A Wolf's Oath

by Alli, Jennifer T.

  “There’s nothing wrong with you physically.”

  “Does that mean we can leave now?” She pulled the sheet covering her as though she were going to leave the bed, but Sebastian pulled the duvet back into place.

  “There are a few things I want to sort out before you leave here.”

  “Like what?”

  “Accommodation.”

  “We don’t have anywhere to live?” she demanded shocked by the revelation.

  “Of course we do. What short of mat–” He stopped short as he realised that he had made a mistake. Erica had apparently not noticed his accidental slip of the tongue as she stared at him waiting for him to finish his sentence. He coughed before continuing. “I wouldn’t be a very good fiancé if I didn’t have anywhere for us to live after we married. The problem is that there are too many people here that may unwillingly tell you things that will inhibit your recovery. The doctor suggested I take you away somewhere, think of it as a holiday.”

  “Oh.”

  “There are a few details that I need to take care of before we can go.” He smiled but found that she didn’t return the gesture. Her eyes were downcast and a frown marred her features. “Is there something wrong sweetheart?”

  “You’re just being so nice to me.”

  Cupping her chin he lifted her head so that their eyes met. “Of course I’m being nice what would you expect from the one you’re going to spend your life with?”

  “I’m sorry for this. I can’t remember anything about us, nothing at all and you’re willing to drop everything just so the chances for my recovery might get a little better. I heard some of the doctors talking.” He froze, scared as to what she might have overheard. “They said some people never recover. What if I never remember?”

  He sighed in relief, hesitantly pulling her against him. She didn’t struggle against his embrace, instead relaxing against him and he held her tighter in response to her unconditional trust. “If that happens then it happens. I don’t want you putting too much pressure on yourself. We’ll make new memories sweetheart.”

  “And if I forget those?”

  “I have no intention of letting you get hurt like this again, but if you were to forget the new memories that we made then we would make new ones just like before.”

  “You know with words like that Sebastian it’s becoming pretty clear why I fell in love with you.”

  He froze at the confession, feeling slightly guilty for his necessary deception. You didn’t love me before you lost your memories sweetheart, but you were coming to care for me. And though it might make me a bad person I’m going to use this time as an opportunity to have you fall in love with me without having to fight against your hostility. When you do eventually get your memories back sweetheart – when, not if – I hope you don’t hold this time against me. He pulled her closer to his body content to simply hold her for the moment.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The moment Sebastian stepped out of the infirmary, leaving Erica resting, he was greeted by a hard slap to his cheek. A low growl rose in his throat as he turned to look at his assailant. A small woman with dark hair stared angrily at him, her chest rising and falling quickly in her state of agitation. Her cheeks were flushed and her hazel eyes blazed with fury though he couldn’t think what he had done to earn such a venomous look. He easily remembered the petite brunette as a friend of Erica's and he frowned in confusion at her actions.

  “What was that for?” he snarled angrily. Anna chose not to respond verbally, instead slapping Sebastian hard on the other cheek. Her arm rose as if to hit him a third time and he quickly circled her wrist within his hand to prevent her from completing the action. “I asked you a question and I think you’ll find that it is the polite thing to answer with words rather than hits. The first two caught me off guard, I won’t allow a third, especially when I have no idea what I’ve done to earn them.”

  “You deserve all those hits and more after what you did to Eric you bastard. Don’t think that I’m going to keep quiet about things either. I’m going to tell her the truth about how she ended up like this!” she shouted.

  As the loud words reached his ears, Sebastian's eyes quickly darted to the closed door of his mate’s room. “Will you keep your voice down, Erica is sleeping and after all she’s been through she needs to rest if she’s going to recover.”

  Anna smiled, but the simple movement of her lips was worrying. “Good,” Anna shouted loudly. “She needs to hear this. I’m not going to let you take advantage of her memory loss. It’s because of you and your stupid claiming that she got hurt and you’re acting as though it isn’t.”

  Sebastian’s grip on her wrist tightened and he pulled her away from the infirmary door, along the empty corridor until he was far enough away that Erica wouldn’t be able to overhear this conversation should she wake. She might not remember that she was a wolf but her senses were unlikely to have been affected, meaning that she would still have the superior hearing that was a characteristic of their people. He couldn’t afford for his mate to have any doubts about him, things might become difficult if she began to mistrust his intentions.

  “Just what is your problem?” he hissed, finally releasing his hold on the small woman.

  “You are,” she responded, shoving at his chest. He was unmoved by her demonstration of strength and so she pushed again, growling when he still remained unaffected.

  Stepping out of her reach to ensure she didn’t try to harm him and accidentally hurt herself Sebastian sighed heavily. Today just isn’t my day. Erica's amnesia I could just about handle, but this is pushing it. “I don’t know just what you think I’ve done to annoy you, but I would appreciate it if you stopped using violence against me. I don’t like it.”

  “I can’t believe you’re acting as though you’re innocent when Eric is lying in the infirmary with amnesia. This is your fault. At least take responsibility for it.”

  “I’m doing everything I can to help her recover, the same obviously can’t be said of you. You know that she isn’t meant to be told what happened in her life before the accident. I made sure that everyone within the estate knew. Even if you just got here recently, someone must have told you at the door. Don’t go around screaming things like that, you’ll just make things worse for her. I’m doing all I can to help her recover, but don’t try and lay all the blame for what happened to Erica at my door.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t try and play the innocent, you know very well what you did. The first night of the full moon, you came to Erica's home to talk to her,” he sneered. “When we eventually went back inside both you and Erica were gone. Before you came, she didn’t say anything about running away. I could practically smell that she was prepared to accept me but you must have said something that made her run away.”

  “Did she actually say something to you or are you just looking for someone to put the blame on so that you won’t feel so guilty.”

  “We’re mates it’s only natural that I wanted to claim her. You on the other hand are meant to be her friend, you’re meant to want what’s best for her. Can you honestly say that your actions that day were in Erica's best interest?”

  “I do want what’s best for her and trust me when I say that it isn’t you! Eric was perfectly happy before you came into the picture. If you really want to help her then I suggest you leave. That is what’s best for her.”

  “That’s never going to happen. I’m not going to abandon my mate, ever. I don’t understand what your problem is. You’re mated and don’t seem to be suffering from having done so, why don’t you want the same happiness for Erica?” Anna was silent, which only served to further anger Sebastian and he gripped her shoulders lightly, resisting the urge to shake sense into the woman. “Were you just worried that if she got a mate she wouldn’t be able to spend so much time with you? Is that it?” He shook her lightly. “Are you really that selfish? Erica has lived alone for so long and she does so muc
h; she works so hard. How could you ever want to deny her a mate who would try to ease her burden, give her time to really live life? What’s wrong with you?”

  “Get off of me!” she shouted struggling against his grip.

  The fingers on her shoulders tightened. “No, not until you answer my question. Why did you persuade her to run from me? I know that you had a hand in her running from me so don’t try to get out of it.”

  “I said, let me go,” she repeated, her attempts to be free never weakening.

  “And I told you no. Why didn’t you want Erica to have a mate? Answer me!”

  Her struggles against him stopped and she glared at him, venom dripping from each word as she told him the reasoning behind her actions. “Of course I want Eric to find a mate, but not you! Never you.”

  “Why? What have I ever done to you? I’d never even seen you before Alex’s party and I’ve only seen you once since then. Are you angry that I lied to you? I’m sorry about that, I’m not a liar by nature but if that’s why you’re mad at me then it’s not a good enough reason to endanger Erica's life or try to damage our relationship.”

  “I answered your question now let go of me,” she demanded, pointedly refusing to respond to the string of questions her answer had caused.

  “You can’t say something like that and not explain yourself.”

  “I just did now let go of me.”

  “Anna…” he growled, increasingly frustrated with the woman in his grasp.

  “You heard what my mate said, let her go,” a voice growled from the shadows of the hall before a tall blonde man came to stand at Anna’s side. Sebastian released his grip on her shoulders, stepping away from her.

  “Thank you Michael,” Anna purred moving closer to him.

  “What’s going on?” Michael demanded, his dark eyes staring at Sebastian with anger burning in their depths.

  “We were just having a talk about Eric,” Anna replied.

  “Yes we were,” Sebastian agreed. “I apologise for the way I was handling your mate. I don’t think I held her hard enough to harm her, but again I’m sorry.”

  “Your apology is accepted, Anna has been known for causing trouble for as long as I’ve known her. Is Eric going to get better?” Michael inquired. “I heard that she’s lost her memories, to be more precise the guard at the door told me before making me swear to tell her nothing about her life.”

  Sebastian's eyes wandered to the end of the hall where the doors that led to the infirmary were located, remembering how frail Erica had looked lying against the stark white sheets. “Yes, I’m going to do everything that I possibly can to make sure she does.” I want my feisty Erica back, he thought despite the fact that she had done nothing but try to resist his advances. I want her to get better. She’s my mate I want her exactly how she was.

  Michael’s eyes narrowed in confusion, trying to understand why the stranger would make such a claim, his mate would be more suited to helping her friend recover, Anna had known her longer than anyone. “And who exactly are you?”

  “My name is Sebastian. I’m Erica's mate.”

  “Is this true Anna?”

  “Yes Michael, Sebastian claims that Eric is his mate.”

  “Well if he says he is then he is. The instinct is never wrong about this. And just what exactly are you planning to do to help Eric recover?”

  Sebastian smiled, turning his gaze on Anna, looking her straight in the eye as he delivered his suggestion as to what would best help Erica. “I’m taking her away from here, far away. Somewhere where it’ll just be her and me. The doctors agree that she’ll probably recover faster if she doesn’t have to deal with so many people and their expectations.”

  “You can’t do that,” Anna spluttered.

  “I’m her mate, I can do whatever I like when it comes to my mate and her health. If I think that this is what will help her most then I’m well within my rights to do so. You can’t stop me.” He smirked, enjoying the flush that rose to Anna’s cheeks as she became increasingly angry with not just him but his actions.

  “He can’t just take her away, can he Michael?” She turned pleading eyes on her mate hoping that he would put her concerns to rest.

  “Well actually he can do just that Anna. He’s right, as her mate he’s responsible for her health and safety.”

  “But how will he help Erica recover? He doesn’t know anything about her.”

  “That works in my favour actually.” Sebastian's smile widened. “I don’t have any expectations of her. No important memories that I might pressure her into trying to remember. I’ll let her mind heal in it’s own time. I really am what’s best for her.”

  “And what about Dylan and Wyatt? If you knew Eric at all then you’d know that she wouldn’t want to be separated from them.”

  “Dylan and Wyatt are going to stay here with my family until we get settled. If she hasn’t got her memories back in a few weeks then I’ve arranged for my brother to bring them up for a visit. They understand that we have to do what’s best for her. Unlike some people, they’re willing to put Erica before themselves.”

  “And what if she never remembers? What will you do then?”

  “I will continue to care for my mate exactly as I would do anyway. If she doesn’t remember her life before the fall then it isn’t as though the world will end. In fact it might be better for her if she doesn’t. The hunters weren’t kind in their treatment of her and those memories would haunt her for the rest of her life. I don’t know what exactly you have against me and at this moment in time I’m too preoccupied with thoughts of how to help Erica to care. If you wish to continue indulging in frankly childish behaviour then that’s up to you, but don’t come near my mate. Your actions won’t help her,” he stated before turning to walk away.

  “Hey, I wasn’t finished with you,” Anna called.

  Sebastian stopped but didn’t turn to face her. “I wasn’t aware that what you wanted was of any concern to me. I’m finished here and that’s all that matters right now. I’ve more important things to deal with than you. Goodbye Anna.”

  Chapter Twenty

  It hadn’t taken as long as Sebastian had initially thought it would to find a suitable place to take Erica to recover, not even a day after he had begun his search he had found them suitable accommodation and by the evening of that day a new cabin had been purchased. It took only another day to ensure that it was prepared for their arrival and by the morning of the third day they had moved in. Dylan and Wyatt had been very emotional when they had left, the usually cheerful pair shedding tears as they watched their sister leave them again. She had been the only permanent fixture in their lives and in the last two weeks she had left them alone more often than they remembered. Though slightly pacified by Sebastian's promised visitation it was still hard to let her go. Her memory hadn’t returned in the short time that it had taken Sebastian to find them new lodgings and Erica was still unsure how exactly to respond to the tears of the children that were apparently her siblings. The little she had got to know of them in the last few days had endeared them to her and she felt as though she were disappointing them each time one of them accidentally mentioned something from her past. She longed to remember her time with them but the more she tried to recall the events in her life before her accident the worse she felt.

  Her only measure of relief in the sea of disappointed faces was Sebastian. Regardless of the fact that he was undoubtedly suffering because of her lack of memories surrounding their relationship, he never tried to pressurise her into remembering. He acted as a buffer between her and those that she knew, ensuring that they didn’t try to force her to remember, saying that she would heal in her own time. Despite the fact that she understood that the people around her must have cared for her, she was grateful for Sebastian's interference and became increasingly reliant on his support.

  Their new home was, as the doctor advised, very similar to Erica's family cabin and was located in a little mountain town. S
ebastian hoped that the small population of the town would give them a large degree of privacy. While he would have preferred to live deep within secluded woods, he thought that Erica might find that living arrangement rather strange while under the belief that she was human. It was only after they had arrived at the cabin that she mentioned something that he hadn’t factored into his plans.

  She sat on the living room sofa while he moved around their new home checking that everything was in place. As per his instructions the house had been laid out in the exact same manner as Erica's cabin within the clan in the hope that the familiarity of her surroundings would help her memory.

  “Sebastian?” she called hesitantly, unsure if she should disturb him when he looked so busy.

  At the sound of her soft voice calling him, Sebastian instantly stopped what he was doing and moved to sit beside her. “What is it Erica?”

  “This is probably a silly question.”

  “Your thoughts are important sweetheart, if you have something to say to me then just do it. It isn’t as though I’m going to laugh.” A thought occurred to him. “Did you remember something?” he asked excitedly, his fingers moving gently over the back of her neck in a tender caress.

  “No. My memory is as blank as it was when I first woke up,” she sighed disheartened.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it, it’ll come back in it’s own time. Now if you didn’t call me to tell me something that you remembered, then why did you?”

  “I’ve been thinking about something for the last few days.”

  “Go on,” he urged, his gentle stroking becoming surer.

  “Well I was wondering why I don’t have an engagement ring.”

  His eyes wandered to the bare skin on her finger and he realised he had made a careless mistake. There was no need for rings among their people to show that they were mated. A female bore a male’s mark on her skin and all who saw it knew that meant she was taken and the scent of a male’s female imprinted itself upon his skin. A simple piece of jewellery lacked the permanence of their people’s signs of commitment. A ring could be removed while a mating mark would remain forever.