He growled sexily and nipped at her shoulder, his body moving faster, sliding in and out of her with gaining speed. She pulled her legs up higher, propping her feet on the top of his butt, her body rocking gently under him. His thrusts became more animalistic, the grunts that filled the air, almost snarls. He pulled his head back and looked into her eyes, the golden gleam of his wolf finding hers watching him. With a growl she grabbed his bottom lip in her teeth, nipping it gently before sucking it into her mouth.
Through their connection she could feel he was close... to something... and she invited it, welcomed it. Together they climbed the cliff until they teetered on the brink for an instant; then clinging to each other, took the leap of faith, shattering into a billion pieces, floating in a sea of bliss. He rolled over and pulled her on top of him cradling her face tenderly, the frosty nip in the air forgotten.
“Oh wow,” she breathed.
He chuckled. “That was just the first round. Let's go home to a soft bed and we'll see how many rounds it takes before we both collapse in exhaustion.”
“I like how you think, Dr. Blakston,” she giggled softly. “I love you.”
“I aim to please, Mrs. Blakston,” he rumbled. “I love you too.”
She kissed him and jumped up. “Last one back has to go get our clothes,” she grinned and shifted, taking off towards his... no their cabin.
He laughed, “you little minx!” then shifted and bolted after her.
CHAPTER 21
Carson sat on the porch, Indian style, a blanket wrapped around her naked form, as the last of the stars gave up the sky to the sun. Closing her eyes, she felt the first waves of warmth beaming down upon her face.
“And just what are you doing awake? I figured you would still be asleep?”
She tipped her head back and smiled at her mate as he walked out of the cabin wearing only a pair of sweats slung low on his hips. She opened the blanket. “Watching the sunrise. Come join me.”
He stopped and gawked at her naked form, reaching down and adjusted himself. “Baby, you need to be careful flashing all that around. You make it difficult to breath... stand... walk... think...”
She grinned at him mischievously. “Well if you don't want...” She teased him gently and began to slowly close the blanket.
“Now where did you hear me say I didn't want?” He chuckled and slid in against her body, closing the blanket over them both. Carefully he pulled her into his lap and tucked the edges of the blanket tightly around them. “Mmm. A guy could definitely get used to this.”
“I intend on you getting very used to my body against yours.” The words were a soft seductive promise that wrapped her even tighter around his heart.
He grinned and cupped her face, tilting it towards him. Drawing her bottom lip into his, he gently sucked it. Under her hip, she felt his arousal and broke the kiss. “Breakfast,” she murmured. “Don't start something that we won't have the time to properly finish. We are already late as it is.”
He sucked in a breath and growled. “I know we promised your folks we'd come for breakfast but can't it wait till, say... next month?”
The laugh that bubbled from her lips lifted his spirits and made his inner beast sit up and take notice. Damn but she was sexy as all hell and she was his, all his.
“You get me for the rest of your life, Beloved. Poppa wants us there for the council's breakfast. They are leaving today and seeing how they were kind enough to travel all this way to see us bonded, we should at least be nice enough to convey our thanks in person.” She nipped his lip again. “I promise after they leave I'm all y...” She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes glazed over and body becoming stiff as a board. Eyes rolling back in her head she felt the tug of the dream as it captured her. Surrendering to it, she let the stream pull her into the depths and merge with her consciousness. Part of her could hear Chase as he called her name; dimly she was aware of him shaking her. “Dream,” she whispered then locked him out of her concentration.
Normally she had to coax a dream into being, had to push herself into someone's stream. However, on very rare occasions, a dream would push itself onto her. It had happened only twice before to her, so it took her completely by surprise. Looking around the stream, she wrinkled her brow and tried to ascertain whose stream had called her. The images flickered through her mind quickly melting from one to the next. She ignored them; they were inconsequential. Looking deep into the stream she saw the approach of a particularly strong image. Concentrating on it, the image steadied and expanded.
She stood in the midst of a grouping of rough cabins, in a sort of common grounds, with several others standing in a rough circular pattern. The clothing they wore consisted of long dresses covering from neck to feet or homespun shirts and trousers held up by suspenders. “The past,” she murmured and turned her attention to the two wolves battling in the middle. It was obvious this was a challenge, but for whom?
Her host looked up at a somewhat familiar looking woman standing beside them, a grim look upon her face. She was watching the combatants unblinking as they tore the ground up, wincing occasionally. They turned their attention back to the ring as one wolf, a huge brute well over five foot tall at the shoulders, sunk his jaws into the neck of the other one, twisting quickly and snapping it. He took a step back and howled his triumph. The woman next to her gasped and picked her up, hurrying away from the challenge ring. The woman was her mother, the dead wolf, their father who had challenged for alpha and failed.
She ran to a small cabin on the outskirts of the village, grabbing a bag and put it on her back. Behind them she heard, “The traitor has been disposed of. The laws have been satisfied.” Mother stopped a second and grabbed her hand. “No tears now. We have to go before they find us.” Shouldering the bag, she pulled her into the woods then picked her up and half shifted began to run.
The dream threw them out of the scene and she felt tears on her face. She sympathized for the poor wolves that had lost a mate, father and home all in one day. But the dream wasn't through with her; she was still immersed in the stream. Waiting patiently as the images flew past her, faster and faster, none stopping, abruptly she found herself on a median and realized she was crossing the now and speeding into the future stream. She braced herself knowing these images would not be as clear and would consist mostly of phantom, unsubstantial maybes. Still there was a reason she was still here so she waited.
She crossed the median and plunged again into the stream. Immediately, an image slammed into her and though it was hazy, it was clear enough for her to make out the formal dining room of her father's house that was used only for official events. Concentrating again, she willed the host to look around and look at each person at the table. At the head, her father had let Carl take the place of honor as Elder Councilor, opting to take the next seat to his right between Carl and the host. Opposite, she could see Councilors Archie and Oliver as they talked softly. She looked to her right two empty spots that would have been filled by herself and Chase – seems Chase had gotten his way after all. Across from them and sitting next to her and her host, Cayson and his mate, Zandria. She could feel her host wrinkle a brow trying to understand why a human had bonded with a wolf but shrugged it off. The table was completed with Gretchen, oldest of the council, sitting at the foot of the table in the spot normally reserved for Mother as the alpha female. The door opened and she saw her mother walk in carrying a tray heaping with eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, biscuits and the obligatory grits and gravy. Jeff jumped up to help her take it but she shook her head. “I have it,” she murmured and placed the tray on the table then taking a seat.
She saw her host's hand reach for a fork and tapped lightly on a glass. “Attention.”
Carson realized at that moment she was sharing a stream with Maggie Watson, the final member of the council. “Please, a moment of your time.”
All eyes turned to them and she stood up.
“I would like to propose a toast. To the strength of Sapphi
re Lake Pack.”
As one they lifted their glasses. She lifted hers as well and smiled at them. “May it never know another day of loss, of pain, or distress. May it never feel the anguish of losing a child, a mate, a home, a father. May it survive and thrive...” She turned her attention to her left and looked at Jeff. “... and never feel the taint of a Hennison again!”
She drew a silver knife out of her dress pocket, wincing as the metal stung and burned her hand. Quickly, she pulled it back and plunged it into the chest of the alpha. The room became deathly quiet for a moment then screams erupted as she let the knife go, leaving a deep burn on her hand, pushing the chair back and fleeing out the door. Quickly she shifted and bolted for the woods, leaving behind panic and screams that caressed her lupine ears like a bedtime lullaby.
She was thrown out of the stream and the dream, leaving her shaking and gasping for breath. Chase was looking at her with panic in his eyes. “Baby?” he whispered. His voice cracked from the strain.
“She’s going to kill him! We have to go. We have to go right now.”
She jumped up and ran into the cabin, pulling on the first thing she could find, a sweatshirt, slacks and a pair of mismatched shoes.
“Who... Who is going to kill whom?”
“Councilor Maggie is going to kill Poppa. I saw it in the dream. Please we have to go stop it now.”
He was already pulling his clothes on and grabbing her hand, pulled her out the door behind him.
CHAPTER 22
Will was just waking and had walked out on his porch stretching, contemplating going for a run. Looking behind him, he saw Amanda curled up asleep on the sofa. She had gotten so much better since Cayson had found his mate and no longer had any interest in her. True, he would have loved to have seen his daughter with a Hennison, but the events of that night had so affected her, throwing her into a coma that took nearly a week to wake from, he could understand her fear. Oh well, it worked out better when nature took care of these things.
Taking a step off the porch, he heard a crash and saw Chase and Carson run into the commons like they were being chased by a pack of demons. Jumping off the porch he stopped them. “Hey! What's going on? Shouldn't you two be at the breakfast?”
Carson's face had drained of all color and her eyes were wide. Immediately, he looked at the forest where they had just emerged, expecting … something to come crashing through, but nothing appeared.
Turning back to them he furrowed his brow. “What's going on here? What are you two running from?”
“She's going to kill him.” Carson gasped then leaned over, bracing her hands on her knees. Fear had sapped her strength.
“Who's going to kill who?” Will scratched his head.
Chase put an arm protectively around her waist. “She had a dream, Will. She saw Councilor Maggie Watson kill Jeff.”
“Kill Jeff? Why in the world would she do that? Are you sure she didn't just have a nightmare?” He frowned uncertainly
Carson stood up and grabbed Will's arm. “It was a dream. I was in her stream and I saw it. She was driven from this pack as a child and has been waiting for revenge ever since. I saw it Will. She is planning on killing Poppa with a silver knife in her dress pocket.”
He snarled and whirled, running to the alpha's house. With a leap he cleared the steps and landed on the porch. Turning the knob he raced inside, Chase and Carson close behind, then motioned them to be quiet. He tiptoed to the door and they heard Maggie, starting her toast.
“Attention. Please a moment of your time.”
Carson hissed and started forward. Chase pulled her back.
“Although the newly bonded couple decided to not join us, not that I can blame them for being young and so... in love,” she paused, “I would like to propose a toast to them and to the strength of Sapphire Lake Pack.”
“She’s going to do it,” Carson hissed. “Right now she's putting her hand into her dress pocket and getting the knife.”
“... May it never know another day of loss, of pain, of distress...”
Will snarled and burst through the door, startling everyone. “Will? What's the meaning of this?” Jeff stood up and set his raised glass on the table.
Will marched over to Maggie and pulled her hand out of her pocket wrapped around the handle of a long blade. “A silver knife, Councilor? What were you going to do with that? Maybe thrust it into Jeff's chest?”
She screamed and yanked her hand out of his. Turning towards Jeff she raised her hand back and prepared to plunge it into his chest. Will roared, grabbed Jeff and pushed him out of the way. The knife arched downward until it was buried to the hilt in Will's back. He hissed then sagged against his alpha. Cayson snarled and grabbed the woman. Flipping the bloody blade out of her hands and pinning her arms behind her back he dragged her back out of the way. Jeff caught the beta as he fell forward, gently lowering him to the ground. “Somebody find Chase,” he yelled.
“I'm already here.” Chase made his way to Will and knelt beside him. Checking his vitals, the room held its collective breath. Sucking in a deep breath, Chase closed his eyes and shook his head. “I'm sorry, he's gone Jeff.”
There was a gasp. Jeff raised his eyes to Maggie. “Why?”
“It was a Hennison, a filthy Hennison that killed my father, that forced us from our home – this home. Your grandfather killed my father for challenging him for alpha of this pack. He died and my mother and I were forced to run, to turn rogue without a home or family. She died much too young and left me to this world alone.” She narrowed her eyes. “Then that damned mate run was supposed to fix everything. Micah should have won. He should have claimed Carson and secure the alpha position. Finally my family was going to get back what it deserved. My son was going to be alpha!”
She screamed hatred at them and kicked out. Cayson held her tightly in his arms as she fought against him. After several moments, Patrick burst in the door followed by Ellis and several other members of the Enforcers. “Take her out of here,” Jeff growled and turned his attention back to the cooling form of his beta.
“Hold her in the pack room. I want to talk to her.” Carl's eyes never left Will's body lying in a spreading pool of blood. He reached out and touched Jeff's shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and instead gave the alpha's shoulder a gentle squeeze.
Chase stood up and turned away, pulled a still shaking Carson in his arms. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he felt her tears wet the front of his shirt. “Shh, baby,” he murmured softly.
“Will's dead. Poor Amanda and Gemma, what will they do without him?” she croaked brokenly.
“Survive,” he murmured.
.-~*~-.
The next evening, Sapphire Lake pack gathered again in the clearing. Unlike the evening two days ago, this union was not in joy but rather the sadness of saying goodbye. Solemn faces surrounded the pyre that had been erected, Will's prone body laid on top. Carson stood with his daughters, their faces ashen and tear-stained.
Gretchen stood before the pyre and addressed the masses. “Tonight we come to say our goodbyes to a wolf, a friend, a father, a beta. William Thistle was a good man, father of two beautiful girls and a protector of our people. He gave his life so that evil would not win, that darkness would not take this world. And though we may never fully understand why he was taken from us so young, we know that this world was made so much better by his presence.”
The eulogies continued, people stepping forward to share their thoughts, anecdotes and memories of Will and all he had done. Nearby, Gemma and Amanda stood stonily as words that were meant for comfort spoke of how great a wolf their father had been. Afterward, they were given the honor of setting the wood to blaze, then stood by watching as it consumed his lifeless body. When the fire was reduced to embers, Miriah and Carson gently guided them back to the village and into their house, getting them settled in for the night.
Carson stepped out on their porch and hugged herself. “I feel so bad
for them. First their mom died when Gemma was born and now to lose their father.”
Miriah slipped a hand around her daughter's waist. “They've lost a father but we will always be here for them. Pack takes care of pack.”
She nodded. “I know Mother, but I just can't help but think how horrible it would be if something happened to you or Poppa. It makes my chest hurt just to think about it.”
They took a step off the porch. Miriah squeezed her daughter's hand. “I know. I have the same fears about you and Cayson. It's part of who we are. It's part of family.”
Ellis appeared out of the shadows. “Excuse me ladies. Jeff sent me over to get you. I need to escort you two back to your houses.”
Miriah frowned. “Why do we need an escort?”
He fidgeted slightly, rubbing his hand across his neck. “While we were at the funeral, Maggie escaped.”
CHAPTER 23
Sunlight streamed brightly through the window, casting its gaze on the still sleeping form of Carson. She lay on her stomach, facing him with one arm thrown carelessly over her pillow. Beside her, Chase lay propped up on his elbow, watching the soft rise and fall of her back. Reaching over, he gently lifted one of the heavy ebony curls that lay across her cheek and tucked it tenderly behind her ear. His heart swelled as he watched her peacefully sleeping. This beautiful woman was so much more than he could have ever hoped for and though he knew he didn't deserve her love, he would do everything in his power to ensure he kept it.
His finger slowly slide along her bare arm, the gentle stroke making tingles flow through his nerves. He smiled as he remembered their lovemaking last night after the funeral. Since the bonding, they had taken time to explore each other slowly and tenderly. Last night, however, they had attacked each other with an almost desperate fire that threatened to consume them. His eyes glazed over and a smug grin lifted his lips as he recalled how she had growled at him, rolling over until she was on top. They had loved long into the night until finally collapsing spent and sated into each other's arms just before dawn.
Shattered Dreams (Luna's Children) Page 18