth sink in to her exposed flesh. She could feel the wolf’s body shake with a deep, throaty growl. “That’s enough Sampson.” A powerful, authoritative voice washed
over the clearing. “You know full well I honor a request for asylum. Let the lady up, I believe she is already fully aware of your displeasure.” With a final growl Sampson moved off of her, exposing her naked body to the chilly night air. Luna shivered as she stared at the alpha’s bare feet. She could feel his eyes on her body. Luna didn’t dare look up at his face. She didn’t want any of the pack to think she was making a show of dominance.
She watched as McKenzie slid a pair of jeans on over his bare feet. “Come inside, she-cat. You can explain to me why you came all this way, into the heart of my territory, without my permission.” Luna took the hand the alpha extended, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. For the first time, Luna looked into the face of the man she had pinned all her hopes upon. The rumors she’d heard of his good looks had not been exaggerations. Rodney McKenzie was the epitome of everything a powerful were male ought to be: well muscled, with chiseled features and deep expressive eyes. Authority rolled off of him in waves. Refusing to be intimidated by him, Luna rolled back her shoulders and tilted her head up. McKenzie quirked a half smile at her show of spirit and turning, walked into the cabin. She followed the alpha into the house, walking as regally as an ancient queen.
Once they were inside, the alpha threw Luna an old t-shirt, which she snatched out of the air. Not surprisingly, the shirt smelled of him. How like an alpha, Luna thought to herself, to make a claim on a newcomer with his scent. She smoothly pulled on the t-shirt, which fell to her mid thigh. She ran a hand through her ebony hair, trying to bring it back to some semblance of order. Nudity never bothered her, but messiness certainly did. McKenzie watched her ministrations with a look of bland amusement as he sat down on a leather arm chair. “Would you like a brush, she-cat?” He asked chuckling. “No, I’m fine, Alpha.” She said and dropping her hand from her hair, sniffed daintily.
A few members of the pack had filed in to the cabin after them. They were probably the most senior ranking, Luna thought, judging by their postures. While there were two women in the small group, Luna noted with relief that neither of them took a position next to McKenzie. That meant the pack still had no alpha female. Her information had been correct. Luna waited patiently, until all the pack members had settled around the room, arranging themselves informally around their leader. “My name is Luna Winter; I am a daughter of the line of Nubia.” The alpha’s eyebrow rose in surprise, and from somewhere in the room, one of his subordinates gave an appreciative whistle. Luna had known that would get their attention. The line of Nubia was one of the eldest, rarest, and most coveted were blood lines in existence. They had been named after an Egyptian goddess of knowledge, whom they were all descended from through a matriarchal line. To the best of her knowledge, Luna and her sister Lelani were the last two remaining Nubia females in North America capable of bearing young. Ultimately, that was the cause of their problem.
“I have come to you ask for your help, Alpha. My sister has been taken against her will. I need your aid, and that of your pack, to rescue her. In exchange for your assistance…” Luna took a breath to steady her nerves, and started again. “In exchange for your assistance, I will submit myself to you, and bear your young.” For a moment the room was utterly silent from shock, and then every pack member was speaking at once. Luna let the noise wash over her. She was only interested in Rodney McKenzie’s reaction. He remained silent, watching her speculatively in his turn.
Finally the other werewolves simmered down. “This is crazy, Rodney.” The man who sat nearest McKenzie snorted indignantly. “How do we know this feline is telling us the truth? Can she prove any of what she says?”
“Sampson has a point, she-cat.” The alpha said to her coolly. “Can you prove to us you are who you claim to be?”
Luna nodded brusquely. She had expected her claims to be met with some disbelief. She walked over to Sampson, and grasped his meaty wrist in one elegant hand. Closing her eyes, Luna allowed her ancestral power to take over. Her mind was filled with knowledge of the man whose wrist she held. She filtered through all of the information for some memory she could use, something a stranger would never know. “When you were eight, you were on a little league baseball team, you played in the outfield. Late in the ninth inning, you made a running catch for a fly ball. You tripped over a gopher hole and broke your right ankle. However, you still managed to catch the ball, and won the game for your team. You refused to let your father take you to the hospital until you had gotten celebratory ice cream with your team. You had chocolate with strawberry sauce.”
Sampson swore quietly. “I regret my hasty words lady. Rodney, I withdraw my objections.”
Luna let go of Sampson’s wrist and opened her eyes. The room was spinning around her, using her power in this manner was always draining. Having to use it on a were was even worse. She took a hesitant step towards McKenzie, but her shaky legs couldn’t carry her. In an instant, Luna found herself wrapped in the Alpha’s powerful arms. “The rest of you may leave. Luna and I have much to discuss.” The statement was clearly not a suggestion. The rest of the werewolves quickly filed out of the cabin, and soon the two were alone. McKenzie carefully placed Luna on his couch, and then drew a warm blanket over her. Then he knelt in front of her, so that their heads were even.
“Why are you here, Luna?” The werewolf asked her quietly. “I realize you need help, but why come to me, specifically? You don’t even know me.” Closing her eyes, so she wouldn’t have to watch his head spin around her, Luna answered. “You are the alpha of a powerful pack. You have the resources I need to help my sister. My contacts tell me you are an honorable man, once you give your word, you don’t go back on a promise.” She paused for a moment and then continued. “Plus you are unmated- you have no young, though pack dynamics will soon require you to have them. I need a sire for my children. I will not allow my lineage to die off.” She opened her eyes and stared into his eyes. “I cannot allow my line to die off. Please, Alpha McKenzie, help me.”
Chapter Three
“Call me Rodney.” He told her. Closing her eyes again, Luna sighed and nodded her head. “Does that mean you are going to help me, Rodney?” she asked him quietly. Instead of answering her, he asked her another question. “Who has your sister?” Luna told him. “Jack Currian took her last night from our house in town.” “The son of James Currian, leader of the Crimson Claw?” he asked quietly. Luna nodded in confirmation, and then sitting up, explained what had happened. “Lelani met him at a local bar. Rumors had been floating around about who we were. Jack got Lelani drunk, and she accidentally showed him what she was. Our power is harder to control when we aren’t sober. A woman of Nubia was too large of a temptation for him. He knew he couldn’t take me, so he waited until I was out hunting. Then he and a few of his cronies took Lelani. He left me a note telling me that he had taken her as his bride, and warned me if I tried anything, his father would come for me.” She shook her head.
“No wonder you came to me.” Rodney snorted. “James owes me big, and Jack should know better than to try to kidnap a bride this close to my territory. It should take him most of a day to get her back to the claw’s land. More if she fights him, and he won’t claim her until his father sanctions the match.” The werewolf sighed. “You are right though, a mate with that sort of power is hard to turn down or give up. He won’t let her go, unless I can lay down a lot of pressure.” “Pressure you can’t exert on our behalf, unless Lelani is considered under pack law to be family.” Luna confirmed. “If you take me as your mate, then Lelani is your sister in law. She falls under your protection. James Currian won’t risk war between the two packs for one woman, especially when she is being held against her will.”
Luna continued. “I realize that a lion may not seem like an ideal mate for an alpha werewolf. If you just give me a chance…” Rodney cut her off. “You’ve made your point, Luna. You’re right- the best way to save your sister is to extend Steel Fang’s protection to her as my sister in law. You’re also correct that I need t
o take a mate. Sampson and the others have been bothering me about it for months now. I’m not sure a lioness is what they had in mind… but as I said, a woman of Nubia is hard to turn down. If this is what you want, then I swear I will do as you ask. I will take you as my mate, and then make sure your sister is returned safely. Come with me.” He held out his hand to her, and Luna took it. Silently, Rodney led her out of the living room and down the short hall to his bedroom. Luna’s heart was pounding wildly in her chest. He didn’t stop until they were standing in front of his bed. “Are you sure this is what you want?” He asked her. Luna nodded her head, and to make sure he understood, brushed her lips against his. She heard Rodney rumble deep in his throat as her innate magic brushed over him.
Pressing her tightly against him, Rodney deepened the kiss. Luna relaxed, letting her power flow through her. Rather than trying to forcibly pick out information, she let the Nubia tell her what to do to please him. This was what the power was intended for, what made a woman of her lineage so valued as a mate. She would become his perfect lover, molding her actions and reactions to his needs. In turn she received his passion back through her magical link to him.
He tried to walk away but she held him back by the arm. Their chests met and he felt like dying. This was empowering to him. She looked him directly in the eyes, all the shyness was gone. She wondered why she never felt like this with anyone before. She was always shy around men and now she understood why she was still single for a long time. She was not letting him go; this was the chance she was waiting for. She moved closer to him seductively. He was trembling as she moved closer to him. He held her by the waist and kissed her lightly on the lips. She tried to hide her fears so he could not see it. He smiled as he looked at her. She leaned on the chair as he removed her clothes.
ROMANCE: SHAPESHIFTER ROMANCE: Dragon Baller's Bride (Dragon Shifter Alpha Male Romance) (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) Page 79