A Wolf's Pride

by Jennifer T. Alli

  I should have known better, she mentally scolded herself. Just because he says I’m his mate, whatever that means, it doesn’t mean that he’s not involved with someone else. Men cheat all the time, especially on me. Does that child’s mother even known Ryan is planning to abandon her for me? Is she even still around? Is he even intending to break it off with her? What if he thinks he can have us both? The arrogant ass!

  Ryan walked forward, still smiling, seemingly unaware of the disappointment Chloe felt. “Chloe, I want you to meet Sophia.” He moved closer, encouraging her to hold the little girl within her arms before moving away to the second crib and lifting a second child out. “And this is Vivian.”

  “They’re beautiful, you must be very proud,” she said, her teeth clenched tightly together. “Where’s their mother?”

  “I’m right here,” a soft voice called from behind her.

  Chloe’s heart sped up once more and she barely resisted the urge to curse. Turning around to face the newcomer, her heart sank further once she looked at the woman, quickly taking in her petite frame, neatly cut crimson hair and piercing grey eyes.

  “You must be Chloe,” the woman smiled. Chloe nodded in agreement. “I’m Elaine. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

  Why? I’m stealing the father of your children away from you. Chloe’s mind demanded rebelliously though outwardly she remained silent.

  “I apologise for the way that you were brought here. Ryan has always been one to act before he properly thinks things through. Although, from what I hear, he did have some justification for his behaviour.”

  “If you say so,” Chloe mumbled under her breath.

  Elaine stepped forward, her arms reaching for Sophia. The child’s arms reached for her eagerly and Chloe let her go, suddenly feeling like an interloper in this family meeting.

  Sophia’s small hands reached for the red strands of Elaine’s hair and as the baby pulled, Elaine grimaced. “This one is going to be a trouble maker just like you were Ryan. When you were a baby you always pulled my hair, Sebastian on the other hand did no such thing and just look how the pair of you have matured. I’m in trouble with her. Why is it that I seem cursed to give birth to one good and one bad twin?”

  Placing Vivian back in the crib, Ryan moved to his mother’s side and lifted Sophia from her arms. “Do you hear that sis? We’re apparently the evil twins,” Ryan laughed, moving back to the cribs and placing Sophia back inside. “This is what I get for listening to you mother… grief. You said you wanted to meet my mate and so you bad mouth me in front of her?” he joked.

  “Mother?” Chloe spluttered finally.

  “I unfortunately must own up to bringing that demon spawn into the world. I did try to make him into a better person, unfortunately he has a stubborn streak ten thousand miles long.”

  “You wound me mother,” he groaned dramatically, clutching his hand over his heart.

  “If only,” Elaine scoffed. “I had to give up when the grey hairs began appearing. I wasn’t going to let you age me prematurely.” Elaine turned away from her son and began scanning her surroundings as though in search of something.

  “Father told me to send his apologies mother,” Ryan began, easily interpreting his mother’s movements. “One of us had to stay behind. As you seemed so determined to meet my mate, he told me to go.” He stepped behind Chloe, pulling her body flush against his. “We can always leave if you want.”

  “Don’t be silly. Come with me Chloe.” She smiled as she reached for Chloe’s hand and pulled her away from Ryan into one of several chairs that the nursery contained.

  His mother? His mother? Oh my god, he brought me here to meet his family! This is madness. Why didn’t he tell me? I thought those were his daughters not his sisters…. Her mind ranted before a more pressing concern pushed itself to the front of her mind. I’m going to make a fool of myself. I’ve never met anyone’s parents before. Besides Gary, I’ve never been in a relationship long enough to need to meet them and even Gary didn’t want me to meet them. He’s made such a big mistake bringing me here. She turned to him, her eyes silently pleading for support. His smile was reassuring and he moved forward, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  “So Chloe,” Elaine began. “How are you finding life with Ryan?”

  Is this a trick question? “It’s getting better,” she hedged.

  Elaine laughed loudly, the sound stunning Chloe. “Come now Chloe, I’m his mother, there’s no need to try and mask his faults. I know them all. I guess he can’t help it, it’s just the way he matured I guess.”

  “Matured?” Chloe repeated, confused as to why Elaine was talking about her son as though he were some sort of cheese.

  “Silly me, you have no idea what I’m talking about do you?” Chloe shook her head, no. “It’s what we refer to as growth, development, getting your wolf under control. It varies from person to person but think of maturity as a spectrum with two opposing ends. There are those, like my other son Sebastian, who absolutely refuse to listen to their wolves and so spend their maturity finding ways to silence or lock away that voice. And then there are those like Ryan,” she groaned loudly.

  “What about Ryan?” Chloe pressed, genuinely interested.

  “Ryan is the opposite to Sebastian. He listens without fail to the demands of his wolf, that’s why he’s so impulsive. He doesn’t think things through properly because his wolf doesn’t think things through at all.”

  “Hang on,” Chloe interrupted, turning to face Ryan. “You told me that people couldn’t be turned into werewolves because they didn’t have the time to learn to control their inner wolves, it sounds to me as though you have no more control than the wild wolves you were talking about. Did you lie to me?”

  “Never Chloe,” he reaffirmed. “I would never lie to you. I do have a degree of control. My wolf isn’t interested in the day-to-day things of life so his voice is silent most of the time. It’s only big things that it tries to get involved in.”

  “Like taking a mate?”

  “Exactly,” he beamed, pride etched on his features.

  “I don’t envy you the task of trying to tame my son Chloe. Wolves that mature like he has done are notoriously difficult to manage. I spent decades trying and got nowhere.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that mother. Chloe is my mate, I can think of no greater pleasure than for her to try to tame me,” he purred, the seductive tone of his voice bringing a flush to Chloe’s cheeks.

  The corners of Elaine’s mouth lifted in a calculated smile. “Well I find that a quick and sharp smack to the side of his head works wonders.” Chloe’s jaw dropped in surprise at her statement. Elaine shrugged her shoulders. “I’m serious Chloe.”

  “Mother,” Ryan growled disapprovingly.

  “I know this may be difficult for you to understand but everything he does is truly for your benefit.” Ryan smiled, nodding his head in approval at his mother’s change in perspective. “But still, because of the way he’s matured, his methods leave a little something to be desired. If asking him nicely seems to be getting you nowhere then I suggest you use my method. A small slap to his head does wonders to get his attention and in some cases it can even make him see reason.”

  The serious tone Elaine was using to discuss such an unexpected method of dealing with Ryan made Chloe chuckle. Though she tried to resist it, the sound escalated until it was full blown laughter, bubbling out from her throat. Her body began to shake with it and tears rolled down her cheeks. This is his mother? No wonder he turned out the way he has, they’re all strange. “You’re funny,” she managed to say through her almost hysterical laughter.

  The phone in his pocket began to ring and Ryan stepped away from Chloe, grateful for the interruption. “Yes?” he answered.

  “Lord Ryan, this is Anthony from the royal estate.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No, nothing is wrong. You told us to inform you when Lady Chloe’s things arrived.
”

  “So they’re all there now?”

  “Yes.”

  Ryan’s eyes wandered back to where his mother and Chloe were now both laughing and he sighed in relief, thankful for the exit strategy that had just been given to him. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Don’t touch anything.”

  “Of course Lord Ryan.”

  Ending the call, he placed the phone back in his pocket. “Chloe love, it’s time for us to leave.”

  “What?” Elaine exclaimed. “She just got here.”

  “I know mother but her things have just made it to the estate, I want to give her time to unpack.”

  “Can’t you just let someone else do it? You haven’t been here long enough for Chloe and I to get to know each other.”

  Ryan’s eyes flashed amber at the suggestion. “No one touches Chloe’s things,” he growled in response. The mere idea that others would touch his mate’s private things, contaminate her scent with their own, was enough to make him see red with rage.

  “It’s alright Elaine,” Chloe mediated. “I prefer to unpack myself. If someone else did it they wouldn’t know what was important and accidents happen.”

  “We’ll come again another time,” Ryan murmured, his voice apologetic.

  “You had better do,” she snapped though the large smile on her face ruined any illusions of anger. “Fine, go.” She stood and walked over to Ryan, embracing him in a warm hug. Pulling away from him, she proceeded to give Chloe the same treatment, wrapping her arms around her frame for a few moments before pulling away.

  As soon as Chloe was free, Ryan took hold of her hand and began leading her away from the room. Elaine’s voice followed them down the hall as she shouted, “Ryan Orville Sutherland, I mean it if you don’t come back here within the week with that adorable mate of yours, I’ll hunt you down.”

  “Orville?”

  Ryan shrugged, “Blame my father, he didn’t stop her. And if you think that’s bad you should hear what Sebastian's is. Come on, I want your things unpacked quickly.” He lifted her into his arms once again and took off running.

  Chapter Twenty One

  The trip back to the estate had been quick. Ryan had learnt his lesson on the out going journey, throwing Chloe away from his body hadn’t made him desire her any less, if anything it had had the opposite effect. The brief absences that he had given her body away from his had only made him more conscious of her when he went to catch her. Realising that he was going to have to endure her proximity he had changed his tactics, running as fast as he could to make it back to the estate as soon as possible. Now, as they strolled the busy halls on their way back to the rooms, he was finally given the chance to get his body back under control. His mate might believe that she had physical imperfections but his body did not.

  “So does it work?” Chloe asked as she avoided yet another person that was rushing along the length of the corridor.

  His mate’s voice snapped him out of the haze of lust his mind had been dwelling in. “Does what work?”

  “Does a slap to the back of your head really work in getting you to behave?”

  “My mother likes to think that it does,” he shrugged.

  “So I’m going to take that as a no then. Damn,” she cursed. “I thought I’d just acquired a weapon to keep you in line.”

  He stopped, grabbing her wrist and pulling her flush against his body. Consequences be damned, he decided. “You,” he purred. “Are the only weapon that could be used to keep me in line. You have to know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” His head descended and he pressed a quick but intense kiss against her lips, pulling back before his self control deteriorated completely. “Come on, let’s go and unpack your things.”

  Chloe nodded, slightly dazed and stepped back from Ryan. Her eyes widened as a man came careening towards her but her feet seemed rooted to the floor. Their gazes met before the man’s eyes wandered towards Ryan. He spun abruptly, just missing her before speeding off once again.

  “What on earth is going on here?” Chloe demanded. “Since this morning, everyone has been rushing about like mad, not just here but at your home as well.”

  “They’re preparing for the full moon feast,” he explained casually.

  “Full moon feast?”

  “We’re not human Chloe,” he reminded her gently. A look of horror came over her face and Ryan rushed to reassure her. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you. We don’t turn into those great big slobbering beasts of legend I swear. You’ve seen me change; you know what I look like. I wasn’t that terrifying was I?”

  Remembering the sole occasion she had seen Ryan in his wolf form, she had to agree with him. “You were just as stupid as you are now. Standing in the middle of the road?” she scoffed. “I should have just run you over, it would have saved me a lot of trouble.”

  “Ah Chloe, you know you couldn’t have run me over, you care for me far too much to do that,” he joked.

  “I didn’t even know it was you at that point and besides, who says I care for you? I’m not even sure I can stand you, let alone care about you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Has any one ever told you that you lie?” he paused, “a lot.”

  “No,” she answered quickly. “Why would they? I’m an honest person.”

  “Chloe, you’ve been lying to me constantly since we first met but you keep forgetting that I can smell you, I know if you’re being honest. Maybe that’s why the people who think you’re honest don’t know the truth. They don’t know you as well as I do, they can’t smell the changes in your scent, the changes that tell me the whole story.”

  “Ryan, we haven’t even known each other a week, how could I possibly care for you, especially given our circumstances.”

  “I’ve noticed that you do that a lot too,” he commented cryptically.

  “Do what?”

  “You lie to yourself as well. The circumstances surrounding our meeting aren’t important. Don’t try to convince me otherwise,” he tapped his nose lightly. “I know better.”

  The look in his eyes was predatory and Chloe’s heart stuttered in response. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re arrogant and insufferable?”

  His smile was unrepentant. “If I don’t hear it at least once a day I feel as though my formative years were wasted.”

  “You genuinely have no sense of shame do you?”

  “I don’t see any reason to.”

  “I didn’t understand why your own mother was suggesting that I hit you upside the head before, but I understand now. You’re impossible to deal with reasonably.”

  “And you’re in denial love. You may fool everyone else but you can’t fool me. I’m your mate after all.”

  Their eyes locked and she had to force herself to look away, nothing good seemed to come out of staring into those honeyed depths. Making a tactical retreat, she took a step away from him, turned on her heel and walked very quickly in the direction that she thought the bedroom was. Ryan’s hand whipped out at an astonishing speed, pulling her back towards him and turning her in the correct direction. Her frustrated growl only served to widen the smile on his face.

  “Instead of being such an insufferable moron, why don’t you do what you told me a mate should do? Help me. I still don’t know what’s going on. I asked you a question and instead of answering me properly you’re just aggravating me. Either help me or just leave me alone and let me figure it out.”

  His smile momentarily died in the face of her genuine distress. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “Well then stop being so insufferable and help me. The full moon feast?” she prompted, continuing to stroll down the hall.

  “As you might have noticed, we wolves are very sensual creatures,” he began calmly.

  The rich timbre of his serious voice crept up Chloe’s spine and she stiffened against it, unwilling to show Ryan how much he affected her when she had finally extracted a degree of compliance from him. “I thought that was just you
and your wandering hands,” she retorted, extremely proud of herself when her voice came out steady and even.

  “No,” he laughed, “it’s a trait of my species and one that I generally enjoy very much.”

  “Don’t deviate Ryan.”

  “Well under the full moon, we become driven by our inner wolves and the need to sate your senses takes priority. The full moon feast developed as a result. If we’re busy partying and sating our senses among others of our kind then we don’t attract unwanted attention.”

  “Oh, is it a formal thing?”

  “Not really. You wear what you want to wear, whatever makes you feel comfortable. Formal isn’t advisable. You never know what will happen to your clothes when under the sway of the moon.”

  “Still,” she sighed. “I’m glad that my things are here and that I can choose what to wear.”

  “Chloe,” he rumbled. “We’re not going.”

  Her face flushed red in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I shouldn’t have assumed that we’d be….Well of course we’re not going! After everything that I heard the other day it only makes sense that you wouldn’t want me around other people, especially at a celebration. If I were there I would just make everyone uncomfortable.”

  “Chloe, love, you make it sound as though I’m ashamed of you. I’m not.”

  “Then why?”

  “You and I have far more important things to be doing during the full moon.”

  “Like what?” she asked innocently.

  His eyes flashed amber. “The claiming, love.”

  Her brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand. What’s this claiming thing?”

  He stopped and she realised that they were in front of the door to their rooms. “We’ll talk about this after you’ve finished packing and before you ask, no, we can’t talk about this while we unpack. I want your full attention when we talk about this.” He opened the door and waited for her to respond.