Forbidden Bond

by Jessica Lee

  “It helps me think.” He shrugged.

  “You do this often?” She plopped beside him on the couch.

  “On occasion. The dark is quiet, peaceful. It’s good for my head.”

  “I can relate to that.” She cocked a glance in his direction. “I like to ride out by the stream on the back section of the property sometimes. It helps me think.”

  “Is that where you were today?”

  “Yeah. It was nice.” She smiled.

  “I tried to call you but you’d left your cell in the kitchen. You never do that. I was worried.” She watched as Kris did a quick scan of her clothes. “You didn’t go in to work at all today?”

  She shook her head and told her brother about her decision to give Taylor some space, and that she’d contacted a large animal vet from a neighboring town to cover her duties for a while.

  “So where’s my sister been all day?” Before she could react, Kris reached over and yanked on her borrowed and oversized black cardigan, pulling it off one shoulder. “And to whom might this belong?” He chuckled, teasing, a second before his eyes darkened, and he twisted in his seat for a better angle. “Damn! Livvy…what happened to you? That looks like…like something bit you?” His head snapped up, facing her.

  Her stomach did a three-sixty. “No, it doesn’t!” she scoffed and tugged the sweater back in place. Oh, God. A groan stuck in her throat. She was such an awful liar. Especially when it came to her brother. She swung her gaze toward the kitchen. “Man, I’m starving.” Olivia shoved to her feet, buying time for her to think of something and targeted the refrigerator. “I fell this morning and took a hard hit to my shoulder,” she called out, making her escape. Olivia clamped onto her bottom lip with her teeth and opened the fridge, the cool air dousing her heated cheeks.

  “Uh-huh.” The clink of metal and a weighted thump told her Kris was up and coming her way. She looked over her shoulder, sensing his presence in the room. He moved a little quicker and easier now on one crutch since the doctor had given him the go-ahead at his last appointment to bear some weight on his leg.

  “You’re looking good there, Bro.” She smiled and closed the door, a bowl of watermelon chunks in hand.

  “Thanks,” he said, then jerked his spine a little straighter. “And don’t try to change the subject.”

  “I wasn’t changing the subject.” She chuckled. “You’re getting paranoid in your old age.”

  “Yeah.” He shrugged again. “Maybe a little. But that has nothing to do with knowing when my sister is dodging a question.”

  Olivia sat the large bowl on the counter, grabbed a fork from the drawer, and plucked a few pieces into a smaller container. “There’s no dodging going on. I fell,” she stated in her best Ms. Confident voice and faced her brother.

  He shook his head. “That’s your story… Well, let me ask you this. Have you seen Eion today? I waited to notify Game and Fish like he’d asked since he wanted to go talk to this guy, but I haven’t seen or heard from him—”

  The room went mute, and a wave of dizziness swamped her. Olivia grabbed the counter to keep from going face-first into the floor.

  “Shit!” As if someone had plugged the speakers back in on the world, the curse came rushing into her eardrums. She blinked and found Kris at her side. “Are you okay? You looked like you were about to pass out.”

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “I think so…” That’s when it hit her. Olivia clutched her chest as the sudden onslaught of what could only be described as a need for violence coursed through her body. She drew in a shuddering breath.

  Eion.

  It had to be him. When they’d mated, he’d said he believed she would be able to feel their connection strengthen.

  That had been an understatement.

  She sensed rage. Something was seriously wrong.

  Hard pounding at the back door jarred them both. “You’re kind of pale. You sure you’re okay?” Kris gave her shoulder a brief reassuring rub.

  “I’m good.” She nodded. “See who’s at the door.”

  Kris hit her with a frustrated stare then limped over to the back door. “Yeah. I’m coming.” A moment later, he opened the door and found Max on the other side.

  “You’re not going to fucking believe this, sir.” Max glanced up, meeting Olivia’s stare. “Sorry, ma’am, about the language. But they’re back.” He pulled his hat forward off his head, clutching the brim, his knuckles white. “The wolves are back.”

  Oh, God. No. Not so soon.

  That explained what she’d been feeling from Eion. A tremor skittered down her spine. There could be only one reason they were back so quickly after he’d seen his father. They wanted to call Eion out. Deliver their bloody message before his eyes and force him to return.

  But not if she had anything to say about it.

  Olivia darted to her bedroom and jerked the bottom drawer of her nightstand open. The revolver slid forward, gleaming like a lethal black pearl under the lamp light. She rubbed her damp palm against her thigh and lifted the gun from its resting place. Olivia hated the idea of shooting anyone, yet she couldn’t stay inside while her mate fought alone for their right to be together.

  In two minutes flat, she’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt, and shoved her feet into a pair of boots. She yanked a jacket from her closet, slid it on, and stuffed the gun into one of the deep pockets. Olivia dashed from her room and headed through the kitchen.

  “Where are you going?” Kris yelled out as she passed him.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Whoa! Whoa!” He lunged for her.

  At the threshold, she dug in her heels and groaned. She didn’t want Kris to reinjure himself. Olivia glanced over her shoulder. “Eion’s out there, and I’m not letting him handle this alone.” She turned and headed out.

  “You’re going to get yourself hurt or worse!” Kris yelled from the door. “You don’t know for sure he’s even out there. Dammit, Livvy! Wait! What the hell do you think you can do?”

  “Protect our land and the man I love!”

  Kris muttered something in return about her having lost her mind, but she didn’t care. Eion needed her, and she wasn’t going to let him down.

  Spotting Max’s truck, Liv made a sprint for it. Boots thumped the ground behind her. Max was hot on her heels. No way was he or anyone going to stop her. The hum of the truck’s engine reached her ears. Jackpot. He’d left the old Ford running. She jerked the driver’s door open, hauled herself inside, and threw the vehicle into gear. Max closed in as Olivia slammed the door and hit the gas.

  “I’m sorry!” she shouted through the open driver’s window, a cloud of dust kicking up from the tires. “But I have to get out there.”

  With the headlights clicked onto high, Olivia barreled into the dark pasture. “Where are you, Eion?” she muttered to herself. Calm down, Olivia. You’ll find him.

  It wasn’t long before the evidence of what had reinvaded their land found her. Olivia slowed the truck, her high beams striking what remained of another carcass. She shoved her foot onto the brake and popped the vehicle into park.

  Sliding from the truck, she patted her right pocket, the reassuring hard outline of the revolver steadying her nerves. She edged over to the carcass, scanning the dark grasslands around her for any signs of movement. Spooked, her herd had scattered away from the scene of the crime. Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia spotted what looked like another fallen cow. She trotted in its direction. When she got close, the evidence was undeniable—another loss. “You bastards!” She spun, arms wide. “Why can’t you leave us alone?”

  A hard blow slammed into her back, knocking her forward onto the ground. Her chin impacted the hard packed earth with near jaw breaking force, jamming her teeth together. The metallic taste of her own blood leaked over her tongue. Olivia blinked rapidly and rolled over onto her back, gasping for a lung full of air.

  She heard a growl, low and steady. Oh, shit.

  Olivia eased onto her s
ide in the direction of the sound, placing her palms flat onto the ground, ready to bolt. A large wolf, not quite as huge as she remembered Eion to be, crouched about a foot away, teeth bared. Air sawed in and out of Olivia’s chest. Her head roared. From her impact with the ground or fear, she had no idea. Dark eyes glared at her from the beast’s tan, furry head. The size of the animal and the intelligence gleaming back at Olivia told her without a doubt that this was no ordinary wolf.

  Olivia prayed she had the slightest chance in hell to grab her gun in enough time to defend herself. One thing was for sure: she wasn’t going to lay there and let whoever that was kill her.

  One…two…three…go.

  She rolled to her feet, going for the gun.

  “Holy shit!” Where had they come from? As if in a daze, she swiveled her head to the left, then right. At least four other wolves had appeared out of nowhere. She was surrounded. Olivia drove her hand inside her pocket.

  “Now what do you think you’re going after?”

  She jerked her head over her shoulders at the unexpected female voice. But before she could register who it was, someone grabbed her and ripped her jacket from her arms. Olivia spun from the force as her coat hit the ground, and her gaze fell on the familiar face of a nude woman.

  “Tawny?”

  The other woman sneered. “I told Eion how easily human females can break and that he shouldn’t get so overly attached.” The rest of her group released a growl and closed in, creating a tighter circle. Olivia swung her head from side to side, her gaze falling on nothing but glowing eyes, bristling fur, and fangs. Whether they were all shifters, pure wolves, or a mixture of both, she couldn’t tell.

  “By the way, Eion’s too busy at the moment to come running for his little human.”

  Adrenaline flooded Olivia’s veins, making it hard to stand still. Sharp teeth nipped at her leg and she jerked. “Stop!” Tawny waved her comrades back a few steps. “This one is mine.”

  “Why are you doing this, Tawny?” Olivia’s pulse pounded inside her ears. “What have I ever done to you?”

  “What have I ever done to you?” Tawny mocked in a shrill voice. “You puny, pathetic human.” She shook her head. “You have no right to him. Eion is an alpha!” she snapped, her canines flashing. “He was meant for me!” Tawny lunged, shifting in midair. Her paws crashed into Olivia’s chest, claws ripping Olivia’s shirt in half before her back smacked the ground. Air punched from Olivia’s lungs and a loud crack resounded inside her skull. Olivia shook her head. She wouldn’t go down this easy. A loud huff, coming from Tawny’s muzzle, sounded near her ear. In her wolf form, she stood half-on and half-off Olivia’s chest, pinning her to the ground. Olivia reached up and sank her hands into her fur, pushing her back, but the female didn’t budge. Tawny sniffed at the site where Eion had left his mark, and froze, completely enthralled by her find.

  This was Olivia’s chance.

  Tawny released a growl from deep in her gut. Olivia curled her knees in, and fisted her fingers around the mound of fur in her palms. The wolf’s muzzle spread wide, exposing the length of her canines.

  With every ounce of strength Olivia could muster, she cried out, and launched Tawny from her body. The wolf flew back, hitting the ground with an umph. She rolled, and quickly sprung onto all four feet.

  Shit, shit, shit! Olivia scrambled backward on her knees. Where was a hefty dose of Ketamine when she needed it?

  Suddenly another wolf leaped into the circle with a wicked snarl. Her heart skipped a beat. She was a dead woman for sure. The beast came to an abrupt halt, assessing the field around him, its stance challenging. The new guy stood twice the size of the others, his coat darker than midnight. Her skin tingled in recognition of her mate. Eion.

  The small pack growled, yet didn’t advance.

  Movement out of the corner of Olivia’s eye drew her attention. Tawny surged toward her, her attack triggering the others to make their move.

  Olivia threw her arms up, covering her face and bracing for Tawny’s impact. Tawny slammed into her, knocking Olivia onto her back. Olivia kicked at the animal’s underside and used her forearms to deflect the wolf’s head away from her face. Sharp teeth sank into Olivia’s arm, making her cry out. In the distance, snarls and yelps rent the night air. A hard lump lodged in the back of her esophagus, choking her. Not from the fear of her own demise, but for the beautiful soul of her mate.

  Dear God, please don’t let him die.

  A loud blast rocked Olivia’s body and Tawny’s large form collapsed onto her chest. Her brother stood a few feet away, a rifle resting on his shoulder. A warm, wet feeling trickled down Olivia’s side. Several more yelps rang in her ears right before the cries faded as if their source had scattered into the night.

  “Don’t move, Livvy!” her brother shouted. “There’s one more coming your way. He’s a big son-of-a-bitch.”

  A split-second later, her stunned brain cleared, and it dawned on her who he was talking about. “No!” She struggled under the weight of Tawny’s wolf. “Don’t shoot. Dear God, don’t shoot!”

  “What are you saying?” Kris swung back in her direction at the same moment Tawny shimmered, morphing back into her human state. Her brother staggered back and it had nothing to do with his leg.

  “Liv! Oh, fuck!” Eion called out. He crouched beside her, minus any clothing, and helped ease Tawny off of Olivia. The other woman’s limp body rolled onto her back. Blood splattered Olivia’s chest and pooled on the ground beside her. “Oh, shit. Oh, my God.” Eion stroked Olivia’s face and down her shoulders. “Tell me where you’re hurt.”

  She grabbed his hands. “I’m okay. It’s not that bad. I think most of the blood is Tawny’s.” Eion maneuvered around Liv as she rose into a sitting position. He crouched beside Tawny’s still form, a gaping bullet wound near her back. As if she sensed Eion, her eyelids fluttered open.

  “What were you thinking, Tawny?” The pained sound in Eion’s voice tore at Olivia’s heart. “What good could have come from attacking Liv?”

  The other woman’s lips parted, and her face contorted as if the effort was agonizing. “Her gone…I could have you,” she stated, her words barely audible. Tawny reached out and clung to Eion’s arm.

  Slowly, Eion shook his head and peeled her fingers from his flesh. “No, Tawny.” He placed her palm on her bare abdomen. “You couldn’t.” A shallow breath later, her arm slid from her body and struck the grass. Eion leaned over and closed her dark eyes.

  Instinct sent Olivia’s hand over her mouth, but she didn’t know if it was to shield a sigh of relief, or cover a sob about the senseless tragedy.

  “Liv?” Her brother’s voice dragged her back to the world around them. On one crutch, he made his way to her side. “What the hell?” His gaze darted between Olivia and the naked pair next to her. Eion edged over toward her abandoned jacket and wrapped it around his lower half before returning.

  “Did you just…” Kris snapped his jaw shut and started again. “I could have sworn I shot a…” He blinked and then centered his focus on her. “Please tell me you saw those two…change.”

  Eion kneeled next to her. Olivia sighed and cupped his face before turning her attention back to Kris. “It’s a long story, Brother.”

  ***

  Dawn sizzled its fiery streaks across the summer sky as Eion pulled up once more in front of his father’s home. After Tawny’s death, he’d gathered the few shifters who’d lingered behind, injured and dazed after the battle, and made sure they returned Tawny’s remains to her family. There’d been no time for a shower or rest. After he had sent the others on their way, he’d grabbed a pair of jeans, a shirt, and had hit the road.

  He cut the engine, exited the vehicle, and stormed toward the house. The four-hour drive had done little to soothe his rage. It was time to cross the line and he knew there would be no coming back. There wasn’t any other way to make it stop—to find happiness with the woman he loved. She deserved better than this. So much dam
n better than the ugly baggage he’d brought to their mating.

  Ms. Agatha must have heard his approach and opened the door before he could enter.

  “Mr. Mandrake. It’s good to see you again so soon.”

  “I need to see my father.” He marched past her and aimed for the alpha’s office.

  “Your brother is here as well this morning,” she called out behind him. “He’s with your father now.”

  “Perfect,” he growled. He couldn’t have planned it better.

  Eion seized the handle to his father’s door and barged inside. His brother, Tristan, stood in front of the alpha’s desk, his knuckles pressed to the surface. He whipped around at the loud bang, his features tight with what appeared to be anger.

  “Good!” Eion strolled further into the room, the leash on his rage frayed at the edges. “I’m glad to see you’re both here so I don’t have to repeat myself.”

  “Damn, man,” Tristan began. “You look like shit.” He stepped forward. “I’m so sorry. I just heard about what our father and Tawny cooked up for last night.” His gaze narrowed on Eion, sincerity reflecting in his eyes. “Is your human female okay?”

  “She’ll be fine,” Eion replied. “It’s Tawny who had to pay the price for their little scheme.”

  Cyrus pushed from his seat and stood. “What do you mean?” he bellowed.

  Tristan turned to face their elder, and Eion moved to stand in front of the desk. “Thanks to you, she’s dead,” he bit out. “Several members of our pack are seriously injured.” Eion slammed his fist onto the glass. The sharp tips of his canines scraped his lower lip, and with his face still smeared with dried blood, no doubt he looked like a crazed beast. “You forced me to attack our own. You fed Tawny’s jealously until she broke and struck out at Liv. For what?” He cried out, “She ended up with a bullet in her back.” Eion dropped his head, no longer able to stare into the face of the monster that was his father. “Did either you or Tawny honestly think I’d want anything to do with you after you hurt the people I care about?”

  “You left us no choice,” his father said.