by Flynn, Donna
Alec growled and tightened his hold on her. “You aren’t going anywhere.” He looked to his grandfather and snarled. “What kind of games are you playing at, old man?”
“Alec, stop, this is my idea to gain freedom for everyone involved in this mess.”
Alaric shook his head, looking every day of his two hundred years as he took a seat at the table. “I tried to talk her out of this, but she is not easy to sway.”
Mercy sighed and looked to Alaric with a smile. “You just don’t want to admit my idea was the best of all the ones you and Dean came up with.”
“I don’t know how you do it,” he said to Alec. “She could probably convince the North Koreans to give peace a chance.”
“She is amazing, but what is this all about and how the hell did you find her in the first place?”
Alaric wasn’t sure how to respond, but Mercy had no such reservations. “Do you remember when I told you Jaden had come upon me in the bathroom and stuck me with something?” He nodded. “It was a microchip that allowed them to track me,” she said excitedly.
Alec saw red immediately and before anyone could stop him he tackled and slammed his grandfather to the floor wanting to kill him for doing such a thing to his mate. “How could you, you bastard?” he questioned his hands gripping the button-up shirt Alaric wore.
“I had no choice, it was the only way I could keep tabs on her and make sure one of the others didn’t take her away before we made a decision,” he told him calmly.
“Alec, let go, he was trying to protect me, us.” Mercy said pulling at his arm. “If it wasn’t for him having me tracked, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
Alec loosened his grip slightly, but still glared at Alaric. “Why would you think she needed tracking?”
“I have reason to believe one or more of the Elders is working with the rogues and would stop at nothing to hand over the Born Were to them, even kidnapping her while she was in our care.” He looked up as Alec considered his words, shoved him off, and rose to his feet. “Now, can we sit down and discuss this like civilized Weres.”
Alec sat on the ground stunned by his grandfather’s words. Not only were the Elders seeking to tear them apart, now some of them were working with the rogues? None of it made sense. Why would any of the Elders want to help the rogues when they sought to take over the packs and control the humans?
“I felt the same way, Alec, but hear him out we don’t have much time before we have to leave,” Mercy said.
Alec rose to his feet and gripped her hand tightly. “You are not going anywhere.”
Mercy sighed knowing it was going to take a lot of convincing to make him agree with her plan. “Listen to your grandfather and then we can discuss my plan.”
“I will listen, but there is no way in hell you are going anywhere but upstairs where I can guard you until we meet with the council,” he warned.
“Just listen to Alaric then we can talk,” she insisted.
He let go of her hand and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll listen but you still aren’t going anywhere.”
“Just go ahead and explain,” she said to Alaric, hoping Alec would understand in the end why she had to go.
Alaric began to explain and after about an hour of arguing and discussion they finally agreed to a plan. One Mercy was confident would work in their favor if everyone played their parts.
Mason was speaking with Alaric as Alec and Mercy stood in the corner, their arms around each other, Alec looking angry but resigned. “It’s only for tonight,” Mercy assured him.
“A night of hell,” he told her, running his finger down her cheek.
“For me, too, but in the end, if this works, we will be together forever.”
“I love you, my angel, forever,” he said, brushing her lips with his own.
“Forever,” Mercy repeated as their lips met for one final kiss.
Chapter Fourteen
They met at midnight the next evening when the moon was high in the sky and the aura of their ancestors hung in the air guiding their way. The council members arrived in a single file line to take their places behind a plank table that overlooked the clearing where pack Alphas from all over the United States had convened.
“Where is the Born Were?” Valdis asked, looking around the clearing for the female they had come to see.
“I am here,” Mercy said walking into the clearing.
Alec let out the breath he had been holding on the sidelines, watching as she approached the table. Dressed in a white gown that hugged her curves and gave her an ethereal quality she was so stunning he forgot to breathe. She appeared confident and sure as she glided to a stop before the table where the Elders sat and he couldn’t have been prouder of her than he was in that moment.
“So this little slip of thing is what has caused such an uproar,” Gabriel said, looking amused.
“She is identical to the last Born Were,” Ranak, added looking somewhat awed.
“Indeed,” Olis said earning a sharp look of disapproval from Valdis.
“Can we get to the reason for our visit?” Valdis growled.
“We can,” Alaric said speaking for the first time. “Valdis, why don’t you do the honors and explain to everyone assembled why we are gathered here tonight.”
Valdis looked pleased to be the one chosen to address the assembled Alphas and took on an almost regal pose as he surveyed the crowd. “The issue at hand is the safety of our Born Were. According to our law it is the right of all packs to offer up one male to fight for the honor of becoming the Born Were’s Mate and bringing honor to their pack.” The crowd rumbled and his eyes filled with anticipation.
“I wish to challenge that law!” Mercy cried out, silencing everyone instantly.
“You wish to do what?” Valdis drawled out, looking properly offended.
Mercy straightened her shoulders and looked directly into his eyes praying her fear did not show. “I wish to challenge the law,” she said again louder and clearer.
Valdis looked around the clearing in amazement as if he had never considered she would make such a request. “You impertinent young female, how dare you question the laws of our ancestors.”
“It is my right as a citizen of our society to challenge any law.” The crowd behind her began to twitter, but she ignored them and continued. “This law does not consider the damage it inflicts upon the Born Were and the mate destined to be hers.”
“Emotions will not keep you safe,” Valdis spat out, his face flamed with indignation. “We are to do everything in our power to protect the Born Were, one of the purest of our kind and delivering her to the strongest warrior is the only way to ensure that.”
“Just because someone is strong physically, does not make them perfect and may I point out that the last time you used this law the winner did not get to bond with the Born Were because the loser killed him and drove the Born Were to commit suicide rather than be without the mate she was destined for.”
“How dare you make such an accusation! The last Born Were fell from a cliff. We do not believe that there was any foul play involved.”
Mercy took a deep breath, reminding herself now was not the time to delve into the past. All she was supposed to do was issue her challenge and allow the others to handle the rest.
“Young lady, you have interrupted these proceedings with your ludicrous theories and wasted enough of our time. Unless you can show some evidence that proves this drivel please take a seat and allow us to continue,” Valdis commanded, looking smug and superior, confident there was nothing she could say that would convince anyone.
“I know what happened back then because I have seen the Born Were on many occasions and she has shown me,” she told me argued.
“But the last Born Were is dead,” he sneered. “Surely you do not want us to believe that you are in communication with a dead woman?”
Mercy noted a pale light begin to glow behind Valdis and the woman from her dreams appeared, looking
upon him with anger. “Sometimes the dead aren’t resting and she is angered that you refuse me, when you know in your heart what caused her death.”
Valdis growled loudly and pounced over the table before anyone could stop him grabbing Mercy by the shoulders and shaking her. “Are you blaming me?” he roared.
It took Gregory, Lucan, and Cade to hold Alec back as Valdis shook her mercilessly, demanding a response.
Mercy’s teeth rattled as Valdis repeatedly shook her, but she ignored the pain, knowing she had to continue. “You were responsible for killing her as surely as if you had taken a knife to her,” she said loudly so all could hear. “She knows of your part in the plan to bond her to Micah and allow him the use of her prestige to rule the packs. She knows how the two of you plotted together to keep her from her destined mate and she knows you are the one who told Micah where they were performing the Bonding Ceremony where her lover was killed, and she gave her life to be with him.”
“You know nothing,” he growled, his grip on her shoulders tightening enough to cause her to cry out.
“I know that no father should ever sell his daughter for his own gain,” she told him.
“You know nothing!” he thundered, slapping her hard enough across her face she fell to her knees before him.
Alec roared and broke free of the trio trying to hold him back, running towards them with alarming speed unable to control the rage that tore through him at seeing Valdis hurt his mate. Mason ran from across the clearing and tackled him to the ground to keep him from interfering. He was the only one at that moment with enough calm to know she had to finish what she started. Gregory and Mercy’s brothers rushed to aid him as he pulled Alec to the sidelines, but even with four of them a struggle ensued.
Mercy knew she had to move quickly before Alec broke free once again. “You betrayed your daughter and indirectly caused her death and now you sit here judging me for wanting the very same thing you denied her.”
“I didn’t kill her!” he cried out his face twisted in agony. “I only wanted what was best for her.”
“The fates created her Bond Mate for her, are you saying that you in all of your infinite wisdom know better than the fates who she should have been with?”
“He was weak!” he bellowed. “He could never have protected her, but Micah swore to me he would; he vowed to put her before anything, even his own pack!” Everyone gasped and looked to Micah, who watched it all unfold, his eyes filled with rage as he came to his feet. “When she died he blackmailed me. He swore that if I breathed a word about his involvement in her death, he would tell everyone what I had done. I thought it was in the past and I could forget about it, but when his daughter cast her runes and saw you, he threatened to expose me if I did not cooperate. First he arranged to have your parents killed so you would be orphaned and the Elders could take over your care, but your brothers stepped in and took you before that could happen. Then he managed to get your brother, Trevor, integrated with the rogues so we could kill your father and he could hand you over to Micah, but that failed miserably thanks to your boyfriend there.” He looked to Alec then back at Mercy. “The Elders were never going to enforce that law but he insisted so his son could fight and win you and he would have the power of your status for his own, so I brought it to everyone’s attention.”
The ghost of the last Born Were appeared at his side, her soft white glow illuminating the clearing, causing everyone to gasp. Valdis looked at her with fear in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I never knew how wrong I was until it was too late,” he said, but not to Mercy, or the assembled Weres. He spoke to his daughter, whom he could now see as clear as day. A knife flew from the darkness embedding itself in his chest, but he made not a single noise. Instead, he lifted his eyes to his daughter and begged her forgiveness. “I always loved you. I just wanted you to be safe.” Valdis reached out one shaking hand and the ghost took it in an offer of forgiveness, lifting his spirit from his body. His vacant body fell to Mercy’s feet and the ghost looked to her with a smile.
“Thank you,” she said linking her arm through her father’s.
“You’re welcome,” Mercy whispered.
Both forms wavered then disappeared from view. Everyone stared, awed by what they had seen and unsure how to react. No one expected Micah, who had just been accused of the most heinous crimes, to appear behind Mercy with a large deadly blade that he pressed to her neck as he held her against him.
“No!” Alec screamed, breaking free of those who held him and rushing towards where Micah held Mercy captive.
“Stay back,” Micah bellowed, tightening his hold on Mercy.
“Let her go, she has nothing to do with any of this,” Alec pleaded.
“She has ruined my life and now I will ruin hers,” Micah said dragging her towards the wood line. “Let us go and you all live; interfere, and I will kill her and as many as I can.”
Mercy looked to Alec and saw the fear in his eyes. He knew, as she did, that Micah wouldn’t let her live, even if he got away. Too much had been revealed, his plans were ruined, as was his life, all he had left was to make her suffer for her part in it and she was confident he would make it excruciating.
Everyone stood down but Dean, who approached his father warily. “Father, we can be away quicker without her,” he reasoned.
Micah snarled and looked to his son with a growl. “You had the Born Were in your hands and you let her escape, why should I listen to you?”
“I did what I had to, to save my sister,” Dean countered.
“She has always been your weakness,” Micah replied shortly.
“Perhaps, but without Juliet we lose our ability to hide our scent and see into the future,” he reasoned. “You always told me to keep my assets close at hand and she is our greatest asset.”
Micah considered his words and nodded. “You are right, gather your sister and come with me.”
Dean turned to his sister who shook her head and cried out when he grabbed her arm and pulled her along behind him to where their father stood. “Let us go before they decide to try to be heroe’s,” he sneered.
Micah nodded, pulling Mercy into the inky blackness of the forest as his son followed towing his sister behind. Mercy struggled despite the knife at her neck and with a growl, Micah tossed her over his shoulder and began running through the thick maze of trees and brush with his children by his side, feeling pride in his son for the first time ever.
Alec turned to Mason, who nodded in silent agreement shifting as he did, trailing a safe distance behind the foursome, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
*****
As they traveled Mercy kept watch behind for any sign of Alec and Mason, but she saw nothing to indicate they were following and she began to worry that maybe Dean had not followed through with their plan, that maybe he had played her and all along, he was in league with his father.
Micah stopped suddenly and tossed his human cargo on the ground, looking around for the best route to take him out of the forest and to the road where he knew Ryan waited with a getaway vehicle. He was sure the female’s family and boyfriend were close behind and needed to throw them off track. He looked to Juliet, who was arguing with her brother, punching him on the arm, earning a slap across her face for her efforts that knocked her to the ground. She would be useless to them in their current circumstances so he decided instead to follow the river, which would hide their scent until she could gather everything she needed to cast a spell to do it for them. “We will follow the river to the road and meet Ryan there.”
Dean nodded. Ryan wouldn’t be there if everything had gone to plan and he anticipated seeing his father’s face when he realized he was well and truly caught. When his father turned his back, he glanced to his sister who removed her hand to reveal a large red welt on her cheek despite his best efforts not to hit her hard and blanched. She smiled, feeling his unspoken apology, but looked to where Mercy lay on the ground blood running freely down her neck from a large jagged
tear in her flesh where the knife must have gouged her when she struggled. He nodded and walked to his father’s side, distracting him while Juliet tore a piece of her skirt and pressed it to the wound.
“Hold this against it for now,” she said before backing away a few feet and sitting, holding her cheek and pretending to sob softly.
“Shut up,” Micah roared, clearly aggravated and losing his control. Dean turned and raised his hand taking a step towards his sister, playing his part, but his father grabbed his arm and stopped him. “No, she will be useful later. We don’t want her hurt.”
Dean dropped his hand and turned back to his father. “We should go before they catch up.” He looked to Mercy. “Do you want me to carry her?”
Micah looked undecided at first but then he nodded. His son had proven his loyalty by following him and he deserved respect. Besides, he planned to bond them together as soon as they were able, in hopes their offspring might produce more like the Born Were. Full-blooded and powerful Weres he could use to build and army to destroy all of the packs so he could dominate their world without interference. It would take time but he was a patient man, after all he had waited almost a hundred years for the current Born Were, what was another twenty or more to build the ultimate army.
Dean grabbed his sister’s wrist and pulled her next to him, then looked down on Mercy with a wink, lifting her as carefully as he could in his arms, cradling her against his broad chest instead of throwing her over his shoulder as his father had done. Micah looked back at them with a frown, but turned and walked into the river with Dean close behind nodding to his sister who held little bits of material from her skirt that she hung randomly around branches they passed when her father wasn’t looking.
*****
Alec and Mason followed the trail left behind by the brother and sister, both wary for any sign of deceit. Both anxious over the welfare of their Bond Mates now that they were in the hands of a male Were whose sanity was in question.