by Flynn, Donna
“Not really. I just needed some space to think about things,” she said with a sigh.
Mason sat back on his elbows and stared out across the water, sensing her unease. “I suppose this has to do with the fact that you will all be leaving to head back to your home pack soon.”
“Yeah, it seems we are going to be leaving sooner than expected.”
“Is that a bad thing? I thought you were excited about bonding with Alec.” She turned and looked at him, her green eyes shimmering with tears, and he felt his heart ache for her. He had followed her for a long time, learning about pack life as she did and watching her struggles with her mate. He knew she loved Alec with all of her being, but he could see she feared the future that was rushing up to greet her far sooner than she had thought it would. He didn’t blame her. He too had no real experience with being part of a pack, so he could sympathize with how she must be feeling.
Mercy sighed. “It’s just all happening so quick. I mean, I love Alec, and I can’t wait to start our life together, but I thought we would have years before he stepped up as Alpha of his pack, not months. What if I screw up? What if I can’t be the mate he needs?”
Mason sat up and placed his arm around her shoulders as her loud sobs filled the air, offering the comforting shoulder of a friend. He lifted her chin so she was staring up at him and smiled encouragingly. “You are a survivor, and Alec is lucky to have you by his side. I don’t know much about pack life, but from what I have seen of him and his pack, they are good, caring people. Besides, you won’t be alone, your brothers and Alec will be there with you.”
“I know you’re right, but it’s all so overwhelming. A year ago, I thought the biggest thing I was going to have face after graduation was college. This is so different from what I had envisioned back then. I mean, within months I am going to be bonded to the Alpha of one of the largest packs in the United States. Alec needs someone who is capable by his side and although I am more confident in my Were side, I am not exactly an expert at pack living. What if I can’t cope with being part of the pack? What if it turns out that I can’t be what he needs?” Before Mason could answer she went on. “If I can’t do this, he will be stuck with me for the rest of his existence. I will be a burden that he will grow to resent and that will kill any love he once felt for me.”
Mason felt for her. She was so young and had so little experience in the world of the werewolves that it had to be overwhelming for her to consider how much her life was going to change once they were bonded. “If you are not ready, then maybe you should wait. If Alec loves you,” she looked ready to protest and he raised his hand, “and I know he does, he would do that for you.”
Mercy chewed her lip, unsure whether to tell him the real reason they were rushing the Bonding Ceremony. She liked Mason, but they had only been friends a short time and the fact she was a Born Were was a secret only a select few knew about, so she wasn’t entirely sure she should confide in him. That thought gave her pause. If they didn’t tell anyone what she was then how did the council find out about her? Who could have told them? She realized immediately that she needed to speak to Alec about her concerns. “I have to go.” Mercy stood abruptly and looked down on the male who still sat upon the rock looking up at her with concern. “Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder, but I need to talk to Alec.”
“Good luck,” Mason said, laying back on the rock.
“Yeah, I think I am going to need it,” she murmured before taking off through the dense forest, towards the house where she knew Alec would be waiting for her return.
*****
Alec sat for over an hour before he began pacing the porch, worry for Mercy making him tense and out of sorts. He had known she would need time to process everything, but he feared that maybe they were pushing her too hard. That she would freak out if things kept piling up on her young shoulders.
“Son, she is not the kind of girl who runs from things. Mercy will face this, as she has every challenge so far,” Gregory said from the chair where he sat, watching his son pacing worriedly.
“How much more can she take?” He ran his hand through his shoulder-length hair in frustration. “Every time we finally find peace, something else happens to test our relationship. I’m worried that she’s going to decide it’s just too much.”
Gregory knew he was wrong. Mercy was no longer a child that he needed to protect. She had grown into a fine young female werewolf. She didn’t hide from a challenge and faced things head on. He just wished his son could see what he did about his mate. Although it was clear she was an adult, in some ways Alec still treated her like a child. He was always sheltering her from the things that might upset her, when he should be helping her accept those things instead. “Mercy loves you, she has proven that time and time again, and if you don’t get that by now you never will.”
Alec stopped pacing and turned to his father. “I don’t doubt that she loves me, I just worry I am asking for too much, too soon.”
“Maybe, but are you willing to take the risk of letting the Elders decide her fate?”
Before he could answer, Mercy burst out of the tree line running headlong towards them, putting them both instantly on alert. Alec jumped off the porch and ran towards her, alert for any sign of trouble, pulling her into his arms as soon as she was close enough for him to grab hold of her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, holding her protectively in his arms.
“The Elders,” she panted.
“What about them?” Gregory said as he reached their side.
“How did they find out about me?”
Gregory looked to Alec and they both swore openly. “Get her inside so she can clean up. I will do a little digging and get back to you.”
“What is going on?” she asked as Alec walked her towards the porch.
“Someone in our circle must have told them and until we find out who it is, I want you close to me or your brothers at all times.”
“Who could it be? I mean the only people who know what I am are family and close friends. I can’t imagine any of them telling the council.”
Alec couldn’t either, but werewolf politics were tricky. If someone wanted to take over his pack the surest way to do so was to make sure he lost his mate. Without Mercy, there was no way he could be Alpha: she was his strength, his reason for living, and everyone close to them knew that. Suddenly everyone around them became a suspect and he wasn’t sure how they were going to weed out the traitor, but he knew once they did, he would deal with them swiftly and severely. No one was going to put his mate in danger and live to tell about it.
Chapter Three
“Come on, Mercy, at least try to have fun. You only get to go to your senior prom once,” Gina said as they tried on dresses at small boutique just outside of town. She spun around; the sequins of the blue gown she wore sparkled in the sunlight that filtered through the window.
Mercy envied her excitement, but with Alec gone once again and the Bonding Ceremony looming closer and closer, she just had bigger things to worry about than what to wear to the prom. The worst part was she couldn’t even tell Gina about any of it, because now everything they planned was hush-hush and kept between her brothers, Gregory, Alec, and herself. The fear that one of their friends was the traitor had made things uncertain. She was constantly analyzing everything her friends said or did, looking for anything that might give them away and it was trying on her nerves.
“So pretty,” the owner of the boutique said to Gina before looking to Mercy, who stood there in a plain pink gown that did little for her lily-white complexion and red hair. “No, no, no,” she said in an odd French accent. “This is not for you.” She placed a finger to her lips and surveyed Mercy’s small frame with a critical eye then snapped her fingers and smiled brightly. “I have just the thing for you.” She ran through an open doorway and returned with a bag in her hands that she hung on a nearby hook and began to unzip eagerly. “I made this awhile back, but I have yet to find someone I thought was p
erfect for this dress until today.” She pulled the garment from the bag and Gina gasped with excitement.
Mercy stared at the long emerald green silk sheath before her with the first smile she had worn all day. All of the excitement she had been missing resurfaced at the thought of Alec seeing her in such a perfect creation. With the dressmaker’s help she changed out of the frumpy pink dress and into the green silk before turning to face the mirror with a smile so bright, it lit the room.
“O.M.G, it’s perfect,” Gina said, clapping her hands.
Mercy stared at her reflection for a long time, taking in the soft drape of the plunging neckline and the rhinestone belt that hung loosely over her hips. The slit of the floor length skirt revealed just enough leg to be enticing, but not enough to be slutty and the back, when she turned around, dipped low, brushing just above the swell of her rear end. The vibrant green color of the silk glistened like an emerald and was the perfect foil for her oddly colored eyes and red hair. She knew immediately that she had found “the” dress.
“Girl, Alec is going to die when he sees you in that,” Gina said, staring at her in awe.
“It’s perfect,” Mercy said to the shopkeeper. “I’ll take it.”
“I knew you would,” she said with a smile. “I cannot see how any man could resist you in this dress. Now, I think these would be the perfect accent.” She pulled a pair of thinly strapped rhinestone heels from behind her and smiled. “My gift to you.”
“Oh I couldn’t,” Mercy said.
“Nonsense, all I ask is that you come back the next time you need something special.”
She handed Mercy the shoes, which she slid on at once and turned back to the mirror with a grin. “Alec is not going to know what hit him.”
*****
By the time they left the shop, Mercy had every accessory she needed for the prom and her excitement level was at an all-time high. She couldn’t stop smiling the entire drive home and when they pulled up to the house to find Alec there pacing the porch she couldn’t contain her joy. She bounded out of the vehicle as it came to stop, and threw herself into his arms.
“Hi, Angel,” he said, immediately kissing her full lips, unable to deny himself the pleasure of holding her in his arms and tasting her sweetness once again.
Mercy hugged him close savoring the feel of his arms around her, barely able to contain her happiness that he’d come home early. “Hi,” she said when he finally released her from his spellbinding embrace. “How come you’re home so early?”
Alec smiled and placed his arm around her, waving to her brothers who were busy getting her bags out of the car. “I couldn’t stand being away from you.”
“In other words, you were worried about us going away from the house, and had to get home and make sure I was alright?” she said with a grin. “Not that I mind.”
Alec shook his head at her teasing. “I can’t help it if I am totally head over heels in love with you.”
Lucan walked by, rolling his eyes, his hands filled with bags and Cade chortled behind him.
Mercy smiled at her brother’s antics, knowing how much they liked to rib Alec about his feelings for her. “Wait until you see what I got to wear to prom,” she said excitedly.
“Why do I have the feeling you are not going to let me see until prom night?” he said, his fingers tapping against her waist as they walked towards the house. She was already so beautiful that he couldn’t imagine her looking any better than she already did, but she would never believe him if he said it, so he kept his opinion to himself.
“Because you know me well, and I want to surprise you.” Mercy smiled, confident that when he saw her on prom night he would totally flip out. He had never seen her dressed up before and the gown she had chosen hugged her womanly curves, proving that she was no longer a child.
Alec grinned. He too had a few surprises in store, but he was not even going to hint at them or she would plague him with a million questions all week long. Knowing the hold she had over him, he would probably tell her everything and spoil the special night he had planned for them.
“I can’t believe prom is next weekend, it is going so fast,” she said wistfully.
“Before we know it, graduation is going to be here,” Alec said. A thrill of excitement ran through him at the thought. He had waited so long for Mercy and now that he was so close to bonding with her, every day that passed became torment. He greatly anticipated the moment he would finally say the words that would bind them together forever, so that no one, human or werewolf, would ever be able to separate them.
“Speaking of that, we need to make plans for the move back home.” Lucan said, looking around the house as they entered, thinking how much work they had to do to get it packed and ready for moving.
“I don’t want to tip off anyone about our plans since we still don’t know how the Elders found out about Mercy. For now, let’s act as if everything is normal. We can hire movers to come and pack everything after the Bonding Ceremony,” Alec told him.
“Sounds good to me, I hate packing,” Cade said, taking a seat at the table, leaning back in the chair, and crossing his ankles.
“What about Mercy’s things?” Lucan asked. “Surely she will want some of her things in her new home.”
Tears stung the back of Mercy’s eyes as she contemplated the fact she would never again run down the stairs and find her brother in the kitchen making her breakfast, after she bonded with Alec. Never again would he come into her room at night just to check on her and say goodnight and never again would they all live under the same roof. She sniffled and looked away, willing herself not to cry and make a fool of herself.
“Are you alright?” Alec asked, noting how quiet she had gotten.
Mercy didn’t trust herself to talk; she just nodded her head. So many things in her life had changed in the last year and until that moment, she had never really thought about what it would be like to live without her brothers. Soon it would be just herself and Alec, and although she couldn’t wait to be well and truly his, it was a daunting task for a seventeen-year-old girl to consider. It wasn’t as if he was an ordinary pack member who could live his life anyway he wanted. Soon he would be the Alpha of his pack. That meant great responsibility, which would put a strain on their young relationship. Alec pulled her close and she laid her head on his shoulder, feeling his calming influence flow over her as he took her hand and rubbed her fingers nervously with his own.
“You are the most important thing in my life. If you’re afraid, or in doubt, I will be there for you,” he murmured softly. “Your happiness is the most vital thing to me.”
Mercy hugged him close, thankful he seemed to understand her fears and didn’t hold them against her.
“Why don’t you two go take a walk while I get dinner together?” Lucan asked, understanding their need to be alone and talk about their future. It wasn’t easy to accept their hurried relationship, but with help from Nina, his own Bond Mate, he was learning to let go, although it hurt painfully.
“I’m going to go up to my room to call Hailey,” Cade said. He wasn’t as worried as his brother was. His little sister was a fine young woman, who he knew would be a great asset to Alec during his reign as Alpha. Lucan, though, still saw her as the child they had brought home after her parents’ tragic deaths and he was having a much harder time letting her go.
“Tell her I said hello,” Mercy told him as she stood, playfully pulling Alec up from the chair they had been sharing.
“Will do,” he said, whistling as he walked out of the door.
Mercy looked to her brother, who was busying himself with dinner, and knew he was already feeling her loss. She went to him and placed her hand on his arm and he looked down on her with a sad smile. “I love you,” she said hugging him close.
“As I love you,” he said, returning her hug, kissing the top of her head, and shoving her towards Alec. “Go and talk to your mate, I’m a busy man.”
Mercy felt Alec’
s arms envelope her and she allowed him to escort her outside as she fought back the tears welling in her eyes.
Alec felt her despair and once on the porch he directed her towards the porch swing and sat, pulling her onto his lap, and wrapping her in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“For what?” Mercy asked, wiping away the tear that escaped from her eye to roll down her cheek.
“For taking you away from your family and making you choose your path in life before you have really even had a chance to live it.”
Mercy looked up at him, seeing his angst reflected in his expression, and felt immediate regret he had seen her sadness. “You have it wrong,” she told him, placing her hands on either side of his face. “I’m sad to be leaving my brothers’ home and everything that is familiar, but I don’t regret it, and I although I am nervous, I know my future is with you.”
She pressed her lips to his and Alec groaned, pulling her closer, his own mouth melding with hers as she opened her mouth to him, allowing him to taste her sweetness. As it always was when he was near her so close, a fire grew within him and before he could stop himself he had her in his arms running swiftly for the wood line. He carried her to a clearing by the river where he had found her so long ago after a shift, half-naked and lying upon a bed of moss. A vision of loveliness that had tortured and tempted him ever since.
Mercy sighed as he laid her down upon the soft moss-covered ground and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. Her heart was beating out of her chest as his mouth met hers. His hand crept under her T-shirt. The heat of his fingers against her bare skin was her undoing. She moaned softly, wanting more of his touch, more of his kisses. “Alec,” she murmured against his mouth.