With Her Capture

by Lorie O'Clare

  The ground shook when a thick, older tree crashed to the ground not too far behind them. Ayden heard howls. Magda knocked a few werewolves down with that tree. How many of them were there?

  He chanced another look behind them when werewolves of all different colors—brown, auburn, yellow and some with those colors mixed together—jumped over the fallen tree and began gaining speed on them. Magda was panting when she turned and stared down the assholes still hunting them. Ayden hurried toward her when her entire body began vibrating. Suddenly several boulders began shaking. The werewolves in pursuit slowed. A small avalanche began. Rocks raced toward the mutts. Ayden didn’t care about watching to see how many Magda took out.

  We need to keep climbing, he growled at her. Let’s run to our new life.

  It was a tough climb. Although he’d leapt up steeper inclines in the past, he hadn’t done it with a weighted down saddle bag strapped to him, the female he was prepared to kill for running next to him, or with so many werewolves trying to stop them. By the time they reached level ground again, he was panting hard. He’d focused all his adrenaline on making sure they aimed for level footing. Ayden took a moment to sniff out their new surroundings and let his eyes focus in the dark, mossy forest that both of them slowly walked into.

  There didn’t appear to be any werewolves behind them. But they’d made quite a ruckus with trees continually falling behind them, and a damned avalanche. Whatever pack might be up here would have to be deaf not to have heard him and Magda coming.

  And he was right. The moment he had his bearings, Ayden picked up on the strong smell from trees, the moss, and the snow covered ground under their paws. Magda inched closer while sniffing the air along with him. It wasn’t hard to pick up on the strong smell of werewolves, a lot of them. They were surrounded.

  Magda rubbed against his chest. He looked over her head, embracing her warmth as she stood next to him. He stared into the forest and saw them. To his right were six lunewulfs, all males. To his left were Malta werewolves. Magda snarled and he pushed her behind him, staring down a total of ten males, all in their prime—and he was on their territory.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Magda remained huddled next to Ayden. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d fought with Ayden to receive. He had granted her wish, run with her to the Colorado Rockies. Now the two of them barely escaped a pack of American mutts only to come face to face with lunewulf and Malta werewolves. She hadn’t plotted through what to do if they weren’t welcome.

  The anger was palatable on the lunewulf. Magda’s eyes burned from the thick spiciness in the air. But when one of the male Malta werewolves moved, she forgot about them and stared at the magnificent male. He reminded her of her sire when he was young. Memories of running alongside him, of knowing she was safe and could race anywhere without fear or worry, hit her so hard it grew difficult to swallow around the lump building in her throat.

  The male was large, as thick in the chest and tall as Ayden. She watched him move, his steps certain and his long black coat sleek and flowing with his movements. Malta werewolves had to be the most beautiful creatures on this planet. And she wasn’t biased just because these males reminded her of her sire.

  Ayden remained grounded where he stood. He was so solid. Magda felt power and confidence radiating off him while pressed against him. When he pushed her behind him, not only making sure these males knew that she was his, but determined to protect her, Magda inched back up alongside him. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would willingly draw first blood to protect her. They were grossly out-numbered, though. She understood why he didn’t move, showed no signs of aggression, and stayed planted where he was. There was no more running. Magda moved around the saddle bag and rubbed against him again, glancing up at his powerful jaw line while he studied the males before them.

  When he glanced down, although only for a moment, Magda swore she saw something in his eyes that she’d never seen before. There was determination. She smelled that much on him. But there was something else. Was it resolution? Possibly acceptance?

  But of what? Magda continued looking up at him for another few seconds, trying to understand what she’d seen in his intense, silver eyes. Ayden looked away first, his concentration completely on the situation around them. For another moment Magda studied him, taking in his handsome profile. She drank in how incredibly gorgeous he was. And he loved her. It made her insides warm, and created a calm confidence that one way or another, this would work out.

  For three months she’d run. She had escaped death numerous times. She’d run on will power alone, and the determination to ensure her littermates’ safety. Ayden had found her when she’d been more than half-starved and damn near too weak to defend herself. Yet he’d seen something in her. Magda knew she’d made tough decisions. Hopefully Liesa and Katrin had forgiven her, or would soon for not running to see them once she had learned they were safe.

  No matter what happened now, she knew that she’d found love. What spread inside her every time she looked at Ayden, thought about him, or just caught a whiff of his scent was more powerful than anything she’d ever known. If she died by his side, she knew that she’d truly smelled and experienced a level of happiness and contentment that many werewolves never knew. Magda knew her sire and mother had known it. She was honored and so proud to know it, too.

  Turning away from Ayden, she continued feeling this new sense of power that came with knowing true love. Magda watched the male who moved away from the other Malta werewolves. Instead of approaching the two of them, he instead walked over the frozen ground, indifferent to how his incredible weight caused snow to crunch and smash under his paws. He stopped in front of one of the lunewulf, lowered his massive head, and growled. His eyes turned to slits. He was damn near face to face with the male lunewulf. He curled his lip and sent a message.

  Magda didn’t smell hostility. The large Malta werewolf was calm. She looked away from the strange encounter to the other Malta werewolves. There were only three of them. None of them appeared nervous or unsure, yet the lunewulfs out-numbered them. It dawned on her that very likely all four of the Malta werewolves possessed the gift. Were their talents like hers? If they’d run in a Malta werewolf litter with a Malta werewolf pack their entire lives, they’d probably fine-tuned their gift at an early age.

  She wasn’t jealous. Up until three months ago, her life had been perfect, too. Now after those months of hell, she knew perfection again. It was a different type of perfect, but one she knew she’d enjoy the rest of her life. No matter how long that life might be.

  The three Malta males watched the one who’d walked over to the lunewulf. Was he their pack leader? Then the male quit snarling at the lunewulf and turned his attention toward Magda and Ayden. Magda caught herself staring into the male’s sober eyes. With all the strong smells coming from all the males, testosterone being the strongest, it was impossible to narrow in on one male’s scent, especially at this distance.

  He didn’t look at her the way Ayden did. Not that she’d expect the male to see her as the female he loved. But there was a steady concentration. Something dawned on her and she looked away quickly. The male was trying to guess what her gift was. That had to be it. She was a Malta werewolf, or at least in her fur appeared to be pure bred. The male had looked at her with curiosity.

  There was a rustle among the lunewulf as the six males backed away from the large Malta werewolf. The lunewulf that the Malta male had snarled at turned, barked at his pack mates, then turned and ran into the forest. The other lunewulf followed. Slowly, after watching them depart, the male turned his slanted, silver eyes once again on Ayden and Magda. Although the three Malta werewolves standing to the side didn’t move, they now also looked directly at her and Ayden.

  Once again Ayden pushed her behind him, lowering his head and nuzzling against her with enough strength that if she’d held her ground he would have knocked her over. This time instead of standing fast and being a shiel
d of pure power, Ayden moved, leaving her where she was as he stepped forward.

  Magda moved with him, remaining tight by his side. Ayden swung around, lowering his face so he pressed the side of it by her shoulder. He let out a low, soft rumble in his throat then raised his head and stared at her a moment.

  He was telling her to stay put. Magda didn’t like it. She’d be damned if he took on four Malta werewolf males while carrying a saddle bag stuffed full of all the two of them owned. She would stand by her male, fight by her male, and go down with him too, if it came to that. But when she tried stepping forward, Ayden nipped at her and bared his teeth.

  When this was over, if the two of them were still alive, she would beat the tar out of him for trying to play the dominant male. Ayden would learn quick and fast that she wasn’t a female to remain on the sidelines and watch her mate take a beating without her helping with the fight.

  She glared at him, returning the action by snapping back at him. But when he raised his head, stared at her a moment, she remained where she was. He might be pissing her off at the moment, but their fight was their own business. In front of these Malta werewolf males neither of them knew, she would honor her mate’s wishes. Magda saw in his eyes that he understood her position, and her anger at what he requested.

  Ayden turned from her and once again faced the Malta male. When he stepped forward Magda didn’t move. Every inch of her tensed, though. She shot glances from the male before them to the three standing off to the side. Watching all of them the best she could, Magda dared any of them to try and hurt her male. They might all attack, but if they did have the gift, it would be hard for them to fight and use it. She would stay put, but she’d be damned if she watched them draw blood from her mate without retaliating to protect him.

  Magda quit looking at the males when Ayden quit moving. He stood not far from the large male who’d sent the lunewulf away. Neither male growled. No one moved. But then Ayden lowered himself to the ground, moving slowly and not offsetting the weight of the saddle bags he carried.

  Her jaw dropped. She snapped it shut. Her mate, her powerful, invincible and well loved male, had just bellied up before these Malta werewolves.

  There was no shame. She didn’t feel a stab at her pride. Magda stared at Ayden’s backside when his broad chest touched the frozen ground. He didn’t lower his head but held it high. Ayden was letting these males know that he wasn’t here to fight. They hadn’t traveled this far to take on this pack with aggression. There were no plans to dishonor or disrespect any laws or traditions at play on this mountain. Her mate had told her that he’d run with her and make their den together. He was following through with this plan and telling these males that he and Magda were here to join them. He’d just bellied up to his new pack leader.

  Magda slipped her hair brush back into the saddle bag and took one last glance into the oval shaped mirror. Then turning, she took Ayden’s hand when he offered it and sucked in a deep breath. She smelled all the werewolves on the other side of the closed bedroom door. The bedroom one of the males who’d run with them the rest of the way up the mountain had offered so they could change and freshen up before meeting more of the pack.

  “Ready?” Ayden asked. He’d showered and had put on his faded jeans, her favorite pair on him. He wore a blue sweater that brought out the color in his eyes. “And you look so beautiful.”

  “I was just thinking the same of you.”

  He nuzzled into her, just as he had in the forest on the lower part of the mountain. This time, though, instead of biting her with his teeth, he nipped at the same spot. He hadn’t punctured flesh before and he didn’t now either. But the scrape of teeth against her skin at the top of her shoulder and so close to her neck sent chills rushing over her entire body.

  “There is no way I’m more beautiful than you,” he whispered, and chuckled.

  His warm breath tortured the side of her neck. It did a serious number on her insides. Magda put her hands on his shoulders, then laced her fingers behind his neck. When he straightened, she went up on tiptoe to kiss him.

  “You did an amazing thing earlier today,” she told him, moving her lips against his.

  He understood without her elaborating. Ayden stared down at her, his expression growing serious.

  “If the Malta werewolves had intended to kill us, I doubted they’d care if the lunewulf remain and watch, or not. I smelled honor and curiosity on them.”

  “Same here,” she agreed.

  “But no hostility or aggression. The honorable thing to do on my end was exactly what I did.”

  When she smiled he took her wrists and removed her hands from behind his neck. Then taking her hand, he turned them to the door. He opened it and they stepped into a large living area where a group of Malta werewolves were sitting and standing and visiting quietly. They all stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at Ayden and Magda when they entered the room.

  Magda’s insides tightened. How intimidating was this? Three males and two females scrutinized her, then Ayden. The males were tall, all over six foot and built as well as Ayden, although they were noticeably older. Magda wasn’t the best at judging age but considering the genocide all of them had lived through it was overwhelming standing before them. Werewolves didn’t often live to be old, white haired and wrinkled. Not that any of these males or females facing her were that old. They all looked very healthy, powerful and—was it wise? With all the hell she’d endured the past months, none of it compared to what these werewolves had experienced in their past. Magda suddenly felt humbled in their presence.

  It crossed her mind that these males and females probably had the gift, too. What would it be like to use her gift openly without being condemned for it? Maybe she would be able to uproot trees for Ayden when he built their den. She could fine tune moving boulders and rocks to clear land for them. Were there other aspects of the gift she might learn?

  She didn’t realize she’d squeezed Ayden’s hand until he tightened his grip on her. Here they were. This was the Malta werewolf pack she’d fought so hard to join. She and Ayden were simply guests at the moment. But nonetheless, looking at the males and females staring back at her sent a rush of excitement over her. The future she had wanted, had needed to believe would return happiness to her life, now seemed like it might really happen.

  She took a quick glance around the cozy, spacious den, not settling her attention on any of the werewolves studying her and Ayden. It was a nice cabin with a large fireplace and a burning fire crackling peacefully. For a long moment, that was the only sound in the room. Magda picked up on a variety of smells, some of them the calm emotions coming from the Malta werewolves in the room. There was also the rich aroma of fresh kill and her tummy rumbled softly.

  Ayden cleared his throat at the same time her belly announced she was hungry. There was no end to how this male lived to protect her. If she lived to be a ripe, old age, she vowed to do her best to always protect him in turn.

  Before Ayden spoke, a male pushed away from the wall where he’d been leaning alongside a long, well stuffed couch.

  He spoke to the room in general. “She can move things with her mind. So far it appears she’s focused on trees. Recently, she’s taught herself to move boulders and large rocks as well.”

  Magda’s mouth opened. Suddenly it was dry. She white knuckled Ayden’s hand.

  “How do you know that?” she gasped.

  The male who had howled personal information that he shouldn’t know about her didn’t answer but looked at another male who sat on the couch. The female sitting next to the male glanced up at the male. They made eye contact and held it for a moment. The female then placed her hand on the male’s knee sitting next to her. It was a strange exchange.

  “Anything else?” the male sitting asked, looking up at the male who’d just spoken.

  “They are here to join our pack.”

  Another female sat in an upright chair next to the couch. A male sat next to h
er. The female pushed her straight black hair back behind her neck with both hands and leaned forward. She sighed loudly then looked at Magda.

  “You aren’t used to being around other Malta werewolves.” She looked up at the male who had announced what Magda could do with her gift and made a face. Then she returned her smiling expression to Magda. “Which Josie knows. Granted we are curious about you two as you are us. We look forward to hearing your story and how you sniffed us out. But forgive Josie for his lack of tact. I’m Moira and this is my mate, Dante Aldo.”

  “She can’t read minds?” the male on the couch asked, ignoring Moira’s introduction.

  “No,” Josie, Moira and the female sitting next to him all answered at the same time.

  “Damn good thing,” the male answered. “I’m not sure I can take anyone else crawling around in my fucking mind. Now stay out of theirs. If they lie when they answer my questions, I’ll be able to smell it.”

  Ayden tightened his grip on her. Magda understood his concern. Were all these Malta werewolves able to read her and Ayden’s mind? Was that another aspect of the gift? It had never crossed her mind to ask her sire if some Malta werewolves were able to do different things with their gift. She didn’t want anyone crawling around in her mind. Her business was her own.

  The male, Dante Aldo, sitting next to Moira, let out a low growl and glared at the group. He shook his head before speaking. “This is our pack leader”—he nodded at the male and female on the couch—“Dimitri Spalto. And his mate Rosa—our queen bitch. Although some of us can hear each other’s thoughts, among other things, we have enough honor not to howl someone else’s thoughts out loud.” He shot Josie a scathing look.

  A small, female lunewulf, stepped from from the kitchen. She held a large wooden spoon in her hand and Magda swore she saw the enticing aroma rising off the spoon along with steam. The lunewulf walked up to the large male standing by the couch and pressed her free hand on his chest. Josie looked down at her and his expression relaxed instantly.