Bonded to the Pack (Born to be Were)

by Flynn, Donna

  “I didn’t do anything,” she said taking a step away from him.

  “Mason?” Alec looked to the male he had left behind to confirm her words, but he just shook his head.

  “I didn’t see her do anything, I swear.”

  “The woman,” Mercy murmured. “It’s her,” she said, pointing to the picture.

  Alec stared at the image of a woman who looked identical to his own mate and frowned. “Who is she?” he asked.

  “The last Born Were,” Mercy told him. “She was here, I saw her.”

  “That’s impossible,” Alec, said looking at her worriedly.

  “Look, here is the story of her death, but it’s not right. She didn’t die in a fight between lovers. I saw it just now when she came to me and showed me what actually happened. She was killed by another werewolf; he and his pack attacked during their Bonding Ceremony and massacred everyone.”

  Alec ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “This doesn’t make any sense, Angel. Why would the ghost of the last Born Were haunt you?”

  “I don’t know, but these dreams started after I agreed to bond with you so, it must have something to do with that.” She scanned the book, but found nothing else that would be useful and closed it. “Thank you, Jaden, for bringing this to me.” She pushed the book across the table and Jaden picked it up, cradling the hefty volume in her arms reverently.

  “You’re welcome, I hope it helps,” she said before turning toward the door and walking out, extremely uncomfortable now that Alec was in the house with them. While she understood his possessiveness, it didn’t lesson her fear of him.

  “I don’t understand any of this, why would the ghost of a past Born Were haunt you?” Mason asked.

  “She’s not haunting me. She’s trying to tell me something,” Mercy explained.

  “What could she be telling you?” Alec asked.

  “I don’t know,” Mercy, said biting her lip.

  “I’m going to get out of here so you can talk, but call me if you need anything,” Mason said shaking hands with Alec and Gregory before winking at Mercy and walking out.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” Gregory, said, his head hung low as he walked out.

  Alec watched him go feeling horrible for the wedge that now existed between the two of them. After talking to his grandfather, he understood better what his father had gone through in the past, but he had yet to confront him about it.

  Mercy saw the longing in his eyes and knew he missed the closeness that he shared with his father. With everything, that was happening their bond as father and son was more important than ever. Gregory was the only one who could control Alec when he was angered and with the Elders arrival imminent, he was going to need his father’s support. “You need to fix things with him, Alec,” Mercy said softly. “He loves you and he’s hurting as much as you are.”

  Alec looked to her and frowned. “I will talk to him later, for now I am worried about you.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. “I don’t want you to look any further into this Born Were stuff. It is obvious this is upsetting you, and after tonight I am afraid you’re going to get hurt.”

  Mercy was afraid too, but she just knew whatever the woman was trying to show her was crucial. “This is important, I just know it. Please don’t ask me to forget about this,” Mercy said against his chest.

  Alec sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to forget about the Born Were, she just didn’t have it in her to let things go. “Fine, but I want you to be more careful.”

  “I will, I promise,” she told him, rising to her toes to place a kiss upon his lips before turning him towards the door. “Now, go and deal with your father, I can’t stand the tension between the two of you.”

  “Mercy,” he hissed.

  “Go, or I won’t talk to you for at least a week,” she warned.

  “You’re getting increasingly pushy do you know that?”

  Mercy smiled. “And you love me all the more for it. Now go!” She pushed him and he began to walk grudgingly towards the door as she watched with half a smile. He liked to play the big bad Alpha but she knew the strain between him and his father was eating away at him. The sooner they got their problems straightened out, the sooner they could focus on more important things. Like the visit with the Elders, that was looming over them like a dark cloud.

  ****

  Alec walked towards Lucan’s office dreading the conversation he had to have with his father, but knew it was time to clear the air between them. His father was his support system and without him, he feared he might not be able to handle the visit with the Elders without doing something that might endanger his chance for a future with Mercy.

  Gregory was staring out of the window as Alec walked into the room, but he knew his father was aware he was there. He could sense his son’s presence from a mile away, but he was giving him time to begin the conversation. Alec walked to his father’s side and stared out of the window alongside of him. “So, I spoke to grandfather the other night,” he said. His father didn’t move or comment, but his cheek twitched so, he knew he was listening. “He told me that you asked the Elders for help fighting the rogues, but that they turned you down.” Still he said nothing. “I can understand why you blame him, but I don’t understand why you punished me for all these years by keeping the only family I have away from me.”

  Gregory sighed. knowing the time had come to tell his son the truth. “At first, I wanted him to hurt the way I was hurting, but overtime my hatred grew. Every birthday, holiday, and anniversary that your mother should have been there, but wasn’t, fed that hatred and kept me from seeing that maybe I was wrong. That maybe he had done all he could and wasn’t to blame for her death.” He reached out and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “I was wrong to keep the truth from you, but I didn’t do it to hurt you. I honestly convinced myself it was for your own safety that I kept you away from your grandfather. I know it doesn’t make much of a difference now, but I am sorry, and I am begging for your forgiveness.”

  Alec was dumbstruck. His father didn’t beg for anything, but he stood before him now and did so with tears in his eyes. Alec was humbled and awed by his father’s words and knew it was time to let the past go and move on with their lives. “I know Mom’s death was devastating for you and I know if it weren’t for me you probably would not be here right now, but it’s time for everyone to forgive the past and move into the future. I have so much I am grateful for and I want to share those things with my family and that includes my grandfather.”

  Gregory stared at him for few moments then pulled him close and hugged him. “I am so proud of the man you are, son, and if you can forgive me, then I can work on forgiving your grandfather.”

  Alec patted his father’s back and smiled, happy to put everything behind him and start fresh on his future. “That’s what I want, Dad, for Mercy and me to be surrounded by our families as we start our lives together.”

  Gregory pulled back and looked down on his son with a smile, the first he had worn on his face since their falling out. “You know, Jaden is family too.”

  Alec growled, not wanting to think about the female who had accosted his mate. “The jury is still out on her.”

  “Son, when it comes down to it she was following orders and you of all people should appreciate her devotion. When you are Alpha, you will want your pack to follow your orders too.”

  “I don’t appreciate it when my mate is involved,” Alec told him.

  “You should appreciate especially when it comes to Mercy, because she has been ordered to protect her and keep her safe at all costs.”

  “Yeah, so the Elders can take her from me,” Alec returned.

  “She is not the horrible person you think she is. Just give her a chance.”

  “I’ll try, Dad, but I can’t trust her until I know more about her. For now, I do not want her to be left alone with Mercy for any reason.”

  “I agree, she is still working for the
Elders; but try and get to know her. If she’s anything like my sister was, I think you’ll find you like her very much.”

  Alec wasn’t so sure, but when it came to anyone who harmed Mercy he was overly judgmental. “I’m going to say goodnight to Mercy, I’ll see you at home in a little while,” he said, but stopped at the doorway and looked back at his father. “I don’t know if I ever told you how much I appreciate that you were always there for me growing up and now when I need you the most, but I do. I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.”

  “Thank you, son,” Gregory said, tears shining in his eyes as Alec walked out.

  Chapter Twelve

  The last week of school was a blur of tests and practice for graduation and as Mercy walked down the hall of her high school for the last time she felt an odd sadness settle over her. It was odd how when she first arrived there all she wanted was to get it over with and leave, but now she realized how precious that time had been. Now that she was walking away with her diploma in hand, she knew she would miss the routine, the camaraderie of her friends, and the secure feeling the sturdy walls of the school offered her.

  “You okay?” Alec asked, worried about her odd silence throughout the day.

  Mercy looked up, meeting his eyes, and smiled, knowing that although she would miss high school she was looking forward to her new life as his mate. “I’m good.”

  Alec stopped walking and pulled her against him, placing a long kiss upon her.

  “What was that for?” Mercy asked as they began walking again.

  “I just wanted to remind you what lay ahead in your future,” he told her with grin.

  “It looks like I am going to be a very lucky girl then,” she said as they walked into the gym where Rich, Gina, Mason, and Jaden waited for them in their caps and gowns, amidst a sea of anxious teenagers.

  “Hey, girl,” Gina said looking teary-eyed as she clutched her cap in her hands.

  “Are you alright?” Mercy asked, feeling sentimental herself.

  “Yeah, I just can’t believe that it’s over. I mean after today we never have to attend school again.” She dabbed her eyes with a wadded tissue and began to sob, a very unlikely thing for her to do.

  “Jeez, woman, there are bigger things to worry about than this going on,” Rich said rolling his eyes heavenward.

  Gina looked to Mercy and new tears began to flow. “Oh God, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking. You must be a mess, what with the Elders coming tomorrow and all that.”

  Alec pulled Mercy against him, glaring at Gina for her lack of decorum, but Mercy forced a smile to her face and patted his hand that rested on her waist. “I’m alright. I have had time to come terms with the Elders’ visit and I know somehow Alec and I will be together no matter what we have to do to make it happen.”

  “You got that right, Angel,” he said, brushing a kiss on her forehead. “No one is taking you away from me.” He tightened his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Ever.”

  Kirk and Lane joined them both looking at each other with love shining in their eyes as they held hands. “We just wanted to say hello before it gets crazy around here,” Lane said looking radiant.

  “You are coming to the party tonight, right?” Mercy asked still unsure why they were going through with a party when they had so many other things to be concerned about.

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Kirk said with a smile.

  “We’ll see you there then,” Mercy said as the administrators began assembling them for their walk to the stands set up on the football field where all of their family and friends waited.

  “Here we go,” Gina said as they all walked to their places in line. “See you out there.” She hugged Mercy and moved into her alphabetical place in line as the others did the same.

  Alec looked worried and didn’t budge from Mercy’s side until the last minute when one of the teachers pointed out he was in the wrong place. “Go on, I’ll be all right, besides you’re behind me so, I won’t be out of your sight.”

  Alec pulled her to him placing a kiss upon her lips, ignoring the teacher, who cleared her throat and clapped her hands to get him to move. He took a step back and brushed her cheek with his finger, then smiled. “You will never know how proud of you I am today,” he said before walking to his place in line leaving her speechless.

  Mercy turned to face the front, smiling as she walked through the gym doors outside where the sun shone down on the graduates as if it too were celebrating their big day.

  As she shuffled along behind her classmates a strange sense of awareness rippled through her. A shiver ran down her spine and she looked towards the stands seeing easily her brother’s and their mates sitting with Gregory all watching her progression, but it was the woman from her dreams that drew her attention. A few rows up from her brothers she stood behind a man who was wearing a hat that hid his face from view. An odd rush of wind on the warm still day blew up out of nowhere knocking the hat from his head revealing his face, a face that had Mercy stopping dead in her tracks with recognition.

  The person behind her to ran into her and she mumbled an apology before walking forward again, her eyes glued to the man whose scarred face revealed to her exactly who he was. He hurriedly reached for his hat and deposited back on his head before turning to back to stare at her. She looked away immediately her hands shaking, chancing a look back to Alec, who seemed to notice her sudden discomfort and was looking uneasy. The last thing she needed was for him to break form and run to her side so she mouthed that she was okay and took her seat on the stage. She knew he didn’t believe her, though, and she felt his anxiousness to get the graduation over with so he could be by her side once again.

  As the principal and others spoke she kept her eyes lowered twisting her hands in her lap, nervously dreading the moment they would call her for her speech. As valedictorian it was up to her to address the assembled students, faculty, and family that had to celebrate their momentous moment, but all of the excitement she had felt about her speech was now gone. In its place, she felt only terror now that the man who had essentially killed her predecessor had appeared. Everyone clapped as her name was called, and she stood, wiping her now moist hands down the front of her gown, reminding herself she was surrounded by her pack and the Elders’ guards and that she couldn’t be safer. She had worked too hard to let his presence intimidate her so she squared her shoulders and strode towards the podium with her head held high. As she approached the podium, the sound of her classmates cheering for her made the moment all the more bittersweet and she felt tears welling in her eyes. The principal shook her hand and moved away to make room for her and she looked out upon the audience, relief flooding her when she realized the man was gone.

  Her gaze met Cade’s, who screamed her name loudly and then Lucan’s, who looked as proud as any father would of their child who had achieved so much and she couldn’t help but smile as she started her speech. “Today I stand before you as a classmate, a student, a daughter, and a young woman about to embark on the strange and rocky road of adulthood. Outside the walls of this school is a world that everyone here has done their best to prepare us to live in. Now, it is up to us, the Class of two thousand and thirteen, to find our way in that world as so many graduates before us have done. Some of us will be going on to college, others will join the workforce, or the military, and some will realize they have no idea what they are going to do now that Mom and Dad are no longer fiscally responsible for their well-being.” The crowd chuckled loudly. “But today, none of that matters. Today we rule the world and tomorrow,” she paused and turned to look at her Class, “well, tomorrow can take care of itself!” The students went crazy, cheering and clapping as they stamped their feet in unison. Mercy smiled and walked back to her seat as the principal struggled to get them all to settle again, a monumental job that took more than ten minutes to complete. After a few more long-winded speeches, they were each handed their diplomas. After the last student received theirs, they rose as
one, moved their tassels to the other side of their caps signifying they were now indeed graduates, and then those hats flew and chaos reigned as they moved quickly from the stage to find their families.

  Mercy was looking around for Alec when she felt a cold malevolence seep into her body. She turned and saw the woman from her dreams standing beside the man with the scar, who was watching her once again. She was so fearful of his presence that when Alec wrapped his arms around her from behind she cried out, turned, and punched him in the gut, earning a surprised grunt from him. “Oh God, I’m sorry,” she said clenching her fists to her sides.

  Alec chuckled, looking confused by her actions. “Remind me never to surprise you again.”

  Mercy bit her lip and looked over her shoulder, but the man was gone so she turned back to Alec who was now watching her warily.

  “What’s going on? I felt you upset earlier and now you’re a nervous wreck. What gives?”

  Before she could answer, her brothers appeared lifting her in their arms and hugging her, telling her how proud they were. Gregory too was thrilled, he hugged his son joking that he would never grow tired of watching him graduate and then pulled Mercy into his arms and hugged her close. “I couldn’t be any prouder of you if you were my own child. This isn’t the end for you, this is just the beginning of wonderful new life.”

  “Thank you, Gregory, I know we have had our problems, but I am so glad I get to be your daughter soon.” She hugged him and turned back to face Alec, whose brow was creased as he watched her with concern. “Can we go now?” she said, wanting to get home where she was safe.

  Alec looked puzzled by her behavior, but nodded and pulled her against him as he walked her to his car. She was quick to note her brothers became silent and his father was walking very close to her other side, a sign he had communicated to them there was a problem. Rich was already at the car with Gina, Jaden, and Wren, standing by them all alert for trouble. Even Kirk and Lane were in the parking lot with some of Kirk’s pack watching the area with a level of alertness she had become so familiar with.