by Sam Crescent
“Do you think I can’t kill you?” Misty asked snarling.
Titania stayed on the floor. She couldn’t run for cover or beg to be let out of the room. There was no other choice other than for her to witness what was about to happen.
“I know you can’t. You see, Misty, you’re weak. There is nothing good about you at all and that is why I’ll beat you. Tonight, you’ll die at my hands and I’ll laugh on your fucking corpse.”
“My men will find you and hurt you.”
Cade laughed. “The Eagles came to the house and begged for us to spare them, Misty. They couldn’t stomach what you’d made them do. You’re the monster here and the men helping you.”
“We didn’t do anything,” Misty said.
This was new for Titania to hear. It almost sounded like the other woman was begging to be spared.
Her man wasn’t listening. Cade advanced in the room. His movements were silent. Each step he took was light. “You got the sick bastards to rape and torture our women. I saw Tabitha. She’s a good woman and a great fighter and yet she looked broken. The only justice for what you’ve done is knowing I’ll be the one to kill you.”
Misty hit first, slapping her fist against Cade’s face. He didn’t go down. The battle was on. Titania rested her head on her hands. The stale stench of the carpet beneath her turned her head. Cade threw the other woman into the wall. Misty cried out in pain.
“No one touches my pack or my woman.”
Another hit, a jab and screams filled Titania’s ears. She wanted to block all the sounds out. It was terrifying to hear.
Don’t look. Don’t look.
The sound of a neck snapping and Misty’s breathing stopped. Lifting up, Titania turned to the side and watched Misty’s body fall to the floor. The other woman was dead.
Titania looked up to see Cade staring at her. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”
“I don’t care. She hurt me and the pack. I heard what she was doing. Misty likes the pain and she can’t hurt anyone else.”
Cade pulled her into his arms.
She cried out. Her legs were useless.
“Micah.” Cade yelled the word and she heard them running. In no time at all the room was surrounded with their men. They gasped when they saw her legs. She must look a fright. Titania couldn’t bring herself to look at them.
“I’m dying,” she said, looking at Cade.
“No, you’re not.”
“I can’t turn at all. I’m not going to last much longer. The blood is…” She couldn’t finish her words.
“I can change her,” Micah said.
“I love you, Cade. If I don’t survive, I want you to know I love you.” She saw his jaw clench.
“The next time I tell you my feelings you’ll be waking up in my bed.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cade sat beside Titania’s bedside several days later wondering if she would ever wake up. After she’d been turned into a wolf, she’d simply laid on the ground and slept. In the morning he’d woken beside her in human form to see her still asleep. Not knowing what to do with her, he’d picked her up and carried her inside.
She still hadn’t woken up. He hated not knowing what was wrong with her. Her body was healed and her legs were fixed. Charlotte, David and the rest of the pack visited her constantly. He was surprised by their support. All of them were deeply indebted to her.
In the meantime, they’d rounded up the remainder of the Eagle pack. They were no longer any threat to Rock Wood or the pack. The ones who worked for Misty were put to death. The men they killed were too dangerous to let go. Cade followed his pack and, seeing the state their women had been in, it was more than a fitting punishment. Tabitha was healing slowly. She’d been beaten and raped during her capture. Cade sensed her strength and knew in time she’d pull through. All the pack had banded together and they were stronger than ever. Over fifty residents were currently living in the house. Their members had returned when they heard the news of the damage done to their own.
David spent the most time with Titania. When Cade couldn’t stay, the other man was waiting to take his place.
“Come on, you’ve got to wake up, baby. I need you.” Cade spoke the words against her hands. Tears filled his eyes and fell down onto her arm.
Someone cleared their throat and Cade looked around to see David waiting. He carried his laptop. David was looking down at the floor.
“She’s not responding,” Cade said, turning back to his woman. The bruising was disappearing but slowly.
“Titania will make it through. She loves you, Cade.”
“Loves me? I’ve never given her any reason to love me.” Cade rubbed at his face, trying to hide the tears.
“I saw the way she smiled the last few days. When you took her for training she was so happy to be spending time with you. She loves you a lot. You have to believe that.” David placed a hand on his shoulder.
His first instinct was to push him away. He didn’t. Cade sat there looking at his woman and felt empty inside. She was his only reason for existing.
“I failed her. I promised to protect her and look what I did.”
“You didn’t do this. Misty and her thugs did this. Titania begged me to run. She told me you’d come. Even in pain she thought about you, Cade. She trusts you. What happened is no one’s fault. Misty made her choice a long time ago. I’ve looked at her room and nothing any of us could do would have stopped her. This was her decision and she paid the ultimate price.”
“Death was too kind,” Cade said. He stood up and faced her friend. “I’m needed.”
“Yeah, work needs to be done to prepare for your mating.”
Biting his lip, Cade didn’t speak. He leaned down and kissed her warm lips. “I’ll be back soon.”
Stroking her hair, Cade left her in the capable hands of David.
He passed several pack members who nodded in his direction and sent words of encouragement his way. Cade smiled as best he could and made his way into the study where Micah and the others stood.
“How is she?” Micah asked.
“There’s no change. David is with her now. I thought she’d wake up by now. I don’t know what else to do.” Cade ran fingers through his hair. He hadn’t gotten around to getting it cut and the length was down to his neck.
“She’ll come around. Titania is a lot stronger than we gave her credit for,” Jordan said. His words offered Cade little comfort.
“For the first time in my life I wished she’d run away. Misty got one of her goons to beat her to the point she broke her legs and was bleeding out.” Cade swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Yeah, she’s brave but I wish she had run away and maybe she wouldn’t be lost to me at the moment.” Shaking his head, Cade turned back to Micah. “How’s Tabitha?”
“She’s doing fine. She spends a lot of time in the garden looking around. The men don’t go near her. Their presence unnerves her. I’ve organized the apartment block in town to take some of our people. David will be leaving in a couple of days. He’s dealing with the money to fund the place. I need you to go and do a recon on the town and the apartment building. I want to make sure everything is above board. Also, Charlotte wants to know about her parents and if they’re okay. Will you do that for me?” Micah asked.
“Consider it done.”
Jordan, Wilson, Paul, and Peter filed out of the room. Cade headed in the same direction when his alpha called him back.
He stood in front of Micah, waiting for him to speak.
“You could be alpha of this pack. You’re a lot stronger than I am and if it really came down to it you’d win in a fair fight.”
“So?”
“Why haven’t you ever challenged me for the pack? It could be yours.”
Cade burst out laughing. “Micah, I’ve got the skill and the strength to be alpha but I don’t have everything else.”
“What do you mean?”
“I love this pack. I don’t want the responsi
bility of running it. I’m not cut to be that kind of leader. Send me out in a fight and I’m your guy. These wolves need more than a fighter sitting at the top. Rock Wood needs you, Micah. You can handle this and my loyalty is to you. If you’re thinking of stepping down then I’m taking my woman and I’m out of here. I don’t want your pack and I’ll fight to the day I die keeping you at the top.”
“You confuse me, Cade. I thought you wanted to be alpha. I’d gladly give it to you. It’s your choice.”
He slapped his alpha on the shoulder. “Micah, you’re the alpha and I’ll fight for you but come between me and my woman then you’ve got an issue. Enjoy the hot seat. It’s yours.”
Walking away, Cade felt relaxed. The tension between him and Micah had been annoying him. He didn’t want the pack. He never wanted the pack. Rock Wood was his home, the pack was his family, and now that he had Titania, everything was perfect.
All he needed was for her to bloody wake up.
* * * *
Titania opened her eyes and saw David tapping away at his computer. For several minutes she watched him working. There was a frown marring his perfectly handsome face. Her friend had always been easy on the eye.
He glanced up at her before returning back to his work. She smiled as he paused, looked back up and immediately went to her. The laptop he was working on fell to the floor. He grabbed her hand, sitting on the bed as he did.
“You’re awake.”
“Yeah, I’m awake.”
David kissed her knuckles.
“I think you killed your laptop.” Her voice sounded hoarse to her.
“I don’t care about the laptop. I can’t believe you’re awake. I didn’t think you were ever waking up.” His arms wrapped around her. Titania laughed.
“I fooled you all.” She held him close, breathing in his scent. The scent of the pack surrounded him. “Where is Cade?” she asked.
“He’s out on an errand. Shit, I better call him.”
“No, don’t call him. I want to surprise him.” She stopped him from telling Cade and forced him to tell her everything she missed in the last few days.
While she’d been asleep she heard all the conversations around her. It was like she was awake but couldn’t open her eyes to tell anyone she was fine. Listening to Cade’s heartfelt apologizes and gut wrenching sobs had been hard.
“So no one has killed each other.”
“Shit, you’re awake.” Charlotte charged into the bedroom and jumped on her. Titania took her weight and smiled.
“Yeah, I’m awake. You can’t tell Cade. I want to surprise him. He’s been suffering too much lately,” Titania said.
“You seem fine. You sound fine. Are you fine?” Charlotte asked.
“It’s weird, isn’t it? I’ve been out of it for a few days but I feel good. Great even. I’m glad to be getting back.”
David and Charlotte took a seat by her. She threw the blanket off and gazed down at her legs. Running her hands over her thighs and knees, she was surprised to feel the movement.
Swinging them over the side of the bed she stepped up and away from the bed. Her legs worked perfectly fine. She breathed a sigh of relief before collapsing to the bed. Now all she needed was Cade to come home.
“Cade should be home within the hour,” Charlotte said. “He’s been going crazy without you. He loves you so much. It’s amazing to see.”
“I love him, too.”
“We’ve been preparing your mating for next week. The full moon will be up then. Is that okay?” David asked.
“That would be perfect.” She lay back on the bed and listened to them talk about the preparations for her upcoming mating. She was so excited to be Cade’s woman that she didn’t care about anything else.
When the front door slammed, Titania heard Cade’s booming voice. “I’m going to Titania and then shower. If you need me, wait.”
She settled the sheet around her and closed her eyes. Seconds later Cade entered the room.
“Hey, how’s she doing?” Cade asked.
“She’ll come around soon. I need to go and check on dinner,” Charlotte said, disappearing.
Their queen had never been good at lying.
“There’s no change.” David kept tapping on the laptop he’d broken. It took every ounce of willpower not to smirk.
“I’ll shower and then you can go do whatever you want.”
“Okay.”
She heard the door to the bathroom close. Opening her eyes, she saw David leaving. He shut the door behind them, giving her and Cade much-needed privacy.
Pulling her clothes off, Titania walked into the bathroom. Cade stood underneath the shower head. She saw his outline through the curtain. Taking a deep breath, she slowed her movements and climbed in behind him.
Before she could say anything Cade grabbed her chest and pinned her to the wall.
“Who are you? Titania?”
“You’ve answered your own questions there.” She pressed a hand to his chest. “I love you, Cade.”
His hand went from her chest up to cup her face then sank into her hair. He pulled her head back until he was looking into her eyes. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“I wasn’t lost. I was being fixed.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his body.
“I love you so much.” Cade slammed his lips down on hers within seconds. She didn’t get a chance to grow accustomed to him. He lifted her up in his arms, pressed her against the cold tile and slammed deep inside her.
She gasped. Her pussy wasn’t ready for such a thick invasion.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, baby.” He fingered her clit drawing out her pleasure. She moaned, holding onto his shoulders as he held her up. In no time at all she was wet enough to accept him. He thrust inside deep, rocking inside her.
Cade kissed her lips, her neck, her eyes. His only intention was to make sure she was there. She sensed desperation within him.
“I’m here, Cade.”
“I’m not ever letting you go. You’ll be the mother of my babies. The light of my life. You’ll be everything to me.” Cade pounded inside her as he spoke.
Titania was unable to look away. “Yeah, I’ll be everything and you’ll be my everything?”
“I’ve always been yours. From the moment we first met it was only a matter of time before you were mine. There has never been any other woman for me.”
She glanced down to his chest where the red heart tattoo on his chest was. Her name was written in the center. “When did you get this done?” she asked.
“I’ve been getting it inked over the past few days. We heal too fast and I have to have it done repeatedly.”
They panted together as Cade fucked her hard and deep against the wall. She held on, unable to do anything but let him ride her.
Together they reached their peak. She cried out as he growled in pleasure. His cock jerked inside her, washing her womb with his seed.
Cade stroked her cheek. “Titania would you do me the pleasure of mating with me and spending the rest of our life together?”
She kissed his hand. “Yes.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I can’t be there when you mate. Micah doesn’t want me too close to danger in case some of the Eagles lose control. It’s their first turning of the full moon with the pack. Micah wants to see how they handle themselves,” Charlotte said.
Titania smiled at her friend, who was brushing her hair. “I understand. I wouldn’t want you in danger any more than you already are, Charlotte. I saw your mating. It was beautiful and I’m sure there will be many more mating couples to come.” She tried to make Charlotte feel better. The other woman was suffering with pregnancy hormones and Micah had stopped her doing a lot of things. Titania wasn’t surprised that her friend was getting irritable.
Charlotte secured the last flower into her hair. The white daisy contrasted with her raven hair.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Charlott
e asked. “Mating is intense and taking it there is a little uncomfortable at first.”
The blush wouldn’t stop but Titania brushed aside her friend’s concerns. “Cade loves me. He’ll make everything bearable. He promised.”
Cade hadn’t gone near her anus ever since she’d agreed to become him mate. She was a little nervous about it. Charlotte had told her how Micah prepared her for being claimed there.
She stood up and looked in the mirror. The white negligee she wore didn’t hide a thing. The fabric was clear and she saw her breasts and the dark outline of her pubic hair.
“You look beautiful.”
A knock at the door interrupted Charlotte.
“Come in.”
“It’s time to go, Titania. Cade’s waiting for you.” David appeared. He wore a robe and would be the man to take her down to Cade.
“All right.” She gave Charlotte a hug and then made her way out of the room and out of the house. They walked together to the line of the forest.
“Are you ready for this? Mating is for life, not just for fun,” David said.
“I love Cade. I’m ready to spend the rest of my life with him. You never know, you might be the one up here next.”
“I doubt it. It’s a nice thought though.” He let out a sigh. “I’ll leave you here. The pack will be around but not in sight.”
Titania nodded. There was nothing else she could do or say. Wrapping her arms around him, she felt him soften against her. “Have fun.”
In the next moment David was gone. She stood surrounded by trees. The ground was cold under her foot.
“You look beautiful,” Cade said. Titania turned to see Cade leaning against a tree. He was naked as the day he was born. Opening her arms wide she twirled for him to look.
“Thank you.”
He stalked toward her. Cade reached out, stroking her hair. “How did I get so lucky?” She never knew what to say when he made statements like that.
Cade moved his hand down to the strap of her negligee. He eased the strap down her arm and did the same with the other arm. She stared into his eyes even when she felt the cool breeze across her naked breasts.